Saturday, March 24, 2007

Accomodating differencs

Accommodating the Views of Different Muslim Groups


All Schools of thought and all understanding of Qur'aan and Sunnah are respected and are part of the discussion of this group; The World Muslim Congress. God is the master of the day of judgment.

Whoever claims to be a Muslim is a Muslim and that is all there is to it. Our relationship with God, Prophet, Imams or others is personal, how we pray is really one's own responsibility, as that is the person who is answerable to his deeds and no oneelse is.

Alan Border forwarded the following piece.

Mike Ghouse

“ The Believers are but a single Brotherhood: So make peace and reconciliation between your two (contending) brothers; and fear Allah, that ye may receive Mercy.”(Al-Qur'an, 49:10 (Al-Hujraat [The Private Apartments, The Inner Apartments])Accommodating the Views of Different Muslim Groups http://ourdialogue.com/answers/articles.php?action=show&showarticle=2138

QuestionOn our campus there is a large population of Sunni, Shiite, and Sufi Muslims. As the president of the Muslim Students Organization [MSO], I and the board of executives are responsible for making sure our group is the voice of all Muslim students on the campus, which means that we must represent all groups equally and fairly, giving them a platform to address Muslims and non-Muslims on campus to their particular beliefs, whether we agree with them or not. For example, sometime back a Sufi music concert was held to raise money for the tsunami victims that was sponsored by our group. Some people in the Sunni community are having a problem with this because they are saying that such things are against the Qur'an and the Sunnah. While I agree with some of their arguments, the MSO is a place where all kinds of Muslims may express their views and particular practices (cultural, religious or otherwise) to the University community. In addition, as a student organization funded by our university, we are bound by the university rules which bar discrimination on the basis of race, ethnicity, gender, or religious belief. Please comment.

AnswerIt has always been the practice of distinguished and leading scholars to accommodate views that differ with their own. They all took the attitude that, to the best of their belief and knowledge, their own view on any particular issue was correct, but they never excluded the possibility that they could be wrong. Nor did they think that any view that differed with their own was inevitably incorrect. They admitted that it could be correct. This is the proper scholarly attitude. All this naturally applies to matters of detail. As for essential beliefs, there is no difference among Muslims.

We will be certainly well advised to follow in their footsteps and accept differences of views as normal. This means that in working within the rules of your university, the Muslim Students Organization will be only following a great principle of Islamic scholarship, where other people are welcome to express their views and argue their point. You should encourage such an attitude as much as possible. God quotes in the Qur'an the arguments put by unbelievers in defense of their attitude. Why should any Muslim suppress the views of a fellow believer?

Besides when the question at issue is one of detail, it does not matter how far we differ. Take the issue of music as an example, which has caused a problem for your organization. I realize that some scholars today strongly believe that it is forbidden in Islam. I do not share this view as I consider that the evidence put in support of it to be poor. I recently read a well-argued piece of research in which the author, who is undoubtedly a well-versed scholar, suggests that music is a Sunnah. Of course the two views are diametrically opposed. In between there may be many different views, ranging from opposition to encouragement. I do not propose to compare these views or discuss them at any length. I merely wish to point out that as music is a question of detail, adopting a mistaken view on it will not affect a person's belief. The maximum that could happen is that the holder of a wrong view will be judged by God to have committed a genuine mistake that He may be pleased to forgive.

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quraan burning

Planned Muslim Response to Qur'an Burning by Pastor Jones on September 11 in Mulberry, Florida

PRESS RELEASE
August 19, 2013| Dallas, Texas

Mike Ghouse
Text/Talk: (214) 325-1916
MikeGhouse@aol.com

Mirza A Beg
(205) 454-8797
mirza.a.beg@gmail.com

www.WorldMuslimCongress.com


PLANNED MUSLIMS RESPONSE TO QUR'AN BURNING BY PASTOR JONES ON 9/11/13 IN MULBERRY, FLORIDA

We as Muslims plan to respond to pastor Terry Jones' planned burning of 3000 copies of Quran on September 11, 2013 in positive terms.

Our response - we will reclaim the standard of behavior practiced by the Prophet concerning “scurrilous and hostile criticism of the Qur’an” (Muhammad Asad Translation Note 31, verse 41:34). It was "To overcome evil with good is good, and to resist evil by evil is evil." It is also strongly enjoined in the Qur’an in the same verse 41:34, “Good and evil deeds are not equal. Repel evil with what is better; then you will see that one who was once your enemy has become your dearest friend.”

God willing Muslims will follow the divine guidance and pray for the restoration of Goodwill, and on that day many Muslim organizations will go on a “blood drive” to save lives and serve humanity with kindness.

We invite fellow Americans of all faiths, races, and ethnicities to join us to rededicate the pledge, “One nation under God”, and to build a cohesive America where no American has to live in apprehension, discomfort or fear of fellow Americans. This event is a substitute for our 10th Annual Unity Day Celebration (www.UnitydayUSA.com) held in Dallas, but now it will be at Mulberry, Florida.

Unwittingly Pastor Jones has done us a favor by invigorating us by his decision to burn nearly 3000 copies Quran on September 11, 2013. Obviously he is not satisfied by the notoriety he garnered by burning one Qur'an last year.

As Muslims and citizens we honor the free speech guaranteed in our constitution. We have no intentions to criticize, condemn or oppose Pastor Terry Jones' freedom of expression. Instead, we will be donating blood and praying for goodness to permeate in our society.

We plan to follow Jesus Christ (pbuh), a revered prophet in Islam as well as Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) – that of mitigating the conflicts and nurturing good will for the common good of the society.

We hope, this event and the message will remind Muslims elsewhere in the world as well, that violence is not the way. Muslims, who react violently to senseless provocation, should realize that, violence causes more violence, and besmirches the name of the religion that we hold so dear. We believe that Prophet Muhammad was a mercy to the mankind, and we ought to practice what we believe and preach. We must not insult Islam by the negative reactions of a few.

We can only hope it will bring about a change in the attitude of the followers of Pastor Jones, and in the behavior of those Muslims who reacted violently the last time Pastor sought notoriety – We hope this small step towards a bridge to peaceful coexistence would propel us towards building a cohesive society.

Like most Americans a majority of Muslims quietly go about their own business, but it is time to speak up and take positive action instead of negative reaction. May this message of peace and goodwill reverberate and reach many shores.

Lastly, we appreciate the Citizens of Mulberry, Florida, Honorable Mayor George Hatch, City Commissioners, police and Fire Chiefs for handing this situation very well. This will add a ‘feather of peace’ in the City’s reputation. We hope Mulberry will be a catalyst in showing the way in handling conflict with dignity and peace.

We thank the Media for giving value to the work towards peace rather than conflict.






URL- http://worldmuslimcongress.blogspot.com/2013/08/planned-muslim-response-to-quran_18.html



Thank you.

CIVIL DIALOGUE

The people in Dallas are making an effort to understand and clean their own hearts first, when we are free from bias, it would be easy to share that with others. Islam teaches us in so many ways to "respect the otherness of others" and it is time we find simple practical ways of doing it.