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*Note: this is a summary of the following article: https://www.searchforbeauty.org/islam-101/god-and-the-purpose-of-creation/
In this article, the concept of submission in Islam is explored. Islam means submission to God, not to anyone or anything else. True submission must come from love and a longing for unity with the Divine, and it requires self-mastery and responsibility for one’s actions. The article also discusses the harms of a militarized view of submission and highlights the importance of embracing moral growth and exploring limitless potential for development.
Islam means submission, and its central demand is for people to submit to God, not to anyone or anything else. Humans should work to overcome their weaknesses, manage their desires, and master themselves. Only by achieving self-mastery can they truly submit to God. If someone’s self is dominated by ego, desires, fears, or whims, their submission to God is less meaningful since they can’t submit what they don’t control.
The Qur’an states that humans are God’s representatives on Earth, responsible for civilizing it and not causing corruption. Individuals are accountable for their actions, and no one can carry the sins or responsibilities of another. Because humans are directly accountable to God, their submission means they should not submit to anyone else. Giving up one’s autonomy to another person goes against the relationship with God. Everyone must exercise their conscience and mind, and be responsible for their thoughts and actions. If someone surrenders their autonomy to another, they are breaking their bond with God.
The first duty of a Muslim is to gain self-mastery; the second is to avoid unlawfully giving up their autonomy to another person; and the third is to fully and completely submit to God.
This submission should not be reluctant, desperate, or motivated by fear of punishment. True submission must come from love and a longing for unity with the Divine. Those who submit should find fulfillment in love, not just obedience.
However, some interpretations of Islam, like Puritanical-Salafi, have portrayed submission as a soldier’s obedience to a superior officer. This approach reduces God’s message to a set of commands, as if the Qur’an were a military manual. This militarized view has caused significant harm to Islam. It focuses on power rather than beauty and love, which are the true essence of submission to God.
True submission involves loving God and being loved by Him. To love God, one must know the truth about the Divine without projecting human limitations and anxieties. One should not fall in love with a constructed image of God, but rather with the limitless, infinite Divine. This love should not be used as a means to control others or assert power over them.
Submitting to the infinite Divine means embracing limitless potentialities. Obedience to what one believes is God’s will is necessary, but it is only the first step. Submission to God is like submitting to an unquantifiable reality, like nature or the universe. It involves being in love with love itself and the endless possibilities of divine beauty.
This understanding of submission is essential for reclaiming the true message of Islam. Muslims have a relationship with God that involves bearing witness to moral virtues like justice, mercy, and compassion. These virtues are part of God’s beauty and are expressed through kindness and goodness toward humanity. The beauty of submission is not in gaining power over others but in serving them.
This approach assumes a process of moral growth. A relationship with the Divine should involve a never-ending pursuit of beauty and an exploration of limitless potential for moral development. A connection with God should be an ongoing journey toward greater beauty, rather than being confined to a fixed set of laws.
*Note – this is an excerpt from The Prophet’s Pulpit: Commentaries on the State of Islam
In this article, we will explore the significance of the expression “hasanat” for modern Muslims and reflect upon the universal nature of goodness. We will also delve into the importance of perseverance and patience in Islam and how they are connected to one’s relationship with God. Additionally, we will discuss the role of parents in instilling these values in their children, especially in the face of Islamophobia and bigotry.
I wish modern Muslims would reflect upon that one expression: hasanat.
Goodness is universal. All human beings smile. All respond to kindness and love. All respond to compassion and joy. We do not need sophisticated dogma and philosophy to understand the nature of goodness that should flow from our relationship with the Most Compassionate, Most Merciful. How can someone claim to have a relationship with the Most Compassionate and Most Merciful and not be compassionate and merciful themselves? There is something broken there. If you want to test the state of your faith, look at yourself through the eyes of those who know you. Do they know you as a loving, compassionate, and merciful human being? Do you reflect the ethics that come from your Lord? Persevere because God does not waste good deeds.
Persevere because God knows that to focus and concentrate in prayer is difficult. Persevere because God knows if and when you want to quickly finish your prayers and run off to the next thing. Persevere because God knows that this temporal world runs at an alarming rate that is not compatible with human psychology. Persevere because God knows that many around you will attempt to distract you from the path of your Lord. Persevere because God knows that there are periods in history of raging hardship and genocide in which the average Muslim is tested, and says, “Where is my Lord?” Persevere because God knows there will be many pretenders who claim to know the Lord, but who act in cruel and ugly ways. For all these reasons:
Persevere with patience. God does not waste the results of good deeds. (Q 11:115)
Ultimately, in Surah Hud, the Qur’an ends with a proclamation and a reminder from God:
And thy Lord would never destroy the towns unjustly, while their people were reforming. (SQ 11:117)
God does not allow people, cities, countries, and nations to deteriorate and be swept away other than by their own injustice. God’s law of creation is that justice brings goodness and blessings, and injustice destroys a people. This is why we need patience and perseverance. We need to teach this to our children so that they do not despair and have doubts about the faith and their relationship with God. If you teach them the nature of patience and perseverance, and they see you as an example of this, you will affirm in them an unwavering belief in goodness and beauty. They will follow you. They will emulate you. They will do as you do. So, be an example to your children. Especially at this time, as Muslims in the West are tested by Islamophobia, hatred, and bigotry. Your children confront it every single day they go to school or college. They have nothing, and you have nothing, other than your relationship with the Lord.
*Note – this is a summary of the following article: https://www.searchforbeauty.org/what-is-shari-ah/a-primer-on-shari-ah-and-islamic-law/
In this summary, we explore the central role of Sharia law in Islam, its sources, and its interpretation. We examine the multi-layered and complex nature of the Qur’an and Sunna and the need to approach Sharia law systematically and consistently with the ethical objectives of Islam. We also look at the different schools of thought in Islamic law and the separation of Shari’a and fiqh, emphasizing their purpose in serving the best interests of human beings.
The role of Sharia law in Islam is central, yet it remains the least understood aspect of the faith among both Muslims and non-Muslims. In the Western world, some view a Muslim who believes in Sharia law as a fanatic or fundamentalist. However, to make such a sweeping generalization is akin to accusing every Jew who believes in Rabbinic or Talmudic law of being a fanatic. The conception one has of Islamic law and the interpretation one follows is crucial to understanding it.
Islamic law is derived from two sources: the Qur’an and the traditions of the Prophet (known as the Sunna and hadith). The Qur’an is considered the literal word of God in Islam, believed to have been transmitted by the Angel Gabriel to the Prophet Muhammad. The Sunna, on the other hand, represents an amorphous body of literature containing hundreds of reports about the Prophet and his companions during the various stages of early Islamic history.
Unlike the Qur’an, the Sunna is not represented by a single agreed-upon text and was not systematically collected and documented until at least two centuries after the death of the Prophet. This means that many reports attributed to the Prophet are apocryphal or of dubious historical authenticity. In addition, the Sunna is different from the Qur’an in terms of style, language, and range of topics and issues addressed. The Sunna is complex and generally inaccessible to the layperson, and its literature reflects a wide array of conflicting and competing ideological orientations and outlooks.
Despite these challenges, Sharia law is essential to the Islamic faith. Many of the basic rituals of Islam were derived from Sunna traditions, and it helps contextualize the Qur’anic revelation and understand the historical framework and role of the Islamic message. However, to approach Sharia law from a selective or non-systematic perspective can lead to imbalanced treatments that favor a particular ideological orientation.
The Qur’an and Sunna are multi-layered and multi-faceted sources of guidance for thinking about ethics, morality, law, and wisdom in Islam. When considered together, they tell a complex story. They can be a source of profound intellectual and moral guidance and empowerment, but also pose a danger if approached from the wrong intellectual or moral commitments. Therefore, it is crucial to engage Sharia law systematically, interpret it consistently with the Qur’an, and read it in a way that promotes, rather than undermines, the ethical objectives of Islam.
In Islamic law, there were various ways of producing legal rulings other than just looking at the Qur’an and the traditions of the Prophet. Jurists used rule by analogy and principles such as equity and public interest to make the law responsive to changing circumstances.
There are many volumes of Islamic law, and it’s not just contained in a single book or few books. In the Sunni world, there are four surviving schools of thought: the Shafi’i, Hanafi, Maliki, and Hanbali. In the Shi’i world, there are two surviving schools of thought: the Ja’fari and Zaydi.
Each of these schools has its own jurisprudential tradition of legal rulings and opinions, and the sages belonging to a particular school of law wrote legal treatises that became far more influential than the texts written by the founder of the school.
Islamic law is separated into two distinct categories: Shari’a and fiqh. Shari’a is the eternal, immutable, and unchanging law, or Way of truth and justice, as it exists in the mind of God. In contrast, fiqh is the human law, which is the human attempt to reach and fulfill the eternal law as it exists in God’s mind.
The moral and ethical objectives of the Qur’an play a central and pivotal role in the process of legal analysis. The specific rulings of the Qur’an are not objectives in themselves but are contingent on particular historical circumstances that might or might not exist in the modern age. The objective of the law is to achieve the ultimate moral and ethical objectives that represent the essence of Godliness on this earth.
All the jurisprudential schools agree that the purpose of the Shari’a is to serve the best interests of human beings.
For over a year, the Muslim Soup Kitchen has been distributing 125 free meals every Saturday in London’s southeast end.
But without a functional kitchen to operate out of, the program can only continue for so long.
“In order to continue, even on the basis that we are going right now, it’s going to be very difficult without having an in-house kitchen,” said Yousef Al Hatoum, the first manager of the Muslim Soup Kitchen and chairman of London’s chapter of the Egyptian Community Centre Of Ontario (ECCOO).
The Muslim Soup Kitchen runs at the Hyatt Mosque and Centre on Hamilton Road, which occupies what was originally the Weslyan Methodist Church, built in 1873. ECCOO bought the 148-year-old structure in 2015.
The soup kitchen first began its work by delivering bi-weekly meals to My Sister’s Place in 2019. The meals were purchased from participating restaurants at a fraction of the cost.
But when the pandemic began, Al Hatoum said that the urgent need for free, hot meals for those living in the area became impossible to ignore.
The Muslim Soup Kitchen expanded its efforts in July 2020 to distribute a weekly hot meal of meat, rice and veggies.
“At the beginning we started with like 65 meals. They went up to 125 right now. That put a big pressure actually and depleted very quickly the [funds for food] because what we are trying to offer, it’s not just a simple meal,” said Al Hatoum.
Donations required to bring kitchen up to code
Al Hatoum said that ECCOO’s hope is to eventually renovate the former church into a community hall where all will be welcome, and use the basement classrooms for Arabic and Islamic education on weekends.
The building’s kitchen must also be brought up to code, so that the Muslim Soup Kitchen can rely less on paying restaurants for the meals.
“I see that out of those hundred plus people who are coming every Saturday, they are waiting for the meals, we serve meals from between one and two, and sometimes they are there at 11:30 and they are sitting on the stairs and they chat with each other,” said Al Hatoum. “The isolation has been broken. And this is what really makes us very happy.”
Zeba Hashmi, the Muslim Soup Kitchen’s current manager, said that the program does all it can do to help feed the hungry. Leftovers go to the Salvation Army, and volunteers offer out bags of non-perishable items.
She said any kind of help will go a long way to making a meaningful difference.
“There’s so much more that needs to be done, but everybody needs to do their little part,” Hashmi said. “Whether through donation or volunteering or, you know, any kind of labour you can put into any kind of effort that can help others. It’s so beneficial towards our city and creating that good feeling with other people who are struggling.”
“If you’re able to help in any which way, it’s a good thing.”
Donations for the Muslim Soup Kitchen are accepted through the Hyatt Mosque and Centre’s website.
Published on: CBC News > Original Link: https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/london/muslim-soup-kitchen-london-ontario-1.6137038
Alhamdulilah, Every Saturday we distribute food, clothes and others for needy Canadians in London Ontario
A former United Church may become London’s newest mosque.
The former Hyatt United Church on Hamilton Road has been bought by the Egyptian Community Centre of Ontario in North York, which is planning on using it as a place of worship and a school.
“I am delighted it will remain as a place of worship. I believe we only have one God ….. some see it as the Prophet Mohammed and others as Jesus,” said Rev. Richard Golden, of Melbourne United Church, who is also chairperson of the United Church’s Middlesex Prebytery.
“I am happy.”
The centre bought the old church for $110,000 in August, 2015, and has launched a website — eccoo.ca — in an attempt to raise money to renovate and convert the building into the Hyatt Centre and Mosque.
“We have plans for establishing a mosque and a Sunday school in the new section of this centre. The old section built in 1907 has an antique beautiful sanctuary that will be preserved as is, to be used for lectures, seminars and community meetings,” stated a notice on the website.
“The property will be restored to its old glory after being neglected for many years. The exteriors will be restored with no alterations. The centre will also help the poor and the needy in the EOA (east of Adelaide) community.”
The stately red brick church, on Hamilton Rd. between Adelaide and Egerton streets, “had become vacant” due to declining attendance and was too costly to maintain — and has little parking, said Golden.
“It was cost and it was people, and we just could not care for the church,” he said.
As for the Egyptian council, it declined to provide details about the purchase.
“It is too early to talk at this point. We will be in touch once the restoration work of this beautiful church is completed,” read an email from the council, following interview requests.
The London Muslim Mosque was approached by the council after the church was purchased but told the group there is no need for additional prayer space in the city, said Imam Abd Alfatah Twakkal.
“We know of it but we are not affiliated with it. The individuals approached the various Muslim organizations in the city with their proposal. We feel like there is not a need in our city” for another mosque, he said.
There are now two major mosques in London and several other, smaller prayer spaces. A third large mosque is planned at Southdale and Wonderland roads, he added.
According to the 2011 census, about 9,000 Londoners are Arab.
In an ironic twist, the United Church is using $50,000 from the sale to sponsor refugees from Islamic Syria, said Golden.
“We are using the money to help others in the area, other United Churches, and we are also bringing in Syrian refugees here,” he said,
The ECCOO was looking to open a mosque in Toronto as a philanthropic gesture but could not buy into that market, and came to London because of its large Muslim population, said the imam.
“We thanked them for their sincerity and efforts but it may have been better for them to consult with us before they bought the church.”
Published on: The London Free Press > Original Link: https://lfpress.com/2016/09/29/former-london-church-set-to-become-mosque-and-school
*Note: This is a summary of the following article: https://www.searchforbeauty.org/islam-101/submission-to-god/
The concept of submitting to God is central to Islam, as the word itself means submission. Muslims believe that in order to truly submit to God, one must first gain control over oneself and resist the temptations of the ego, desires, and fears. Additionally, Muslims believe that each person is individually accountable to God and should not surrender their autonomy to another human being.
However, submitting to God is not just a matter of obedience or fear of punishment.
It should be rooted in love and a desire for union with the Divine. Muslims who submit to God find fulfillment in their love for God and in the realization that they are directly connected to the Divine.
Unfortunately, some interpretations of Islam have militarized the concept of submission, reducing it to a matter of obedience and power dynamics. This approach limits the potentialities of the Divine and fails to appreciate the infinite and unbounded nature of God.
To truly submit to God is to commit to an endless pursuit of beauty, morality, and perfection. Muslims should strive to discharge their obligations to God by showing kindness, compassion, and mercy towards other people. Ultimately, submitting to God means putting oneself in the service of others and constantly seeking to become more sublime.
*Note: this is a summary of the following article: https://www.searchforbeauty.org/islam-101/what-muslims-believe/
This article explores the core principles of Islam as a way of life, focusing on the five pillars of Islam. These pillars serve as the foundation of the Islamic faith, aimed at developing a strong relationship with God and fostering piety, self-restraint, and humility.
Islam is more than just a religion – it’s a way of life.
At the heart of this way of life are the five pillars of Islam, which form the foundation of the Islamic faith. These pillars include the testament of faith, prayer, fasting, almsgiving, and pilgrimage to Mecca.
The testament of faith is the most fundamental and critical pillar of Islam. Muslims believe in one God, who has no partners or equals, and that Muhammad is the messenger of God. Prayer is also an essential pillar of Islam and involves five formal ritual prayers a day, with congregational prayer held every Friday. Fasting is a month-long practice of self-discipline during Ramadan, where Muslims abstain from eating and drinking during daylight hours, and almsgiving involves giving a set percentage of one’s wealth to the poor annually. Lastly, pilgrimage to Mecca is required once in a lifetime for those who can afford it and are physically able to do so.
These pillars aim to develop a strong relationship with God, teach piety, self-restraint, and humility, and emphasize the shared brotherhood of all Muslims. Enjoining the good and forbidding the evil is also a religious duty of Muslims.; however although all Muslims agree on the pillars of Islam, there have been debates and controversies surrounding the duty of enjoining the good and forbidding the evil, particularly when it comes to political legitimacy, law enforcement, and rebellion. But at the end of the day, the pillars of Islam serve as the backbone of the Islamic faith, encouraging Muslims to surrender themselves to divinity and strive towards realizing the truly sublime.
