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wel_mel_2 · 03-22-2007, 05:01 AM

Bismillah: Assalamo Alikum.

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Episode 1

In the name of Allah, the All-Merciful, the Ever-Merciful. Peace and blessings of Allah be upon Prophet Muhammad (SAWS).

If we look around us, we’ll identify many problems; problems between our countries, problems between us as Muslims. All these problems have brought us here today with an initiative for coexistence.

For example, in Iraq, thousands are being killed and I am not talking about occupation but I mean because of sectarian differences. The same is happening in Palestine. I know that there could be external powers involved in Iraq and Palestine, but at the end of the day, if we learn to live with each other in peace, no one will be able to influence us that way. Even in Lebanon that used to be a token of love between the different sects! Their differences were the source of their welfare! But now they have started to clash. In Darfur (in Sudan), I was under the impression that all these killings were between Muslims and non-Muslims, until I woke up to the realization that they are all Muslims! I realized that all over the Arab world, we have a big problem in agreeing with each other! You might think that this program is a political one! But in fact, it is not.

Look at our homes! Parents and children are living in separate islands. Divorce rates are escalating drastically. Look at the youth! They can’t find anyone to talk to. Consequently they have isolated themselves, resorted to drugs and from there they are headed to extremism, delinquency and corruption.

In our schools and universities, there is no dialogue between the teacher and the student. The courts are so full of cases arising from nothing but disputes and clashes. Even in the mosques, we had the hearts to start fights and clashes! The concept of coexistence is not taught in our schools or universities. How come we never find courses on communication skills? I haven’t heard of a Friday sermon that tackled this topic before. I haven’t heard of bedtime stories or board games having this issue as their main theme.

The concept of teamwork is utterly missing from our industries, companies, universities, and scientific research. In Europe the companies are merging for added power while we are being scattered around. But when it comes to us, we can’t work with each other.

Even the Muslims living in the West have isolated themselves; refusing to coexist with the new society that surrounds them. We need to offer them a way in which they can smoothly integrate with the societies they are living in, without dissolving or losing their identity.

Let’s imagine that this is the circle of my thinking and this is the one of your thinking. If we keep away from each other, the two circles will always be distant. But if I want to be successful I always have to work on the common overlapping area. Let us work on enlarging it. A scholar once said, “Now I can see clearly because I have mounted everybody’s shoulders the day I heard everybody’s opinion.”

What is coexistence?

There are two objectives for this program. The first one is to instill the idea of coexistence. The second objective is to provide you with the needed skills to achieve coexistence. Whenever I use the term “the other” people instantly jump to one conclusion that I’m only talking about the West. No!! Psychologists tell us that “the other” is a term used by people from their early childhood, when they started coexisting with all the external factors surrounding us.

The first lesson Allah taught to all humanity was coexistence; if you (mankind) will descend to the earth, then you must learn how to live with each other. Allah says what can be translated as, “And recite to them the tiding of the two sons of Adam with the truth as they offered a sacrifice, (Literally: sacrificed an all-sanctified sacrifice) (and) it was (graciously) accepted of one of them and not (graciously) accepted of the other. One (of them) said, “Indeed, I will definitely kill you.” (The other) said, “Surely Allah (graciously) accepts only of the pious” (TMQ, 5:27). “The other” was used here though we’re talking about two brothers; each had his own way of thinking.

The one who is able to coexist is always a person who is self-confident, strong, open-minded and civilized. That’s why Islam is so open to the whole world, because it’s a profound religion and a complete way of life. It has all the factors that enable you to be a good Muslim, yet at the same time so open to the other.

Coexistence does not mean dissolution, or loss of one’s identity, faith or character. Coexistence as a concept exists between two parties: both of them must interact mutually. Let me say this to the Western countries; you can’t enforce your culture on me and then expect me to coexist. You can’t enforce our youth to be a carbon copy of your own culture, and then ask us to coexist. You can’t occupy our country, and then ask us to coexist. We are calling for coexistence between two parties who respect each other’s wishes. This program will tell all the stories of coexistence throughout our history because I want all the youths to be proud of their identity. So coexist but never forget your roots. You have a global mission. You will be open to the whole world, yet proud of your own Muslim identity.

The Prophet (SAWS) taught us that the Muslim who interacts (i.e. coexists) with people and is patient in enduring their harm is better than the one who doesn’t interact and hence is not harmed by them. So don’t think that you are better because no one is harming you.

Coexistence is when we live with each other and accept each other for what we are. Coexistence is when we argue with each other and respect each other even in our differences. Coexistence is when we accept each other’s presence and establish common grounds even when we disagree.

What does Islam say about coexistence?

You’ll be proud to know what Islam says about coexistence. The first thing Islam teaches us is that it is not shameful that we are so different! It is a universal law since it is in our nature to be so different. The greatest creation made by Allah is the human mind. There is no way that all human minds can be identical. How come you accept that we are so different on the outside, yet you do not want to accept us being different in the way we think? Your son has to be different from you; he can’t be a carbon copy of you! If you believe in a certain sect or follow a certain school of thought, you can’t expect everybody else to be identical to you. If you accept this, then you have covered half of the way to overcome this problem.

Islam even says that these differences between us enrich our lives. Allah says what can be translated as, “…and We have made you races and tribes that you may get mutually acquainted” (TMQ, 49:13). This sentence “that you may get mutually acquainted” has a very vast meaning in Arabic that encompasses: exchanging benefits, getting along, making use of each other’s ideas and exchanging economic interests.

Allah says what can be translated as, “And help one another to benignancy and piety” (TMQ, 5:2). This ayah (verse) is not just for Muslims but for all mankind. Let’s help one another in combating the dangers of drugs, of the bird flu epidemic. The rest of the ayah says, “and do not help one another to vice and hostility” (TMQ, 5:2). So you can’t occupy my land, and then ask me to coexist with you.

The Islamic civilization reached its prime when different nationalities and backgrounds joined Islam. Had it not been for Andalusia, which had flourished at the hands of the Muslims, Europe would have never been what it is now. The United States is what it is now because of the various ethnicities and nationalities that have blended together.

I’m challenging all of the constitutions of the Western world to state a single phrase included in them that encourages their people to go and get acquainted with others. The only constitution that has such a phrase is the Qur’an. The West should not look upon us condescendingly saying that it was them who invented coexistence, because this is not true.

Look at this great ayah, “And if your Lord had (so) decided, He would indeed have made mankind one nation; and they do not cease differing (among themselves). Excepting the ones on whom your Lord has mercy, and He created them for that (end)…” (TMQ, 11:118-119). Another ayah that stresses this meaning, “And of His signs is the creation of the heavens and the earth and the differences of your tongues and colors. Surely in that are indeed signs for knowledgeable men” (TMQ, 30:22).

The Prophet (SAWS) depicts this concept by saying that Muslims, in their mercy and compassion, are like one whole body. If one organ is in pain the rest of the body will ache with fever and insomnia. The Prophet (SAWS) is giving you an example from your own body. A body has various organs each with a different function and different role, yet when they worked in union as a team they became like one unit.

The Qur’an is all in the form of a dialogue. It conveys the various dialogues between the prophets and their peoples. The Qur’an even conveys the dialogue of those who objected to Islam. Look at how many times you’ll find the word “they said” in the Qur’an!

Look at “Surat al-Baqara[1]”, which outlines the methodology of Islam, until it reaches the ayah[2] of “al-Kursiyy”, which presents the Islamic creed. The very following ayah starts with, “There is no compulsion in the religion” (TMQ, 2:256). So after placing the whole methodology between our hands, this ayah is stated to the effect that no one is obliged to take this method. “So whoever decides, then let him believe, and whoever decides, then let him disbelieve” (TMQ, 18:29). Everyone is left the choice to believe or not to believe.

Look at how the Qur’an talks about the common grounds in, “Say, “O population of the Book, (Or: Family of the Book, i.e., the Jews and Christians) come to a level word between us and you, that we worship none except Allah, and that we do not associate anything with Him, and that some of us do not take to themselves others (Literally: some “others”) as lords, apart from Allah”” (TMQ, 3:64). Look at how gentle is this ayah addressing non-Muslims, “And surely, either we or you (only) are indeed upon (right) guidance or in evident error” (TMQ, 34:24). So how about the dialogue between us Muslims!

Meditate this great ayah, “O you mankind, be pious to your Lord, Who created you of one self, and created from it its spouse, and from the two disseminated many men and women” (TMQ, 4:1). We all came from one source: Adam and Hawwa (Eve).

This is what unites us with each other.

Do you know what the Prophet (SAWS) did once he reached Madinah? He called for spreading peace and greetings, feeding the hungry, and observing kinship ties. The Madinah at that time was full of clashing tribes like: Aws and Khazraj. He fraternized between the Aws and Khazraj tribes. Next, he built the mosque where the whole society would gather. Then, he renamed the city of “Yathrib” to be “al-Madinah” meaning “The City” so as not to be attributed to any particular tribe. Then he issued a constitution addressing the Jews, the disbelievers, the Muslims and everyone, asking them all to live in peace. I don’t know of a constitution calling for coexistence, like the one made by the Prophet (SAWS) in Madinah.

To all those who are afraid of Islam, and to those who refuse to add religion in the syllabuses for fear of extremism, I want to suggest the exact opposite. I want you to teach them the real Islam so they know how to coexist. If you dread extremism; then teach your children proper Islam. I want to fulfill Allah’s saying, “so be pious to Allah, and act righteously among yourselves (Or: make a reconciliation after differences)…” (TMQ, 8:1).

The Prophet (SAWS) told us that thrashing out our differences and reconciling is even better than fasting, night prayer, and charity. By Allah, our intention from this program is, “Surely the believers are only brothers; so make a reconciliation between your two brothers, and be pious to Allah, that possibly you would be granted mercy” (TMQ, 49:10). The Prophet (SAWS) also told us that things that cause strife between us, act like a “shaving” device that “shaves” our religion off, not our heads.

Allay says, “You have been the most charitable nation brought out to mankind…” (TMQ, 3:110). So I’m proud of that, but at the same time I’m capable of coexisting.

The relation between coexistence and development 

Let me ask you this: How can we propose to develop ourselves while we can’t even coexist? It would be a catastrophe. If I want to establish development, then why don’t I build over what I have? I want to tell you a nice story about a boat that was in the sea, in a place where the sea meets with the river. The fishermen wanted some fresh water desperately. They signaled a faraway ship sailing to the west to send them some water. The captain told them, “Are you asking us for fresh water when it is right under you!” And I’m saying the very same thing: the fresh water is right there with us; our history.

Honestly I have to tell you that right now there are some who are trying diligently to drive us all back into wars and strife; to the times of the crusades because they want to sell weapons and make fortunes. So instead of hostility we’ve come to propose Islam’s viewpoint. The first ayah that comes in the Qur’an addresses the Lord of the worlds, “Praise be to Allah, The Lord of the worlds” (TMQ, 1:2), and the last ayah in the Qur’an addresses the Lord of mankind! , “Say, “I take refuge with The Lord of mankind” (TMQ, 114:1). Hence, the Qur’an is a universal book. So be open, coexist without dissolving or losing your faith.

Overview of the coming episodes

Starting next episode we will be telling you the stories of the four Imams (Islamic scholars): ash-Shafe’yy, Abu-Hanifa, Malik and Ahmad Ibn-Hanbal. We are not going to discuss them from the point of view of Islamic jurisprudence. We will focus on coexistence intertwined in the stories of the four Imams.

One last thing, if you want to interact with us then access our website www.amrkhaled.net after each episode. Post your comments, your criticism, and your objective views,

Finally, may the Peace of Allah be upon you all.

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[1] A chapter; the Qur’an is comprised of 114 surahs (chapters).

[2] A verse in the Qur'an.

AmrKhaled.net © جميع حقوق النشر محفوظة


This Article may be published and duplicated freely for private purposes, as long as the original source is mentioned. For all other purposes you need to obtain the prior written approval of the website administration. For info: dar_altarjama@amrkhaled.net

Faith Hope Charity · 03-22-2007, 02:24 PM

Glory to God, peace on earth, good will to all.

Salam Wael,

Thanks for posting this :) A must read for all Muslims!!!

I'll definitely be tuning in to Episode 2.

God bless.

Faith Hope Charity Openness Tolerance Equality

wel_mel_2 · 03-22-2007, 11:56 PM

Bismillah: Assalamo Alikum.

Quote:Glory to God, peace on earth, good will to all.

Salam Wael,

Thanks for posting this :) A must read for all Muslims!!!

I'll definitely be tuning in to Episode 2.

God bless.

Faith Hope Charity Openness Tolerance Equality

actually, it is a must read for all people, not only for Muslims.

Salam

Wael.

abdulwalee · (This post was last modified: 03-29-2007, 11:46 PM by abdulwalee.)

al-Hamdullillah wa Salaatu wa Salaam ala Rasoolullah

This is an intresting article, Yet there are many problems which are therein. Firstly. You say "You’ll be proud to know what Islam says about coexistence. "The first thing Islam teaches us is that it is not shameful that we are so different"! [These are two different matters] Ahki. It is a universal law [The shari'ah which is the universal Law] Has covered the issues of treatment of non-Muslims When they are the majority and the Minority-Two seperate matters] "since it is in our nature to be so different." The fitra is ignorance and opressive than Allah removes these with a person submiting " The greatest creation made by Allah is the human mind." I Say " The greatest cration of Allah is the Heavens, and in some narrations the Throne of Allah." This is the Islamic view. My advice to you brother...

There has to be in your statements and rendering of the Book of Allah some details. The best way to do this is stick to the Qur'an and the Sunnah of the Prophet Muhammad, than the scholars of this Deen, from the Companions then the later ones like ibn katheer etc. Also you took some ayats out of context. Please consider the asbaabul Nozool of the Ayaats of the Qur'an when mentioning matters as important as this. the word co-exsists is needed for people or Nations who are intolerant and Opressive to others who are different in their societies. Islam has the best example of this . The Best example of brotherhood, and the best manners of dealing with the creation, But these issues have details which you unfortunatly failed to mention. these matters are refered back to Ahlul Ilm..... All too often and your article seems to hint at the same thing{the The Muslim Nation should leave their identity or cooperate with non-muslims in a spirt of inter-faith and friendship etc. The Christians and Jews are mentioned in the Qur'an. than there are the other groups of disbelievers, all should realize that we Humans all come from two parents Adam and Eve. and the rulings are very clear about transgreesing Allah limits on earth. for verily we all will return to Him(swt) Allah mentions three types of groups in his book: The Believers, the Disbelievers, and the hypocrites. and then Allah mentions two groups elsewhere in the Qur'an.. Hizbul-Allah and hizbul Shaytaan. Than there are rulings which are specific to thoes Muslims in lands which they are the majority and the Minority. Sometimes called the Mekkan and Madeenan periods. I'm affriad that this article may be mis-leading due to the love of the Christian person who commented on it... And Allah says "They(the disbelievers) will never be pleased with you until you follow their way(milah) ... and this person is a clear Kaafir who fights against Islam in this room....Nevertheless. I will suggest reading Fataawa regarding Muslim Minorrities living in non-muslim lands

Also an excellent book entitled Sacred Freedom which can be ordered here:Sacred Freedom

I would suggest that the non-muslim guest section be eliminated from all Muslim room such as this one, because it seems to only attract the most ardent opposers of the dawah. and very few are sincerely seeking to learn about Islam rather the Kaafir person should be refered to other sites which are designed to convey and not share views and beliefs... We Muslims already know what these people are like when they get to spread their kufr. Theres no benefit in going back and forth with the likes of these people. when the muslims themselves need to be educated. A mis-guided muslim can cause great harm to the dawah if they're ignorant about issues as these.

As Salaamu alaikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh

Faith Hope Charity · 03-30-2007, 12:50 AM

In the Name of God - Father Son Holy Spirit.

May the Peace of Christ be with you!

Quote:I'm affriad that this article may be mis-leading due to the love of the Christian person who commented on it... And Allah says "They(the disbelievers) will never be pleased with you until you follow their way(milah) ... and this person is a clear Kaafir who fights against Islam in this room....Nevertheless.

I actually strongly disagree with a large portion of the article, but I think Muslims can benefit greatly from it.

You don't need to be a Christian to please me. I treat everyone equally. I have many Muslim friends who are near & dear to me & I've even stated on this forum that I'm open to the idea of marrying a (moderate) Muslim (although you might argue that a moderate Muslim isn't truly a Muslim). But the point is, in my eyes, you're a person first & foremost & then a Muslim - I don't discriminate!

True, I fight Islam & you fight Christianity, & side by side the religions clash, but at the end of the day, you & I, as a son & daughter of Abraham can & should co-exist.

Quote:I would suggest that the non-muslim guest section be eliminated from all Muslim room such as this one, because it seems to only attract the most ardent opposers of the dawah. and very few are sincerely seeking to learn about Islam rather the Kaafir person should be refered to other sites which are designed to convey and not share views and beliefs... We Muslims already know what these people are like when they get to spread their kufr. Theres no benefit in going back and forth with the likes of these people. when the muslims themselves need to be educated. A mis-guided muslim can cause great harm to the dawah if they're ignorant about issues as these.

Either way it doesn't bother me, but for the record, I really enjoy the (positive) interaction between Muslims & non-Muslims on IslamMessage. It would be a shame to see the guest section go.

Quote:As Salaamu alaikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh

Right back at ya!

God bless.

Faith Hope Charity Openness Tolerance Equality

wel_mel_2 · 03-31-2007, 01:33 AM

Bismillah: Assalamo Alikum.

Thanks for your inputs everyone, but we may discuss anything you need when at least we get a complete and clear idea of what Brother Amr Khaled wants to deliver. So here is episode 2.

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Episode 2

In the name of Allah[1], the All-Merciful, the Ever-Merciful. Peace and blessings of Allah be upon Prophet Muhammad (SAWS[2]).

Let me welcome you all and let us continue our "Call for Coexistence"

To remind ourselves, coexistence means how to understand, communicate, and respect each other even if we disagree; how to build bridges, instead of barriers.

Our intention is to reduce the rates of divorce, eliminate misery, enhance dialogues, and to approach this generation and to protect them from addiction and extremism.

We aim at fulfilling this ayah[3] that can be translated as, "so be pious to Allah, and act righteously among yourselves (Or: make a reconciliation after differences)" (TMQ[4], 8: 1). Our intention is to make the believer friendlier and easier to get along with. "Surely the believers are only brothers; so make a reconciliation between your two brothers" (TMQ 49: 10). The Prophet (SAWS) has warned us that there is no goodness in those who are not friendly towards others.

Our goal is to make Islam revered throughout the world. Our disrespect towards each other made the west regard us as barbarians who are unable to communicate. How can this be when our religion and our Qur'an call for coexistence and dialogue?

Coexistence does not mean dissolving in the other party and erasing the identity of our youth, as the West wants us to. Muslims living in the west should coexist with their societies without losing their Islamic identity so that they can give a working example on the greatness of Islam.

I made an extensive research to find an anecdote about coexistence derived from our history. Why resort to examples from other countries or cultures when we have ample examples in our history. There is no problem of course in benefiting from others’ experiences, but let us take this opportunity to show the truth about Islam.

We shall focus on the four Imams.

Why the four Imams?

One might wonder what the four Imams have to do with coexistence.

As a matter of fact, they are the leaders of coexistence, communication, dialogue and civilization in Islamic history, or even in the history of humanity.

Another reason that I chose them is that they lived in an era similar to the present era. It was an era of freedom and renaissance of all fields, the Abbasid and the end of the Umayyad ruling, the days of Harun ar-Rashid.

During their time there were cultural invasions on Muslims. See how related this point is?

How could the four Imams coexist without dissolving, when many other cultures, including Greek, Roman, and Persian cultures began to mix with Islam?

It was also a period preceded by conflict, the one which took place between Ali Ibn-Abu-Taleb and Mu'aweya Ibn-Abu-Sufyan. We shall see how they tackled this issue.

The four Imams and Islamic jurisprudence

The four Imams lived during the time when Islamic jurisprudence was being formed.

At their time, the Prophet (SAWS) and his companions (RA[5]) had died and had left us the Qur'an, whose ayahs are around 6000, and the sunnah[6]. The incidents, however, are unlimited through the history of humanity. How then could they extract solutions from the limited resources?

This is what jurisprudence is all about. It means finding solutions for people's problems covering all issues, in the light of the Qur'an and sunnah: in marriage, divorce, dealings, people's relationships with each other, the relationship between Muslims and non-Muslims, the role of the governor towards the citizens, worship, etc. Jurisprudence is one of the greatest and most important Islamic sciences.

The four Imams are pioneers in this field. Each one of them had his own way of thinking and philosophy. They differed in large issues, yet they loved and respected each other.

Do you realize now the reason behind choosing the four Imams?

It is because they are a unique outstanding example of coexistence, dialogue, and listening to the other, and accepting them.

What are the distinguishing traits of the four Imams?

There were other jurists who were more learned than the four imams, but the schools of the four imams outlived them all. The reason they succeeded is that they were capable of coexisting with others. The four Imams coexisted with their previous and following generations. Thus they passed their knowledge on to the next generation, and their students spread it; so their knowledge was destined to last. Contrary to Abu-Hanifa, other scholars like al-Laith Ibn-Sa'ad of Egypt, did not do this. This was the reason why their ideas didn't reach us. Imam ash-Shafi'y said about him that he was more learned than Malik, yet his companions failed him as they did not pass their knowledge on to the next generation.

Abu-Hanifa selected four of the poor students whom he foretold to be brilliant and gave them scholarships. He has introduced the concept of scholarships, long before it was known in Europe. Among his students was Abu-Yusuf, who later became the supreme judge of the Islamic world.

We are far from doing this nowadays and hence all the brilliant youth migrate to the west.

We have to lead the next generations to success. Instead of tormenting young talented employees in our companies, let us encourage them and give them a real chance.

Another reason for their success is that they were flexible. Flexible people know how to coexist with others. They traveled a lot and got in contact with people. Furthermore, they lived in main, capital cities. If you are isolated, then you cannot succeed. The Prophet taught us that the Muslim who interacts (i.e. coexists) with people and is patient in enduring their harm is better than the Muslim who does not interact and hence is not harmed by them. Although they sometimes disagreed with the rulers, yet their relationship with the rulers never reached the extent of clashes. They were not hypocrites, as well. Thus their knowledge was not banned.

The four Imams benefited millions of people. Imam ash-Shafe’i introduced a new idea of how deductions in any science should have fixed rules. He established the method of logical thinking. Later on, Ibn-Rushd in Andalus (Spain) was influenced by this method. Europe benefited from Ibn-Rushd, and hence, indirectly from ash-Shafi'y. He should have won the Nobel Prize, as he was the first to introduce the method of logical thinking.

The four Imams had something original to introduce to people. Thousands of students attended Ibn-Hanbal's lectures in Baghdad for 10 years. How was that? Anyone who has some ideas or thoughts will run out of them after some time. He must have had exceptional abilities in coexisting with people. Also Imam Malik died at the age of 78. He kept giving lectures for 60 years.

A brief introduction about the four Imams

Let us make it in the form of an identity card.

First - Place of birth and residence:

Two imams were born in Iraq, Abu-Hanifa in Kufa and Ahmed Ibn-Hanbal in Baghdad. The other two lived in al-Higaz: Malik was born in Madinah, and ash-Shafi'y was born in Gazza, Palestine, but at the age of three he went to live in Makkah. As we can see, all of them lived in main cities.

Second – Origin:

Two imams were of Arab origins: Ash-Shafi'y, of course, whose ancestor relates to the Prophet, as he was from Quraysh, and Ibn-Hanbal who was from the tribe of Banu-Shaiban, a renowned tribe. The other two were of non-Arab origins. Abu-Hanifa was of a Persian origin, whereas Malik's ancestors were slaves, set free at the beginning of Islam.

This is a significant point in coexistence. How could the Arab society accept people of non-Arab origins to be the leaders in jurisprudence? You see how much Islam has changed the way people used to think? Nowadays in our societies, two different social classes cannot coexist with each other. People are classified according to their nationalities, their passports, and their wealth.

Chronology:

First is Abu-Hanifa, being born in 80 A.H, then Malik, Ash-Shafi'y, and the last one, Ahmad Ibn-Hanbal.

Each of them was a student of the other. Ahmad Ibn-Hanbal was a student of ash-Shafi'y and in turn, ash-Shafi'y was a student of Malik’s. Ash-Shafi'y and Ibn-Hanbal were students of the disciples of Abu-Hanifa: The first was a student of Muhammad Abul-Hassan, and the second was of Abu-Yusuf. All of them were interrelated and they all respected each other.

Financial situation:

Two of them were rich, and two were poor, lest anyone might think that coexistence is limited to one standard of living.

Abu-Hanifa was very wealthy; he was a successful merchant. He used to wear expensive suits. Malik liked to be elegant and well-dressed. The poor students were the dearest to Abu-Hanifa. Ibn-Hanbal and ash-Shafi'y, though poor, were courted by royalty, as they were able to deal with all classes.

Physique:

All of them were handsome tall guys. Malik was a blond man with blue eyes. Ash-Shafi'y was dark-skinned and very handsome as well.

Books:

Three of the four imams wrote books but one did not. Ash-Shafi'y wrote his ideas in a book entitled "Ar-Resala", Ibn-Hanbal wrote "Al-Musnad", and Malik wrote "Al-Muwatta'". Abu-Hanifa chose a rather different approach. He used to hold meetings with his students and what the majority agreed upon was then written down.

Some other great scholars stopped their lectures and joined Abu-Hanifa to help him,

for they saw it was more beneficial for Islam. Therefore when you think of the concepts of team work, focus group and brainstorming, remember that Abu-Hanifa was the one who pioneered these concepts in the year 80 A.H.

Our main topic is coexistence; may be we can save one soul in Iraq with these words. May be somebody in Lebanon will decide to reconcile with his enemies. May be somebody in Darfur remembers the Prophet's teachings which emphasize that Muslims are one nation, equal in respect of blood and even the weakest or the least important of them is entitled to give protection on behalf of them. The discrepancy between the Prophet's saying and reality is painful, but we are still optimistic.

Let us continue talking about the four Imams.

How long did they live for? 

They lived long. The only one who died rather young was ash-Shafi'y, at the age of 54. Imam Malik kept on giving lectures for 60 years in the Prophet’s mosque. He started at the age of 17 years until he died at the age of 77.

How could they sustain the admiration and respect of the public for all these years? Knowledge, though necessary, is not the only reason. There must be other factors such as charisma, the ability to tolerate others, to deal with people, and to listen to others. Abu-Hanifa once wrote "I learned from a barber five issues in jurisprudence I had not known before."

Their Fame:

One of the secrets behind their success is that they were role models. They practiced what they preached and they were great worshippers. Thousands of people attended Malik’s lectures in ar-Rawda. He used to teach students from 3 different continents and 3 generations. Wherever ash-Shafi'y went, thousands of people gathered around him. It was said that nobody, apart from the rightly guided Caliphs, was as famous as ash-Shafi'y and Ibn-Hanbal at that time.

In the meantime, they were sometimes harmed, beaten and imprisoned. When in prison, Ibn-Hanbal used to say, "My funeral and yours will tell the difference between us". His funeral was attended by thousands of people; all the roads were blocked. Abu-Hanifa was imprisoned and tortured when he refused to accept the post of supreme judge at the time of Caliph al-Mansour. This was because the latter intervened with the work of the judges for the sake of his interests.

Women in the imams’ lives:

Ibn-Hanbal's mother was a young widow of 25 who refused to marry after his father's death. Ash-Shafi'y's mother told him that she had vowed him to learning, so that he might unite the nation. Malik's mother guided him to this path. His daughter too played a significant role in correcting the students’ mistakes during the lessons.

One of Malik's tutors was a woman, Aisha Bint-Saad Ibn-Abu-Waqqas, the daughter of the great companion who conquered Iraq. When ash-Shafi'y came to Egypt, he went to learn from Lady Nafisa, the granddaughter of the Prophet (SAWS). Abu-Hanifa had a special place for women among his 30 disciples to help him in his juristic opinions.

Abu-Hanifa’s mother used to think of him merely as her own child. She once made a vow and wanted to change her mind about it. She refused to follow his opinion, and decided to consult Zur'a al-Qas; a worshipper, not even a jurist. Abu-Hanifa obeyed her and offered to accompany her to that man. He sent to Zur'a a letter telling him how to answer his mother's question. He answered her by what Abu-Hanifa told him and she accepted it!

Their talents:

Besides jurisprudence, the four Imams were also talented in other fields. Ibn-Hanbal had the talent of penmanship. Ash-Shafi'y was a talented poet.

Finally, I would like to ask Muslims who live in the west to integrate with their societies and to be proud of their origins. I am asking people of Iraq, Palestine and Lebanon to learn from our history. Let us all spread coexistence among us. I have a plea, let not the "Call for coexistence" be a one-sided dialogue. Send your comments and experiences on the website WWW.AMRKHALED.NET

Thank you so much. May Allah’s Peace be upon you all.

________________________________________

[1] The word Allah is the Arabic term for God. Although the use of the word "Allah" is most often associated with Islam, it is not used exclusively by Muslims; Arab Christians and Arabic-speaking Jews also use it to refer to the One God. The Arabic word expresses the unique characteristics of the One God more precisely than the English term. Whereas the word "Allah" has no plural form in Arabic, the English form does, and the word 'Allah' in Arabic has no connotation of gender. Allah is the God worshipped by all Prophets, from Adam to Noah, Abraham, Moses, Jesus and Muhammad.

[2] Salla Allah alayhe Wa Salam [All Prayers and Blessings of Allah be upon him]

[3] A verse in the Qur'an.

[4] TMQ=Translation of the Meaning of the Qur'an. This translation is for the realized meaning, so far, of the stated (Surah:Ayah) of the Qur'an. Reading the translated meaning of the Qur'an can never replace reading it in Arabic, the language in which it was revealed.

[5] RA= Radya Allah ’anh [May Allah be pleased with him/her].

[6] Prophet’s traditions.

AmrKhaled.net © جميع حقوق النشر محفوظة

This Article may be published and duplicated freely for private purposes, as long as the original source is mentioned. For all other purposes you need to obtain the prior written approval of the website administration. For info: dar_altarjama@amrkhaled.net

abdulwalee · (This post was last modified: 03-31-2007, 06:59 PM by abdulwalee.)

Quote:You don't need to be a Christian to please me. I treat everyone equally.

Allah says "They are not equal the blind and the one who sees, The learned and the ignorant"... I dont see how you can treat everyone equal?

I still would like to know the real intent behind the "Call for Coexistence" UMMM- I found an interesting Article I thought would spark responds... Lets see if the Christians like it as much...

Coexistence within a non-Muslim Framework

No matter how oblivious one can be of aberrant practices of the past, and strong as may one's control of religious sentiment be, in line with the requirements of objective research, one still cannot deny the fact that throughout the history of Islamic-Christian relations, tolerance has never been a distinctive trait of the Christian side, under any form, as their treatment of Muslims did not rise to the level of coexistence. Neither objective scientific research, nor faithfulness to historical truth dictate that we should transcend this historical fact, which is recorded in the most authoritative reference books. The plea of abstract research, rejection of fanaticism and oblivion of past deviations does not hold here.

Seeking to draw lessons from history in order to chart the way ahead with a clear vision, we would like to register here, with infinite tolerance and a strong desire for coexistence, that the followers of other religions, in general, never rose to the level of tolerance urged for by all religions. Human civilization was greatly affected by the acts of persecution perpetrated by followers of other religions against the Muslim communities at various epochs and places, whether in Andalusia, in Palestine, in the Muslim countries that labored under the yoke of the European military occupation, or in the states in which Muslim minorities have lived in the recent and present epochs.

As for the religious tolerance witnessed in Europe concurrently with the emergence of the movement of religious reform, it was restricted to the Christian apostolate, never blossoming into a form of coexistence with non-Christians. In England, for instance, the call for tolerance was advocated by three prominent scholars : Harrington, Milton and Taylor. The first thinker was of the view that political freedom could not take form in default of absolute religious freedom, because religious freedom encompassed freedom of conscience, which included, in turn, civil freedom. Freedom of conscience is realized only when an individual is able to perform his religious observances and exercise the teachings of his religion according to the inclinations of his own conscience, without any external hindrance, may it be state interference. Milton's defense of tolerance was built on the grounds that the exercise of a right does not necessitate persecution, and that persecution precludes the unveiling of truth.(34)

It is a notorious fact that even amongst the Christians themselves, tolerance was not the lot of all people in Europe at first. Milton himself discarded Catholics from his scope of tolerance as he considered their cult to have pagan overtones; he upheld that the Old Testament had banned the worship of idols.(35) Even today, Europe continues to suffer from the fall-outs of a long-standing, narrow-minded religious tolerance that excludes certain Christian groups themselves, let alone the non-Christians.

Yet, we cannot deny the fact that the Catholic Church has reviewed, and eventually redressed its traditional stance vis-à-vis Islam. A new development has indeed taken place, divorcing with the past habits since the days of Urubain II in 1095. The document of Nostra Aetati, issued by the second ecumenical assembly in the epoch of Pope Paul VI, in 1965, describing the position of the Church vis-à-vis non-Christians, states about Muslims : "The Church holds in high esteem the Muslims who worship the One and Only God, the Merciful, the Almighty, the Creator of the heavens and the earth, who has addressed his message to the humankind. The Muslims show full obedience to God's ordinances, even His implicit injunctions, as did Abraham from whose faith the Muslims derived theirs. The Muslims pay as well due respect and veneration to Jesus as a prophet, although they do not recognize him as a god. They hold in high esteem his mother Virgin Mary, whom they treat with humbleness and veneration. They are, above all, awaiting the Judgment Day when the Almighty will resurrect humankind for the Reckoning. The Muslims attach importance to ethics, and worship God alone, particularly through regular prayer, Zakat and Fasting."(36)

Yet, in a new papal document, we find material that impels us to balk at the idea of "inter-religious dialogue" or "inter-religious coexistence," not to renege on the application of the principle of dialogue and coexistence, but to ponder deeply the significance of this position and its repercussions on the moves undertaken by the Western Catholic Church in its call for dialogue and coexistence. The following example is relevant to our discussion of the perception of coexistence by non-Muslims, specifically the Christians, or more exactly the Christians with allegiance to the Western Church, not the Arab Christians who have been living in coexistence with us for centuries long, within the Islamic civilization. Under the sub-title of "Dialogue with our brothers from other religions," in Chapter V of the Letter of the Redeemer(37), about which Pope Paul II said that it enshrined his opinion and position vis-à-vis Islam and Muslims, we read the following : "Dialogue among religions constitutes part and parcel of the mission of the evangelist church. As both a way and a means of mutual acquaintance and enrichment, it is not inconsistent with our mission towards the nations. On the contrary, it is closely linked to this mission, in a special manner, and is an expression thereof." The document then points out : "Redemption comes from the Christ, and dialogue does not absolve us from evangelization." Rather, "the Church does not consider that there is any contradiction whatsoever between evangelization and inter-religious dialogue."(38)

There is no need to expound this text since it includes a clear-cut definition of the meaning of dialogue as construed by Pope John Paul II in the sense that it is no more than a propitious forum for continuation and reinforcement of the evangelization process. However, there is another text included in the moral apostolic sermon titled "conveying the religious education" by Pope John Paul II also, broadcast in 1979, in which he said : "The mission of evangelization is embedded in the evangelical culture and must not be dissociated from it. It is conveyed through an apostolic dialogue that must be necessarily contained in cultural dialogue. The power of the gospel is able to spark change and renovation, whereas the gospel must not be altered or affected in its contact with cultures. In this way, religious teaching will penetrate deeply the various cultures, thus conferring the perfection of the Christ on their legal values."(39)

If such is inter-cultural and inter-religious dialogue in the view of the Vatican, their true perception of coexistence is then aimed to realize the evangelization of the whole world, a position sharply contrasting with the tolerant humanitarian acceptation of coexistence upheld by the Muslims. This inherent aim is brought to light with even more clarity in another passage of the said apostolic discourse, which clearly underlines the "importance of evangelizing the world, in particular in post-communism countries for fear that they should go on with their atheism or embrace Islam. Hence the necessity of dealing a blow to Islam for it represents the only alternative for those who renounce Christianity upon discovering the distortions that had affected it but do not want to apostatize."(40)

Inter-religious coexistence certainly loses its utility and value when manipulated to serve interests other than the humanitarian objectives agreed upon by the parties seeking coexistence. At the time when voices are rising to demand inter-religious coexistence, anti-Islamic schemes are hatched at the highest levels to combat Islam specifically, while Jews relish the benefits of the noblest form of tolerance.

In the United States of America, the State of Colorado recently hosted the largest evangelical conference ever. Its deliberations, proposals and conclusions have been translated into Arabic and published in a large-size book of as many as 900 small print pages. The conference focused on a single issue : What are the best ways to evangelize Muslims and eradicate their religion. One million dollars were raised to this effect, as a first step toward the implementation of this scheme.(41) Upon reading the hefty book containing the conference's proceedings, one finds a number of provocative facts corroborating the idea that Christians, or to be more objective a chunk of them, neither believe in coexistence, nor in dialogue or cooperation. When they call for coexistence or dialogue, they mean to wield them in order to impose a religious dominance not very different from political or economic hegemony.

At any rate, the Muslims have no objection to responding to the call for coexistence with followers of other religions even if their perception of coexistence is totally or partially inconsistent with the civilized humanitarian concept upheld by the Muslims. The Muslims are convinced that the nature of human life requires a higher level of coexistence marked by objectivity, generosity, truth and sincerity in working for the well-being of all humans.

wel_mel_2 · 04-06-2007, 08:11 AM

Episode 3

Even though we might differ, let us coexist. Coexistence is derived from the word existence, which means to live together. Differences are part of the law of nature on which the universe was built. The reason behind this program is the awful hardship the Muslims are facing nowadays. We can disagree but we should still talk, converse, respect, and accept each other’s existence. Our motto through out these episodes will be the following verse that says, “O you mankind, surely We created you of a male and a female, and We have made you races and tribes that you may get mutually acquainted….” (TMQ[1], 49:13). Therefore these differences exist to enable us to mutually acquaint.

Harmony is a commitment in Islam and every juristic judgment in Islam aims at spreading harmony among people in general and Muslims in particular. Allah[2] created earth so that we may develop it through the exchange of interests, thoughts, economy and trade.

We are different, but can we still coexist.

The 4 imams, Imam Abu-Hanifa, Imam Malik Ibn-Anas, Imam ash-shafe’iyy and Imam Ahmad Ibn-Hanbal (great scholars) are credited for being the first to shape Islamic jurisprudence and have their own schools. Jurisprudence, one of the most important sciences in Islam, is the science of finding solutions for peoples' problems in life in light of the Qur’an and Sunnah[3].

Throughout this program I will endeavor to achieve what the following verse says, “Surely the believers are only brothers ...” (TMQ, 49:10). My intention is to bring us together and Allah is my witness. We will not get mutually acquainted unless we coexist together, only then can we talk about revival and how to deal with other nations and races in this revival. The first step will be how to live and coexist together?

We shall start with Imam Abu-Hanifa; a prime example of how to effectively coexist. His name is No’man Ibn-Thabet al-Mazraban, a Persian. His grandfathers were non-Arabs but they embraced Islam. He was born in Koofah in the year 80 after hijrah[4] and died in the year 150 after hijrah. Thus he lived for 70 years. He paved the way for those who followed him. He was the first to develop the revered science Islamic jurisprudence.

Scholars say, "Muslims should supplicate for Abu-Hanifa in their prayers because he was the first to shape Islamic jurisprudence and laws in Islam". Today we find Muslims in disagreement with one another, yet Islam and Muslims at that time accepted Abu Hanifa despite being a non-Arab.

Ibn-Abu Laila, a scholar, was once sitting with Eissa Ibn-Hisham, the ruler of Koofah who was fanatic about Arabs. Ibn-Hisham asked him about the best jurisprudence scholars and Ibn-Abu Laila replied with many great names. When Ibn-Hisham discovered that the scholars of Al-Madinah, Makkah, Yemen, Yamamah, Levant, the Arab Peninsula and Basra were all non-Arabs, his face turned red with anger. He then asked who is the scholar of Koofah, Ibn-Abu Laila was going to say Hammad, the teacher of Abu-Hanifa who was a non-Arab but instead he mentioned an Arab called Ibrahim al-Nakh’iyy. Ibn-Hisham breathed a sigh of relief and said “Allahu Akbar (Allah is the greatest)”.

Non-Arabs excelled in science, meanwhile Arabs were preoccupied with battles and conquests therefore they were not able to delve in science. Non-Arabs wanted to be part of the new nation and Islam so they concentrated on science; hence a balance between the two groups (Arabs and non-Arabs) was achieved. Arabs are credited for accepting the study of non-Arabs of Islamic sciences, and as a result the community became integrated.

Are community members nowadays ready to accept each other? When Arabs gave the chance to non-Arabs to study and excel; they effectively preserved many revered sciences of Islam. A man like Abu-Hanifa, for example, was accepted by the community although he was of Persian origin. Later on, Abu-Hanifa becomes known as the ‘Greatest Imam’ and the ‘Imam of Imams’.

Abu Hanifa was brought up in Koofah, the center of the Islamic reign during the rule of Ali Ibn-Abu-Talib. A huge mosque was built in Koofah which held up to 40,000 people. This mosque was to be the starting point for Abu-Hanifa.

Abu-Hanifa's father was a fabric merchant. When he was about 17 years old, he decided to make his father’s shop the largest in Iraq. He looked for the finest man who taught marketing science as he had a scientific approach to every thing in life. By the way, three of the four imams were encouraged by their mothers to study science. This was the year 80 after hijrah. Interestingly enough, very few people today apply science to trade. Yet Abu-Hanifa wanted a specialist to teach him the essence of trade. At this stage studying was never on his mind, all that mattered to him was to be successful in life.

He asked his father to modernize the shop and in a few years he became the owner of one of the biggest shops in Koofah. He always excelled in anything he did. His father allowed him to develop the business hence the shop flourished and they became richer by the day, their yearly income became 200,000 dinars. Abu-Hanifa only kept 4000 dirhams per year for himself and his family and spent the rest on charitable causes.

Nowadays we find problems arising between generations when the son joins the father’s trade. The father wants to apply his method and the son wants to innovate.

One day Abu-Hanifa passed by a man called ash-Sha’biyy, one of the greatest and well-known Islamic scholars. Ash-Sha’biyy asked Abu-Hanifa about the scholars from whom he learns from to which Abu-Hanifa replied, "a marketing lesson", but ash-Sha’biyy was referring to scholars' lessons. Ash-Sha’biyy found in Abu-Hanifa the attentiveness, activeness, intelligence and drive that cannot be satisfied by trade alone. Science was the advice of Ash-Sha’biyy to Abu-Hanifa to make use of his intelligence.

We suffer these days in our countries because no one knows how to spot talented people. Talents are born, then die and get buried without being discovered. Ash-Sha’biyy took one look at Abu-Hanifa and knew that trade was not the only thing he would be good at. If he learns religious science as well, then he was destined to be unique. Ash-Sha’bi‎yy's words led to the emergence of a great Imam in Islam who founded the first Islamic jurisprudence school and the most famous to date. Abu-Hanifa is the most widespread juristic school in the Islamic world, especially among non-Arabic speaking Muslims.

Abu-Hanifa started by asking about the different religious sciences available for study, and he was told, “Qur'an, hadeeth, linguistics, poetry and jurisprudence.” Those were the sciences at that time. He asked Ash-Sha’biyy about the best scholars in the field and was told “Hammad Ibn-Abu-Sulaiman”.

It was after this encounter that the young Imam began his quest for knowledge, and he accompanied Hammad for 18 years. After just 3 years, Hammad felt that Abu-Hanifa was progressing so well that he let Abu-Hanifa sit beside him in his circle.

Nowadays, we hear of professors or seniors who when faced with an exceptional employee, they would either harass him or expel him. Hammad allowed others to succeed, that is why Abu-Hanifa was always grateful to him.

Coexistence is evident in such a society that accepted the success of a young man of Persian origin. Coexistence is clear in this community of scholars who accepted and welcomed a merchant, and in Hammad who accepted a young, well-dressed man to become his student and then his colleague.

Abu Hanifa sought the teachings of Ja’far as-Sadiq, the founder of the Shiite jurisprudence. Abu-Hanifa studied Shiite jurisprudence although he disagreed with it in some aspects. This is a great example of coexistence on Abu-Hanifa’s part. Regardless of whether you agree or disagree with a certain concept, individual, or idea, one must accept and respect its existence. This was a healthy community that reinforced coexistence where a mentor helps his students to excel and then distinguishes one to be his equal. Such attitudes result in a mature, tolerant, and prosperous community.

Today, we want to say that coexistence is evident in our everyday life. You have to coexist with yourself, your family, your mentors, and with your society.

In today’s society, many of us are actually pushing each other backwards. Coexistence is clearly lacking even within the same home. Courts are filled with lawsuits. Think about this verse, “..and We have made you races and tribes that you may get mutually acquainted.” (TMQ, 49:13)

Later on, Hammad was informed that he inherited a relative in Basra. As he was the sole beneficiary he had to go there himself to receive the inheritance. Hammad left the circle and asked Abu-Hanifa to take his place.

Have you ever heard of a research group that succeeded together, and then stayed together? The West is more successful because they work in a joint institutional system.

Abu-Hanifa replaced him for two months. During this period, he faced questions that have never been asked before. When Hammad returned, Abu-Hanifa presented the questions to him. They dealt with 60 questions. He agreed with him on 40 and disagreed on the remaining 20. He then realized that he was wrong about the remaining 20 questions.

One major problem in our countries is that our companies, factories, universities and research work all lack teamwork spirit. We also lack coexistence between mentors and students?

Abu-Hanifa had disagreed with Hammad on more than one occasion. Nonetheless, he still asked Allah’s forgiveness to be bestowed upon Hammad in as much as he asked it for his parents. He even asked Allah's forgiveness for all those who taught him and all those he taught. People asked him why, and he would reply, “so that they may stick to the right path “and I may continue to be rewarded for their work”.

Fathers may ask how they can contain their children. Children may ask how they can deal with their fathers. Women may ask how they can live in harmony with their husbands. Abu-Hanifa was 40 years old, when he founded the greatest school. He was the first to reject the idea of individual jurisprudence. Thus, he started a group of 40 scholars. The group contained all specialties: commerce, language, hadeeth, Qur'an, interpretation and poetry. This group would gather and address the needs and problems of the society through searching for provisions in the Qur'an and the Sunnah. If nothing could be found, they would think together to reach a solution. In fact, hundreds or even thousands of people attended these sessions. But the 40 experts would sit in the first few rows.

Abu-Hanifa would begin by presenting the problem, and then the discussion would start. They would analyze the problem, discuss the assumptions and search for the cause. A member was designated to write the minutes of the session. Indeed, this is scientific methodology which involves analyzing the problem, proposing assumptions, and then presenting solutions. This could last for one day, two days, or even a week .The group members would also participate by raising their hands and having their say. Eventually, they would reach a final decision concerning the given problem, in light of the collective opinion. What if the decision was different from Abu-Hanifa's opinion? That did not matter as the decision was a result of combined opinions of the group members.

A very important role was played by a man called Abu-Yusuf, one of Abu-Hanifa's distinguished students. He occupied the position of the chief judge in the Islamic state during the reign of the four Caliphs. During his time with Abu-Hanifa, he would write the final decision or fatwa (legal opinion issued by Islamic scholars), and the reasons behind it. This group worked for 30 years, starting from when Abu-Hanifa was 40 till he became 70. They bridged the gap between worldly life and religion. Abu-Hanifa offered the first scholarship to Abu-Yusuf. Although he was a poor student, Abu-Hanifa thought he was very promising. Occasionally, Abu-Hanifa would give him 100 dirhams. He even told him that when he ran out of money he should go back to him. Then, he gave him a monthly allowance.

Abu-Yusuf decided to start his own circle. One day Abu-Hanifa asked one of his attendees to go to Abu-Yusuf's circle and present to him the following question: A man went to a tailor (Abu-Yusuf was originally a tailor), and asked him to shorten a garment for a dirham. The next day the man returned to find that the job was not done. When he tuned up on third day the tailor denied taking the garment. On the following day, He passed by only to find his shortened garment up for sale. Feeling embarrassed, the tailor, gave it to him.

The question to Abu-Yusuf was: Does the tailor deserve the fee? If he says, “yes”, the man would tell him, “You are wrong”. If he says, “no”, the man would tell him, “You are wrong”. Abu-Yusuf said, “Yes, the tailor deserves to be paid”. The man said, “You are wrong”. Abu-Yusuf thought again and then said “No, he does not deserve it”. The man again said, “You are wrong”. Abu-Yusuf asked the group in his circle to wait while he went to Abu-Hanifa's circle.

Abu-Hanifa went to meet him alone. He said, “Perhaps you are here because of the tailor's question”. Abu-Yusuf said, “Yes”. He said, “If the tailor shortened the garment before intending to keep it, he deserves the fee but if the tailor shortened it after intending to keep it then he does not deserve the fee”. Abu-Hanifa looked at him and said, “Whoever thinks that he can do without working with others, should really pity himself. I have faith in you Abu-Yusuf, if you leave us, you will lose and so will we”. Abu-Yusuf remained with Abu-Hanifa until his death. He later became the chief judge for the entire Islamic state.

I suggest you think about this example, its logic, wisdom, and tolerance. Take a good look at our Islamic history. The West says that we are terrorists and that our thinking methods are stagnant because those who founded our jurisprudence were stagnant.

Can we start thinking of how we can live in harmony with the other for the sake of Islam and for this poor nation? “And adhere firmly to the Rope of Allah …” (TMQ, 3:103).

May the Peace and Blessing of Allah be upon you!

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

[1] TMQ=Translation of the Meaning of the Qur'an. This translation is for the realized meaning, so far, of the stated (Surah:Ayah) of the Qur'an. Reading the translated meaning of the Qur'an can never replace reading it in Arabic, the language in which it was revealed.

[2] The word Allah is the Arabic term for God. Although the use of the word "Allah" is most often associated with Islam, it is not used exclusively by Muslims; Arab Christians and Arabic-speaking Jews also use it to refer to the One God. The Arabic word expresses the unique characteristics of the One God more precisely than the English term. Whereas the word "Allah" has no plural form in Arabic, the English form does, and the word 'Allah' in Arabic has no connotation of gender. Allah is the God worshipped by all Prophets, from Adam to Noah, Abraham, Moses, Jesus and Muhammad.

[3] Prophetic traditions.

[4] Immigration of the Prophet to the city of Madinah.

AmrKhaled.net © جميع حقوق النشر محفوظة

This Article may be published and duplicated freely for private purposes, as long as the original source is mentioned. For all other purposes you need to obtain the prior written approval of the website administration. For info: dar_altarjama@amrkhaled.net

Faith Hope Charity · (This post was last modified: 04-09-2007, 05:43 PM by Faith Hope Charity.)

All for the greater glory of God.

Assalmu alaikum!

Thanks so much, Wael :) Please keep the episodes coming, dude!

By the way, who is Brother Amr Khaled?

Quote:To remind ourselves, coexistence means how to understand, communicate, and respect each other even if we disagree; how to build bridges, instead of barriers.

What a powerful & inspiring statement!!!

Quote:Our main topic is coexistence; may be we can save one soul in Iraq with these words. May be somebody in Lebanon will decide to reconcile with his enemies. May be somebody in Darfur remembers the Prophet's teachings which emphasize that Muslims are one nation, equal in respect of blood and even the weakest or the least important of them is entitled to give protection on behalf of them.

As a Lebanese Christian living abroad & witnessing my homeland being torn apart for the past 25 years, I'm sitting here wishing the leaders in my country can get their hands on these articles & have a change of heart. The horrifying thing about war is that we no longer find it horrifying. Please God, save us all!

I enjoyed the story of the tailor in episode 3. Great moral lesson. I'm sitting tight. Can't wait for the next installment :popc1:

Now as for you, Mr Abdul...

Why are you so against the idea of co-existence? Don't you live in the US? Have you ever considered packing your bags & heading East to get away from the infidels & evangelists?

Quote:Allah says "They are not equal the blind and the one who sees, The learned and the ignorant"... I dont see how you can treat everyone equal?

Because we're all created by Allah (SWT). He will be the one to judge the learned & the ignorant. He doesn't need us to do His job for Him. We're meant to take care of each other. Like brothers & sisters, we all come from the same place. Would you agree?

I read your article & yes, I liked it a lot, especially the references to Papal Encyclicals. Thanks for the contribution :)

So what are we inclined to do in this situation? You have Muslims on one side willing to co-exist & Muslims on the other side (Abdul, I'm guessing you're not the only one) who refuse to co-exist? In your best Islamic opinion, where do we go from here? (the question is open to all & it's not exclusively for relations between Muslims/Christians, it can also apply to Sunnis/Shiites, Muslims/Jews, etc)

The whole reason why I joined this forum is to learn how to co-exist with others. This is officially my favourite thread :) Wael, in my best American accent... you da man, brotha!!!

God bless.

wel_mel_2 · 04-10-2007, 04:27 AM

Quote:By the way, who is Brother Amr Khaled?

Amr Khaled is the producer of “a call for coexistence” program you may learn more about him here. Amr Khaled.Net

Salam

Wael.

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