Just Me And My Sufi Friend!

[Nur]

So My dear Brother Awakener, can I assume that you wold rather read about a write up in which I discuss in more detail the above points that you said I have started but not finished them in detail as you have expected?

 

Please confirm if I understood your resquest, if not please clarify. The reason is, I can go tangentially in a different direction in these topics depending on the context of the ddiscussion.

 

 

Nur

[Positive]

Brother Nur,

 

I'm not assuming anything. Is it not true that you have given the partial answers and that you also promised you will come back to give more detail?

 

Should I not expect that you would do that?

 

You can tangentially go into a different direction if that is your wish but from my perspective a wiser and more productive alternative now would be that I answer the questions myself.

 

I'm ready to do that if it is ok for you!

 

The Awakener2

[Nur]

Awakener bro.

 

That is what this forum is for, a two way street, please expound to your hearts content, inshAllah, I will take a back seat for the moment and respond with my views when appropriate.

 

Nur

[Positive]

Brother Nur,

 

Thanks. Insha Allah I will prepare a well thought piece and will post in here. I hope it won't take me longer than it has taken you ( joking)

 

until then bye.

 

The Awakener2

[Positive]

The return to God ( Part 1 )

 

The return to God is what worship and religious devotion is all about. In this subsequent piece of writing I will look and explain this subject matter from a Islamic perspective. In this paper I will present an introduction to Islam and with subtitles as : why man needs to have religious devotion, about Islam and Muslims, a contrast analysis of Muslim and non-Muslim believe states, I will try to expound the subject in a clear manner. The paper, though concise in its informative content, answers important questions pertaining to the subject in discussion. In supplementary articles, I hope, I (we) will try to fill in more details.

 

The need for religious devotion

 

Man in order to survive have inherent argues. He needs to cover his basic needs like food, shelter, medicine etc. Like all other living things in order to survive as species he needs to procreate. Man has also emotional and mental needs. All those needs usually manifests themselves as argues of emotional and mental art; hence the argue to seek food and eat, for shelter; the argue to find a partner, pleasing environment for positive emotions; to seek knowledge about the creation and Creator etc. Man can not survive in this physical environment neither as an individual nor as a group if those argues are not satisfied within reasonable time. In addition to aforementioned argues is the religious and devotional argue which is stronger in some than in others. While the last mentioned argue satisfies the needs of Soul other argues satisfy the survival needs of the embodiments of Soul. Consequently the argue to seek and worship the Creator is in fact necessity for the survival of man.

 

The belief is that when one, for example, remembers his creator and lets God to have place in his heart in retribution God guides that person to His right path and to right actions and eventually, when the devotee persist to sincerely and intentionally follow the guidance,He lets the individual membership into the fold of His most loved ones. When the devotee takes one step to approach God the Creator takes many steps to receive him. When the devotee gives service in the name of the Creator in retribution God showers many benefits to him so that the concerned person becomes more capable to render more service. If the devotee seeks to realize the Self and God that knowledge is given to the seeker so that the faith of the seeker becomes stronger, etc.

 

For that reason it is the human being who gains from devotion and worship of the Creator. Not only do the human constitution function optimal when one is in harmony with the will of God but one also gains peace and happiness in an eternal Life.

 

How would man go then about his worship and devotion of the Creator? Muslims believe that Islam is the answer.

 

Here is introductory presentation about Islam and its followers.

 

Islam

 

From an untold ages God has sent messengers to man so that he may learn what He has ordained man to do. In the Islamic tradition these messengers of Allah are chosen by Allah on the bases of their piety and were entrusted to bring His word to the masses so that man could learn how Allah wants him to be and how he, man, ought to act in all departments of his Life; through these messengers came the sacred scriptures of Islam which inform man about the past, the present, the after-life, about the attributes of the Creator and many more. The Holy scriptures, as we call collections of the word in a book form, the last of which is the Qu’ran the sacred book of Islam, are in a way manual instructions from God to man; in essence instruction for an all encompassing way of Life for man. The Koran ,the Sacred Book of Islam has , as Muslims believe, precedence over any other book and therefore with the Sunnah is the sole valid source which has to be followed by Muslims. Muslim also believe that Mohammed (pbuh)is the final messenger of Allah.

 

The word Islam means peace and submission to God. This submission requires conscious and willing effort to surrender to the ONE Almighty God.

 

The portal through which one enters Islam is the shahada: La Ilaha illa-Allah wa Muhammad-ur rasul Allah( There is no God but Allah and Muhammad is the messenger of Allah). By affirming shahada with sincerity and genuine intention a person enters the fellowship of Islam.

 

Once one becomes humble and submits himself totally to Allah and to Him exclusively, in faith and in action, one surely feels peace in his heart. This inward peace reflects itself in ones outward conduct as well.

 

More to come.

 

The Awakener2

[Positive]

The return to God ( part 2 )

 

 

Islam has 5 pillars and 6 basic beliefs

 

The 5 pillars are: to testify that there is to God but Allah and Muhammad is the messenger of Allah, to perform the prayers, to pay the zakat, to fast Ramadan and to make the pilgrimage to the House if you are able to do so,

 

The six basic beliefs are: belief in God, Belief in the Angels, belief in Gods revealed books, belief in the messengers of God, belief in the day of judgment and belief in Al Qadar ( Divine predestination)

 

Muslim

 

The Muslim then in simple terms is a follower of the teachings of Islam. The word “Muslim” means one who submits to the will of God. This submission is done, as we already said by declaring that “ there no God except Allah and Muhammad is His messenger.” In broader sense anyone who willing submits to the will of God is Muslim.

 

Hence when a person believes in the oneness of God ,that Muhammad is His messenger and believes His revelation that person is a Muslim.

 

The integral whole of Islam has three main branches. They are the ahlu Sunnah , Shi'ah and Sufis. The Islamic Sufism which is the esoteric path of Islam teaches how one can gain experiences of spiritual nature while still living in here.

 

Non-believer

 

The Qu'ran uses the word Kufr to denote people who cover up or hide realities. The Qu'ran uses this word to identify those who denied to accept Allah, His dominion and authority. The word kufr hence means disbelief in Allah. This type of kufr is called the major kufr.

 

Examples of other types of Kufr :

 

1. Disbelief out of stubbornness.

 

This applies to someone who knows the truth and admits to knowing the truth but refuses to accept it.

 

2.Disbelief out of denial: This applies to someone who denies with both heart and tongue.

 

3.Disbelief out of arrogance and pride: The disbelief of Iblees is an example of this type of Kufr.

 

4.Disbelief out of rejection: This applies to those who acknowledge the truth in their heart( intention) but reject it with their tongue( action).

 

5.Disbelief out of hypocrisy: This applies to someone who pretends to be a Muslim but conceals his disbelief

 

6.Disbelief out of trying to make haram into halal. This applies to someone who accepts as lawful that which Allah has made unlawful.

 

The list goes on but the question is can a self professed Muslim be called kafir by another?

 

The answer in one word is NO.

 

It is not the task of human being to decide whether a person is a believer or not. The matter is directly to do with God, and it is He Who shall decide it on the day of Judgment. As for people if they have to decide anything it is this: Which person, according to the distinctive teaching of Islam, as laid down by God and His messenger, is within the borders of Islam, and which person has gone outside it.

 

As long as a person is in the border of Islam , that is observes the five pillars of Islam that person is a Muslim. The five pillars are the marks of Islam. As for thos who have gone outside of these borders we should deal with them as required by the Islamic teaching. Even when one is practicing Islam outwardly according to the way Islam has prescribed it or not we are not empowered to judge what is in their hearts. In fact we are limited by our inability to know what is in the heart of any person.

 

Bukhari and Muslims agree on the report that once Ali sent some money from Yemen to the Holy prophet and the Holy prophet divided it among four men. At this a man who was there said " O Messenger of Allah, fear Allah!"

 

The Holy prophet said:

" Woe to thee who is more obliged to fear God than me".

Khalid Ibn Walid who was present said:

" Messenger of Allah, should I not kill him?"

The Holy prophet said:

"No, perhaps he says his prayers."

Khalid said:

" Many are they who say their prayers, but do not have in their hearts what they say in their tongues".

The Holy prophet said:

"I have not been commanded to open up the hearts of people to cut open their inside."

 

It is also recorded that once a man from among the Ansar was talking confidentially with the Holy prophet. Suddenly the Holy Prophet said loudly [ about someone] :

 

Does he not bear witness that there is no God but Allah?"

The Ansari said:

"Yes indeed, O Messenger of Allah, but his testimony cannot be trusted."

The Holy prophet said:

" Does he not accept that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah?"

He again replied:

" Yes he professes it but his profession cannot be trusted."

The Holy prophet said:

"Does he not pray?"

He again said:

" Yes he does, but his prayer cannot be trusted."

The Holly prophet said:

“God has forbidden me to kill such people."

 

Now we can see why it is a great injustice that a Muslim who professes to have faith in the beliefs taught by God and His Messenger and thus is within the borders of Islam according to the aforementioned explanation should be declared by some person as being non-believer. Doing this is in fact to oppose God Himself, that while the law of God passes a decree about a man that he is a Muslim, a creature of God issues a decree of kufr about the same man.

 

One aspect of issue of kufr and Islam is internal and another external. While the first is related to the heart and intention of man the second is related to his tongue and actions. From man’s words and actions we can to certain extent estimate his inner condition, Still we will lack both knowledge and certainty about the content of the persons heart. Therefore the right way is to leave the question of faith to Allah.

 

The Holy prophet has very strictly forbidden calling people kafir and wrong-doers. The Prophet went so far as to say that if a man calls another kaafir and the latter is not so in reality the verdict of kufr shall rebound on the accuser. Takfir and calling others wrong-doers, " Muslims" or other names is not merely the violation of the rights of an individual or group of individuals but it is also a crime against society. It is an act of immense harm to the Muslims.

 

The unity of the Muslims is based on the bond of faith and Muslims have to honor this bond; otherwise with more sects the community will become weakened or may become disintegrated. And It will not have collective strength left to proclaim the word of God to the rest of humanity.

 

This does not mean though that we should tolerate everything without reservation; even if someone speaks and writes clear heresy, What I’m trying to say is that as it is harmful to expel a Muslim from Islam it is no less harmful to include kafir within the Islamic community. The emphasis here is that we should exercise greatest caution to declare a Muslim as kafir.

Everyone who believes that there no God but Allah and Muhammad is His messenger should be presumed in his favor that he has faith in his heart and consequently is Muslim.

 

Repentance

 

Repentance is the cure to disbelief. God the compassionate and merciful gladly receives the one who sincerely repents from his wrong actions. The human, fallible as he is, has always a way out from his misdeeds of faith. That way is repentance. Nevertheless the potential to die as a true Muslim is there for everyone until his last breath. Consequently even those who disbelief now and their children are still potential Muslim until they die.

 

Conclusion

 

The true spirit of our actions should aim to bring the person nearer to God. One should be concerned for the spiritual welfare of the others. We are not serving others if our actions are not helping them to return to Allah. Our action should not alienate anyone but rather show peace and compassion both in word and action. Then love blossoms which brings the seeker to the Straight Path to Allah.

 

Ilaah baa xamdi iyo shukri naq leh.

 

Ps. This 2 part postings anwers my three questions.

 

The Awakener2

[Nur]

Positive Brother

 

Where are you when you are needed most as an envoy of peace and good will? The Sufis and the Salafis are being played on each other in Mudug, I thought they were both united against the Ethiopians and the TFG ( Transplanted Foreign Government)?

 

Brother, If you are not already in Guriceel, or Dhuusomarreb by now to make peace, its about time, let me know if I can help too, we dont need our oppressed people to kill each other senselessly.

 

 

Nur

[Positive]

Brother Nur,

 

Indeed! It is time to stand together. Sufi and Salafi are coined names and they should not have any value beyond that. Are we not all Muslims? Then let us be Muslims and dwell in the house of Islam- as one.

 

For centuries we have been butchering one another on the ground of clan loyalties. Now we are poised for factional wars with Islamic cloak. And what will happen tomorrow when the second and third generation Somalis from the Diaspora come back to Somalia with diverse language, culture and religion ? It might entail more 'depopulating' of the country if we don’t change our ways.

 

What we are facing today is a child’s play compared to the challenges ahead. It seems to me that the lesson we have been learning as people is tolerance. We are learning to live in peace in a state of diversity. Our seeking to have social conformity has not been a success! You can not create social conformity through the use of stick. Therefore neither the Sufis nor the Salafis can be defeated by the use of force. Ultimately they have to learn to co-exist and live together in peace and harmony- which is in fact also our goal as a nation.

 

It is not too late to realize the predicament we find in ourselves. We simply need to collectively denounce violence and choose peace. I’m doing my part and hope everyone else would do his/her own part.

 

This " kill them" madness between brothers has to stop.

 

Ps. I’m not from that area you named if that is what you are alluding to.

 

 

The Awakener2

[Nur]

Awakener bro

 

 

Indeed! It is time to stand together. Sufi and Salafi are coined names and they should not have any value beyond that. Are we not all Muslims? Then let us be Muslims and dwell in the house of Islam- as one.

 

Indeed brother, Sufism in Somalia is being used by politicians to put Islamic revival in the back seat, where its has been for the past 100 years, ( Like Friedman said " We dont want war with Muslims, we want war between Muslims" )

 

The irony is that the greatest Leader of a liberation movement in Somalia History, Sayyid Muhammad Abdallah Hassan was a Sufi of the Saalixiyah order, but whose aqeeda as manifested in his poetry is a glaring example of Tawheed in action, may Allah have a mercy on his soul and forgive him his excesses if any ( Israafanaa fii amrinaa ) , ( My maternal great-grandmother pregnant with my grandfather escaped from the Sayid's Daraaweesh in Garowe to Benadir) May be the Brits used the same Media Propaganda Blitz against the Sayyid like they are now doing against the Shabaab.

 

Nur

[Positive]

Brother Nur,

 

First the war in Somalia now is about power struggle brother. It has nothing to do with Sufis and Salafis. Neither has it do with the tenants of Islam and, in my opinion, the continuation of this war is un-islamic in every definition of the word.

 

Second all of us need to understand the wisdom which states that :What goes out comes around. It simple means for example that:

 

1) If you take a gun and go to fight you will meet an enemy in the field. Blood shed becomes the result.

 

2) If the others are wrong and you are right then you will be attracted to others who see

you as the wrong one. The result becomes arguments, weak social cohesion and can result in fighting and wars.

 

3) If you are not considering the others as equals with equal rights the others will do the

same to you. Consequently unequality causes a feeling of unjustice and invites organised and open rebellion.

 

4) If you use force to subjugate a weaker part an external stronger power/person comes, takes the power from you and subjugates you. The consequences becomes lost dreams and shattered egoes.

 

One could in fact predict the outcome of his/her actions by simply becoming aware of this wisdom. Like boomerang actions always come back to their originators.

 

Therefore if the islamic revivalists have been experiencing problems lately it has mainly to do with them. They just need to look deep into their actions and come up with methods that bring constructive results for all- not only for themselves.

 

Ramadan kariim

 

The Awakener2

[Nur]

Awakener bro. You write:

 

 

First the war in Somalia now is about power struggle brother. It has nothing to do with Sufis and Salafis.

 

True, its about Allah's power represented by those who are seeking to establish Allah's law and the Sovereignty of Somalia against power hungry Criminal Warlords embedded parliament supported by foreign interventionist hegemony masquerading as a legitimate international body.

 

 

You write:

 

Neither has it do with the tenants of Islam and, in my opinion, the continuation of this war is un-Islamic in every definition of the word.

 

Generalizations are not accurate, you can say safely that the Sufi card is invented by the warlords to keep Somalia as Ethiopia's slave, and stop the liberation movements trying to revive Somalia's Sovereignty and Establishment of Sharia. The Sufis are innocent in my opinion and have no dog in this fight, true Sufis never supported Ethiopia against their brethren, this is a first.

 

You write:

 

3) If you are not considering the others as equals with equal rights the others will do the

same to you. Consequently unequality causes a feeling of unjustice and invites organised and open rebellion.

 

Brother, Allah SWT says, " A fa najcalul mujrimiina kal muslimiina, maa lakum kayfa taxkumuun Allah also says [i[ wa laa tahinuu wa laa taxzanuu wa antumul aclawna in kuntum muminiin[/i]

 

 

You write:

 

4) If you use force to subjugate a weaker part an external stronger power/person comes, takes the power from you and subjugates you. The consequences becomes lost dreams and shattered egoes.

 

As a genuine Sufi, you must know that dreams are only lost if they are for this world, but for those who are seeking happiness in the next life, they realize their dreams in times of test and adversity as our times.

 

Besides, resorting to seek help from Satan does not constitute sanity, those who seek Ethiopia's blessing in killing their fellows Somalis wholesale are national traitors and war criminals, and I pray that Allah does not raise you in the day of judgement in their side, because everyone will be raised in the day of judgement with those who supported him and he supported them ( Walliyy)

 

You write:

 

Therefore if the islamic revivalists have been experiencing problems lately it has mainly to do with them. They just need to look deep into their actions and come up with methods that bring constructive results for all- not only for themselves.

 

Problems experienced in Allah's cause are not problems, they are challenges, a problem is when one finds himself in the company Ethiopia and their ilk as brothers and is paid to kill his people for cash money as a cold blooded mercenary.

 

 

I pray for you and your family guidance in this life and Jannah in the next

 

Amin and Ramadan kariim

 

( I will not be able to respond again for a while, on the road inshAllah)

 

 

Nur

[Positive]

Brother Nur,

 

It is Ramadan now. Insha-Allah we will continue this discussion in another time. But let me say this now because I may not be available for comments for a while.

 

1) My view points are personal and not representative for Sufis or any other group.

 

2) I don't condone neither do I accept foreign intervention in our country or their involvement in our affairs. Differences between Somalis should be exclusively for us to solve in a manner and through methods we choose.

 

3) It is only us, Somalis, who have right to decide our fate. It is paramount though that we unite our goals and aspirations. Only then can we keep foreigners with their own agendas out.

 

4)Politics is not my favourite subject. I'm unsure why I have to participate in this one. :confused:

 

Now some comments about your answers:

 

B) The war in Somalia is a power struggle.

 

You agreed with my contention but added it is the opposition who represent Allah's power and want to establish Allah's law and the Sovereignty of Somalia.

 

But the problem here as I see it is that, for the good of the people, the opposition has yet to show willingness to share power with anyone. Although there is merit in the argument that the opposition will not share power with criminals still we know that everyone in the TFG is not a criminal. The opposition can come to power either through consensus and compromise or through war. Although the later is costly both in life and material still the opposition has yet to choose peace as a political platform!

 

Consensus and compromise is the option; the sooner the parts realise that peace is the option the better!

 

t) About the role of the Sufis.

 

You say that they are invented by the the warlords to keep Somalia as Ethiopia's slave, and stop the liberation movements trying to revive Somalia's Sovereignty and Establishment of Sharia.

 

The real Sufis do not want any conflict with anyone. They are generally peaceful and peace loving. Yet they are now wrongly labelled as deviant sect by the opposition in Somalia and already in many areas which are under their control the activities of the Sufis is severely curtailed and their way of life threatened. Such acts as done by the opposition are not conducive to an air of friendship and brotherliness which all Muslims have to share. I have not seen you make your views about this known! What do you think?

 

Compromise and seeking consensus with the Sufis can heal the wounds and re-establish trust.

 

J) About considering the others as equals.

 

You answer:Brother, Allah SWT says, " A fa najcalul mujrimiina kal muslimiina, maa lakum kayfa taxkumuun Allah also says [i[ wa laa tahinuu wa laa taxzanuu wa antumul aclawna in kuntum muminiin[/i]

 

My assertion is directed to equality between Muslim people in a Muslim country and about Muslim affairs. I have yet to understand how anyone can benefit, in here or hereafter, from groundlessly calling others khawaarij, murtid or mujrim. These name callings which are used as war propaganda by all sides now has breed artificial inequality between our Muslim brothers and sisters and consequently has already weakened the fabric of our society.

 

It is not an option to remain divided.

 

X)The Islamic revivalists and if they are experiencing problems lately.

 

One has always many options brother which can solve challenges. It is imperative to choose the most humane option which would alleviate ones problem. Choosing humane ways is what the voiceless people in Somalia are asking the waring parts to do. How can anyone be serving God when inocents are dying every day because of his actions?

 

Waging endless and meaningless war, calling Ethiopians or other foreigners for help or usurping the will of the people by a group are not options.

 

Peaceful resolution of the conflict by all parts is the option.

 

May the Highest and most Merciful guide all of us.

 

Ramadan kariim

 

The Awakener

[Positive]

It seems that this topic is still here coming back with ever new twists and turns but mainly for inspirational purposes.

 

From my perspective the topic is about Self knowledge as such a Self knowledge is key to the knowledge of God.

 

Now I would like to share with you this video. The video is about a neuroanatomist doctor who experiences other state of self awareness after she recieved massive stroke in her left side of the brain. Although her analytical side of the brain, the left hemisphere, was no longer functional still she continued to have awareness but of different type.

 

Everyone of us is more than what his sensory organs tell him. One has to realize that one is the perceiver of reality; an entity which survives death. This has to be comforting thought to every loving heart.

 

The Awakener2

[Muriidi]

Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results. Albert Einstein

 

 

marka la idin halaagahayo ha na galaafanin

 

 

next time you want to fool around don't call it islamic ..

[Positive]

In the big picture all creation is sign from God. It is here to be reveled and praise be given to the Lord that has accorded existence to it.