Ghouse Weekly Bulletin #25 | Ramadan | Don't Mess with Quran | Rick Perry | Sharia | Father's day

Ghouse Bulletin # 25 | www.TheGhousediary.comSaturday, June 20, 2015

What does it take to change the perceptions about Muslims? Myths about us will not disappear by themselves, we have to take the initiative and make an effort to bring about the change. Nothing will happen by itself. 

What are your thoughts? Can you support such initiative? Please let us know.

I am pleased to share this week’s items,
please feel free to share and give the feedback.

1. Ramadan Mubarak
2. Father's Day

3. Situation in South Carolina

4. Sharia-ism

5. International Yoga day

6. Rick Perry and Muslims

7. Muslims for freedom of speech

8. Don't mess with Quran.

9. McKinney police brutality

0. Speech at Aligarh Muslim University

Thank you.

Mike Ghouse
(214) 325-1916

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1. Ramadan Mubarak

May this Ramadan be blessings to the Aalameen, Amen!  Since 2010, God has blessed me to visit a mosque a day for Iftaar, and Alhamdu Lillah I have visited every Mosque of every denominations in Dallas including Al Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem. The purpose of visiting different Mosque was to learn about each others' varied traditions - to respect the otherness of others as God has guided and get rid of the Takabbur in us. It was also to knock out the ignorance about others. You can read some of the articles about Ramadan - the spirit, rituals, politics and traditions of Ramadan on the left panel atwww.RamadanExclusive.com

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2. Father's Day

On father's day, I will be dutifully meditating for about half an hour to reflect on my father; Mohamed Abdul Rahman. I will perform special prayers to express my gratitude to him. He is one of my mentors, and an affectionate and caring father who opened many windows of knowledge for us. If you are one of the parents who teach your children to .....

Full story at: http://theghousediary.blogspot.com/2015/06/happy-fathers-day-tribute-to-my-father.html

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3. Situation in South Carolina

On June 18, 2015, a terrorist barged in to a Church in Charleston and killed 9 innocent people.  A place of worship is a universal sanctuary of peace and we must all be conditioned to believe and practice it. These acts of terror are perpetrated by individuals from every tradition; in no case the religion authorized them to do the harassment or killing.  The criminals are there in every region, religion and race. http://americatogetherfoundation.blogspot.com/2015/06/south-carolina-massacre-terrorist-kills.html
 

Jon Stewart on South Carolina - he speaks justice for all. This video is worth watching, he has touched on the causes of ISIS and terrorism.  http://dallasmorningviewsblog.dallasnews.com/2015/06/no-jokes-jon-stewart-captures-the-depravity-of- charleston-massacre.html/
 

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4. Sharia-ism

There is indeed a genuine Sharia that God has given in Quran, but is not practiced by Muslims as they have created their own man made Sharia. For example - a man can shout the ugly word Talaq three times in one breath, or even text it to the wife, bringing an abrupt chaos and distress in a woman's life, women live in eternal fear and that practice is not coming from a just God or a Merciful  Prophet.  Ironically God's Sharia is followed by America and other democracies and not by Muslim Nations. The documentary is produced by Hasan Mahmud based on existing Sharia laws. If we get the funding we hope to dub it in Urdu, Pushtu or whatever languages we can make it as a part of education.  Video - http://hasanmahmud.com/index.php/movies/sharia-ism-movie

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5. International Yoga day

Yoga is best thing that has happened to humans. It is a good thing for human body; and it increases the cohesive functioning of mind, body and the soul. What messes our body is what we consume; food, water and air, and its regulator in the form of exercise.

The Indian Government has announced an International Yoga Day making it compulsory for everyone to observe. However, it should have been introduced as an option, giving complete freedom to choose, rather than making it compulsory.  When people are given choices, it will increase acceptability with least resistance; I mean any change for that matter, it goes thru the same process.

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6. Rick Perry and Muslims

Addison, Texas -- June 4, 2015 -- It takes guts, a lot of guts for a Presidential candidate to embrace Muslims from the word go! Perry has got that. Given the unabashed bigotry displayed by a number of Presidential candidates against Muslims, Rick Perry took the bold step in paving the way for inclusionary politics in the GOP, and of course Sean Hannity was there at the event and asked me if I supported Perry? The answer is in Full article at http://www.opednews.com/articles/Rick-Perry-embraces-Muslim-by-Mike-Ghouse-Anti-islam_Islamaphobia_Islamophobia_Rick-Perry-150613-757.html

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7. Muslims for freedom of speech

Freedom is a God given gift that we should cherish! God could have stopped Iblees from tempting Adam and Eve, he could have stopped Adam from consuming the forbidden fruit, and he could have saved Jesus to continue his mission. Moses did not have to speak up against Pharaoh; Muhammad (pbuh) did not have to endure persecution. God Almighty could have stopped everyone, but he did not, he gave us the freedom to choose how we (the people) deal with conflicts and restore harmony. Indeed Freedom of speech is a Muslim value and there is no compulsion in the matters of faith - full article at http://www.opednews.com/articles/Freedom-of-speech-is-an-Is-by-Mike-Ghouse-CIVILIZATION_Conviction_Fatwa_Freedom-Of-Speech-150616-29.html

 

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8. Messing with Quran

How wrong was I to believe that almost all Muslims were aware of the mis-translations of Quran. It came as a big surprise to me to know that there are Muslims `

Who innocently believe that everything they read "about" Quran is divine without ever questioning it. Please be aware that there are two translations of Quran that are not only wrong, but bad. They have attempted to mess with Quran, but failed.
http://quraan-today.blogspot.com/2015/06/dont-mess-with-quran.html
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9. McKinney Police Brutality

It was good to have two Muslims present at the protest, and I was able to lead and moderate the protest in front of McKinney Police Head Quarters. To those men and women who are biased towards the others, please wake up, and don’t live in fear and pass that on to your children. Don’t mess with their future, and don’t make them unfits to live in a pluralistic society. Very soon, you will find people of different faiths, cultures, ethnicities, races, nationalities and social backgrounds working, eating, playing, marrying, and doing things together. Prepare them for it, rather than prison them in your own tiny silos. 

http://theghousediary.blogspot.com/2015/06/police-brutality-in-mckinney-texas-is.html 

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0. Speech at Aligarh University

Vice Chancellor Zameeruddin Shah, Pro-VC Brig Syed Ahmad Ali and Dr. Shaz are committed to resuscitate the tradition of critical thinking at AMU, that Sir Syed Ahmed khan initiated. I was pleased to be a speaker, and included here is one of my 4 speeches. What buoyed me up was when Pro-VC acknowledge my talk about Akhira in his speech and expanded upon it.  

Here is the speech  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GDMuE4bdYW4 

mike
Mike Ghouse, Speaker
(214) 325-1916 text/talk
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Mike Ghouse is a public speaker, thinker, writer and a commentator on Pluralism, 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.

Rick Perry embraces Muslims, a gutsy political first

Rick Perry embraces Muslims, a gutsy political first http://centerforamericanpolitics.blogspot.com/

Abstracts from my upcoming article, pending publication

Addison, Texas – June 4, 2015 – It takes guts, a lot of guts for a Presidential candidate to embrace Muslims from the word go!  Perry has got that. Given the unabashed bigotry displayed by a number of Presidential candidates against Muslims, Rick Perry took the bold step in paving the way for inclusionary politics in the GOP.  This is a historic event in the annals of America’s evolution of pluralistic politics. Perry may turn the tide and knock out bigotry in other candidates minds, even if it is in their hearts. 

I hope to interview all the presidential candidates to see how pluralistic they are, and how much they really understand about the need to have a strongly woven social fabric for a safe, secure and prosperous America. We cannot have a candidate who is prejudiced towards fellow Americans.   

Click on the pictures to see a larger version

What a joy it was to see two Muslims with Perry on the first 
day of announcement - Amir and Arman Rupani

A few minutes with Sean Hannity

After the event

Among the array of 2016 candidates, four will pass the initial test; Hilary Clinton, Jeb Bush, Chris Christie and Rick Perry. 

I don’t know how many of the Presidential candidates we have to be forgiven for ‘they know not’ about fellow Americans.  In the 2012 run, the following candidates displayed their shameless bigotry towards Muslims and some of them have said they will not hire a Muslim in their administration, and they are;  Newt Gingrich, Herman Cain, Mitt Romney, Mike Huckabee and Michelle Bachman. Carson, Huckabee, Santorum and Jindal will not even make it through the primaries, they are too biased to lead an America of different faiths, races and ethnicity - there is enough material to nail them, they may be good for a Hospital, Arkansas, Pennsylvania and Louisiana respectively, but not for America. 

Sean Hannity was at the announcement for an exclusive interview with candidate Perry, and prior to that he asked me, if I was supporting Perry, I said, not yet, not until I talk to him about what kind of America he envisions, is he committed to a cohesive America?  Sean asked me what I mean by it.   I said it is an America where every American is given equal access to employment, entrepreneurship, and governance in his or her pursuit of happiness, and where no American has to live in apprehension or fear of the other. 

What is a cohesive America – please watch this 10 minutes trailer of a documentary coming up - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YMXsTo4VYh8

Full article is pending publication in Huffington post; your thoughtful comments will be included in the comments section of the blog http://centerforamericanpolitics.blogspot.com/

Mike Ghouse is a thinker, writer and a public speaker, and is committed to building a cohesive America and offers pluralistic solutions on issues of the day. All about him in 63 links at www.MikeGhouse.net

Texas faith - Should we pray for rain?

The creator has designed a perfect ecological system for the planet earth to sustain on its own; however a few anomalies are built-in as a reminder for us to accept our own imperfections. Rain is one of the major components of that system and every so often, the system breaks down resulting in famines.  

Dallas Morning News
Texas Faith, September 13, 2011

Should Texans or for that matter, others afflicted by drought pray for rain?  If so, how would you pray? And what would you expect? If not, why wouldn’t you pray for rain? 

Rain is a major source of life-giving water. It fills the lakes, runs the rivers, grows the food, tends the plants which produce oxygen and facilitates all that we consume for nourishment and survival. Lack of rain brings disasters.

The creator has designed a perfect ecological system for the planet earth to sustain on its own; however a few anomalies are built-in as a reminder for us to accept our own imperfections. Rain is one of the major components of that system and every so often, the system breaks down resulting in famines.  

We have not had rain for a long time, what are our choices?   When our intellect does not produce alternatives, we turn to the creator; it is our only hope. 

Gov. Rick Perry’s proclamation to pray for rain may have its origins when he was a Commissioner for Agriculture. Indeed Jesus had made frequent references to it, in Matthew 13; four parables were mentioned relating to agriculture.

Doesn’t the creator know his operation has gone bonkers and needs fixing? He does, the mother knows what her children want, the employers know what the employees want, yet we have to ask for it.  So, we pray!

The Native Americans felt the need to appease the creator and initiated rain dances.  The Egyptian prayed for rain so the Nile can flow and they can get their water for sustenance. 

Moses declared in Deuteronomy 11:14 " I will give you the rain of your land…" and laid a condition, “to love the Lord your God, and to serve Him with all your heart and with all your soul." 

Lord Krishna says, “Beings are nourished by food, food is produced by rain, rain comes from sacrifice, and sacrifice is performed by action” and in chapter 19 of Bhagvad Gita he says “O Arjuna, I control heat, the rain and the drought.” 

Indeed, it is a routine in India for the Hindus, Muslims, Sikhs and Jains to gather up and sing songs for rain. Even eminent scientist like C.N.R. Rao has inaugurated festivities to Goddess Chamanudeshwari to bless the State with bountiful rain. 

James 5:18, “Then, Elijah prayed again, the sky sent down rain and the earth began to yield its crops”

Martin Lings, a Muslim scholar writes, “In Quraan the ideas of Mercy and water, in particular rain are in a sense inseparable” he compares that to the idea of revelation and the rain, both sent down by all Merciful God and both are spoken of as life giving. He adds that “the divine mercy reaches the uttermost confines of creation.”

In April this year, the Council on American Islamic Relations urged Muslims in Texas mosques to offer special Islamic prayers, called Salatul Istisqa, simply meaning asking God for water. This prayer was offered by Prophet Muhammad during times of drought.  Muslims pray 2 units of optional prayers either personally or in congregation, it is in the same format of daily prayers except the supplications for rain.

As a pluralist, I want to assure that this piece is meant to represent all religious traditions even though they are not mentioned.  May God bless us with rain now, Amen.

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The weekly column called Texas Faith at Dallas Morning News asks the religiously oriented to write about the issues facing the nation from their faith perspective.  I have been blessed to be sharing my take for over a year now. At the morning news, you can read at least ten other takes on the question. http://religionblog.dallasnews.com/archives/2011/09/texas-faith-should-we-pray-for.html

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Mike Ghouse is committed to building a cohesive America and offers pluralistic solutions on issues of the day to the media and the public. He is a speaker thinker and a writer on the topics of pluralism, cohesive societies, Politics, Islam, interfaith, India and Peace. Over a thousand articles have been published on the topics and two of his books are poised to be released on Pluralism and Islam. Mike's work is reflected in 4 website's and 27 Blogs indexed at http://www.mikeghouse.net/ and you can find all of his current articles at www.TheGhousediary.com

TEXAS FAITH: Are Perry and Obama responsible for the religious company they keep?

Is it  fair to link Perry to some of the more controversial ideas of his sponsors – any more than it was fair to tie Obama to Wright? What are the limits of guilt by association? What responsibility does somebody in public life have when organizing a religious event and bringing in sponsors with religious ideas others might find offensive?

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MIKE GHOUSE, President, Foundation for Pluralism, Dallas

We should not tie Perry to Hagee or Wagner, nor should we have tied Obama to Wright. They stand on their own and should be accountable for what they say and do, and not who they listen to or friends with. 

If Perry were to run for the President, I expect him to meet with every individual or groups regardless of their affiliations; Klansmen, Wicca, Hindu, Muslims, Atheists, GLBT, Native Americans, Evangelicals or Mormons. He needs to meet with them and listen to them. If they ask him to visit their community center or place of worship, he should do so without being labeled. He represents every American without having to agree with their interests. He should communicate his stand clearly.

As a Pluralist, I have endured such labeling from the extreme right wingers among Muslims, Jews, Christians and Hindus. It is ironic that a few Muslims call me a Zionist and a few Jews call me an Islamist, and the Christians and Hindus don’t spare me either. I am neither and have no bias towards any. Not all right wingers resort to that rhetoric except the extremists among them. They expect your blind support, if you question them; they ambush you with, “you are either with us or against us.” We need to grow up; life has a lot more color than black and white. I am in touch with extremists to liberals with a lot of moderates in between, we have to learn about each other to understand and take a comprehensive pluralistic approach towards public policy.

Perry claims the Prayer fest was his idea; he has indeed an opportunity to prove that he is not under the exclusive influence of evangelicals. He can do so by holding inclusive prayers to demonstrate that he is fit to represent all Americans. We are one nation under God, indivisible with liberty and justice for all and are represented by every race, nationality, ethnicity, language, culture and religion. We see God as one, none and many and in every form; male, female, genderless and non-existent, being and non-being, nameless and with innumerable names.

Here is a verse from Quraan on the topic 5:8 “O YOU who have attained to faith! Be ever steadfast in your devotion to God, bearing witness to the truth in all equity; and never let hatred of any-one lead you into the sin of deviating from justice. Be just: this is closest to being God-conscious. And remain conscious of God: verily, God is aware of all that you do.”

For all the 9 takes on the issues please visit Dallas Morning News at:  http://religionblog.dallasnews.com/archives/2011/07/texas-faith-are-perry-and-obam.html

Mike Ghouse is a speaker, thinker, writer and a frequent guest on Hannity show and nationally syndicated Radio shows and Dallas TV, Radio and Print Media. He presides America Together Foundation and is committed to building a cohesive America and offers pluralistic solutions on issues of the day.

Over 1000 articles have been published on Pluralism, Interfaith, Islam, India and cohesive societies. Two of his books are poised to be released this fall on Pluralism and Islam. He is available to speak at your place of worship, work, school, college, seminars or conferences. His work is encapsulated in 27 blogs, four websites and several forums indexed at http://www.mikeghouse.net/

Governor Perry has to prove, he is sincere

I appeal to Americans to attend the prayers by demanding an inclusion and not allow Gov. Perry to chop God into bits and pieces; yours and mine. America is yours and mine, let's not allow any rascal to monopolize God to serve his interests.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/mike-ghouse/perry-has-to-prove-his-si_b_874392.html

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