Tag: kufr

  • My Greatest Fear

    I fear hypocrisy more than I fear disbelief. Determining, subjectively or objectively, whether one is on the path of Imaan or Kufr is relatively easy, with the most daunting obstacle in this path possibly being arrogance or pride. And both arrogance and pride quickly subsides in the face of overwhelming odds. So at such a point, it would be quite easy to determine whether I’m a believer or not.

    Hypocrisy is so much more difficult to identify, both within ourselves and in others. Blatant hypocrisy is easy. Seeing someone visibly making statements about their beliefs and then deliberately or equally blatantly acting in contradiction to those beliefs is a litmus test of hypocrisy that anyone can apply, regardless of education, intelligence or upbringing.

    But hypocrisy can be easily disguised through the conscious application of our intelligence, especially if we’re naturally self aware. I can easily observe my own actions relative to my statements in front of others, and through conscious thought, ensure that they are always aligned. But if my motivation to do so is to appear to be sincere and consistent to others to save myself from criticism or ridicule, then this is when I believe I’ll be standing on the edge of hypocrisy and potentially not even realising it because at that point, if practiced for long enough, I would possibly succumb to internal debates that justify my actions to myself because my actions are beyond reproach by others. But…this internal debate is what I fear most as the potential seat for hypocrisy. 

  • jeuxdeau:

    The Mecca Clock Tower dominates the city as Muslim pilgrims walking around the Kaaba in the Grand Mosque of the holy city of Mecca during the annual Hajj pilgrimage rituals on November 7, 2011. (Fayez Nureldine/AFP/Getty Images)

    You’ve just gotta love that symbol of Diana, goddess of the Hunt towering over the Haram of Makkah. Muslims must really be proud of such colossal ignorance. But of course, at times like this, we’ll pretend it doesn’t matter because it’s intention that counts, right? And of course, if the Saudi’s do it, it must be right…after all, they’re the esteemed custodians of the two holy mosques, right? 

    May Allah protect me from such blasphemy, and such ignorance, and grant me the strength to continue to abstain from those places dedicated to His worship that have been defaced with this disgusting symbol of kufr! Aameen…Thumma Aameen…Ya Rabbul A’lameen!

    (Source: http://www.boston.com/bigpicture/2011/11/the_hajj_and_eid_al-adha.html#photo5)

  • Moon and Star (Part I)

    Look at the below image, then read the prayer that follows…consider it for a while, visualise it in your head, and then answer the questions that follow:

    Diana, goddess of the Hunt

    Prayer To Diana

    Lovely Goddess of the bow!
    Lovely Goddess of the arrows!
    Of all hounds and of all hunting
    Thou who wakest in starry heaven
    When the sun is sunk in slumber
    Thou with moon upon they forehead,
    Who the chase by night preferrest
    Unto hunting in the daylight,
    With thy nymphs unto the music
    Of the horn-thyself the huntress,
    And most powerful: I pray thee
    Think, although but for an instant,
    Upon us who pray unto thee!

    1. Would you, as a Muslim, pray to this woman for your needs?
    2. Would you bow to her, at her feet, or perhaps rest your forehead on her hands in worship?
    3. From a different perspective, would you perform your salaah in a church that is still decorated with statues and crucifixes?

    If you answered ‘No’ to all the above, and I pray that you did, then why are we so complacent about praying in a masjid that has the very same symbol of this same woman proudly placed at the top of the dome and minaret, incorporated into the logos and letterheads, embellished in sand blasted designs on the glass doors and windows, and intricately woven into the designs of our musallahs/carpets? 

    There is no doubt about the origins of the moon and star in Islam. It has no place. Period! It was never used during the time of the noble prophet (SAW), nor was it used for hundreds of years after his demise. It was first used by the Ottoman army after their conquering of the city of Constantinople and it was adopted as a symbol of the army, along with the star of King Richard who was celebrated in Constantinople before the Muslims took control. 

    Before the 14th century, the crescent and star does not seem to have been associated with Islam at all, and appears in Christian iconography.[20] [21] ~ Wikipedia

    Another article worth quoting states:

    Incidentally, the ‘Golden Age of Islam’ that we all reminisce so passionately about came to a close about the mid-l5th century with the fall of Spain and the invasion of the Mongols. This was about the same time that ‘the star and crescent’ started to be hoisted up as the banner or representation of Muslims. We’ve never been able to regain that greatness again. Coincidence? ~ Rafael Narbaez Jr.

    Yet, we now have this most despicable of symbols embellishing the minarets of the most sacred sites of Islam, namely the Harams, and we have ignorant Muslims from around the world using pictures of these designs as justification for the installation of these same pagan symbols on mosques that are being built today. And during all of this, our impotent Ulama are saying that they agree that it has no place in Islam, but that they would prefer to deal with the matter subtly so as not to upset the community!

    So I ask you again, would you bow down before a cross, or a statue of Mary or Jesus?

    Then why do you bow down before a pagan goddess? Or do you believe that in this case intention outweighs practice?

  • On this day of Jumu’ah it will be my second Friday in which I will deliberately avoid attending salaah at my local masjid, and instead, go to another not far from me because it is one of the few mosques in the area that is not embellished with those pagan symbols. I used to be regularly stationed in the first row right in front of the mimbar at Jumu’ah time, and I wonder if my absence will even be noted?

    Wondering about that gives me fleeting feelings of insincerity, which is one of the reasons why I stopped attending the local masjid for salaah. I know that as a matter of principle, I cannot on one hand object to the placement of the pagan symbols on the masjid, and on the other continue to attend salaah with congregation just because I don’t want people in the community to think less of me. I stay four doors away from the masjid, so this is even more difficult than usual. 

    So I’ll carve my niche in the first row of another masjid where I’m not known personally and pray that they don’t also decide at some point to decorate their structure with that vile moon and star combination that has come to represent the ritualistic stupour of Muslims around the world. Even the Haram in Makkah and Madinah is defaced with those symbols without even a peep from the Ummah. 

    Reminds me of the hypocrisy of the masses in the Arab Spring! Chanting Allahu-Akbar with every rocket and every bullet fired, and then demanding a secular government! So let’s bow our heads in prayer when worshiping Allah, raise our hands to recite the takbeer, and then prostrate beneath a dome that is adorned with the symbol of Diana, goddess of the hunt, often accompanied by her fellow kaafir King Richard whose star is also emblazoned across the flags of many a ‘Muslim’ nation. 

    Seems we’re an Ummah of Muslims, but not many Mu’min’s. May Allah save me from complacency and excess in this matter.