Demonizing peaceful religion of Islam

In the name of Allah the Gracious the Merciful

After watching and then reading Franklin Graham's interview with CNN's anchorperson Campbell Brown, it

seems very obvious that Christian Clergy is out to demonize Islam with slightest chance they get. Franklin Brown and reverends like him whose earnings are based on Islam bashing will be jobless and will die in hunger and in miserable conditions if they do not earn their bread and butter by falsely accusing a peaceful religion and sowing the seeds of hatred among peace loving and liberal American people.

Although if it had only been for "earning" cheap publicity and securing "job security" in this tough economic

conditions for Mr. Graham and the likes of him, most of people would be careless for what they have to say. However, such accusations and spreading hatred against Islam is equivalent to terrorism and destroying the peace of our great country of United States for a true Muslim like me who practice or at least try to practice Islam in its pristine form has its first duty to be loyal to its country i.e. Long Live USA and expose such elements in society who are not only destroying the peace of this country but also of the world by every now and then issuing flammable and blatant lies. It is our duty to shun such bigots and thier bigotry otherwise peace is not achievable.

I think President Obama's statement that war is necessary to promote peace and at times there is no choice

goes true and we should be aware that a war with debate and reasoning should be waged against all extremist people be a christian or a Muslim.

Having said this I'll come back to peaceful Islamic teachings where in Holy Quran which is a Law giving book of

Islam states, "There should be no compulsion in religion. Surely, right has become distinct from wrong; so whosoever refuses to be led by those who transgress and believes in Allah, has surely grasped a strong handle which knows no breaking. And Allah is All Hearing-All Knowing" (2:257).

After reading this in chapter two of Holy Quran if someone who is out of his mind transgress why one should blame Islam for that matter? Only people with prejudice will blame Islam and its teaching and those who keep prejudice have no merits to stand for any office or be a leader of any denomination or beliefs as such people only lead people astray. Let me make one thing clear that such are peaceful teachings of Islam that no one fears to leave Islam once they join it. Utopian thinking and living in fools paradise certainly makes one lost its rationale but please do not try to fool 300 million rational people of United States.

Unfortunately religious clergy has let people to war and blame is gone to God / Allah and His given religion. Similar is the case in so called Islamic countries where religious clergy has hijacked a peaceful religion and blend it with their personal vested interests and re-brand it as "Islam" where teachings of Islam are far remote to their interpretations.

It is even sad to see people who tend to be reputable hold prejudice against Islam without even trying to learn or know about Islam. Their experience is only a first hand experience of a culture which is different from theirs and they ignorantly takes it as a religion. It is important specially in these times to we should act responsibly and try to promote peace, otherwise we are going to run into a big trouble where we cannot find ourselves out from it.

Islamophobia, Economic Crisis and Extremism

In the name of Allah the Gracious the Merciful

I call "Islamphobia" or "Islamophobia" not sure if these terms have previously been used or not but the fact remains there is a bitter hatred and unnecessary fear against a peaceful religion of Islam. If I may say Islam is the most misunderstood and most innocent of religions in modern times.

It is misunderstood by its followers who have no knowledge about their own religion rather they rely on pseudo Islamic scholars who themselves have never practiced Islam in its pristine form. Their interpretations of Islamic laws and their interpretations of the practice of the great Holy Prophet of Islam Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) reflects that these so called Islamic scholars and jurors who readily issues Fatwa ( or religious decree) neither have merits nor authority to lead Muslims or become the defenders of Islam.

These Islamic scholars not only have misunderstood their own religion but also misunderstood the practice of the Holy Prophet Muhammad(peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) and his companions who upheld true teachings of Islam and professed and practiced as a true Muslim should have.

Islamphobia's credit goes partly to these bigot Mullas who intentionally or unintentionally destroying Islamic world with their ill interpretations of sacred, pious and peaceful teachings of Islam.

Islamophobia's credit partly also goes to the media pundits and the so called human rights and democratic champions who call themselves as modern civilized nations of the West. The prejudice carried in the West against Islam proves that such a peaceful religion wherein it allows its followers to ensure absolute justice be it your kith and kin and wherein it says 'there is no compulsion in religion'; is unfortunately misunderstood only to prejudice nor to education nor lack of awareness.

The combination of the two antagonists has caused numerous sufferings to innocent civilians around the world, whether in the name of routing out extremism (havenots) or in the name of attacking the occupying forces (haves). Billions of dollars have been spent and are being spending to protect the "innocent civilians" but ultimately the innocent civilians are the ones bearing the brunt at the hands of these two groups.

People in the US do want security and so do the people of the rest of the world including countries like Pakistan. The cost is ultimately being paid by the tax payers of these countries.

62 Years of Independence yet Ahmadis face persecution

بِسْمِ اللهِ الرَّحْمـٰنِ الرَّحِيمِ

In the name of Allah the Gracious the Merciful

India and Pakistan celebrated their 62nd birth anniversaries or as commonly called Independence Day. More than a half century has been passed since independence from the Brits yet Ahmadiyya Muslim Community (Ahmadiyya Muslim Jamaat in urdu) has been constantly facing persecution in India and in Pakistan.

Intolerance towards each other whether Muslims among themselves or Hindus vs Christians or Hindu vs Muslims as in the case of India, bigotry has taken a firm footing in the societies of India and Pakistan.

Pakistan for that matter has championed the cause of fanaticism as did Afghanistan but now India is running fast to achieve that elite status of prejudice as well.

Ahmadis are facing same persecution whether in so called secular India or under a secular, liberal democratic Pakistan (as the current government is a popularly elected democratic government), the plight of Ahmadiyya Muslim Community remains the same.

One day it is in UP state of India then next day it is in Pakistan's Punjab province, the following day it is in Bangladesh and the day after it goes to Indonesia, Malaysia or Sri Lanka.

The strange thing to notice is the pattern which includes so called secular governments or countries where laws are normally equal for everyone.

Recently on August 10, 2009 Pakistan's Punjab Police's elite force under the elected government of Nawaz Sharif's brother Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif, police is desecrating the Kalima or the first proclamation of being tolerable Muslim that "There is no God but Allah and Muhammad (s.a.w.) is His Messenger".

One should watch this YouTube video to get a glimpse. The following link has an 8 minutes of video.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jhz3qcGYiuQ&feature=related

Such is the case of bigoted political leaders in Pakistan and law and order authorities who are professing liberalism in Pakistan. On one hand they denounce talibanism yet on the other hand these authorities practice Talibanism against Ahmadiyya Muslim Community.

If the government of Pakistan, intelligentsia, military and civil authorities are sincere for Pakistan's progress they will have to come out of the state of contradiction and hypocrisy.

Few weeks ago in Gojra, Punjab Pakistan, Christian Community's houses were burned and ransacked in the name of desecrating Holy Quran. Whether it was true or not it is yet to be confirmed but these fanatics humiliated Pakistan on world scene.

Normally Christians live in harmony in Pakistan as well as minority Hindus. Such incidents against Christians are common in India where a nun in Calcutta (Kolkatta) was publicly humiliated by Hindu mob and raped.

Yet Christians in Pakistan live peacefully compare to Ahmadi Muslims but this time Christian were not spared either.

The common enemy India and Pakistan are facing together is religious fanaticism which is weakening them internally.

It is time for us to reflect back and improve our social behavior. Getting IT jobs and growing GDP does not necessarily modernize or improve the social mindset it takes a lot of Patience, thoughts and implementation of liberal and equitable laws.

Ahmadiyya Muslim Community's Annual Convention and Celebrate Fairfax Fair

In the name of Allah Most Gracious Most Merciful

Ahmadiyya Muslim Community (AMC), the muslims who believe in the Messiah Mirza Ghulam Ahmad of Qadian is holding its three day annual convention from June 19 to June 21 2009. Thousands of members of Ahmadiyya Muslim Community will be participating at Dulles Expo Center in Chantilly, VA.

Last year the head of the worldwide Ahmadiyya Muslim Community came for the first time in the United States of America after being elected as the fifth successor to the Promised Messiah Mirza Ghulam Ahmad of Qadian in 2003.

It was emotional as well as happiest occasion for us Ahmadis living in the US. Hazur (as respectfully regarded word for His Holiness) has visited neighbouring Canada in 2004 and in 2005. Most of American Ahmadis would travel to Canada to participate in spirtually charged Annual Convention this time he was also visiting the US prior to Canada.

AMC's annual conventions are for its members to train them in high standards of morality and spirituality. The purpose of the annual conventions are for people to achieve nearness to Allah by participating in listening speeches and offering prayers. Along with plenty of spiritual food AMC caters for its member during convention with plenty of physical food to gain physical strength as well as spiritual strength.

At the convention there are book stalls for people to buy Ahmadiyya literature, Exhibition on various Ahmadiyya Muslim Community. First Aid booth, Medical booth, Charity organization booth such as Humanity First USA etc are all exciting events.

One has to register in order to participate in the convention and registeration is free. Guests are welcome on the second day of the convention. Invitations are provided well in advance for people who are interested in learning peaceful Islam.

Just two weeks prior to convention AMC's Virginia Chapters are participating in Celebrate Fairfax fair at Government Center. AMC has booth every year for locals to stop by and get free books and literature in learning true Islam. There will be learned people available to answer questions and to remove any misunderstanding if someone may have about Islam.

Those of us who have been in contact with Ahmadiyya Muslim Community knows that true Islam means peace and peaceful muslims are only those muslims who believe in the Messiah Mirza Ghulam Ahmad of Qadian.