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Core Book. What is the Qur’an?

Al-Qur’an – Literally translates to English as “The Revelation.” To start, it is a poetic work of art. If you listen to the recitation of it’s verses you will quickly discover that.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8aGyhiPA8hU

(Video recitation of Qur’anic Chapter: The Benificent)

It is comprised of “only the words of God” relayed through the angel Gabriel in a “1st person conversation” to the Prophet Muhammad about situations happening “in his lifetime 1424 years ago.” The words of Muhammad are not in the Quran, only the words of God. Muhammad did not write the Quran, nor author it. He was illiterate. He relayed it from the Angel Gabriel who is the angel in charge of relaying God’s many revelations to mankind throughout history (including the Torah of Moses and Gospel of Jesus; probable other faiths as well). As Muhammad relayed it, it was written down by many hundreds of companions and memorized by many thousands more. It was put in its current form 18 years after his death by his personal secretary Zaid ibn Thabit and original copies of that version dating to that time exist in museums today for us to identify that it has been preserved as authorized by the Prophet Muhammad.

For example, if you read your Bible, you may read this verse, Exodus 3:11-12, which says “But Moses said to God, “Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh and bring the Israelites out of Egypt?” And God said, “I will be with you. And this will be the sign to you that it is I who have sent you: When you have brought the people out of Egypt, you will worship God on this mountain.” The words of the narrator and of Moses do not count as the words of God. The only words of God here is “I will be with you. And this will be the sign to you that it is I who have sent you: When you have brought the people out of Egypt, you will worship God on this mountain.” So, you must learn context to understand the real meaning of this verse or it may be misunderstood.

Likewise the Quran. Historical context isn’t a suggestion, it is “imperative” to learn in order to understand its verses and is not always evident in it because “there is no third party narration” in it’s text. It is not written in the 3rd person as a set of stories like the Bible. It is not a “User’s Manual” for Muslims like you would get with your new TV set. It is “not an instruction book” for every aspect of our lives. It is a guide that we interpret meaning from in order to find a way to live righteous lives using example of the historical context the situations that the Prophet dealt with 1400 years ago. It is subject to a variety of interpretations like any other ancient text because it is an ancient text.

It is our primary authoritative source of understanding Islam and extrapolating information that defines the 5 pillars of our faith (actions of a Muslim), six basic beliefs (beliefs of a Muslim) and us as Muslim people (characteristics of a Muslim; ihsan; working towards perfection).

Article by BrJimC © 2016

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In this image, I attempt to show America in peril as the rights and freedoms of Americans and immigrants are enduring with ICE raid across America.

Many years ago, I used to view illegal immigration as a threat.  I believed that all immigrants were Mexicans and they brought violent crime and drugs.  I felt jealous that they were devaluing our wages, stealing our jobs and siphoning our social services without giving anything back.  They were unable to assimilate and learn our language.  They are law breakers who ‘jump the lines’ to immigrate illegally.

Today, I have traveled over 25 countries in the world and have seen similar immigration trends.  In Europe, eastern Europeans (people from the former Soviet bloc) are the main immigrants having this affect. In the Middle East and Asia, South Asians represent a similar population of immigrants.

In regards to the USA, the world immortalizes the liberty, freedom and opportunity that our country stands for.  Many people who live in abstract poverty (or refugees of war) are more than often in a pit of despair and like all immigrants seek a better life than is possible in their home countries.  They don’t leave because they don’t love their country but because they love ours and have to find a better life.  Wouldn’t we consider the same if we were in their situation?

What I have discovered in the US is that not all illegals are Mexican, from Central America or South America.  Many are also still Europeans.  I say ‘still’ because despite what we believe today, America has built it’s country on the ashes of the native Indian who originally inhabited this land.  They may have allowed the first colony at Plymouth rock to live instead of starving to death, as they certainly would have, but they did not have any desire to allow immigration from Europe at the expense of their own survival and well being.

Contrary to political rhetoric by Republicans the violent crime rate is lower among immigrants and immigrant crime is more commonly property crimes whereas violent crime among American citizens is double.  Of all crime tallied, immigrant crime has little impact on statistics.

It is true that illegal immigration devalues our wages, however they do not siphon our social services.  Immigrants do not steal our jobs either.  A large number of illegal immigrants are not ‘jumping’ the queue either, because there are laws in place and a path to citizenship for them called the DREAM Act.  Of course this doesn’t mean we don’t secure our borders but the problem is much bigger than that family that seeks to lift themselves out of poverty and enjoy greater freedom or ability for ICE to enforce the law.  The larger problem and the solution of illegal immigration lies in big businesses who employ them and with you, the American consumer.  Americans expect cheap products, food and consumer goods.  Businesses expect to meet bottom lines and increase shareholder earnings.  The government expects to grow the economy to keep you happy and congressional leaders can get (re)elected. None of these goals can be achieved by paying $7.25/hr (or the proposed $15/hr) minimum wage.  Instead, illegal immigrants, due to the fact that they are illegal, accept lower earnings.  The cost savings businesses pass on to you, the consumer, and you are happy to buy cheaper locally produced products.  The moment they become citizens, they are required by law to receive a minimum wage and the cost goes up and you will see it at the supermarket.  Legal immigration to the US, if you are not a refugee, asylum seeker or have family ties, requires a college degree and employment.  These are not the type of people who will work in a field picking strawberries for less than minimum wage.  Businesses, the economy and the American consumer are dependent on low skilled labor.

It’s also true that many illegal immigrants do not learn the English language proficiently.  However, this is a non-issue in my view.  I have seen many countries that have many ‘official’ languages and the language barrier is not an issue.  It is their kids that learn English well and help them conduct business and social interactions.  America has always had strong Spanish, French and English roots.  English is our common language and people should be encouraged to learn it, but not doing so is not a deal breaker or a threat to our society.  Americans are spoiled in the world and are one of the few countries where most citizens do not speak more than one language.  In an ever shrinking world, us Americans need to begin to learn more than one language proficiently.  I suggest Mandarin and Spanish, because China is the next global economic superpower, and Spanish because a huge number of our citizens are of Spanish speaking origin.  Spanish is also one of the romance languages that encompasses a large portion of Europe (including French).

Contrary to what the Republican layperson believes, illegal immigrants DO have constitutional rights.  One of those rights that is currently being abandoned by ICE is the right to a hearing.

Lastly, there is the humanitarian angle.  ICE raids across the nation have terrorized immigrants who are DREAMers, those who are by law able to remain in the US and seek the path to citizenship.  To go further, families whose children are legal and parents are not should never be split up.  The US citizen children have the right not just to remain in their country but also the humanitarian right to be with their parents.  Deporting them and requiring them to apply for citizenship on this basis is callous, unjust and leaves part of the family in abject poverty.  After deportation to a country they left because of poverty they will not likely to be able to afford the process.  It is unnecessary, cruel and likely to cost US citizens money that will be sent out of the country to support them.  These situations amplify the case for a path to citizenship while remaining with their family in the US.

Since World War II, the United States has been a beacon of hope for people around the world.  We have been viewed as the model system of government that people aspire to adopt.  Our liberty, freedom and opportunity has been legendary.  It is all changing with the new wave of white nationalist populism in the US. What the people of the world are seeing (and I have spoken to some), what they are talking about is not how wonderful America is, that shining beacon on a hill, but how wonderful it was and what it is becoming.  What they see, what we are showing them, is that we seem to have adopted the keen desire to be like other regimes who end up repressing their citizens (and others), a great nation that has become closed off, walled off, fearful, terrorizing, a once great beacon of liberty on top of a hill now happy to be reducing itself to be a fortified citadel happy to rest itself in the valley with the rest of the nations not known for their greatness.

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I heard the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) say: The first of men (whose case) will be decided on the Day of Judgment will be a man who died as a martyr. He shall be brought (before the Judgment Seat). Allah will make him recount His blessings (i. e. the blessings which He had bestowed upon him) and he will recount them (and admit having enjoyed them in his life). (Then) will Allah say: What did you do (to requite these blessings)? He will say: I fought for Thee until I died as a martyr. Allah will say: You have told a lie. You fought that you might be called a” brave warrior”. And you were called so. (Then) orders will be passed against him and he will be dragged with his face downward and cast into Hell.

(Sahih Muslim Book #020, Hadith #4688)

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September 2, 2014 at 11:38pm

Bismillah ir-Rahman ir-Raheem

Qur’an 4:135 “O you who have believed, be persistently standing firm in justice, witnesses for Allah , even if it be against yourselves or parents and relatives. Whether one is rich or poor, Allah is more worthy of both. So follow not [personal] inclination, lest you not be just. And if you distort [your testimony] or refuse [to give it], then indeed Allah is ever, with what you do, Acquainted.”

 James Coates had learned of a plot involving the WhyIslam-Houston Media ‘in-charge’ and producer of ‘Ïslamic Perspectives’ cable public access television show (Kobie Williams) and the ICNA Relief-Houston ‘in-charge’ and general Whyislam associate (Adnan Mirza) to travel to Iraq and Afghanistan to fight against US and coalition forces along-side of local insurgents as well as to send money to the Taliban via their families using local clinic in Pakistan.

James and his family had been living in Houston since 1998 and became an active part of the local Muslim community.  He participated in organizing community events, fundraisers and community outreach and soon became a leader among his peers.  Shortly after the tragedy of 9/11, James met Kobie Williams, now one of the defendants in the Houston Taliban case during one of these community events. They quickly became friends and worked on outreach projects together for the Islamic Circle of North America (ICNA).

On the way back from a holiday camping trip to Big Bend National Park around 2002, James and Kobie were stopped by US Customs and Border Patrol as part of a routine border check.  The border patrol noticed a copy of the Qur’an on the dashboard of the car and performed a detailed check of their vehicle where they noticed firearms (legal) which belonged to the men.  Therefore, due to the heightened security issues at the time they notified the local FBI field office.

The FBI visited both James and Kobie to inquire about their activities during the camping trip at Big Bend.  James assured the FBI that there was no use of the firearms and that it had been an innocent camping trip.  This was accepted by the FBI.  After that time, the FBI periodically called on James, due to his interaction with the community to see if there is anything of concern in which they should be aware.

When the FBI made contact with Kobie at his home, he initially shut the door in their face.  James encouraged Kobie to cooperate with the FBI as it was causing a lot of undue suspicion as they had not been doing anything illegal.  Whereas, Kobie and his wife opposed cooperation with the federal government in any capacity and in fact had demanded to be formally interviewed with a lawyer present about the Big Bend incident.

Several months later at one of their regular WhyIslam planning meetings, James and Kobie discussed general topics about the WhyIslam campaign as they had done ever since the following months after the September 11, 2001 attacks when the group was formed.  After the agenda was discussed, as often, they began to talk about non-related and more personal topics.  Kobie took the conversation into a new direction as he mentioned that he hatched a plan to go to Iraq to join insurgents in the fight against US and coalition forces.  He stated that he felt that this was part of his Islamic duty to defend Muslims from US aggression.

A few weeks later at another Whyislam meeting, this time with Adnan Mirza attending, Kobie and Adnan brought up the topic again.  This was the first time James realized they had spoken among themselves privately prior to the meeting and the plan had developed further.  Kobie had asked Adnan for help in making contacts in Canada that may help with a stay over prior to traveling to the Middle East and eventually on to Iraq, ideas of where to go, who to meet and ideas for how to train.  The stop-over in Canada was intended to help avoid travel suspicions by US authorities.  Adnan began engaging in the conversation with ideas to use ICNA Relief, which Adnan had control over in Houston, as a possible reason for travel and made contacts in Canada for Kobie who eventually did travel to Canada to meet them.

That night James discussed with his wife as to how serious the conversation had become and the implications of ignoring it.  If it was ignored and something did happen, he and his wife were concerned about the possibility of the government shutting down ICNA and WhyIslam if it came to light that this was done using ICNA via ICNA Relief or WhyIslam as a cover to do it or as a recruitment tool.  It would jeopardize ICNA’s future in the US and the plight of all Muslims in the greater Houston area.  It would jeopardize the very people and organizations that James had worked very hard to defend and advocate for in the media when difficult times came as a result of extremist Muslims actions (such as Al Qaida and the Taliban) worldwide.  Groups like Holy Land Foundation and others have been shut down entirely for alleged links to terror groups even though the allegations seemed convoluted at the time.  James was also concerned that if they had succeeded in getting to Iraq or Afghanistan they would have been drawn into the conflicts that were flaring up there and ultimately killing fellow Muslims or other innocent people.

James considered going to the ICNA leadership with his concerns, but was convinced based on previous experience with ICNA’s leadership that the situation would not be able to be handled from within the organization and it would simply cause the activity to go further underground. [See Note A]

Since 2002, prior to even first contact with the FBI, James spent countless hours trying to convince Adnan and Kobie that the Taliban were not good people, distorted Islam and were bad for the population of Afghanistan.  It became clear that the two were determined to support the Taliban with discussions often well into the early hours of the morning after regular Whyislam meetings.

Now the two had become disillusioned with the war in Iraq and soon began discussing their intention to go to Iraq to join insurgents in the fight against US and coalition forces. James knew the discussion to try to deter Kobie and Adnan from joining insurgents would be a pointless exercise and cause suspicion now that the two were talking about participating in armed jihad in Iraq and also sending money to support the cause in Afghanistan.

James deliberated for two months after Kobie mentioned his intention to go to Iraq. James considered Islamic and practical justifications for bringing the matter to the attention of the FBI and came to the conclusion that it wasn’t going to go away without external help.  The next time James met with the FBI he mentioned it thinking that the FBI would talk to them about it and it would discourage them from taking it any further and endangering the entire community.

The FBI became keenly interested in it but could not get anyone in place in time for Kobie’s visit to Canada. There wasn’t time to interview them because Kobie had acted on his plan by securing tickets.  The FBI scheduled more interviews with James thereafter.  James was encouraged to assist with the investigation, promising that his name would not be released publicly which would destroy his local Islamic work and credibility with the community.  As he got more deeply involved and his FBI case handlers changed it turned out it was a promise that later would not be kept.

Kobie and Adnan continued having discussions among themselves often only informing James afterwards, typically revealing more details during WhyIslam meetings when the whole group would discuss Whyislam matters.  It became apparent that the plan had morphed from Kobie going to Iraq on his own to one where he would put together a Jamaat (group) instead.  They were concerned that they needed to learn to fight prior to leaving and in the meantime they decided that they could help in the cause by sending money to insurgents.  Since James owned and was experienced with firearms from years of hunting trips they decided that they would task him with conducting weapons training camps.  Adnan was tasked by Kobie to recruit additional members and send money to insurgents through the contacts he claimed that he had.

The group arranged to use a property partially owned by the Islamic Society of Greater Houston who were not aware of the group’s plans.  The training camp had a written agenda and was called the Khalid bin Waleed Camp, after a renowned figure in Islamic history Kobie had read about.

The group initially discussed traveling to Iraq and financially supporting Iraq insurgents through Adnan’s contacts in Kuwait.  After Adnan had determined that it was too dangerous to go through his Kuwait contacts, instead he decided to research the options for Afghanistan.

The group discussed recruiting a few trusted people for the purpose of going on armed jihad against US forces using word of mouth and the WhyIslam telephone campaign that Adnan had been maintaining for the Texas area.

An undercover FBI agent was then introduced to the group as a potential member.   Kobie and Adnan were deeply committed to fighting abroad did not show any signs of changing their mind, so James felt bound to continue to assist in the investigation.

Kobie and Adnan also went to a number of local scholars to see if they would act as spiritual support for the group including the ICNA Whyislam Coordinator West, Northwest Chapter (name withheld) and an Islamic Society of Greater Houston (ISGH) scholar at the Mission Bend Mosque.  Although there may have been some sympathy for the plight of Muslims in Iraq and Afghanistan under occupation by the US, the scholars refused to be involved.

Approximately five combat training camps were held over the course of the year.  Attendees paid for supplies to attend and sometimes brought their own weapons.   Many people invited by Adnan attended the camps and practiced firearms training, but only two others were actually recruited by Adnan (and subsequently held to charges in connection with intent to violate federal laws).

With the evidence from the training camps and recorded conversations between Adnan, Kobie and the others in late 2006 the FBI had enough evidence to move forward with arrests.  The total number of people arrested were four including Adnan and Kobie.

One of the four was a young man recruited by Adnan into the group that James had tried hard to dissuade Adnan from recruiting him into the group due to his youth and James’ friendship with the family. However, Adnan insisted on bringing him in.

Ultimately, Kobie Williams plead guilty to the charges, while Adnan Mirza and his family claimed that he was entrapped.  All of the juries (and Kobie’s admission) in connection with the cases rejected the entrapment defence.

In an interview by Adnan Mirza from prison with Democracy Now’s Amy Goodman, he used his charity work to justify his claim of innocence and garner public sympathy. He further claimed that he was merely going hunting.  He went on to claim that he believes that he has been defrauded by Kobie.  He digresses further to state that he believes Kobie has an intellectual disability and should be diagnosed as having Aspergers or High Functioning Autism.  Adnan is not qualified to make such claims and Kobie is not mentally handicapped.  His claim is dubious at best.  Adnan also blames poor public defending on behalf of his counsel, but he has changed lawyers numerous times and is currently serving fifteen years because he would not accept a plea deal.  All of the other defendants have served their time and have been released.

A campaign by supporters of Adnan Mirza within ICNA has encouraged the leadership to ban James’ account, BrJimC, from the Whyislam.org website forum where he spent years defending and promoting Islamic topics.  He also served as a moderator at the forum for some time.  Other members (Muslim and non-Muslim) who supported James during this event and people who since discussed the topic on the website have since been banned by the ICNA National Shurah Council in conjunction with the website’s Shurah Council that governs the administration of the website.  Many others have quit the forum in disgust.

A new position of “Forum Cop” has since been created in the wake of these events and members have reported a heavy hand against people who defended James during the organization’s crisis.  The website forum has since archived all of the posts leading up to these events and saved them for SEO purposes and can still be found on the website.  One of the easiest to find is the Story of BrJimC which lists first on google in a search for “Whyislam BrJimC”.

ICNA continues to condemn terrorism. However, as a result of his involvement in bringing this plot to the authorities, ICNA-National in consultation with ICNA’s Houston chapter expelled James from membership in the organization and all of the organization’s community services.

The plot topic and what happened to BrJimC is still a banned topic on their forums.

James maintains that these were not evil individuals and were at one time his friends who he liked and respected very much.  However, James felt very strongly that what they were doing was misguided and would put not only themselves into danger but other Muslims and perhaps non-Muslims as well.  James remains a committed follower of Islam and supporter of his local community.

Note A:  As an example, on an earlier occasion, James organized an event on behalf of ICNA Relief-Houston and WhyIslam-Houston to raise funds for a joint project to purchase property in the Third Ward area along side of the I-45/US 288 freeways.  The property was to dub as a soup kitchen for ICNA Relief-Houston and WhyIslam dawah activities.  It would also build and house a large WhyIslam campaign billboard seen by the highway.  At the fundraiser, Imam Siraj Wahaj was brought in to support the event that would be a grand effort to help local non-Muslims as well as the local Islamic community.  The event raised roughly $67,000 from local Muslims.  Soon afterwards, the money disappeared and the organizers learned that the person handling finances (Manzoor… lastname omitted) had stolen the money and sent it to one of his businesses in Pakistan.  After some many months, James had pushed the ICNA Houston chapter leadership to take the matter to the police and/or FBI.  Incredible effort was made and eventually the President of ICNA Houston (Abu Ahmad Hanif Harris) did go to the local FBI office with James to discuss how to proceed with such a case.  The decision was made by the ICNA-Houston Board of Directors that the President of ICNA Houston would not press criminal charges and involve the authorities.  Instead, they would try to beg the individual for the money back.  After some months, the individual agreed.  Instead of taking the money out of Pakistan, the individual used ICNA’s name (unauthorized) to go to many ISGH Mosques and raise money from them and individuals, under false pretence, claiming it was for a new ICNA Relief project.  He used this money to repay his personal debt to ICNA’s Houston chapter.  It was after this debt was repayed that the ICNA Relief/Whyislam joint effort was able to purchase the two properties on the I-45/US 288 corridor where they planned to eventually build what they named the “Charles Freeman Center” which would house the soup kitchen, ICNA Relief and Whyislam dawah projects.

Resources:

http://forum.whyislam.org/forum_posts.asp?TID=6734

http://www.democracynow.org/2010/10/27/convicted_student_adnan_mirza_maintains_innocence

http://www.foxnews.com/us/2010/05/24/jury-selection-begins-texas-trial-pakistani-student-accused-aiding-taliban/

http://www.foxnews.com/us/2010/05/27/pakistani-national-guilty-conspiring-taliban-unlawful-firearms-possession/

http://tx.findacase.com/research/wfrmDocViewer.aspx/xq/fac.20120329_0000456.STX.htm/qx

http://www.ca5.uscourts.gov/opinions%5Cunpub%5C10/10-20725.0.wpd.pdf

http://www.justice.gov/usao/txs/1News/Archives/Archived%20Releases/2009%20August/080709Williams.htm

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“You shall strive for the cause of GOD as you should strive for His cause. He has chosen you and has placed no hardship on you in practicing your religion – the religion of your father Abraham…” Quran 22:78

Sahih Bukhari

Volume 1, Book 2, Number 38:

Narrated Abu Huraira:

The Prophet said, “Religion is very easy and whoever overburdens himself in his religion will not be able to continue in that way. So you should not be extremists, but try to be near to perfection and receive the good tidings that you will be rewarded; and gain strength by worshipping in the mornings, the nights.” (See Fath-ul-Bari, Page 102, Vol 1).

Sahih Bukhari

Narrated Abu Huraira:

Allah’s Apostle said: “The deeds of anyone of you will not save you.” They said, “Even you, O Allah’s Apostle?” He said, “No, even I (will not be saved) unless and until Allah bestows His Mercy on me. Therefore, do good deeds properly, sincerely and moderately, and worship Allah in the forenoon and in the afternoon and during a part of the night, and always adopt a middle, moderate, regular course whereby you will reach your target (Paradise).”

Sahih Bukhari 

Narrated by Abdullah bin Amr bin Al-As, God Told Mohammed :

You are neither hard-hearted nor of fierce character, nor one who shouts in the markets. You do not return evil for evil, but excuse and forgive. – Bukhari, Volume 6, Book 60, Number 362

Sahih Muslim

“Extremists are fanatic zealots who exceed bounds in words and deeds” and “bigots” [Imam Al-Nawawi, Sharh Sahih Muslim (16:220 and 7:214)].

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Bismillah Ar-Rahman Ir-Raheem (In the Name of Allah the Most Merciful the Most Benificent)

Common misunderstandings exist of what Islam prohibits concerning espionage and spying among Muslims which lends us to turning a blind eye to acts being planned or carried out by radical extremists within our communities. Such acts are those that have two destructive effects on the Muslim community at large. First, it causes Islam and Muslims in a non-Muslim land to come under suspicion. Second, it brings acute oppression against Muslims living in a non-Muslim land and even oftentimes in their own Muslim countries.

In Islam it is commonly thought of that spying is forbidden. However, most of the scholarly works and rulings strictly forbid only two main kinds of ‘spying’. One kind of spying strictly prohibited in Islam is that which is used for personal gain and commonly associated with gossip and backbiting. Qur’an 49:12, “O you who believe! avoid most of suspicion, for surely suspicion in some cases is a sin, and do not spy nor let some of you backbite others.“ According to the Prophet (pbuh) to expose the secrets of others in order to defame them is a sin considered even worse than adultery and the one who remains quiet saves himself (from hellfire).

This sort of ‘spying’ is not done by authority figures (or their sources) to enforce laws, such as in drug enforcement, gangs or terrorism. Nor is it the sort of ‘spying’ that is done between nation states, i.e. espionage.

Another sort of ‘spying’ or espionage that is forbidden is done by a Muslim (or non-Muslim living in the Islamic State) do destroy or work against the Islamic State.

Spying to destroy the Islamic State or Muslims by denying or abandoning faith and defaming them is strictly forbidden and punishable under Shariah in this life and by Allah in the Hereafter. However, if Muslims are plotting to break the law of the land (in a Muslim or non-Muslim land) or about to commit an act that is forbidden in Islam (that is also forbidden by law) then other Muslims around him or her have the duty, as Muslims, to inform the appropriate police authorities whether or not the authorities are Muslim and whether or not the perpetrators are Muslims. The Qur’an says, “”Collaborate in virtue and righteousness and do not collaborate in sin and transgression” (Qur’an 5:2) Islam strictly forbids vigilante justice and turning a blind eye to law breaking and wickedness and allows for Muslims to seek out justice through appropriate channels. Furthermore, Islam forbids us from breaking the laws of the land in non-Muslim countries provided they allow for our freedom to practice our religion and worship Allah.

Qur’an 4:135, “O ye who believe! stand out firmly for justice, as witnesses to Allah, even as against yourselves, or your parents, or your kin, and whether it be (against) rich or poor: for Allah can best protect both. Follow not the lusts (of your hearts), lest ye swerve, and if ye distort (justice) or decline to do justice, verily Allah is well-acquainted with all that ye do.”

Islam Online Fatwah by Muzammil Siddiqi (The Fiqh Council of North America) confirms my assertions, “We Muslims should play an important role in bringing justice to the world. We have to live by the guidance of Allah, establish justice and fairness among ourselves and be a good example to others. We should not only work for ourselves but for the whole world. We must remember that injustice cannot be removed by another injustice. We must love for others what we love for ourselves. We need to work and cooperate with others.”

Islam Online Fatwah

Dr. Siddiqi also states in another Fatwah, “It is haram (forbidden) to support any person or group that is involved in acts of terrorism.”

Islam Online Fatwah

If one is living in an Islamic State then Muslims must work with the authorities of the Islamic State. If one lives in a non-Muslim state then one must work with the non-Muslim authorities since there is no Islamic authority to enforce law or justice. Spying is one of the many investigative tools used by law enforcement in both Muslim and non-Muslim countries to provide peace and security (to prevent harm) to the population and its interests by enforcing the laws and is permissible in Islam whether carried out on Muslims or not.

The President of the Islamic Society of Greater Houston as interviewed by the Houston Chronicle on November 30, 2006. The article stated, “Rodwan Saleh, president of the Islamic Society of Greater Houston, said … he would urge Muslims to report any suspicious activity they come across, but also said they should not deny their faith.”

Houston Chronicle article reported by anita.hassan@chron.com and cynthia.george@chron.com.

Espionage has always been a valued tool of the Islamic State ever since it was founded by the Prophet (pbuh). From the earliest battles it was a vital method of gaining access to information on enemy positions, plans and the vulnerabilities of their cities. A good example of this is in the conquest of Constantinople. In order for the Islamic Sate and its leadership to rally the vast resources needed to assault and conquer the city Muslims had to rely on past experiences and most recent information from sources.

Sheikh Yusuf Al-Qaradawi confirms the permissibility of this and has this to say about espionage, “Tackling this seemingly difficult question, the prominent Muslim scholar Sheikh Yusuf Al-Qaradawi, issues the following Fatwa:

“Muslim jurists, who are committed to their religion, cannot give blessing to the illicit acts, such as drinking wine, Zina (adultery or fornication) committed by a Muslim who acts as a spy in favor of his country.

On the other hand, the spy who is true to his cause may be allowed to look as if he is drinking wine but not drinking it. He may also be permitted to perform the prayers beyond their appointed times, but he is not allowed to leave the prayer at all under the pretext that his job dictates doing so.”

Islam Online Fatwah

Another type of espionage that is forbidden that I have not seen many scholarly works on is that of Corporate Espionage. However, there is plenty of Shariah Laws on the methods of commerce in Islam and to be carried out by Muslims to justify the forbidding of Corporate espionage.

-Article by BrJimC © 2007

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Terrorists are Mass Murderers, Not Martyrs Expert says Islam prohibits violence against innocents
Muslim scholar: Terrorists are mass murderers, not martyrs

Richard Scheinin
Mercury News

SHY

Tuesday’s terrorist attacks have saddened and maddened millions — and raised questions for many about Islam. Speculation abounds that the hijackers were inspired by terrorists like Osama bin Laden, who teach that violent acts can pave the way to paradise. But what does Islam really say about such matters? About jihad and martyrdom?

We asked Hamza Yusuf, an Islamic scholar in the East Bay, who said the attackers were ‘enemies of Islam’. Not martyrs, but ‘mass murderers, pure and simple.’

Yusuf, whose articles about Islam are published internationally, talked about the attacks, the hysteria that he fears could grip the United States, and the role that Muslims and others must play in opposing violence. ‘We’ve got to get to some deeper core values that are commonly shared,’ he said.

Why would anyone do what the hijackers did?

Religious zealots of any creed are defeated people who lash out in desperation, and they often do horrific things. And if these people indeed are Arabs, Muslims, they’re obviously very sick people and I can’t even look at it in religious terms. It’s politics, tragic politics. There’s no Islamic justification for any of it. It’s like some misguided Irish using Catholicism as an excuse for blowing up English people.

They’re not martyrs, it’s as simple as that.

Because?

You can’t kill innocent people. There’s no Islamic declaration of war against the United States. I think every Muslim country except Afghanistan has an embassy in this country. And in Islam, a country where you have embassies is not considered a belligerent country.

In Islam, the only wars that are permitted are between armies and they should engage on battlefields and engage nobly. The Prophet Muhammad said, ‘Do not kill women or children or non-combatants and do not kill old people or religious people,’ and he mentioned priests, nuns and rabbis. And he said, ‘Do not cut down fruit-bearing trees and do not poison the wells of your enemies.’ The Hadith, the sayings of the Prophet, say that no one can punish with fire except the lord of fire. It’s prohibited to burn anyone in Islam as a punishment. No one can grant these attackers any legitimacy. It was evil.

What role should American Muslims have in opposing this brand of violent Islam?

I think that the Muslims — and I really feel this strongly — have to reject the discourse of anger. Because there is a lot of anger in the Muslim communities around the world about the oppressive conditions that many Muslims find themselves in. But we have to reject the discourse of anger and we have to move to a higher moral ground, recognizing that the desire to blame others leads to anger and eventually to wrath, neither of which are rungs on a spiritual ladder to God. It’s times like these that we really need to become introspective.

The fact that there are any Muslims — no matter how statistically insignificant their numbers — who consider these acts to be religious acts is in and of itself shocking. And therefore we as Muslims have to ask the question, ‘How is it that our religious leadership has failed to reach these people with the true message of Islam?” Because the acts of these criminals have indicted an entire religion in the hearts and minds of millions. Ultimately, this is a result of the bankruptcy of these type of people who claim to be adherents to the Islamic religion. These people are so bankrupt that all they have to offer is destruction.

Why do some people regard the hijackers as martyrs?

That’s an abomination. These are mass murderers, pure and simple. It’s like Christians in this country who blow up abortion clinics or kill abortion doctors. I don’t think anyone in the Christian community, except a very extreme fringe, would condone that as an acceptable Christian response. In the same way, there’s no Muslim who understands his religion at all who would condone this. One of the worst crimes in Islam is brigandry — highway robbery, or today we’d say armed robbery — because it disrupts the sense of well-being and security among civilians.

Suicide bombers have cited a Koranic verse that says, ‘Think not of those who are slain in Allah’s way as dead. Nay, they live, finding their sustenance in the presence of their Lord.”

That is meant for people who are legitimately defending the lands of Islam or fighting under legitimate state authority against a tyrannical leader. There is no vigilantism in Islam. Muslims believe in the authority of government.

Imam Malik, an early Islamic legal authority, said that 60 years of oppression under an unjust ruler is better than one hour of anarchy.

Then why is there such strong support in parts of the world for the attacks?

Because we’re dealing in an age of ignorance and an age of anomie, the loss of social order. And people are very confused and they’re impoverished. What Americans are feeling now, this has been business as usual for Lebanese people, Palestinian people, Bosnian people.

What about Israeli people?

Certainly the fear element is there for Israeli people — that’s true, and the terror that they’ve felt. And there are still a lot of Jewish people alive who remember the fear and terror of what happened in Europe, so that’s not far from people’s memories.

It seems at some point, the cycles of violence have to stop. It’s a type of insanity, especially when we’re dealing with nuclear power. People are saying that this was an attack on civilization — and that is exactly the point. And I think the question we all have to ask is whether indiscriminate retaliation is going to help preserve civilization.

The perpetrators of this and, really, all acts of terror are people who hate too much. There’s a verse in the Koran that says do not let the hatred of a people prevent you from being just. Being just is closer to piety. The evil of wrath is that justice and mercy are lost.

How do you explain Palestinians and others celebrating the attacks in the streets?

When you see ignorant people in the streets, rejoicing — the Prophet condemned it. It’s rejoicing at the calamities of your enemies, and Islam prohibits that. They do have a lot of anger toward America, because America produces much of Israel’s military hardware and so many American tax dollars go to support Israel. You have a lot of animosity in the Arab world. But the vast majority of Arabs are horrified by what’s happened. There’s animosity in the Muslim world toward American foreign policy. This is the unfortunate price of power and its exercise in the world, that you incur the resentment and animosity of a lot of people. But the majority of Muslims who I know don’t have anger toward individuals or the American people.

The concept of jihad has been widely used to justify violence.

Jihad means struggle. The Prophet said the greatest jihad is the struggle of a man against his own evil influences. It also refers to what Christians call a “just war,” which is fought against tyranny or oppression — but under a legitimate state authority.

What is the Arabic word for martyr?

Shaheed. It means witness. The martyr is the one who witnesses the truth and gives his life for it. There are people in this country like Martin Luther King who would be considered a martyr for his cause. Also, if your home, your family, your property or your land or religion is threatened, then you may defend it with your life. That person is a martyr. But so is anybody who dies of terminal illness; it’s a martyr’s death. Because it’s such a purification that whatever wrongs they once did, they’re now in a state of purity.

And the greatest martyr in the eyes of God is the one who stands in the presence of a tyrant and speaks the truth and is killed for it. He is martyred for his tongue.

What does Islam say about suicide?

Suicide is haram in Islam. It’s prohibited, like a mortal sin. And murder is haram. And to kill civilians is murder.

What is a martyr’s reward?

The Prophet said that a martyr who dies doesn’t have a reckoning on the Day of Judgment. It’s an act through which he is forgiven. But the Prophet also said that there are people who kill in the name of Islam and go to hell. And when he was asked why, he said, “Because they weren’t fighting truly for the sake of God.”

If there are any martyrs in this affair it would certainly be those brave firefighters and police that went in there to save human lives and in that process lost their own.

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The Decline of Islamic Empire and Colonization from 1700’s – 1950’s.

 

Upon the end of the Crusades from Europe, Crusaders and their families saw conquered territories as lands ‘flowing with milk and honey’. Many of them chose to immigrate to these territories in the Middle East, Asia Minor and North Africa. The warring kings of Europe, formerly the Roman Empire, had stagnated their economies by wasting their resources in their bitter wars against each other and in the Crusade campaigns. The newly conquered territories were rich in food, raw materials, precious metals and other resources valuable to Europe. It offered prime opportunity for the kings of Europe to establish ‘colonial’ governments among the former Crusaders, who had immigrated into these conquered territories, in order to tap the rich resources of the land and export them to Europe. After Europe revitalized its economies colonialist expansion had begun.

The French invasion (1798-1801): The three-year French occupation was too short to exert any lasting effects on Egypt, despite claims to the contrary. Its most important effect on Egypt internally was the rapid decline in the power of the Mamluks. The major impact of the French invasion was the effect it had on Europe. Napoleon’s invasion revealed the Middle East as an area of immense strategic importance to the European powers, thus inaugurating the Anglo-French rivalry for influence in the region and bringing the British into the Mediterranean.

The effects of colonialism on the Islamic State is quite evident. Territories rich in resources, and populated by indigenous races, were exploited by colonial governments. Innovative technology was brought in from Europe to exploit agriculture, demolish precious monuments, enforce colonial rules and customs. The once fertile lands began to succumb to famine, disease, and death. The Islamic State began to erode and become dependent on the colonial governments for aid and technological advances. When, even as noted in the Declaration of Independence of the United States of America, the kings of Europe showed no mercy and refused aid then insurrections occurred demanding independence. For many, the extent of the damage had already occurred. Today, these former colonies established within the boarders of the Islamic State struggle with the effects colonialism.

Then as now, Afghanistan was the center of that struggle, offering Britain countless challenges until, in 1878, Lord Frederick Sleigh Roberts asserted control over Afghanistan. In 1880, he marched 10,000 troops from Kabul to Kandahar to the aid of a beleaguered British garrison. The battle left 600 Afghans and 35 British dead, a token of the bloodshed that has steeped the region’s wars and convinced outsiders of the perils of intervening there. The British withdrew in 1881 after many battles and uprisings, leaving the country in the hands of a native ruler. He, in 1893, agreed to a division of tribal areas that became Afghanistan’s northeastern border with British India — and that is now its troublingly porous border with Pakistan.

The British role in molding the theater of today’s regional conflicts was by no means just military. With World War I under way, Britain and France reached a secret deal to carve up the Middle East. And that deal — the Sykes-Picot agreement of 1916 — was central to the western division of the Ottoman Empire in the early 1920’s, a moment that, for radical Islamists like Osama bin Laden, is mourned as the final passing of the Muslim Caliphate that dated to the Prophet Muhammad and reviled as an episode of profound cultural humiliation.

As for the modern contest of Israeli and Palestinian nationalisms, its seeds were sown by imperial British involvement in the Arab world, which has also shaped many of the borders and conflicts that endure to this day in Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait and Saudi Arabia. In the so-called Balfour Declaration of 1917, Britain promised support to the Zionist project, even as British officials were maneuvering to sponsor Arab independence.

Post colonial period from 1950’s – present.

Many of the trends in Muslim countries are a result of the third historical period as Muslims, like much of the third world, struggle to define themselves in a post-modern world.

After colonialism had left, very little stability was left behind and the original Islamic State no longer existed. The Caliphate, which was under the Ottoman’s, Sunni Muslims from Turkey, eventually was dismantled in 1929.

This led to the creation of a “ruling class” where the people are secondary to the dictators regime.

Disputes like we see today in Palestine, Kashmir and elsewhere are lasting effects of the colonial period.

The former Islamic State has now been divided into various countries and power given to those who continue to rule their nations in the same harsh colonialist fashion. Muslims struggle under sometimes brutal oppression from dictators, kings and police states. Most are devoid of the values that existed in the Islamic State and are frequent violators of Human Rights.

 

-Article by BrJimC © 2003

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The significant spread of Islam in early Arabia begins in 622 CE. in Medina. The Prophet Muhammad and his followers were bitterly persecuted by the Arabs in Makkah and subsequently migrated to Medina. There, with the help of the local Jews and Christians the first Islamic State was established.

Legend on map:

Ottoman Empire 1923

Ottoman Empire 1683

Safavid Empire mid-6th C.

Safavid & Uzbeks mid-16th C.

Rightly Guided Caliphs 632-661

Umayyad expansion 661-750

Abbasid expansion 750-1258

Mughal Empire mid-16th C.

Conquest-Occupation

Islamic Golden Age from 622 – 1700’s.

Islam, as a political system, was established as a Government where Jews, Christians, Muslims and pagans lived together under alliances that afforded peace and tolerance. The Prophet made many political alliances that allowed communities of peoples from other faiths and political systems to play an active role in the Islamic Government.

During Abu Bakr’s term, the Islamic Government in Arabia was surrounded by two super-powers, the Great Roman Empire and the Persian Empire. Both Empires were very cruel and oppressive of their people. With the help of key players (Christians) within those empires, Abu Bakr liberated considerable portions of both Empires, which made valuable additions to the State and established a sound system of justice.

While Europe was going through the Dark Age, the Islamic State began to blossom into a Golden Age, offering freedom and opportunity for people of all ethnicities and faiths. During the first 115 years of the Abbasid Caliphate, (from 750 to 1258 CE) the State saw a record growth in the fields of the arts of literature and music, the sciences (especially astronomy), philosophy, mathematics, medicine, culture, commerce, and industry. Arabic, the language of the Qur’an became the language of international scholarship. In addition to the capital, Baghdad, many provincial centers competed with each other in intellectual attainment. Modern cultural practices such as the use of napkins and dessert after meals originated from the Islamic State.

In 751 CE, with the help of a few Chinese prisoners, the Abbasid governor of Samarqand founded the paper industry. In 800 CE paper mills were established in Baghdad and Damascus. In 900 CE one was established in Cairo. By 1150 CE several were established in Morocco and Spain. As a result, Islamic learning spread rapidly into Europe and much of today’s western learning is based from this Islamic Golden Age.

In 756 CE, Amir Abd ar-Rahman came to power in Spain. His term also contributed to the Islamic Golden Age. He organized a system of law and justice and was very fond of knowledge and learning. Great architecture advancements came from his term as he built magnificent Masjids and other buildings. Countries from all over Europe sought the knowledge and learning from Spain during his term. Islamic Universities were the only educational institutions free of charge.

In 830 CE the seventh Abbasid Caliph, al-Mamun, established the famous House of Wisdom in Bagdad. The Greek language gave way to Arabic as a form of expression of scientific and philosophical ideas. Classical Greek literature was translated into Arabic and Arabic speaking scholars wrote a number of renowned commentaries.

At the awakening of Medieval Western Europe, the scholars first turned to Arabic translations of Aristotle, Euclid, Ptolemy and many others. In order to enrich Christian Europe in scientific, medical and philosophical studies, these works had to be retranslated into Latin. This was mainly done in Muslim Spain and Sicily and these books served as textbooks in universities for centuries.

The Decline of Islamic Empire and Colonization from 1700’s – 1950’s.

Upon the end of the Crusades from Europe, Crusaders and their families saw conquered territories as lands ‘flowing with milk and honey’. Many of them chose to immigrate to these territories in the Middle East, Asia Minor and North Africa. The warring kings of Europe, formerly the Roman Empire, had stagnated their economies by wasting their resources in their bitter wars against each other and in the Crusade campaigns. The newly conquered territories were rich in food, raw materials, precious metals and other resources valuable to Europe. It offered prime opportunity for the kings of Europe to establish ‘colonial’ governments among the former Crusaders, who had immigrated into these conquered territories, in order to tap the rich resources of the land and export them to Europe. After Europe revitalized its economies colonialist expansion had begun.

The French invasion (1798-1801): The three-year French occupation was too short to exert any lasting effects on Egypt, despite claims to the contrary. Its most important effect on Egypt internally was the rapid decline in the power of the Mamluks. The major impact of the French invasion was the effect it had on Europe. Napoleon’s invasion revealed the Middle East as an area of immense strategic importance to the European powers, thus inaugurating the Anglo-French rivalry for influence in the region and bringing the British into the Mediterranean.

The effects of colonialism on the Islamic State is quite evident. Territories rich in resources, and populated by indigenous races, were exploited by colonial governments. Innovative technology was brought in from Europe to exploit agriculture, demolish precious monuments, enforce colonial rules and customs. The once fertile lands began to succumb to famine, disease, and death. The Islamic State began to erode and become dependent on the colonial governments for aid and technological advances. When, even as noted in the Declaration of Independence of the United States of America, the kings of Europe showed no mercy and refused aid then insurrections occurred demanding independence. For many, the extent of the damage had already occurred. Today, these former colonies established within the boarders of the Islamic State struggle with the effects colonialism.

Then as now, Afghanistan was the center of that struggle, offering Britain countless challenges until, in 1878, Lord Frederick Sleigh Roberts asserted control over Afghanistan. In 1880, he marched 10,000 troops from Kabul to Kandahar to the aid of a beleaguered British garrison. The battle left 600 Afghans and 35 British dead, a token of the bloodshed that has steeped the region’s wars and convinced outsiders of the perils of intervening there. The British withdrew in 1881 after many battles and uprisings, leaving the country in the hands of a native ruler. He, in 1893, agreed to a division of tribal areas that became Afghanistan’s northeastern border with British India — and that is now its troublingly porous border with Pakistan.

The British role in molding the theater of today’s regional conflicts was by no means just military. With World War I under way, Britain and France reached a secret deal to carve up the Middle East. And that deal — the Sykes-Picot agreement of 1916 — was central to the western division of the Ottoman Empire in the early 1920’s, a moment that, for radical Islamists like Osama bin Laden, is mourned as the final passing of the Muslim Caliphate that dated to the Prophet Muhammad and reviled as an episode of profound cultural humiliation.

As for the modern contest of Israeli and Palestinian nationalisms, its seeds were sown by imperial British involvement in the Arab world, which has also shaped many of the borders and conflicts that endure to this day in Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait and Saudi Arabia. In the so-called Balfour Declaration of 1917, Britain promised support to the Zionist project, even as British officials were maneuvering to sponsor Arab independence.

Post colonial period from 1950’s – present.

Many of the trends in Muslim countries are a result of the third historical period as Muslims, like much of the third world, struggle to define themselves in a post-modern world.

After colonialism had left, very little stability was left behind and the original Islamic State no longer existed. The Caliphate, which was under the Ottoman’s, Sunni Muslims from Turkey, eventually was dismantled in 1929.

This led to the creation of a “ruling class” where the people are secondary to the dictators regime.

Disputes like we see today in Palestine, Kashmir and elsewhere are lasting effects of the colonial period.

The former Islamic State has now been divided into various countries and power given to those who continue to rule their nations in the same harsh colonialist fashion. Muslims struggle under sometimes brutal oppression from dictators, kings and police states. Most are devoid of the values that existed in the Islamic State and are frequent violators of Human Rights.

 

-Article by BrJimC © 2003

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Glossary of Terms and Phrases

Abbreviations:

a.s. – English abbreviation of the transliteration of the Arabic phrase, “Alayhi wa sallam”; meaning: The blessing of God be upon him.

BCE – Before Common Era

CE – Common Era

s.a.w. – English abbreviation of the transliteration of the Arabic phrase, “Sallallahu alayhi wa sallam”; meaning: The peace and blessing of God be upon him.

(PBUH)  –  Peace be upon him.

SWT – Subhannah wa T’ala; meaning: Glory be to the Mighty God.

Terms: 

Alhamdulillah – Praise be to God.

Allah – The One God.  The God of Abraham (a.s.), Ishmael (a.s.), Isaac (a.s.), Jacob (a.s.) and all the Prophets and the entire Universe.  The One God of all things created, visible and invisible.  The One God who was not conceived nor begotten nor ever will be.  He has no beginning and no end.  The Almighty God of everything and everyone, who governs the righteous and the unrighteous.  He is not like anything but unique.

Asalaamu ‘alaikum  –  Peace be upon you.

Ashaddu an la illaha ilallah  –  I bear witness that there is no god except God.

Ashaddu anna Muhammadar Rasulullah  –  I bear witness that Muhammad is the [last] Messenger of God.

‘Asr – Late afternoon prayer

Atheism – The theory or belief that God does not exist.

Ayah – English transliteration for the Arabic; meaning: verse; as in chapter and “verse.”

Bismillah – in the Name of Allah.

Canon – A general law or criterion.

Dhikr – Remembrance of Allah

Dhuhr (Thuhr) – Early afternoon prayer.

Dua’ – Supplication or informal prayer.

Eid – English transliteration for the Arabic; meaning: holiday or celebration.

The Enlightenment – The 18th century philosophy emphasizing individualism rather than tradition.

Fajr – Pre-dawn prayer

Fardh Kifaya  –  It is the Fard, that if performed by some (a sufficient number), the obligation falls from the rest.   Example: A group of Muslim brothers meet another group on the way to the masjid. It is their duty to convey the ‘Salaam’ to the other, and so if “one” brother amongst them was to convey the ‘Salaam’ then insha’allah ta’ala the rest will be relieved of this duty.

Fardh ‘Ayn  –  It is the Fard that is a compulsory duty on every single Muslim to perform, [just] like praying and fasting.

Fatwah – English transliteration for the Arabic; meaning: ruling (as in, to make a ruling or judgment.  Plural: Fatawah.

Gentile – English translation of the Hebrew word, “Goy”; meaning: any non-Jew.

Hadith – The written collection of the teachings and sayings of the Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w.), which are verified by authentic sources and compiled in reputable books of the collections of Hadith, such as in the books of Sahih Muslim or Sahih Bukhari, etc.

Hijab – English transliteration of the Arabic; meaning: covering.  Most commonly associated with the covering a woman wears but not particular to a woman.  May, also, be used in the case of a man’s modesty.

Humanism – The system of thought concerned with human matters rather than the divine or supernatural.

Imam – leader of prayer or in some cases leader of a community of Muslims.

Injeel – The original gospel given by God to Jesus (a.s.) which was lost by the last quarter of the first century.  The gospel (Injeel) is not to be confused with the written stories of Jesus (a.s.) life that we see today in the Bible, but rather the sayings or teachings of Jesus when he was on earth.

Insh’allah – God willing

Isa’ – English transliteration of the Arabic; meaning: Jesus; i.e. Jesus the Messiah (Christ) son of Mary.

Isha – Night time prayer

Islam – English transliteration of the Arabic; meaning : peace through submission of the will to the One true God.

Jahiliyya – Days of ignorance or not knowing.

Jazaku Allahu Khair – Goodness of Allah to you

Jennah – Paradise

Jihad – English transliteration of the Arabic; meaning: struggle; as in to struggle against.  Jihad can take on many forms.  One can Jihad against the temptations in his/her heart.  One can Jihad against the philosophies of a society through discourse.  One can Jihad to protect their families against an invading army.  Jihad does not initiate an attack in any of these three areas but is a defensive action.

Ka’aba – English transliteration for the Arabic; meaning: the cube-shaped stone building whose foundations were built by the angels and completed by Prophet Abraham (a.s.), and his son (Prophet Ishmael (a.s.)), in Makkah.

Khamr – English transliteration for the Arabic; meaning: intoxicant.

Ketuvim – English transliteration of the Hebrew; meaning: hidden writings or miscellaneous writings; such as, Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, etc.

La illaha ilallah  –  There is no god except “the God.”

La3na  –  A Curse.  Such as, a curse on someone.

Lama – A Tibetan or Mongolian Buddhist Monk; such as in the Dalai Lama of Tibet.

Maghrib – After dusk prayer

Masih – English transliteration of the Arabic; meaning: Messiah or Christ.  Used in reference to Jesus (a.s.) son of Mary.

Mashallah – God has willed it

Masjid  –  A Muslim place of worship.  Plural: Masajid.  Known by people in the west incorrectly as a mosque.

Mikveh – English transliteration of the Hebrew; meaning ceremonial washing; like a baptism.

Musallah – Small prayer room, not a masjid or community center.

Muslim – English transliteration of the Arabic; meaning: believer (i.e. believer in God).  Also, the name of a book of the collections of Hadith, “Sahih Muslim.”

Newer Testament – The final version and collection of the books included in the Christian Bible.  Matthew – Revelations.

Nevi’im – English transliteration of the Hebrew; meaning: Prophets; such as in, Isaiah (a.s.), Jeremiah (a.s.), etc.

Pharisee – English translation of the Hebrew word, “Parush”; pl. “P’rushim”; A Jewish Religious sect; Religious liberals who believed in reinterpreting the Scripture for their time.

Qur’an – Literal meaning, “something revealed.”  The Islamic Holy Book.

Ramadan – A month in the Islamic (lunar) calendar.  The month of fasting in which the Qur’an was originally revealed to the Prophet (pbuh).

Riba – English transliteration for the Arabic; meaning: interest; as in interest on a loan, etc.

Ruh – English transliteration for the Arabic; meaning: spirit; Hebrew, Ruach.

Sadducee – English translation of the Hebrew word, “Tzadok”; pl. “Tz’dukim”; A Jewish Religious sect; Religious “lawyers” who believed in the strictest letter of the law.

Sahih Bhukari (or) Muslim – Volume collections of hadith.

Salaam – Peace

Salaat (Salat) – Formal obligatory prayer

Shirk – English transliteration for the Arabic; meaning: to ascribe partners to God in worship; to ascribe form to God who has no form; idol worship.

Subhanallah – Glory be to God

Sunnah – English transliteration for the Arabic; meaning: The traditions and practices of the Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w.) that are not only recorded in the books of Sahih Muslim and Sahih Bukhari but have been in practice since the day of the Prophet (s.a.w.) until the present.

Surah – English transliteration for the Arabic; meaning: chapter; as in, “chapter” and verse.

Takfir – Pronouncing a Musim a non-believer.

Talmud – English transliteration for the Hebrew; The Oral Torah; the Law of Moses handed down by word of mouth over thousands of years, which describes how the “Written Torah” is to be carried out; also, in today’s written form is The complete set of books which includes what was supposed to have been the “word of mouth” Law of Moses as well as a collection of writings from Rabbinical authorities of old.

Tanakh’ – English transliteration for the Hebrew; meaning: The Holy Scriptures; The Older Testament; The Jewish Scriptures. 

Taraweeh – Extra night time Sunnah prayers said during Ramadan.

Torah – English transliteration for the Hebrew; meaning: The Law; (i.e. the first five books of Moses (a.s.)); part of the Tanakh’.

Qur’an – English transliteration for the Arabic; meaning: The Reading; the collection into one book of the Revelations of God given to the Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w.) via the angel Gabriel;  The Revelations memorized and written down by the Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w.) as taught to him by God through the angel Gabriel.

Ummah  –  Islamic nation including Muslims and non-Muslims.  Commonly misused by many Muslims today to mean only all of the Muslims collectively.

Wa ‘alaikum asalaam  –  And upon you be peace.

Zakat – Mandatory charity of 2.5% of residual wealth given yearly.