Nasreddin Hoca is a a well known figure all throughout the Muslim World. He may be the most widely loved sufi master that has ever existed. He lived during the Seljuk rule which spanned from China across Central Asia and the Middle East. Nasreddin Hoca is legendary and has been loved by Afghans, Persians, Turks and Uzbeks for centuries.

Nasreddin Hoja’s name varies, as many Sahabi’s, saint’s, and dervishes’ names did as they traveled over long distances. In Afghanistan he is known as Mullah Nasruddin; in Albania, Nasredin Hoxha; in China Afanti and Macedonia he is known as Stradin Hoca. But what ever you call him, the feeling and attachment to him is the same, he is loved and this is why,

A local busybody, wanting to be rewarded for bringing good tidings, ran to Nasreddin Hoja’s house one day.
‘Nasreddin Hoja! Good news!’
‘What is it?’
‘They are baking cakes next door!’
‘What is that to me?’
‘But they are going to give you some!’
‘What is that to you?’

Nasreddin Hoja was a sufi master known mostly for his funny stories and anecdotes. The wisdom of his stories are typical of those who traveled the path of sufism explaining to the nations of the Oneness of our Creator, teaching the Qur’an al-kerim and showing them how to live the Tradition (sunnat) of the most honored one in Divine Presence Sayyidina Muhammad (may Peace and Blessings be upon him).

In the stories of Nasreddin Hoja, his behavior, like many of the saints, seems absurd. But within the tale is a profound wisdom that reaches the heart and draws a smile as much as it does an understanding of reality. One story accounts for how Nasreddin Hoja received the ability to warm the hearts of listeners when he was a child.

As a boy Nasreddin Hoja had the mysterious ability to fascinate his school mates keeping their attention and distracting them from the day’s lessons. As a result the academic interest declined and their attention was directed toward Nasreddin Hoja. Their teacher, a sufi master and master, who himself was keeper of some divine secrets, worked to redirect the attention of the students and at the same time guide the young Nasreddin Hoja so that his stories would benefit others for the sake of Allah. The teacher made supplication to Allah, asking for this and that, then he approached young Nasreddin Hoja saying,

“From now on, the more wise you become, the more people will laugh at your wisdom. And whenever someone tells one of your stories, they will want to continue telling more until at least seven have been told.”

This is exactly the case, as you will see on this blog, inshaAllah. I will be posting a series of stories from the famous Nasreddin Hoja and they will be posted in the categories called Nasreddin Hoja and Humor. I pray you will find them interesting and develop love for this most memorable sufi master.

There are a number of views expressed by European travel writers on the Ottomans and the Ottoman territories.  For example, a 16th century travel writer named Peter Gyllius, often cited by Edward Gibbon and other European historians of the late 18th and 19th centuries, is critical and negative toward the Ottoman capital of Istanbul. Today scholars have recognized him as, ‘a traveler who avoided looking at the Ottoman capital while spending a considerable amount of time in it’.

Edward Gibbon refers to Gyllius’ writings on Istanbul and the various sites he witnessed saying,

“From these wonders, which lived only in memory or belief, he distinguishes, however, the porphyry pillar, the column and colossus of Justinian, and the church, more especially the dome, of St. Sophia; the best conclusion, since it could not be described according to its merits, and after it no other object could deserve to be mentioned.” (Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire)

These writings have been accepted by Western scholars with little analysis or criticism. However, a number of historians today have given a deeper analysis to this work. And as a result an increasing number of Western scholars and historians are looking to non-European travel writers for reliable accounts of Ottoman history. References like famed 17th century travel writer Evliya Çelebi, an Ottoman travel writer who documented the life, lifestyle and culture of the 17th century Ottoman Empire. Suraiya Faroqhi, Professor of Ottoman Studies at Ludwig Maximilians University in Munich writes,

“French, English, Italian or German travellers of that period generally expected a major city to possess buildings several stories high. In part this was probably due to the Roman traditions they had all imbibed; in the imperial period, Rome contained numerous plots of land bordered by streets (insulae) covered over with residential construction of six to seven storeys. Frequently, the wealthier inhabitants lived on the first floor, while the upper stories were occupied by the poor; a comparable arrangement also existed in some parts of eighteenth century-Paris. Moreover, in the core of the city, business and residence were closely intertwined, with shops occupying the ground floor and residences the remainder of the building. On a practical level, this arrangement probably had something to do with the fact that until the middle of the nineteenth century, most European cities were still surrounded by walls. Outer suburbs existed, but wholesale building in the unwalled areas was often forbidden for defensive reasons. High densities on a small built-up area were the outcome, and typical French or English visitor to an Ottoman twon would be on the lookout for evidence of similar crowding (compare Braudel, 1979, vol. I, pp. 432ff).”

In contrast Faroqhi discusses the classic Ottoman urban image noting,

“Ottoman towns were however arranged according to different considerations. Most of them possessed a citadel which might contain a number of urban quarters. But at least in Anatolia, the commercial district normally lay outside the citadel. Markets might be located in an undefended lower town, probably because most urban sites were remote from endangered frontiers. But even when a city wall might have seemed advisable for security reasons, Ottoman townsmen – or the central administration for that matter – rarely decided to defend the entire built-up area in this fashion. Ankara constitutes one of the few, exceptional instances in which a new city wall was built in the troubled years around 1600; even a century later, this wall still protected the entire built-up space. By contrast, towns in coastal and therefore exposed regions of western and southern Anatolia were rarely protected by a full city wall. Whenever the situation became too dangerous, such settlements therefore contracted until in the case of emergency, the entire population could find refuge in the citadel (Stoianovich, 1970; Ergenç, 1980; Faroqhi, 1984, pp. 23ff).”

In the observations of European travel writers exists images defined by social prejudices which also effect these historical accounts as noted by Professor Faroqhi,

“On a more general level, the notions and prejudices about Turks and Middle Easterners that European travellers subscribed to have also influenced their judgments about Ottoman towns. In the sixteenth century at least, most visitors were highly impressed by the Sultans’ military power. To give but one example among many, Busbecq’s account is full of praise concerning such features as the lack of an entrenched aristocracy, the single-minded devotion of all military men to the ruler or the discipline and frugality of the janissaries (Busbecq, tr. Forster, 1968). But it seems that, possibly in order to avoid totally revising their mental map of the world, these European authors were unwilling to admit that Ottomans might be good at anything but warfare.”

She continues,

“Referring once again to the authors of late antiquity, European writers sometimes compared the Ottomans to the Germans or Huns who battered the Roman Empire during its final centuries. Pious commentators might add that the Ottomans were victorious because of the sins of the Christians in general, and more particularly the selfishness and disunity of Christian princes. Praise for non-military achievements in the Ottoman world on the part of contemporary European travellers is therefore rare, and usually hedged in the numerous ’yes, but’s. A whole set of definitions was worked out in order to not have to come to terms with Ottomans as artists, craftsmen, or musicians. We have already encountered the tendency to regard Ottoman buildings as Roman. A variant of this theme was the tendency to ascribe all the positive sides of Ottoman rule to the activities of converted Christians, a tendency which has not died out even in the late twentieth century.”

In conclusion, it should be noted that these prejudices are the ‘realities’ that todays historians are facing when presenting accounts of Ottoman history. And as Professor Faroqhi has stated, there is an intellectual “trap” in taking European travelers written accounts on the Ottomans Sultans, Ottoman towns and lifestyle at face value. Especially when producing images or imagery concerning the Ottomans. Muslims and people serious about history should be investigating the ‘objectivity’ of European travelers’ written sources on the Ottomans. In the end you will find much more satisfaction than the hollow feeling, as if you had just been had, when referencing some European travel writers.

Faoqhi, Suraiya. Approaching Ottoman History: An Introduction to the Sources. Cambridge University Press, 1999

A person’s ethnic origins, heritage and culture are part of what make mankind distinct from the animal world. Mankind has been given the ability to develop complex and intelligent works of art; intellectual and scientific discoveries as well as spiritual achievements. However, each nation – meaning ethnic group – has gone about this in their own ways, ways that have grown out of geographical positioning, necessity and inspiration. It says in the Qur’an,

“O mankind! Lo! We have created you male and female, and have made you nations and tribes that ye may know one another. Lo! the noblest of you, in the sight of Allah, is the best in conduct. Lo! Allah is Knower, Aware.” (49:013)

Being of African origins and born in the United States is particularly challenging because of the country’s historical relationship to the African continent and particularly West Africa where my ethnic group, the Fula people or Fulani originate. Like the establishment of Islam in West and Central Africa, the Fulani heritage are coming by way of a physical, cultural and ideological marriage of Futa Djallon; Futa Tooro and Arab Muslims of the Umayyad Dynasty by invitation of the Monarch of Futa Djallon. This was during the time ‘Uqbah ibn Amir (RA), the Governor of Egypt, led a campaign to conquer Tripoli and eventually Italy, ordered by the Caliph of the Umayyad period, Hazreti Mu’awiyah ibn Abi Sufyan (RA).

It was after this marriage took place that the height of African Islamic Civilization took its shape. And in the center of this shape was the foundation of academics which functioned as a library and mainstay for all spiritual, intellectual and scientific discoveries in West and Central Africa. This center was located in the city of Timbuktu, Mali. Timbuktu was populated by several ethinic groups, the majority of those groups were the Fulani, Songhay, Tuareg and Mandé peoples. The city housed what is known as Sankoré University, which was built in 989 A.H./1581 C.E..

The university itself was built by erudite Islamic jurist of Timbuktu named, al-Qadi al-Aqib ibn Mahmud ibn Umar. This was partly accomplished with the financial assistance of a wealthy African woman who left a generous endowment funding the project, in the traditional way many women have assisted in supporting the Islamic Law guilds historically. Shaykh Mahmud Ka`ti described the process and dimensions used in building the university in his book Tarikh al-Fataash, saying,

“When he made the pilgrimage and prepared to take leave to return to Timbuktu, he took authorization from the attendants of the noble Kaaba to delineate the measurement of the Kaaba in length and breadth. They gave him permission and he measured it with a long cord measuring the length and breadth by marking these on the cord. He then brought this cord back to Timbuktu to serve as proportions. When he was ready to build the Sankore’ Mosque, he unrolled the cord and delineated the exact breadth he wanted to build by placing four pegs planted on the corners of the four directions. Thus, the inner court of the mosque had the exact dimensions of the Kaaba. It is not deficient of excessive to it in any way.” (qtd in M. Shareef, Sankore Institute)

This university was a symbol of the spirit of the society. Islam was at the center of this civilization which became a meeting point for traders and scholars from nearly every nation, Berber, Arab and Jewish traders, so by extension Europe as well.

The city was eventually destroyed by European explorers and slavers. There is a famous story of a 19th century French institution called the Société de Géographie which offered 10,000 francs to the first non-Muslim to reach the city and return with information about it. The prize was one by Frenchman René Caillié who disguised himself as Muslim in order to avoid the local Muslims fearful of European intervention. For most Americans, Timbuktu may seem like some fairytale story, especially taking into account fantasized descriptions European explorers, known as Orientalists, gave to anything Islamic during the 16th, 17th and 18th centuries. However, this legendary city’s history is a reality that has been on exhibition at the U.S. Library of Congress since 2005.

Today, the Timbuktu Manuscripts Project, is a scholarly effort to recover and preserve the manuscripts that were held in the once great city. There were several families which were the possessors and guardians of over 100,000 manuscripts some of which dated pre-Islamic 12th century. They are written in Arabic and Fulani and contain knowledge of subjects which range from astronomy to botanics, Islamic law, sciences and history. Some of which give detail descriptions on a number of African ethnic groups and their origins. The Ahmed Baba Institute founded in 1970 by the government of Mali is one such organization which has collected over 20,000 manuscripts for preservation.

I would like to close this post discussing the importance of heritage and history and how ignoring this further inhibits, both individually and collectively, from a real understanding of: who we are; where we are going and what we are capable of, in both positive and negative lights. I find that too many communities disconnect themselves from our historical selves. Some communities hope that somehow starting from, what the West considers, the pinnacle of human development, Modernism will bring a better world. Other communities feel disenfranchised from their ethnic and historical origins because of the malaise that developed during a tragedy or decline between then and now. The premise for both is that nothing valuable can be taken from the ancient, or nothing ancient is as valuable as what we have now. This position I cannot accept, the late vizier of Sokoto, Junayd ibn Muhammad al-Bukhari once said,

“Knowledge is universal and eternal but it has a social and cultural stamp. It also has a purpose and a commitment to a particular world view. It therefore cannot be neutral.” (M. Shareef, Sankore Institute)

Which implies to people of African origins that they are marked with the social and cultural stamp of the knowledge they are accepting, in fact it becomes a part of their identity. This is a very significant position that carries heavy implications. Junayd ibn Muhammad al-Bukhari also said in a poem,

“Whoever does not inform his children of his grandfathers Then has destroyed his child, marred his descendants, And injured his offspring the day he dies;
Whoever does not make use of his ancestry, Then he has muddled his reason;
Whoever is not concerned with his descent, Then he has lost his mind;
Whoever neglects his origin, Then his stupidity has become critical;
Whoever does not cause his ancestry to be abundant, Then his incompetence has become great;
Whoever is ignorant of his lineage, Then his intellect has dissipated;
Whoever does not increase his place of descent, Then he has abolished his honor.” (source)

Unfortunately, al-Bukhari’s poem sounds more like a vivid description of what was to come rather than a mere composition in verse. Perhaps the present day generations, you, me and our children can curtail this trending spiral of dishonor to the ancients and show the proper respect to those who were the harbingers of a lifestyle of tradition, knowledge and learning throughout the world and for Muslims a good place to start is the last legitimate Islamic Civilization, the Ottomans.

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During the 19th Century the Kotoko Kingdom became an influential ethnic group of the Kanem Empire. Kanem was developed and ruled by the Sayfawa Dynasty in North-Central Africa (Chad, Libya and Niger) as early as 900 C.E. This dynasty is known to have been established by a Yemeni King named Sayf ibn dhi-Yazan who lived sometime during the 6th century. Kanem and the Kotoko people were eventually subsumed into the Bornu Empire, an Islamic State established in Central Africa during the 14th Century until the early 1900s. The Bornu Empire at its height included what today is known as Chad, Nigeria and Cameroon. Around the 16th Century the two states Bornu and the weakened Kanem merged and became known as Kanem-Bornu under the King Idris Aluma.

Idris Aluma ruled Kanem-Bornu from 1571 to 1603. He was a pious Muslim, a strong leader and military genius, Aluma developed a number of treaties with the Ottomans. Some of his greatest accomplishments were securing the borders of Kanem-Borno at Tripoli and Egypt. A famed story of Aluma’s diplomatic ability speaks of a diplomatic visit from the Ottoman Empire on the authority of Sultan Murad III, who sent a 200 member ambassadorial party across the desert to attend Aluma’s court in Birnin Ngazargamu an ancient Nigerian city. Aluma also established trade with the Northern states where slaves were one of the most profitable and sought after exports.

Kanem-Bornu overtime became an empire in decline riddled with corruption. Ngazargamu the capital city of the empire held power in Kanem-Bornu until the 19th Century. In 1808 the Fulani, a Muslim nation of Qadiri Sufis from the West invaded and conquered the city of Ngazargamu, establishing it as part of the Islamic State of Sokoto in the name of religious reformation. This advance did not conquer the empire but did succeed in reforming Kanem-Bornu, influencing the declining Islamic State to adopt an Islamic orthodoxy under the leadership of Islamic scholar Shaykh Muhammad al-Kanem.

Between approximately 1810 and 1850 there was constant struggle between monarchs until finally a civil war erupted. Shaykh Umar al-Bornu continued to rule Kanem-Bornu after his father Muhammad al-Kanem. And in 1893 Rabih az-Zubayr of Sudan, lieutenant of the Ottoman Khedive, Isma’il Pasha of Bahr al-Ghazal, led an army from Sudan into Kanem-Bornu and conquered the empire.

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During the time of the Ottoman Empire, the Muslims were strong, noble and respected. It was a period where unity among Muslims was achieved. During the reign of the Ottoman Sultans, the Muslim unity that is idealized today, was actualized and developed from an authentic connection to the Prophet, Sayyidina Maulana Muhammad (may Peace and Blessings be upon him). Unlike the egoistic nationalist movements of later Muslims and the even more egoistic autocratic regimes of Muslim’s leaders the Ottomans ruled following the traditions of the Holy Prophet (may Peace and Blessings be upon him). And they lived for the Nation of Muhammad (may Peace and Blessing be upon him). They ruled in a manner that is pleasing to their Lord according to the Qur’an and Sunnat, the traditions of the Prophet (may Peace and Blessings be upon him). The Ottoman Sultans were saintly rulers who defended Islam for over 700 years and every Muslim is deeply indebted to them, the Ottoman Sultans.

The Ottomans had accepted the Holy Prophet’s sunnat/tradition and were living according to it even after Modernisms popularity began to take hold. The Ottoman Empire had the last and most successful Islamicly organized ruling system which allowed Muslims to be Ottoman and retain their national identity. One could be an Ottoman and a Fulani, an Arab, an Afghani or a Pakistani-Ottoman for example. This allowed the multinational reality of Muslims to unite under one flag, the Ottoman flag. Those who equate Ottomans with Turks are misinformed, Turks are Turk-Ottomans just as Arabs are Arab-Ottomans and although the Muslim Turks were the Ottoman Empire’s ruling nation it was a multi-national; multi-ethnic and multi-religious Islamic State.

Today you find various religious groups in the West clamoring for unity, but if you notice these religious people do not really know where to begin unifying. One primary problem that today’s state and religious leaders are finding concerning the future of Muslims in the world is to which flag are Muslims going to unite under. To who’s authority are Muslims going to give their allegiance? This is why efforts of unity and solidarity, like those produced popular religious people, have little to no gravity outside of their own fan base.

Being an Ottoman provides unity and solidarity in the fashion and spirit of our Prophet (may Peace and Blessings be upon him). If you are a Muslim, accepting Islam, you are an Ottoman. And if you are an American then you are an American-Ottoman. But today Muslims are saying that they are American but not Ottoman! Why?

Because Muslims have accepted a Western ideology that a “nation” relates to geography and not a people. People historically identified themselves as nations according to tribe, language, culture, tradition and religion. Geography was part of the definition but rarely the primary or sole definition. This flows naturally and organically,

“[A]n individual is part of a family, then of a clan and tribe, then of a nation.”

Overtime a particular group of people began to think of nation as primarily centered in geography, and they projected their group identity onto the land. This is the origin of colonization, where you could live in a certain geographical territory only if you belonged to a specific group of people who shared a common language, ethnic appearance and tribe, who owned the land, defined as a nation-state or country. (R. Abdul-Rauf) Fitnah and conflict is deeply woven into this ideology and is the underlying root of many of the worlds problems today. Countries where the majority are Muslims are especially soiled by this dirty idea, because this system is in opposition to the tradition of the Muslim’s Prophet, Muhammad (may Peace and Blessings be upon him). Therefore, Muslims should return to their rightful claim as Ottomans, whether that is American-Ottoman, Arab-Ottoman, Chinese-Ottoman, Pakistani-Ottoman or Russian-Ottoman. This would be a real step toward unity on so many levels and the re-unification of the Prophet’s Ummah.

Looking to the title of this article I presumed that some, wading through the vast sea of Google searches, may have crossed this title and felt appalled that someone would attempt to explain jihad. I considered this title for nearly a day and eventually decided that, Explaining Jihad was the best fitting title for what we are about to indulge here. I will briefly address the classic tenor of jihad and move on to address the intentions and action that purport to be jihad. And though I may meet a substantial amount of opposition in this effort, I may likewise, by the mere ratiocination of this article’s claim, make a reasonable case in the minds of many.

Islam is a religion that has relied on the authenticity of its teachings as one of its main points of reasoning. Whether that authenticity is in divine writ or the recorded traditions of its prophet (may peace be upon him) this authenticity must remain intact in order to protect the deep-seeded roots within the hearts and minds of Muslims. However, today it is less known to the general population that the traditional method to protect our religion and our hearts from corruption was through a successive transmission of authenticity. In the past the transmission of knowledge was established through a chain of authority. Typically, if you were a a student of an Islamic scholar you may or may not be given the authority to transmit and expound on his or her (there are many accounts of female scholars in Islam) work. However if one has been given permission to teach based on the Islamic scholar’s teachings this position creates authenticity and a formidable position against opponents.

Unfortunately, in our present day society the malaise of authority and subsequently, the post-colonial condition of Muslim countries has created an opportunity for sinister developments with destructive consequences. One of these consequences is the perversion of the Islamic concept, jihad. For the record jihad taken from its triconsonantal root (J – H – D) means “to struggle” or “exert effort”. [1] It is this meaning that is at the heart of each use in the Qur’an. The classic Islamic scholar Al-Jurjani (d. 816/1413) in his Ta’rifat wrote that, jihad is “inviting to the truth” (al-dua’ ila al-haqq). This position is also supported by the Prophet himself (peace be upon him) who said,

“The greatest jihad is speaking truth to unjust power.” [2]

In fact in Islamic disquisition, there are two manner of jihad, the lesser and the greater. These two types have been discussed by American Islamic scholar Hamza Yusuf, in the appendix (part B) of his translation of Imam Tahawi’s al-Aqidah al-Tahawiyyah, where he writes,

“The lesser jihad entails calling others to the truth and defending oneself from those who oppose that call; it also means using state-sanctioned martial forces to move from a condition of disequilibrium to one of harmony and balance. The greater jihad is the internal struggle with one’s own self in opposing its appetites and impulses until it is in submission to God.”

In this brief discourse, Imam Hamza also refers to a verse of the Qur’an which has been the axon of discussion and a classic debate concerning the legitimacy or illegitimacy of an armed struggle. Historically and in modern times it is used to encourage both the extremists aggrandizing their respective position seeking legitimacy, such as in the case of suicide bombing. [3] And also by the traditionalists who attempt to isolate extremist’s arguments and anchor them outside the context of legitimacy in Islam. Thus marginalizing the argument of the extremists in order to prevent senseless violence. The verse reads,

“and that you struggle (tujahiduna) in the way of God with your possessions and your lives.” (Qur’an, 61:011)

Imam Hamza also points out that although there are two types of jihad, there are also “varying levels” of jihad as well. And this he notes is one of the outstanding features of traditional Islamic exegetical and theological discourse. For example, he refers to a excerpt from the noted theologian and exegete, Fakhr al-Din al-Razi (d. 606/1210) who states,

“Jihad, after these two basic divisions [i.e., the greater and lesser jihads], is of three types: a person vis a vis his own self, which involves suppressing his ego and denying it its destructive lusts and appetites; a person vis a vis the generality of humanity, which involves not craving their possessions, and it involves being compassionate and merciful with them; and finally, a person vis a vis the world which involves taking it as a provision for the Hereafter. Hence, there are five types of jihad.”

In addition, I think that it must be noted that these references are not apocryphal text or aberrant views of sectarian Muslims. No, these scholars are in fact the classic scholars of the Qur’an and Sunnah. With that said, I believe I have covered the classic tenor or the usage of jihad as promised. And that my point concerning the misappropriation of the word jihad has been made and if not then at least I have proved that jihad in its literal sense has a broad spectrum of implications.

Therefore, jihad does not mean “holy war”. [4] Nor can persons or leaders of groups make the call to Muslims to defend truth, as we previously discussed is one of the meanings of the lesser jihad, by committing “unlawful warfare” or hirabah as per Islamic discourse. Consequently, there have clearly been attempts by Muslims to utilize the historical text and psychological bonds that exist to inspire resistance, avoiding a discussion on intent, and rationalize that resistance to present day Muslims of the post-colonial Middle-East.

In conclusion, despite the bitter consequences of the modern world on the Middle-East – European colonization, the subsequent nationalist regimes and finally internal decay within the Muslim world – this does not change the purpose of Islam nor does it alter the meaning of the Qur’an. And therefore a condition of hirabah could never equate the lesser jihad despite aberrant claims that seductively suggest just that. Ibn Taymiyyah said,

“Islamic warfare is always defensive, because the basis of relationship with the non-Muslims is peaceful coexistence (musalamah); if one reflects deeply on the causes of the Prophet’s (peace be upon him) military expeditions, one will find that ll of the were of this type.”

While I think the above explanation does shed light on the misapplication, whether intentional or unintentional, of the Islamic term jihad, I also think it is appropriate to close this article with an approximately ten minute statement by Imam Zaid, [5] an American Islamic Scholar, recently featured on Bill Moyers – in which you may also briefly spot me attending a lecture – as he discusses hirabah and its violent implications.

[1] al-Tahawi, Abu Ja’far. al-Aqidah al-Tahawiyyah. Trans. Hamza Yusuf. United States: Zaytuna Institute, 2007. 89.
[2] al-Sijistani, Abu Dawud, Kitab al-ta’rifat. Riyadh: Dar al-Salam, 1999. 610.
[3] Abdullah, Abdul-Hakim. “An Islamic View of Suicide Bombing.” Hakim Abdullah/Wa Salaam (2007): 25 Jun. 2007 .
[4] Jackson, Abdul-Hakim. “Jihad in the Modern World.“ Seasons. Spring (2003): 31-48.
[5] Shakir, Zaid. “An Islamic View of Suicide Bombings”. Classical Islamic Political Theory. Zaytuna Institute, CA 2006.

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Although the idea of culture and religion is broad and profound this article on the issue will not be. I am intentionally formulating questions, that I have considered but have yet to realize a conclusive and reasonable decision on the matter of culture, religion and Islam in the United States (U.S.). Personally, my experience being a Muslim in the U.S. has been reasonably pleasant, however lonely at times. I have always lived in the U.S. and I have nothing to compare my experience as Muslim in the U.S. to. Honestly, I don’t know how different it is to be a Muslim living in a Muslim-country, I can only imagine (and that does me no good at all).

Therefore, on this issue – being a Muslim living in an Islamic-country – I have no substantial opinion. Though what I have found is that living as a Muslim in the U.S. is at times strange and then at others very normal and comfortable. And I intend on identifying – at least for myself – what makes my experience as a Muslim in the U.S. strange and what makes is normal?

This first thing that I identified as a key element in the strangeness of being a Muslim in the U.S. was my knowledge – or ignorance – of the religion (din). Looking back, I realize that the less I knew of the religion the more uncomfortable I felt with religion in public life. Sure, I believed that: there was no diety but Allah and Muhammad (s.a.w.s.) is His Messenger, but what I mean is more closely related to the types of decisions Muslims must make on a day-to-day basis.

For example, certain practices like the ritual ablution or prohibitions like those on food and drink may seem absurd to many Americans. And while I may think obeying my Lord and purifying before prayer or the avoidance of alcohol and unclean or questionable food products may be a righteous behavior, there are some that feel it obsessive to wash a minimum of five times per day. Others find it offensive if one refuses food or a cocktail when offered, I have experienced this first hand.

Is this the result of a culture in opposition to a religion? Does one find the same conditions in Islamic-countries? Perhaps, but are the conditions parallel, I doubt it. Generally speaking culture is socially transmitted behavior patterns that reflect a number of elements in society but particularly art, belief and education. And religion is a system rooted in belief and worship. Therefore, what category does Islam really fall? Or is it too expansive to be categorized in these terms. Furthermore, isn’t our belief inseparable from the Sunnah of the Prophet? And where does the Sunnah of the Prophet (s.a.w.s.) fall, culture, religion, both or neither?

Recently, Fatih Alev – a Turkish-Dane – and member of the Islamic-Christian Study Center in Copenhagen wrote an article entitled, Europes’ Future: Make Yourself at Home, in it he says,

“My culture is Danish (you may say European) and only to some extent Turkish and is a product of the norms and values that I have been subject to in my family and in society at large.”

This statement led me to question the concept of culture as it relates to religion. I think that this concept is being approached incorrectly at least for Muslims. How is it that a Muslim can take on a non-Islamic culture? It appears that this is either a miscommunication of terms or an oversimplification.

Perhaps we could correct this possible error by making use of more realistic terminology such as “Danish-Muslim culture” or “European-Muslim culture”. These terms – in my opinion – are more accurate – generally speaking – in their depiction of Muslims as they relate to culture (art, belief and education). Whereas an occasional beer may be acceptable in Danish culture it is absolutely impermissible in Danish-Muslim culture.

I think that at the very least we could benefit from these clarifications by putting to bed the ridiculous notion of a “Clash of Civilizations”. This theory proposed by Samuel Huntington; promoted by the hit-and-miss intellectual Francis Fukuyama, and his notable contemporary Benard Lewis is only possible by removing the reality of Muslim societies in the West. Not to mention those groups that share the basic cultural and societal values that Muslims are generally known for. Once the interconnected reality of Islam in the West is realized exclusivist ideas like that of Huntington and others will be as laughable to non-Muslims in the West as it is to Muslims in the West. But this can only be done if we Muslims in the West begin to expose the inner workings of our culture to the global public sphere.

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Have you ever contemplated thunder? Its booming rolls and rumbles which emit from the Heavens, splitting the sky and shaking the Earth. Last night during ‘isha prayer I felt the startling reminder of Allah’s punishment when a series of rumbles appeared from the sky. My children immediately ran into the living room teary-eyed where they found me prostrating. The children crowded around me on the ground trembling and followed suit – though pointed in nearly every direction except the qibla - and I wondered if this was a natural inclination or if they were simply afraid, confused and perhaps unwittingly following what they saw their father – who presents a sense of protection, security and safety – doing?

So after I put the children back to bed, I decided to put some time into studying the Qur’an before I went to sleep. What I found was that in the ‘general index’ of the Muhammad Asad translation of the Qur’an (2004 edition) on page 1159 are references to the “thunderbolt of” Allah. The references point to various ayat which mention the thunderbolt of Allah (2:55, 4:153, 13:13 and 41:13; 17). Each verse points to the punishment of Allah such as that which was inflicted on the Jews for saying to Musa (a.s.),

“Show us Allah in public,” (4:153)

Likewise, the people of ‘Ad and Thamud received punishment which is described as the thunderbolt of Allah saying,

“But if they turn away, say thou: “I have warned you of a stunning Punishment (as of thunder and lightning) like that which (overtook) the ‘Ad and the Thamud!”" (41:13)

As I read over the places in the Qur’an where this Punishment was mentioned I wondered, is this punishment not the same as what we today call ‘natural disaster’? This thought moved me to consider and question the number of natural disasters we have faced in recent years. Haven’t we here in the U.S. faced a number of floods, forest fires, mass murders, etc., things we had absolutely no control over and are now part of the forgotten past?

In at-torat (Torah), az-zabur (The Psalms), al-injil (Gospels) and al-qur’an (The Koran), we are told of whole civilizations that were wiped from existence because of their misdeeds and disobediance. Are we in the U.S. like the people of Thamud? Like Thamud are we enjoying the unbridled freedoms which American politicians use to taunt and pander people world-wide?

“And in the Thamud (was another Sign): Behold, they were told, “Enjoy (your brief day) for a little while!”" (51:43)

Have we abused these freedoms? If so we need to recognize our own folly and wrong doing as a people – and stop pointing the finger at others – then perhaps we may save ourselves from further tragedy or even imminent threat of catastrophic proportions, one that is currently gaining fame due to a former United States, Vice President. Maybe, just maybe, if we address our own ills before trying to correct others we may prevent the Thunderbolt of Allah, unlike the people of ‘Ad,

“But they rebelled against their Lord’s decree, and so the thunderbolt overtook them even while they gazed;” (51:44)

As a final thought, I would like to ask anyone reading this article to say a prayer for your people, whomever they might be. Say a prayer for them, beseech God for them guidance in their worldly affairs. And beseech for us (humanity) Justice. Because what we need in this world is Justice and the only way we will receive Justice is by God’s Mercy.

In Christian circles – and particularly in the West – it is widely believed today that Islam is a threat to Christians, to Christianity and to Christian values. Few men have been more hated, maligned, caricaturised, and misunderstood in the West than the Holy Prophet Muhammad (may peace and blessings of God be upon him).

However, Western intellectuals who took the trouble to study, in a dispassionate and unbiased way, the most revered figure of Islam – whom God calls “a Mercy for all peoples” (Qur’an: Chapter 21) – were profoundly touched by the magnanimity and noble character of Muhammad, the Messenger of God.

Annie Wood Besant, that well-known English theosophist, women’s rights activist, writer and orator of the late 19^th and early 20^th Centuries, was moved to write:

“It is impossible for anyone who studies the life and character of the great Prophet of Arabia, who knows how he taught and how he lived, to feel anything but reverence for that mighty Prophet, one of the great messengers of the Supreme. And although in what I put to you I shall say many things which may be familiar to many, yet I myself feel whenever I re-read them, a new way of admiration, a new sense of reverence for that mighty Arabian teacher.” (Annie Besant, THE LIFE AND TEACHINGS OF MUHAMMAD)

George Bernard Shaw, an Irish playwright, critic and political activist requiring no introduction in the West, wrote:

“I have always held the religion of Muhammad in high estimation because of its wonderful vitality. It is the only religion which appears to me to possess that assimilating capacity to the changing phase of existence which can make itself appeal to every age. I have studied him – the wonderful man – and in my opinion far from being an anti-Christ, he must be called the Saviour of Humanity. I believe that if a man like him were to assume the dictatorship of the modern world, he would succeed in solving its problems in a way that would bring it the much needed peace and happiness…” (George Bernard Shaw, THE GENUINE ISLAM, Volume I)

So what was it that prompted Western intellectuals to write of their admiration for Muhammad (pbuh)? We propose to present a series of posts on some of the aspects of the Prophet’s character and life that are not widely known in the West.

How did Muhammad, that man of whom Western nations are so distrustful, address the peoples of Christianity? The following charter extended to Christians by the Holy Founder of Islam – an amazing document when one considers that it was composed in the 7^th Century AD, an age of much savagery and darkness – shows without a shadow of doubt that not only had the Holy Prophet (pbuh) guaranteed Christians of all times and of all parts of the world freedom of expression, of religion and of residence, but he had also given his word of honour that they would be guaranteed assistance and full protection. He ordered all his followers to strictly observe the covenant until the Day of Judgment. Can the like of such a generous document be found at any other point in history?

THE CHARTER OF FREEDOM

Granted to Christians by the Prophet Muhammad

This document is valid until the Day of Judgment

“This is the document which Muhammad, the son of ‘Abdullah, God’s Prophet, Warner and Bearer of glad tidings, has caused to be written so that there should remain no excuse for those coming after. I have caused this document to be written for Christians of the East and the West, for those who live near, and for those of the distant lands, for the Christians living at present and for those who will come after, for those Christians who are known to us and for those as well whom we do not know.

Any Muslim violating or distorting what has been ordained will be considered to be violating God’s Covenant and will be transgressing against His Promise and by doing so, will incur God’s wrath, be he a monarch or an ordinary subject.

I promise that any monk or wayfarer who will seek my help on the mountains, in forests, deserts or habitations, or in places of worship, I will repel his enemies with my friends and helpers, with all my relatives and with all those who profess to follow me and will defend them, because they are my covenant. And I will defend the covenanted against the persecution, injury and embarrassment of their enemies in lieu of the poll tax they have promised to pay. If they prefer to defend their properties and persons themselves, they will be allowed to do so and will not be put to any inconvenience on that account.

No bishop will be expelled from his bishopric, no monk from his monastery, no priest from his place of worship, and no pilgrim will be detained in his pilgrimage. None of their churches and other places of worship will be desolated or destroyed or demolished. No material of their churches will be used to build mosques or houses for the Muslims; any Muslim doing so will be regarded as recalcitrant to God and His Prophet. Monks and Bishops will be subject to no tax or indemnity whether they live in forests or on rivers, in the East or in the West, in the North or in the South. I give them my word of honour. They are on my promise and covenant and will enjoy perfect immunity from all sorts of inconveniences. Every help shall be given them in the repair of their churches. They shall be absolved of wearing arms. They shall be protected by the Muslims. Let this document not be disobeyed till Judgment Day.”

Signed: Muhammad, the Messenger of God

(Quoted from Makâtîb-ur-Rasûl [Letters of the Messenger], printed in Beirut, Lebanon)

If today in certain Muslim countries Christians are not guaranteed some of their basic human rights, justice would require that instead of blaming and maligning the Holy Prophet Muhammad (pbuh), they criticize those Muslim leaders guilty of disobeying the Holy Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) and of not respecting the solemn guarantee he had offered to Christians.

“A word of wisdom is the lost property of a Muslim. He should seize it wherever he finds it.” (The Holy Prophet Muhammad – peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) 

The Paradox Of Our Times

(attributed to a number of different sources)

“We have taller buildings… but shorter tempers;
Wider freeways… but narrower viewpoints.
We spend more… but have less;
We buy more… but enjoy it less.
We have bigger houses… and smaller families;
More conveniences… but less time.
We have more degrees… but less sense;
More knowledge… but less judgement;
More experts… but more problems;
More medicine… but less wellness.
We have multiplied our possessions… but reduced our values.
We talk too much, love too seldom… and hate too often.
We have learned how to make a living… but not a life.
We’ve added years to life… but not life to years.
We’ve been all the way to the moon and back…
But we have difficulty crossing the street to meet the neighbors.
We’ve conquered outer space… but not our inner space.
We’ve cleaned the air… but polluted the soul.
We have split the atom… but not our prejudice.
We have higher incomes… but lower morals.
We’ve become long on quantity… but short on quality.
These are the times of tall men… and short character;
Of steep profits… and shallow relationships.
These are times of world peace… but domestic warfare.
These are days of more leisure… but less fun;
Of more kinds of food… but less nutrition.
These are days of two incomes… but more divorce;
Of fancier houses… but broken homes.
We can choose to ignore these sad facts of life…
Or we can choose to make a difference.”