Bismillah


This has been a running theme for me lately but I am going to address it in an individual thread in order to follow my own advice. This board has been in existence for some time now. Over the course of this period, many quality questions have been asked and were provided with thorough explanations and evidence. As new members join and ask the same questions, the older members get tired of being repetitive. So in order to better fully serve those who wish to utilize the board, we ask that if one has a question to please do a query for the topic first. I bet that nine times out of ten the question is answered. If not, then please, please feel free to ask a follow up question that will help in understanding the topic. This method may seem more labor intensive than just posting any thread that pops into our heads, but it will result in more focused questions which will Insha'Allah help breed better understanding.


I suggest posting the link to whatever topic you are discussing and what information that one has found. This action will help all the other members know what knowledge base we are starting from and will once again focus the questions and will create more detailed answers. By showing that one is truly interested in learning about Islam, the board members will probably be more than encouraged to assist this inquisitive person.


Thank you for helping to make this board more productive and better suit everyone's needs.


Peace.

If you were elected President of the United States of America, why do you address yourself to the rest of the world? Suppose, if there was an election in the international community, you might get elected as a member of a freak show, or perhaps a kitchen hand, handing out plastic turkeys in tents but for the leadership of a country? Perhaps, in a handful of countries like Israel, for instance, which might think first about the bank account rather than any notion of political leadership but in the international community as a whole, the NO vote would be far in excess of 80%, as is patently evident in numerous opinion polls.


If Bush is <b>the model to follow</b>, we do not want his freedom and democracy. We do not want a model of freedom and democracy which sees the President of a country slink into his office in an armoured car which resembles a tank, guarded by 13.000 bodyguards plus countless other security personnel, creeping along a route lined by thousands of protesters.


We do not want his freedom and democracy which saw him slip out the back door of Number 10 Downing Street on his visit to London, the first such escape route used by any international leader any time in history, and during whose visit for the first time ever a statue of the President of the United States of America was toppled, to the cheers of thousands of lookers-on. Jimmy carter got out of his car and walked to the White House. Why can't Bush? The answer is simple: people do not like his Freedom and Democracy.


We do not want his freedom and democracy, which saw the wholesale slaughter of tens of thousands of innocent civilians in Iraq, a country invaded upon a pretext, which did not exist. We do not want a freedom and democracy based upon barefaced lies.

Epiphanius, Church writer of 4th century mentions the <b>existence of a selected Jewish group of followers of Jesus, in Syria, called the “Nasaraeans”, as distinct and apart from the followers of St. Paul, called Christians.</b>


The Nazarene, according to known historical records were systematically persecuted and slaughtered by the Pagan Roman emperors, especially by Constantine and the Roman Catholic Church. The Arabic word for Christians, which is plural, is <b> Masihiyeen[/b[. Another compelling item of evidence is the fact that Jesus predicted in the Gospel of St. Barnabas, that there would be only about thirty</b> of his followers alive at the time of the advent of <b>the Comforter</b> – Muhammad (pbuh). By 610 CE, when the Prophet (pbuh) commenced his mission, the Nazarene were few, having been ethnic-cleansed by the Catholics, who called themselves <b>Christians</b>. These Christians, followers of St. Paul, were numerous and thousands could be found at Antioch in Syria, where Paul first established his cult, as well as in Greece and Rome. Jesus could not have been referring to the Christians as his followers, as the historical statistics indicate the contrary.’


In Holy Qur’an, there is a very clear distinction between <b>the people of the book</b> (the Torah Jews, Nazarene and Sabaeans), and those who are in possession of only <b> a portion of the book</b> – Christians. This fact is clearly elucidated in the Gospel of John (20:30) <b> and many other signs, truly did Jesus, in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in his book (Gospel)</b>. The fact that the evil innovations of Paul and pagan Constantine are incomplete record of Jesus’ life and teachings is clearly corroborated in John 20:30. This was later acknowledged by Holy Qur’an (4:51-53) <b> have you not seen those who were given a portion of the book (Christians)? They believe in idolatry and false deities and claim that they are better guided than the believers</b>.


Furthermore, Holy Qur’an tells us <b> those who believe in that which is revealed onto the Muhammad and those who are the Jews and the Nazarene and Sabaeans (2:62)</b>. The true <b>people of book</b>, referred in Holy Qur’an are the true followers of <b>Monotheism</b> - Moses and Jesus. The Christians and Jews are the <b>reinvented, reconstructed and recycled sayings of Injeel and Torat. Gospel of Matthew (2:23) too confirms that <strong> and he (Jesus) came and dwelt in a city called Nazareth. That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Prophets, he shall be called a Nazarene</strong></b><strong>.</strong>

<strong>
Be it be noted that the true Arabic word for Christian is NOT </strong><b><strong>Nasaaraa</strong></b><strong> - But </strong><b><strong>Masihi</strong></b><strong>, which also translate in English as </strong><b><strong>follower of Christ</strong></b><strong>, or </strong><b><strong>followers of the Anointed one</strong></b><strong>.</strong>

<strong>
Basic beliefs of Nazarene are:</strong>

<strong>
1.</strong><b><strong>One singular God</strong></b>

<strong>
2.</strong><b><strong>No Crucification</strong></b>

<strong>
3.</strong><b><strong>Salvation through good deeds and bad deeds lead to hellfire</strong></b>

<strong>
4.</strong><b><strong>Jesus did not teach or advocate celibacy</strong></b>

<strong>
5.</strong><b><strong>Jesus worshipped in Jewish Temple. He did not advocate Monkry, Nunry, or Monasticism</strong></b>

The most important aspect of Israel's perspectives on Iran's potential development of nuclear weapons is what could be called its alleged "cascading effect". The same paper states that if Iran "continues with its weapons development program and acquires or even comes close to acquiring a military nuclear capability, Saudi Arabia will probably feel compelled to seek a nuclear 'umbrella' from Pakistan, through an existing or new cooperation agreement. Others in the region, particularly Egypt and Turkey, will be similarly driven to obtain such a capability." It goes on to claim that even Iraq would be impelled "in the more distant future, to develop a WMD [weapons of mass destruction] capability."


Thus, the essential aspect of Israel's position on the subject is that no Middle Eastern country, save itself, has the right to possess nuclear weapons. Two realities should be kept in mind regarding Israel's position. First, the US government has absolutely no problem with Israel having a nuclear monopoly in the Middle East. Second, the Israeli position regarding nuclear non-proliferation is a virtual carbon copy of the long-standing US position on the subject. Washington originally did not want the Soviet Union to develop nuclear weapons. In fact, the capabilities of the former communist superpower to do so radically changed the rules of the game underlying the Cold War. During that period, US foreign policy, along with that of the Soviet Union, was constantly driven by the notion of nuclear deterrence. It was only after the implosion of the Soviet Union that US foreign policy was liberated from any thought regarding how Moscow would respond or react to its own maneuvers worldwide.


In the same manner, Israel is afraid that if a Middle Eastern country becomes a nuclear power, it could forever lose its freedom of action in the Middle East. The specifics of such a scenario are not important because Israel will do everything in its power, including preemptive attacks, to make sure that no Middle Eastern country ever develops nuclear weapons. The US, regardless of who is sitting in the White House, has no problem with such a frame of mind. Such a reality makes it difficult for Iran to realistically think about becoming a nuclear power any time soon.


(By: Ehsan Ahrari, PhD - an Alexandria, Virginia, US-based independent strategic analyst.)

One may say that slavery is as old as prostitution. Though prostitution had been cursed by most of the world religions (though looked the other way by most of them) – Slavery had never been <b>Banned</b>, though <b>Controlled</b> by Islam.


However, world history tells us that no other ethnic group has practiced and benefited from slavery more than the White race – Right from the Greek to the present-day Europe and America. Only a century ago, it was still practiced in the US, though officially banned after the US Civil War. During the 16th to 19th centuries, almost 100 millions Black Africans alone became the victims of western slave trade.


The European slave traders were both Christians and Jews – But who benefited the most from this <b>EVIL</b>? Let an Austrian Jewish theologian Rabbi Arnold Aharon, Wiznitzer, PhD, be the judge of that:


<b>The West India Company, which monopolized imports of slaves from Africa, sold slaves at public auctions against cash payment. It happened that cash was mostly in the hands of Jews. The buyers who appeared at the auctions were almost always Jews, and because of this lack of competitors they could buy slaves at low prices. On the other hand, there also was no competition in the selling of the slaves to the plantation owners and other buyers, and most of them purchased on credit payable at the next harvest in sugar. Profits up to 300 percent of the purchase value were often realized with high interest rates....If it happened that the date of such an auction fell on a Jewish holiday the auction had to be postponed. This occurred on Friday, October 21, 1644.</b>

1. The Security Of Life And Property:


In the address which the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) delivered on the occasion of the Farewell Hajj, he said: "Your lives and properties are forbidden to one another till you meet your Lord on the Day of Resurrection." The Prophet (pbuh) has also said about the dhimmis (the non-Muslim citizens of the Islamic state): "One who kills a man under covenant (i.e., dhimmi) will not even smell the fragrance of


Paradise."


2. The Protection Of Honour:


The Holy Qur’an lays down: <b>You who believe, do not let one (set of) people make fun of another set.Do not defame one another. Do not insult by using nicknames.Do not backbite or speak ill of one another.(49:11-12) </b>


3. Sanctity And Security Of Private Life:


The Qur’an has laid down the injunction: <b>Do not spy on one another. (49:12) </b>


<b>Do not enter any houses unless you are sure of their occupant's consent. (24:27) </b>


4. The Security Of Personal Freedom:


Islam has laid down the principle that no citizen can be imprisoned unless his guilt has been proven in an open court. To arrest a man only on the basis of suspicion and to throw him into a prison without proper court proceedings and without providing him a reasonable opportunity to produce his defense (like been done in USA and Europe) is not permissible in Islam.


5. The Right To Protest Against Tyranny:


Among the rights that Islam has conferred on human beings is the right to fight against government's tyranny. Referring to it the Qur’an says:<b>God does not love evil talk in public unless it is by someone who has been injured thereby. (4:148) </b>


In Islam, all power and authority belong to Allah, and with man there is only delegated power, which becomes a trust; everyone who becomes a recipient of such a power has to stand in awful reverence before his people toward whom and for whose sake he will be called upon to use these powers. This was acknowledged by the First Khalifah, Hazrat Abu Bakr who said in his very first address: <b>Cooperate with me when I am right but correct me when I commit error; obey me so long as I follow the commandments of Allah and His Prophet; but turn away from me when I deviate.</b>


6. Freedom Of Expression:


Islam gives the right of freedom of thought and expression to all citizens of the Islamic state on the condition that it should be used for the propagation of virtue and truth and not for spreading evil and wickedness. The Islamic concept of freedom of expression is much superior to the concept prevalent in the West. It was the practice of the Muslims to enquire from the Holy Prophet whether on a


certain matter a divine injunction had been revealed to him. If he said that he had received no divine injunction, the Muslims freely expressed their opinion on the matter.


7. Freedom Of Association:


Islam has also given people the right to freedom of association and formation of parties or organizations. This right is also subject to certain general rules.


8. Freedom Of Conscience And Conviction:


Islam has laid down the injunction: <b>There should be no coercion in the matter of faith. (2:256)</b>


On the contrary, totalitarian societies totally deprive the individuals of their freedom. Indeed, this undue exaltation of the state authority curiously enough postulates a sort of servitude, of slavishness on the part of man. At one time slavery meant total control of man over man - now that type of slavery has been legally abolished but in its place totalitarian societies impose a similar sort of control over individuals.


9. Protection Of Religious Sentiments:


Along with the freedom of conviction and freedom of conscience, Islam has given the right to the individual that his religious sentiments will be given due respect and nothing will be said or done which may encroach upon his right.


10. Protection From Arbitrary Imprisonment:


Islam also recognizes the right of the individual not to be arrested or imprisoned for the offenses of others. The Holy Qu’ran has laid down this principle clearly: <b>No bearer of burdens shall be made to bear the burden of another. (35:18)</b>


11. The Right To Basic Necessities of Life:


Islam has recognized the right of the needy people for help and assistance to be provided to them:<b>And in their wealth there is acknowledged right for the needy and the destitute. (51:19)</b>


12. Equality Before Law:


Islam gives its citizens the right to absolute and complete equality in the eyes of the law.


13. Rulers Not Above The Law:


A woman belonging to a high and noble family was arrested in connection with theft. The case was brought to the Prophet, and it was recommended that she might be spared the punishment of theft. The Prophet replied: <b>The nations </b>


that lived before you were destroyed by God because they punished the common man for their offenses and let their dignitaries go unpunished for their crimes; I swear by Him Who holds my life in His hand that even if Fatima, the daughter of Muhammad, had committed this crime, I would have amputated her hand.


14. The Right To Participate In The Affairs Of State:


<b>And their business is (conducted) through consultation among themselves.(42:38)</b>


The <b>Shura</b> or the legislative assembly has no other meaning except that the executive head of the government and the members of the assembly should be elected by free and independent choice of the people.

<b>To wear everyone out by dissensions, animosities, feuds, famine, inoculation of diseases, want, until the Gentiles sees no other way of escape except by appeal to our money and our power. (Protocol 10)</b>


<b>We will so wear out and exhaust the Gentiles by all this that they will be compelled to offer us an international authority, which by its position will enable us to absorb without disturbance all the governmental forces of the world and thus form a super-government. (Protocol 5)</b>


<b>We implanted a "guilt complex" over the Holocaust and anti-Semitism that prevents society from addressing the threat. Through control of banking, the we have acquired a total monopoly of the movie industry, the radio networks and the newly developing television media...we took over the publication of all school materials - even your music! we censor the songs released for publication long before they reach the publishers. we have complete control of American thinking. We have put issue upon issue to the American people. Then we promote both sides of the issue as confusion reigns. With their eyes fixed on the issues, they fail to see who is behind every scene. We Jews toy with the American public as a cat toys with a mouse - Harold Rosenthal.</b>


Most people have an image of the Jews as a downtrodden people unjustly persecuted and driven from country to country. This may be true of some of the masses in Russia. But wealthy Jewish merchants, bankers and professionals have always exerted a powerful, perhaps dominant influence on the course of Western History. Werner Sombart goes so far as to credit them with the rise of capitalism and the "American spirit." (The Jews and Modern Capitalism, 1911)


This week we watched in horror as a Zionist President George Bush stealthily pledged allegiance to Satan <b>The Protocols of the Elders of Zion</b> while making obscene promises to bring <b>Freedom</b> to the world.

The capacity, not for change, but for expansion, undoubtedly constitutes a key factor in Islam's continuing dynamism. For other faiths busily reforming themselves to such a degree that they would be unrecognizable to the faithful of an earlier generation, have thereby lost confidence in those spiritual and ethical teachings which by their very nature challenge the world, and may not be challenged, which transform, and are not transformed.


Islam approached on its own terms and not through the distorting images of the lives of lapsed or disorientated Muslim or of the intense and hostile propaganda, will always be a potent summons to the free, rational and natural good state of man regardless of habitat.


As most converts to Islam will explain, the reason for their conversion is not usually pinpointed to one set reason, but several, with each individuals journey being unique. Islam has appealed to many because of its simple and intellectually satisfying creed-time.


In Islam there is no rite of initiation, no sacrament of belief. It is a faith of the individual, which transforms societies. And it is a faith without intermediaries, without the spiritual brokerage of a priestly class or monopolized by a formal hierarchy of clergymen and Rabbis, as in Christianity and Judaism.


Islam has never been the monopoly of one particular race or nation. The Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) had said to the tribesmen of Makkah, "I am the Messenger of Allah sent to you and to humanity at large." When we look at a map of the modern world we find that the great majority of Muslims are not Arabs, the racial community into which the Prophet (pbuh) happened to have been born. Eighty-five percent of his Ummah (community) are of other stock, including Turks, Africans, Indonesians, six million Europeans, and seven million Americans. And never has there ever been any consciousness of race in Islam, for the Qur’an teaches that all are one family, and that "the most noble in God's sight is he who fears Him most." Likewise, the Prophet affirmed, "there shall be no distinction between white and black."


In our own day, Islam has an appeal to many in the so-called <b>advanced</b> world who have become disenchanted with a mysterious and amorphous Judo-Christianity on the one hand and the insatiable demands of materialism on the other. Many also come to Islam to find <b>liberation from racism and oppression</b>.

Photographs (only adults may see them) taken by five British servicemen and shown to the courts martial in Osnabruck, Germany, of three British soldiers from the Royal Regiment of Fusiliers accused of "shocking and appalling" acts of abuse and assault against Iraqi civilians in a humanitarian aid camp known as the Bread Basket, near Basra, in May 2003. The charges include forcing detainees to strip and simulate sex. Lance Corporal Mark Cooley, 25, and Corporal Daniel Kenyon, 33, have entered not guilty pleas to the charges. Lance Corporal Darren Larkin, 30, admitted one charge of assaulting an unknown male at the camp but pleaded not guilty to other charges.


http://www.guardian.co.uk/gall/0,8542,1393803,00.html

The western non-Muslim – both historians and intellectuals are at loss to prove that Islam was spread - <b>not by PEACEFUL MEANS but by SWORD</b>.


Allow me to expose this <b>Jewish Myth</b> in detail:


Islam comes from the root word ‘salaam’, which means peace. It also means submitting one’s will to Allah (swt). Thus Islam is a religion of peace, which is acquired by submitting one’s will to the will of the Supreme Creator, Allah (swt).


Each and every human being in this world is not in favour of maintaining peace and harmony. There are many, who would disrupt it for their own vested interests. Sometimes force has to be used to maintain peace. It is precisely for this reason that we have the police who use force against criminals and anti-social elements to maintain peace in the country. Islam promotes peace. At the same time, Islam exhorts it followers to fight where there is oppression. The fight against oppression may, at times, require the use of force. In Islam force can only be used to promote peace and justice.


The best reply to the misconception that Islam was spread by the sword is given by the noted historian De Lacy O’Leary in the book "Islam at the cross road" -: "History makes it clear however, that the legend of fanatical Muslims sweeping through the world and forcing Islam at the point of the sword upon conquered races is one of the most fantastically absurd myth that historians have ever repeated."


Muslims ruled Spain for about 800 years. The Muslims in Spain never used the sword to force the Christian and Jew SERFS (Slaves) to convert. Later the Christian Crusaders came to Spain and wiped out over five million Muslims and Jews. There was not a single Muslim in Spain who could openly give the Adhan,


Muslims were the lords of Arabia for a long time. For a few century the British and the French ruled. Overall, the Muslims ruled Arabia for 1400 years. Yet today, there are 20 million Arabs who are Coptic Christians. If the Muslims had used the sword there would not have been a single Arab who would have remained a Christian.


Indonesia is a country that has the maximum number of Muslims in the world. The majority of people in Malaysia are Muslims. May one ask, "Which Muslim army went to Indonesia and Malaysia?"


The famous historian, Thomas Carlyle, in his book "Heroes and Hero worship", refers to this misconception about the spread of Islam: "The sword indeed, but where will you get your sword? Every new opinion, at its starting is precisely in a minority of one. In one man’s head alone. There it dwells as yet. One man alone of the whole world believes it, there is one man against all men. That he takes a sword and try to propagate with that, will do little for him. You must get your sword! On the whole, a thing will propagate itself as it can."


Today the fastest growing religion in America is Islam. The fastest growing religion in Europe in Islam - Which sword is forcing people in the West to accept Islam in such large numbers?