In this mailing:
- Khaled Abu Toameh: Who is Really Desecrating Holy Sites?
- Raheel Raza: A Woman's Voice at the Mosque
Who is Really Desecrating Holy Sites?
by Khaled Abu
Toameh
May 23, 2013 at 5:00 am
May 23, 2013 at 5:00 am
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The ultimate
goal is to turn the conflict into a religious war between Jews and Muslims. If
anyone is desecrating the holy site, it is those who smuggle petrol bombs and
stones into the compound to use them against visitors.
Tensions have been mounting in recent months in Jerusalem over visits by
Jews to the Temple Mount, or al-Haram al-Sharif [the Noble Sanctuary].There is nothing new about Jews visiting the holy site: this has been taking place since 1967.
The visits, which are being held in coordination with the Israeli authorities, have triggered many confrontations between the Israeli police and Palestinian protesters.
Palestinians claim that the mere presence of Jewish visitors is a "desecration" of the holy site.
That is why some Palestinians have been resorting to violence to stop Jews from visiting the holy site.
The Palestinians say they are only trying to prevent Jews from destroying the mosques and rebuilding the Third Holy Temple.
But the truth is that the vast majority of Jews visiting the holy site are no different from other non-Muslim tourists who come to the area every day.
The Israeli authorities, in fact, require all visitors to the holy site to respect the feelings of Muslims by appearing in modest dress and without weapons.
Moreover, Jews visiting the compound are not allowed to bring sacred Jewish objects [prayer shawls, prayer books, etc].
Some Palestinians, however, are now exploiting these visits to incite the Arabs and Muslims against Israel.
Throwing stones, empty bottles, shoes and petrol bombs at the Jewish visitors and the policemen accompanying them has become almost a daily practice.
This, in addition to regular demonstrations that are staged at the holy site, where protesters chant slogans against Israel, Jews, the US and even some "moderate" Muslims.
The protests are primarily aimed at dragging Arabs and Muslims into war with Israel under the pretext that the Jews are plotting to destroy the Aqsa Mosque and the Dome of the Rock. The ultimate goal is to turn the conflict into a religious war between Jews and Muslims.
Some Palestinians are hoping that the current protests against visits by Jews will spark another intifada [supposedly spontaneous uprising], like the one that erupted after former Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's tour of the holy site in September 2000.
Then, the Palestinian Authority depicted Sharon's visit as part of a Jewish conspiracy to destroy the mosques.
Those who are now using the visits by Jews to initiate violence and incite violence against Israel and others are hoping that Arab and Islamic armies will launch a war against Israel over its "desecration" of the holy site.
If anyone is desecrating the holy site, it is those who smuggle petrol bombs and stones into the compound to use them against visitors.
Related Topics: Israel
| Khaled Abu
Toameh
A Woman's Voice at the Mosque
by Raheel Raza
May 23, 2013 at 3:00 am
May 23, 2013 at 3:00 am
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Most of
all, we have to use reason and logic and broaden the use of ijtihad –
individual reasoning in religious affairs.
In the aftermath of the Boston bombings, Toronto and Montreal saw arrests of
two Muslims charged with terror related activities. There's been some
hand-wringing and questions about "what leads Muslim youth towards
violence?"Amid an array of reasoning, one constant factor that has emerged is the possible influence of Wahhabi mosques. This is not new. For years after 9/11, we were concerned about possible seditious messages coming from the pulpit, some of which I have heard.
While the sermon every Friday in the mosque may not ask Muslims outright to commit violent acts, I believe that what is not being said is the issue here.
Keeping in mind that one day soon we will be hearing women's voices in the mosque giving a sermon, if not every Friday, then, we hope, at least once a month, I decided to be prepared and have written up a sample sermon. Of course, sermons should evolve with time but this is something along the lines I would have liked my kids to have heard as they were growing up in Canada. At present Muslim women can lead prayer and offer sermons only to a congregation exclusively made up of women.
I begin in the name of God, the Compassionate, the Merciful. Salaam Alaikum. Peace upon all those who gather here.
Let us speak to the concept of compassion and mercy. If we want to ask God for compassion and mercy, then we must try and show the same compassion and mercy for all God's creation, which includes people of all faiths, the environment and animals.
We greet each other with the universal Muslim greeting of peace. Just saying 'peace be upon you' does not create peace. Peace is something we have to actively work towards and put into practice, because only when are at peace with ourselves, can we can spread peace towards others. Peace is also about justice so when we want justice for ourselves, we must be prepared to offer the same justice to others.
We live in a society where we meet people of diverse faiths, ethnicities and nationalities. This is a blessing and we have to learn to interact with respect and dignity. Remember when we offer our prayers five times a day, we send blessings upon the progeny of Abraham who are Jews and Christians. Today Christians are being persecuted in Muslim lands and anti-Semitism is on the rise. We must speak out when we see this happening.
Most of you are either born in the West or have chosen to live in the West. A wise man once said that your home is not the country you were born in, but the country you will die in. So whether you were born in Multan, Mangalore or Malaysia, when you become a citizen of a country in the West and death overtakes you in Sydney or London or Montreal, wherever you come from you will die as a citizen of that place.
Therefore my brothers and sisters that place is home – that is the country we have to build, fight for, live for and bring about the change we want from within.
There is a tradition in Islam where we are commanded to follow the laws of the land in which we live. Thus it is incumbent on us to obey the laws of those lands, which give us our livelihood, a roof over our heads and our bread and butter.
This does not mean that you have to accept everything you see around you. In a liberal democracy there is the beauty of disagreeing, and all of you have the right to disagree with your political leaders but there are ways of making this work. We have systems at our disposal through which we can address our discontent.
There is a profound verse in the Quran, 5:32: "As we (Allah) prescribed to the House of Israel, to kill one person, unless it is for murder or sedition, is to kill all of humanity, and to save one person is to save all of humanity." If we can keep this uppermost in our hearts and minds while teaching this to our children, we will be better human beings.
Most of all we must learn to use reason and logic and broaden the use of ijtihad – individual reasoning in religious affairs. As Qur'an mandates in verse 2:44, "Do you bid other people to be pious, while you forget your own selves - and yet you recite the divine writ? Will you not, then, use your reason?"
The next sermon will be about women's right based on the Qur'an: the account of the life of Muhammad we have received as Muslim believers, and the example of his first wife, Khadijah, who chose him for marriage. For this we hope to see women as equal participants in the mosque.
Let us pray that God grants us the wisdom and knowledge to be good human beings, exceptional citizens, and doers of good deeds. Ameen.
Raheel Raza is president of the Council for Muslims Facing Tomorrow and led the first mixed-gender prayer in Canada. She hopes that it was not the last.
Related Topics: Raheel Raza
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