Exploiting Faculties Properly

                               “We have indeed destined for hell

                                many of the jinn and mankind

                                who have hearts with which they

                                do not use for comprehension,

                                eyes they do not use for sight,

                                and ears they do not use for

                                hearing. They are like cattle, no,

                                even further astray, these are

                                the ones who are entirely heedless”

                                                                           (Qur’an, 7:179)

I think most people in this world wish to live in a world of peace, health and prosperity. All these wonderful wishes can only be realized through social harmonious cooperation and mutual interactions. For this reason, God the Almighty has endowed mankind with different abilities and motivations, and bestowed upon them principle ordinances as a guidance to enable them to achieve their goal successfully. If any misfortune or corruption occurs, it would be because people fail in cooperation or interact with mischief as they ignore God’s ordinances.

God says in the Qur’an: “Corruption has appeared on land and sea because of what people’s hands have perpetrated, so that He (= God) makes them taste some of what they did, in order that they may return (to the right way)” (30:41).

It is clear that Islam, as a Religion urges people to undertake their duties earnestly, and reminds them of their being God’s servants. Each person should try his best to fulfill all obligations correctly and responsibly, without wronging others. For this purpose, God sent his messengers to teach and admonish people, and urge them to do good deeds, and warn them of the dangerous upshot of corruption and treachery in the society. And this not only by preaching, but the Qur’an also puts a great responsibility upon the knowledgeable people to use their aptitude in practicing their talents to build an authoritative structure, which can administrate the whole population of any country.

Pointing to that, God says: “It should grow out of you people who invoke to all that is good and enjoin the doing of what is right and forbid to doing of what is wrong: and it is they, who shall be the successful ones” (3:104).

Then how absurd is the idea of those people who think that Religion should not be considered in political affairs, while God’s ordinances encompass all individual and social matters in all domains of life, including politics.

The main source of the Islamic Law is the Qur’an, which shows that God’s ordinances guide individuals on how to prepare themselves to be involved in the society, and guide leaders of the society on how to govern, and to do justice in operating their authoritative functions and positions:

“O you who have attained to faith, be ever steadfast in upholding equity, bearing witness to the truth for the sake of God, even though it be against your own selves or your parents and kinsfolk. Whether the person concerned be rich or poor, God’s claim takes precedence over (the claim of) either of them. Do not, then, follow your own desires lest you swerve from justice: for if you distort (the truth) or refuse to testify, behold, God is indeed aware of all that you do” (4:135).

As articles of law can be used mischievously if one is not sincere, the moral element is absolutely required; God says in the Qur’an: “O you who have attained to faith, be ever steadfast in your devotion to God, bearing witness to the truth in all equity, and never let hatred of others lead you away from justice, but adhere to justice, for that is closer to awareness of God. Be mindful of God: God is well aware of all that you do” (5:8).

Those who are unmindful of God, they ignore God’s Law. They are mad of the glitters of the world, they love too much this fleeting life, and they do not think of the life to come: “Behold, they love this fleeting life, and put aside (all thoughts of) a Heavy Day. (Yet) it is We who have created them and We who have strengthened their constitution; and if it will be Our will, We can replace them entirely with others of their kind” (76:27-28).

Those who are unmindful of God, will be interrogated about all their bad actions on the Day of Judgment: “On the Day when their own tongues and hands and feet will bear witness against them concerning what they used to do”

(24:24).

The devoted believers are ordered to accomplish all their actions with precise knowledge, for two important reasons: First because this is the way to get success in this worldly life. Secondly because nobody in the hereafter will escape interrogation, as God already said: “And do not pursue that of which you have no knowledge, as indeed the hearing and the sight and the heart – all of them – will be called to account for it (on Judgment Day)” (17:36).

To conclude this reflection, we are certain that it is essential for human beings to exploit the faculties endowed to them by God properly: heart, sight, hearing and all adherent faculties. All of them are made for people so that they may use them properly, and achieve realizing prosperity and justice, and witnessing the truth.

The Influx Of Syrian Refugees To Europe

For centuries Syria comprised various ethnic and religious communities live together peacefully. By 1970 Hafez Al-Asad seized power and started “cleansing” military and civil posts in the country from personalities of other than his own fellow-clan. Here started the discrimination, and since then on everything changed in Syria.  When people suffered, the opposition started asking for reformation, but Hafez Al-Asad preferred to be a dictator.

Before his death, Hafez Al-Asad made arrangements, so that his son, Bashar Al-Asad replaced him in 2000. He promised reformation, but his regime proved the contrary. He became worse than his father.

From January 2011 started the uprising against government corruption and human rights abuses. Instead of repairing his behavior by reformation, Bashar faced pacific protests with cruel police and military actions, which gradually transformed the conflict to an armed rebellion. The Free Syrian Army was created on July 29, 2011, and the struggle took the shape of an armed insurgency, with civil resistance disbanded and opposition members turning to arms.

Since January 2011 until now about 300,000 civilians killed, tens of thousand tortured in prisons, twelve millions of the population fled from their homes (about 3 millions in neighboring countries: Lebanon, Jordan and Turkey, and 2 millions scattered in the world), most of them because their houses were bombed and devastated by Bashar’s left soldiers, backed by Iran and getting arms from Russia. And in fact, the destruction of Syria is caused by the tyranny of the Asad clan and partly by international conflict, because about one year after starting the revolution, many armed groups involved in the war backed by foreign countries.

In one year after the revolution it was clear that Asad cannot stay more in power, but the great effort of Iran and Russia to defend his position made him struggling until my writing this article, and in the opposite side (USA and Europe) in spite of their formal announcement of helping the opposition, but it is very clear that they prefer Asad’s regime than any party may replace it. We can understand why the “West” apparently pro reformation, as they are propagating democracy and condemning dictatorship, but practically Asad’s regime is preferred because of its soft policy towards “Israel”, beside its propaganda against that Western puppet. And Iran is aiming that Syria stays under its influence, and Russia is happy to sell a lot of arm, to kill more Muslims and gain a lot of money. So Syrian people are the victims of the big foreign conflict.

What is behind the influx of Syrian refugees to Europe recently? There are reports that the Syrian Regime facilitates people even from Damascus who intend to flee.

In the same time discussions between “Western Power” and “Russian-Iran” side shows possible political compromise to end the insane war, and talking about general election, considering that those who flee all or mostly are the Sunnis. Then they are probably thinking of changing demography to prepare breaking Syria into two or more states.   

Lately Europe became the favorite goal for the Syrian refugees. Hundreds of thousand undertook risks, went there through Turkey, Greece, Serbia and Hungary to go to Austria, Germany, Scandinavia, etc.

Here we see the confusion in Europe. Hungary opposes, Austria, Germany and France after some hesitation agreed to receive the Syrian refugees. Some regions in France refuse accepting Muslims, they will accept only the Christians. The Hungarian Prime Minister and some civil organizations in some European countries plainly refused the idea of receiving Muslim refugees, they welcome only the Christians among them, but most Europeans accept all refugees without considering their religious conviction.

The Hungarian N1TV aired on Tuesday, September 8, 2015, showing a Hungarian journalist, Petra Lazlo tripping Syrian refugees. She is a member of the anti-immigration group Jobbik in Hungary.

Daniel Greenfield, a Shillman Journalism Fellow wrote in “Frontpage Mag” (September4, 2015) that what is happening in Syria is an Islamic war fought to determine which branch of Islam will be supreme. “It is not a war that started last week or last year, but 1400 years ago” he said. And of course this is absolutely a false accusation, as history proved that for more than one thousand years the “Middle East” (including Syria) is the land of various religious and ethnic communities, and they used to live together peacefully.

The best way to answer Daniel Greenfield is, what has been written by Robert Fisk in “The Independent” (also on September 4, 2015): “Europe and the West – what was once called Christendom – are supposed to be the bad guys in the Middle East. It is we who bomb, corrupt and invade the Muslims of the Middle East. It is we who support the vicious dictators of the Middle East (unless they are disobedient to our wishes). It is we who suck out the fossil treasures of the Middle East, its oil and its natural gas. We are, are we not, the infidels? And true Syria’s refugees, in their millions, have settled into the squalor of camps on the edges of Lebanon, Turkey and Jordan. But the hundreds of thousands of poor and huddled masses who wish to flee further from their tormentors are not sailing in leaking boats to where you might expect them, to go – to the “ummah”, to Islam’s beating heart, to the land where the Prophet lived, and where he received the word of God. No, the destitute of the Middle East are not heading for Saudi Arabia, the wealthy kingdoms of the Gulf, to pray for help from the builders of great mosques and the Keepers of Holy Places. It’s not because they think we’re a soft touch. It’s not because they want to scrounge on our generosity. I suspect it’s because they know enough about Europe and our history and about us – not our tin-pot politicians – to know that we are good people, that we are kind people. I think they know that, deep beneath our carapace of cynicism and materialism and our lack of religious faith, the idea of humanism is alive in Europe and that we can be decent, good, thoughtful, honest people”.

I quoted Robert Fisk’s writing above, as he is among the most knowledgeable European journalists on Middle East affairs. And he is a correspondent of “The Independent” since more than twenty years.

I suppose also that some European countries, like Germany, have a foresight that by accepting those refugees, most of them are women and children, and many good workers, by time will assimilate with local population and will cover the diminution of procreation there.

To conclude, I would say that the influx of Syrian refugees that started about three years ago and still goes on now, is not some voluntary and joyful event, on the contrary, people are fleeing from explosive barrels being launched by Al-Asad regime destroying houses with their inhabitants almost in every town and village. And there is no doubt that international great powers are co-criminals against the Syrian people, because they created many obstacles for the Syrian revolution and allowed Asad’s tyranny to continue for the purpose of guarding and protecting “Israel”.

Another reason for Europe’s actions is also a probability that Russia will defend Asad’s regime by bringing its arm forces to get an army base in Syria, because Russia needs to have a position on the Mediterranean.

Four Categories Of People

Despite the fact that God has given every human being (in his innermost self) the ability to become aware of the existence of the Supreme power sustaining him and to be devoted to Him (see: Qur’an, 7:172), and that God has sent Messengers to spread His guidance to Mankind so that they may act justly (see also: 57:25), yet in the reality of Mankind’s life there are always four categories of people in this regard:

First, those, who believe in God, but are lazy and negligent and do not follow His ordinances seriously.

Second, those who do not believe and totally reject God’s guidance. They pretend that mankind should create their own way-of-life.

Contradictorily, in this category we find those who, while governing, practice secularism and democracy, but also those who practice a dictatorial or similar system, with secularism of course.

Third, those who believe and attained to faith to God; they try to observe their duty with full devotion. They are sociable and friendly with all people. This category is supposed to represent the whole Muslim nation, as indicated by God in the Qur’an as follows: “We have made you (believers) into a just community, so that you may bear witness (to the truth) before others and so that the Messenger may bear witness (to it) before you …” (2:143).

But unfortunately, so far, they do not have enough means and might to realize institutions, that are inspired by God’s ordinances, which assuredly could help develop their mode of life in different domains according to God’s guidance.

Fourth, those who believe and attained to faith, but are narrow-minded. Their understanding of God’s ordinances is very short-sighted.

From what I can see today in the political world, it is clear that the second category (both in democratic and dictatorial systems) have the supremacy over others in almost all domains of life. This category is able to overpower the first category, even though they are in fact the majority in most countries.

This situation causes a lot of injustice in human societies. And if we search more deeply, we understand that this catastrophic situation exists partly because of the lack of action and weak creativity of those from the third category. These people in the third category are supposed to be stronger, more active, more intelligent in facing those in the second category.

And another reason for the victory of those in the second category is the foolishness of those narrow-minded extremists in the fourth category. For example, we see today a group of people who claim to be “salafi” (= followers of the ancestors) and “jihadi” (= who do the utmost in defending the faith), who announced the establishment of an “Islamic State”. However, they make horrific decisions in the name of “shari’ah” (God’s Law). They in fact do a lot of very bad propaganda against Islam and damage its image. Instead of being merciful to all people, they are cruel and demolish antiquities and relics considered honorable by certain communities.

When Prophet Muhammad (peace and God’s blessings be upon him) immigrated with his followers from Makkah to Medina, he contacted all the different communities in the city and discussed with them, until they understood his honesty and sincerity. He established a Charter, which reflected pluralism, so that those people of different communities recognized the Prophet’s authority and accepted his political judgments. They all lived peacefully together. Why not, when God says in the Qur’an:

“And We have not sent you (O Prophet) only as a mercy to all people” (21:107).

Those extremists who claim to establish an Islamic State, act so bad and with so much cruelty, while the Qur’an says:

“And who could be better of speech than he who calls (people) unto God, and does what is just and right, and says: ’I am of those who surrendered themselves to God’. And they are not equal, the good deed and the evil deed. Repel with that which is better then, behold, so that the person between whom and you there was enmity will be as though he were a close and valued friend” (41:33-34).