Tuesday, December 6, 2016

Veiling UnIslamic

Veiling may be cultural or traditional in certain parts of the world, but it certainly has nothing to do with Islam.—Clerics of zeal invented it to control women and now it has become a symbol of Islam for Muslim women and for everyone else in the whole wide world.— Hijab and veiling is not Islamic, though many believe it to be so, including Muslim men and Muslim women who question not the veracity of such customs imposed by the so-called men of learning since centuries.— Such customs have become solid beliefs, repeated so often by so many with such passion and persistency that they have assumed the aura of truth.— Yet it is possible to shatter this false aura of truth by chiseling away layers upon layers of lies where the purity of expression still breathes love and radiance within the pages of the Quran and the Hadith.— There is not a single verse in the Quran with any injunction of veil or hijab.— Below are verses from the Quran prone to misinterpretation by the arbiters of Islam. – Though a couple of those cited here, neglected by Muslims, are for men to be modest.— Tell the believing men to lower their gaze and be modest.—This is purer for them. Lo! –Allah is aware of what they do. (Quran 24:30)—And men who guard their modesty and women who guard their modesty, and men who remember Allah and women who remember--Allah hath prepared for them forgiveness and a vast reward. (Quran 33:35)— And tell the believing women to lower their gaze and be modest, and to display their adornments only that which is apparent, and to draw their scarves over their bosoms. (Quran 24:31) – This verse above was revealed in response to pagan women going around Kaaba, wearing low-neck dresses with their bosoms revealed.— O ye who believe! Enter not the dwellings of the Prophet for a meal without waiting for the proper time, unless permission is granted you.— But if you are invited, enter, and when your meal is ended, then disperse.— Lingering not for conversation.—Lo, that would cause annoyance to the Prophet and he would be shy of asking you to go, but Allah is not shy of the truth.—And when ye ask of the wives of the Prophet anything, ask it from them from behind a curtain. (Quran 33:53)— This verse above was revealed after the Prophet’s marriage with Zainab. The wedding guests lingered over the feast and didn’t leave until it was very late in the night. – The wearing of a veil was pre-Islamic custom observed by the women of the Sasanian society.— The segregation of the sexes was also pre-Islamic, practiced in the regions of the Middle East and the Mediterranean. – No evidence of veiling is in the Quran or Sunnah.— During the lifetime of the Prophet, Muslim women participated in the public life and didn’t wear hijab. – The pagan women as well as women from the Judeo-Christian background wore veil and hijab as a mark of wealth, status and distinction.—To instill the virtue of equality amongst Muslims the Prophet Muhammad forbade the Muslim women to wear veils.—The pearls of Hadith below attest to this fact.— [Abu Dawud 11:29] The veil was worn in Arabia as a mark of rank: and it was therefore disallowed, as pilgrimage required obliteration of all differences of rank— Forbidding a veil in a pilgrimage is a further conclusive proof that Holy Quran did not enjoin the wearing of veil, as in that case the prohibition here stated would be a contradiction of the Holy Quran.— Gloves are not allowed because like the veil they are a mark of rank.— Ornaments are allowed because they are not a mark of rank, and are worn by even ordinary people and laboring classes.—Excerpt from Sharia Exposed— Hazrat Inayat Khan’s explanation on such customs:-- ‘The custom of the seclusion of the mystics remains only in the mystical Orders, but one finds the seclusion of women prevalent in the East.— When a custom takes root in a section of society certainly it can be used and abused as people may choose. No doubt jealousy, which is in human nature, is a proof of love, but jealousy can be the source of a great many crimes.—Man has always guarded the treasures that he values most in all sorts of coverings, and since that which man can love most is woman he has often ignorantly tried to guard her in the same way as all things of value and importance.— And the custom of seclusion has been in his hand a means that has enabled him to control his household in the manner he likes. –However, it is not true that this custom was the outcome of the teaching of the Prophet. –There are only two places in the records where an utterance of the Prophet on the subject is to be found.— In one place it is told that when some coarse dances were going on among the peasants of his land, he said that women must be clad properly.— In the other place that when the ladies of the Prophet's household were returning home after taking care of the Prophet and his army during a battle, they were disinclined to look at the battle-field and to show themselves to their enemies, and the only thing that could be advised by the Prophet was that now that peace had been made if they did not like to show themselves they might veil their faces.— In India one sees the custom that an aged woman covers her face, a widow covers her face and a bride veils her face.— There is some little psychological meaning in it.— It is the nature of every soul to wish to hide its sorrow, and by veiling her face the widow veils her sorrow from others.— And the veil that one sees on the face of an aged woman is there for the reason that in age the emotions become more visible and one has little control so as to hide them from; others, and when the heart has become softened at every little touch, however gentle, it is easily moved, and the covering is as a shield over it.— On the face of a bride the veil is for the preservation of her charm, of the magnetism; at the same time the finest beauty in human nature is modesty, in whatever form it appears.’— ‘There is freedom waiting for you/On the heavens of the sky/And you ask if I fall/Oh, but my darling/What if you fly.’/Erin Hanson// Niqab, Burqa, Abeya designed by Wahhabi zealots, forcing women to wear death shrouds while living, are totally and absolutely unIslamic.

Wednesday, November 16, 2016

Friends Incarnate

Friends Incarnate, to be published by All Things That Matter Press, captures the mood of Baby Boom generation, exploring the dimensions of change and freedom.— This book contains ‘Stuff’ made for movies.— Gable, the protagonist, is a young writer, driven by his own moods and ideas, wading through a hurricane of passions to reach the shore of his destiny.— His journey in quest of love and peace is marked by agony and bewilderment.— In an act of euthanasia, he kills his grandmother.— Branded as a murderer and incarcerated for a few years, he becomes the victim of his own guilt and ideation.— His true love, Ethel, gets married to his best friend, Fabian, and his younger sister Maryana finds consolation inside the walls of a nunnery.— The hurricanes of events following his release from the prison, hurl him straight into the waters of perdition.— An inveterate stoic, if not a masochist; carrying the burden of a loveless marriage resulting in divorce, and nursing the wounds of his love for Ethel inside him, he succumbs to the noble strain of a heart attack.— His sister Maryana commits suicide, leaving behind a diary, the testament of her own sinful passion for Reverend Valenty.— Grief and death have become Gable’s companions, unfurling more deaths, none other than of his own parents.— His youngest brother Davie—a victim of polio, yet a great pianist, marries a beautiful girl by the name of Phoebe.— Phoebe becomes Gable’s Queen of Adultery, his nemesis and torment Supreme.— Amidst this ocean of guilt and madness, Fabian dies of cancer, and Davie breathes his last, afflicted with lung fever.— The curtain of Destiny has effaced all, leaving behind the friends incarnate, Ethel and Gable, the eternal Bride and Bridegroom.— This canvas of baby-boomers is a collage of sinful passions and glorious madness.— ‘I have heard that illustrious Jamshed— Inscribed those words on a stone beside a fountain— And disappeared in the twinkling of an eye— Should we conquer the whole world by our valor and manhood— Yet what part of it we carry with us to the grave’— Saadi— Charles Dickens might say this if he were alive?—This is the best of times and the worst of times to pray for the health and safety of America and for the whole wide world. May God grant the Gift of wisdom and understanding to all His creatures.— Happy Thanksgiving

Sunday, November 13, 2016

Russia Winner

Russia is the only big winner in this carnival of 2016 US elections—Russians celebrating in taverns, Hindus garlanding TrumpGod in temples.— The same privilege of democracy which allowed Trump to protest for years that Obama was not born in America has made him--Trump the President of USA.—Now the very same privilege grants others the right to protest against Trump becoming president, rightly so in fact by the intervention of Russian deceptive means as meddling Mastermind.—Again the same privilege of democracy gives Press the ‘freedom of speech’ to report presidential proceedings, and not to be barred from following the protocol, as is becoming obvious president-elect making new rules by banning or rebuking the Press and Media.—May God help America in its downhill journey to lowest rungs of idiotic somnambulism.—Already half the Americans have succeeded in validating the worldwide perception that not only Americans are racists, but bigots who cringe even at the idea of a woman President, including women at large who are still stuck in the puddles of immaturity.—Fogs of hate and ignorance have enveloped America in a thick mantle of chaos, presage, violence.—Decline of intellect and the rise of ignorance awaits Americans and the most brutally hurt on this chessboard of power would be the poor, the elderly, the ailing and the minorities including the ones in those categories above who had the misfortune of voting for Trump in utter ignorance.—No matter how small their percentage against countless well-to-do in the scheme of future misfortunes, it’s still an ocean of vast tragedy, American dream corrupted by greed, ambition and hypocrisy.— Right Wing liars, zealots, sycophants, hypocrites, not to mention the family of emperor Trump (young and old), are being offered high posts to plough down USA under the ruts of zeal, injustice, tyranny.— Think about how ISIS rose to power by blaspheming against Islam and by parading their odious acts of rape, torture, slaughter?— How Hitler succeeded beguiling millions to commit murder and incinerate?—How Nero let Rome burn under a caprice of carefree abandon or in a fit of madness?—How Crusaders went defiling the name of Christianity in a spree of massacres?—Extremism by any name or form or ideology is mirror-reflection of pernicious zeal which reduces civilizations to cinders by its own conflagration of hate, deceit chicanery.—Brexit happened, not that UK youth were unintelligent, but hopelessly naïve in neglecting their moral duty to cast votes.—Trump won because Bernie Berns and Millennials heedless, most woefully opted out of voting.—By abstaining from their moral and ethical duty to vote they ignorantly made a tragic choice of lending free-ticket to their non-choice candidate to gain victory.— They have become the architect of this blind folly and now if they are the ones protesting, they have no right to do so, for they have forfeited that right by neglecting their sacred duty and failing most wretchedly in not saving their country from falling into a pit of darkness and anarchy against the shadow of pious fools as Evangelicals.—Yet the most insufferable of fools amongst them are a handful of Muslim bigots, Black hypocrites, Hindu ignoramus’ chanting ‘no choice, no choice.’—Paradoxically they did make a choice, pilfering American dream of free America in its continual march toward success to spurn hate, zeal, injustice.— Folly of few too many has made America regress into Dark Age, no one allowed to hold high the torch of enlightenment.—America The Great is now under siege of warring, hatemongering missiles of doom and destruction.— On a lighter note— ‘Tell whoso hath sorrow— Grief shall never last— Even as joy hath no morrow— So woe shall go past’— Arabian Nights— God Bless America And The Whole World— WikiLeaks Any?

Monday, September 19, 2016

Wars of Succession in India

The Moghul Hedonist, published by Editions Dedicaces, is fourth in the series of the War of Moghul Succession in India. / Emperor Jahangir reigned in name alone, while his empress Nur Jahan possessed the power to rule the emperor and the empire. /Jahangir, a mystic and a naturalist laid kingdoms at the feet of his empress, abandoning himself completely to his love for wine, both from the nature's cups and from gold flagons. / His hunger and passion for beauty in nature lured him to the paradise in Kashmir five times during his twenty-two years of reign splintered with intrigues and rebellions. /The beautiful gardens of Kashmir, some built by Nur Jahan and some restored by her, became the sanctuary of this Moghul couple, away from the royal burdens of the court intrigues. / With the exception of Jahangir's sons rebelling against him, peace and prosperity flourished during his artistic and sensuous reign. /Industry and commerce yielded great revenues./ The art of painting in detail and accuracy reached its culmination under his patronage and indulgence. /The poets basked under the sunshine of the emperor's generosity, and literature attained the heights of nobility and veneration. /Though cultural development rose to its peak, the emperor's health failed due to excessive drinking, his bane and challenge. /Two major challenges finished his life. /The rebellion of his favorite son styled as Shah Jahan, and one hundred days of captivity by his faithful vizier, Mahabat Khan. /The last blow to his frail health came from the hands of a tragedy, when his son Prince Perwiz died of his own indulgence in drinking. /At the age of fifty-eight, when Jahangir died, Shah Jahan ascended the much-coveted throne with great pomp. /Not in the least suspecting that he would know grief shortly, wedding only Taj Mahal as his lost love and bride/. The main contribution of this sequel toward scholarly pursuits lies in the fact that the emperor Jahangir steps out of the pages of history as a scholar himself./ A man of varied talents and interests, his observations about plant and animal life are worth exploring, if not his passion for art and literature./ All is vain, fleeting and perishable. /In the twinkling of an eye we shall see the enchantress fate who enslaves the world and its votaries. /Seizes the throat of another and another victim./ And so exposed is man to be trodden down by the calamities of life that one can almost be persuaded to affirm that he never had existed./ This world the end of which is destined to be miserable can scarcely be worth the risk of so much useless violence.’/ Jahangir

Tuesday, September 13, 2016

Eid-ul-Adha

Eid-ul-Adha is the second big festival for Muslims after the end of Hajj (the annual pilgrimage to Kaaba)./ This festival commemorates the faith of Abraham and his absolute surrender to the will of God, consenting to sacrifice his son as God commanded. /When Abraham was about to slit his son’s throat, a ram appeared miraculously in place of his son Ishmael and so was slaughtered in his place./ In remembrance of Abraham’s faith and trust in the one God, Muslims offer animal sacrifices after Hajj to celebrate Eid-ul-Adha. /This Eid is also celebrated with feasting and entertainment. /Lambs, goats or sheep are the common offerings, but cows and camels can also be sacrificed and the cost shared by family and friends./The person who offers the sacrifice keeps a small portion of the meat for consumption and the remainder is distributed amongst the poor and neighbors. /In the Quranic revelations, sacrifices of animals are not offered to appease offended deities, nor to win their favor as atonement for sins, as believed in pre-Islamic times, but as an expression of faith—to obey God. /Muslims believe the animal that is sacrificed stands for the animal in man himself./ The Story of Pilgrimage/ Pilgrimage traces its history back to Abraham, who first built Kaaba as a shrine to the one God. /The word of God came to Abraham in a vision and it repeated the promise of land and descendants as numerous as the stars. /God made a covenant with Abraham, telling him about the lands that his offspring would claim, and also about the future bondage of Israelites in Egypt. /Abraham’s wife Sarah wondered how he would become the father of multitudes, since after ten years of living in Canaan, her womb had remained barren. /After much thought, Sarah decided to offer her Egyptian handmaid, a woman by the name of Hagar, for Abraham to consort with, so that he may have a child in order to become the father of the nations. /Hagar conceived and bore a son whom Abraham named Ishmael. /Meanwhile, Sarah also conceived and grew jealous of Ishmael. /When her son was born, Abraham named him Isaac. /Sarah’s jealousy didn’t decrease with the birth of her own son and she told Abraham:/ Get rid of that slave woman and her son, for that slave woman’s son will never share the inheritance of my son, Isaac./ Abraham was distraught, but in a dream he heard God commanding him to take Hagar and Ishmael to Arabia. /They all journeyed to Arabia, and when Abraham was preparing to return, Hagar cried:/ Did God order you to leave us here to die? / Abraham could not speak, just pointed at the sky, his grief-stricken expression itself confessing that yes, God had commanded him./ Then God will not waste us, you can go, Hagar murmured hopelessly./ When provisions of food and water ran out, and Ishmael, still a child, wailed in hunger and thirst, Hagar went mad with grief. /She began to run about frantically between the hills As-Safa and Al-Marwah in search of water. /After her seventh trip, Ishmael kicked the ground with his heels where he lay weeping, and a fountain of water miraculously spluttered forth, a voice from above proclaiming:/ Lift up the lad and hold him in thine hands, for I will make him a great nation. / This fountain later became the well of Zamzam. /Hagar’s frantic search for water, back and forth between the two hills, is remembered by Muslims when they perform Hajj, tracing the footsteps of Hagar at Mecca, running seven times between the hills As-Safa and Al-Marwah./ Zamzam water has also become sacred for the health and well-being of the pilgrims./ Much later, Abraham was commanded by God to bring Hagar and Ishmael back to Canaan, but he was given a test of faith soon after when he was commanded to take his thirteen year old first born son Ishmael to the hill of Moriah and offer him as a sacrifice to God. /Abraham was tempted by Satan in regards to this commandment from God to sacrifice his son, but he drove Satan away by throwing pebbles at him. /Muslims resurrect the memory of Abraham’s total submission to God when stones are thrown at symbolic pillars signifying Satan during the rites of Hajj. /Faithful as ever, Abraham took Ishmael on top of the mountain. /When he was about to use the knife to slit the throat of his son, God placed a ram under his hand, so he was able to sacrifice the ram instead. /A voice from above praised him for his faith and granted him another promise of numerous descendants and abundant prosperity. /Muslims commemorate the sacrifice of Abraham by sacrificing sheep and other animals to celebrate Eid-ul-Adha./ After returning to Canaan, an initiation rite was commanded by God, so Abraham’s entire household of men, including himself and his sons Isaac and Ishmael, were circumcised./ For the last time, years later, Abraham was commanded by God to once again leave Canaan with Ishmael and journey to Mecca to build a place of worship for the one God close to the well of Zamzam. /He also told him that the house of worship which he was going to build would be designated as a shrine of annual pilgrimage for all who wished to strengthen their faith in the one God. /Abraham and Ishmael built the shrine known as Kaaba, and after its completion, Ishmael was blessed with prophethood. /From then on, Abraham’s mission in life became to proclaim the oneness of God./ Those pre-Islamic rites of Hajj were incorporated into Islam by Prophet Muhammad.

Thursday, August 4, 2016

Osama on Stage

This play is available for production/ Osama The Demented/ Logline: Exploring the heart of Afghanistan and exposing the distorted version of Islam as envisioned by the Taliban./ Synopsis:/ This Nine Eleven play depicts the years of madness and concealment of Osama./ A medley of comedy/parody this play shifts characters from the cave in northwest of Pakistan to the luxurious compound in Abbottabad./ The first three Acts are inside a cave ringed by clustering range of Pamir Mountains./ In the first act Osama tries to defend himself against the accusations for his wife, cook and mulla while busy knotting the rug of the Twin Towers./ His wife Sameera is busy concocting herbal potions for healing./ Amani the cook is brewing tea and tossing snide comments over her shoulders./ Niazi the mulla is most critical of Osama. /All the characters are suffering different maladies in the second act with the exception of Sameera. /She successfully cures their illnesses with herbal potions. /In the third act the characters are weakened mentally and physically, plotting to escape to Pakistan. / Osama, his wife, a Mulla and a beautician after five years of concealment in the cave find home in the city of Abbottabad in Pakistan./ The next five years are in a compound in Abbottabad, which is the fourth Act. /Osama’s wife turned herbalist is half wise, half crazy. / The beautician has become a cook, bitter and belligerent. / Mulla becomes the conscience of Osama, accusing him of zeal and bigotry. /Finally their hideout is discovered by US. /With impeccable secrecy of SEAL Osama is killed by the bullet wounds. /Performance time is ninety minutes approximately./ Staged play reading of Osama the Demented in Stockholm./ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0hpvQ94Gow0 /farzana’s interview Osama the Demented/ http://connotationpress.com/drama/1691-farzana-moon-drama /Omar Khayyam’s quatrain at beginning of 1st act/ Osama/ Tis all a chequerboard of Nights and Days/ Where destiny with man for pieces plays/ Hither and thither moves, and mates and slays/ And one by one back in the closet lays/

Wednesday, August 3, 2016

Politico 2016 update

Trump for America/ Trump child Trump wild/ Make America white again/ Skate board water board/ Replace gun with naked sword/ Cut Muslim’s jugular vein/ Make America white again/ Honor thy wall of hate/ Punch insult prate/ Erase name of faith profane/ Make America white again/ Latinos Muslims Mexicans/ Terrorist trashy neighbors/ All our enemies in great domain/ Make America white again/ Sing dance and proclaim/ Trump the emperor in gold frame/ Fortunes of world we will gain/ Make America white again/ Life Matters in parchment white/ Soar aloft in ether and glide/ We know world has gone insane/ Make America Great Again/ I have a secret plan Don't you get it, Man We are here to entertain Make America white again/ Skit / Democracy in Peril/ Characters:/ Tim Kaine/ Teen Sit-out/ TSO/ Do you like all sheiks groups, like the ones, men’s beards knotted to their cheeks and their heads in folds of towels?/ TK/ Do you mean the Sikhs? They are the most peace-loving people on earth. Also very generous, serving free food to poor people every Sunday regardless of their race faith or gender./ TSO/ Churches do that too! Soup kitchens every day of the week, but we don’t dress odd, some who do have some sort of identity problem. I just want to sleep through this election and not talk about anything./ TK/ Didn’t you say you don’t want to vote for Hillary because she is for TPP?/ TSO/ Yes, she is for everything which Bernie doesn’t like./ TK/ Truth is, Hillary is against TPP. Get your facts right before you judge./ TSO/ Anyways, you cannot convince young people. We are not going to vote for Hillary./ TK/ Speak for yourself before you make a sweeping statement. Do your duty. Take the responsibility of doing right, try to understand./ TSO/ I understand alright. Hillary doesn’t have to convince us that she is the right candidate./ TK/ What do you propose she do to convince you to vote for her?/ TSO/ I don’t know. Something?/ TK/ If you are not voting for Hillary, are you voting for Trump?/ TSO/ I don’t know./ TK/ Do you know what Trump stands for?/ TSO/ To make America great again!/ TK/ In fact Trump is going to make US less by racism bigotry and violence you have already seen at his rallies./ TSO/ Then I will not vote for anyone./ TK/ Didn’t you hear First Lady say that we need to keep America great since it is the greatest country on earth?/ TSO/ What has she done for us? Black lives don’t matter. Police killing us./ TK/ White Police being killed too. Violence has increased this election year since Trump started preaching hate. Do you think my life is safe if Trump gets elected?/ TSO/ You are white. You have nothing to fear./ TK/ I fear for both black and white if Trump gets elected. He attacks all Color whoever stands in his way. But there is hope./ TSO/ Hope for what?/ TK/ To right the wrong done to us both black and white if we can educate young girls like you not to fall into the trap of Trump./ TSO/ What do you mean?/ TK/ What I mean is that Trump’s vision of great America is white America./ TSO/ What does it matter? You are white, Hillary is white. What’s the difference?/ TK/ Bernie is white, why do you support him?/ TSO/ For one thing he is raising minimum wage to fifteen dollars an hour./ TK/ Now you are talking. And Trump is lowering minimum wage to lowest than ever./ TSO/ Who says that?/ TK/ Trump does, if you can go past his chant of Make America Great, you will hear what he says./ TSO/ Now you are making some sense. I think I am beginning to understand. But why should I vote for Hillary?/ TK/ For she stands for the same values as Bernie does./ TSO/ If I can only believe. We are all hurt because Bernie didn’t win. It’s all the fault of the Democrats wanting Hillary to win. All these WikiLeaks as if you don’t know./ TK/ I know, other countries trying to play big role in our politics to divide us. Those emails have nothing to do with Bernie losing. Hillary has support of more voters than he does./ TSO/ So why do you need my support?/ TK/ We need everyone’s support so that big countries trying to destroy us by dividing us can never boast that they are big winners. They will be happy if Trump succeeds to play his Trump of hate, racism, bigotry./ TSO/ You are beginning to make sense again./ TK/ I am hoping I can show you hope as a better future if you vote for Hillary!/ TSO/ How is that?/ TK/ You will have the opportunity to free college education. But don’t go to the Trump University, they will take all your money and you will learn nothing./ TSO/ Now you are making fun of me./ TK/ I am making fun of myself for talking bad about my fellow American whose madness has made us ashamed of US in front of the whole world./ TSO/ Is that true?/ TK/ Go online, read comments of different countries. They all are laughing at us. Even Republicans are saying Trump is an embarrassment to their Party./ TSO/ It’s all so confusing./ TK/ Yet there is hope./ TSO/ Where is that?/ TK/ Inside the hearts of all the young and the restless. Go dancing with the stars and make Hillary the First Woman President of America. We will stand proud and prosperous./ Laughter

Friday, July 8, 2016

Quranic Symphony of Love

The Living Quran to be published, with its poetry of verses in conjunction with the wisdom of Hazrat Inayat Khan is a gift of peace.—Since more than thirteen centuries after the death of Prophet Muhammad, Muslims themselves have corrupted the teachings of Islam and now their children as extremists are paying the price with their lives for this ingrained corruption.—Pious parents wondering and not exploring the cause which makes their sons jihadis and suicide bombers.—And their daughters leaving homes to become brides of violent ISIS?—Hoping, Young Muslims after reading this book might begin to understand how Clerics have usurped the very essence of Islam as a Control Machine.—Inculcating hate into the minds of the young, ignorant and both educated and uneducated.—Exalting murder as some sort of noble act to be glorified.—Disregarding the fact that suicide is forbidden in Islam.—And most heinous of sins, though extremists glorify it as highest of virtues to win heavenly rewards with rivers of wine and houris to satisfy their lust and thirst for accolade.—Oppressing women with swords of zeal by banning education, burning their rights of equality to ashes—the rights which Prophet granted them with revelations holy and profound.—Replacing truth with lies in tapestry of harsh laws invented by their own blind zeal under the weight of bigotry and ignorance.— Prophet Muhammad named Reason the highest of virtues in Islam.—In order to witness purity of Islam face to face one needs to sweep away offal of lies piled high by Muslim Clerics, leaders, zealots who sit proud parading violence, oppression as tenants of Islam.—If Islam is to be purged clean of all lies, a great transformation is needed by each and every Muslim to look deep into their hearts in reflection and contemplation.— Muslims themselves need to change their conditioned psyche of false piety and zeal to love and compassion if they wish to portray Islam in the positive light of harmonious living.— CANDLES OF REFLECTION FROM THE HEART OF QURAN— Women shall have the same rights over men as men have over them. (Quran 2:228)— And the women have rights similar to those of men in equity. I God will allow not the work of any worker from among you, male or female, to be lost. (Quran 3:196)— And whoso doeth good works, whether male or female, and he or she is a believer, such will enter Paradise and they will not be wronged the dint in a date-stone. (Quran 4:124)— Whoso doeth right, whether male or female, and is a believer, all such will enter the Garden, where they will be nourished without stint. (Quran 40:40)— Allah promiseth to the believers, men and women, Gardens underneath which rivers flow, wherein they will abide—blessed dwellings in the Garden of Eden. And greater far acceptance from Allah. Beautified for mankind is love of the joys that come from women and offspring, and stored-up heaps of gold and silver, and horses and cattle and land. That is comfort of the life of the world. Allah, with Let those who merit paradise this day are happily employed. (Quran 36: 54)— They and their wives, in pleasant shade, on thrones reclining. (Quran 36: 55)— The word from Merciful Lord for them is: Peace. (Quran 36: 57)— Enter the Garden, ye and your wives, to be made glad. (Quran 43: 70)— Whoso doeth which is right, and believes whether male or female, him or her We will quicken to happy life. (Quran 16: 97)— THE LIVING QURAN— And Quran is not such as could ever be invented in despite of Allah, but it is a confirmation of that which was before it and an exposition of that which is decreed for mankind. Therein is no doubt—from the Lord of the Worlds. (10:38 Quran)— The Living Quran gets its breath of life from the wisdom of Hazrat Inayat Khan.— A little over century ago he came from India to USA and then to Europe to unite east and west in love peace and harmony.— Divinely inspired in music and in knowledge of esoteric and exoteric religions he strove toward teaching God-realization, not promoting any particular faith, not even his own in which he was born, Islam.— This book contains a selection of verses from the Quran which extremists ignore, picking only the ones which they can distort to suit the fever of their hate, malice, injustice, intolerance.— The names of one hundred and fourteen Surahs in the Quran serve as chapters. — Each Surah begins with a quote from Hazrat Inayat Khan with clear explanation. At the end of each chapter are chunks of his lectures or contemplations.— Blissfully and astonishingly the seeds of love which Hazrat Inayat Khan planted a century ago have grown into tall sapling, lending afresh cool shade of kindness and compassion. Music is not forbidden in Islam as perceived by the extremists.— Call to Prayer five times a day is a song divine. The Quran is sheer poetry.— The recitation of the Quran is sacred music.—The rhythm in recitation is dancing heart—the shrine of God.— The Living Quran How could— The All Merciful Allah— Sanction killings— Ninety-nine beautiful names— of The Most Beneficent— On the rosary of peace— Proclaiming— Love, Mercy, Compassion— One hundred and fourteen suras— From The Most Compassionate— Revealing the pearls of— Unity and harmony— Study your Quran, O Muslims— With the Eye of your Heart— And yet, if the darkness in you— Can't receive the gift of Divine Guidance— Accept at least the Message Divine— From the Living Quran— That Allah is One— That Allah's Law is One— And that Law is Love— Reciting and praying— 'In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful— Praise be to Allah, Lord of the worlds— The Beneficent, the Merciful— Owner of the Day of Judgment— Thee alone we worship, Thee alone we ask for help— Show us the straight path— The path of those whom Thou hast favored— Not the path of those who earn Thine anger— Nor of those who go astray.'Quran’ 1: 1-7—

Monday, May 23, 2016

Ramadan Revisited

Ramadan In pre-Islamic times, the tribe of Quraysh observed Ramadan and Jews would fast on the day of Ashura, marking two historical events: the day when Noah left the Ark and the day when Moses was saved from the Egyptians by God. During the downpour of his revelations, God proclaimed to Prophet Muhammad that fasting for His sake was not a new innovation, but rather an obligation practiced by those truly devoted to the oneness of God. During the holy month of Ramadan, Muslims are called upon to re-evaluate their lives in conformity with Islamic traditions, making peace with those who have wronged them, strengthening ties with their family and friends, avoiding harmful thoughts and acting nobly and courteously toward mankind. During this month every part of the body must be purged of every evil impulse or inclination. The tongue must be restrained from gossip and backbiting. The eyes must not covet that which is unlawful. The ears must refrain from listening to idle talk or angry expressions. The feet must refrain from approaching dens of vice and violence. That way, every part of the body can participate in fasting, rejecting the corruption of sin, hatred and malice, and purifying one’s body and soul to seek God’s grace and guidance. War is not permitted during the month of Ramadan. War is a great transgression in the sacred month of Ramadan. (2:217 Quran) Fasting is not only abstaining from food, but purging oneself by shunning the forces of evil, draining out hatred, malice, enmity and the lust to kill and abstaining from defiling the sanctity of any woman’s body or soul. Allah is not in need of leaving his food and drink, and He will not accept the fast of the one who tells lies, acts on lies and refrains not from evil actions. - Prophet Muhammad/Al Bukhari [3:127-O.B] Shall I inform you of a better act than alms, prayer and fasting? Making peace between one another. Enmity and malice tear up heavenly rewards by the roots. - Prophet Muhammad Times of Fasting A fast begins before sunrise and ends immediately after sunset. Muslims fast from fajr— dawn, until dusk. Fajr means the light of the morning, and Prophet Muhammad said: “God has ordained for you to eat and drink until you can discern the white streak of dawn against the blackness of the night, then resume fasting until sunset.” These are the bounds set by God. Do not then offend against them. It is thus that God makes clear His messages unto mankind, so that they might remain conscious of Him. (2:187 Quran) Eat and drink and do not be misled by the ascending white light. Eat and drink until the redness of dawn appears. - Prophet Muhammad Clerics pressed by zeal throughout centuries have succeeded in convincing Muslims worldwide that fajr starts three or four hours before sunrise. Sidelining Quran and Prophet’s injunctions ‘Eat and drink until the redness of dawn appears.’ Eid-ul-Fitr A day which occurs often, this is a festive and joyous occasion after a whole month of fasting (known as Ramadan). Sumptuous feasts and sweets - especially vermicelli cooked in sweetened milk - are prepared to be shared with friends and neighbors. It is a three day festival when Muslims visit friends, relatives and neighbors in the spirit of love, enjoying feasts and friendships, and forgiving all past rifts and grievances. Everyone wears new and colorful clothes, especially children, who are presented with gifts of cash or sweets. Other celebrations include fairs and entertainment, accompanied by song, music and dancing. This is much like the time when the Prophet Muhammad would sit with his family, watching the performance of dancing with spears, and enjoying songs and music. This joyful festival after the conclusion of Ramadan marks the birth of Islam, as Prophet Muhammad received his first revelation during this holy month. The festival also serves as a reminder to Muslims that they have an obligation toward the poor of the community. A special contribution called sidaqat-ul-fitr is made for this purpose. It is recommended that this contribution be given to the poor before Eid so that they too can enjoy the Eid celebrations. Fasting is a form of worship which has been prescribed and practiced for many ages by different peoples and religions. The essence of this worship may best be presented through this revelation from the Quran: O you who believe! Fasting has been prescribed upon you as it was prescribed upon those before you, that you may learn self-restraint and God-consciousness. (2:184 Quran) The best way of avenging yourself is not to become like the wrongdoer. Marcus Aurelius

Tuesday, May 3, 2016

Taliban No Islam

The Talib in Pashto, meaning student, and plural ,students, as in Taliban are Jihadis from the Arabian Peninsula and Mujahedeen—the warlords of Afghanistan who resisted the invasion of Soviet Union in Year 1979, regrouped as Taliban in Year 1989 after the Soviets were defeated, to fight the pro-Soviet Government. The time period is the same as the emergence of Al-Qaeda. They fashioned their own laws to govern and subjugate. Most of them were orphans or belonging to poor families, the victims of Soviet aggression and taught in madrassas funded by the Saudi Arabia. They were schooled to fight the 'infidel' and brainwashed into believing the distorted version of Islam which had nothing to do with Islam. Trained to have long beards and turbaned at all times, they went from village to village, carrying a copy of the Quran in one hand and Kalashnikov in the other, demanding that the chieftains put down their weapons for the sake of the Quran. If anyone resisted the armed bandits styled as Taliban, they were shot dead on the spot by the Taliban ruthlessly. The militant Taliban kept fighting the puppet government set by the soviets, but they didn’t succeed until Year 1992 when they toppled the government of Najibullah. Yet it was not until Year 1996 that the Taliban kidnapped Najibullah, the president of the Afghanistan, and his brother. They beat both Najibullah and his brother and castrated them publically, dragged their bodies behind a jeep, then hanged them by the wire nooses from the lampposts. After these brutal acts, the Taliban began issuing their man-made edicts of prohibitions outside the pale of Islam. No music, no pool tables, no kite flying,. No nail polish, no toothpaste, no television. No beard shaving or adopting the hairstyles of the British or the Americans. The women were to wear burqa, covered from head to toe, and banned from working. The girl schools and colleges were closed. In early 1998, the Taliban succeeded in capturing the northern town of Mazar-e-Sharif. On a spree of blood-thirsty rampage, they slaughtered about six to eight thousands of Shia men, women, and children. Not satisfied with mass murder, they ploughed their way into people’s homes, raping, murdering, and slitting the throats of all they could find, regardless of their age, gender or ethnicity. Pressed by the fever of madness, they packed hundreds of victims into shipping containers without water to be baked alive in the desert sun. Movie theatres were closed and music was banned. The Taliban stopped all women from working in schools or hospitals, and if they deviated from the Taliban’s edict of complete covering from head to toe, they were publicly beaten. Local festivities of New Year celebrations were banned, as well as festivities of the two Eids, and Ashura—Shia’s Islamic month of mourning. The taking of portraits and the photography too were banned. In essence, all extremists, tied to the naval of same lies, zeal, ignorance are not worthy of even the name 'human' save alone 'Islam'.