International Conference
"Intellectual Crises of the Muslim Ummah: Rethinking Traditional Solutions"
Aligarh Muslim University, April 6-7, 2015
ABSTRACT OF PRESENTATION
by Mike Ghouse
"Intellectual Crises of the Muslim Ummah: Rethinking Traditional Solutions"
Aligarh Muslim University, April 6-7, 2015
ABSTRACT OF PRESENTATION
by Mike Ghouse
II. Is United Islam Possible?
United Islam is not a reality, nor do Muslims have an appetite for it. Given the unwillingness to acknowledge the otherness of others, a deep chasm has developed and pushed the denominational plates too far apart. However, we should pursue alternatives and strengthen ad hoc federations as a part of existential needs. One Islam is a pipe dream.
Human division is purely based on the God given uniqueness to each one of us. Quran advises in 49:13, “you have been created into many tribes, communities and nations from a single couple” and in another place it tells us that “had God willed, he would have created all of us alike.”
So, what is the alternative to a united Muslim community? God knows that our uniqueness generates conflict, and as we continue to seek security for our space, fight for sustenance and defend our nurturance, he offers the solution; the best ones amongst you are those who know each other. Accepting diversity is very Islamic and that is the guidance found in Quran.
Prophet Muhammad understood that Islam is a reflection of human nature, and said that his followers will divide themselves up into 72/73 tribes – an elusive number to indicate many. Indeed that is story of all religions.
Everything God has said in Quran is demonstrated by the actions of the prophet. When we become Amins and respect the otherness of others and accept the God given uniqueness to each one of us then conflicts fade and solutions emerge.
Mike Ghouse, World Muslim Congress, Dallas | Washington (214) 325-1916 |SpeakerMikeGhouse@gmail.com
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Mike Ghouse is a public speaker, thinker, writer and a commentator onPluralism, Islam, India, Israel-Palestine, Politics and other issues of the day. He is a human rights activist, and his book standing up for others will be out soon | He is producing a full feature film ” Sacred” to be released on 9/11 and a documentary “Americans together” for a July 4 release. He is a frequent guest commentator on Fox News and syndicated Talk Radio shows and a writer at major news papers including Dallas Morning News and Huffington Post. All about him is listed in 63 links at www.MikeGhouse.net and his writings are at www.TheGhousediary.com – Mike is committed to building cohesive societies and offers pluralistic solutions on issues of the day.
Prophet Muhammad understood that Islam is a reflection of human nature, and said that his followers will divide themselves up into 72/73 tribes – an elusive number to indicate many. Indeed that is story of all religions.
Everything God has said in Quran is demonstrated by the actions of the prophet. When we become Amins and respect the otherness of others and accept the God given uniqueness to each one of us then conflicts fade and solutions emerge.
Mike Ghouse, World Muslim Congress, Dallas | Washington (214) 325-1916 |SpeakerMikeGhouse@gmail.com
...............................................................................................................................
Mike Ghouse is a public speaker, thinker, writer and a commentator onPluralism, Islam, India, Israel-Palestine, Politics and other issues of the day. He is a human rights activist, and his book standing up for others will be out soon | He is producing a full feature film ” Sacred” to be released on 9/11 and a documentary “Americans together” for a July 4 release. He is a frequent guest commentator on Fox News and syndicated Talk Radio shows and a writer at major news papers including Dallas Morning News and Huffington Post. All about him is listed in 63 links at www.MikeGhouse.net and his writings are at www.TheGhousediary.com – Mike is committed to building cohesive societies and offers pluralistic solutions on issues of the day.
You know how many are afraid of United Islam, and also, you know very well , how the shaitan ( The devil both the internal and external ) will fight tooth and nail to prevent the formation of United Islam.
ReplyDeleteEven though the very Principles on which Islam stands is a Mercy and cure to the problems of the present day world.
Foundation starts of with the family. Only a strong family makes a strong community , and a strong country.
In Islam First is the emphasis of One God ,
very next thing , is the emphasis of Love and Respect of Parents. ( Quran: Do not even say OOF/ raise the voice, to them if they reached old age , be kind to them as they were kind to you , when you were weak and crawling.)
Then is the emphasis of sanctity of life in Islam. Preserve life and celebrate it and be thankful for it
Do not kill your children for fear of lack of food, for the provider of food for the child and the Parent is God, so do not go about killing children born or unborn. It is happening these days, even before a girl gets a chance to take her first breath , she is gets aborted by some parents. ( female infanticide). It happens in India and even in so called Muslim Pakistan 12 million and 6 million female fetuses have been aborted.).
In other places male or female fetus gets aborted with no valid reason at times. There have been instances in the University Campus a new born is put in a trash bag , smashed several times and thrown in the dumpster! Sad. sad.
However there are good eg too for saving life. Best eg: is that of STEVE JOBS ,Apple CEO, the blessed man who worked and brought the huge big computers from the IBM rooms to the palm of the human hands. When his mother conceived him , by a Muslim Syrian father, the the would be grand father( a catholic) out of pride or whatever refused to accept the child, So the blessed mother choose life to aborting , and put up the child for adoption, and lo and behold we have STEVE JOBS come to life and do such good service to humanity. The Steve's father later did marry Steve's mom though and the couple had another daughter equally brilliant like her brother.
Then again the sanctitiy of life in later yrs too : Do not kill even one unjustly , it is like killing whole humanity.
IN Palestine eg: One Jew dead is too many dead , or one Palestinian dead is too many dead. If sanctity of life is considered the issue of Jerusalem of hundreds of years will be resolved.( NOt only in Palestine but any where else in world.)
Sanctity of life is not just for human life . Qur'an shows by the eg of Solomon how he saved the lives of ANTs . So even the life so miniscule has its own importance and place to live, and we must not kill , if we can save the ant's life , we must. That 's the beauty of the Qur'an and its teaching.
Then honorable and peaceful living, with women loving and protecting the women.
Then honesty , justice and Charity and not drinking ,not gambling and not taking Usury will all improve human life. The life of self , and society and the live in peace with the neighbor.
Continuation from above: Part 2.
ReplyDeleteEven though humans have developed technology to go to moon and change human hearts to mechanical or biomechanical hearts, but we have not been able to instill the love and respect of Parents in the children. and we are loosing our children to drugs ,and violence , rape and prostitution in our industrialised Nations.
Muslims Thus by the practice of the principles of the path shown by our guides/ reformers/ Prophets , have a lot to contribute to this world in dire need.
We Muslims should focus on our positive contributions , then hopefully we will establish heaven on Earth . Worship of One God and Service of One Humanity.
To me Unity in Humanity is Islam and will be Islam.Insaallaha ( God willing )One Day.
So Unite to Contribute .
Our Prophet 's life Was walking Qur'an. If we focus on the principles of it and live and try to be walking Qur'an's to today , Then the world will come running to US for help. Our beloved Prophet Mohammed is no more , who is to show the beauty of Qur'an to this needy world then ?
. It is US none other than US. Then we will see armies entering the fold of Islam. Practise of Islam cannot happen in our Masjids , it happens rather in communities we live, by being peaceful problem solvers. " Qur'an is made easy , but is there anyone who remembers it?" We do not need any secondary literature to understand it. We need to learn to practically practice it.( eg: It says: Freeing a slave , feeding a hungry , caring for an Orphan , and encourage one another to patience and to mercy , they are on the right hand side of God , and those who do not do that they are on the left hand side of God with fire engulfing them. This is from Ch 91: Now is this difficult to understand or to practice. Only practice makes one pure and perfect. 1400 yrs back : Our beloved Prophet came with the message to free a slave to get a place on the right hand side of the Merciful one. Yet again how do we as Muslims go to sleep keeping some hungry souls as neighbours or at the homeless shelters? Have we thought about it. we do not need hadeeth to understand it . We Just need to " JUST DO IT". show it by our deeds.Give food or create jobs so they get their food.. How many Masjids feed one day a week on Friday , for any one to come and eat.? Very few indeed. ( Steve Jobs used to go to Hare Rama hare krishna Mandir in Pacific North West: once a week to eat free food, when he was a college student. Then these masjids , who give lip service to God , claim Islam is better than Hinduism? we cannot even compete to feed food to any needy one .( We carry in our hearts hidden Idols of greed , fear , heaps of wealth, lust and laziness , so what if Hindu carries open idols , at least he is honest and his idols are not hidden. !So why should I object to the idols of Hindu when I myself carry so many hidden idols within me.?. Therefor I must be inclusive of all , as I am not perfect myself . I must be tolerant of all others forms of worship, but I must keep strive for best behavior and services according to the beautiful principles laid out in Qur'an.)
Contd (3)
ReplyDeleteWe waste our precious short life studying and arguing about hadeeth which is notoriously used and abused to say what one wants to say or accomplish., by Muslims and Non Muslims equally. If we can stop this wasteful activity , then we can speed up with our achievements. Sometimes it is so ridiculous the way questions about Islam are asked at Masjids , to the so called experts, for Salat : as to how to put your hands at the side or over the waist or over the chest or how much to lift adnauseum,( the answer is equally in circles accord to hanafi this and hambali that, adnauseum) just like the questions asked for the sacrifice of cow by the children Israel to Moses. That means adhering to the letter in minutia and loosing the entire spirit of the act.
The prayer is for us not for God. We need to pray to get recharged , get proper thinking and proper channeling of our energy to achieve success to serve to do good and to prevent wrong. , This is the way I understand the concept of worship. Practice of the Principles in Qur'an makes a sparkling Diamond of us, giving light wherever that Diamond goes.It makes us USE ful and helpful and peaceful. Peace comes with truth and Justice.The Last and not the least Principle as it starts of with Parents , it also states speak the truth , even if you have to say it against your Parents , you speak the truth. this give us Peace.
And the whole world is witnessing the false propraganda against Muslims the lies against Muslims these days , I can give several eg. I need not any one can read in newspaper and know, but those are the very same ones who have lost PEACE. So we Muslims have no fear , no freight, we only have Peace, and need to continue to work for Peace.)
PRAISE TO GOD , THE GIVER OF RIGHT GUIDANCE, THE MOST MERCIFUL OF THOSE WHO SHOW MERCY. MAY HE SHOW HIS MERCY ON US. AND PEACE TO THE PROPHETS AND PEACE TO ALL THE HUMAN BEINGS. WITH GOD IS PEACE , FROM HIM COMES PEACE , MAY HE KEEP US IN PEACE.
opinion of Humaira : A Speck of dust.
Naeema, no one should be afraid of United Islam, the world should welcome it, but before that, United Islam should be for common good of humanity and not for Muslims at the cost of others.
ReplyDeleteAgree With You Mike fully.
DeleteUnited to contribute to Peace.