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The Rise of Islamic Militancy HMStork Introduction As humans we were all created with a conscience that continually reminds us to respect justice and the rights of others or at least tolerate religious and cultural rights to a certain extent. Human beings have the capacity to put up with many wrongdoings but when things reach a certain point then all reasoning and patience is abandoned. In its place you find violence. This is what we see taking place today as a result of injustices perpetuated throughout the years. In the early days it was communism as opposed to capitalism. Today it is Islamic militancy, the product of oppression, imposition and injustice. Liberators The early Muslims were successful in all spheres of life because they were looked upon as liberators of oppression and injustice. They were welcomed as conquerors because they liberated mankind, treated everyone equal, instituted justice and raised the quality of life. The same cannot be said of today’s liberators. Today’s liberators are plunders, opportunists, corrupt and greedy, seeking global domination. These colonists plundered the wealth of colonised nations, reduced the natives of the land to scum, imposed their culture and religion, and offered nothing in return except that we should look up to the white man as a god. This colonialistic mentality continues to exist even to this day. And when they left, they made sure that independence was granted and bestowed upon those whom they had educated. These individuals in turn merely continued in the footsteps of their masters. I recall the days whenever there was a collapse in the price of rubber and tin, we (Malaysia) had to run all the way to England or America to offer our submissions to prevent the release of stockpiles and prevent hardship. The same continues in a greater dimension through globalisation of many institutions. Moderate Muslim Governments For years now, Muslim governments have been the products of the West. In essence they are ritualistic Muslims with either capitalistic or communistic minds. So successful were the West in transforming Muslims to the Western way of life, that they have made it possible for us to remain Muslim in terms of prayer, fasting, making payment of the obligatory alms, and going for pilgrimage to Makkah, while at the same time thinking and behaving like they do. Today most Muslims are a joke in general. As far as his worship is concerned its good but when it comes to the rest (character, discipline, responsibility, identity etc) its way down the ladder. Muslim leaders were and continue to be either communist, socialist, capitalist etc in outlook. These Muslim nations either affiliated themselves with their colonial masters, or either became communist or capitalist, joining Russia or the West, which no doubt proved doubly fatal. Had these leaders been truly Muslim in character they would have found the answer to such worthless affiliations in the Qur’an. At the same time some of these ruthless Muslim leaders perpetuated their harsh rule on their people. They often did so with the support of either Russia or the West. We find the same principle continuing in the Arab World even today. Disappearing Patience In the meantime the Muslim masses hoped and waited for change, but these changes never came about. Instead they found themselves worse off than they were before. The lost of Palestine, Kashmir, and the subjugation and brutality of Muslims in non-Muslim lands caused them to realise they had been deceived by both the West and their own kind. This state of discontentment was initially contained through the introduction of Islamic values. It was undertaken as a result of either the opposition, or as a means of showing that the present Muslim elite still represents Islamic values. However, this did in no way readdress years of injustices. Take for example Palestine. Its been forty years now with no solution in sight. Take the issue of Kashmir, in both these situations there are countless UN resolutions with nothing being respected. The domination and brutality of America and the West, its control and domination of global institutions have never worked towards justice except in the way the powerful want it. When you add all this to long lists of other abuses, you can now understand why moderate Muslim governments are on their way out. You can also understand why they also become despotic and ruthless to remain in power. Algeria is a good example. Extremism Extremism is not so much the product of discontentment and injustice, but rather it is the result of suffering brutality, oppression and the collective suffering of a community world-wide. I say this because many Muslims have to put up with all kinds of rubbish and nonsense and they don’t mind it so long as they can earn a living, but when it comes to brutality and the killing of fellow Muslims, sentiments rise, anger sets in, and emotions govern the day. The former Malaysian Prime Minister was right in declaring that there is a need to get to the root cause of terrorism. It not a matter of granting the Palestinians a state, but what kind a state do you want to create for them, after robbing them of their land and then returning unfertile separated sections to them without a part of Jerusalem. Then there is the issue of Kashmir, Chechnya, Kosova etc. Apparently it appears to be obvious that when it comes to Islam and Muslims the West has the tendency to close a blind eye. Take the elections in Algeria or in Turkey for that matter. In both these instances the right to democratic success were denied without a single word from the champions of democracy. But when it involves one of their own kind, all kinds of sanctions are instituted. Even the evil get sanctuary just because they belong to His Master’s Voice (America and the West). The Inevitable is Unavoidable The inevitable is unavoidable. No matter how hard America and the West may try to perpetuate their hold and domination of the world, the end will come, because injustice, greed and world domination breeds mistrust. Even if the powerful share a common consensus over Islam and Muslim nations, they will not be able to avoid the inevitable i.e. nuclear devastation. Its like preparing to sent up a rocket to blast a meteorite headed for earth, with many more on their way down. Its this mistrust that brings about the end. The definition of terrorism contains no substance when the one speaking about it institutes terror himself. In this respect minds have been set on all sides and there is no way sanity can replace fear except to be fair and just. Until this is undertaken the deafness will remain within many. In its place reigns emotions, suffering, loss, hatred and eternal anger that finds its way to the grave and beyond. And if you are a person who believes in God, then know that the cry of a person dealt with ruthlessly finds its way back to you. Believe me, when that day of reversal arrives, many will be slaughtered not for the sins they performed but to make up for past misdeeds. Therefore, it is important to think and reflect now for the seeds we sow today will become the product of tomorrow. [1903] The Jews Have A Knack Of Keeping Alive Their Sufferings From an Islamic point of view the Jews are indeed blessed and cursed in many ways. All one has to do is look up the Qur'an and one will see how they fell out of favour with God. When you look into their long line of Prophets and Messengers, you will find that they always had to face disobedience and rebellion. Deliverance by Moses was only met with disbelief during his short absence. In the case of Jesus, he was considered an imposter and as such nailed to the cross. You can't find a single Jewish Prophet that did not have to wage war to secure Jewish freedom. Under Nazi rule they were singled out for extermination. One wonders why was this so? And if you examine the history of any nation you will find that the Jews had a stranglehold on the economy of that nation. This was the situation in Europe. What about Asia? Countries may have been under British or Dutch rule but if you look carefully the Jewish presence was always there in the background. Take for example Malaya. The University of Malaya's first founding Vice Chancellor was a Jew. The Straits Times at the time was owned by another Jew. We had David Marshal another Jew as Chief Minister of Singapore. From Britton and Europe they moved to America, and it is from America today that they continue to pull the strings of the world to suit their goals and objectives. And to keep alive this picture of "suffering" and "persecution" one movie after another is made from time to time to remind the world. The latest is the Pianist, a touching movie of the "eternal sufferings of the Jews" being relived over and over again. In that movie there is a Jewish statement which goes something like this, "Why don't the Jewish bankers in America make America get involved in the war....." This is what we actually see taking place today over Palestine.
And if you watch the HBO movie, Band Of Brothers you will observe a distinct difference in the original footage during the war of Nazi-Jewish concentration camps when compared to this movie, where exaggerations over the number of Jews were held. I wonder what it would be like if Muslim nations were able to make movies over the "Creation of Israel" and the "Eternal sufferings of the Palestinians" which seem to outdo time in comparison to the Jews? Maybe in the long future, the Palestinians might be able to keep alive their "eternal sufferings". Most probably the Bosnians, Iraqis etc might follow suit. The West has HOLLYWOOD to be grateful for that. India has BOLLYWOOD, while the Muslims can only come up with third grade stuff confined to their boundaries. The only two notable ancient movies so far have been The Message and The Lion of the Desert (involving western actors). There is no doubt, the Jews are a blessed people. As the Chosen People Of God they have dominated the global scene from the beginning of time. However, no nation has really been comfortable with them. Their assimilation into other nations has always been to serve their own interest, and in this respect Henry Ford in his book was concerned with their entry into America. Today, there is not a single election in the West that is not determined by the Jewish lobby. America is a model of Jewish dominance. Even Colin Power has Jewish ancestry. Germany which tried to get rid of the WALL as a reminder of Nazi Germany is constantly being reminded of its Jewish suffering. In Switzerland the banks are reminded of how much Jewish money lies in their banks. Even the POPE is reminded of his neglect of Jews during Nazi occupation (and sodomy of young boys by Catholic priests etc) - scenarios which constantly arise when someone says something against the Jews. Marlon Brando had a taste of it at Hollywood. The Jews truly have a knack of keeping alive their sufferings from Biblical times right up to the present, and under such circumstances you can't expect much from them. Even the U.N. and world nations have failed. There are countless resolutions that can NEVER be implemented in relation to Israel and Palestinians in comparison to what happened to Iraq. In fact, when discussing the issue of the Jews with a British Jew (lawyer) many years ago, I was bluntly told that having undergone so much suffering throughout their (Jewish) history, the Jews would most probably nuke America if it tried to impose its will upon them in Israel. It would most probably be done from the inside with so many Jews in power. Even in Iraq there have been unconfirmed reports of Jewish pilots blowing up mosques. Well, as the saying goes, "every dog has its day", I guess that no matter what America does (Its the New Roman Empire of today), and how much weapons Israel may possess, I cannot avert the decree of God eventually. If we did not believe in this then it would be pointless believing in God in the first place. So as Muslims we must believe in such (God's accountability etc), and when it comes as it did to previous great civilisations, I guess no mercy will be shown to today's heroes. To verify this statement, all one has to do is to look up the Sayings of the Prophet (s.a.w.) and one will come across the return of Christ and the killing of Jews from the gates of Damascus right up to Jerusalem. And should a Jew take refuge behind a rock, it will cry out, exposing the Jew. The only refuge a Jew will have on a temporary basis is behind the "burning bush" (a type of tree....can't remember its name). Muslims that this ultimate humiliation cannot be postponed. And no matter what step America or its allies and Israel might take, they will not be able to deter what has been ultimately predicted. So I guess all this further infuriates the kafir and prompts them to see to it that another Islamic Renianance never takes place. Of course this state of affairs will continue to persist so long as Muslims take a long nap and fail to live up to expectations. However, once they do wake up, its going to be a tough struggle keeping alive, and if they can succeed in that, then the rest will reflect Islamic predictions. HMStork - May 03 Do UFOs Exist Or Is It A Situation OF DAJJAL
(the Antichrist) and His Host? Do UFOs Exist? Many people around the
world continue to debate the issue of UFOs, with most believing that they do
exists? The truth is, they don’t exist! This is a concerted effort by some
nations, notably America, the Jews, and some deviant organization and
associations, involved in the creation of humanoids etc, the likes of which have
been depicted in recent movies such as the Minority Report, The X Men and
Matrix. The truth is, society is being prepared to ultimately receive
these created beings under the disguise of aliens. This gradual build up began
in the seventies, and with the recent cloning claims by a deviant organization
the scenario is being made a realty. Believe or not, the recent spate of movies
have been specifically geared to prepare society of these eventualities. Unfortunately,
most Muslims do not treat this subject seriously, simply because it has not been
highlighted by Muslim scholars. Christians on the other hand consider the
Antichrist (Dajjal) to be a serious threat to human existence. The Dajjal as he is known in Islam,
according to Islamic Literature, is capable of moving about between two worlds
i.e. the Jinn and Mankind. If you took special note of the Lord of the
Rings trilogy, you would have witnessed the creation or rather the
infusion of two kind of creatures to create what would be termed in Islam as the
Gog and Magog. Then there was the all powerful Evil
Eye, the symbol of Satan. The devastation that took place is
exactly what is promised by Dajjal according to the Prophet (s.a.w.). The
Raiders of the Lost Ark too had a special feature, with spirits arising
from the ark, a quest that is being pursued with fevour by the Israelis, who
under the pretext of excavations continue to dig under the Aqsa Mosque
in search of the Prophet Solomon's (Sulaiman's) staff and ring.
Possession of both these items can assist in the domination of the world. All
these movies are considered entertainment to the common man on the street but to
“those who know”, these are the very signs expressed by the Prophet s.a.w.
in his countless sayings concerning the existence of Dajjal. The Egyptian Pyramids, the Aztecs ruins,
the statues on Quote: Non-human intelligence
pretending to be “aliens” claim to be the ancient progenitors of the human
race. This is the End Time Delusion, which would deceive even the elect, and
will lead to the setting up of antichrist on the world throne.” Quotes from the Bible: “Even him,
whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying
wonders. And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish;
because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved. And
for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe
in.” (2 Thes 2:9). “For there shall arise false Christs,
and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that if it
were possible they shall deceive the very elect.” (Matthew 24:24). “Formerly, when you did not know God,
you were slaves to those who by nature are not gods. But now that you know God
– or rather are known by God – how is it that you are turning back to those
weak and miserable principles? Do you wish to be enslaved by them (rebel angels
pretending to be gods) all over again? You are observing special days and months
and seasons and years! I fear fro you, that somehow I have wasted my efforts on
you.” (Galatians 4:8 NIV). The Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w.) made the
following predictions about Dajjal. "When Dajjal appears, his
complexion will be white and his right eye will be blind, while his left eye
will shine like a bright star". The Prophet (s.a.w.) also said that
on his forehead you will see the alphabet K-F-R which when read together
gives you KAFIR. In a very lengthy Hadith in Sahih Muslim,
Vol. 4, the Prophet (s.a.w.) exhorted the Ummah from his pulpit concerning
Dajjal. According to the Prophet (s.a.w.) Tamim Dari, a Christian who
accepted Islam told the Prophet about Dajjal which was also confirmed by the
Prophet himself with additional information. Tamim Dari had sailed in a ship
with thirty men of the Bani Lakhm and Bani Judham, and had been tossed by waves
in the ocean for a month. Then these waves took them to an island within the
ocean at the time of sunset. They then boarded a small boat and sailed from
their ship to this island. On reaching it they found a beast with long thick
hair and as a result of this they could not distinguish his face from his back.
They asked the beast, "Woe to you, who can you be?" Thereupon it
replied, "I am Jassasa". They asked, "What is Jassasa?" It
replied, "O people, go to this person in the monastery as he is very much
eager to know about you". When they reached the monastery they found a well
built person with his hands tied to his neck and having shackles between his two
legs up to the ankles. They said, "Woe be to you, who are you?" He
replied, "You will soon come to know me, but tell me who you are?"
They informed this person that they were from Of
late a ‘no man’s land’ of potential evil power has been discovered deep in
the Himalayans. No one dares to go there or to remain long there, and it is here
that sightings have been seen of ‘ALIENS’ (in truth Dajjal and his host)
disappearing into the ground and arising from it. This area of magnetic
convulsions determine what is about to happen or take place in every direction
of the world. It is similar in nature to Atlantis. In fact it is the central
point that aligns with the pyramids of Every Prophet that came to his people
spoke about Dajjal, which means that this guy has been there all the while, and
that he has appeared to some extent and then had to retreat, to re-emerge again.
If we look at Western literature on the Aztec Indians, Easter
Island, the Pyramids of Egypt, Stonehedge, Bermuda
Triangle, Atlantis, UFOs, these are all
synchronised established centres of Dajjal and his hosts, because their rulers
were all priests, practicing human sacrifice to god (rather the devil). If you
have difficulty understanding all this, it is related to the Jinn and Satan,
while Iblis is the chief architect. Today's Christendom according to The Watch
Tower Bible Society represents Nimrod of Babylon. It must be remembered
that Iblis (Satan) and his hosts were created prior to Man (Adam)
and that they occupied the earth before mankind, and as a result of this had
established centres throughout the earth but were driven out. The Bermuda
Triangle has its counterparts in other parts of the world. There include areas
off the coast of The Bible states that the army of the
Anti-Christ (Dajjal) at the Battle of Armageddon will have the mark of the beast
on its forehead and that this represents the religion of Thus we are witnessing an unprecedented
campaign to make sure that Islam never ever reaches what it achieved before.
What started with the Jews during the time of Harut and Marut
is being visualised in grandeur on a larger scale today. The surviving Knight
Of The Order from Jerusalem helped to resurrect himself through Bruce
Of Scotland and then All this may be
far-fetched but given time it will be proven because Allah and His
Messenger never lies. In the meantime, the Prophet (s.a.w.) has advised us to
recite Surah Kahf (Chapter 18 of the Qur'an) so that we may
be protected from the evils of Dajjal. The Prophet (s.a.w.) also called upon his
Ummah to recite a do’a (supplication) daily, seeking protection from the
Dajjal. His Heaven is Hell to the true believer while his Hell is our Heaven. We
are already experiencing it today. [2003] Topics /Main Page Of Islamic Preview The New Crusaders Of OldAccording the Catholic Encyclopedia: "The Crusades were expeditions undertaken, in fulfilment of a solemn vow, to deliver the Holy Places from Mohammedan tyranny. The origin of the word may be traced to the cross made of cloth and worn as a badge on the outer garment of those who took part in these enterprises. Medieval writers use the terms crux (pro cruce transmarina, Charter of 1284, cited by Du Cange s.v. crux), croisement (Joinville), croiserie (Monstrelet), etc. Since the Middle Ages the meaning of the word crusade has been extended to include all wars undertaken in pursuance of a vow, and directed against infidels, i.e. against Mohammedans, pagans, heretics, or those under the ban of excommunication. The wars waged by the Spaniards against the Moors constituted a continual crusade from the eleventh to the sixteenth century; in the north of Europe crusades were organized against the Prussians and Lithuanians; the extermination of the Albigensian heresy was due to a crusade, and, in the thirteenth century the popes preached crusades against John Lackland and Frederick II. But modern literature has abused the word by applying it to all wars of a religious character, as, for instance, the expedition of Heraclius against the Persians in the seventh century and the conquest of Saxony by Charlemagne. The idea of the crusade corresponds to a political conception which was realized in Christendom only from the eleventh to the fifteenth century; this supposes a union of all peoples and sovereigns under the direction of the popes. All crusades were announced by preaching. After pronouncing a solemn vow, each warrior received a cross from the hands of the pope or his legates, and was thenceforth considered a soldier of the Church. Crusaders were also granted indulgences and temporal privileges, such as exemption from civil jurisdiction, inviolability of persons or lands, etc. Of all these wars undertaken in the name of Christendom, the most important were the Eastern Crusades. According to Harun Yahya in his book Global Freemasonry states, "No matter how much some may insist that the Crusades were military expeditions carried out in the name of the Christian faith, fundamentally, they were undertaken for material gain. In a period when Europe was experiencing great poverty and misery, the prosperity and wealth of the East, especially of the Muslim in the Middle East, attracted the Europeans. This inclination took on a religious facade, and was ornamented with the symbols of Christianity, though, in actuality, the idea of the Crusades was born out of a desire for worldly gain. This was the reason for the sudden change among Christians of Europe from their former pacifist policies, in earlier periods of their history, towards military aggression."
"The founder of the Crusades was Pope Urban II. He summoned the Council of Clermont, in 1095, in which the former pacifist doctrine of the Christians was abandoned. A holy war was called for, with the intent to wrest the holy lands from the hands of the Muslims. Following the council, a huge army of Crusaders was formed, composed both of professional soldiers, and tens of thousands of ordinary people." "Historians believe Urban II's venture was prompted by his desire to thwart the candidacy of a rival to the papacy. Furthermore, while European kings, princes, aristocrats and others greeted the pope's call with excitement, their intentions were basically mundane. As Donald Queller of The University of Illinois put it, "the French knights wanted more land. Italian merchants hoped to expand trade in Middle Eastern ports... Large numbers of poor people joined the expeditions simply to escape the hardships of their normal lives." Along the way, this greedy mass slaughtered many Muslims, and even Jews, in hopes of finding gold and jewels. The crusaders even cut open the stomachs of those they had killed to find gold and precious stones the victims may have swallowed before they died. So great was the material greed of the crusaders that they felt no qualms in sacking the Christian city of Constantinople (Istanbul) during the Fourth Crusade, when they stripped off the gold leaf from the Christian frescoes in the Hagia Sophia." "The Crusaders reached Jerusalem in 1099. When the city fell after a siege of nearly five weeks, they carried out a level of savagery the like of which the world has seldom seen. All Muslims and Jews in the city were put to the sword. In the words of one historian, "They killed all the Saracens and the Turks they found... whether male of female." One of the Crusaders, Raymond of Aguiles, boasted of this violence: Wonderful sights were to be seen. Some of our men (and this was more merciful) cut off the heads of their enemies; others shot them with arrows, so that they fell from the towers; others tortured them longer by casting them into flames. Piles of heads, hands and feet were to be seen in the streets of the city. It was necessary to pick one's way over the bodies of men and horses. But these were small matters compared to what happened at the Temple of Solomon, a place where religious services are normally chanted ... in the Temple and the porch of Solomon, men rode in blood up to their knees and bridle reins." "In two days, the Crusader army killed some 40,000 Muslims in the most barbaric manner. The crusaders then made Jerusalem their capital, and founded a Latin Kingdom stretching from the borders of Palestine to Antioch. Later, the crusaders initiated a struggle to maintain their position in the Middle East. In order to sustain the state they had founded, it was necessary to organize it. To this end, they established military orders, the alike of which had never existed before. Members of these orders came from Europe to Palestine, and lived in a type of monastery where they received military training to fight against Muslims. One of these orders, in particular, was different from the others. It underwent a transformation that would influence the course of history. This order was the Templars." "The Templars, or, their full name, The Poor Fellow-Soldiers of Jesus Christ and the Temple of Solomon, was formed in 1118, that is, 20 years after the crusaders took Jerusalem. The founders of the order were two French knights, Hugh de Payens and Godfrey de St. Omer. At first there were 9 members, but the order steadily grew. The reason they named themselves after the temple of Solomon was because the place they had chosen as a base was the temple mount where this ruined temple had been located. This same location was where the Dome of the Rock (Qubbet as-Sakhrah) stood. However, within a short time these poor soldiers became very wealthy. Christian pilgrims, coming from Europe to Palestine, were under the complete control of this order, and by whose money they became very rich. In addition, for the first time they set up a cheque and credit system, similar to that of a bank. According to the British authors, Michael Baigent and Richard Leigh, they established a kind of Medieval capitalism, and led the way to modern banking through their interest-based transactions." It was these murders who were responsible for Muslim and Jewish deaths, and it was the great Islamic leader, Saladin, who defeated the Crusaders in 1187, at the Battle of Hattin. Later he rescued Jerusalem and then put the Templars to death for the murders they had committed, while pardoning large number of Christians. "There is no doubt that their political power made the monarchs of Europe uneasy. But there was another aspect of the Templars that also made the clergy ill at ease: the order had gradually apostatized from the Christian faith, and while in Jerusalem, had adopted a number of strange mystical doctrines. There were also rumors that they were organizing strange rites to give form to these doctrines."
"Finally, in 1307, the French king Philip le Bel decided to arrest the members of the order. Some of them managed to escape but most of them were caught. Pope Clement V also joined the purge. Following a long period of interrogation and trial, many of the Templars admitted to heretical beliefs, that they had rejected the Christian faith and insulted Jesus in their masses. Finally, the leaders of the Templars, who were called "grand masters," beginning with the most important of them, Jacques de Molay, were executed in 1314 by order of the Church and the King. The majority of them were put into prison, and the order dispersed and officially disappeared." According to a thesis based on various historical documents, a significant number of them took refuge in the only kingdom in Europe that did not recognize the authority of the Catholic Church in the fourteenth century, Scotland. There, they reorganized under the protection of the Scottish King, Robert the Bruce. Some time later, they found a convenient method of disguise by which to continue their clandestine existence: they infiltrated the most important guild in the medieval British Isles-the wall builders' lodge, and eventually, they fully seized control of these lodges. The wall-builders' lodge changed its name, at the beginning of the modern era, calling itself the "Masonic lodge." The Scottish Rite is the oldest branch of Masonry, and dates back to the beginning of the fourteenth century, to those Templars who took refuge in Scotland. And, the names given to the highest degrees in Scottish Rite are titles attributed centuries earlier to knights in the order of Templars. These are still employed to this day. In short, the Templars did not disappear, but their philosophy, beliefs and rituals still persist under the guise of Freemasonry. This thesis is supported by much historical evidence, and is accepted today by a large number of Western historians, whether they are Freemasons or not. [Global Freemasonry - Harun Yahya] The New World Order is nothing but a continuing Crusade against the peoples of the world, notably against Islam and Muslims, under the banner of the Skull & Bones, another disguised order of a continuing line beginning with the Templars, Freemasonry etc. The Catholic vow adopted by early Christians, which later underwent change through the Templars have now taken on a more heretic Zionist stance similar to that of Dajal (the Antichrist), where political, military, and material dominance of the world is the goal. The slaughter of Muslims in Bosnia, Kosova, Palestine, Kashmir, Iraq and the indifference of the West and the U.N. is just a continuation of the Crusades. What we see taking place today is no different from that of the Crusades of days gone by. The only difference is the boldness and force introduced to bring about submission and subjugation to just one ungodly view. Today, it is also the battle of the minds, where institutions controlled by these Crusaders distort the facts to support their case. We find the media, movies and even situation being created to support the notion that Islam and Muslims are evil. The Romanian Prince, Vlad Dracula was commonly known as Vlad "Tepes" (tepes means the impaler in Romanian) he was well known for impaling his enemies, notably the Muslims, and collecting their blood in jars and having feasts near their bodies. Tom Cruise as Lestat and Brad Pitt as Louis acted in one such Dracula movie. This is not all, Spanish Troops being sent to Iraq to support the Americans there bear 'Moor Killer' badges. The Guardian reported that a row broke out in Spain after the country sent its first troops to patrol Iraq wearing on their shoulders the Cross of St James of Compostela - popularly known in Spain as "the Moor Killer". Patches bearing the cross, the symbol of a saint who allegedly guided the Medieval Christian recapture Spain from the Muslims, are to be worn by a 2,000-strong Spanish brigade in central Iraq, who will patrol the sacred Shia city of Najaf. While newspapers and radio stations reacted with astonishment at the choice of symbol, politicians avoided the argument. "If we start debating this subject the risks surrounding the mission will only be increased," said a spokesman from the opposition Socialist party, Jesus Caldera. "To put the Cross of St James of Compostela on the uniforms of Spanish soldiers supposes an absolute ignorance of the society in which they will have to carry out their mission," fumed El Mundo newspaper in an editorial. "It would be difficult to come up with any symbol more offensive to the Shia population than this cross." Apparently, if you are from the West or belong to a Western nation, then nothing that is done by their leaders is considered wrong, whereas if it was a Muslim nation, then everything it does becomes wrong. They may make a few statements on and then, go through an inquiry, but in general they share the same view regardless of who is going to take office after them, and that is, Islam and Muslims must never be allowed to rule the world again. As for the rest of the 'uncircumcised lot', well they like sheep will fall into line, as they all share a common interest. Islam and Muslims don't fit into this picture because the Qur'an is too explicitly clear concerning the miscreants, which actually angers them. And this is one of the reasons why Christianity or any other religion has come out firmly over the issue of Palestine. The moment they do so the Zionists will be on their backs over sodomy, the holocaust, and Jewish funds in Europe during Nazi rule. So you (a nation) either join them to survive or are marked out as an enemy. In the same manner, the powerful are allowed to develop weapons of destruction, because they are civilised, while the rest are a threat to their existence. Well, it a matter of time.....if you do believe in God, then the truth must prevail. How quick that comes about also depends to a great extent on our own conscience and willingness to reform, otherwise, it could be doomsday that resolves our situation. [Internet 1903] Abayah, Hijab (Veil), Purdah, Jilbab The Abayah: Lt. Col. Martha McSally, America’s highest-ranking female fighter pilot at the time instituted lawsuits against Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld over having to wear the abayah (the Saudi Cloak) when leaving the U.S Base in Saudi Arabia. She calls the policy unconstitutional and says it improperly forces American women to conform to other religious and social customs. However, according to the U.S. Embassy in Riyadh, the Saudi capital, the Saudi government does not require non-Muslim women to wear a dark robe known as an abayah. The official guidance, issued by the Saudi Embassy in Washington, says foreigners should dress conservatively, but they are not required to wear the robe, U.S. officials said. Muslim women on the other hand are not encouraged to wear the abayah in Saudi Arabia; they are compelled to wear it by the mutawah (religious officers). Later, the U.S. military in a policy reversal declared that it will no longer require servicewomen in Saudi Arabia to wear the Muslim-style head-to-toe robes when venturing off base. Instead, wearing the robe, known as an abayah, "is not mandatory but is strongly encouraged," according to an order issued by Gen. Tommy Franks, head of the U.S. Central Command, e-mailed to commanders in the region Saturday. The Jilbab (Outer-Garment): The Arabic word of over-garment is jilbab, and it is a garment which Muslim women wear over and existing garment, or a woman’s head covering, or a garment that covers her head and bosom but not her face. It may be part of an ordinary dress or it may be a kind of overcoat. Maulana Muhammad ‘Ali in his book The Religion of Islam states that had wearing the veil been compulsory it would have been revealed in the Qur’an. As such, there is no Qur’anic injunction concerning it. It was a recognised practice that women come to mosque unveiled. It is even acknowledged by Islamic jurists that women should not veil themselves at prayer or on pilgrimage. However, she is required to dress according to requirements established by Islam according to the Qur’an. It is also a well-established fact that there were no screens in the Prophet’s Mosque to segregate the sexes. The only separation was that women stood in rows some distance behind the men. During Pilgrimage it is all the more unavoidable and at times does cause unease when women end up praying in from of men, who disapprove of such conduct. Instead revelation from Allah in the Qur’an requires both men and women to keep their looks cast down. Allah has revealed, “Say to the believing men that they should lower their gaze and guard their modesty; that will make for greater purity for them: And Allah is well acquainted with all that they do. And say to the believing women that they should lower their gaze and guard their modesty; that they should not display their beauty and ornaments except what (must ordinarily) appear thereof; and they should draw their veils over their bosoms and not display their beauty except to their husbands, their fathers, their husbands’ fathers, their sons, their husbands’ sons, their brothers or their brothers’ sons, or their sisters’ sons, or their women for them: And Allah is well acquainted with all that they do. And say to the believing women that they should lower their gaze and guard their modesty; that they should not display their beauty and ornaments except what (must ordinarily) appear thereof; and they should draw their veils over their bosoms and not display their beauty except to their husbands, their fathers, their husbands’ fathers, their sons, their husbands’ sons, their brothers or their brothers’ sons, or their sisters’ sons, or their women, or the slaves whom their right hand possess, or male servants free from physical needs, or small children who have no sense of the shame of sex; and that they should not strike their feet in order to draw attention to their hidden ornaments. And O you believers! Turn you all together towards Allah that you may attain bliss.” (Surah Nur 24:30-31 – Yusuf Ali). Mahmoud Ridha Murad in his book Islamic Dress Code For Women takes on an extreme approach. Let us view his translation of Surah Ahzab 33:59 “O Prophet! Tell your wives and your daughters and the women of the believers to draw their cloaks (veils) all over their bodies (except eyes to see the way). That will be better, that they should be known (as free respectable women) so as not to be annoyed.” The same verse translated by Yusuf Ali reads: “O Prophet! Tell your wives and daughters and the believing women that they should cast their outer garments over their persons (when abroad): That is most convenient, that they should be known (as such) and not molested….” Mahmoud Ridha however acknowledges that the covering of the face and the hands was the practise of the Prophet’s wives and other pious women during the time of the Prophet. He then quotes Asma’ (r.h.) as saying, “We used to cover our faces from men.” (al-Hakim) – (Mahmoud Ridha Murad, Islamic Dress Code For Women, p. 12). What this signifies is that it was a cultural practise and not a Qur’anic injunction. A’ishah (r.h.) is reported to have said, “May Allah grant the women of the Ansar His Mercy, when Allah revealed His words. ‘And they draw their head-covers over their Juyub’ - they tore a portion of their wrapping garments and used them as Khimar (headcloth).” (Bukhari) – (Mahmoud Ridha Murad, Islamic Dress Code For Women.). When we examine the above it will be noted that: 1. Words in brackets are the author’s own interpretation, which are intended to project a desired effect as is the case with (except eyes to see the way). The ‘casting of a cloak over the body’ makes no mention of the face explicitly and as such is assumed based on cultural practice. All other Qur’anic verses quoted by the author of Islamic Dress Code have not only enforced the wearing of the veil but have more or less confined women to their homes: “And stay in your houses and do not display yourselves like that of the former times of ignorance.” (Surah Ahzab 33:33). What has been overlooked is that this precise verse has also been viewed in relation to the Prophet’s wives, they being exceptional and above other women. As such, such verses are exclusive to the household of the Prophet but have been accepted as indicators for Muslim society by other scholars. If we are to accept the premise that ‘all women must stay at home’ or ‘be confined to their homes’, then how come they were involved at the battlefield attending to the wounded? 2. The word Khimar (headcloth) could represent ‘Muslim-style head-to-toe robes’ worn by women in Saudi, with both face and hands exposed. No mention is explicitly made here about ‘only the eyes being exposed’. The Veil: It has to be noted that the wearing of the veil by Muslim women is cultural. It is not a Qur’anic requirement because there is no explicit command concerning it. What has been expressed in the Qur’an is ‘the lowering of one’s gaze’, the wearing of an ‘outer-garment’. Prayer, which forms the highest act of worship, requires that the face and hands be exposed. Finally, it must be noted that Islam does not prohibit women from wearing the veil nor does it legalise it. The misinformed West views veiled Muslim women as being oppressed. Well, this would depend to a great extent on the individual. One wonder why should they object to it when it was prevalent in Judaism. According to Rabbi Dr. Menachem M. Brayer it was the custom of Jewish women to go out in public with a head covering which, sometimes, even covered the whole face leaving one eye free. (Menachem M. Brayer, The Jewish Woman in Rabbinical Literature: A Psychosocial Perspective - Hoboken, N.J: Ktav Publishing House, 1986, p. 239. He quotes some famous ancient Rabbis saying, “It is not like the daughters of Israel to walk out with heads uncovered” and “Cursed be the man who lets the hair of his wife be seen....a woman who exposes her hair for self-adornment brings poverty.” Rabbinical law forbids the recitation of blessings or prayers in the presence of a bareheaded married woman since uncovering the woman's hair is considered “nudity”. Dr. Brayer also mentions that “During the Tannaitic period the Jewish woman's failure to cover her head was considered an affront to her modesty. When her head was uncovered she might be fined four hundred zuzim for this offence.” Dr. Brayer also explains that veil of the Jewish woman was not always considered a sign of modesty. Sometimes, the veil symbolised a state of distinction and luxury rather than modesty. The veil personified the dignity and superiority of noble women. It also represented a woman's inaccessibility as a sanctified possession of her husband. The veil signified a woman's self-respect and social status. Women of lower classes would often wear the veil to give the impression of a higher standing. The fact that the veil was the sign of nobility was the reason why prostitutes were not permitted to cover their hair in the old Jewish society. However, prostitutes often wore a special headscarf in order to look respectable. Susan W. Schneider, Jewish and Female - New York: Simon & Schuster, 1984, p. 237. In Christianity, it is also a well-known fact that Catholic Nuns have been covering their heads for hundreds of years, but that is not all. St. Paul in the New Testament stated the following: “Now I want you to realise that the head of every man is Christ, and the head of the woman is man, and the head of Christ is God. Every man who prays or prophesies with his head covered dishonours his head. And every woman who prays or prophesies with her head uncovered dishonours her head - it is just as though her head was shaved. If a woman does not cover her head, she should have her hair cut off; and if it is a disgrace for a woman to have her hair cut off or shaved off, she should cover her head. A man ought not to cover his head, since he is the image and glory of God; but the woman is the glory of man. For man did not come from woman, but woman from man; neither was man created for woman, but woman for man. For this reason, and because of the angels, the woman ought to have a sign of authority on her head.” (I Corinthians 11:3-10). St. Paul's rationale for the head-scarf is that it is a sign of the authority of the man, who is the image and glory of God, over the woman who was created from and for man. St. Tertullian in his famous treatise 'On The Veiling Of Virgins' wrote, “Young women, you wear your veils out on the streets, so you should wear them in the church, you wear them when you are among strangers, then wear them among your brothers...” Among the Canon laws of the Catholic Church today, there is a law that requires women to cover their heads in church. Some Christian denominations, such as the Amish and the Mennonites for example, keep their women veiled to the present day. The reason for the veil, as offered by their Church leaders, is that “The head covering is a symbol of woman's subjection to the man and to God”, which is the same logic introduced by St. Paul in the New Testament. (Donald B. Kraybill, The Riddle Of The Amish Culture - Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press, 1989, p. 56. This means that Jews and Christians used to not only wear a head-scarf but they also wore a veil at times. From all the above evidence, it is obvious that Islam did not invent the veil nor did it endorse it. The Qur’an urges the believing men and women to lower their gaze and guard their modesty and then urges the believing women to extend their head covers to cover the neck and the bosom. The whole exercise and objective in Islam is to guard the modesty and honour of women and nothing more. Those endorsing the veil have given their own interpretation to strengthen their cause, whereas we know from evidence already mentioned that it was a cultural practise of the Arabs. Imam Shafi’e adopts the stance of prayer as the highest and noblest act a person can perform, where both face and hands are not covered as the basis of what needs not to be covered The Qur’an also provides effective punishment to those who slander the reputation of women. “And those who launch a charge against chaste women, and produce not four witnesses (to support their allegations)- Flog them with eighty stripes; and reject their evidence ever after: for such men are wicked transgressors.” (Surah Nur 24:4). Finally in Surah Nur 24:60 Allah has revealed concerning aged women: “Such elderly women as are past the prospect of marriage - there is no blame on them if they lay aside their (outer) garments, provided they make not a wanton display of their beauty: but it is best for them to be modest: and Allah is One who sees and knows all things.” It is one of the great ironies of our times that undue exposure of the body has been accepted as being decent while those who want to cover themselves with a head scarf and outer-garment are considered backward. [Note: The HIJAB in the West means the Headscarf and not the Veil, whereas the Arabs consider it to be the VEIL]. HMStork, 2003 Topics /Main Page Of Islamic Preview
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