Open letter to Muslim Apologetics

I cannot stay silent anymore about an issue that is threatening Muslim existence everywhere, and especially here in Western countries. I am talking about the highly visible crop of contemporary Muslim apologetics who materialize every time an incidence of “Islamic terrorism” occurs.

These apologists do not realize that their readiness to “apologize” for “Muslim terrorism” is never going to appease those who despise and hate Muslims. The only effect that their ready condemnation of “Muslim terrorists” has on the ignorant non-Muslim world is the entrenchment of the widespread anti-Islam propaganda that “Muslims are evil people” and “All Muslims are potential terrorists”.  They are effectively the most efficient distributors of anti-Islam propaganda in the World!

This contemporary misrepresentation of Muslims and Islam was the brainchild of the recent Bush Administration, instigated by the highly suspicious “911” incidents. Under the guise of seeking “retribution” for the murder of innocent people, this administration was finally able to make significant political headway in recolonizing Arab nations and illegally destroying sovereign Arab countries with the help of other Western nations.  Although this blatant onslaught on Islam and Muslims is still continuing today, may I remind you that this case has never been resolved?  Detailed examinations of the flimsy “evidence” presented to substantiate these horrible ongoing murders of millions of Muslim men, women and children over the past 14 years indicate a botched internal plot instead of an external “terrorist” attack. Presently thousands of Palestinians are being killed and dispossessed in Palestine before the very eyes of the entire world. Why don’t these Muslim apologetics speak out against this?

Because it is so easy to impersonate a Muslim by donning Arab style clothes here in the West, anyone with a grudge can pin any crime on “Muslim terrorists” simply by donning a costume. When idiots like these apologetics rush to speak on behalf of Muslims without a complete resolution of the facts of the matter, they make fact what is usually a speculation.  Someone once said that a cat born in an oven is not a loaf of bread.  It may do these apologetics well to remember that. Islam needs no apology; neither does it need apologetics for actions for which it is not responsible.  Muslims are being wronged all over the world today and no one is apologizing to us, as blatant as these wrongs are.  Only when the perpetrators of these crimes apologize should we even contemplate a reply.  Allah has spoken about the attitude of apologetics in Surah Bakarah, warning that they only cause mischief when they think they are making peace between Muslims and others.  Please be aware that that is what you are currently doing to your brothers and sisters everywhere in the West.  Please stop it immediately!

The Call of the Prophets

Today’s preachers and “religious” teachers are in no way compatible with the original messengers of Allah.  Their messages do not have the same impact or aims of the messengers they claim to be representing.

For example, modern preachers and “religious” teachers call people towards “spiritual” enlightenment and moral development. Their followers are lulled into a “religious” sleep that does not interact with outward community development. To the faithful, social events are viewed either as “political” or “religious” affairs devoid of any interconnection. God’s Laws are taught as personal and impractical subjective decrees mainly useful for moral character building not for everyday practical management of social life. This method enables the faithful to easily subject themselves to the rule of acknowledged wrongdoers without sparking conflicts. Today’s believers have no expectations of achieving imminent   social change and are being taught not to expect any within their lifetime. According to contemporary “religious” dogma, all scores will be settled in the “hereafter”.

The messengers of Allah did not call towards spirituality. They called for social change, on the personal and community level. They appealed to the individual to change characteristics and behavior from negative traits to positive traits that benefited both the individual and the community. To the leaders they pointed out the destructive trends being encouraged in the society and the imminent or current harm such behaviors were bringing to the people.  The impact of their messages was such that they were recognized as beacons for social change by everyone who encountered them.  They were catalysts for social upheaval and the entrenchment of moral law. Compared to contemporary preachers and “religious” teachers, they would be considered “radical elements” in today’s societies.

This accounts for the hostile reactions that every messenger encountered from the political leaders and beneficiaries of their contemporary societies.  At first the ignorant residents were horrified by the results of the teachings of the messengers. Although they were not calling for any conflict with the rulers, they were directing the people to abandon the harmful traditions and practices that were so profitable to the ruling classes. In many situations, this was automatically considered to be threatening to the contemporary social and community structures and their philosophies elicited a hostile response from the authorities. Using the Biblical story of John the Baptist (peace be on him), portrayed as a rustic preacher in his time, it can be clearly seen that the venomous reaction of the ruling classes clearly resulted in his beheading. Nowhere in the Bible is it stated that John (pbuh) was inciting anyone to riots or social disobedience. Compared to John (pbuh), Jesus (pbuh) must have been characterized as a “terrorist”. He was mobile and outspoken wherever he travelled, educating crowds of listeners as he went. Is it any wonder that he was pursued by spies and hunted by the authorities throughout his mission?

In today’s society, our preachers and “religious” teachers are the rulers’ chambermaids.  They are openly courted by seekers of political power.  Although their congregations are expansive, their social influences are minimal and their political clout is non-existent.  When necessary, the politicians use them to rubber-stamp offensive legislation, thus diffusing any would-be objections from the people.  So many contemptible issues exist within most congregations that followers are too busy rectifying internal conflicts to venture out to correct any immoral issues occurring in their societies.  

 As in times past, Unbelievers everywhere are vigilant against the call of the prophets.  Hidden within organized “religion”, their instigators are ever watchful and ready at short notice to denounce and destroy any deviant from “official” dogma. They are heavily armed and ready to attack “religious fanatics” anywhere. All believers need to recognize that this battle will never stop. But, although the armaments are different now, the rejecters of Faith will never realize that they cannot silence the call of the prophets.

Religious Dogma vs The Quran

Criteria for Informed Action

There is no other realm of learning in which information is subjected to as much abuse as “religion”. For whatever reasons, students of “religious” doctrine are expected to unquestionably accept “religious dogma” which violates every standard of wisdom and reason. There is nothing which is left unaffected by this trend. Despite everyone’s free access to the “sacred” textbooks of their respective “religions”, many believers suspend their own understanding of what they read in the texts and accept the interpretations of their clergy, even when these interpretations contradict the “scriptures” before their very eyes. The interpretations of the clergy are substituted for the true meaning of the “scriptures”.  We are thus conditioned to distrust and dispute our own understanding of the “scriptures”.

This is not a rare condition. Most of us are taught (and accept) quite spurious information when it comes to the field of “religion”. Here wisdom and reason do not apply. Most of us are taught (and believe) that the “scriptures” relate to our “spiritual” development as humans; therefore we do not look to our “religious” doctrines for practical guidance in our everyday lives. We develop our societies without the practical guidance of our “religious” teachings and fit our “religious” behavior into the “legal” confines afforded us. In our practical, day to day existence, our “religious” teachings become secondary information.  Correspondingly, we exist in a schismatic mental state concerning “religion” throughout our lives.

This writer has no idea when or where the idea of “scripture” being “spiritual” originated. Every “religious” text ever studied was presented as practical guidance for daily life, as additional information to the knowledge humans already possessed. In all cases, “scripture” presents itself as a correction of the information that individual human lives and societies are built upon. However, because its high standards often contradict accepted social norms, “scriptural” dictates are relegated by human society to the sideline of “religious” doctrine. This is tolerable, since “religion” has been redefined in contemporary society to be nothing more than a “collection of personal, spiritual beliefs”. We can “practice” our “religions” so long as we do not disturb the social order by so doing.

The Quran upsets the whole applecart because it demands its followers build their daily lives according to its declared principles and instructions.  Allah’s Book does not tolerate being sidelined, labelled or given a back-seat. It makes its message super clear to all readers. The message is practical and multi-faceted. It is not a “spiritual” treatise, nor will it allow anyone to treat it as such. It handles physical and metaphysical issues with equal poise and balance.  It demands that those who believe in it should read and understand its message and practice it daily, despite the sentiments of the unbelieving society. The Quran constantly appeals to “men of understanding” to ponder over the signs of Allah that surround them. It unceasingly appeals to the wisdom of the individual believer, not emotional zeal, to sustain Faith and follow the commands of Allah. It creates in a believer an educational relationship between the Creator of Everything and His devotee, culminating in the awareness of and surrender to the opinions of Allah about human life and actions. It refuses to be pigeonholed as a “spiritual” treatise and clearly beckons to all users as a beacon and criteria for informed, practical action in a misinformed world. It stands out as an inflexible, indisputable standard in a world full of dubious standards. Because of its incessant challenges to the wisdom of its readers, the Quran will never be clumped with other “religious” dogma which litter the path of humanity and distract humans from their ultimate destiny. It cannot.

Is Revelation "Spiritualism"?

Are these Instructions Spiritual?

In the Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful:
"Verily the Day of Sorting Out is a thing appointed-
The day that the Trumpet shall be sounded, 
And ye shall come forth in crowds;
And the heavens shall be opened
As if there were doors,
And the mountains shall vanish as if they were a mirage.
Truly Hell is as a place of ambush;
For the transgressors a place of destination."
(Quran 78: 17 - 22)

The more I study the teachings of the Quran, the more convinced I become that the Message is not about “spiritual” truths but metaphysical truths. People have, for years, related to Allah’s Messages as other-worldly teachings and explanations of a “supernatural” nature. Therefore, “clerics” and their benefactors have been able to dupe “believers” into thinking of Allah’s teachings as “spiritual” matters, outside of human normalcy.  However, nowhere in His messages does Allah refer to any of His information as being “spiritual”.  In the pages of the Quran, Allah promises physical rewards and punishments to humans.  He describes events that will either physically please believers or physically harm wrongdoers. He also describes Paradise and Hell as physical environments.

Spiritualism conjures up wispy, other-worldly, mental concepts and impressions from the information given to us by Allah. It detracts from the practicality which the instructions convey and allows us to not take Allah’s commands as seriously as we should. The idea that the messages of Allah deal with “spiritual” matters tends to make them seem less practical as the rich, informative sources about Life and human society which they really are. Spiritualism creates a dichotomy in the human mind that retards the growth of Faith and undermines our Beliefs. It negates the passion with which the prophets taught the message to society in times past. If we recall the persecution which the messengers received because of these messages, then we should be suspicious of the loving embrace given by contemporary society to clerics and “holy men”. Truth and Falsehood cannot coexist in the same space without conflict, but relegating Allah’s instructions to the realm of “spiritualism” neutralizes the impact on Human Laws.

Metaphysics, on the other hand, gives information about things unknown about our physical environment, without diminishing their impact. We can acknowledge such information because it provides explanations for events and things which we observe but do not understand.  Things metaphysical abound in the Earth environment, especially in our own selves.  We can observe our physical bodies and be conscious of things metaphysical about them. What is the power that makes our limbs operate? What are we? Why do we struggle to live only to die at some stage? Why do we not have control over our length of life? What happens when we die? These are all metaphysical questions that only our Creator can definitively answer.  Our science cannot fathom these things nor provide any realistic answers to these and other questions. It is only through Allah’s messages to humanity that any remotely satisfactory insights can be had. To negate this vital information by assigning it to the realm of “spiritualism” is nothing short of folly and arrogance. Allah’s instructions are very clear, effective and practical, as can be seen from the visible character and behavioral changes that take place in those who apply them.

Treating the knowledge of Hell and Paradise as “spiritual” concepts has been disastrous for the development of human society. Without conceiving of Hell as a real place of real, physical torment, as explained to us by Allah, wrongdoers more easily dismiss the reality of the Day of Judgment. Treating this crucial, upcoming event as a “spiritual” idea, materialists can comfortably reject this horrendous warning as inconsequential conjecture. Humans fear that which they conceive as threatening their physical wellbeing so couching Allah’s information in “spiritual”, ephemeral terms negates the reality of the upcoming threats about which He warns.  Paradise also becomes an ephemeral, “pie in the sky” concept, minimizing the need for conscious striving to attain it. Today’s clerics refer to Revelation in futuristic terms, creating the impression that Allah will address humanity’s shortcomings only after death.  Meanwhile, people bogged down by the stress of day-to-day life conveniently ignore Revelation as a relevant source of practical information. Death is accepted as a relief from this rough and tumble world and an end to all its disharmony and strife. It is not viewed as a doorway into the new environment which Allah tells us about in His messages. 

 Without treating the information given us in the Messages of Allah as metaphysical teaching, humans disregard the lives of species which we cannot see or hear in our environment.  We commit crimes every day and do wrong in the face of Allah without considering the consequences in this life and the life to come. We relegate Allah’s definitive information to the realm of the supernatural and ephemeral but raise human conjecture to the realm of practical knowledge. We stumble along desperately searching for knowledge, grasping at straw mirages but arrogantly overlooking the Revelations of Allah, Graciously given for human guidance in an unfamiliar world environment.  When will we come to our senses and accept the Revelations of Allah?

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The Need For Revelation In Human Life Today

 

How Much Longer Will We Reject Allah's Program?

 In the Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful:

"We sent not a Messenger, but to be obeyed, 

In accordance with the Will of Allah.."

(Quran 4: 64)

Humans require information to build and format their lives in the Earth environment. Without information we cannot function appropriately. Throughout the written history of mankind, we see that it is the knowledgeable people who attain leadership and prestige in society. Even in the era of the hunter-gatherer, it was the more proficient hunter-gatherers to whom everyone turned to ensure the survival of the community. In the current era, the management of communities and countries is trusted to politicians and not to “average” citizens who are uninformed about “political” affairs. School systems are an integral part of every “civilized” society in the world and no progressive civilization would dare think of ignoring them. Yet human society has ignored the most necessary information for its survival.

Modern society is obsessed with earthbound, material development and pays minimal attention to metaphysical development; a necessary component for balanced human development. What passes for “education”, particularly in Western countries, is a concentrated philosophy of purely material acquisition, to the detriment of the human soul. It totally ignores the existence of Revelation, Allah’s gift of true knowledge to Humanity. Its focus is entirely materialistic with no acknowledgement given to the purpose of human life or to any responsibility to our Creator.  No thought is given to the information presented to humanity by the prophets of Allah throughout the ages. The wisdom of Revelation has been completely cast aside in this “educational” system. The products of this type of “education” are arrogant people who equate social “progress” with only material development. They have a perverted view of other people and of themselves. While appearing to be “sophisticated”, they mistakenly weigh human value in terms of material possessions, not personal characteristics, thereby perpetuating the hostility of today’s social environment.

Attempts to replace Allah’s commands with Man-made laws have miserably failed throughout all recorded human history. Unceasing hostilities within and between countries are directly related to the abandonment of the wisdom and justice expounded in the Revelations of Allah. The blind obstinacy with which humanity continues to cling to its failed philosophies and reject the implementation of Revelation is reflected in the continuing world-wide collapse and destruction of countries and social structures. Human society everywhere is becoming increasingly more hostile and the cries for peace are growing louder every day. Without acknowledgment of Allah’s laws by human society, the unbounded oppression of the poor will not cease. Until humans decide to collectively accept and implement the laws given by Allah in His program for human life on Earth, there will be no solution to the ongoing crises.

While there is no objection to material wealth, its blind acquisition has led to environmental crises in all countries around the world. Given the inter-connectivity of Earth’s resources and its life-forms, imbalances in any one area affect all areas in one form or another. World-wide climactic disturbances have been traced to ignorant material development in many parts of the world. Materialists will not acknowledge the destruction that their activities are causing to Earth’s environment because it means putting limits on their quests for and methods of acquisition of Earth’s resources. Their activities have already polluted the air we need to breathe, the soil we need to produce food and the water we need to drink to sustain life.  Yet they continue to blindly pollute our rivers and the very oceans that sustain our world in the never-ending quest for material development. It is time for humanity to take heed of the Revelations of Allah or perish by its own hands.