Thursday, July 3, 2008

Who can speak for Islam?

Mike Ghouse

Any one can speak for Islam, Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) in his last sermon said that he is leaving this book of guidance, the Qur’aan to the followers. It is up to the individual to read, learn and understand one’s responsibilities. Islam is about freedom and individual responsibility and finding the truth is one’s own responsibility.There are several translations from great ones to flawed one’s; translations are human and not God’s words. One has to wade through them to understand the truth. I recommend the translations by Mohammad Asad, Yusuf Ali and Pickthal.

To be a Muslim is to be a peace maker, one who constantly seeks to mitigate conflicts and nurtures goodwill for peaceful co-existence of humanity. God wants us to live in peace and harmony with his creation; Life and Matter.

The World Muslim Congress is driven by the Qur’aan, Al-Hujurat, Surah 49:13: "O mankind! We have created you male and female, and have made you nations and tribes that ye may know one another. The noblest of you, in sight of Allah, is the best in conduct. Allah Knows and is Aware."

We are developing a list of speakers who believe “My faith is dear to me, as other's faith is dear to them." We have to build bridges, mitigate conflicts and work for a world of co-existence. Honoring other traditions does not deplete divinity of one's own faith. For National speakers bureau, we are working on developing the list and it will be listed at http://www.worldmuslimcongress.com/. For Dallas /Fort Worth area, please visit http://www.dallasmuslimcenter.com/

Our MissionOur Mission is to work for a world of co-existence through inclusiveness and participation. As a member of diverse family of faiths, our efforts will be directed towards justice and equity to attain peace for the humankind with a firm grounding in commonly held values. We cannot have advantages at the cost of others. Such benefits are temporary and deleterious to lasting peace. We believe what is good for Muslims has got to be good for the world, and vice versa, to sustain it.Indeed we aspire to promote goodwill amongst people of different affiliations, regardless of their faith, gender, race, nationality, culture or any other uniqueness blessed by the creator.

Here is a beautiful Chapter (Sura) from Qur’aan that addresses the believers in other systems in the most dignified way, putting every one on par and without putting others down.God wants justice, fairness, balance and peace for his creation and communicates that through Qur’aan. Indeed, the Qur’aan begins addressing God, as God of the cosmos to include every one and concludes with the chapter addressing the humankind in general. There are lots of distortions and propaganda out there to fill one with hate towards the other and take out one's own peace of mind and peace of others. God is not about that and certainly Islam is not about that. It is your responsibilty to find the truth and if you do, you will find the peace.
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109:1 SAY: "O you who deny the truth!Topics discussed in this Verse: [Unbelievers]
Qul ya ayyuha alkafiroonaقُلْ يَا أَيُّهَا الْكَافِرُونَ (109:1)Baset - Hussari - Minshawi
Writer’s understanding: Addressing those individuals who denied the truth spoken by the Prophet
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109:2 "I do not worship that which you worship,
Topics discussed in this Verse: [Unbelievers]
La aAAbudu ma taAAbudoonaلَا أَعْبُدُ مَا تَعْبُدُونَ (109:2)
Baset - Hussari - Minshawi

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109:3 and neither do you worship that which I worship!
[1]وَلَا أَنتُمْ عَابِدُونَ مَا أَعْبُدُ (
109:3) Baset - Hussari - Minshawi
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109:4 "And I will not worship ~hat which you have [ever] worshipped,
Topics discussed in this Verse: [Unbelievers]Wala ana AAabidun ma AAabadtum
وَلَا أَنَا عَابِدٌ مَّا عَبَدتُّمْ
(109:4) Baset - Hussari - Minshawi
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109:5 and neither will you [ever] worship that which I worship. [2]
Topics discussed in this Verse: [Unbelievers]Wala antum AAabidoona ma aAAbudu
وَلَا أَنتُمْ عَابِدُونَ مَا أَعْبُدُ
(109:5) Baset - Hussari - Minshawi

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109:6 Unto you, your moral law, and unto me, mine !" [3]
Topics discussed in this Verse: [Islam] [Muhammad:faith of] [Unbelievers]
Lakum deenukum waliya deeniلَكُمْ دِينُكُمْ وَلِيَ دِينِ (109:
6) Baset - Hussari - Minshawi

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quraan burning

Planned Muslim Response to Qur'an Burning by Pastor Jones on September 11 in Mulberry, Florida

PRESS RELEASE
August 19, 2013| Dallas, Texas

Mike Ghouse
Text/Talk: (214) 325-1916
MikeGhouse@aol.com

Mirza A Beg
(205) 454-8797
mirza.a.beg@gmail.com

www.WorldMuslimCongress.com


PLANNED MUSLIMS RESPONSE TO QUR'AN BURNING BY PASTOR JONES ON 9/11/13 IN MULBERRY, FLORIDA

We as Muslims plan to respond to pastor Terry Jones' planned burning of 3000 copies of Quran on September 11, 2013 in positive terms.

Our response - we will reclaim the standard of behavior practiced by the Prophet concerning “scurrilous and hostile criticism of the Qur’an” (Muhammad Asad Translation Note 31, verse 41:34). It was "To overcome evil with good is good, and to resist evil by evil is evil." It is also strongly enjoined in the Qur’an in the same verse 41:34, “Good and evil deeds are not equal. Repel evil with what is better; then you will see that one who was once your enemy has become your dearest friend.”

God willing Muslims will follow the divine guidance and pray for the restoration of Goodwill, and on that day many Muslim organizations will go on a “blood drive” to save lives and serve humanity with kindness.

We invite fellow Americans of all faiths, races, and ethnicities to join us to rededicate the pledge, “One nation under God”, and to build a cohesive America where no American has to live in apprehension, discomfort or fear of fellow Americans. This event is a substitute for our 10th Annual Unity Day Celebration (www.UnitydayUSA.com) held in Dallas, but now it will be at Mulberry, Florida.

Unwittingly Pastor Jones has done us a favor by invigorating us by his decision to burn nearly 3000 copies Quran on September 11, 2013. Obviously he is not satisfied by the notoriety he garnered by burning one Qur'an last year.

As Muslims and citizens we honor the free speech guaranteed in our constitution. We have no intentions to criticize, condemn or oppose Pastor Terry Jones' freedom of expression. Instead, we will be donating blood and praying for goodness to permeate in our society.

We plan to follow Jesus Christ (pbuh), a revered prophet in Islam as well as Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) – that of mitigating the conflicts and nurturing good will for the common good of the society.

We hope, this event and the message will remind Muslims elsewhere in the world as well, that violence is not the way. Muslims, who react violently to senseless provocation, should realize that, violence causes more violence, and besmirches the name of the religion that we hold so dear. We believe that Prophet Muhammad was a mercy to the mankind, and we ought to practice what we believe and preach. We must not insult Islam by the negative reactions of a few.

We can only hope it will bring about a change in the attitude of the followers of Pastor Jones, and in the behavior of those Muslims who reacted violently the last time Pastor sought notoriety – We hope this small step towards a bridge to peaceful coexistence would propel us towards building a cohesive society.

Like most Americans a majority of Muslims quietly go about their own business, but it is time to speak up and take positive action instead of negative reaction. May this message of peace and goodwill reverberate and reach many shores.

Lastly, we appreciate the Citizens of Mulberry, Florida, Honorable Mayor George Hatch, City Commissioners, police and Fire Chiefs for handing this situation very well. This will add a ‘feather of peace’ in the City’s reputation. We hope Mulberry will be a catalyst in showing the way in handling conflict with dignity and peace.

We thank the Media for giving value to the work towards peace rather than conflict.






URL- http://worldmuslimcongress.blogspot.com/2013/08/planned-muslim-response-to-quran_18.html



Thank you.

CIVIL DIALOGUE

The people in Dallas are making an effort to understand and clean their own hearts first, when we are free from bias, it would be easy to share that with others. Islam teaches us in so many ways to "respect the otherness of others" and it is time we find simple practical ways of doing it.