Enter the Dawah Hub....
With the ongoing onslaught against Islam, the rise of Islam is an inevitable phenomenon. While Islam is on its way to reaching its former glory, we give you this opportunity to enter the dawah hub and share the message of Islam to the rest of the world. Useful dawah articles, perspectives on current affairs, resources for dawah to non-muslims, direction on dawah to Muslims, Muslim women issues, youth contribution and much more....InshaAllah

Saturday 26 February 2011

Challenging values: Can we base our life and our societies on freedom and liberty?

Freedom and liberty are often put forward as the values for liberating humankind, particularly women. The west has frequently used the freedom and liberty card to intervene, interfere and meddle in the Muslim countries. The Afghanistan war was presented as a means of freeing the women from oppression, yet we all know there were many alterer motives for the war.

Can anyone claim freedom and western liberal values are universal? It can be very intimidating when Muslims are constantly forced into taking the same old pill that really does not have effect on the body. The spectacle needs to change. Why should the Islamic system and the Islamic social values be judged from the eyes of freedom and liberalism?

The Islamic system promotes the cooperation of the genders while western secular liberalism calls for a battle of the genders in pursuit of gender equality. Freedom allows the choice to view women as sexual objects while the limits of Islamic social law prevents objectification of women.

Muslims have consistently made it clear to the world that the Muslim countries today do not represent the Islamic system in any shape or form. Rather they reflect cultural values and imported secular liberal values. If a real debate is to be had, we have to now move on from why should to how can. How can the Islamic caliphate system and its social values liberate women?

Here's an interesting video challenging the value of Free-dumb:

Monday 21 February 2011

Why are British women turning to Islam?

Wife-beating, discrimination, imprisonment, inferior, seclusion from society, subjugation, enslaved to men, second class citizen. Put these words together and the title ‘Islam and Women’ would probably come to the minds of many. So when this January the multi-faith organisation Faith Matters published the findings of its report that of the 100,000 British converts to Islam that live in the UK, almost two thirds were women – it would perhaps not be surprising if a chorus of “WHY?” resonated from a significant proportion of the British public.

The
UK is not alone in this trend. Of the 20,000 converts to Islam in the US, 75% are women (Council on American-Islamic Relations) – a conversion ratio that is mirrored in many other western societies. The report also described a significant majority of these female converts adopting the Islamic headscarf. So what exactly is the appeal of Islam – a religion which to many represents the antithesis of women’s rights – that has so many women, born, bred, and educated in the West convinced, willing to go against the tide of popular fashions and leave all the ‘freedom’ of the liberal lifestyle in exchange for the laws and limits set down by the belief? 

Some would argue that the majority of conversions are simply the result of relationships with Muslim men or young women taking the step as a fad or act of rebellion against their family or society. However, not only are these assumptions highly patronising, suggesting that these hundreds of women enter the religion blindly, unaware about what it would mean to their status and rights as a woman but they are also at odds with the facts. The Faith Matters report and previous ones, describe a significant proportion of female converts as being university educated.  Kevin Brice, of
Swansea University, an expert in conversions to Islam in the UK and one of the authors of the report states, “They seek spirituality, a higher meaning, and tend to be deep thinkers.” 

So why would British women want to enter a religion that is commonly perceived within many Western societies as the embodiment of misogyny and women’s subjugation? Well those who study the religion with unbiased minds would perhaps discover a belief that is surprisingly different to the stream of negative accusations that consistently emanate from the pages and newsreels of particular Western media outlets and the tongues of certain Western politicians. They would uncover a religion that rather than condoning forced marriages, honour killings, or genital mutilation considers them abhorrent non-Islamic traditional practices that need to be eradicated from communities alongside all forms of violence against women. A way of life that in contrast to wife-beating, woman-hating perceptions obliges men to treat women with respect and kindness always, reflected by the saying of Prophet Muhammed, “The best of you are those who are best to their wives.” And a belief system that established full rights of citizenship of the woman in education, economics, the legal sphere and politics including the vote from the time of its origins 1400 years ago and hence stands at odds with the injustices meted out against women by non-Islamic autocratic regimes that currently plague the Muslim world whose rulings are shaped upon the personal whims of kings and despots rather than Islamic texts.  

Why are British women turning to Islam? Well, independent study of the religion would perhaps also reveal an ideology that seeks specific values and outcomes for society that many in the British public would share but are sadly in decline within states governed by capitalism and self-interest. When asked about their views regarding the negative aspects of British culture, converts in the report pointed to the “the unrestrained consumerism”, “the lack of morality”, and “the sexual permissiveness”. Within many western societies consumed by consumerism, dominated by chasing the next best car, X-box, mobile phone, fashion trend, and home accessory, Islam can provide a higher meaning to life than pursuing meaningless materialistic lives. In an environment where many Britons are exasperated by a growing individualistic self-gratifying culture resulting in rising levels of binge-drinking, anti-social behaviour, drug abuse, risky sexual relationships, disrespect of parents and teachers, and neglect of the elderly, Islam not only prohibits such destructive behaviour but can offer values that promote a mindset of accountability for one’s actions and care, concern, respect and responsibility towards family, the community, and society. 

At a time when many in the British public are at saturation point with seeing the bodies of women commercialized by the capitalist money making machine in advertising, entertainment and the sex industry, her dignity bought up by the free-market in the name of profit, Islam’s prohibition of the objectification and sexual exploitation of women can offer an alternative perspective to securing the respect of women. In an atmosphere where women constantly face pressure to embrace the ceaseless quest to achieve the body perfect ideal, the Islamic dress code for the woman often labelled oppressive can in reality liberate her from feeling policed by a template of beauty, free her from defining her self-worth according to the gaze of others, and empower her by elevating her status beyond physical appearance, focussing society’s attention to her skills and abilities and away from her body.  

And while Cameron and others consistently talk about a ‘Broken Britain’ - with rising numbers of teenage pregnancies, abortions, single mothers and the meltdown of the family unit - resulting from the liberalization of sexual relations, Islam’s social laws that regulate the relationship between men and women and promote sexual modesty (often described in the West as outdated and restrictive) are viewed by many converts as more relevant than ever as a means to protect the family structure and the rights of children.

For those who try and measure individual Islamic rules against a Western liberal template, they will never match up. However, for those who examine the religion based upon the outcomes that the comprehensive application of its body of laws aspires for society, they will perhaps see what many British female converts do – a belief that holds some credible solutions to some modern day human problems. 

One thing is for sure – such large numbers of well educated female converts to Islam in the West surely merits at minimum questions regarding the truth behind allegation of Islam’s mistreatment of women.  Perhaps it’s time to take a deeper look at what’s really behind the veil.

Dr Nazreen Nawaz

CONFERENCE TRAILER- Islam: the only ideology capable of liberating women


Friday 11 February 2011

11th February 2011- Pharaoh's down, but the game's not over yet

Allahu Akbar, 30 years of tyranny and now the people of Egypt can finally see a glimmer of light, a glimmer of hope for the Muslims. What the last 18 days represented was not western freedom and a call for democracy- terms and rhetoric's that have been politically used and sometimes a tool for abuse in the last 150 years. The last 18 days represented an obligation of Islam that came to life- commanding good and forbidding corruption (amr bil ma'hruf wa nahy an al munkar). It also represented the power of the people when this is done collectively. 

When the Iraq and Afghanistan war happened the west used the pretext of importing 'democracy' and 'freedom' to the people. The impact of the war has been devastating, leaving the people with a sham system. As much as the Muslims are clear about the tyranny of Mubarak, Muslims are also very clear what imported freedom, democracy and man-made law can bring to our lands- more tyranny and more oppression as scripted by the ongoing catastrophe of colonialism. 

The Muslims of Egypt are making it clear to the world that they wish to determine the future for the region. A change of face will not uproot a corrupt system and the people know it; nor will imported freedom and democracy do the trick since the western system has been tried and tested by many nations and has failed the masses. It has to be a reinvigoration of an Islamic system that paves the way for change in the whole region and afar since this is where the Muslim sentiments lie. We often forget that the Khilafah system was one of the first systems to ever introduce a voting and election process. So why does the west claim exclusivity to this aspect; almost as though our call for Islam must be a call for western liberal democracy; and our call for freedom from oppression is a call for man-made freedom as understood in western countries. 

We pray and hope the bravery and courage we witnessed from our brothers and sisters in Egypt culminates in the establishment of Allah (SWT) justice on earth. Like the people were not fooled into accepting the American and Israeli stooge Omar Suleiman as an alternative figure head, we pray and hope the people will not accept any other system other than the khilafah system.

We have all seen staged elections post Iraq war. They have not represented change; though many were deceived into participating. Ultimately those who lead the process of elections will dictate how it is done. Therefore, the people also hope and pray from the ranks of the military in Egypt, great wisdom, courage and bravery can also be delivered (like those in Tahrir square) to restore Islam with the establishment of an Islamic state so fair elections can happen, an end to western interference and oppression, securing the rights of Muslims and non-muslim citizens alike. Wouldn't it be nice if Cairo became the capital of the re-born Khilafah system?...A hope not just for Egypt but a hope for the Muslims and non-muslims suffering all around the Muslim world.

It has been great up to now...but the future is yet to be painted. And the game is not over yet!

Bring Islam Back

Sunday 6 February 2011

London Demonstration 'A call for real change' 5th February 2011: A reflection of the day




Hundreds of men and women gathered to support a message that is now resonating all around the Muslim world. Muslims are calling for change; an end to Mubarak, an end to oppression, and a call for Islam. 

The march commenced, young, old, children, Egytians, non-Egyptians, black, white, men, and women all chanting one message: "Down, Down Mubarak", "ya Mubarak, ya jabaan-O Mubarak, O coward", "ya ameel-ul-Amreekan-O agent of the Americans", "Allah take him from his throne", "Real change is what we want, Al-khilafah is what we want", "Al-khilafahtu wa'dullah- The khilafah is a promise of Allah". Sentiments were high; crowds on Egdware road showed their support by their beeping cars and joining in. 

I reflected for a while whether the march was acutely comparable to the millions march to Tahrir square. It was cold, windy, and a few injuries, but nothing compared to being shot at, tear gas attacks, stone throwing and being run over by police vehicles as faced by our brothers and sisters in Egypt. I felt comfort in the message that we chanted through the streets of London, with great satisfaction that it was a single message of Islam shared by the billions of Muslims around the world. 

As we approached the Egyptian embassy, a child muttered 'are we going to Egypt?'. The mother replied 'No, we are going to a place to tell the bad leaders of Egypt to go, so the good leader can look after the people'. I recalled the various hadiths and ayats of Muhammed (SAW), including "the best of jihad is a word of truth against the the unjust ruler", and the verse "you are the best people ever raised up for mankind, you enjoin good and forbid corruption, and you believe in Allah" [Al-imran:110]. Some may question, what difference does a march or demonstration make? Sometimes the immediate difference is not important since that is an assumption that change occurs over night. What we can recognise is a united message for change is building up across the Muslim world. People have had enough of corruption, poverty and insecurity. 

A message for Islam in political life is also at the heart of the demonstrations recently. In any call for change, an alternative system needs to replace the old. In such an anticlimax it is with hope that the people will recognise REAL change when it does happen. 

Unfortunately, the West is good at changing faces, introducing another puppet stooge and repeatedly deceiving the people. Since the people are calling for Islam we should neither be fooled into accepting a sugar coating of Islam with a few new faces nor should we assume a change of face will change the system that rules the people. 

As Maghrib fell upon us and the collective prayers and duas captured the hope of this ummah, I acknowledged for a deep moment why I was standing there. The ummah has reached a boiling point and unless our voices project a unified message for change we remain divided in our minds. The colonialist strategy of divide and rule has been exposed yet the indoctrination of colonialism has yet to be fully unveiled.  Having acknowledged how the colonialists sought to rub away the Islamic history and any recollection of a Khilafah system, I wonder when the ummah will reinvigorate its political Islamic understanding and determine its true political future; one under the khilafah system. Perhaps, very soon. 

As the day closed to an end, I tucked into a nice meal thinking how fortunate I was and how unfortunate it is that those in Tahrir square have to take shifts to eat and deal with their basic human needs; all for the sake of meaningful change. It was clear to me by now, this was not a march for the sake of gathering hundreds for a rant and rave, rather this march was with a shared call to remove the tyrant rulers and a call for replacing the current systems in the Muslim world with the just Islamic system-the khilafah system. How great it was to hear a true alternative presented in the path of the Qur'an and Sunnah. 

Our beloved Prophet (SAW) made it a duty upon the khaleefs to take care of the affairs of the ummah after him. It is our duty (popular people, the armies, and the people of influence) to appoint the khaleef and account him since this is the only way of removing oppression and implementing Islam. We work with great anticipation and hope for a great future for the Muslim world. 

The Prophet (SAW) said: "The Prophets used to rule Bani Israel. Whenever a prophet died another prophet succeeded him, but there will be no prophets after me; instead there will be Khulafaa' (Khalifahs) and they will number many". They asked: what then do you order us? He said: "fulfil allegiance to them one after the other. Give them their dues. Verily Allah will ask them about what he entrusted them with". (Hadith narrated by Muslim)

Bring Islam Back