Survey finds world’s top 10 intellectuals are Muslims

Fethullah Gülen

Survey finds world’s top 10 intellectuals are Muslims

US international affairs journal Foreign Policy says Turkey’s Fethullah Gülen voted top of its list of world intellectuals.

WASHINGTON - The bimonthly US international affairs journal Foreign Policy has just published a survey of the world’s top 20 public intellectuals and the first 10 are all Muslims.

Fethullah Gülen, who heads a network of schools and media that is probably the world’s largest moderate Muslim movement, came first.

Other Muslim religious personalities made the top 10 — weekly preacher on al-Jazeera satellite television Youssef al-Qaradawi (3rd), popular Egyptian television preacher Amr Khaled (6th), Iranian reformist theologian Abdolkarim Soroush (7th), and Swiss-born scholar Tariq Ramadan (8th).

Second was Muhammad Yunus, the Bangladeshi economist who won the 2006 Nobel Peace Prize for the microcredit project run by his Grameen Bank.

Several top-tenners besides Yunus made the list for their secular work.

Orhan Pamuk, the Turkish novelist who won the 2006 Nobel Prize for literature, came in fourth. Next was Aitzaz Ahsan, the Lahore lawyer whose lawyers’ protest movement is possibly the strongest voice of secular civil society in Pakistan. Ninth and tenth places went to Ugandan-born cultural anthropologist Mahmood Mamdani and Shirin Ebadi, the Iranian human rights lawyer who won the 2003 Nobel Peace Prize.

On the top 20 list were activist Noam Chomsky, former Vice President Al Gore, historian Bernard Lewis, Italian novelist Umberto Eco, welfare economist Amartya Sen, Newsweek International editor Fareed Zakaria, and chess grandmaster and a Russian democracy activist Gary Kasparov.

Half a million people visited the foreignpolicy.com site to pick their favorite candidate.

However, after the results, the journal’s editors said they are not convinced that all the intellectuals belong on top.

In their introduction in the July/August issue, the editors wrote: “Rankings are an inherently dangerous business,” as some candidates ran publicity campaigns on their web sites, in interviews or in reports in media friendly to them.

“No one spread the word as effectively as the man who tops the list,” the introduction said.

“In early May, the Top 100 list was mentioned on the front page of Zaman, a Turkish daily newspaper closely aligned with Islamic scholar Fethullah Gülen. Within hours, votes in his favor began to pour in,” the introduction added.

“His supporters—typically educated, upwardly mobile Muslims—were eager to cast ballots,” the journal noted.

Foreign Policy had chosen the 100 candidates, noting that they “were included on our initial list of 100 in large part because of the influence of their ideas."

Foreign Policy also conceded that "part of being a public intellectual is also having a talent for communicating with a wide and diverse public. This skill is certainly an asset for some who find themselves in the list's top ranks."

List of Muslim philosophers

31/01: List of Muslim philosophers

Category: General

Posted by: Raja Petra

35 Comments

SPECIAL FEATURE: ISLAMIC SCIENCE AHEAD OF ITS TIME
Exhibition at the KLCC (Details here)

A Muslim philosopher is a person that professes Islam and engaged in the philosophical aspect of Islamic studies, for example theology or eschatology and other fields of Islamic philosophy.

Abu Bakr, first Sunni Caliph after the prophet
Omar Bin Khattab, second sunni Caliph after the prophet
Othman Bin Affan, third sunni Caliph after the prophet
Ali - 599, fourth Caliph, and first Shii Imam
Ali ibn Abu Talib- 7th century- cousin and son-in law of the Prophet Muhammed(may Allah bless him and give him peace), first shia imam -completely versed in the Quraan by the age of 9-10 and extensively knowledgable in the natural sciences, composer of shia narration- the peak of eloquence
al-Husayn ibn 'Ali third Shi'i Imam and famed martyr at Karbala
Muhammad al Baqir
Jafar Sadiq - 702, Arab, Shia Imam
Musa al Kazim- shia Imam-a religious scholar descendant of the Prophet Muhammed
Ali ar Rida- grandson of the Prophet Muhammed, religious scholar
ibn al-Haitham - (965-1040) a twelver shia-"father of optics"- established the study of the Human eye and refraction if light through lenses
Muhammad Ya'qub Kulainy - 950, Sufficing fundaments (Usul al-Kafi)
Ibn Abbas - 619, Arab
Abdullah ibn Masoud - d. 652
Zayd ibn Thabit - pre-610

Sunni Muslim

Hassan al-Basri - (642 - 728 or 737)
Abu Hanifa an-Nu'man - 699
Ahmad ibn Hanbal - 780, Musnad Ahmad ibn Hanbal
Al-Khwarezmi, Algorism 770 Khwarezm - 840
Malik ibn Anas - 715, Al-Muwatta
Abu 'Abd Allah ash-Shafi'i - 767
Abu Abdullah Muhammad ibn Isma'eel al-Bukhari - 810, Sunni, Persian, Hadith, Sahih Bukhari Most trusted hadith collector in Sunni Islam
Imam Muslim ibn al-Hajjaj - 810, Sahih Muslim, , Persian
Abu Dawud as-Sidjistani, 817 (Basra) - 888, Sunan Abu Dawud, Persian, Hadith compiler
Al-Tirmidhi - 824, Jami at-Tirmidhi
Al-Nasa'i - 829 Hadith collection , Persian
Ibn Majah - 824 Persia Sunan ibn Majah
at-Tabarani - al-Mu'jam al-Kabeer
Ibn Qutaybah - (828-889)
Ibn Hisham - (d. 834)
ibn Jarir at-Tabari - 838, Sunni, Persian, multiple fields, Tarikh al-Tabari/Tafsir al-Tabari
Al-Ghazali - (1058-1111) Persian theologian and philosopher
Fakhr al-Din al-Razi, (1149–1209) Persian
Al-Nawawi - (1233-1278) Sharh Sahih Muslim, Riyadh as-Saaliheen, 40 Hadith Nawawi
ash-Shawkani
Ibn Hajar al-Asqalani - (1372-1449) Muhaddith author of al-Fath al-Baari and Bulugh al-Maram
Al-Qurtubi - d. 1273 Tafsir al-Qurtubi Andalusian
Ibn al-Qayyim al-Jawziyyah - (1292-1350) Za'ad al-Ma'ad
al-Haafidh ibn Kathir - (1301-1373) Tafsir ibn Kathir
Al-Tahawi - (853-933) Egypt Aqeedah at-Tahawiyyah
Sibt ibn al-Jawzi - d. 1257
Ibn Hazm al-Andalusi, Ali ben Ahmed - 994 (Cordoba) – 1064, Andalusian philosopher
Al-Khatib al-Baghdadi - (1001 - 1072)
al-Hafidh ibn Rajab al-Hanbali - (1335-1392) Damascus
Al-Dhahabi - (1274-1348) Talkhis al-Mustadrak
Ibn Qudamah al-Maqdisi - (1147-1223) al-Mughni
Abd ar-Rahman ibn Naasir as-Saa'di - (1889-1956)
Shams-ul-haq Azeemabadi -1857 -1911, India, Author of Awn-ul-Mabood Sharh Sunan Abi Dawood
Hakim al-Nishaburi - 1014, Persian, Mustadrak al-Hakim
Al-Mawardi - 1058, Arab
Ali ibn Tahir al-Sulami - 1106
Ibn Ruschd, Mohammed ben Ahmed - Averroes 1126 - 1198, Sunni Maliki, Spain, multiple fields, The Incoherence of the Incoherence
Ali ibn al-Athir - 1160, The Complete History
Abul Fida Ismail Ibn Hamwi, 1273, Sunni Shafii (?), Syria, multiple fields, Tarikh Abul Fida
Ali ibn Abu Bakr al-Haythami - 13??, Majma al-Zawa'id
Ibn Khaldun - 1332, Historian
M. A. Muqtedar Khan - 1966 Political Philosopher and Western Muslim Intellectual
as-Suyuti - 1471, History of the Caliphs
Abdulhakim Arvasi - 1867
Badiuzzaman Said Nursi - 1877, Kurdish Turkish Islamic Scholar
Yaqub ibn Ishaq al-Kindi - 801, Arab, multiple fields
Ismail Al-Faruqi - 1921, Sunni, Palestina, philosopher
Ahmed Rida Khan- 1856
Muhammad Metwally Al Shaarawy - (1911-1998)
Yusuf al-Qaradawi - 1926
Imam Iskender Ali MIHR - 1933-Current
Al-Sheik Abdulmajeed Al-Zindini (Jammat Al-Iman In Yemen)
Fethullah Gulen - 1938, Turkish, Islamic Scholar
Abdullah Yusuf Azzam - 1941
Nasr Hamid Abu Zaid - 1943,
Khurshid Ahmad - 1932
Syed Abdullah Shah Naqshbandi - 1872-1964 Sunni Muhaddith of Deccan India
Ibn Hajar Al-Haythami - 909 AH Al-Sawa'iq al-Muhriqah
al-Muhadith Muhammad Nassir ad-Deen Al-Albani - (1914-1999)
Muhammad Yusuf Khandlawi - (1917 – 1965) India Sunni
Al-Juwayni - Fara'id al-Simtayn
Prof. Dr. Muhammad Tahir-ul-Qadri[1] (1951) Author of 300 books including Urdu translation of Quran [2]
Rashid Rida - (1865-1935) Syrian
Muhammad Rafi Usmani
Muhammad Taqi Usmani
Tawfique Chowdhury
Anwar Al Awlaki , Yemen
Huseyin Hilmi Isik (1911-2001) - Author of Seadet-i Ebediyye or the Endless Bliss
Omar Khayyám - 1048, Persia
Al-Khwarizmi - 800?, Persia
Amin Ahsan Islahi (1904–1997) - Author of Tadabbur-i-Qur’an
Nizam al-Mulk - (1018 – 1092) Persian Siyasatnama
Sheikh Muhammad Taqiuddin al-Nabhani
Shah waliullah

Shi'a Muslim

Abi Mekhnaf -died in 157 AH, 774 AD - Kufi
Mohammad ibn Ali (ibn-e Babuyeh) or (Shaikh Saduq) 927/928 - (306 -381 A.H.)
al-Sharif al-Radi - 970, compiler of the Peak of Eloquence (Nahj al-Balagha)
al-Sharif al-Murtada
al-Shaykh al-Mufid
Nasir al-Din Tusi - 1201, Shi'a, Persia, multiple fields, Zij-i ilkhani, one of the founders of Trigonometry.
Mulla Sadra - 1571, Shi'a, Persia, philosophy, Transcendent Theosophy, the greatest philosopher Persia has ever produced
Mir Damad - 16?? or 17??, Shia, Persia, philosophy, Taqwim al-Iman, founder of the Isfahan School
Allama Majlesi, 1689, Shia twelver, Iran, Oceans of Light (Bihar ul Anwar)
Avicenna or ibn Sina - 980, Persian, physicians, The Book of Healing, "the father of modern medicine"
Grand Ayatollah al-Shirazi - 1892, Shia twelver, Iran
Allameh Tabatabaei - 1892, Shia twelver, Iran, multiple fields, Tafsir al-Mizan
Allamah Rasheed Turabi 1908 - 1973
Ruhollah Khomeini - 1900, Shia twelver, Iran, the political and spiritual leader of the 1979 Islamic Revolution
Seyyed Hossein Nasr - 1933, Shia twelver, Iran, philosophy, [Shi'a Islam (Book)
Musa al-Sadr - Abducted in 1978
Morteza Motahhari - 1979 Iran
Husain Mohammad Jafri - Shia, Pakistan, The Origins and Early Development of Shi`a Islam
Ahmad ibn A'tham
Ali al-Sistani - Shia twelver, Iran-Iraq
Ahmad Reda
Shaykh Ahmad-i-Ahsa'i - Shia
Sayed Muhsin al-Hakim
Mohammed Baqir al-Hakim
Grand Ayatollah Borujerdi
Mohammad Salih al-Mazandarani - Shahr Usul al-Kafi
Mulla Sadra - Persia
Mughatil ibn Bakri
Muhammad al-Tijani
Hamid Dabashi - Expectation of the Millennium: Shi'ism in History
Ali Khamenei
Ali Shariati
Haji Karim Khan of Kirman [3]
Siyyid Kázim Rashtí
Sayed Muhsin al-Hakim
Mohammad Khatami
Mahmoud Khatami
Professor Abdul Hakeem
Prof.Waheed Akhtar: (1934-1996)

Sufi

Rabi'a al-Adawiya, aka Rabia Basri, 8th century, Basra, Persia [4]
Attar, Persia
Abusaeid Abolkheir, Persia
Junayd Baghdadi
Bayazid Bastami, Persia
Mansur Al-Hallaj, Persia
Abdul Qadir Jilani - Sunni Hanbali
Najmeddin Kubra, Persia
Dhu Nun al-Masri, 9th century, Nubia, Egypt
Jalal al-Din Muhammad Rumi - 1207, Persia, founder of the order of the derwishes
Al-Sakhawi, 831— 902
Nasreddin - 10?? -13??, Persia
Saadi - Persia
Al-Farabi - 870, Persian, multiple fields, Kitab al-Musiqa, one of the greatest scientists and philosophers of his time
Jami - 1414, Persian, multiple fields, Diwanha-i Sehganeh, the greatest Persian poet in the 15th century
Syed Muhammad Naquib al-Attas
Muhammad Ilyas - 1885
Justice Shaykh Muhammad Karam Shah al-Azhari - 1918-1998, Bhera, Pakistan
Shaykh Muhammad Imdad Hussain Pirzada
Shaykh Faiz-ul-Aqtab Siddiqi England
Hazrat Mujadid Abdul Wahab Siddiqi(1942-1994)England

Mutazilite

Wasil ibn Ata - 700, founder of the Mutazilite school of Islamic thought (Arab theology)
Abd al-Jabbar of Baghdad and Rayy ,325 AH/935 CE - 415 AH/1025 CE
Abu’l Husayn al-Basri died 478 AH/1085 CE, disciple then opponent of al-Jabbar, set out qualifications for a muslim scholar
Ibn Abu al-Hadid -Peak of Eloquence with comments
Zamakhshari - 1074, Persian
Masudi
Al-Jahiz - 776, Arab
Al-Jubba'i - 9??, Persian

Denomination Unknown

Mohammad Ibn Abd-al-Haq Ibn Sab’in, Spain
A. E. Souaiaia , University of Iowa , USA
Muhammad Iqbal, Pakistan
Javed Ahmed Ghamidi (1951—) - Author of Mizan

Men that converted to Islam

Roger Garaudy
Jeffrey Lang
Hamza Yusuf
Sherman Jackson
Yahya Michot
Marmaduke Pickthall -1875, England, The meaning of the Holy Qur'an
Michael Wolfe
Nuh Keller
Frithjof Schuon
Timothy Winter
Bilal Philips
Yusuf Estes
Ali Ibrahim Kalyanaraman
Zaid Shakir - American
Thomas McElwain
Gary Miller (Abdul-Ahad Omar) - Former Christian Missionary who embraced Islam
Abdul Ahad Davud
Muhammad Asad (Leopold Weiss born in July 1900 in the city of Lviv, now in Ukraine, died 1992) was a Jew who converted to Islam.
Martin Lings

Muslim philosophers of modern times

Seyyed Hossein Nasr
Morteza Motahhari
Ruhollah Khomeini
Musa al-Sadr

Controversial

This is a list of scholars of present and past that are not recognized as Muslims by the mainstream but profess to be Muslims as part of groups and small sects that deviate from the mainstream.

Ibn al-Rawandi
Abd-Allah ibn Ibadh
Asra Q. Nomani
Elijah Muhammad
Rashad Khalifa - proclaimed himself to be the Messenger of the Covenant of 3:81
Mirza Ghulam Ahmad 1835-1908 - proclaimed to be the Promised Reformer (Mahdi) and the Messiah

Orientalists/Non-Muslims

George Sale - 1697
Charles Mills - 1788, England
William Muir - 1819, England
Ignaz Goldziher - 1850, Hungarian
David Samuel Margoliouth - 1858, England, Mohammed and the Rise of Islam
Henri Lammens - 1862, French, Islam: Beliefs and Institutions
Philip Khuri Hitti - 1886, Lebanon
Maxime Rodinson - 1915, French
Leone Caetani - 1869, Italian, Annali dell' Islam
Wilferd Madelung - 1930, Germany, The Succession to Muhammad, Shia point of view
Okawa Shumei - 1886, Japanese
Karen Armstrong - 1944, England, Muhammad: a Biography of the Prophet
William Chittick - United States, Sufi point of view
Cornell Fleischer - United States, Kanuni Suleyman Professor of Ottoman and Modern Turkish Studies
Geraldine de Gaury - Rulers of Mecca
Betty Kelen - Muhammad, The Messenger of God
Francis E. Peters - Muhammad and the Origins of Islam
William Montgomery Watt
Báb - proclaimed prophethood, started a new religion and stated he abrogated Islam
Elijah Muhammad - Started the Nation of Islam movement and proclaimed prophethood
Fred M. Donner
Alfred Guillaume
Arthur John Arberry
Ehsan Yarshater (Bahá'í, with Iranian-Jewish family background)
Dr. Ian K. A. Howard
John L. Esposito - 1940, Editor-in-chief of The Oxford Encyclopedia of the Modern Islamic World
Louis Massignon (1883–1962), French scholar of Islam
Margaret Smith, author of Rabi'a the Mystic and her Fellow-Saints in Islam, 1928
John Woods, - United States Professor of Iranian and Central Asian History, and of Near Eastern Languages and Civilizations
Malika Zeghal, author and professor of the anthropology and sociology of Islam

29/01: List of Islamic historians

Category: General

Posted by: Raja Petra

11 Comments

SPECIAL FEATURE: ISLAMIC SCIENCE AHEAD OF ITS TIME
Exhibition at the KLCC (Details here)

The historians of the formative period

First class: 700-750

Urwah ibn Zubayr (died in 712 CE)
Al-Zuhri (died in 742 CE)

Second class: 750-800

Ibn Ishaq(d. 761) - Known for Sirat Rasul Allah or The Life of the Apostle of God
Abi Mikhnaf (d. 157 AH - 774 CE) - Known for Maqtal Al-Husayn
Sayf ibn Umar (d. 796)

Third class: 800-860

Al-Haysam ibn Adi (d. 882)
Al-Waqidi (d. 207 A.H./823CE) - Noted for Kitab Al Tarikh wa Al Maghazi (Book of History and Battles).
Al-Madaini (d. 830-850)
Ibn Hisham (d. 835)
Ibn Sa'd (d. 845)
Khalifa ibn Khayyat (d. 854)

Fourth class: 860-900

Umar ibn Shabba (d. 878)
Dinwari (d. 891) - - Known for Akbar Altewal
Baladhuri (d. 892)

Fifth class: 900-950

Ya'qubi (d. 900) - He wrote Tarikh al-Yaqubi
Muhammad ibn Jarir al-Tabari(838CE - 923CE) - He wrote a history work on Prophets and Kings.
Ibn A'tham (d. 314/926-27) - He wrote Alfutuh (Robinson hasn't mentioned his name.)

The historians of the classical period

Iraq and Iran

Mas'udi (d. 955)
Sabit ibn Sinan Al-Sabi (d. 976)
Ibn Miskawayh (d. 1030)
Al-Utbi (d. 1036)
Hilal ibn Al-Muhassin Al-Sabi (d. 1055)
Al-Khatib Al-Baqdadi (d. 1071)
Beyhaqi (995-1077) He wrote Tarikh-e Mas'oudi ("Masoudian History", also known as "Tarikh-e Beyhaghi").
Abu Ishaq Al-Shirazi (d. 1083)
Ibn Al-Imrani (d. 1184)
Abu-al-Faraj ibn Al-Jawzi (d. 1201)
Ibn Al-Sa'i (d. 1276)
Ibn Al-Fuwati (d. 1323)

Andalus, Maghreb, Egypt and Syria

Al-Musabbihi (d. 1030)
Ibn Hazm (d. 1063)
Ibn Abd Al-Barr (d. 1071)
Al-Qadi Iyad (d.1149)
Ibn Al-Qalanisi (d. 1160)
Ibn Asaqir (d. 1176)
Imad Al-Din Al-Isfahani (d. 1201)
Ali ibn al-Athir(1160 - 1231) - He wrote Al-Kamil fi al-Tarikh
Baha Al-Din ibn Shaddad (d. 1235)
Al-Kalabi (d.1237)
Sibt ibn al-Jawzi (d. 1256)
Ibn Al-Adim (d. 1262)
Abu Shama (d. 1267)
Ibn Khallikan (d. 1282)
Ibn Abd Al-Zahir (d. 1292)
Baybars Al-Mansuri (d. 1325)
Abu Al-Fida (d. 1331)
Al-Nuwayri (d. 1332)
Al-Mizzi (d. 1341)
Al-Dhahabi (d. 1348)
Ibn Al-dawadari
Al-Safadi (d. 1363)
Ibn Kathir (d. 1373)
Ibn Al-Furat (d. 1405)
Ibn Khaldun (May 27, 1332/A.H. 732 to March 19, 1406/A.H. 808) - He wrote Muqaddimah and Al-Ebar
Al-Maqrizi (d. 1442)
Ibn Hajr Al-Asqalani (d. 1449)
Al-Ayni (d. 1451)
Al-Saqhawi (d. 1497)
Al-Suyuti (d. 1505)

HOW TO LET OFF GUILT AND LEARN TO FORGIVE

"It is part of the Mercy of Allah that you deal gently with them. Were you severe or harsh-hearted, they would have gone away from you: so pass over (their faults), and ask for (Allah's) forgiveness for them; and consult them in the affairs (of the moment). Then, when you have taken a decision, place your trust in Allah. For Allah loves those who place their trust(in
Him).}AL QURAN:3:159

[Lessons from this verse] It is not the snake bite that kills, it's the venom that flows through the blood. The antidote is forgiving people. Don't let anger rent space in your mind and heart. Forgive and pass over people's faults.

"Strength of character means the ability to overcome resentment against others, to hide hurt feelings, and to forgive quickly."

"To love means loving the unlovable. To forgive means pardoning the unpardonable. Faith means believing the unbelievable. Hope means hoping when everything seems hopeless."

"To forgive is to set a prisoner free and discover that the prisoner was you."

"Do everything. Love as much as you can. it may hurt but it helps us grow. Give all you have...you may be poor but you will be content. Always forgive....your heart can not afford not to. Teach what you know and learn what you don't. Stay open to all"

"Before you speak, listen.

Before you write, think.

Before you spend, earn.

Before you invest, investigate.

Before you criticize, wait.

Before you pray, forgive.

Before you quit, try.

Before you retire, save.

Before you die, give."

"Do more than belong: participate. Do more than care: help. Do more than believe: practice. Do more than be fair: be kind. Do more than forgive: forget. Do more than dream: work."

A kindergarten teacher decided to let her class play a game. The teacher told each child in the class to bring along a plastic bag containing a few potatoes. Each potato will be given a name of a
person that the child hates, so the number of potatoes that a child will put in his/her plastic bag will depend on the number of people he/she hates.

So when the day came, every child brought some potatoes with the name of the people he/she hated. Some had 2 potatoes; some 3 while some up to 5 potatoes. The teacher then told the children to carry with them the potatoes in the plastic bag wherever they go for 1 week.

Days after days passed by, and the children started to complain due to the unpleasant smell let out by the rotten potatoes. Besides, those having 5 potatoes also had to carry heavier bags.

After 1 week, the children were relieved because the game had finally ended. The teacher asked: "How did you feel while carrying the potatoes with you for 1 week?" The children let out their
frustrations and started complaining of the trouble that they had to go through having to carry the heavy and smelly potatoes wherever they go.

Then the teacher told them the hidden meaning behind the game.

The teacher said: "This is exactly the situation when you carry your hatred for somebody inside your heart. The stench of hatred will contaminate your heart and you will carry it with you wherever you go. If you cannot tolerate the smell of rotten potatoes for just 1 week, can you imagine what is it like to have the stench of hatred in your heart for your lifetime???"

Moral:

Throw away any hatred for anyone from your heart so that you will not carry sins for a life time. Forgiving others is the best attitude to take! Forget & Forgive!!!

WE HAVE ALL DONE THINGS THAT WE ARE NOT PROUD OF. Perhaps we were not there for a friend when they needed us, or we may have been responsible for unhappiness in our family. These sorts of past actions can leave us feeling ashamed and guilty, and we can end up
carrying our guilt for years.

Guilt is probably one of the most debilitating and negative emotions there is – one that can, and often does, destroy a person's life. But if we want to live happy lives, we need to deal with the consequences of our past actions and move on, rather than allowing our lives to be wracked with guilt.

Feeling guilty should not be confused with taking responsibility for our past. Responsibility means "the ability to respond", and therefore taking responsibility means that we actively address the consequences of our actions in whatever way we can, in particular by changing our behavior patterns. Taking responsibility also includes moving on by making peace with the past.

Unlike taking responsibility, which is redeeming and positive, guilt has absolutely no value. Guilt does not encourage us to change in positive ways but debilitates us, leaving us unable to take the
action we need to bring about change.

Breaking out of the guilt cycle

As a behavior pattern, guilt often becomes a self-perpetuating cycle:
we do something, we feel guilty about it, we punish ourselves and, because we feel bad, we end up repeating our behavior at the next available opportunity.

This debilitating cycle continues largely because we do not take full responsibility for our actions or for changing our behavior. So how do we start the process of taking responsibility? By considering, with complete honesty, the part we play in any situation and by accepting our role in creating the events.

The purpose of this self-examination is to evaluate truthfully whatever occurred so that we can learn how we contributed. Through learning and honest self-assessment, we change our thinking and behavior. We can also forgive ourselves and move on with experience and wisdom.

Real forgiveness

In this process, forgiveness is vital. However, forgiveness is not what we generally believe it to be.

Real forgiveness has nothing to do with feeling of "sorry or apologizing" – neither of which actually changes anything. True forgiveness is contained in its literal meaning. The word "forgive" is very old, and the prefix "for" means literally "to reject." So the word as a whole means "to reject the giving".

We need "to reject the giving" because, if we think we have wronged someone, we use our sense of guilt to "give" to that person. By giving, we hope to make it better, and to exonerate ourselves from our actions. Conversely, if we feel that someone has wronged us, we will continue to demand payment for that offense, and thus want the other person to "give" to us.

But giving from a sense of guilt can never lead us to forgiveness. Neither can forgiveness be bestowed by another; it has to be brought about by ourselves. In the end, unless we can reject all this giving and truly forgive ourselves, we can never really move on and be free of the past.

How does forgiveness work in practice? Say that you have had a history of being abusive towards others, but have started to take responsibility for your past by changing your behavior. The reality is that you can still have unresolved feelings about what you have done. The process of forgiveness enables you to resolve these unresolved feelings so that you can move on.

It is important to remember that feeling bad about the past never really allows us to move on. What's more, if we indulge in feeling bad, this implies that we view our past as meaningless and of no value. What a waste! For, if we have caused harm, surely we should try to learn from our actions rather than living with a heap of regrets?

Forgiving ourselves involves finding value in our experiences. Instead of just writing off an experience as a painful episode, and trying to forget it, we should look for the value in that experience and try to take out of the experience whatever we can learn.

Toltecs look upon life as a journey of learning, and say that all true learning or knowledge is experiential. Because we are stubborn and tend to avoid change, much of our learning does come about through painful experiences. However, if we wish to grow and to use our experiences as a learning curve, it is vital that we focus on what we have learned, rather than the pain.

By searching for learning and value from our past, we ensure that there is no more need to give or demand payment - we can, indeed, "reject the giving" and so forgive.

To take meaning and value out of any situation, simply ask, "What has this taught me? What lessons can I learn: about myself, about others and about my life? How can I use this new knowledge to change my thinking and behavior and help others avoid the same trap?"

In this light our past, instead of being meaningless and shameful, has a positive and life-enhancing value. By learning to handle our past, and by taking the steps to forgive ourselves in the true sense of the word, we can let go of the debilitating consequences of guilt,
and finally move on.

"Say: 'O my servants who have transgressed against their souls! Despair not of the Mercy of Allah: for Allah forgives all sins for He is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful." Surah Al-Zumar, chapter 39 verse 53-55

Kaitan Planet Nibiru dengan Kiamat

Web Tranungkite memuatkan artikel dari blog kerenahdunia.blogspot ( tercantum di bawah) yang memaparkan teori kewujudan Planet Nibiru dan peredarannya yang mungkin boleh menjadi salah satu 'cara' Kiamat itu akan berlaku. Mengikut perkiraan para astronomer yang mempercayai kewujudan planet ini selepas mengamati pattern pergerakannya, diramalkan ia akan menimbulkan kecelaruan peredaran dan putaran planet lain dalam dan berdekatan dengan haluannya. Paling awal diramalkan akan memberi impak kepada bumi pada 21 Disember 2012 dan ada juga ramalan ia bertembung dengan bumi pada tahun 2053.

Sudah tentu bagi mereka yang kekurang masa atau malas hendak memperdalami lebih jauh lagi tentang isu ini, mereka akan menerima sahaja semua teori ini dalam satu shot pembacaan sahaja. Lebih ironis lagi ia akan diterima sebagai satu kebenaran yang tak perlu dipertikaikan lagi.

Untunglah kalau ia mendorong mereka untuk memperbanyakkan ibadah sementara menunggu 'kiamat' yang mereka sangka bakal tiba dalam jangka hayat mereka. Mereka sudah tentu akan memperbanyakkan taubat , amal soleh dan berbuat apa sahaja yang boleh menebus kesalahan masa lalu. Dunia akan lebih selamat didiami dengan ramainya orang-orang yang hendak kembali di jalan Tuhan.

Namun tidak sedikit pula mereka yang sukar menerima kenyataan bahawa hidup mereka terlalu singkat untuk dinikmati. Tak kurang yang akan menyesali takdir Tuhan yang memberi mereka peluang terlalu sedikit untuk merasakan nikmat dunia. Maklumlah selama ini bila kita ingatkan mereka akan janji Tuhan di akhirat yang lebih kekal, mereka tak percaya. Jadi rasa sayang dunia pun bertambah-tambah. Apa lagi ? Sementara belum kiamat, lajaklah habis-habis. Jangan ada lagi keseronokan dunia yang tak dirasa. Lantaklah dosa ke ... yang penting lazat.

aya dapati penulisan kerenahdunia amagt mirip isi dan gambar-gambarnya dengan satu tulisan blogger Indonesia awan965.wordpress.com .

Dari carian ke beberapa laman lain seperti www.squidoo.com/nibiru, www.maya12-21-2012.com, www.apollonius.net dan lain-lainnya, saya dapati pendapat awal tentang kewujudan Planet Nibiru ini sangat kuat berakar dengan kepercayaan suku Maya di Amerika Selatan. Sumber lain yang menjadi rujukan adalah catatan sejarah bangsa Sumeria. Tidak sedikit juga mereka yang menganggap teori sebagai andaian yang kecil kemungkinan akan menjadi satu kenyataan. Buat sahaja carian dengan keyword 'hoax' & 'nibiru' pada mana-mana search engine, anda akan jumpa berlambak-lambak bidasan demi bidasan menidakkan kemungkin hari Kiamat berasaskan fenomena Nibiru. Memang sejak 2003 lagi sudah ditemukan kewujudan Planet X ini, tapi ramai juga yang menafikan Planet Nibiru adalah planet X yang dimaksudkan.

Apa-apa pun sebagai muslim, dalam hal berkaitan Kiamat ni, kita tak dapat lepas daripada merujuk kepada pemberitaan (naba') dari Allah melalui Kitab-Nya dan lisan Rasul-Nya s.a.w. Sabahagiannya telah dipetik oleh penulis blog kerenahdunia.blogspot.com. Pada dasarnya bila Kiamat akan berlaku, Rasulullah s.a.w. pun tidak mengetahuinya ( Surah an-Nazi'at). Namun jika kita tidak dibiarkan teraba-raba kosong melainkan diberi clue kepada kita untuk mengetahui tanda-tanda yang kita patus waspadai menjelang kedatang Kiamat itu. Tanda-tanda tu sudah lama ada. Tinggal nak menunggu tanda-tanda besar sahaja lagi.

Tapi kiamat terdekat yang pasti berlaku pada kita adalah kiamat kecil iaitu kematian yang pasti akan datang kepada kita. Jadi , lama atau dekatnya Kiamat besar ni berlaku, sepatutnya tidak mengurangkan persediaan kita untuk menghadapi kiamat kecil yang bila-bila masa sahaja akan tiba.

Maka berbuatlah untuk dunia seolah-oleh kita akan hidup selama-lamanya dan jangan lupa berbuat untuk akhirat seolah akan mati esok hari.

PETIKAN ARTIKEL TENTANG NIBIRU

07 June 2008

NIBIRU: ANCAMAN DARI ANGKASA LEPAS?

Allah SWT telah menciptakan banyak bintang di alam semesta dalam kuantiti yang tidak terbilang selagi dikehendakiNya. Dari pandangan sains astronomi, gugusan bintang ini diberi nama galaksi nama 'galaksi'. Terdapat banyak galaksi yang hanya ALLAH saja yang tahu jumlah sebenarnya. Salah satu daripadanya adalah galaksi di mana bumi kita berada di dalamnya yang diberi nama 'bima sakti'.Dengan kuasa ALLAH diciptakanNya pula objek langit dan planet berputar mengelilingi matahari mengikut orbit yang tersusun. Kumpulan planet yang bergerak mengelilingi matahari, diberi nama pula Sistem Suria (Solar System). Begitu pula dengan galaksi lain yang memiliki pusatnya sendiri. Putaran planet terhadap pusat galaksi secara tersusun ini kemudian diistilahkan sebagai 'orbit'.Pakar-pakar astronomi menyatakan kini sudah banyak planet yang berputar secara berbalik arah, jika di planet bumi kita ini matahari masih terbit dari arah timur, maka beberapa tahun ini terdapat fenomena baru yang di dalam pemantauan ahli astronomi ini planet lain sudah mulai berbalik arah dan matahari terbit dari arah barat. Dari sisi ilmiah, inilah pertanda akhir zaman mendekati kiamat, sebagaimana petunjuk dari Nabi junjungan kita, Muhammad SAW. Dalam kekalutan memantau berterusan pergerakan planet-planet yang telah berlawan arah ini, mereka menemui satu planet baru yang di beri nama Planet Nibiru (ada yang panggil Planet X.

















Gambar Atas: Orbit Nibiru (garisan merah) yang berbeza dengan planet lain

Nibiru ini ditarik oleh daya graviti matahari yang besar dalam sistem suria kita, sehingga kemudian ia masuk ke dalam orbit planet-planet dalam keadaan berlawanan arah, dan suatu masa nanti Nibiru akan bertembung dengan bumi. Para sainstis meramalkan 50 tahun lagi Nibiru ini akan memasuki orbit sistem suria kita, sejak ia ditemui pada tahun 2003. Dengan kata lain, kehancuran bumi bakal terjadi pada tahun 2053? Ada laman web yang menyatakan pertembungan ini berlaku pada 2012. Dari segi sains, pembolehubah-pembolehubah yang terlibat adalah dinamik dan boleh berubah ubah. Atau adakah ini adalah kiamat yang disebut dalam Al-Quran? ALLAH Maha Berkuasa atas segala-galanya.

Lintasan Planet Nibiru ke dalam sistem suria dikatakan bakal memberikan impak yang dahsyat di bumi. Gempa-gempa bumi terkuat dalam sejarah manusia moden akan terjadi ketika ini. Setelah bumi bergerak sejajar dengan medan magnet Nibiru, gempa bumi berskala lebih 9 skala Richter akan berlaku dan akan dirasai banyak tempat di dunia. Ketulan ais di kutub akan terbelah dan mencair, meningkatkan aras air laut sehingga menenggelamkan banyak tempat di dunia. Gelombang tsunami raksasa juga dijangkakan akan berlaku pada masa tersebut.

Gangguan elektromagnetik yang berlaku di planet-planet lain dalam sistem suria ketika ini juga dipercayai disebabkan oleh graviti Nibiru. Perubahan cuaca yang agak ekstrem ini juga dipercayai berpunca daripada ketidakstabilan gelombang elektromagnetik bumi akibat pengaruh Nibiru. Namun, kita sebagai rakyat Malaysia yang masih mentah dalam astronomi tidak mengetahui dan tidak didedahkan dengan pengetahuan tersebut. Walaupun, kita sudah ada angkasawan, namun, kita masih terlalu muda untuk melibatkan diri dalam sains angkasa lepas. Kita hanya disuapkan dengan fenomena pemanasan global dan perubahan cuaca dunia yang disebabkan oleh aktiviti manusia sendiri. Walhal, pengaruh luar bumi juga turut menyumbang kepada fenomena ini.

Kestabilan medan magnet bumi yang dipengaruhi oleh matahari akan terganggu oleh lintasan Nibiru. Pergerakannya memasuki sistem suria menyebabkan suhu teras bumi meningkat secara mendadak akibat adanya pertambahan gerakan berputar di dalamnya. Ketika teras bumi cuba mencapai keseimbangan bagi perubahan mendadak dalam sistem suria, keadaan ini akan menghasilkan kesan sampingan yang teruk antaranya perubahan cuaca yang tidak stabil dan meningkatnya aktiviti gunung berapi seperti yang berlaku sekarang.

Peningkatan suhu teras bumi mengakibatkan peningkatan berkala pada aktiviti seismik dan gunung berapi. Gempa bumi pun sering terjadi. Daerah pegunungan diancam bahaya lahar. Kepanasan dari teras bumi bumi diserap oleh mantel dan akhirnya kerak bumi mengakibatkan peningkatan suhu dasar laut. Air laut yang semakin panas akan merubah pola arusnya, taburan hujan berubah dan pola-pola meteorologi terganggu.

Adakah keadaan ini membawa kepada kejadian kiamat? Allah SWT telah berfirman banyak kali dalam Al Quran yang menjelaskan betapa dahsyatnya kiamat. Seperti di dala Surah Al-Waqiah ayat 1 hingga 6 yang bermaksud:

Apabila terjadi hari kiamat, tidak seorangpun dapat berdusta tentang kejadiannya. (Kejadian itu) merendahkan (satu golongan) dan meninggikan (golongan yang lain), apabila bumi digoncangkan sedahsyat-dahsyatnya, dan gunung-gunung dihancur luluhkan seluluh-luluhnya, maka jadilah ia debu yang berterbangan

Jika benar pertembungan ini yang memulakan kiamat, maka itu ALLAH SWT jualah yang menghendakinya.

Dan jika makluman ahli sains angkasa itu salah, maka hendaklah kita jadikan renungan dan iktibar. Marilah kita muhasabah diri kita. Kita diminta oleh Rasullullah SAW untuk membaca, memelihara dan menyebarkan Al Quran. Perkara kiamat adalah ketentuan Allah yang mutlak dan pasti akan berlaku. Yang penting bagi kita adalah bersedia untuk menghadap ALLAH. Adakah kita telah bersedia?

"Fatwa" CELCOM vs Fatwa Majlis Fatwa Kebangsaan 2004

Celcom dakwa bebas judi
Oleh Maiamalina Mohamed Amin


KUALA LUMPUR: Peraduan Celcom 100 Hari 100 Kereta anjuran Celcom (Malaysia) Berhad yang menawarkan hadiah sebuah Toyota Camry 2.0E 1AZ-FE mengguna pakai mekanisme diluluskan kerajaan, dan bukan berunsurkan perjudian seperti didakwa sesetengah pihak.

Ketua Eksekutif Celcom, Datuk Seri Shazalli Ramly, berkata sebelum melancarkan peraduan itu, Ahad lalu pihaknya sudah berbincang dengan mereka yang arif serta turut menitik beratkan pandangan dari sudut Islam.

Katanya, tiada sebarang unsur perjudian digunakan dalam peraduan itu, sebaliknya pelanggan perlu menjawab soalan dengan tepat menerusi SMS yang dikenakan RM5 setiap satu.

“Pendekatan peraduan 100 Hari 100 Kereta ini sama sekali tidak berunsurkan judi atau melanggar hukum Islam kerana pelanggan hanya diuji dari segi keupayaan pengetahuan am mereka, manakala pemenang pula dipilih berdasarkan jawapan paling tepat dan pantas, bukan pilihan rambang atau cabutan bertuah.

“Pihak kami pun bukan jahil sangat sampai tidak tahu apa yang benar dan apa salah, sebab itu dari awal sudah nyatakan kepada pelanggan setiap SMS mereka dikenakan RM5,” katanya pada pemberita di Kuala Lumpur, semalam.

Hadir sama Timbalan Presiden Komunikasi Korporat Celcom, Datuk Najmuddin Abdullah.

Shazalli berkata, beliau kecewa dengan sikap sesetengah pihak yang cepat berprasangka buruk terhadap peraduan 100 Hari 100 Kereta, sebelum mencubanya.

Menurutnya, peraduan itu bukan menguji nasib sebaliknya menguji skil dan keupayaan, justeru tidak wajar dikatakan bertentangan hukum Islam atau haram.

“Kita tidak menggunakan kaedah cabutan bertuah yang meragukan malah pemenang juga dipilih berdasarkan ketepatan dan kepantasan menjawab soalan, jadi tidak tepatlah kalau ada mendakwa mekanisme peraduan bercanggah fatwa.

“Bagaimanapun, jika pihak berkuasa mahupun majlis mufti masih meragui pendekatan peraduan ini, saya sedia membenarkan mereka melihat sendiri proses pemilihan pemenang dan perjalanan peraduan.

“Ini kerana Celcom tidak ada apa-apa yang mahu dirahsiakan malah peraduan 100 Hari 100 Kereta ini juga pernah dijalankan di Moroco, negara Islam seperti kita,” katanya.

Selasa lalu, Celcom mengumumkan suri rumah dari Pontian, Johor, Suzana Padupai, 36 sebagai pemenang pertama Toyota Camry yang disiarkan menerusi program `Scoreboard’ TV3.

“Peraduan terbuka kepada pelanggan pasca bayar dan pra bayar Celcom, namun setakat ini 24 hingga 25 peratus pelanggan pasca bayar menyertai peraduan ini.

“Justeru, kita juga akan meneruskan peraduan ini seperti biasa,” katanya.

========================

FATWA PERADUAN SMS OLEH MAJLIS FATWA TAHUN 2004

Peraduan SMS haram -- Majlis Fatwa putuskan kuiz ada unsur eksploitasi dan perjudian
Oleh: NOR AZIAH JAAFAR

PUTRAJAYA 27 Julai - Majlis Fatwa Kebangsaan hari ini memutuskan bahawa peraduan kuiz melalui Sistem Pesanan Ringkas (SMS) adalah haram kerana mengandungi unsur perjudian.

Pengerusinya, Datuk Dr. Ismail Ibrahim berkata, keputusan itu berdasarkan beberapa hujah dan latar belakang peraduan tersebut yang bersifat samar-samar, mengandungi unsur eksploitasi dan penipuan.

Selain itu, katanya, ia bergantung kepada nasib dan wang pertaruhan.

Menurut beliau, jika disebut judi, ia bergantung kepada nasib dan wang pertaruhan yang tidak menentu serta mengeksploitasi duit orang ramai sedangkan yang mendapat keuntungan adalah pihak tertentu dalam bilangan yang terhad.

Dalam konteks kuiz melalui SMS, katanya, orang ramai terpaksa mengeluarkan wang untuk menyertai sesuatu kuiz melalui penghantaran SMS dengan harapan akan menang sedangkan yang mendapat keuntungan daripada kemenangan adalah sebilangan kecil peserta sahaja.

``Dalam kuiz sedemikian banyak peserta dapat menjawab dengan baik, tetapi mereka kena bersaing dengan orang lain untuk menang.

``Umpamanya mata minimum adalah 200 dan dia kena belanja RM20 untuk SMS, kalau nak lebih daripada itu, dia kena keluar duit yang banyak untuk kirim SMS hingga beribu-ribu ringgit.

``Tetapi akhirnya dia tidak mendapat apa-apa pulangan dan perkara ini tidak diharuskan oleh agama kita,'' katanya kepada pemberita selepas mempengerusikan mesyuarat Majlis Fatwa Kebangsaan di sini, hari ini.

Mesyuarat itu diadakan khusus untuk membincangkan mengenai berleluasanya penganjuran kuiz melalui SMS di negara ini sejak akhir-akhir ini termasuk promosi di media massa sehingga ada peserta tidak menyedari mereka kerugian beribu-ribu ringgit.

Beberapa stesen televisyen swasta turut menganjurkan pelbagai Kuiz SMS yang menawarkan pelbagai hadiah antaranya Maxmillion, Malaysia Idol SMS Challenge dan SMS Game.

Menurut Ismail, fatwa mengharamkan peraduan kuiz melalui SMS ini bukan bermakna agama Islam menolak kemajuan dalam bidang teknologi maklumat (ICT).

Sebaliknya, kata beliau, banyak kemudahan tersebut seperti e-mel dan Internet digunakan untuk kerja-kerja pendakwahan.

Bagaimanapun, katanya, dalam hal ini majlis tersebut tidak boleh membiarkan kemajuan teknologi digunakan bercanggah dengan hukum agama, oleh itu fatwa tersebut perlu dikeluarkan memandangkan ia merupakan satu perkara baru yang orang ramai masih tidak memahami hukumnya dari segi agama.

Malah, kata beliau, fatwa tersebut adalah selaras dengan garis panduan mengenai penganjuran peraduan bertujuan promosi komersial yang dikeluarkan oleh Kementerian Kewangan pada 20 April lalu bagi menentukan sama ada ia mengandungi unsur perjudian atau tidak.

Menurutnya, Kementerian Kewangan telah mentakrifkan penganjuran atau penyertaan dalam acara cabutan bertuah atau permainan yang bergantung kepada nasib adalah termasuk di bawah gaming atau lottery mengikut Seksyen 2 Akta Rumah perjudian Terbuka 1953 dan tidak mengeluarkan permit bagi tujuan penganjurannya.

Ismail memberitahu, menurut garis panduan itu, sesuatu peraduan adalah merupakan perjudian atau loteri berdasarkan tiga fakta.

Katanya, fakta tersebut ialah pembahagian hadiah; permainan atau perjalanannya secara cabutan atau nasib; dan wujudnya sumbangan secara langsung atau tidak langsung oleh peserta.

``Kalau perjudian dan loteri diharamkan oleh undang-undang sivil, maka ia perlulah diikuti oleh semua pihak termasuk syarikat yang menganjurkannya.

Beliau memberitahu, jika fatwa serta garis panduan yang dikeluarkan oleh Kementerian Kewangan diikuti, ia dapat dijadikan panduan yang amat baik dalam mengendalikan teknologi baru tersebut.

``Oleh itu orang Islam eloklah patuhi fatwa ini kerana kita sudah timbang dari semua sudut malah jika mengikut garis panduan yang dikeluarkan oleh Kementerian Kewangan, pihak syarikat yang menganjurkan peraduan yang bercirikan perjudian harus mengambil tindakan sendiri menghentikannya,'' ujarnya.

Ismail memberitahu, sebelum fatwa tersebut boleh dijadikan sebagai undang-undang, ia perlu diwartakan di peringkat negeri oleh Majlis Agama Islam Negeri-Negeri memandangkan kuasa dari segi agama terletak di tangan raja-raja.

Beliau seterusnya meminta setiap negeri segera mewartakan fatwa mengenai SMS tersebut memandangkan semua mufti telah bersetuju dengan keputusan untuk mengharamkan peraduan kuiz melalui SMS itu.

``Semua mufti kena bawa perkara ini ke dalam Majlis Fatwa Negeri untuk diwartakan. Apabila diwartakan di negeri mereka, barulah ia menjadi undang-undang dan penguatkuasaannya pula adalah di bawah Majlis Agama Islam Negeri,'' ujarnya.

Beliau memberitahu, jika terdapat pihak yang melanggar fatwa tersebut selepas ia diwartakan, Jabatan Agama Islam Negeri akan menyiasat dan membuat dakwaan di Mahkamah Syariah yang akan menentukan hukuman mengikut peruntukkan sedia ada.

UTUSAN MALAYSIA - 28 JULAI 2004 (RABU)

Vatican ajak buang dan ubah makna jihad dalam al-Quran

Vatican dengan rasminya mengajak umat Islam mengubah isi al-Quran. Walaupun isunya berkisar pada masalah jihad, Vatican langsung tidak menghormati hak orang Islam untuk mengimani sepenuhnya bahawa al-Quran adalah wahyu dari Allah. Apakah pendapat Vatican jika umat Islam meminta agar mereka membuang ayat-ayat tertentu dalam Bible atau menukar penafsirannya atas nama toleransi agama.

Seruan ini sekaligus adalah perang saraf untuk mengelirukan umat Islam dan umat manusia lainnya agar kefahaman sebenar jihad tidak lagi difahami mengikut konteksnya.

Sebagai umat Islam, ini adalah cabaran kepada kita agar kita tidak mudah merasa selesa dalam kejahilan kita sendiri terhadap agama ini.

Penulis
*******************************************

Cardinal urges Muslim leaders to oppose violent jihad
Riazat Butt, religious affairs correspondent
The Guardian,
Thursday May 29 2008


Muslim leaders must be more outspoken about violence in the name of religion, a senior Vatican official urged yesterday.

Cardinal Jean-Louis Tauran, the Pope's principal adviser on Islam, said that while the majority of Muslim clerics condemned acts of terrorism, they needed to be more vocal about jihad, especially because of its frequent appearances in the Qur'an.

The cardinal made the remarks after a lecture, given in London to an audience of students, Catholic clerics and figures from other religions. It was one of several public appearances during a rare visit to the UK.

He said: "In the Qur'an you have several interpretations of jihad - violent and holy. Most Muslims are condemning war made in the name of religion. The problem is that in the Qur'an you have good and bad jihad, so you choose.

"There is no worldwide authority who can interpret the Qur'an, so it depends on the person you have in front of you. Sometimes you should like religious authorities to be more outspoken about violence in the name of religion. But Muslims believe the Qur'an is the divine word of God, so it is a problem."

He said it would be "easier" if there were a single Islamic authority to negotiate with. "It's a great difficulty there are many voices of living Islam."

The cardinal is president of the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue, and has been tasked with improving relations between the Vatican and Islam.

Tauran, the former Vatican foreign minister, has not shied away from difficult issues since his 2007 appointment. He has criticised countries, notably Saudi Arabia, which do not allow freedom of religion.

He expressed hope, however, that a summit of Islamic scholars and Catholic officials, to be held in November, would yield positive results.

The meeting, organised following an appeal from hundreds of Muslim scholars for closer ties with Christianity, will not be attended by representatives from Saudi Arabia or Iran, two regimes that place severe restrictions on religious freedom. "Of course we would like to see someone from Saudi Arabia. But we will meet them in another context. We talk to the interlocutors who come, we do not choose them."

His remarks came as the Bishop of Rochester, Michael Nazir-Ali, said that radical Islam threatened to fill a "moral vacuum" in Britain arisen as a result of a decline of Christian values. Writing in the newly launched political and cultural magazine Standpoint, the bishop claims that the church dissolved its influence over the country's morals during the social and sexual revolution of the 1960s.

=============
Pemberitaan dari sumber Islam
Vatican demands that Muslims remove references to Jihad from Koran
Publication time: 31 May 2008, 10:24

Pope Benedict's adviser "on Islam" (yes, there is such a position) believes that the Koran talks about the "negative Jihad". He stated that Muslim leaders must speak against Jihad, as The Guardian reported.



"The problem is that in the Kuran you have good and bad Jihad, so you choose", said French Cardinal Jean-Louis Tauran after lecturing to the students and catholic clergy in London, where he apparently decided to interpret the Koran the "correct" way in order to "correct" the words of Allah (Subhana va Taala).



He added that "in the Kuran you have several interpretations of Jihad - violent and holy".



Mr. Tauran, who on the top of all that occupies the post of President of the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue in Vatican but nonetheless has no knowledge of Tafsir (interpretation of the Koran), all of a sudden announced "there is no worldwide authority who can interpret the Kuran, so it depends on the person you have in front of you".



Tauran also announced that Jihad is "violence" and insisted that Muslim leaders speak against the Jihad.



"Sometimes you should like religious authorities to be more outspoken about violence in the name of religion", the Pope's adviser said.



Last year Tauran complained that "theological debate with Muslims was difficult as they saw the Qur'an as the literal word of Allah and would not discuss it in depth".



In Christianity there is no problem with the word of God. Dozens of versions of the Bible are printed. And even the same version may be subjected to additional correction for any reason. The Christians are correcting the word of "their" God depending on the circumstances or their worldviews.



An interesting debate on the topic - "Is the Bible True Word of God?" - between Ahmed Deedat and Christian preacher Pastor Stanley Sjoberg can be viewed at this link.



As far as the Muslims go, they really firmly believe that each word of the Koran is sacred, and not a single word or a single letter can ever be removed from the holy text.



Meanwhile Tauran advised Muslims to establish "their own Vatican", a "united center of Islamic religious authority", with whom one could do negotiate.



We would like to mention in this regard that religion and life are inseparable in Islam. Islam is a comprehensive law and way of life which does not imply division into secularism and religious. While in the Christian (or Western) way of thinking reigns the formula of "Render unto Ceasar... render unto God...", in Islam other formula is approved - "all render unto God".



Regarding the anti-Islamic information and psychological warfare and propaganda, it sometimes takes a rather bizarre form, which, however, clearly indicates the primary objective of the enemies of Islam - to separate the religion from secular life at any cost.



As a part of this war, for example, the Zionists opened a pseudo-Muslim website - "Muslims against Sharia", which has declared the need to "correct" the word of Allah (Subhana va Taala), and remove from the Koran all that the enemies of Islam view as "incompatible with norms of modern society". In an editorial appeal the Zionists write:



"Sharia Law must be abolished, because it is incompatible with norms of modern society. We need to remove outdated verses from the Koran". And according to the Zionists, who declared themselves as "Muslim reformers", such verses are contained in almost half of the Koran. Here you can read the list of verses that are not liked by the enemies of Islam and which, in their opinion, should be removed from the Koran.



According to their squalid views, the Most High did not take some things into consideration and turned out to be wrong on certain points (subhanulLah).



In their squalid kafir notion, the Almighty did not take into account everything and in some cases was wrong (subhanulLah).



Besides, some Chechen Democrats publicly express solidarity with the enemies of Islam and actively play into their hands.



Thus, former Foreign Minister of former CRI (Chechen Republic of Ichkeria) Ahmed Zakayev, who lives in London, works closely with the most odious Zionist anti-Islamic periodicals. On March 19 he gave an interview to Front Page Magazine, as well as to the already mentioned website "Muslims against Sharia", which are waging frenzied informational war against Islam, calling the religion of Allah "Islamo-Fascism", demanding to ban Jihad, to reduce the Koran, to abandon the Sharia and to demonstratively publish offensive cartoons of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him)


Ruslan Sinbarigov,
Kavkaz Center
=====================
http://www.jihadwatch.org/dhimmiwatch/archives/2008/05/021212print.html

May 29, 2008
Cardinal Tauran: "Sometimes you should like religious authorities to be more outspoken about violence in the name of religion. But Muslims believe the Qur'an is the divine word of God, so it is a problem"

The Cardinal's point is well-taken, and one we have made many times here: violent jihad and Islamic supremacism are deeply rooted in the Qur'an, so the only way Muslims could possibly reject them would be to reject Qur'anic literalism -- and that is extremely unlikely. And unfortunately, when he says, "There is no worldwide authority who can interpret the Qur'an, so it depends on the person you have in front of you," he is perhaps unaware that there is a broad consensus (ijma, إجماع, which is a very important concept in Islamic theology) among the schools of Islamic jurisprudence that it is part of the responsibility of the Islamic umma to wage war against and subjugate unbelievers.

"Cardinal urges Muslim leaders to oppose violent jihad," by Riazat Butt for The Guardian, May 29 (thanks to all who sent this in):

Muslim leaders must be more outspoken about violence in the name of religion, a senior Vatican official urged yesterday.

Cardinal Jean-Louis Tauran, the Pope's principal adviser on Islam, said that while the majority of Muslim clerics condemned acts of terrorism, they needed to be more vocal about jihad, especially because of its frequent appearances in the Qur'an.

The cardinal made the remarks after a lecture, given in London to an audience of students, Catholic clerics and figures from other religions. It was one of several public appearances during a rare visit to the UK.

He said: "In the Qur'an you have several interpretations of jihad - violent and holy. Most Muslims are condemning war made in the name of religion. The problem is that in the Qur'an you have good and bad jihad, so you choose.

"There is no worldwide authority who can interpret the Qur'an, so it depends on the person you have in front of you. Sometimes you should like religious authorities to be more outspoken about violence in the name of religion. But Muslims believe the Qur'an is the divine word of God, so it is a problem."

Indeed it is.
Posted at May 29, 2008 8:18 AM

Pope Kembali Ajak Kristiankan Semua Manusia!!

Selasa, 20 Mei 08

Pope Benedict XVI kembali mengatur langkah untuk kesekian kalinya ingin membenturkan umat Islam dan gereja Katholik. Ia kembali menyerukan agar semua manusia diajak memeluk agama Kristen, dengan menyebut perbuatan itu sebagai hal yang wajib dan hak yang pasti.

Dalam pertemuannya dengan The Supreme Council of the Apostolic Nunciature, Sabtu lalu ia mengatakan, tumpuan dakyah gereja Katholik terletak pada misi kristianisasi melalui Injil.

Laman radio VATIKAN memetik kenyataan dari Pope mengatakan, “Seruan kepada para murid setiap bangsa seperti yang dikisahkan dari Yesus di dalam Injil masih merupakan misi wajib bagi setiap gereja dan pengikut Yesus.”

Ia menambahkan, “Perjanjian kerasulan adalah sebuah kewajiban, dan juga merupakan hak yang pasti serta sebagai ungkapan kebebasan beragama beserta implikasi moral, sosial dan politisnya”

Ini bukan yang pertama kalinya, Paus VATIKAN secara terang-terangan menggencarkan misi kristianisasi. Pada bulan Disember lalu, Vatikan pernah mempublikasikan sebuah dokumen yang disebut ‘Hak Gereja Katholik’ tentang publikasi misi kristianisasi di tengah pengikut bukan Katolik dan pemeluk dominasi lainnya. Ia menyerukan agar berjuang di jalan itu sampai mati.!

VATIKAN menganggap dokumen itu sebagai hal yang penting untuk dapat menghadapi pemikiran-pemikiran yang berupaya meyakinkan orang lain bahwa memeluk Kristian atau Katholik mengurangi kebebasannya. Dokumen yang ditandatangani Paus itu menyatakan, “Terdapat keadaan bercelaru yang terus bertambah sehingga mengundang banyak orang untuk meninggalkan kegiatan pendakyahan.”

Dokumen itu ditulis oleh Dewan VATIKAN Untuk Prinsip-Prinsip Keagamaan yang diketuai sendiri oleh Pope Benedict XVI sejak ia memegang jawatan Pope tahun 2005. Dokumen itu menyatakan, “Dunia Injil perlu menghindari tekanan dalam penyebaran misinya.” Dalam dokumennya itu, VATIKAN mengingatkan umat kristiani bahwa agama kristen selalu ikut campur dalam mengkristenkan non kristiani, sekalipun harganya adalah mati ‘syahid,’ demikian menurut klaimnya.!

Para mubaligh selalu memfokuskan kegiatan mereka di kawasan-kawasan konflik atau bencana seperti Iraq, Darfour Sudan, dan propinsi Aceh di Indonesia.

Sebaik sahaja dokumen itu tersebar, ia telah memancing kritikan umat Islam. Cendikiawan Muslim asal Mesir, Muhammad Imarah mengatakan, “Kebebasan menyampaikan dakyah merupakan hak yang tidak diragukan lagi. Akan tetapi seorang yang bersikap rasional adalah orang yang pandai mengatur keutamaan dan memperhatikan rumahnya yang akan roboh sebelum memperhatikan rumah tetangganya.”

Dr. Imarah menambahkan, “Saya katakan kepada VATIKAN dan semua gereja-gereja di Barat; mana yang lebih penting untuk diperhatikan, kalian menolong rumah, keluarga dan negeri sendiri atau kalian tinggalkan mereka tanpa agama dan menghabiskan tenaga, harta dan usia untuk mengkristiankan umat Islam?”

Ia menjelaskan, bahwa orang-orang yang percaya kepada tuhan di Eropa kurang dari 14%, dan yang pergi ke acara misa setiap minggu di Perancis kurang dari 5% atau kurang dari 3 juta dan angka itu tak sampai pun setengah jumlah umat Islam Prancis.

Ia mengatakan, “Dokumen ini menggambarkan kegersangan gereja-gereja Barat di negerinya sendiri, hingga mengeluhkan berkembangnya Islam di Eropa. Sampai-sampai Pope memberi amaran akan terjadinya proses Islamisasi Eropa dan berubah benua itu menjadi Dar Islam.”

Dr.Imarah menyelitkan bahawa gereja-gereja yang berkempen perkawinan sejenis dan menggunakan cara fanatik dan sektarian adalah gereja-gereja yang telah berkhianat kepada ajaran kristiani kerana bukan hak mereka lagi untuk berbicara atas nama Yesus. (almkhtsr/AS)

Pentingnya beriman kepada Hari Akhirat

Pada suatu hari setelah memimpin sholat subuh Nabi Muhammad shollallahu ’alaih wa sallam langsung naik ke atas mimbar dan menyampaikan ceramah panjang hingga datangnya waktu zuhur. Sesudah beliau selesai memimpin sholat zuhur, beliau lalu naik kembali ke atas mimbar untuk menyampaikan ceramah hingga datangnya waktu asar. Lalu sesudah memimpin sholat asar beliau langsung kembali ke atas mimbar menyampaikan ceramah hingga magrib. Sesudah mengimami sholat magrib beliau tidak naik lagi ke atas mimbar.

Para sahabat yang hadir menceritakan bahwa pada hari di mana Nabi Muhammad shollallahu ’alaih wa sallam mendadak menyampaikan semacam daurah seharian penuh itu beliau panjang lebar menjelaskan mengenai apa-apa yang bakal berlaku atau terjadi hingga datangnya hari Akhir atau hari Kiamat. Begitu pentingnya urusan hari Akhir ini sehingga beliau memerlukan seharian penuh untuk menjelaskan tanda-tanda akhir zaman menjelang datangya hari Kiamat kepada para sahabatnya. Lalu mereka yang hadir berkata: ”Sesudah wafatnya Nabi Muhammad shollallahu ’alaih wa sallam setiap aku bertemu dengan suatu peristiwa yang merupakan tanda akhir zaman maka akupun teringat ceramah panjang nabi hari itu. Persis seperti orang yang bertemu dengan orang yang sudah lama berpisah. Sehingga saat bertemu, segera teringat kembali wajahnya.”

Memang, sudah semestinyalah kita ummat Islam menghayati betapa pentingnya urusan mengimani dan mempersiapkan diri menghadapi hari Akhir. Sebab Allah subhaanahu wa ta’aala sendiri di dalam Al-Qur’an mengkondisikan Nabi Muhammad shollallahu ’alaih wa sallam agar tidak menganggap bahwa hari Akhir atau Hari Kiamat atau hari Berbangkit itu masih jauh.

يَسْأَلُكَ النَّاسُ عَنِ السَّاعَةِ قُلْ إِنَّمَا عِلْمُهَا عِندَ اللَّهِ
وَمَا يُدْرِيكَ لَعَلَّ السَّاعَةَ تَكُونُ قَرِيباً

Melalui ayat di atas Allah subhaanahu wa ta’aala mengkondisikan Nabi Muhammad shollallahu ’alaih wa sallam untuk menghayati bahwa hari Akhir atau hari Kiamat sudah dekat. Oleh sebab itu Nabi Muhammad shollallahu ’alaih wa sallam juga mengkondisikan para sahabatnya dan kita semua selaku ummatnya untuk menghayati bahwa hari Akhir sudah dekat dan tidak lama lagi akan segera datang.

عَنْ أَنَسٍ قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ بُعِثْتُ أَنَا وَالسَّاعَةُ كَهَاتَيْنِ
قَالَ وَضَمَّ السَّبَّابَةَ وَالْوُسْطَى (مسلم)

Diriwayatkan dari Anas bin Malik radhiyallahu ’anhu berkata: Rasulullah shollallahu ’alaih wa sallam bersabda: “Aku dan hari kiamat diutus (berdampingan) seperti ini.” Anas berkata:”Dan beliau menghimpun jari tengah dan jari telunjuknya.” (HR Muslim 14/193)

Sehingga pernah diriwayatkan bahwa pada suatu hari seorang sahabat melihat di kejauhan ufuk ada asap yang mengepul. Maka sahabat tersebut langsung keliling ke rumah para sahabat lainnya menggedor pintu rumah mereka seraya berteriak:

الدخان الدخان

“Asap…! Asap…!”

Artinya, pada saat sahabat ini melihat asap tersebut, maka ia teringat penjelasan Nabi Muhammad shollallahu ’alaih wa sallam mengenai salah satu tanda besar menjelang datangnya hari Kiamat adalah bila sudah terlihat asap mengepul. Jika lima belas abad yang lalu saja sahabat telah sedemikian seriusnya mensikapi tanda-tanda akhir zaman, bagaimana lagi sepatutnya kita yang hidup di zaman ini?

Bahkan sedemikian pentingnya urusan hari Akhir ini sehingga dari enam rukun iman yang kita pelajari sejak masih SD, maka beriman kepada hari Akhir adalah yang paling sering disebut berpasangan dengan beriman kepada Allah subhaanahu wa ta’aala. Di dalam Al-Qur’an maupun Hadits sangat sering kita dapati hal ini.

ذَلِكُمْ يُوعَظُ بِهِ مَن كَانَ يُؤْمِنُ بِاللَّهِ وَالْيَوْمِ الْآخِرِ وَمَن يَتَّقِ اللَّهَ يَجْعَل لَّهُ مَخْرَجاً

“Demikianlah diberi pengajaran dengannya orang yang beriman kepada Allah dan hari akhir. Barangsiapa yang bertakwa kepada Allah niscaya Dia akan mengadakan baginya jalan keluar.”(QS 65:2)

Bahkan dalam satu hadits di bawah ini sampai tiga kali Nabi menyebutkan iman kepada Allah subhaanahu wa ta’aala bersamaan dengan iman kepada hari Akhir.

حَدِيثُ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ قَالَ: قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ قَالَ مَنْ كَانَ يُؤْمِنُ بِاللَّهِ وَالْيَوْمِ الْآخِرِ فَلْيَقُلْ خَيْرًا أَوْ لِيَصْمُتْ وَمَنْ كَانَ يُؤْمِنُ بِاللَّهِ وَالْيَوْمِ الْآخِرِ فَلْيُكْرِمْ جَارَهُ وَمَنْ كَانَ يُؤْمِنُ بِاللَّهِ وَالْيَوْمِ الْآخِرِ فَلْيُكْرِمْ ضَيْفَهُ

Bersabda Rasulullah saw: “Barangsiapa beriman kpd Allah dan Hari Akhir hendaklah bicara yang baik atau diam. Dan barangsiapa beriman kpd Allah dan Hari Akhir hendaklah menghormati tetangganya. Dan barangsiapa beriman kpd Allah dan Hari Akhir hendaklah menghormati tamunya.” (HR Bukhari-Muslim)

Ayat dan hadits seperti di atas banyak kita temui di dalam Al-Qur’an dan As-Sunnah sehingga kita bisa sampai pada suatu kesimpulan bahwa tingkat pentingnya mengimani hari Akhir setara atau sederajat dengan iman kepada Allah subhaanahu wa ta’aala

"Manusia bertanya kepadamu tentang hari berbangkit. Katakanlah, "Sesungguhnya pengetahuan tentang hari berbangkit itu hanya di sisi Allah." Dan tahukah kamu (hai Muhammad), boleh jadi hari berbangkit itu sudah dekat waktunya.”(QS Al-Ahzab 63)

Oleh Ihsan Tandjung
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Apabila anda mempunyai saran atau kritik untuk rubrik atau artikel ini, silahkan kirimkan melalui email kepada penulis di ican_ipin@eramuslim.com

Masjid berkonsep liberal di Belanda

Golongan liberal dengan bantuan kuffar begitu gigih merosakkan Islam dari dalam. Setelah usaha melawan Islam secara konfrontal tidak berjaya, mereka menemui jalannya melalui golongan Islam yang merasa dipinggirkan oleh pendekatan konservatif di masjid-masjid yang ada sekarang. Idea progresif yang hendak mereka ketengahkan ternyata tidak memperdulikan pertembungannya dengan sunnah Rasululllah s.a.w. sendiri kerana menganggap ia adalah kesan budaya setempat dan machoisme kaum lelaki.

Sedang mereka ini tiada letih-letihnya mencari jalan meruntuhkan Islam dengan agen-agen di kalangan orang Islam sendiri, bagaimanakah para du'at kita mudah merasa letih, sudah banyak berbuat, cepat boring .... akhirnya kecundang dalam perjuangan ???

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Young Dutch Muslims get their own "polder mosque"

Radio Netherlands, Netherlands May 27 2008
By Michel Hoebink

For years it has been Mohammed Cheppih's dream: a "polder mosque", where young Dutch Muslims can feel at home and express their own experience of religion. His project is soon to be launched in the Amsterdam suburb of Slotervaart.

Many young Dutch Muslims don't feel at ease in the mosques attended by their parents and grandparents, which are often closely associated with a particular cultural group and country. Mohammed Cheppih calls them "homesickness mosques". The Imams often don't speak Dutch, preach in Arabic, and know nothing about Dutch society.

Dutch-mosqueSermons in Dutch

The mosque in Slotervaart, which will open informally in June, wants to offer young people an alternative. Dutch will be the language used in the mosque, also for sermons, says Mr Cheppih. Plus, the form of Islam will be free of cultural influences from other countries. The aim is to make it attractive to young people from a variety of cultural backgrounds, ranging from Moroccan and Turkish to Somali and Surinamese. Mr Cheppih is expecting young people from all over the country.

The mosque is to be more than just a place of worship, it will also host lectures and debates. Young people often find it hard to associate with their parent's experience of religion and many young Dutch Muslims have gone adrift. They are looking for an Islam that connects with their experience of modern life in the Netherlands, and Mr Cheppih wants to help them.

"We want to provide information and guide young people in their search for a religious identity."

He sees it as important that the mosque is entirely transparent and open to Dutch society. It even has a non-religious ethnically Dutch person on the board.

Tariq Ramadan

The project bears the clear hallmark of the Swiss-Egyptian theologian Tariq Ramadan, who was closely associated with the debate on Islam in Rotterdam. Mohammed Cheppih says he has been an important inspiration.

"Ramadan holds on to Islam on the one hand, but on the other hand he says, 'You've got to move with the times, develop, learn.'"

Mohammed Cheppih

It's striking that Mr Cheppih should be inspired by Mr Ramadan, a reformist and fierce opponent of Salafism. For a long time Mr Cheppih, known in the Netherlands for radical statements in the media was sympathetic towards this fundamentalist tendency. However, Mr Cheppih sees no contradiction between the views he used to hold and those he holds today.

His past interest in fundamentalist Islam was part of the struggle that has made him what he is.

"For years I was taught by Salafists. I really learnt a lot. But I don't like to cling to one particular group."

Extreme

The polder mosque's house brand of Islam will be "mainstream", a "consensus Islam" that emphasises similarities rather than differences. But the Mosque will also offer space for groups that hold views at the extreme ends of the spectrum, both reformists and Salafists.

"In our project we identify most with the vision of someone like Tariq Ramadan. But Ramadan agrees with us that within a mosque like this, a Salafist and a Muslim Brother will also be welcome."

Mr Cheppih thinks it's important that the mosque remains independent. He doesn't want to accept funds from anyone, from sponsors in the Middle East or the Dutch government. He hopes to be able to finance the project by renting out the bottom floor of the building to small businesses.

Men and women

In the polder mosque, says Mohammed Cheppih, men and women will pray together, with men at the front and women at the back and no division between them. The usual practice of men and women praying in separate rooms, he asserts, isn't based on anything in the Qur'an.

"It's a typical example of cultural influence on religion. There isn't a lawyer in the entire history of Islam who says that men and women aren't allowed to pray together."

Like the priesthood in the Roman Catholic Church, the role of Imam in leading a prayer is still reserved for men.

==========================

“Mekah Van de Polder”, Masjid “Liberal” Ala Belanda

Katagori : Dunia Islam
Oleh : Redaksi 26 May 2008 - 5:00 pm

imageBelanda akan punya masjid “liberal” Masjid yang dijuluki “Mecca of the Polder” ini membolehkan non-Muslim jadi pengurus. Pria dan wanita boleh shalat tanpa dipisah

Lingkungan Slotervaart, Amsterdam Barat sebentar lagi akan memiliki dua masjid baru. Salah satunya adalah masjid khusus remaja. Boleh jadi, inilah masjid gaya orang “liberal” di Belanda. Bagaimana tidak, jika tak ada halangan, masjid yang disebut dengan “Mecca of the Polder” ini selain membolehkan pengurusnya orang non-Muslim, juga menetapkan khotbah dalam bahasa Belanda.

Dengan alasan agar semua orang bisa kerasan, sang penggagas, Mohammed Cheppih (31), menginginkan masjid itu memasukkan kepengurusan orang-orang non-Muslim.

Jamaah laki-laki dan wanita bisa dapat shalat bersama, meskipun demikian, kaum wanita bisa juga shalat dengan tempat terpisah jika mereka menginginkan.

Menurut Cheppih, paling tidak, sedikitnya ada empat imam dari berbagai latar belakang budaya akan melakukan khotbah dan akan memperbicangkan tentang Islam dari berbagai sudut yang berbeda.

Pertengahan Mei depan, masjid “liberal” di Amsterdam Barat ini direncanakan sudah jadi dan dibuka.

Menurutnya, banyak kawula muda Muslim Belanda tidak merasa cocok dengan rumah ibadat generasi tua di mana, aturan-aturannya masih dianggap terlalu kuno.

Masjid generasi tua, katanya sering merupakan milik kelompok budaya tertentu, dan sangat berorientasi ke negara asal mereka, yakni Arab. Kebanyakan imam di masjid Belanda tidak menguasai Bahasa Belanda. Mereka juga dianggap tidak memahami kehidupan masyarakat Belanda. Sementara khotbah mereka dalam Bahasa Arab.

Kegiatan masjid ini dioperasikan di Rotterdam dan menyewa sebuah ruang dalam satu bangunan kantor berlantai dua. Selain dimanfaatkan untuk masjid, sisa ruangan yang lain akan disewakan kepada usaha kecil, guna keperluan pembiayaan masjid. Cheppih juga berharap mendapat donasi dana.

Kawula Muda
imageMenurut Cheppih, ajaran Islam yang akan dipraktekkan di sini, akan bebas pengaruh budaya negara asal (Arab). Dengan demikian, masjid ini akan menarik minat para kawula muda, dari berbagai macam latar-belakang budaya: Marokko, Turki, Somalia, Suriname, dan lain-lainnya. Ia berharap, banyak kawula muda dari seluruh penjuru Belanda, akan datang ke masjid ini.

Menurut rencana, masjid ini bukan akan cuma jadi tempat shalat saja. Masjid ini, juga akan menjadi tempat penyelenggaraan ceramah dan debat. Cheppih berpendapat, generasi muda sekarang tidak begitu memahami penghayatan agama orangtua mereka. Karena itu mereka gelisah. Mereka mencari-cari pemahaman Islam, yang bisa menjadi pedoman hidup mereka, dalam masyarakat moderen Belanda.

"Kami ingin memberi penerangan, dan membimbing para kawula muda, dalam pencarian identitas agama mereka," ujarnya.

Salah satu jajaran pengurus masjid yang non-Muslim adalah Marloes Kuijer (29). Kuijer bekerja untuk Samenwerking Arabische Jongeren di Rotterdam (Kerjasama Pemuda Arab).

Cheppih mengatakan, dirinya sudah memimpikan 'masjid model' seperti ini sejak 2006, namun ketika itu belum mendapatkan jawaban dan izin dari pemerinta kota setempat. Rencana arsitektur masjid dirancang dua orang arsitek muda Muslim Belanda. Jika akhirnya rencana ini menjadi kenyataan, gagasan Cheppih ini mungkin satu-satunya gagasan masjid paling “liberal” di dunia. (rnw/islamineurope.blogspot.com/cha/www.hidayatullah.com]

'Mesjid Polder'untuk Generasi Muda Muslim Belanda

Michel Hoebink
imageSudah beberapa tahun, Mohammad Cheppih memimpikan 'mesjid polder' Belanda, tempat kawula muda Muslim Belanda merasa kerasan, dan bisa menghayati ajaran agama mereka. Dalam waktu dekat, proyeknya akan diluncurkan di bilangan Slotervaart, Amsterdam Barat.

Banyak kawula muda Muslim Belanda tidak merasa cocok dengan rumah ibadat generasi tua. Mesjid generasi tua sering merupakan milik kelompok budaya tertentu, dan sangat berorientasi ke negara asal mereka. Itu semua "mesjid rindu kampung" kata Mohammad Cheppih. Kebanyakan imam di mesjid seperti itu tidak menguasai Bahasa Belanda. Khotbah mereka dalam Bahasa Arab. Dan mereka juga tidak memahami kehidupan masyarakat Belanda.

Bebas pengaruh budaya asal
imageMesjid di Slotervaart ini, yang akan mulai dibuka awal Juni nanti, masih bersifat informal, menawarkan suatu pilihan lain bagi generasi muda. Bahasa pengantar yang digunakan, jelas Cheppih, Bahasa Belanda. Dan imam mesjid akan berkhotbah dalam Bahasa Belanda. Dan ajaran Islam yang akan dipraktekkan di sini, akan bebas pengaruh budaya negara asal. Dengan demikian, mesjid ini akan menarik minat para kawula muda, dari berbagai macam latar-belakang budaya: Marokko, Turki, Somalia, Suriname, dan lain-lainnya. Cheppih berharap, banyak kawula muda dari seluruh penjuru Belanda, akan datang ke mesjid ini.

Menurut rencana, mesjid ini bukan akan cuma jadi tempat shalat saja. Mesjid ini, juga akan menjadi tempat penyelenggaraan ceramah dan debat. Generasi muda sekarang tidak begitu memahami penghayatan agama orangtua mereka. Karena itu mereka gelisah. Mereka mencari-cari pemahaman Islam, yang bisa menjadi pedoman hidup mereka, dalam masyarakat moderen Belanda. Dan Cheppih ingin menolong para kawula muda ini. "Kami ingin memberi penerangan, dan membimbing para kawula muda, dalam pencarian identitas agama mereka".

Karena itu, demikian Cheppih, mesjid ini mesti membuka diri dan juga terbuka bagi masyarakat Belanda. Bahkan, dalam jajaran pengurus mesjid, juga ada seorang warga Belanda, yang tidak beragama.

Ajaran Tariq Ramadan
imageProyek ini jelas mengikuti ajaran Tariq Ramadan, seorang keturunan campuran Mesir - Swiss, yang beberapa waktu lalu aktif terlibat dalam Islam debat di Rotterdam. Mohammad Cheppih menganggap Tariq Ramadan sebagai seorang penggagas penting. "Ramadan ini di satu pihak, tetap teguh memegang ajaran Islam. Di lain pihak, ia juga mengatakan, kita harus menyesuaikan diri dengan keadaan, mengembangkan diri, dan banyak belajar".

Bahwa kini Cheppih mengikuti pikiran Tariq Ramadan sebenarnya menarik. Ramadan adalah seorang penganjur pembaruan. Ia menentang keras salafisme. Sementara itu, di Belanda ini Cheppih sudah lama dikenal berkat berbagai pernyataan radikalnya di media. Ia lama dikenal sebagai pendukung fundamentalisme. Cheppih sendiri tidak melihat adanya pertentangan, antara apa yang ia yakini dulu, dan keyakinannya sekarang.

Dulu, minatnya pada Islam fundamentalisme merupakan bagian dari pergulatan, yang membawanya pada keadaan seperti sekarang ini. "Saya bertahun-tahun belajar dari para penganut aliran salafisme. Ketika itu, saya belajar banyak. Tapi, saya juga tidak mau mengikat diri, pada suatu kelompok tertentu".

Islam Konsensus
Mesjid polder ini nantinya akan menganut ajaran Islam "mainstream" atau arus utama. Suatu Islam Konsensus. Yang lebih menekankan persamaan, ketimbang perbedaan. Namun, mesjid juga akan memberi peluang bagi para penganut arus lain, baik dari kalangan pembaruan, mau pun kelompok salafis. "Pada proyek kami ini, dalam banyak hal, kami sejalan dengan pemikiran orang-orang seperti Tariq Ramadan. Dan Ramadan sendiri mendukung sikap kami, mempersilahkan orang-orang dari kalangan salafis dan Persaudaraan Muslim, untuk juga datang ke mesjid kami".

Selanjutnya Cheppih ingin menjaga kemandirian mesjid. Ia tidak mau menerima bantuan dana dari pihak mana pun. Tidak dari berbagai sponsor di Timur Tengah, sebagaimana yang dilakukan oleh banyak mesjid lain. Juga, tidak dari pemerintah Belanda. Ia berharap, akan mampu membiayai proyek ini, dengan menyewakan lantai dasar bangunan mesjid, pada berbagai kegiatan usaha kecil. (rnw)

Rabbi Yitzhak Sarfati during the Uthmaniyyah

In the year 1454, Rabbi Yitzhak Sarfati of the Ottoman city of Edirne sent a letter to his co-religionists in Europe who were suffering under the persecutions of medieval anti-Semites. “"Leave the torments you endure in Christendom,"” the Rabbi suggested, “"and seek safety and prosperity in Turkey."” This Islamic land was a haven for all, he added. “"Here every man dwells at peace under his own vine and fig tree.”"

Many Sephardic Jews listened to Sarfati's advice in 1492, when they were expelled from the all-Catholic Spain simply because they remained loyal to their faith. Ships carried many Jewish refugees to Ottoman lands, where they were personally welcomed by Sultan Bayazid II, who was one of the most pious of all Ottoman monarchs.

Bernard Lewis, the doyen of Middle Eastern studies in the West, once said: "the Jews were not just permitted to settle in the Ottoman lands, but were encouraged, assisted and sometimes even compelled." For them, the lands of Islam became the lands of safety.

Ten Things We Waste

Ten Things We Waste
Lessons from Imam Ibn Qayyim al-Jawziyyah

1. Our Knowledge: Wasted by not taking action with it

2. Our Actions: Wasted by committing them without sincerity.

3. Our Wealth: Wasted by using on things that will not bring us ajr (reward from Allah). We waste our money, our status, our authority, on things which have no benefit in this life or in akhirah (hereafter).

4. Our Hearts: Wasted because they are empty from the love of Allah, and the feeling of longing to go to Him, and a feeling of peace and contentment. In it's place, our hearts are filled with something or someone
else.

5. Our Bodies: Wasted because we don't use them in ibadah (worship) and service of Allah.

6. Our Love: Our emotional love is misdirected, not towards Allah, but towards something/someone else.

7. Our Time: Wasted, not used properly, to compensate for that which has passed, by doing what is righteous to make up for past deeds.

8. Our Intellect: Wasted on things that are not beneficial, that are detrimental to society and the individual, not in contemplation or reflection.

9. Our Service: Wasted in service of someone who will not bring us closer to Allah, or benefit in dunyaa.

10. Our Dhikr (Remembrence of Allah): Wasted, because it does not effect us or our hearts.

The Statement of the Imams on Theological Rhetoric and Philosophy

Imam al-Barbahaaree (rahimahullah):

“Rhetoric (kalaam) causes disbelief, doubts, innovations, misguidance and confusion. May Allah have mercy upon you! Know that heresy, disbelief, doubts, innovations, misguidance and confusion about the religion have never occurred except through theological rhetoric (Kalam) and because of the people of theological rhetoric, argumentation, debating and disputation. How can a man plunge into argumentation, disputation and debating seeing that Allah, the Most High, said: ‘None dispute regarding the Aayaat (revelations, signs, proofs) of Allah except those who disbelieve.’ (Soorah Ghaafir 40/4) You should submit to and be pleased with the narrations and the people of narrations, withhold and remain silent.” (The Explanation of The Creed of Imaam Al Barbahaaree)

Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal (rahimahullah):

“There is no analogical reasoning in the Sunnah and examples or likenesses are not to be made for it. Nor is it grasped and comprehended by the intellects or the desires. Rather it [consists of] following [and depending upon] it and abandoning the hawaa [desire].” (Foundations of the Sunnah)

“The person of theological rhetoric will never prosper. And never do you see anyone looking into theological rhetoric except that in his heart is a desire for creating mischief.’ (Reported by Ibn Qudaamah in his Burhaan fee Bayaanil-Qur’an)

“ For indeed, (indulging in) theological rhetoric (kalaam) in the matter of Qadar, the Ru’yah (seeing Allaah in the Hereafter), the Qur’aan and other such issues are among the ways that are detested and which are forbidden. The one Who does so, even if he reaches the truth with his words, is not from Ahlus-Sunnah, until he abandons (using) this mode of argumentation, [and until he] submits and believes in the Aathaar (the Prophetic Narrations & those of the Companions).” (Foundations of the Sunnah)

Imam Sufyaan ath-Thawree (rahimahullah):

repeated thrice: “This religion is based upon narrations not opinions, This religion is based upon narrations
not opinions, This religion is based upon narrations not opinions.” (Sharaf Ashaabul Hadeeth)

Imam al-Awzaa’ee ( rahimahullah):

"Hold fast to the narrations of the Salaf, even if people were to abandon you. (And) Beware of the opinions of the people, no matter how much they beautify it with their speech." (Majmoo’ al-Fataawaa vol. 12, p. 497)

Abu Haneefah (rahimahullah):

I have found those who study philosophy and engage in its discussions [to be] a group of people who do not follow the path of the pious predecessors, the companions of the Prophet, (Sallallaahu ‘ alayhi wasallam). I found their hearts to he hard, for they do not care if they go against the Book of Allah, the Sunnah of His Messenger (Sallallaahu ‘ alayhi wasallam) , and the pious predecessors- with whom Allah is pleased. They [the philosophers] are impious. (The History of the Islamic Madhabs, Vol. 2 p. 132)

Al-Bazzaaz reported that Abu Haneefah forbade his sons and students from discussing philosophy. In fact, Abu Haneefah said: May Allaah curse ‘Amr bin ‘Ubaid. He opened the gate of philosophy to people. (Sawn al-Mantiq of As-Suyooti, p.60)

‘Abdullaah ibn al-Mubaarak (rahimahullah):

Imam ‘Abdullaah bin Ahmad quotes ‘Abdullaah ibn al-Mubaarak as saying : “....I bear witness that You (Allah) are above Your Throne above the seven heavens. And this is not as the enemies of Allah say, the heretics.” (‘as-Sunnah’ of Imam ‘Abdullaah ibn Ahmad)

Aboo Yoosuf (rahimahumullah):

“Whoever sought knowledge (of Islaam) by kalam (theological rhetoric); will become a zindeeq (heretical apostate).” (Reported by Ibn Qudaamah in his Burhaan fee Bayaanil-Qur’an)

Imam ash-Shaafi’ee (rahimahullah):

“My ruling regarding the people of theological rhetoric is that they should be beaten with palm leaves and shoes and be paraded amongst the kinsfolk and the tribes with it being announced, ‘This is the reward of the one who abandons the Book and the Sunnah and turns to theological rhetoric (kalam).” (Sharh ‘Aqeedatit-Tahaawiyyah of lbn Abil-’Izz, p. 75)

“That a person is put to trial with everything that Allah has forbidden, besides Shirk, is better than that he looks at Kalam (theological rhetoric).”...He (rahimahullah) also said, “If people knew what (misleading and destructive) desires are contained within theological rhetoric they would flee from it as they would from a lion,”...He (rahimahullah) also said, “Whoever showed boldness in approaching theological rhetoric will never prosper. (Reported by Ibn Qudaamah in his Burhaan fee Bayaanil-Qur’an)

Ibn Khuzaima (rahimahullah):

Ibn ‘Abdul Barr (rahimahullah) reported with his chain of narration from the scholars of the Maalikees in the east from Ibn Khuzaima that he said in the book of witnesses (Kitaab ush-Shuhudaat) in explanation of the saying of Imam Maalik that it is not permissible to accept the witness of the people of innovation and innovated sects, and he said: `The people of the innovated sects in the view of Maalik and the rest of our Companions are the people of theological rhetoric (kalam). So every person of the theological rhetoric is from the people of the innovated sects and innovation: whether he is an Ash`aree, or other than an Ash`aree, and his witness is not accepted in Islaam ever. Indeed he is to be ostracized and punished for his innovation and if he persists in it repentance is to be sought from him.” (Jaami’ Bayaan il-‘Ilmi wa Fadhlihee 2/117)

al-Muzanee (rahimahullah):

Muhammad ibn ‘Aqeel bin al-Azhar said : A man came to al-Muzanee asking him about kalam (theological rhetoric) and al-Muzanee stated : “I hate it, and indeed ash-Shaafi’ee forbade me form getting involved in it.” (Reported by al-Harraawee in Dhamm ul-Kalam, vol.4 pp.283, 359)

Imam Ibn ‘Abdul-Barr (rahimahullah):

“The people of Fiqh and Aathaar in all the various towns and cities are agreed unanimously that the Ahlul-Kalam (People of Theological Rhetoric) are (but) Ahlul-Bid'ah waz-Zaigh (the People of Innovations and Deviation). And they are not considered, by all of the above, to be amongst the ranks of the Scholars (in truth).” (Reported by Ibn Qudaamah in his Burhaan fee Bayaanil-Qur’an)

Imam Ibn Hajar al ‘Asqalaani (rahimahullah):

“Their sayings with regards to censuring the people of Kalaam (philosophical speech and theology) are well known. The reason for such censure was that the people of ‘Kalam’ spoke about those matters which both the Prophet (Sallallaahu ‘ alayhi wasallam) and his Companions (radhiyallaahu ‘ anhum) remained quiet about. It is established from Imam Maalik that there did not exist at the time of the Prophet (Sallallaahu ‘alayhi wasallam) nor that of Abu Bakr (radhiyallaahu ‘anhu) or 'Umar (radhiyallaahu ‘anhu), anything from these desires - meaning: the innovation of the Khawaarij, the Raafidah and the Qadariyah. Indeed, those who came after the first three excellent generations expanded upon matters which the Imaams of the Taabi'oon and those who followed them, rejected. The people of Kalam did not content themselves, until they filled the Deen with issues and the sayings of the philosophers. They made this philosophy the basis and the fundamental principle to which everything was referred back to, and all that which opposed it from the narrations of the Prophet (Sallallaahu ‘ alayhi wasallam), his Companions (radhiyallaahu ‘ anhum) and the Salaf who followed them ; then ta’weel (false interpretation) was made of them, even if they were averse to the result. Nor did they content themselves with just this. They claimed that what they had compiled was the noblest branch of knowledge and the most deserving to be acquired; and that those who did not use what they had laid down, then they were from the laymen and the ignorant ones. So delight is for the one who clings to what the Salaf were upon, and distances himself from the innovations that the khalaf (the latecomers who opposed the ‘aqeedah and manhaj of the Salaf) introduced. However, if one cannot keep away from it, then let him take only that which he needs and let the way of the Salaf be his intended goal.” (Fath al Baaree 13/253)

Ibn Qudaamah (rahimahullah):

While talking about the Names and Attributes of Allaah, he said: "There is no question about the fact that the doctrine of the Salaf (pious predecessors), in this regard, consisted in acknowledgment, unreserved approval, and avoidance of the temerity of using ta’weel, tamtheel, tajseem and tashbeeh." "Let him who claims that they (i.e. the Salaf) did interpret them allegorically produce evidence in support of his statement. There is no way of knowing this save by the transmission and relation of traditions. Let him then transmit to us traditions of this effect on the authority of the Messenger of Allaah (Sallallaahu ‘alayhi wasallam) or that of his Companions (radhiyallaahu ‘anhum) or on the authority of one of the Taabi'een or one of the approved Imaams. Furthermore, he who claims this : is one of the partisans of Kalaam; and they are the most ignorant of men with regard to the traditions of the Companions, the least possessed of knowledge with regard to those of the Taabi'een, and the most neglectful of their transmission. Whence then , would they have knowledge of traditions such as these? Even so, should anyone among them transmit something, his transmission would not be accepted, nor would he be heeded. The sole possessions of these people consist in forgery, falsehood, and false witness." (Lum’atul I’tiqaad pg. 7)

Shuraih al-Qaadee (rahimahullah):

“Verily, the Sunnah has preceded your qiyaas (analogical reasoning), so follow and do not innovate.” (Reported in Sunan ad-Daarimee, 1/66 and Sharhus-Sunnah of al-Baghawee, 1/216)

Imam ad-Daaraqutnee (rahimahullah):

"It is authentically related from ad-Daaraqutnee that he said: “There is nothing more despised by me than 'ilmul-kalaam (philosophy and rhetoric).” (Siyar a’alameen an-nubalaa 16/457)

Imam adh-Dhahabee (rahimahullah) & Imam al-Qurtubee (rahimahullah):

“ And al-Qurtubee also said in ‘al-Asnaa’: "Many of the past and contemporary philosophers said, ‘When it is necessary to purify the Creator (al-Baaree) - whose Magnificence is great - from having direction (jihah) and demarcation (tamayyuz), then from the requirements and necessary consequences of this, in the view of most of the past scholars and their leading contemporaries, is to purify the Creator (al-Baaree) from having direction (jihah). In their view, direction does not have the aspect of ‘above’ to it. This is because to them, when Allaah is designated with direction, this would necessitate that He is restricted to a place (makaan) and confinement (hayyiz). (Subsequently), a place and confinement necessitate (for Him) (such) movement and stillness that is related to distinction (tamayyuz), transformation (taghayyur) and new occurrences(hudooth). This is the saying of the philosophers.’ I (adh-Dhahabee) say, "Yes, this is what the deniers of the ‘uluww (highness) of the Lord, Mighty and Majestic, have depended upon. And they turned away from the requirement of the Book, the Sunnah, the sayings of the Salaf and the innate dispositions of the whole of creation. What they claim to be necessitated (from affirming Allaah’s highness) is only applicable to created bodies. Yet there is nothing like Allaah and that necessities arising from the clear and evident texts (of the Book and the Sunnah) are also true. However, we do not make use of any explanation except one that comes through a narration. In addition to this we say, ‘We do not accept that the Creator’s being upon His Throne and above the heavens, necessitates that He is confined and in spatial direction since whatever is below the Throne is said to be confined and in spatial direction. However, what is above the Throne is not like that. And Allaah is above the Throne as the very first generation are unanimously agreed upon this fact and as the Imaams after them have quoted from them. They said this in refutation of the Jahmiyyah, those who said that He is in every place seeking as a proof His saying, ‘And He is with you…’. So these two sayings were the very two sayings which were present during the time of the Taabi’een and their successors who came after them. And they are the two sayings that can be understood in this statement (i.e. of the philosophers). As for the third saying which came around after this which is that Allaah, the Most High, is not in any place, nor is His Holy Essence (Dhaat) confined, nor is He separate and distinct from His creation, nor is he in any spatial direction, nor is He outside of any spatial directions, and nor this and nor that…’ then this is something that cannot be comprehended nor understood , along with the fact that within it ; is opposition to the verses (of the Book) and the narrations (from the Salaf). Therefore flee with your religion and beware of the opinions of the philosophers. Believe in Allaah and what has come from Him upon the desired intent of Allaah, then submit your affair to Him and there is no power nor movement except by Allah." (‘al-Uluww lil-‘Aliyyil-Ghaffaar’ pp.286-287)

No person should ever enter into 'ilmul-kalaam, nor argumentation. Rather, he should be Salafee (a follower of the Salaf)." (Siyar a’alameen an-nubalaa 16/457)

Ibn Al-Jawzee (rahimahullah):

“Whatever opposes the Qur’aan and the Sunnah and the way of the Salaf ; is to be rejected. And whatever is in agreement is accepted because it is not innovated. The acceptance is not an approval of the terminology or the essence of Soofism in any of its stages. It remains to be remembered that it is not true that every pious Zaahid (ascetic) Muslim is necessarily a Soofee:. The zuhaad (pl.zaahid) of the later time were more influenced by scholastic theology (‘ilm ul kalaam) which began to creep into the Ummah following the translations of many of the philosophical concepts of the Hindus, Greeks, Romans and Persians. Consequently they deviated away from the way of the Sahaabah and their followers among the Taabi’een.” (Majmoo’ Fataawaa 10:358, 366-367)

“The heretics claim; i) there is none in the Heavens, ii) neither is there Qur’aan in the Mushaf, and iii) nor is there a Prophet in the grave; [these are] ‘your three shameful facets.” (Reported by Ibn Rajab in al-Dhayl)

“They believed in what their speculations dictated to them without referring to the Prophets. From them are those who believed in the doctrine of al-Dahriyya - that the world has no Creator… Most of them affirmed an eternal cause (‘illa qaadima) for the world, and then stated that the world is eternal, which has always been in existence along with Allaah… They also concealed their doctrine by saying: ‘Allaah is the Creator of this world’, meaning: figuratively and not literally… Their doctrine also includes that the world is ever lasting; just as its existence has no beginning, it has no end. “They also believed that Allaah’s Knowledge and Ability is in fact His Essence, in order to avoid affirming multiple eternal entities… The philosophers also denied the Resurrection, the return of souls to the bodies, and the bodily existence of Paradise and Hell, claiming that the two were merely paradigms for people to understand the concept of spiritual reward and punishment.” “We noticed the philosophers from the adherents to our religion, that their philosophical path earned them confusion, hence, they adhered to neither philosophy, nor Islaam. In fact, amongst them is one who fasts the Ramadhaan and prays, and then begins to object at the Creator and Prophethood, and denies the Resurrection.” (Ibn al-Jawzee, Talbees Iblees, p 59-65)

Shaykh ul-Islaam Ibn Taymiyyah (rahimahullah):

“Thus, what the Prophet (Sallallaahu ‘ alayhi wasallam) said appeared. He (Sallallaahu ‘ alayhi wasallam) said: “Then lies will become widespread, to such an extent that a person will testify and will not have been asked to do so, and will take an oath without being asked to do so.” 55 Then three matters occurred: ra’ee (opinion), Kalaam (philosophical speech and theology) and tasawwuf (Soofism). The innovation of the Jahmiyyah also occurred, which is negating and denying the Attributes of Allaah.” (A history of the innovated sects: Shaykhul Islaam Ibn Taymiyyah)

“The Murji’ah have deviated concerning this foundation (i.e. Eemaan) from what is clearly stated in the Qur’aan , the Sunnah and the statements of the Companions and those follow them in righteousness. Instead they have relied on their personal views and on the perverted interpretations they have reached from their understanding of the (Arabic) language. This is the way of the people of innovation. And this is why Imaam Ahmad (rahimahullah) would say : “The majority of the time that people fall into error is due to misinterpretation and incorrect analogy. This is why we find the Mu’tazilah, the Murji’ah, the Raafidah and other groups of innovators interpreting the Qur’aan with their own opinions and intellects and what they understand from it linguistically. As a result of this, you will find that they do not rely on the narrations of the Prophet (Sallallaahu ‘ alayhi wasallam), the Companions, the Successor or the Muslim Imams. So they neither rely on the Sunnah nor do they rely on the unanimous consensus or reports of the Salaf. Rather they just rely on the intellect and the language. We do not find them relying on the recorded books of Tafseer and Hadeeth and the narrations of the Salaf. Instead they only rely on the books of literature and rhetoric that their leaders fabricated. This is also the way of the heretics. They only accept what is in the books of philosophy, literature and language. As for the books on Qur’an, Hadeeth and Narrations, they do not give any importance to them. These individuals turn away from the texts of the Prophets since according to them, they do not produce any knowledge! And they are the ones who interpret the Qur’aan according to their own personal views and understanding, without resorting to any of the narrations of the Prophet and the Companions. We already mentioned previously the statements of Imaam Ahmad and others which show the prohibition of this and an indication that this is the way of the people of innovation.” (al-Eemaan page.114)

‘A lot of innovators like the Khawaarij, the Rawaafid, the Qadariyyah, the Jahmiyyah, the Mushabbihah hold fast to deviant beliefs ; and they believe it to be the truth. And (they also) believe that whosoever differs with them has committed Kufr ! And in them (and these evil beliefs of theirs) is a big resemblance to one of the qualities of Jews and Christians; which is to deny the truth and commit injustice to the people. Most of those who declare others as disbelievers consider a certain statement to be Kufr of which they do not understand the reality and do not know its proofs. Contrary to them are those who approve of everyone whatever their deviation, [making this to be] like what the scholars have approved in the issue of Ijtihaad where there is room for differences, and this way has overcome many among the Murji’ah and some of the Soofees and the Philosophers. just like the first way (of believing that whosoever differs with them has committed Kufr !) overcame many from the people of desires (ahlul-Ahwaa) and people of kalaam (Ahlul- Kalaam.) And both these ways are deviant and outside of the Book and the Sunnah.” (Majmoo’ al-Fataawaa vol. 12, p. 497)

“The people of logic and kalaam call Ahlus-Sunnah "Hashaweeyah" [people with no worth] and "Nawaabit" [weeds] and "Ghuthaa" [scum] , as they think that anyone who is not upon their logic and theology speaks unintelligent rabble. However the truth is that , their way (the way of the people of logic and kalam): is not needed by an intelligent man, nor is it useful to a stupid man.” (The Evil Names that the Innovators Have Fabricated Against Ahlus-Sunnah: from ‘Aqeedat ul-Hamawiyyah)

Al-Khateeb al-Baghdaadee (rahimahullah):

“And if only the people of blameworthy opinion busied themselves with beneficial knowledge, and the seeking of the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allaah, and followed the way of the fuqahaa (jurists) and the muhaddithoon (scholars of Hadeeth) then they would find that this would be sufficient for them. And the narration (Hadeeth) would take place of the opinion, which they hold. This is because the Hadeeth explains the fundamentals of Tawheed, the Threats and the Promises from Allah and the Attributes of Allah. It also contains information about Paradise and Hell-Fire and what Allah has prepared therein for the pious and the wicked… The Hadeeth explains stories of the past Prophets … It contains histories of the kings of the past and the description of the battles of the Messenger, his expeditions, rulings, judgments, sermons, warnings, predictions and miracles. It also contains information about the Prophet’s wives, Children, Relatives, and companions, and a mention of their excellence and merit. And the Hadeeth contains the Tafseer of the Qur’an; information and the wise remembrance contained in it. It also contains the sayings of the Companions about the Qur’an’s meanings. And Allah made Ahlul-Hadeeth (the People of Hadeeth) the pillar of the Sharee’ah and the destroyer of every despised innovations. So they are Allah’s wardens among His creation, and they link between the Prophet Muhammad (Sallallaahu ‘ alayhi wasallam) and his Ummah, and they strive to preserve Allah’s Deen. So their light shines brightly, their excellence remains, their signs are clear, their positions evident and their proofs are over-powering. And while all the sects coil themselves around vain desires and prefer the blind-following of opinion : for the Ahlul-Hadeeth , the Book of Allaah is their provision, the Sunnah their proof, the Messenger their leader and his command (Hadeeth) is their ascription. They do not deviate upon vain desire, nor turn to mere conjecture. They accept what is reported by the Prophet (Sallallaahu ‘ alayhi wasallam) and are the trustworthy and reliable ones, who memorize the Deen and they are its treasures, its storehouses of knowledge and its bearers. If anyone differs about a Hadeeth then it is referred back to them. Their judgment is thus accepted and listened to. From them is every scholar and Imaam. They are the Saved Sect, and their way is the straight one…” (Sharaful Ashaabul Hadeeth)