How to not 'defend' Islam [EDITED]

So... reading the news today and it turns out that some 'satirical' French magazine decided to print a newspaper where they pretended to ask the Prophet Muhammad to be their editor. It was full of the usual junk and, while clearly trying to capitalize on 'anti-Islamic' feeling in France*, it's the same rubbish, different day.

Then some misguided fool firebombed the newspaper's offices, destroying everything. Sadly, I knew this would probably happen. We have no idea who did this crime, and yes it's a crime, but it was probably some Muslim. Thoroughly predictable, thoroughly wrong, and thoroughly stupid.

Why, I ask myself, must these self declared 'defenders' of my faith stoop so low as to commit violence? What gives them the right to harm or damage another person or their property? Islam does not give them this right! They act out of misplaced anger and are utterly wrong.

I condemn their violent actions unconditionally. My suspicions is that it was a bunch of young hot heads, fueled by the idiocy on certain web forums, who did it. Their actions have hurt us all and they should be ashamed of what they did. I hope they are caught and the appropriate sentence is handed to them.

The thing is, these 'defenders' do more harm than good. When the newspaper decided to do it's publication, I saw the story on the BBC website. A few lines, a statement from the paper, and that was it. The moment the firebombing was reported, it shot up to the number one read article in a matter of hours. Some small newspaper being firebombed made a giant splash around the world.

This on the BBC, a news organization committed to balanced and fair reporting, that steadfastly stays away from any dramatization in its news to the extent that the site can be about as fun to read as a cereal packet. I've not even bothered to open some of the other news sites or check the anti-Islam blogs, but I expect that it will be huge there as well. Such stories are hotly demanded in this day and age.

So, what have these defenders actually achieved? Nothing. The idiocy of these youngsters has merely provoked the issue further, bringing more attention to it. If they really wanted to defend it, a letter to the editor would suffice, perhaps a phone call. Especially in Europe, where free speech is guaranteed even when it is an attack on someone else. Muslims must respect the laws of the land they live in, Islam demands it, and use proper channels to state their views.

If one is to defend Islam, one must absolve oneself from anger, emotion and personal feelings. You should take a step back, a deep breath and always remember that violence solves nothing. Words and education change minds and hearts, violence turns people away. The 'defenders' were really quite selfish in doing what they did, acting without thought or reasoning, to commit violence.

In cases like this, where the whole point is merely to provoke a reaction, it's best to ignore the stupidity. Had this newspaper been ignored, nothing would have happened. It would have published it's silly little articles and that would have been that. By a handful of people committing violence, 1.57 billion Muslims have been stained. This little episode won't die now, we'll be hearing of it, having it used to judge us all, for a long time.

So much for defending

Jack

*EDIT 1: It was pointed out to me on Facebook that the magazine wasn't really doing anything or picking on Islam. Christianity is 'attacked' just as much if not more in France; thus it is wrong for me to say the magazine was riding on the anti-Islam wave. A statement from the magazine, to the effect that they state they are not provoking, supports this. No one denies that anti-Islam feelings are alive and kicking in France and Europe in general in a way that anti-Christianity feelings are not. However it's a stretch to say they caused this.

Dawa and why I don't 'do it'

EDIT: I am aware that you can spell 'Dawa' as 'Dawah'. I spell it the former way, not sure which is more 'correct' but you know what I'm talking about anyway.

I thought I'd give you two posts to make up for having a week off. I like to pair my 'Islam' articles with something different so everyone get's something to read, even if they are not a religious sort. I'm nice like that. For the non-Muslims here, Dawa is the act of 'calling people to Islam', evangelicalism if you like. Let us begin...

I often get asked 'why don't you do Dawa'? I'm told how good I'd be at it given my apparent 'skill' at writing and talking (this raised my eyebrows). I'm told how wonderful it feels to welcome new brothers and sisters into the faith. And I'm told how it is every Muslims 'duty' to do this.

Frankly I've always been slightly repulsed by the thought of going up to someone and shoving my faith in their face. We've all had the people knocking at our door trying to spread the 'good news' and I've yet to know anyone who has 'converted' because of it. By and large, Muslims don't go knocking doors, not that I know anyway, but similar tactics of 'approaching' people exist.

Again, this makes me feel odd. Why should I mess with someone's choice of faith? What concern of mine is it? None I feel. But I'm told how wrong I am and how I should be shoving it in their faces.

But here's the thing, Dawa, as in 'evangelicalism', isn't really Dawa. I know plenty of 'converts' from these evangelical activities. Most of them aren't 'Muslim' any more. The other thing is that, yes, one of a Muslim's 'duty' is Dawa. But again Dawa isn't evangelicalism.

It's not how many 'souls you can save'. There is no thing in Islam over 'saving souls' and indeed, the actions of others are not taken into account when a person is judged for their life. A person's actions are all that matters. Granted, causing someone to sin means that the 'cost' of the sin is born by yourself as well but the same goes for causing someone to do something good. However, 'converting' someone never falls in anywhere.

Because Dawa is living as a good Muslim. I always say that every Muslim is an ambassador for their faith. Most of the 'converts' I was talking about cease to be 'Muslims' because we aren't 'Muslims' ourselves. We show them how Islam is and should be and then act in a completely different way and thus, they drop the faith that they 'converted' to. I don't blame them.

A friend of mine is studying in the Middle East right now. She told me how rude the 'Muslims' are, how they don't care for others, how the behave badly. She is, might I add, and Asian Muslim so this behavior is new to her. Indeed, a lot of Muslims go to the Middle East and expect it to be and Islamic paradise for some odd reason! How mistaken they are, in fact I must say of all the 'Islamic' places on earth, the Middle East is way towards the bottom of the list. Not to say there aren't good Muslims there, but the attitude in general is all wrong. They are not good ambassadors by far.

The other issue is with the evangelical Dawa givers themselves. They are all seem to be happy to 'convert' dozens of people, but they seem to skimp on the actual important bit of looking after other new Muslims and making sure they are secure in their faith. There is more to Islam than repeating the Shahadah with meaning you know. I'm ofter suspicious of these 'great' Dawa givers who convert people after a lecture or on their doorstep. What sort of person learns all there is to know about Islam in a few hours?! And what happens to them after this 'conversion'? There seems to be stress in getting people through the door and not caring what happens to them after. That is not Dawa.

We simply, as Muslims on the whole, don't behave correctly. If you really want to give Dawa then start with yourself. Start behaving 'Islamicly'. That doesn't mean you dress in a certain way and spend all your time in a Mosque. It means having manners, respect for others and behaving politely. It's really all about being a better human as well.

It means that you treat others as Islam says you should, it means kindness, compassion and charity to all of mankind. It means becoming a better Muslim. It means you go that extra bit to help others. It doesn't mean you go around feeling good at the dozen 'new Muslims' you 'created'.

You should never aim to be 'converting' people, rather you should make 'conversion' a by product of your life. If someone looks at you and feels they want to find out more about your faith then isn't that better than shoving it in their face? If they want help with this then by all means give it, but you shouldn't make it your goal.

That is the best Dawa you can ever give and it is what will actually 'convert' people. Be an ambassador, not an evangelical.

Jack

Al-Arqam outdoes itself with new book (UPDATED)

The farce that is Al-Arqam is getting lively again. After a few months respite where this irritating group sat and did nothing, this week they outdid their last joke (sorry, serious organization) by releasing a new book. The book's title is:

“Seks Islam, perangi Yahudi untk kembalikan seks Islam kepada dunia".

For those of you not familiar with Malay that reads:

"Islamic sex, fighting Jews to return Islamic sex to the world".

Just wow. Al-Arqam, you outdid yourself! I though that the 'Obedient Wives Club', where you preached that wives should act like prostitutes for their husbands, was the best joke you'd pull but this... this I have no words for. No words to state how much I laughed reading this over breakfast and no words to state how a small part of me died from embarrassment. And you even managed to blame 'Jews' for all your problems again, bonus points for you! One wonder's how exactly 'Jews' are stopping 'Islamic sex' but I guess I have to buy the book huh?

Yes, Al-Arqam, one of the jesters in the arena that is the sad state of the Muslim world today. And you can guess that they will be liberally splashed over every news paper in the land and a lot of international ones as well. Because that is what these people want. Unsatisfied with the dismal and boring lives they lead and unwilling to change the world for good they instead waste everyone's time.

These pathetic outbursts of stupid, un-researched and deliberately outrageous 'books' and 'groups' purely to get in the papers, get them a little attention and then back to the plotting room for the next farce. They never try and change anything, they just push something into the open and don't care if people laugh. Anyone heard anything from the 'Obedient Wives Club' since it was 'announced' all those months ago? Me neither.

American readers might like to liken these groups to the Westboro Baptist Church, the cult like 'Church' who like to picket military funerals with outrageous signs becuase they know it will rile everyone up. Or the Dove World Outreach Centre who had the little dance over the Quran burning. They are insignificant, pointless, small and of no relevance but you can bet they will get in the papers a lot! Because that is all they want.

Muslims have already spoken out against this 'book'. Sisters In Islam were, as expected, one of the first to release a statement and the Kelantan mufti, Datuk Mohamad Shukri Mohamad, stepped in to correct the 'book's' over emphasis on sex. For non-Malaysians, Kelantan is the state where the 'book' was released and the mufti is the person appointed to run Islamic affairs. He stated correctly that the Quran likens the husband-wife relationship to 'the ‘wife clothes the husband and you (the husband) clothes the wife''. In other words, an equal relationship where both parties get fulfillment. Interestingly he hasn't issued a ban on the book (as he can do so for 'Islamic' books) and I feel this is wise. Any such ban will just fan the flames so to speak, bringing more attention to the farce.

Now, I must admit here that I do agree with Al-Arqam on one thing; Muslims don't talk about the 's' word enough. It's mostly embarrassment and culture, heck no one likes talking about it, but actually Islam states that sex between husband and wife is like charity, not something to be ashamed of and something to be enjoyed. Most couples have 'dips' in their 'sex lives' during marriage and we shouldn't let it damage relationships. It's an issue that we should face, but not by releasing crappy books with little foundation in Islamic practice.

But Al-Arqam, no, they don't care about this at all. A few newspaper headlines, a little bit on the TV news and they're happy. What a sad world we live in.

Jack

UPDATE I: JAKIM, Malaysia's government 'Islamic Development' department, have stepped in to state they will be restricting distribution of the book (if not outright banning it) as it is in their words “shameful” and “nonsensical”. The Woman, Family and Community Development Minister has also been quoted as saying: “Should this publication be in contravention of the law whether civil or syariah (Sharia), then the law here will take its course,”. Let's just pray that is the end of that and nothing more is said about this ridiculous publication.