Ithna-asheri Muslim Association of the Northwest (I.M.A.N)

Transcription

1 )1:1( الل و الر ح ن الر ح يم الر ح يم )1:1( ن )1:1( لل و ر ب ال ع ال م ي الر ح ا ل م د ب س م )1:1( ي و م الد ين )1:1( م ال ك إ ي اك ن ع ب د وإ ي اك ن س ت ع ي اىد ن ا الص ر اط امل ست ق يم ) 1:1( )1:1( ص ر اط ال ذ ين أ نع مت ع ل يه م غ ري امل غض وب ع ل يه م و ال الض ال ي In the name of God, the Lord of Mercy, the Giver of Mercy! Praise belongs to God, Lord of the Worlds, the Lord of Mercy, the Giver of Mercy, Master of the Day of Judgment. It is You we worship; it is You we ask for help. Guide us to the straight path: the path of those you have blessed, those who incur no anger and who have not gone astray. As we remember victims of 9/11, I would like to first begin reiterating that no words of denouncement and condemnation of the perpetrators of the horrific terrorist attack on Tuesday 11th September 2001 or of condolences and prayers for the victims, can adequately express the anguish and feelings of all those who are deeply struck by this cataclysmic event. The deliberate attack, chillingly executed before the whole world, had the sole aim of killing and maiming innocent human beings. Thousands of innocent lives were lost on September 11, 2001, and our hearts and prayers go out to their families and loved ones. For several hundred of the victims of 9/11, grief and sorrow has been compounded by constant suspicion, bias, hatred, and attacks on the faith they hold dear. Imagine being the family of Salman Hamdani. The 23-year-old New York City police cadet was a part-time ambulance driver, incoming medical student, and devout Muslim. When he disappeared on September 11, law enforcement officials came to his family, seeking him for questioning in relation to the terrorist attacks. They allegedly believed he was somehow involved. His whereabouts were undetermined for over six months, until his remains were finally identified. He was found near the North Tower, with his EMT medical bag beside him, presumably doing everything he could to help those in need. His family could finally rest, knowing that he died the hero they always knew him to be. Or imagine being Baraheen Ashrafi, nine months pregnant with her second child. Her husband, Mohammad Chowdhury, was a waiter at Windows of the World restaurant, on the top floors of 1

2 Tower One. The morning of September 11, they prayed salaat-l-fajr (the pre-dawn prayer) together, and he went off to work. She never saw him again. Their son, Farqad, was born 48 hours after the attacks -- one of the first 9/11 orphans to be born. In an interview with CTV Canada, she relates that in the months to follow, she mourned for her husband and endured the hostility of some ignorant people around her. "When they saw me... I'm wearing a scarf. There is a hate look." Or consider Rahma Salie, a passenger on American Airlines #11 that crashed into the North Tower. Rahma, a Muslim of Sri Lankan origin, was traveling with her husband Michael (a convert to Islam) to attend a friend's wedding in California. Rahma was 7 months pregnant with their first child. According to the Independent UK (October 11, 2001), Rahma's name was initially put on an FBI watch list, because her "Muslim-sounding" name was on the passenger manifest, and her travel patterns were similar to those of the hijackers (she was a computer consultant living in Boston). Although her name was eventually removed from the list, several of her family members were barred from taking flights to her memorial service. Her mother, Haleema, said, "I would like everyone to know that she was a Muslim, she is a Muslim and we are victims too, of this tragic incident. Thousands died on September 11, victims of atrocity from over a hundred countries. Among them were wives, husbands, sons and daughters, Christians, Jews, Muslims, Hindus and Buddhists, those who believe in God and those who don t, from all races and many ethnicities. Tens of thousands more died - many innocent lives - in the wars that followed 9/11. This is a tragedy of our time that can only be felt in the hearts of all upstanding human beings who inhabit our world. In this time of national and global anguish, good people of all faiths must come together to do all they can to assist the survivors of these tragedies, as well as to the families of those innocent men and women who lost their lives. As we continue to participate in the international effort to bear these tragedies and help rebuild not just the buildings but the very foundations of liberty and freedom, the lasting values for all times, Muslims in America have an added responsibility to reach out to rest of America, to tell their neighbors, their school friends, their workmates that Islam does not advocate terrorism in any form. The Qur an is very clear with regards to sanctity of life: أ ن و م ن ق ت ل ن ف س ا ب غ ري ن ف س أ و ف س اد ف األ ر ض ف ك أ ن ا ق ت ل الن اس ج يع ا و م ن 2 أ ح ي اى ا ف ك أ ن ا أ ح ي ا الن اس ج يع ا 5:32... if anyone slays a human being-unless it be [in punishment] for murder or for spreading corruption on earth-it shall be as though he had slain all mankind;

3 whereas, if anyone saves a life, it shall be as though he had saved the lives of all mankind.... We must also remind ourselves that a long-standing right of an oppressed people does not become invalid over time and must be addressed. If we find restrictions and hardship in dispensing justice because of our self-interest, we should know that the path of injustice and oppression is harder and even more restricted. On the issue of justice, the Qur an says: ي ا أ ي ه ا ال ذ ين آم ن وا ك ون وا ق و ام ي ب ال ق س ط ش ه د اء ل ل و و ل و ع ل ى أ نف س ك م أ و ال و ال د ي ن و األ ق ر ب ي إ ن ي ك ن غ ن ي ا أ و ف ق ري ا ف الل و أ و ل ب م ا ف ال ت ت ب ع وا ا ل و ى أ ن ت ع د ل وا و إ ن ت ل و وا أ و ت ع ر ض وا ف إ ن الل و ك ان ب ا ت ع م ل ون خ ب ري ا )571:4( 4:135 O YOU who have attained to faith! Be ever steadfast in upholding equity, bearing witness to the truth for the sake of God, even though it be against your own selves or your parents and kinsfolk. Whether the person concerned be rich or poor, God's claim takes precedence over [the claims of] either of them. Do not, then, follow your own desires, lest you swerve from justice: for if you distort [the truth], behold, God is indeed aware of all that you do! In another section, we read: إ ن الل و ي أ م ر ب ال ع د ل و اإل ح س ان و إ يت اء ذ ي ال ق ر ب و ي ن ه ى ع ن ال ف ح ش ا ء و ال م نك ر و ال ب غ ي ي ع ظ ك م ل ع ل ك م ت ذ ك ر و ن )19761( 16:90 BEHOLD, God enjoins justice, and the doing of good, and generosity towards [one's] fellow-men; and He forbids all that is shameful and all that runs 3

4 counter to reason, as well as envy; [and] He exhorts you [repeatedly] so that you might bear [all this] in mind. Just as most Americans look at the realities of Islam many a times through misinformed and biased sources that regurgitate historical prejudices, by and large; across the globe, Muslims have great difficulties in distinguishing the bivalent American foreign policy from Americans the variety of people, religion and culture who make up the civilization, the progress and pluralism. A journalist by the name of Abdul Malik Mujahid writes: How many Muslims in the world know that there are more Christians in America going to Churches on Sunday then there are Muslims attending Friday prayers in Pakistan. Contrary to popular belief more than half of the graduates of high schools in America do not indulge in sex and most women in America don't drink. There are Christians who have been thrown into prison for civil disobedience opposing US foreign policy. Kathy Kelly and her group Voices in the Wilderness have done more against sanctions on Iraq than any Muslim country. This is a thinking nation with a capacity for change. This capacity for change provides an opportunity for Islam to be a positive component within the American multicultural, multi-ethnic and multi-faith milieu. The cataclysmic event of the 11th of September 2001 is a defining moment of our time that requires introspection by all who inhabit this world. We appreciate the invitation today to read from the Qur an at a time when we see very concerning signs of Islamophobia engulfing our nation. Islam is the same truth that God revealed to all His prophets throughout history. It is not a new religion. The Arabic word "Islam" means "submission" and it is derived from the Arabic root meaning peace. In a religious context it means attainment of peace, inward and outward, through voluntary submission to the will of God. "Allah" is the Arabic equivalent name for God, which is used by Arab Muslims and Christians alike. Islam is a religion of peace, mercy, justice, forgiveness, tolerance, inclusiveness and human dignity for all. Muslims believe in One, Unique, and Incomparable God. They believe in the Day of Judgment and individual accountability for actions. Muslims believe in a chain of prophets beginning with Adam and including Noah, Abraham, Ishmael, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, Job, Moses, David, Solomon, and Jesus (peace be upon them all). God's eternal message was reaffirmed and finalized by the Prophet Muhammad (peace be on him). One becomes a Muslim by affirming, "There is no deity but God, and Muhammad is the messenger of God." 4

5 The Qur an is the record of the exact words revealed by God through the Angel Gabriel to the Prophet Muhammad. It was memorized by Muhammad and then dictated to his companions. The 114 chapters of the Qur an have remained unchanged through the centuries and are still memorized and read by Muslims all over the world. I thought very first verses revealed to Prophet Muhammad might be the perfect way for us to start our reading from the Qur an: خ ل ق اإل نس ان م ن ع ل ق اق ر أ ب اس م ر ب ك ال ذ ي خ ل ق ال ذ ي ع ل م ب ال ق ل م ع ل م اإل نس ان م ا ل ي ع ل م الر ج ع ى )11:9( أ ن ر آه اس ت غ ن إ ن إ ل ر ب ك أ ر أ ي ت إ ن ك ان ع ل ى ا ل د ى )11:11( أ و أ م ر ب الت ق و ى )11:11( أ ر أ ي ت ال ذ ي ي ن ه ى األ ك ر م اق ر أ و ر ب ك ك ال إ ن اإل نس ان ل ي ط غ ى ع ب د ا إ ذ ا ص ل ى )11:19( 96:1 READ in the name of thy Sustainer, who has 96:2 created man out of a germ-cell 96:3 Read - for thy Sustainer is the Most Bountiful One 96:4 who has taught [man] the use of the pen 96:5 taught man what he did not know! 96:6 Nay, verily, man becomes grossly overweening 96:7 whenever he believes himself to be self-sufficient: 96:8 for, behold, unto thy Sustainer all must return. 96:9 HAST THOU ever considered him who tries to prevent 96:10 a servant [of God] from praying? 96:11 Hast thou considered whether he is on the right way, - 96:12 or is concerned with God-consciousness? There has been a lot of talk lately of disrespecting the Holy Qur an. I want to draw everyone s attention, and especially my fellow Muslims, that Qur an says: إ ن ا ن ن ن ز ل ن ا الذ ك ر و إ ن ا ل و ل اف ظ ون 15:9 Behold, it is We Ourselves who have bestowed from on high, step by step, this reminder? and, behold, it is We who shall truly guard it [from all corruption]. In fact, in numerous verses, the Qur an clearly points out an opportunity for us all: 5

6 و ل ق د ي س ر ن ا ال ق ر آن ل لذ ك ر ف ه ل م ن م د ك ر )11:19( 54:40 Hence, indeed, We made this Qur an easy to bear in mind: who, then, is willing to take it to heart? And God Almighty guides us on how to deal with hatred: ي ا أ ي ه ا ال ذ ين آم ن وا ك ون وا ق و ام ي ل ل و ش ه د اء ب ال ق س ط و ال ي ر م ن ك م ش ن آن ق و م ع ل ى أ ال ت ع د ل وا ا ع د ل وا ى و أ ق ر ب ل لت ق و ى و ات ق وا الل و إ ن الل و خ ب ري ب ا ت ع م ل و ن )475( 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 Godconscious. And remain conscious of God: verily, God is aware of all that you do. We are called to repel evil with something better: و ال ت س ت و ي ا ل س ن ة و ال الس ي ئ ة )11:11( و ل ح يم ع د او ة ك أ ن و ا د ف ع ب ال ت ى ي أ ح س ن ف إ ذ ا ال ذ ي ب ي ن ك و ب ي ن و 41:34 But [since] good and evil cannot be equal, repel thou [evil] with something that is better and lo! he between whom and thyself was enmity [may then become] as though he had [always] been close [unto thee], a true friend! In chapter 103 of the Qur an, a short chapter of only three verses, which conveys one third of the essence of the Qur an, Almighty says: و ال ع ص ر )191:1( إ ن اإل نس ان ل ف ي خ س ر )191:1( ب ا ل ق و ت و اص و ا ب الص ب )191:1( إ ال ال ذ ين آم ن وا و ع م ل وا الص ا ل ات و ت و اص و ا 6

7 103:1 CONSIDER the flight of time! 103:2 Verily, man is bound to lose himself 103:3 unless he be of those who attain to faith, and do good works, and enjoin upon one another the keeping to truth, and enjoin upon one another patience in adversity. Those who have done the exegesis of this chapter metaphorically compare our life to the realities faced by the vendor who peddles ice on a hot summer day in countries that do not yet have a refrigerator in all homes. As he sets out in the morning to earn his livelihood for the day, he knows that he will either sell the ice so that he can continue making a living the next day or the ice will melt and capital loss incurred. The lease of life we have is limited and each minute we expend is a minute gone and never to be had back. Almighty God tells us in this chapter that all human beings are at a loss except those who have faith in Almighty God and do good works, and exhort one another to truth and exhort one another with patience and perseverance. Mass market accessible and affordable communication technologies and transportation systems are rapidly shrinking our world bringing us all together as one human family giving us an opportunity to create new bonds of cross-cultural relationships - surfacing issues that to date have been confined to the islands that we have confined ourselves to as human species. There is no doubt that the USA has one of the more inclusive pluralistic societies today something that contributes to our nations strength that we must protect and nurture. Pluralist societies are not accidents of history. They are a product of enlightened education and continuous investment by all of civil society in recognizing and celebrating the diversity of the world s peoples. These are challenging and yet exciting times in human history. The entire world is undergoing a transformation as we struggle to relate to each other. Almighty God says in the Qur-an: ي ا أ ي ه ا الن اس إ ن ا خ ل ق ن اك م م ن ذ ك ر و أ نث ى و ج ع ل ن اك م ش ع وب ا و ق ب ائ ل ل ت ع ار ف وا إ ن )11:11( أ ك ر م ك م ع ند الل و أ ت ق اك م إ ن الل و ع ل يم خ ب ري 49:13 O men! Behold, We have created you all out of a male and a female, and have made you into nations and tribes, so that you might come to know one 7

8 another. Verily, the noblest of you in the sight of God is the one who is most deeply conscious of Him. Behold, God is all-knowing, all-aware. America s success and challenge is one of positioning its citizens to help realize the potential of all those that share this planet with us and not just that are confined to our national borders. We will be able to do great things in part because we are a diverse nation made up of smart, talented, passionate people from all over the world, and from all different backgrounds and cultures. We need to define diversity in the broadest of terms to extend beyond race, national origin, gender, age, disability, etc. it is truly about all the ways in which we differ. What is our unifying identity in this diverse world where we not only accept but appreciate our differences? It is obvious. We will define ourselves by the universal values we share and most importantly consistently uphold as we live out our lives with a clear purpose and dreams for the betterment of all of humanity. What does the Qur an have to say with regards to plurality of faith: و ع م ل إ ن ال ذ ين آم ن وا و ال ذ ين ى اد وا و الن ص ار ى و الص اب ئ ي م ن آم ن ب الل و و ال ي و م اآلخ ر ص ا ل ا ف ل ه م أ ج ر ى م ع ند ر ب م و ال خ و ف ع ل ي ه م و ال ى م ي ز ن و ن )1:11( 2:62 VERILY, those who have attained to faith [in this divine writ], as well as those who follow the Jewish faith, and the Christians, and the Sabians -all who believe in God and the Last Day and do righteous deeds-shall have their reward with their Sustainer; and no fear need they have, and neither shall they grieve. Qur an defined the mission of the prophet as: )11:191( و م ا أ ر س ل ن اك إ ال ر ح ة ل ل ع ال م ي 21:107 And [thus, O Prophet,] We have sent thee as [an evidence of Our] grace towards all the worlds. It further explains: ال إ ك ر اه ف الد ين ال و ث ق ى اس ت م س ك ب ال ع ر و ة ق د ت ب ي الر ش د م ن ال غ ي )1:111( ع ل ي م ال انف ص ام ل ا و الل و س يع ف م ن ي ك ف ر ب الط اغ وت و ي ؤ م ن ب الل و ف ق د 8

9 2:256 THERE SHALL BE no coercion in matters of faith. Distinct has now become the right way from [the way of] error: hence, he who rejects the powers of evil and believes in God has indeed taken hold of a support most unfailing, which shall never give way: for God is all-hearing, all-knowing. When Prophet Muhammad was asked: What is Islam? His reply took less than a minute, showing the simplicity of the religion and its accessibility by all. He said: Obedience to God, and kindness and compassion to humanity. Without any doubt the biggest challenges and the huge opportunities we have as Americans, and as world citizens, are in upholding universal values universally. The journey to pursue this opportunity, and face the challenge of upholding universal values universally starts with each one of us looking deep down inside ourselves. Almighty God says in the Qur an: و الش م س و ض ح اى ا و الس م اء و م ا ب ن اى ا و ال ق م ر إ ذ ا ت ال ى ا و الن ه ار إ ذ ا ج ال ى ا و الل ي ل إ ذ ا ي غ ش اى ا و األ ر ض و م ا ق د أ ف ل ح م ن ز ك اى ا ط ح اى ا و ن ف س و م ا س و اى ا و ق د خ اب م ن د س اى ا )11:19( ف أ ل م ه ا ف ج ور ى ا و ت ق و اى ا )11:9( 91:1 CONSIDER the sun and its radiant brightness, 91:2 and the moon as it reflects the sun! 91:3 Consider the day as it reveals the world, 91:4 and the night as it veils it darkly! 91:5 Consider the sky and its wondrous make, 91:6 and the earth and all its expanse! 91:7 Consider the human self, and how it is formed in accordance with what it is meant to be, 91:8 and how it is imbued with moral failings as well as with consciousness of God! 91:9 To a happy state shall indeed attain he who causes this [self] to grow in purity, 91:10 and truly lost is he who buries it [in darkness]. Once again we appreciate this opportunity to be with you here today on this very important day. We hope the little glimpse of the Qur an was helpful. We have more copies of the translated Qur an in English in the back for you to take one home with you. 9

10 Like any scripture we recognize that a reading of the Qur an in English a single setting is not sufficient to develop an appreciation for the teachings of Islam and the diverse cultures of the 1.5 billion people who call themselves Muslims. As you pursue the study of Islam and Muslims, we would like to make ourselves available to you in any way we can to help you develop an appreciation of Islam and Muslims, and in the process we also hope to learn more about you and your faith. In closing, I suggest we all take a few moments to reflect on the quote that Karen Armstrong picked for her article that was posted at 08:24 PM on She quotes from Muid ad-din ibn al- Arabi, Do not attach yourself in an exclusive manner to any one creed, so that you disbelieve all the rest: if you do this, you will miss much good; nay, you will fail to realize the real truth of the matter. God, the omnipresent and omnipotent, is not limited by any one creed, for He says, "Wheresoever ye turn, there is the face of Allah". Everyone praises what he believes; his god is his own creature, and in praising it he praises himself. Consequently he blames the beliefs of others, which he would not do if he were just but his dislike is based on ignorance. 10