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We are not terrorists!

Major Derrill Guidry says:

I’m a soldier who just happens to be Muslim. It doesn’t have anything to do with my job. We need the support of the American people in order to survive as soldiers. Knowing that the people we serve are behind us, beside us, and with us, gives us the encouragement we need to intentionally make it through each day that we put on our uniforms and go to work whether here in the United States or overseas in a combat zone.

Read more on islamgate.org

Chance or intelligence ?

Is it probable that all the letters on this page unscrambled themselves by

chance to form these meaningful and structured sentences?

How then, could a human being – with ears, eyes and a mind – have been formed by chance? Is it credible that such a vast universe with inestimable billions of galaxies could have evolved by accident?

Does not the integration and complexity of a single cell far exceed that of a mere piece of paper with some intelligible writing on it, let alone this universe and all that it contains? (Especially since the universe also contains this piece of paper..!)….

Read more here

Sami Yusuf - Allahu Allah

A Muslim woman

Please meet sister Ingrid Mattson, a Canadian convert who has become a leader in the American and Canadian Muslim communities by advocating for the Ummah in teaching what Islam really is to non-Muslims, and engaging in interfaith studies.
Born in Ontario, Ingrid came into Islam while studying art in France and soon found herself in Pakistan where she worked to aid refugees from Afghanistan suffering from the war with Russia.

Facing trials…working Muslimaat in Britain

It is well-known that Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala has permitted women to make choices in regards to balancing responsibilities within and outside of the home.  This includes the choice of employment.  However ‘easy’ this choice may appear, working outside of the home in a non-Muslim country such as the UK poses a number of challenges for Muslim woman.  These challenges, which are often in direct conflict with Islamic principles, render some Muslimaat (female Muslims) to engage in social norms that contradict the Muslim’s way of life.    A test in their faith alongside the day-to-day struggle to please Allah, today’s working environment makes it tough to balance Islamic doctrine with the British work ethos.

This article will examine some of the trials Muslim women face in the British workplace with particular regard to the Hijab, working relationships and the obligation of performing the Prayer.

 Read the full article here

A large number of the Beautiful Names of Allaah are repeated manifold in the Qur`aan as demanded by the occasion and it is necessary to explain their meanings in a succinct way…

Read it on islamgate.org

This article and the next will be dedicated to a discussion of the top ten misconceptions about Islam, which are shared by many people around the world. These misconceptions may be attributed to a variety of causes, including inappropriate media hype, lack of reliable information sources, and lack of desire to pursue and understand the truth.

MISCONCEPTION #1:

Muslims are violent terrorists and/or extremists.

Perhaps currently, this would be the biggest misconception about Islam. Inappropriate media hype and bad journalism, based on subjective stereotypes, are the root cause.  When a gunman attacks a mosque in the name of Judaism, a Catholic IRA guerrilla sets off a bomb in an urban area, or Serbian Orthodox militiamen rape and kill innocent Muslim civilians, one must be careful not to use these random acts of violence to stereotype an entire belief system. The media often suggest the acts are a result of the perpetrators religious beliefs; however, this is seldom true.  It has become commonplace for media outlets to pair the description of an Islamic or Muslim fundamentalist with violent acts, creating a false perception that all Muslims or followers of the Islamic faith are violent.

Often dictators and politicians will use the name of Islam for their own perverse purposes. It is important for readers and those who consume media reports to consider the information source and recognize that Islamic teachings promote peace, contrary to what many media reports may imply. Islam literally means ‘submission to God’ and, ironically, given the subjective, stereotypical media hype, is derived from a root word meaning ‘peace’.

While it is true that to the ignorant Islamic teachings may seem exotic or extreme to those unfamiliar with its basic tenets who are rooted in the modern world; it does, in fact, promote peace and tolerance.  In contrast with Islam, Christianity and Judaism generally do not have the same prominence in the day-to-day activities of those living in the West. Islam is embraced as a ‘way of life’ for Muslims and there is no division between the secular and the sacred in their lives. Similar to Christianity, Islam permits fighting in self-defense, in defense of religion, or for those who have been forcibly expelled from their homes. That said, it prescribes strict rules of combat, which prohibits the harming of civilians and destruction of crops, property, trees and livestock.

Islam does not permit the killing of innocent people.

The Quran says:

“Fight in the cause of God against those who fight you, but do not transgress limits.  God does not love transgressors.”

(Quran 2:190)

“If they seek peace, then seek you peace.  And trust in God for He is the One that hears and knows all things.”

(Quran 8:61)

War, therefore, is regarded as a last resort, and is subject to rigorous conditions laid down by the sacred law.

The term ‘jihad’ literally means ‘struggle’.  Muslims believe that there are two kinds of jihad.  External combat and the inner struggle of the soul, which everyone wages against egotistic desires as they seek inner peace.

In terms of war ethics, there is historical evidence that suggests treated those they defeated humanely.  In La Civilization Arabe, French historian and sociologist Gustav Le Bon affirmed that the world had never known a conqueror more merciful than Muslims.

MISCONCEPTION #2:

Islam oppresses women.

Many of these countries do not follow Shari’ah (Islamic law) and have introduced their own cultural interpretation of gender equity.

Islam, on the other hand, acknowledges that men and women have distinct roles and equity between the two is laid down in the Quran and through the actions of the Prophet (peace be upon him).

Islam regards a woman, whether single or married, as an individual in her own right, with the right to own and dispose of her property and earnings.  A Muslim groom offers a marriage gift to his bride for her own personal use and she keeps her original family name rather than taking her husband’s. Both men and women are expected to dress in a modest and dignified manner. The Messenger of God (peace be upon him) said:

“The most perfect in faith amongst believers is he who is best in manner and kindest to his wife.”

(Prophet Hadith)

Violence of any kind towards women is not tolerated in Islam, and Muslims are forbidden to force a woman to do something against her will. In Islam, marriage is viewed as a legal agreement that enables either partner to define conditions. Marriage customs vary widely from country to country.  Divorce is not common, although it is acceptable as a last resort.  According to Islam, a Muslim girl cannot be forced to marry against her will; however, her parents may suggest young men they deem suitable as suitors.

MISCONCEPTION #3:

Muslims worship a different God…..

….read the full article at islamgate.org