1. The Voice of New Muslims: A look inside Australia's Islamic Community
Contributed By Sister Nasirah Cavaney, Victoria.
When I began my study of the Islamic faith I had never met any Muslims. Islam as a religion intrigued me, but I also was a little apprehensive about physically been face to face with an actual Muslim. Just like many Westerners I had viewed Muslims with a little suspicion and was wary about their true intentions. I would like now, to remove the barriers and let you experience through my eyes the Australian Muslim community.
The Islamic community in Australia is made up from many ethnic groups from all the continents on Earth, from the fairest Europeans to the Darkest Africans. In Islam we are taught that no race is superior to another and we treat each other as brothers and sisters, regardless of race. To be truthful I wasn’t even aware there were “blond haired blue eyed Muslims” prior to my entry into Islam. These are Muslims born into Islam not converts. This is meant not as a racist comment but it shows the ignorance I had about Muslims. I am sure this ignorance was not and is not solely mine alone. Another fact that many people don’t realize is that 35% of Muslims in Australia are Australian born. They speak perfect English even with an Australian accent. Many still equate Muslims with Arabs, yet the truth is there are many Christian Arabs, of which 10-15 million lives in the Middle East alone. An Arab by definition is a member of a Semitic people originally from the Arabian Peninsula and surrounding territories. A Muslim by definition is one who submits to God. People should not assume an Arab to be Muslim. Christian Arabs sometimes call themselves ‘The Forgotten Christians’ yet they play an important role in the Middle East. Islam is a universal religion where brotherhood and sisterhood is important. Unity is paramount.
Allah's Messenger (Peace and blessings be upon him) said "A Muslim is the brother of a Muslim. He neither oppresses him nor humiliates him nor looks down upon him. The piety is here, (and while saying so) he pointed towards his chest thrice. It is a serious evil for a Muslim that he should look down upon his brother Muslim. All things of a Muslim are inviolable for his brother in faith; his blood, his wealth and his honour".
Many people talk of the oppression of women in Islam. Here in Australia the Muslim women I know are far from being oppressed. The Muslim women I have met are intelligent, strong, passionate and caring. The scarf we wear is an act of obedience to God not our husbands. In fact, to be completely truthful, it is more common for the women to push their right to wear it than the other way round. Sadly, some Muslim men in Australia don’t like their wife to be covered. However it is an obligation from God upon every Muslim woman. From a personal point of view, I really love wearing it, it is not a chore to me rather it is an act of faith. Prior to wearing it, I feared the physical heat and the community’s response, but I am thankful to say that neither has bothered me. Many ask, “Are you hot?”. The truth is probably no hotter than anyone else. The scarf has also become a symbol of Islam and I wear it with the knowledge that by wearing it I am showing my faith to others. I truly hope that it puts a human face to the religion.
One of the first things you notice about Muslims is the use of Arabic phrases they continually say; most of these people have no Arab background. I found this to be a little confusing at first. So I shall let you into what these people are actually saying.
Muslims greet each other with Assalaamu Alaikum. This loosely translated into English is “Peace be with you”. Catholics greet each other with this same phrase in Mass (Their church service). The other most common phrase Muslims use is Insha’Allah. This translates to “if God wills”. As an ex-Christian I am very aware that Christians have also been commanded to say these words. In the Bible in James it reads;
13Now listen, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money.” 14Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. 15Instead, you ought to say, “If it is the Lord's will, we will live and do this or that.” 16As it is, you boast and brag. All such boasting is evil. 17Anyone, then, who knows the good he ought to do and doesn't do it, sins.
Muslims use other Arabic phrases too, such as Alhamdulillah (All praise to due to God), Allahu Akbar (God is most great) and Bismillah (In the name of God) – Muslims say the latter before beginning anything such as eating, working etc. In effect, we are called to acknowledge God's sovereignty over life and all its activities.
Other things that may help people understand the Muslim Community:
We do not worship any man; we only worship the one and only God. We do not worship Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) but we do follow his example. The Qur’an states;
Ye have indeed in the Apostle of God a beautiful pattern (of conduct) for any one whose hope is in God and the Final Day, and who engages much in the Praise of God. (Chapter 33 Verse 21)
We do not consume alcohol or even be seated with those who are drinking alcohol. We are strictly forbidden to consume any intoxicants including any non-prescribed drugs.
We do not eat pork products or eat food that has been touched by any pig flesh.
In Islam men and women are not allowed to touch each other unless they are family, hence, we do not shake hands or embrace those of the opposite sex. We are not trying to be rude by not offering our hand.
We do not gamble including purchasing raffle tickets. So when a person sells raffle tickets for charity and we don’t purchase any, it isn’t necessarily because we don’t care about the cause. Charity is an important part of our faith, there are a number of Islamic Aid organizations in Australia such as Muslim Aid Australia which sponsors orphans overseas, gives food aid and helps with water purification for communities in need. They played an important part in the aid effort for the tsunami victims although this wasn’t largely shown in the media. Muslim Aid Australia Inc. is a signatory to the ACFOA (Australian Council for Overseas Aid) code of Conduct which requires high standards of public accountability. They can be found online at www.muslim-aid.org.au
Lastly I would like to say that Muslims are people of faith and of community. We care about Australia and we care about its people.
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2. Hajj - Pilgrimage to the Holy City of Mecca
Contributed by Wassim Dannawi, New South Wales.
Each year in the 12th month of the Islamic calendar, Muslims all around the world begin observing activities associated with the annual Hajj, or pilgrimage to Mecca. Hajj is one of the "five pillars" of the Islamic faith. (The other "pillars" include a declaration of faith, daily prayers, offering regular charity, and fasting during the month of Ramadan.) Hajj is an obligation on all Muslims who are physically and financially able to make the trip. Hajj activities take place during six days (8th-13th) of the Islamic lunar month of Dhul-Hijjah (Because Dhul-Hijjah is a lunar month, it begins about eleven days earlier each year). Pilgrimage is a once-in-a-lifetime obligation for those Muslims who have the mental, physical and financial ability to undertake the journey. It is also a form of worship that involves the entire being: body, mind and soul.
The obligatory and optional activities of Hajj include:
* Entrance into a state of self-control called ihram, during which pilgrims are forbidden to disturb living creatures or even raise the voice in anger. The state of ihram is signified (for men) by the wearing of two pieces of unsown white cloth. (No specific clothing is prescribed for female pilgrims.)
* Tawaf or the circling of the Ka’aba, the stone building originally built by Prophet Abraham (as)and his son Prophet Ishmael(as). The Ka’aba is the first sanctuary on earth dedicated to the worship of the One true God. It is a symbol of unity for Muslims because all prayers, wherever they are performed, are oriented in the direction of the Ka’aba.
In the Qura'n, Islam’s revealed text, Allah says:
Chapter 22, verses 26-28 "Thus We settled Abraham at the site of the House (the Ka’aba) [saying]: ‘Do not associate anything with Me, and purify My house for those who walk around it, and those who stand there (praying), and those who bow down on their knees in worship. Proclaim the pilgrimage among mankind: they will come to you on foot and on every lean (beast of burden); Let them come from every deep ravine, to bear witness to the advantages they have, and to mention God’s name on appointed days..."
* The Sa’i, or "hastening" between two small hills near the Ka’aba, to commemorate Hagar’s search for water to offer her son Ishmael.
* The "Day of Arafah" on the 9th day of Dhul-Hijjah. Arafah is the empty plain near the city of Mecca. On this day, the climax of the Hajj season, presents a scene in which several million people all dressed alike and with the same intention to worship Allah, gather on a barren plain to make supplication to Allah.
* The stoning of three pillars representing Satan’s temptation of Abraham. The stoning indicates the pilgrim’s rejection of evil deeds.
* Cutting the hair to symbolize the completion of Hajj.
* Sacrifice of an animal The meat is distributed to relatives and to the needy. The sacrifice commemorates the Prophet Abraham’s readiness to sacrifice his son, identified in Islam as Ishmael, at the request of Allah. This is not a blood offering, In the Qura’n Allah states:
Chapter 22, verse 37"Neither their meat nor their blood ever reaches God, but heedfulness on your part does reach Him."
When the major portion of the pilgrimage is completed, Muslims worldwide gather for communal prayers on the first day of Eid ul-Adha (eed-al-odd-ha), the second of the two major Muslim holidays.
The main benefit of Hajj for many people is the sense of purification, repentance and spiritual renewal it instils. After his Hajj, Malcolm X wrote in his autobiography: "...I have eaten from the same plate, drank from the same glass, and slept in the same bed (or on the same rug) - while praying to the same God - with fellow Muslims whose eyes were bluest of the blue, whose hair was blondest of the blonde and whose skin was whitest of the white. And in the words and in the actions and in the deeds of the white Muslims, I felt the same sincerity that I felt among black African Muslims of Nigeria, Sudan and Ghana...In the past I permitted myself to be used to make sweeping indictments of...the entire white race...Because of the spiritual enlightenment which I was blessed to receive as a result of my recent pilgrimage to the Holy City of Mecca, I no longer subscribe to the sweeping indictments of any one race. I am now striving to live the life of a true Muslim."
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3. Prophet Muhammad's Last Hajj Sermon
This sermon was delivered on the Ninth day of Dhul al Hijjah 10 A.H. in the 'Uranah valley of Mount Arafat. After praising, and thanking God, he said:
"O People, listen well to my words, for I do not know whether, after this year, I shall ever be amongst you again. Therefore listen to what I am saying to you very carefully and take these words to those who could not be present today.
O People, just as you regard this month, this day, this city as Sacred, so regard the life and property of every Muslim as a sacred trust. Return the goods entrusted to you to their rightful owners. Treat others justly so that no one would be unjust to you. Remember that you will indeed meet your LORD, and that HE will indeed reckon your deeds. God has forbidden you to take usury (riba), therefore all riba obligation shall henceforth be waived. Your capital, however, is yours to keep. You will neither inflict nor suffer inequity. God has judged that there shall be no riba and that all the riba due to `Abbas ibn `Abd al Muttalib shall henceforth be waived.
Every right arising out of homicide in pre-Islamic days is henceforth waived and the first such right that I waive is that arising from the murder of Rabi`ah ibn al Harith ibn `Abd al Muttalib.
O Men, the Unbelievers indulge in tampering with the calendar in order to make permissible that which God forbade, and to forbid that which God has made permissible. With God the months are twelve in number. Four of them are sacred, three of these are successive and one occurs singly between the months of Jumada and Sha`ban. Beware of the devil, for the safety of your religion. He has lost all hope that he will ever be able to lead you astray in big things, so beware of following him in small things.
O People, it is true that you have certain rights over your women, but they also have rights over you. Remember that you have taken them as your wives only under God's trust and with His permission. If they abide by your right then to them belongs the right to be fed and clothed in kindness. Treat your women well and be kind to them, for they are your partners and committed helpers. It is your right and they do not make friends with anyone of whom you do not approve, as well as never to be unchaste...
O People, listen to me in earnest, worship God (The One Creator of the Universe), perform your five daily prayers (Salah), fast during the month of Ramadan, and give your financial obligation (zakah) of your wealth. Perform Hajj if you can afford to.
All mankind is from Adam and Eve, an Arab has no superiority over a non-Arab nor a non-Arab has any superiority over an Arab; also a white has no superiority over a black nor a black has any superiority over white except by piety and good action. Learn that every Muslim is a brother to every Muslim and that the Muslims constitute one brotherhood. Nothing shall be legitimate to a Muslim which belongs to a fellow Muslim unless it was given freely and willingly. Do not, therefore, do injustice to yourselves.
Remember, one day you will appear before God (The Creator) and you will answer for your deeds. So beware, do not stray from the path of righteousness after I am gone.
O People, no prophet or messenger will come after me and no new faith will be born. Reason well, therefore, O People, and understand words which I convey to you. I am leaving you with the Book of God (the Quraan) and my Sunnah (the life style and the behavioral mode of the Prophet), if you follow them you will never go astray. All those who listen to me shall pass on my words to others and those to others again; and may the last ones understand my words better than those who listen to me directly. Be my witness O God, that I have conveyed your message to your people.
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4. Time of Trouble or Time of Mercy?
Contributed by Sister Shifa Mustapha, Queensland.
In the Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful
“Say: He (Allah) hath power to send calamities on you, from above and below ….”
Qur’an – Surah Al Anaam(6) :65
December 26th 2004 dawned in South-East Asia with nothing to warn of the destruction which was to accompany it. Little did anyone realize that for many, this day would bring them face to face with eternity, and that for those who were to be left behind it would be a time of extreme suffering.
On this day a Tsunami of enormous proportions was the Messenger which delivered death to hundreds of thousands of people. The cause of this massive tidal wave, we are told, was tectonic movement beneath the Indian Ocean close to Indonesia. Though occurring for barely more than a minute this quake produced waves ten meters high, traveling at speeds of up to 800 kilometers per hour. No-one was prepared! There was no warning! More than twelve countries have been physically affected, although in terms of the deaths of foreign tourists, the number of other nations involved has multiplied greatly.
Man’s accomplishments as nil
Mankind has, particularly during this era, been riding the crest of achievement in the scientific and technological spheres. Nor do man’s achievements stop with science, but rather have continued on in the economic as well the socio-political stratagems which have been so successful for those in high places. The global ethic has all but brought about international world assimilation whereby borders are erased and every nation is but part of the planned totality. It has seemed that there is nothing that man cannot achieve either on Earth, or in his quest to conquer Space. Indeed, man is a force to be reckoned with!
Therefore, the 26th of December 2004 stands out as the day in which mankind has been brought to the acknowledgement of extreme helplessness in the face of such demonstrated power. Only sixty seconds of this applied power brought about upheaval below the Earth’s surface resulting in the decimation of so many regions, the loss of so much life - what if it had continued for minutes longer? How truly Allah has said of man: “Thinketh he (man) that none hath power over him?” (Qur’an 90:5)
Reactions
Shocked individual and global reaction led to an outpouring of aid, which was swift and generous. The tragedy of it all hammered every heart and called forth sympathy and generosity perhaps never seen before. Few nations have been untouched by this calamity, thus the flow of charity has been the largest ever witnessed with armies being seconded and billions of dollars in financial aid being promised by many countries and individuals.
In the following days shock gave way to depressing reality. Stories of miraculous survivals highlighted the grim and growing figures of those whose bodies had been recovered. Thousands of innocent children were among those who had died; so too were workers and tourists, old and infirm, rich and poor alike. Of the survivors it was wondered by many, “Why had fate chosen them to survive?”
Those who had no religious beliefs spoke of the cause being a natural phenomenon. It all came about because of a shift in the tectonic plates – there was nothing supernatural, “fate” had nothing to do with anything let alone that figment of imagination called “God”. In fact, it was voiced on more than one occasion, that this disaster was proof positive that there was no God. Kenneth Nguyen of the Melbourne newspaper ‘The Age’ questioned the wisdom of such events as well as the existence of God.. Nguyen in his article, ‘Is God to blame for this?’ (The Age, December 30, 2004), believes such acts are random and meaningless.
Among the Christians, those who subscribe to the view that God is One Whose love is so great that He does not require obedience or submission, were those who had a very hard time of it. In fact, one Priest was recorded as saying, “How does one reassure people that God is Love when they have witnessed such cruelty?” Some, it has been conceded, did in fact, find their faith wavering before such an onslaught. But not all fell into this category, being verbally chastised for stating that it was a demonstration of God’s anger with this generation for putting aside His commands. Public opinion judged them politically incorrect and disgustingly inhumane! On the other hand, others softly made mention of the fact that the majority of destruction and deaths had taken place in regions dominated by Muslims. This fact was also noted positively by both US and Australian government spokesmen who noted that the significant amount of aid given would be evidence to all Muslims of the enormous amount of goodwill and humanity being generated in Western nations toward the affected Muslim nations. Sadly this tends to be more than a little selective at times, particularly on the humanity side of things.
Islamic view concerning this calamity
Considering the fact that enormous numbers of Muslims did die, and that their lands were devastated, it is important that we look at this situation from the Islamic viewpoint:
Firstly, unequivocally, this Tsunami was allowed and sent by Allah. As Muslims we recognize that Allah Alone has power and control over all that is. He Alone is The One Who is worthy of worship. Though Creator of all things, Allah, is yet nearer to man than “his jugular vein”, He listens when His servants call upon Him. This is the basis of Islamic belief. Islam is, in truth, the religion of submission to Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful, Lord of the Worlds, as has been revealed to mankind down the ages through His Prophets and Messengers (peace be upon them). As such we do not question, but accept that there will be many lessons to come forth if mankind is willing to listen and to learn.
Life and death
Secondly, Life in totality – birth, death, happiness, sorrow, celebrations, tribulations, wealth, poverty, health and sickness – is part of this over-all mosaic which is known only to He upon Whom we rely. His Mercy and Graciousness is beyond dispute, as also is His Justice and Judgement. We do not question the wisdom of Allah in what He brings or allows for mankind, knowing that, individually, often our wrong actions bring with them their own punishments, for which we seek His forgiveness. We acknowledge that life and death are in His realm and every soul is governed by His Will: “Nor can a soul die except by Allah’s leave, the term being fixed as by writing..” (Qur’an 3:145)
The important issue is that death is not the end, and acknowledgement of this is the great difference between believers and unbelievers. The question, once asked by the unbelievers, is answered in the Qur’an: “And they say: When we are lost in the earth, how can we then be recreated? In fact, they have no faith in the Day of Judgement. Say (O Muhammad): The angel of death, who has charge concerning you, will cause you to die and afterward to your Lord you will be returned.” (Qur’an 32:10) On the Day of Judgement many of those who said “there is no God” will be brought face to face with the Truth of the matter. For believers, death is but another phase of life. This does not mean that Muslims are not saddened or even shocked when loved ones depart this life, particularly in such circumstances, surely they are loved and missed. But our hope is in Allah and the Resurrection. Peace and acceptance comes with this assurance.
Trials and Tribulations
Trials through calamity, as well as happiness and wealth, are used to test mankind. Allah has told us: “Every soul shall have a taste of death; and We test you by evil and by good, by way of trial, to Us must you return.” How often do trials of hardship bring people, to the point of calling upon Allah, even of those who have never called upon Him before? Such trials may cause to focus upon poverty of soul, thus bringing about spiritual healing. In this we recognize that trials have spiritual and moral value. In testing through happiness and wealth, we ask the question, “Who do we thank for these blessings?” And do we share with those less fortunate?
It is through enduring trials that the patience of the believer is fostered. It is mentioned in the Qur’an that all the Prophets endured testing. Well known are the trials of Noah, of Abraham, and his sons, of Moses, David and Solomon, Job, Jesus and Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon them all), to note just a few. All believers are tested:
The Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) has said, "A believer's case is strange! Every situation goes in his favor and none other than a believer can reach this because during his times of happiness he is thankful to Allah, which act is rewarding for him. When faced with misery and trouble, he endures it and this again goes in his favor. Tirmidhi narrates like this: "There arise times of tribulation for Muslim men and women. Sometimes misfortune befalls them, sometimes on their young ones and some times on their belongings, but they sustain it with patience and thus their hearts are cleansed until such time as they meet Allah in a state where they carry no sin with them."
Therefore it is concluded that in this particular calamity is testing for us all. For the Muslims enduring hardship, it is a trial of great proportion which, by His Grace, will give, among other blessings, patience, and provision. For those of us who have not been touched physically by this tragedy, our testing is in giving and doing and upholding our brothers and sisters in religion and humanity in whatever ways we can.
Punishment?
Cataclysmic events such as these have taken place in earlier ages, and are recorded in Qur’an as well as previous Scriptures. In these instances they are spoken of as great punishment for nations which have refused to take note of the signs and warnings of Allah. Of these events those best remembered by all, are the time of Noah, when only those who entered the Ark were saved, and the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah when even Lot’s wife was not permitted to survive. In all cases the warning has been given to the people from their Messenger: “O my people! Ask forgiveness of your Lord and turn to Him in repentance” but their words have been rejected and eventually destruction has descended upon them. “Against some We sent a violent tornado; some were caught by a (mighty) Blast; some We caused the earth to swallow up; and some We drowned (in the waters). It was not Allah Who injured or oppressed them: they injured their own souls.” (Qur’an 29:40)
Of this Tsunami we, as mere mortals do not know of the individual cases, we cannot judge whether in fact there were those who were punished by Allah, who must eventually face the ultimate punishment on the Day of Judgement. Were there perhaps those whose innocence and beauty of spirit may be influential in leading the bereaved to seek the way of Allah. Have those who were taken escaped a greater tragedy yet to come? We do not know, we cannot say with Allah Alone is all Knowledge.
The Warning
At this point in time we stand in what may be termed “the last days” with the last message having been given by the final Prophet, Muhammad (upon whom be peace). The finality of this era may be seen in the bequest of the Qur’an, whose Divine words were revealed for the instruction and salvation of mankind.
We have been warned of a time when we would see such things as tidal waves and earthquakes, and many other unusual natural occurrences as happened in earlier eras. Not only will there be what unbelievers term as “freaks of nature” but there will be a time of trouble such as never has been in the past. It will be a time when righteousness will be all but lost, except to those who serve and remember Allah. Morals will, as in the time of Sodom and Gomorrah, be all but extinct. It will be a time of great bloodshed and tribulation. Injustice will cover the Earth and at that time a man passing by a grave will wish that he was there. As in the time of Noah, men will laugh at those who give the truth and wish them harm, little realizing how close they are to eternity.
Time is passing quickly and the signs are being fulfilled. We who are Muslim realize the great mercy which Allah has extended to mankind in the form of this Tsunami. If only the warning will be heeded, salvation may be attained.
Will this generation be like Jonah’s people and listen, or will it be as the Qur’anic verse which tells us that even though Allah explains His Signs regarding such calamities, yet, “.. thy people reject this though it is The Truth.”? Chillingly the next verse reminds us: “For every Message is a limit of time, and soon shall ye know it.” Qur’an 6:66, 67).
