Darwin married his cousin like Muslims, Newton died a unitarian like Muslims and Hawking opposed Israel like Muslims. They are buried in the same graveyard.
Dialogues with secularists/modernists
When ethical patience and tolerance will be considered a weakness
When ethical patience and tolerance called hilm will be considered a weakness.
The disciple asked: When will Antichrist emerge? The Ishmaelite leader of saints replied which includes: When prayer will die and when ethical patience will be considered a weakness.
الامام علي(ع
سلوني أيها الناس !.. قبل أن تفقدوني – ثلاثا – فقام إليه صعصعة بن صوحان ، فقال : يا أمير المؤمنين !.. متى يخرج الدجّال ؟..
فقال له علي (ع) : اقعد !.. فقد سمع الله كلامك وعلم ما أردت ، والله ما المسؤول عنه بأعلم من السائل ، ولكن لذلك علاماتٍ وهيئاتٍ يتبع بعضها بعضاً ، كحذو النّعل بالنّعل ، وإن شئت أنبأتك بها ؟..
قال : نعم ، يا أمير المؤمنين !..
فقال (ع) : احفظ !.. فإنّ علامة ذلك إذا أمات الناس الصلا
ة ، وأضاعوا الأمانة ، واستحلّوا الكذب ، وأكلوا الرّبا ، وأخذوا الرّشا ، وشيّدوا البنيان ، وباعوا الدين بالدنيا ، واستعملوا السفهاء ، وشاوروا النساء ، وقطعوا الأرحام ، واتّبعوا الأهواء ، واستخفّوا بالدماء .
وكان الحلم ضعفاً ، والظلم فخراً ، وكانت الأمراء فجرةً ، والوزراء ظلمةً ، والعرفاء خونةً ، والقرّاء فسقةً ، وظهرت شهادات الزور ، واستعلن الفجور…
Friendship with non-Muslims and the forbidden wilayah
Forbidding Wilayah is not forbidding simple neighbourly friendship. It is about being a religious mentor or political ally. Muslims should not take western guidance in spirituality nor should they join murderous alliances like NATO. Quran 60:8 teaches being kind and just towards non-violent non-Muslims.
Protestant reformation, Muslim revivers and divisive traditionalists
To an apostate calling for ‘reform’ of Islam: Protestant reformation was actually a deformation because it led to both secularization and still clinging to Catholic trinitarian heresy so western idea of reform is to become a hypocrite. Islam has revivers in every century. For example, Afghani, Nadwi, Shariati, Azad and Iqbal who taught ummah to be honest in the face of hypocritical modernity as well as divisive traditionalism.
Hussain Murtaza Azad and Shariati were more of corrupters than revivers, if at all they were revivers – a claim which I am.highly skeptical about.
Ishmael Abraham Better than divisive sects leading to bloodshed of Syria and Yemen.
Hussain Murtaza Ishmael Abraham Do you honestly believe that Abul Kalam Azad’s pro Congress liberalism was a viable solution to the sectarian problem. Such artificial solution never work. I would rather have a more authentic mainstream reformer like Shah Waliullah.
Hussain Murtaza Ishmael Abraham And Ali Shariati was practically a communist, feigning Islamism to intrude into the mainstream of Islamic discourse.
Ishmael Abraham Shah Waliullah’s son rejected Twelvers rather than embracing the Prophetic family.
Martson Amjorn Both practices should be audited to make it fair. Some religious practictices are completely too radical for me to tolerate. Particularly things that limit free will.
Ishmael Abraham Mutazilah rationalists preferred freewill over determinism. Modern self-deification is too radical for the pious. To make both fair, we should criticize both fatalism and modern grandiose delusions.
The dialogue with Muslim world , the sane majority , has crucial importance.
It is not a fancy dream of peace of previous generations, but vital necessity of them today
Ishmael Abraham We should reject the divisive traditionalism of previous generations and grandiose delusions of future generations for future of dialogue about God’s rights and human rights.
How both Reham Khan and Imran Khan are cultural dangers to Pakistani spirituality?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yzGJS3b_p1I
Although I am happy that cultural threat of PTI is exposed, which should ideally be evidence-based, but her argument is contradictory. If PTI believes in sexual license, which it does due to westernized personality of it’s leader, then PTI does not follow orthodox Islam. The criticism of sexual license should have been leveled by orthodox Muslims, but she fills the vacuum of their criminal silence. She should be specific whether the sexual encounters were consensual or coercive. She might be conflating the two to satisfy her ego. PTI may believe in consensual sexuality which orthodox Islam hates, but she herself condones that so both Reham and PTI are cultural and spiritual threats to Pakistan. PTI is based on slogan of western justice, but they do not fulfill the ideals of both western and sacred justice, so Pakistan needs open-minded truth seekers to avoid Pakistan’s future to be ruined by a personality cult, like PPP has already done. May God save land of the pure from both and all impure sides.
To an Icelandic philosopher
To
Óttar Norðfjörð
Peace on truth seekers. I am an orthodox Muslim electrical engineer from Pakistan. I read about you so I was curious. Philosophy means wisdom and our faith teaches learn wisdom from everyone. I have an obsession with ice so I am curious to learn about your geography and culture more.
I like the fish more than electricity because nature is better than machines.
Quran 2:143 and the middle way: Spartans and underemployment
I was introduced to spartans while studying FPGA design and I identified with it. I am also underemployed. My father chose to be underemployed and he returned from US after studying on a scholarship of business administration. Our faith community is described in our Scripture as the community of the middle way. Buddhism may preach the middle way but it verges on asceticism like Sufism and secular Buddhism tries to balance, but that balance is already built into orthodox Islam. In western history we can see both extremes of celibacy and sexual revolution, so learning about our faith can help western civilization to find the middle way. The extra free time offered by underemployment helps me in spiritual growth and reaching out to fellow humans like here 🙂
https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/the-athletes-way/201210/underemployed-resilient-and-proud
Islam and feminism: Message to a modernist Shia sister Nicole Correri
Ishmael Abraham For example, one aspect is that Khadijah, may God be pleased with her, died before the detailed injunctions of veiling and staying at home were revealed in Medina which was a legal and political phase of the missionary career. So, some might refer to the principle of abrogation. The best feminist example can be Aisha, may God be pleased with her, who was a scholar, but in Shia Islam, the monasticism of Fatimah, may God be pleased with her, is revered more. What should be done is to change the perception of western feminism in the minds of orthodox Muslims, both Sunni and Shia, that it is only about sexual revolution and hatred of men and God. Modern educated pious sisters can do that by educating brothers through sacred vocabulary. And, real life injustices against women should be addressed with empathy for the fact that according to Quran ‘humans are created weak’ so both men and women can behave in narcissistic ways. Dr Farhat Hashmi of Pakistan and Dr Munira Al-Qubaysi of Syria are female Sunni scholars who have emancipated and educated women by mastering tradition. Tayyaba Khanum Bukhari is a female Shia preacher in Pakistan. But none of these women have addressed western feminism which can preserve the traditional culture but not promote it beyond it’s historical geography. I am willing to work with any modern educated sister to humanize the treatment of Muslim women globally and to promote the message of Islam among modern feminists. Sister Nicole talked about gender roles but I think according to modern theories of attachment parenting, the role of housewife is best for spiritual growth and better spiritual upbringing of children. But still working women are a reality in even the orthodox community so I am open-minded to develop an intellectual framework to co-opt them spiritually. The sad state of Dr Afia is one example, how an orthodox Muslim woman failed to reconcile the two worldviews, so again, I am happy that at least someone is discussing this.
Conversation with a Shia pharisee about ethical humour and making fun of orthodox Muslims
Hussain Murtaza I am really surprised to see someone like you share this. Did you see the entire clip? The video has been made by enemies of and it’s actually mocking established Islamic practices like Salah, prohibition of intermingling of sex etc, it mentions the name of Prophet Esa peace be upon him very inappropriately. People’s hatred of Zakir Naik is just a bait. It’s not about Zakir Naik. It’s a subtle thinly veiled poisonous injection.
Ishmael Abraham His one of other videos are more blasphemous. I think we should allow secularists to make fun of us rather than Islam.
Hussain Murtaza Ishmael Abraham Do you think they are making fun of “us” and not Islam, in this video? Did you see the whole video. Didn’t you see how he makes fun of Salah and inappropriately mentions Prophet Esa peace be upon him. Is this us or Islam that he’s mocking.
Ishmael Abraham But these people were never raised with fiqh to understand the legal subtleties of commandments. I try to educate them.
Hussain Murtaza Ishmael Abraham Educate them yes. But I don’t see anything positive or constructive about sharing this video on your wall.
Ishmael Abraham Secularists think we do not have a sense of humour. I tell them we believe in ethical humour. But quality reduces quantity. I like Iranian movies.
Hussain Murtaza Ishmael Abraham This is neither ethical nor religiously acceptable in my view. I make jokes all the time, and they make people laugh, but it’s never about religion.
Ishmael Abraham I agree that it does not meet spiritual standards, but Quran also tells us to find common grounds (kalimatun sawaun). I may fail but I am trying to achieve that. Your feedback helps to improve trying.
Hussain Murtaza I hate dislike yazid lover Zakir Naik as much as anyone, but this video is not about him.
Frank G Hahn yoga is so good for the body mind and spirit, and we even bowed 300 times Islam style
Hussain Murtaza More than 30 years of my life and I didn’t know till today that I am a “Shia Pharisee”. 🙂
Ishmael Abraham They do not like pharisees but it is a positive word used for fuqaha or negative word used for being over-strict.
Hussain Murtaza Ishmael Abraham Yes I know. I am assuming you consider me to be over-strict. I am not Faqih by a long shot.
Ishmael Abraham But you love ehtiyat like Fuqaha 🙂
Peter Bell Originally Persian Pharisees were given that name from the root word for separation from the world to a life of holiness before the Almighty. Pharisees have degenerated into narrow-minded legalists marked by a cold heart and a judgmental spirit, but from the beginning it was not so.
Hussain Murtaza Peter Bell I am certainly not cold hearted. The other traits mentioned by you are subject to subjective interpretation 🙂
Peter Bell Hussain Murtaza I am not charging you with anything, my friend! Just providing a historical footnote, because the prophet Jesus butted heads with Pharisees on a daily basis, and the reason seems to be that they had lost their original vision and purpose and descended into religious control and manipulation, which we know that God hates. If you are identifying as a Shia Pharisee — which even mystifies our old nemesis Thomas Morgan, then that may be a very good thing, my friend!
Hussain Murtaza Peter Bell I was talking in a lighter mode. I know you didn’t mean anything negative.
Peter Bell I do appreciate your warm sense of humor! If it helps any, I am a recovering Pharisee too, though I don’t know much about the Shia part. But trying to work hard enough to earn the favor of God is a curse and a plague that many of us in the Abrahamic traditions find ourselves weighed down with. Here is a hint: it never will work, so we just need to cast ourselves on His sovereign mercy. All peace and blessing to you!
Ishmael Abraham I think Eastern traditional culture suffers from phariseeism, but modern western culture suffers from antinomianism more. Modern West needs God-fearing pharisees.
Peter Bell Ishmael Abraham Well, yes, we do suffer greatly from antinomianism. Agreed. But after much research I have not found phariseeism to be the answer. What’s wrong with antinomianism is not specifically its freedom from the law, but its lack of the sustaining power of grace (a thousand times more motivating and effective than fear of the law) to replace the letter of the law. The answer to antinomianism is grace, which empowers us to fulfill the law without legalism. The answer to phariseeism is grace, which empowers us to fulfill the law without legalism. Blessings and peace to you!
Ishmael Abraham Along with grace, a knowledge of commandments is also necessary which is also a part of grace.
Islam is the middle path between monasticism and phariseeism
“Sometimes the Bible in the hand of one man is worse than a whisky bottle in the hand of (another)… There are just some kind of men who — who’re so busy worrying about the next world they’ve never learned to live in this one, and you can look down the street and see the results.” ― Harper Lee, To Kill a Mockingbird
Islam teaches that one should balance between an ignorant worshiper and non-practicing scholar. One is the heresy of monasticism and the other is heresy of pharisees. The middle path is called sirat al mustaqim the straight path to God.
A spiritual Ishmaelite 