The Line in the Sand - Part 11 - The Task Ahead

 

The Task Ahead

Deviation is anything which is contrary to Islam and the Shari’ah. On the one hand, we have invited you to look at the evolution of Islamic legislation and to learn about methodologies and groups that have deviated. Does this deviation refer to following the ways of the Christian and Jews to the extent of following them into a lizard’s hole. What about the other sins which are committed because generally Muslims have started to follow their way of life in everything?

Using the word “bid’ah” scares many people while others go into panic mode, resulting in them mocking those who point out their innovations. Few take note and correct themselves. The detail of what classifies as innovation is for you to sincerely research through credible scholars. While these innovations may be apparent, it depends which group’s stamp of approval or disapproval you take. There really is not a choice, but that will be obvious for those who fear Allah, seek His love and that love is through the following of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ. As for those who follow the customs and traits of the non-believers, then some acts will be sinful (even to the extent of disbelief), while others are mere customs which does not clash with the Shari’ah. The simple acts of disbelief, which no sane Muslim scholar will deny, is fortune-telling which includes horoscopes. Other sins can become disbelief if you contradict what the main sources of the Shari’ah says. What is a grave worshipper? Is this something that Allah may question you about concerning yourself? Using the word grave-worshipper or idolator does result in the same thing – Mushrik. The pagan Arabs used to say that they use the idols only as their intermediaries to Allah. Is it acceptable to engage in acts and manners of worship that Prophet Muhammad ﷺ did not teach us? What did he say concerning this?

This was never intended to be a deep dive but merely scratching the surface in embarking on understanding “the line in the sand”. The solutions to the world’s problems starts with you. You need to be ready and equipped. It starts with you ready to face Allah and give a beautiful account of your devoted life in His service. That is what that line in the sand represent. The straight line is the line to follow. Any deviation has at the head of it a satan calling to disobedience and disbelief. Then, we look at the world with new vigour but with understanding and wisdom. There will always be a group of people, believers, however small in number, that will call to the truth. At this point, you will know to differentiate between opinion and correct beliefs.

Muslims have a huge task ahead. The implementation of justice and fighting oppression are key. Are we ready or do we need transformation to be that dynamic ummah Allah wants us to be. Will we be at the forefront of calling and establishing the good and preventing the evil? Prophet Muhammad ﷺ drew the line in the sand more than 1400 years ago. The straight line is the path he taught us while those lines that deviate off the straight path has a satan at the head of it.

We pray for guidance and protection.

Shall we march to Aqsa? See: https://capemuslimspeak.blogspot.com/2024/04/the-march-to-holy-land.html

See previous: https://capemuslimspeak.blogspot.com/2025/05/the-line-in-sand-part-10.html

 

The Final Episode

 It is now called the “Final Episode”. The last vestiges of the Gaza Strip are under attack while an agreement to a ceasefire is ignored. There is, however, at least traces of discord in the enemy ranks.

Indeed, the world is on the cusp of passing the test of humanity or be damned for its inability to act against genocide. The Muslim world and specifically the Arabs are bound by the Sykes-Picot agreement which created their kingdoms and fiefdoms. For now, no help will be coming from the Arabs. But as much as you wish to throw stones at these leaders, little is different in many parts of the world, even in Muslim-minority countries. You will see sloganeering, speeches and some marches in support of Palestine. Those non-Muslims that fear Muslims are wrong on so many fronts. Firstly, because the only fear a non-Muslim should have of a Muslim is that if the former is unjust that Muslims will demand justice. It is a myth that non-Muslims should fear Muslims otherwise. Sadly though, Muslims have, in effect, abdicated their responsibility, that responsibility to bring justice and peace to the world because they adhere to institutions like the United Nations. The United Nations has seen a genocide play out for the past 7 months (and more) and have not acted expeditiously. Some non-Muslims, specifically Christians, are not pro-Palestinian (an act of calling for justice) or not supportive of Muslims because they fear Shari’ah law. What is Shari’ah law that they fear? Is it that they fear the death penalty for murderers and rapists? Is it that they fear not having freedom of religion (atheists included – even they have freedom of religion) while the Quran clearly states that there is no compulsion in religion? These non-Muslims speak out of ignorance because Muslims have made little effort to explain it. Islam is the only religion that reveres Isho (Eesa or Jesus)- peace be upon him, but importantly does not deify him. As for what has now started in Rafah too, it is the final onslaught of what remains of Gaza. The displacement of people who have already been displaced from the other parts of Gaza, means that their only hope to stay in Palestine is to be buried there. They will be martyrs, but what about you and I? What will the world be like without the Gaza of the Palestinians? How will you continue to live normal lives? What is normal anyway? Will you continue to accept a system that has made the world mere spectators for, at least, the past 75 years? Will you continue an education system that teaches Darwinism and other ideologies other than Islam? The list goes on. Rafah should be the turning point.

The cracks in the enemy are showing. People are taking to the streets worldwide. The American campuses are alive to the humanitarian crisis and genocide and are opposing their government or rather imploring their government to act justly. People are accepting Islam purely because of the faith shown by the Palestinians. Governments are acting against their own people to quell this uprising. Locally, the Zionist influence on the South African elections (May 2024) will not go away. What are you doing?

The agreement currently on the table (as of two days ago) is acceptable to the Palestinians but the aggressor seems less interested. One way of contributing is to change something in your life, not just merely a day of fasting or a supplication, but repentance (by giving up something sinful) and/or by engaging in more good deeds. Commit to Quran and sunnah and avoid those practices which are newly invented matters.

 

You need to also read, share and comment on these links below:

https://capemuslimspeak.blogspot.com/2024/05/time-for-hijrah.html

https://capemuslimspeak.blogspot.com/2024/04/the-other-side-of-open-door.html

https://capemuslimspeak.blogspot.com/2024/04/activating-self-destruct-key.html

https://capemuslimspeak.blogspot.com/2024/04/the-march-to-holy-land.html

https://capemuslimspeak.blogspot.com/2024/03/bold-question.html

https://capemuslimspeak.blogspot.com/2024/03/ar-you-reading-from-wrong-script.html

https://capemuslimspeak.blogspot.com/2024/02/wars-and-scores.html

 

Picture courtesy: https://www.dw.com/en

 

 

#muslim #rafah #genocide #shariah #dw.com #gaza  

 

You are entrenching the plot

 

What if the Israelis are right?

I know many of you go to great lengths to differentiate between Zionism and Judaism. I think that that is a discussion to be had, but not today. It is not really that important. You are more important. For all your fighting Zionism, you have bought into their system, proudly proclaiming the system and defending the system. On certain points you will argue that what you do, does not conflict with your Islam and the shari’ah. What are you not arguing for or promoting? You defended yourself in relation to your lifestyle while you did not offer Islam as your lifestyle. This is a warning for me as it is for everyone else. Indeed, many have become ritualistic Muslims and then even ceremonial Muslims. Your thinking has been tainted and these views are with which you are painted. It is important and long overdue that these matters are unpacked because people are losing their eemaan (faith) and their Islam. As things are unfolding, it is ever increasingly difficult to talk about making hijrah (migration/emigration) to a Muslim country as the doors to evil and corruption are opened by their rulers.

In Islam there is permissibility for societal norms and trends as long as it does not conflict with Islamic law itself. Thus, it can be argued that the age of marriage is not documented in Islam except that it is permissible to marry when the age of puberty is reached. However, the current norm is that the dunya (wordly) life is placed first before the protection of the youngsters and the community itself. Living inside the confines of the system must be limited to exactly those matters which are beyond your control at this moment in time, e.g. schooling finishes generally at the age of eighteen before you can attend a tertiary institution and gain some reasonable qualification. But what is at the end of that qualification? Leaving that aside for now, the age factor dominates our lives. Then that thing called 21^st. You have shaped your life and given importance to matters which does impact your faith. Here’s where you have to do further analysis. Suffice to say, that while you are constrained by the system, in which you find yourself, on some matters. Definitely, you have adopted customs that is not of Islam while it is easy to avoid. To beat the system, you have to at least forego those practices that are totally “optional” and carry no benefit, but perhaps harm.

So, how is it that Israel is possibly right? Well, your actions speak to it. Your acceptance of the system speak to it. That Zionists are in all strategic positions in the global and local scenario and are thus able to create and bear influence on the system, means that your following the system is nothing but following Zionist philosophy.   

The discussion must be had to extricate ourselves from the system. The start is to reject as much of it as possible.

 ..... to be continued

You may also like to read:

https://capemuslimspeak.blogspot.com/2024/01/why-its-trump.html

https://capemuslimspeak.blogspot.com/2023/03/suicide-at-cape.html

 

 

Picture courtesy https://stock.adobe.com

 

 

How many wives?

 

You know when you sit in a social gathering and there is one guy that knows everything. Nobody seems to disagree with him even though he has no facts. He states his opinion as if it is fact. You all know that guy. Sometimes you have to look in the mirror and ask yourself if you are that guy. Without overstepping religious rulings and law, you can have a discussion on certain matters. A fair example will be polygamy. Most will agree that it is permissible, but many will argue about attaching conditions.

Now, I need to ask the women to bear with me. You often hear almost everyone saying that Islam is the solution and has all the answers. I will make point for argument and debate because we must not be shy to talk openly, but, of course, decently and within the ambit of Shari’ah. If Muslims provided the shield for women such that her honour and dignity is protected and preserved, we will have to do a few things differently. Marriage is one such institution that is the cornerstone of society. However, the standard of living of Muslims are more inclined to this world than the hereafter which means that marriages take place later and later in life. Secondly, the societal-induced demands make marriage and parenting expensive. Immediately, I hear you blame it on the economy. There is some justification in that. But it was not always this drastic. Rather, the local societal norm has not been Islam-centric, except for some of the rituals. I dare say, with the “pace” of life and the focus, that the younger generation may be struggling to know right from wrong. Society, today, is more accepting of new norms which should at least be frowned upon than, as example, accepting polygamy, or more specifically, polygyny. Before anybody gets carried away and marries more wives, there is much to clean up in our society. The cleaning up of society and the promotion of polygyny go hand-in-hand. Of course, the few that are capable, in the full sense of the word, to care for more than one wife properly and correctly, should carry on. For the majority, cleaning up means to improve the education on the subject of gender, marriage, parenting, etc. This must be the start of building our society and improving our overall condition.

I raise the issue of polygyny because it is frowned upon by Muslims of the Cape, in general, while new norms regarding marriage and related subjects are more acceptable to them. Perhaps through healthy discussion everyone can benefit, especially if it is in line with the view that Islam has the solutions.

 

Also click 👇and read

Authentic us (capemuslimspeak.blogspot.com)

 

Picture courtesy - https://muslimvillage.com

CT Muslims - Tradition over everything

There is a right and there is a wrong and then there is a grey area. We have been given a way to discern things but do we do this as our lives evolve in its various aspects.

The many ways of doing things may lead to others not seeing  the benefit of one methodology over another. Many will see this blog only as criticism. The truth is that as Muslims we ought to think and ponder over things. Allah speaks much about the Bani Israeel in Quran and many will read it as mere stories or some may even use these ayaat to point a finger at the Jews. This sort of thinking causes us to fail to remind ourselves when we are drifting away from the laws of Allah because we have failed to realise our shortcomings.

Our community is one filled with tradition and, many-a-time, consumed by it. It is a fact that many times either tradition trumps the Islamic ruling or that at times tradition cannot be separated from the religious practices of the people. We either justify some actions or we avoid the topic in its entirety and we condemn the one for objecting to a certain practice or tradition as a madman. There must be a challenge out there for someone to write a book about the laws of Islam versus the many practices and traditions. Such a book that will shed light on the various matters and that we may all be better informed. Issues relating to birth, to marriage and to death and the very many others traditions and practices in between.

 Of the customs is to comment on religious issues either without knowledge on the subject or without the requisite proofs from Quran and Sunnah. Perhaps as a sign of dwindling respect for parents or perhaps people are better informed, but these days one hears less  "my father did so" or "my father said ..." which of course cannot be used of proof (of validity) in religious matters. The other interesting approach is to say that "my Sheikh/Mowlana/Imaam said ...". It may be that the listener did not fully listen the Imam and thus may have omitted something or the Imam may have passed on something without relating the proof or context. This is something that may cause as issue to be lost in translation or rather transmission. Thus it becomes difficult to present your argument, defense or become a proponent of an issue when you say "my imam said ...". Yet, our community life is driven by this concept. The difficulty is then that when there is disagreement, the argument is raised about "ulama bashing" when in fact it is merely a case of contextualising a ruling or correcting a transmitted statement.

The crux of the matter is whether we profess to be a vibrant Muslims community or whether we can attest to being that type of community. It is a question that we can ask and answer individually and collectively. There must be a benchmark though. Were we to made aware of actions and traditions that do not conform to the laws of Islam, will be discard them. We may at this stage deny that we actually have to come to this sort of analysis. There is an opportunity for us to do introspection and as issues are raised, we may find a way to analyse it and take the appropriate action.

May we of those who uphold the Quran and Sunnah and discard those practices that is not in sync with Islam.

And Allah knows Best