Religion & Society

The village of Owego, in upstate New York, nestled along the tranquil Susquehanna River was the serene backdrop for the United Muslim Christian Forum’s majestic 4th Annual Milad-un-Nabi Interfaith Program, commemorating the auspicious birth of The Seal of the Messengers, Muhammad Mustafa, peace be upon him. His coming was foretold by the Anointed One, Jesus, son of Mary, (peace be upon him) in the Gospel of Barnabas. The Holy Last Messenger, Muhammad, is historically known for formulating the first charter on human rights, dispelling the darkness of polytheism, and raising society from the grip of self-oppression and ignorance to a status of sobriety, honor and integrity. By his life example, peace be upon him, hearts are turned - making tyrant into merciful ruler, sinner into saint.

In the Special Edition, January 2011 issue, of the Islamic Post an ayah from the 60th chapter in the Holy Quran, Sura Mumtahana (60:3), was explained for it more appropriately displays an Islamic perspective as concerns the treatment of Non-Muslims. Currently Islamic sentiments in this regard are negatively portrayed by an often misrepresented ayah from another chapter; Surah Tauba (9:5) in which it is frequently translated as “kill all infidels”.  Also mentioned was the fact that in order to truly understand the Quran, a multifaceted approach is necessary and part of that entails an understanding of the “asbabul nazul” or reason for revelation of the individual parts.  The danger of taking an ayah and simply disseminating the words face value is that misunderstandings are created.  In truth this is done on purpose for these very misconstructions are tools used by the agencies of hate that exist worldwide.   These evildoers are not only attempting to extinguish the light of Islam, but to also destroy the pillars of all religions.  As all mankind is the family of God we must not sit idly by and allow these agents of hate to be successful.   In light of that, if the true meanings of this Islamic holy script, the Quran, are elucidated and disseminated, then appropriate insight into the inner meaning of Islam can be achieved and the animosity that has been created between religions—especially Christianity and Islam—can be eliminated.  That being said it would be helpful to expound on the reason for revelation of this repeatedly misread ayah.  Although this subject is very extensive, an attempt will be made to cover the breadth of it in a two part article starting with the historical aspect and a discussion to follow in part two.

The positive beginnings of the Obama administration spawned an overall decrease in anti-Islamic sentiments in America and abroad. However, threatened by this success, and the achievement of Muslim-Christian unity, the hatemongers have recently intensified their efforts to make certain Islamophobia prevails. Consequently, true Muslims must do their part to show the world the correct Islamic perspective regarding the treatment of non-Muslims by promoting the esteemed stature of Islamic principles in word and deed as a means to accomplish the eradication of the false notion propagated by advocates of hate that Muslims want to “kill all infidels”. This incomplete, commonly misquoted part of the Holy Quran displays how vitally important it is to not only read the individual lines, but also to read the accompanying commentary and additional resources, to avoid misinterpretation. Many ayaat [signs] of Holy Quran contain detailed aspects of history and commentary and may span several pages of explanation. This crucial research enables the reader to comprehend the reason each segment was revealed and the context in which Almighty God sent them down.

March 14 in Binghamton, New York, marked the third celebration of the annual United Muslim Christian Forum’s (UMCF) Eid Miladun Nabi Parade and Festival, a continental commemoration of the birth and life of the Holy Last Messenger, Muhammad, as well as the mission and majesty of Jesus, son of Mary (peace be upon them).

It was a beautiful Tuesday morning in the hospital room of Hazrat Hafizah Begum –Umm Layla (Allah’s mercy be upon her). Her hymn “One Surrounded by Angels” was sung for her. A short time later, her eyes opened -eyes that had not opened in two and a half days. Umm Layla (Allah’s mercy be upon her) lifted her arms, smiled and took one last breath. 

In this day and time of pseudo patriotism, partisan political drama, and theatrical religious pundits, it becomes necessary almost daily to step back from the corporate media machine and call for a personal time out. The sensory overload of bad news –real, imagined and manufactured– can and does create hyper stress over time for millions of people worldwide. 

.He who knoweth his own self, knoweth God.
· He will not enter hell who hath faith equal to a mustard seed in his heart, and he will not enter Paradise who hath a single grain of pride, equal to a mustard seed in his heart.

Polytheism is the worst sin, but even the lesser shirk should go. No Muslim will go to a temple to worship idols. But yet, if we go to a doctor or if someone takes medicine, you should not say that the medicine gave you relief. You should say that Allah gave you healing through this medicine, through this doctor. Shirk must be turned into complete tawwakal, reliance upon Allah. Allah says in the Holy Quran: “Whosoever relies on Allah, Allah is sufficient for him!” 65:3 Your largest assets are your supplications to Him.

Born in 400 A.H. in Ghazni (Afghanistan), Hazrat Data Ganj Bakhsh belonged to a Syed family (descendant of the Holy Prophet). He completed his earlier education in Ghazni by memorizing the Holy Quran. Then he studied Arabic, Farsi, Hadith, Fiqh, Philosophy etc. At that time Ghazni was the center of education in Central Asia, and it was the realm of the famous Afghan ruler Sultan Mahmood Ghaznavi.

The Muslim community of Guyana organized its annual program to mark the commencement of the Islamic New Year 1431. The program was hosted by The Muslim Youth League of Guyana, the Guyana United Sadr Islamic Anjuman and the Anna Catherina Islamic Complex for the 13^th successive year marking the commencement of the Islamic New Year.

In this small, quiet town, during one of the most festive times of the year when love and reverence for Jesus, born of the chaste Mary, is widely celebrated by Christians the world over, the United Muslim-Christian Forum (UMCF) embraced these auspicious weeks as an occasion for mankind, the family of God Almighty, to come together in unified adoration and veneration of the birth, character, and  life of the Messiah, Jesus, son of Mary, the Pure and his noble contributions to humanity.