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/dzan
june 2005

In the recent decade (of our time), i think we have witnessed (and our parents, brothers, sisters and relatives have experienced ) the irony of islamic dakwah and the approaches in handling the world problems - let alone our daily problems. It is not Islam in questioned but rather our approaches - our daily way-of-life (ad-deen), our sentiments and our faith that translate to our Islamic vitues. (so what is the Islamic virtue again?)

If only we focus our energy to live as a muslim instead of living as an ARABs, Palestianians or whatever naughts – the way of life (in words, thoughts and action), the ummah could have still be the fine examplers to the world over.

I've heard of this catch-phrase just too often. i.e. : there is 1001 ways to solve a problem. (Sure! violent and / or compulsion cannot be one of them - even by insinuation!!) But what does this mean? In essence I reckoned and discovered that this statement is just a ploy and as cliche as "don't be judgemental". These phrases are often used to shut others out (muslims or non-muslims alike) - when the concerned parties want to depart from the responsibilities presented to him / her. But when the concerned parties want to harp n their values and approaches towards others, these statements do not seem to apply to them...and his / her way seems to be the only way.....ahh???

The irony is, we are in a free world and like it or not we are to listen or succumb to all that freedom-of-speech craps. And for the freedom-of-speech speakers / writers, mind you, others are free to speak their minds too and you have to take your own medicine too. So when some one voiced up their concerns, it is not an attempt to enforce their values towards others, but an opportunity (hidayah(?) maybe) for one to ponder and really react as ummah with wisdom.

Perhaps I do sound pretentious, but I leave it to Allah (GOD) for HIS guidance. No, this is not abt me being RIGHT while you being Wrong. And if arrogance motivates me, I humbly apologise and may Allah gives me the light to mend my ways. InsyaAllah. Amin.

The world now is full of hatred. It saddens me to see and hear that the non-muslims now are CHAMPIONS of worldpeace - HOPE, TOLERENCE and RESPECT. So what? - if those CHAMPIONS are hypocrites (munafiq)? What lies in their hearts, lets Allah alone be the judge. I see and acknowledge their good cause and effort and I want to participate.

I'm tired of hearing sentiments of how the world ought to be. Yet, we hardly take any steps to change within - our mind-sets and life-styles.

We have miserably failed to show our highest VIRTUEs of our AD-DEEN. We bragged constantly about our Past Islamic Glories, yet, failling constantly to pick ourselves up and our ummah towards rebuilding a better tommorrow. And we've built high walls of excuses and justifications to condone and support violence and terror; rhetotical plot and idiotic sentiments. All in the name of Allah (?)- hoping for that miracles of islamic military success (?). Astarfirullah.

We teach and even show our kids and our next generations the meaning of HATRED and the DISPARITY that exist in people on earth. And we devide. For what? To accept or to Reject? We could not even agree among ourselves about sincerity and piety. In some places where majority muslims seem to behave in exclusion toward others; while others must include them in their life - they insisted.

Our past muslim scholars (ulamas) had done a great job to combat the skeptics about the existence of Allah (GOD). The result, ppl are no longer casting DOUBTs on the existence of Allah - the omnipetent. But now, in this new era, it is disturbing to hear and see the efforts of MOCKERY and INSULT towards God Al-Mighty. And we muslims condone it (?) - some even participated. Yes, even among our muslims brothers and sisters - among the pious ones and religious scholars - directly or otherwise. How ironic can that be?

Is this the end of the human civilization? How can we talk abt PEACE when hatred preceeds. How can we talk abt LOVE when REVENGE is the scent in the air that we breathe?. Knowing too little? Read and Learn. Knowing too much? Is there such thing as knowing too much? Nah, we've got a lot to learn.

Enough already!!! While I want to emphatize with the palastinians, the iraqis and all the opressed muslims brothers and sisters in the world over, I would not want to join or even advocate their cause of revenge and hatred. I will not even join efforts to teach my kids to boycott anything un-islamic. I just want to practise the virtue of our Ad-Deen as prescribed by islam - to teach and show my next generation abt acceptence, tolerance, respect and understanding.

My plea to all (and to myself and my family), revert to Allah. Talk and Walk of Luv and Peace on earth. Remind each other constantly and progessively - with tact and wisdom that will only lead us to focus on rebuilding lives and our next generation in quantum leap - Reproof, Rectify and Repent.

Wassalam. Praying for your spritiual advancement as I've wished you've prayed for mine. InsyaAllah. Amin.

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