The phenomenon of two Dins!

[xiinfaniin]

This is the ultimate anomaly of the Somali’s contemporary Islamic sahwah. I can’t pin point at its origins, but its effect can be neither hidden nor easily explained. Our youths are fully trained on the theological arenas. They know what tawhiid is. They know what sunnah is. They can’t be tricked on the issue of al-Walaa wal-Baraa--- they understand where their loyalties belong. Unfortunately all these are outer projections of our faith. Where we tragically fall short is implementing it.

 

Here is a Somali tax driver who prays five times a day. He readily gives charities, mandatory or otherwise. He’s passionate about the politics of dishonor that goes on back home. He loves his wife and children. Yet he accepts to live in a life of duplicity; he and his wife are separated, not by spousal feuds or other circumstances but by their own design. Though thier Muslim marriage is correctly sanctioned, he’s not technically married to her from the legal perspective of the state he’s living in. Waa la qariyaa ogoga. And for that reason, he ceases to funttion as a responsible husban and father. He wouldn’t show up for his children when it matters the most, in the parent-teacher meetings, in the routine medical screens, etc. In fact if the authority come his home for inspection, he and his wife would spend the night before devising best ways to evade them; his traces in his home would be purposefully erased. All of this is somehow ok because it’s done against a gaal institution? What about the negative effect it apparently has on children?

 

Another arena where this anomaly shows on is the area of mucaamalah with other Muslims. You all heard of Dalsan xawaalah and how it harmed and impeached the integrity of wadaads, leaders of this sahwah when it was in its infancy. Also what happened in Toronto was quite appalling. So what happened to the Islamic tarbiyah as it regards to Somalis. Credible wadaads would do things that are wrong. But that’s not what I have beef with, it’s the stubborn and headstrongness that follows it, and at times borders culture of warlordism.

 

Do you think, our early sahwah leaders focused on the masaa’il of caqiidah and perhaps neglected on tarbiyah?

 

And no, this is not some thing I have seen today or yesterday. It’s a real issue, and I have not seen it got adequately addressed. And yes I chose this to be about the good wadaads, and not about the average faaraxs and xaliimos!

[Nur]

Xiin bro.

 

This phenomena represents a real problem, the duplicity/hypocracy problem, which is costing the Dawa work a great deal.

 

Here is an excerpt about this phenomena from eNuri Opticians few years back:

 

 

".......And although these wrongfully prescriped eye glasses make some of them look very scholarly and sophisticated from the outset, deep inside, these camel herders, are suffering from a spilt personality as a result of the double vision their current glasses offer, a love of this worldly glitter and a yearning to their faith and maker, conflicting requirements indeed."

 

 

In another write up on SOL Islamic Board( Reminder for e-Preachers) I wrote:

 

 

" Being a Muslim is one thing, taking the next step of Dacwah requires some essentials:

 

1. Knowledge.

 

The fundemental principles of Islam :

 

Tawheed.

 

Unfortunately , today as I see the main problem facing Muslims worldwide is lack of a proper understanding of the overall meaning of the contract of Shahaadah. The Shahaadah in turn is composed of words such as ( ilaah) whose meaning is fuzzy at best in the minds of many muslims.

 

If you ask most people who profess Islam the meaning of (Ibadah, Daghuut, ilaah, rabb) the answer you get explains the deplorable state of affairs facing the Muslims today. The Quraan and Hadeeth revolves around these key words, yet, the majority of muslims do not look deeper into these meanings in order to make the Quraan talk to us in a plain language that we all can understand.

 

Unfortunately most issues that one hears in Muslim study circles addresses social ills and how Islam can solve these ills. However, these social ills which reflect the state of Muslim affairs today have emanated from their poor understanding of Tawheed which in turn has resulted in the actions ( or the lack there of )of the followers of Islam. (Eemaan is something that resides in the heart, reflected by actions) Hadeeth. So when we see the actions of a person, we are in reality peeking deep into his heart, if there is no action, there is no driver, and thus no motivation and belief.

 

 

2. Action:

 

Our environment teaches us how to behave, thus our actions represent the residual experience of actions we saw other do in our lifetime. If we have a belief, our actions will represent it, and others will take a note of it, either agreeing or disagreeing with it, but it is in itself a form of dawa to others. The best way to make Dawa is through our actions, unfortunately, when Muslims came in contact with christians in the west, some have even adopted their method of Dacwah which is sermons and discussions. Although this form may serve in islolated cases, it by no means suffices for the practical Dacwah similar to that of the Companions of tye Prophet SAWS.(SAXAABAH)

 

People observe the driver of our actions, if they feel that you really know where you are going, they will likely follow you, but if they sense through your actions that you are not truly representing what you are saying, then you have just seeded doubt in their heart. ( O Allah do not make us a Fitnah for the unbelievers) Our actions, are further divide into the following:

 

a) Inter-Personal:

 

Between you and the people you deal with. If your dealing is based with the Rabbani Akhlaaq that was inherited from our beloved Prophet Muhammad SAWS. Then definetely, this will draw the attention of the non Muslim and it may earn you the respect of the non Muslim, his trust and generate inquisitive discussion that may lead for the guidance of the non Muslim. People observe everything about you, and if you are not careful, of your personal behaviour, you may be doing negative Dawa.

 

 

b) Work Ethics

 

Your work ethics and how you deal with people in the material sense gives yourprospective converts a measure of your innate beliefs, if they observe diligence, promptness hardwork, honesty, frankness, then, it is likely that they listen to you after being satisfied with your other qualities. In Business, if you buy a product brand and become satisfied, you are likely to follow all their other products.

 

c) Respect and Tolerance

 

When people call you a name or two, do you get upset? do you respond with a respectful answer or call them names as they call you names? . A person once was insulted by another verbally, his response was the result of his self confidence and Eman. He responded by saying that he had other bad qualities that he is working on to change. This person is not blinded by a false pride of his reputation , rather he is interested to know his shotcomings even if it comes from an angry person.

 

d) Ibadah

 

Our relationship with Allah, is the basis of our success in Dacwah, Allah says ( And when you are done (with Dacwa), get up ( for Ibadah at night) and seek your lord)Allah says " (is it wise that) you preach others to do good while forgetting your own souls? "Dacwah begins with your self. First, look into your self, and try to justify your actions. Are they good or bad? If they are good, what is the motivation? the love of Allah, fear of his punishment? or is it a habit? If you find bad deeds, what is the price you are willing to pay for it? do you hide these bad deeds from friends and family? if yes , can you accept the fact that you have made Allah the least significant observer of your actions? Can you still count on false hopes that you will stop these bad deeds someday? Do you know when you are going to die? Now after answering these questions, the result may be that you have a clear view ahead of you. Thus you improve your life with good deeds and reduce your bad deeds in an affort to race with the remaining time left before you take the final stand before a judge and a jury not of your peers.

 

So you get the Idea and importance of amassing as much hasanaat as possible and wiping as much bad deeds as possible thru Ibaadaat, istighfaar and repentence, in order for you succeed in your hobby of making Dacwah" end quote.

 

 

In yet another eNuri (Somali language) titled ( Qalbi Fiican) , I wrote about an experience that I had with some wadaads that I shared a business, I was really shocked to find out how some people we count as enlightened wadaads, change colors to pre_Islamic mode once they see the mighty green back.

 

The problem lies in our upbringing, we were all raised by parents who lived the age of bad aqeedaah and duplicity, so we have grown up with some level of hypocracy in our dealings, and it surfaces when our values are tested with the litmus test ( Green Back $$$).

 

This topic is indeed a pivotal topic, it binds all of our beliefs and hence our actions.

 

Baarakallah feek Xiin bro.

 

 

Nur

[xiinfaniin]

^^Thanks much yaa Nur. Yours was very good read indeed. Good scholars used to emphasize that Islam would be hollow without the concept of a-takhali wa-taxalli ! What it essentially means is that one needs to completely embrace Islam’s teachings without any holdback. But today it’s different, and sadly so. The world of fatwa-shopping has commenced Nuurow!

 

May be it’s worth your time to enlighten us all about this concept.

 

Once again Jazaaka Allaah.

[Jacpher]

I thought this deadly phenomenon has long departed.

 

I think what drives someone to undermine their deen and stack up few more green papers is mere greed and endless appetite for more glitters; all under the influence of fatal qaflah.

 

The irony lies the extend Muslims go for dunya and how much we forget the Zuhd concept. The whole purpose of earning should have been about pleasing your maker since no penny goes without question on yowmul hisaab. No servant leaves before Allah until asked about how every single penny made its way to the pocket and how it left out.

[Jamster]

Waxayna sifican u aqrisan Riyaadul Salixiin-ka! concentrate more on Kitaabul Tawxiid etc.

[Viking]

Originally posted by Nur:

 

Unfortunately most issues that one hears in Muslim study circles addresses social ills and how Islam can solve these ills. However, these social ills which reflect the state of Muslim affairs today have emanated from their poor understanding of Tawheed which in turn has resulted in the actions ( or the lack there of )of the followers of Islam. (Eemaan is something that resides in the heart, reflected by actions) Hadeeth. So when we see the actions of a person, we are in reality peeking deep into his heart, if there is no action, there is no driver, and thus no motivation and belief.

I think this is what it boils down to. People have not understood the terms and conditions of being a [a good] Muslim. Some tend to believe that lying is OK as long as you are lying to a non-Muslim, whether an individual or organization.

[LayZie G.]

And no, this is not some thing I have seen today or yesterday. It’s a real issue, and I have not seen it got adequately addressed. And yes I chose this to be about the good wadaads, and not about the average faaraxs and xaliimos![/quoet]

 

lol

[Al-Muminah]

Perhaps as brother Viking mentioned, they believe it is okay to lie to gaals because they are not Muslim and therefore the act of lying is not a sin. Not being a fiscal part of your child(ren)'s lives will have its detrimental effects later on. By pretending that you are a single mother subsequently creates a whole web of lies. It never ends. All we as Muslim brothers and sisters can do, is pray that they learn their mistakes (even give them advice) and ask that they withdraw from these questionable acts. Salaam.

[Al-Muminah]

Some wise words from the Prophet(SCW). Take heed! Salaam.

 

The Prophet (saw): The Life of This World

 

 

Narrated Abu Sa'id Al-Khudri:

 

Allah's Apostle said, "The thing I am afraid of most for your sake, is the worldly blessings which Allah will bring forth to you." It was said, "What are the blessings of this world?" The Prophet said, "The pleasures of the world." A man said, "Can the good bring forth evil?" The Prophet kept quiet for a while till we thought that he was being inspired divinely. Then he started removing the sweat from his forehead and said," Where is the questioner?" That man said, "I (am present)." Abu Sa'id added: We thanked the man when the result (of his question) was such. The Prophet said:

 

"Good never brings forth but good. This wealth (of the world) is (like) green and sweet (fruit), and all the vegetation which grows on the bank of a stream either kills or nearly kills the animal that eats too much of it, except the animal that eats the Khadira (a kind of vegetation). Such an animal eats till its stomach is full and then it faces the sun and starts ruminating and then it passes out dung and urine and goes to eat again. This worldly wealth is (like) sweet (fruit), and if a person earns it (the wealth) in a legal way and spends it properly, then it is an excellent helper, and whoever earns it in an illegal way, he will be like the one who eats but is never satisfied."

 

Volume 8, Book 76, Number 435

Sahih Bukhari

[Nur]

Xiin and Viking bros.

 

Scenario 1: Imagine coming to a traffic light that is red, everyone is stopping and waiting for green light to go. Common sense predicts that you would also stop like anyone else.

 

Scenario 2: Imagine you come to the same light another day, and this time around its also red, but all the motorists cautiously look right and left, then go thru the red signal. What would you do?

 

Answer: The absence of VISIBLE law and order makes it very tempting to break the law even for some who believe the importance of law and order.

 

Now, as the planet finally melts together, different races, beliefs, cultures and faiths find themselves in a close proximity due to diminishing resources and enabling technologies and the 19th century political formations known as the nation state, in which the common factor is the geographical enclosure, not the binding fiber of faith.

 

This new reality creates numbness of sensitivity to uphold the law of Allah on earth, as secular international organizations ( acting on bealf the powerful nations) dictate secular systems to "Muslims" who hardly know the meaning of what the Shahada stands for in relation to this new reality.

 

The conflict between belief and practice, also known as hypocracy is well imbedded in the daily actions of many Muslims, which is the core reason of redicule of Non-Muslims about Islam.

 

Fortunately, this phenomena is not a plight for Muslims alone, we have partially inherited this trait from our Christian and Jewish cousins (of Abrahimic faiths). But they have perfected the hypocracy, and institutionalized it. For example the Papacy in Rome is where Christians who live contrary to all what Jesus taught, go to be forgiven for a fee, only to go back to continue the same sin evr again. Jews, on the other hand feel that they are unconditionally Allah's people , thus breaking the commandments, specially against gentiles does not hurt.

 

Its that remorseless feeling of hypocracy that makes an Israeli soldider shoot a stone throwing Palestinian boy, and the same logic that drive Bush to indirectly cause the death of Million Iraqis ( He started the Domino effect of the civil war that is ongoing with a wrong pretext that strongman Saddam had WMD, which are late found not to be there).

 

As Muslims, we can proudly say then, that we have learned a lot of hypocracy from our cousin religions, Christians and Jews, but at times, I get the feeling that we are getting too good, too quickly at it, may be, we even are beating them in their hypocracy game ( That is when you see Bush's eys crossed in the news! out of astonishment of what Musharraf is doing)

 

An example Joke goes like this: Bush in the middle of night wakes up, his Rolex watch missing, he alerts homeland security, and after an hour, hundred Muslims are caught in 20 Muslim countries all confessing to have stolen the Rolex watch. Meanwhile, Rolex watch is found on his desk, Bush orders their release after they admit the crime, to be tried in their respective countries. That is what I call result driven hypocracy.

 

Nur