Friday, March 30, 2012

Topography of Religion USA today

This is an incredible map produced by USA today, it gives the percentages of population by faith in each state as you move the cursor over the state.

http://www.usatoday.com/news/graphics/pew-religion-08/flash.htm

Muslims condemn Fatwa by Saudi Shaikh against Churches

http://worldmuslimcongress.blogspot.com/2012/03/muslims-condemn-fatwa-by-saudi-shaikh.html


Iran’s Ahl al-Bait World Assembly condemns a recent fatwa (religious decree) fatwa by Grand Mufti (head of religious affairs) Sheikh Abdulaziz Al al-Shaikh of  Saudi Arabia, who has called for destruction of all churches on the Arabian Peninsula.

Then the Assembly adds, “First of all, Wahabbi muftis are not representing Islam. The world should know that the religion which is now being publicized in Saudi Arabia is not true Islam,”

Should we condemn this Fatwa without reserve? As an Individual Muslim, I do, of course, most Muslims feel the same way.  Here are the reasons; evil persists if good men do nothing about it.  This fatwa goes against God’s will and Prophet’s charter and we need to do our part on speaking up, that is least we can do; to speak up.

First the smaller item – Is the Ahl al Bait right when they declare that the Wahabbi version of Islam is not true Islam? I think we have to rise above all the bases and give room for the differences, as long as no one is forcing the others to follow their version, we should let them practice their version. After all, no one but the practitioner is accountable for his or her acts. Hence, God says, there is no compulsion in faith (Quran 2:256).

Now dealing with the bigger item, a fatwa to destroy all the churches in the Arabian Peninsula, is the Sheikh capable of making this insane decision? 

[Quran, chapter 5, verses 82-86]  God explains in the Quran that he caused the different nations with different beliefs only for them to compete in doing good deeds that bring them closer to God, but not to stay in conflict or hatred. The Quran says:  

"... If Allah had willed, He would have made you one nation (one belief), but that may test you in what He has given you; so compete in good deeds; then God will inform you about that in which you used to differ"

Also, God commands Muslims to maintain friendly and cooperative relations with people of other beliefs. In the Quran, the Holy book of Islam, God has said: 


“God does not forbid you from showing kindness and dealing justly with those who have not fought you about religion and have not driven you out of your homes. God loves just dealers."



22:40 (Asad) those who have been driven from their homelands against all right for no other reason than their saying. “Our Sustainer is God!” For, if God had not enabled people to defend themselves against one another, [58] all] monasteries and churches and synagogues and mosques - in [all of] which Gods name is abundantly extolled - would surely have been destroyed [ere now]. [59] And God will most certainly succour him who suc­cours His cause: for, verily, God is most powerful, almighty,


[59] The implication is that the defence of religious freedom is the foremost cause for which arms may - and, indeed, must - be taken up (see 2:193 and the corresponding note 170), or else, as stressed in the concluding clause of 2:251, corruption would surely overwhelm the earth".(Quran Ref: 22:40 )


[Quran, chapter 60/ verse 8] 
Prophet Muhammad’s Charter of Privileges to the monks of St. Catherine Monastery in Mt. Sinai” is what Prophet was all about.

Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) is (was) for the entire world, he initiated the Madinah treaty, he shared Allah's words about respecting Jews, Christians and others, he also assured the right to believe and practice one's faith, he also stood up and said he will defend Jews and Christians against a Muslim, if a Muslim were unjust to anyone.

The two  Hadith  quoted by Mr. Aurangzeb below do not reflect the ideals of Islam, or the voice of the prophet, hence need to verify its authenticity, even though it is quoted as authentic.  According to another Hadith, Prophet Muhammad will stand up against a Muslims in favor of a Christian or a Jew for the sake of Justice. So, we should not buy into these Hadith, as they cannot be the words of the Prophet or Hazrat Umar. Justice is one of the fundamental values of Islam.

You and I are responsible for our acts on the Day of Judgment, and not the men who have quoted those Hadith. God will not ask them to come and defend you or me, as we are individually responsible for our acts. If we are unjust, period, we have to pay for it.

Most Muslims are afraid to speak up against false Hadith, due to the fatwa bombs and threats that come from a handful of Muslims who do not understand the freedom Islam is about.

You will find more and more Muslims speak out against fabricated Hadith and value the Hadith that respect and honor Allah's creation, and believe that Allah alone is the master of the Day of Judgment.   No one has a right to judge what is in one’s heart, only Allah knows and is aware of it (repeated over a dozen times in Quraan).  Pushing God aside and usurping his authority amounts to shirk, or becoming a Demi God.

 The Muslims of America will purge all those fabrications and cleanse Islam from a whole lot of non-sense cooked up and forced on people through fear of fatwa bombs and ex-communicating.

Fear none but Allah

it’s time to identify and make a list of fabricated Hadith, Alhamdu Lillah, if someone has done this, we need to keep track of it.

Mike Ghouse
Moderator
World Muslim Congress
.....................................................................................

The following two Hadith were quoted by  --- Aurangzeb Khan wrote:

 You must realize that if Shaikh Abdul-Aziz Aal-As-Shaikh said something, he
would not make it up. He is a man who speaks with evidence.

It has been narrated by 'Umar b. al-Khattab that he heard the Messenger of Allah
 (may peace be upon him) say: I will expel the Jews and Christians from the
Arabian Peninsula and will not leave any but Muslims. (Sahih Muslim, Vol. 3, p. 965).
Yahya related to me from Malik from Ibn Shihab that the Messenger of Allah (saw) said: "Two deens shall not co-exist in the Arabian Peninsula" (Muwatta 45:17 & 18).
________________________________

 From: S A Hannan
The Fatwa of Abdul Aziz Al-Shaikh is careless. The Muslim Ulema did not say so
 in the last 14 hundred years did not say so about the Churches of Arab peninsula which are there since the beginning of Islam.

However to condemn Saudis whole sale or say that Wahabbi are terrorists is not
fair.
________________________________

Iran’s Ahl al-Bait Assembly slams Wahabbi fatwa to destroy churches

Iran’s Ahl al-Bait World Assembly condemns a recent fatwa (religious decree) issued by Saudi Arabia's top religious official who has called for destruction of all churches on the Arabian Peninsula.


The latest fatwa by Grand Mufti Sheikh Abdulaziz Al al-Shaikh came in the context of a response to a Kuwaiti civil society organization that proposed for the new Kuwaiti constitution, approved by parliament last week, a new article that would forbid the building of new churches in the country.

“First of all, Wahabbi muftis are not representing Islam. The world should know that the religion which is now being publicized in Saudi Arabia is not true Islam,” Ahl al-Bait World Assembly said in a statement published by Ahl al-Bait News Agency (ABNA) on Tuesday.

The statement added that the content of the new fatwa was against the commands of God as well as the tradition of Prophet of Islam Muhammad (PBUH) and his descendants and is, therefore, rejected not only by Shias, but also by Sunni Muslims.

Ahl al-Bait World Assembly noted that throughout its history, Islam has coexisted with Christians and Jews and such a fatwa has never been issued by the Prophet of Islam (PBUH), his progeny, and subsequent Muslim caliphs.

“Therefore, the grand mufti of Wahabbi has issued a fatwa which has no precedence in [Islamic] jurisprudential circles…and has never been issued by great scientific centers of Muslims…,” it said.

The Assembly stated that the fatwa is also a clear intervention in the internal affairs of other Muslim countries because the Saudi mufti has not confined his fatwa to Saudi borders but has included the whole Arabian Peninsula.

The Assembly also slammed the “deadly silence” of Muslim scholars in the face of such fatwa’s which distort the image of Islam.

“Aren’t scholars of various Islamic sects in Egypt, Iraq, Tunisia, Syria, Lebanon, Yemen, the Arabian Peninsula and other parts of the world supposed to react to such unprecedented fatwa’s which depict a distorted picture of Islam in the world?” it asked.

The Assembly criticized international human rights organizations as well as Western and Christian governments for their support of Wahabbi terrorists saying, “If you had not offered various forms of support to Wahabbi and Takfiri terrorists when they martyred Muslims in Iraq, Pakistan and Iran, today you would not be attacked in this manner.” >
… . . .. .

Prophet Muhammad’s promise to Christians

In 628 C.E. Prophet Muhammad (s) granted a Charter of Privileges to the monks of St. Catherine Monastery in Mt. Sinai. It consisted of several clauses covering all aspects of human rights including such topics as the protection of Christians, freedom of worship and movement, freedom to appoint their own judges and to own and maintain their property, exemption from military service, and the right to protection in war. 

An English translation of that document is presented below.

This is a message from Muhammad ibn Abdullah, as a covenant to those who adopt Christianity, near and far, we are with them.

Verily I, the servants, the helpers, and my followers defend them, because Christians are my citizens; and by Allah! I hold out against anything that displeases them.

No compulsion is to be on them.

Neither are their judges to be removed from their jobs nor their monks from their monasteries.

No one is to destroy a house of their religion, to damage it, or to carry anything from it to the Muslims' houses.

Should anyone take any of these, he would spoil God's covenant and disobey His Prophet. Verily, they are my allies and have my secure charter against all that they hate.

No one is to force them to travel or to oblige them to fight.

The Muslims are to fight for them.

If a female Christian is married to a Muslim, it is not to take place without her approval. She is not to be prevented from visiting her church to pray.

Their churches are to be respected. They are neither to be prevented from repairing them nor the sacredness of their covenants.

No one of the nation (Muslims) is to disobey the covenant till the Last Day (end of the world).

Promise Of Prophet Of Islam Muhammad PBUH to Christians Everywhere
. . . .  .

This material is posted at www.WorldMuslimCongress.org and WorldMuslimCongress@yahoogroups.com – you are welcome to join this forum by sending an email to WorldMuslimCongress-subscribe@yahoogroups.com. Please note the forum is about co-existence and moderated. No rants or no material about Dawah, or how to pray will be published unless it has to do with co-existence – we are driven by Quraan 49:13 and our Mission is at: http://worldmuslimcongress.blogspot.com/2012/01/mission-of-world-muslim-congress.html

Thursday, March 29, 2012

Public Behavior Model for Muslims

When they draw the cartoons of the Prophet, when they burn the Quraan… Muslims can do what the Prophet had done; pray for their well being. 

We can aggravate the conflicts by violently protesting it, or mitigating the conflicts and nurturing goodwill by following the examples of the prophet, the mercy to mankind.

We can hold prayer rallies in the public square, invite the media, and invite the elected and public officials where necessary. Then pray for the well being of the miscreants and announce that we do not appreciate it, but we believe they have their right to free speech (read the statement below by Todd Stave).  If we do that, the miscreant will have no incentive to piss off Muslims, but if we fall prey to their bait, we lose, not only lose, but really not follow the prophet, the peace maker.

The following is a beautiful story for Muslims to consider emulating…  


A clinic’s landlord turns the tables on anti-abortion protesters

By Petula DvorakUpdated: Thursday, March 29, 10:10 AM
Regardless of how you feel about abortion, the way Todd Stave flipped the script on his bullies is pretty dang clever.
Stave is the landlord of a medical clinic in Germantown that offers abortions. Reproductive Health Services Clinic became a big focus of anti-abortion protesters when it was leased to LeRoy Carhart, one of the few doctors in the nation who acknowledges performing late-term abortions.
There are always protesters outside the office park property quietly praying or holding a vigil, with signs, rosaries, statues of Mary and bloody, gory posters of mangled fetuses.
“Totally appropriate. It’s their right. They are protected by the First Amendment. And outside the clinic is probably the most appropriate place for them to express their views,” he told me this week.
This has been a way of life for Stave. He’s not just a landlord. That office was his father’s clinic. Then his sister ran it.
“I’ve been a member of this fight since Roe v. Wade. Since I was 5 years old,” he said. The office was firebombed when he was kid, and protesters gathered outside his father’s home as he was growing up. So he’s no stranger to the harassment and bullying of doctors and their families.
It’s become routine for protesters to distribute fliers, posters and create Web sites with all of a doctor’s personal information and urge others to target them. Kansas doctor George Tiller was killed in 2009 and his protege, Carhart, had his farm burned to the ground.
The tactical twist — to focus on a clinic’s property owner — was also a clever move. Stave himself could take it. He’s pretty tough after all these years in this debate.
But his harassers crossed the line last fall, when a big group showed up at his daughter’s middle school on the first day of classes and again at back-to-school night. They had signs with his name and contact information as well as those awful images of the fetuses.
“What parent wants to have that conversation with an 11-year-old on the first day of school?” he fumed.
Soon after that, the harassing calls from protesters started coming to his home. By the dozens, at all hours. Friends asked him how they could help. He began to take the names and phone numbers down of anyone who contacted him with an unwanted call. And he gave those lists to his friends and asked them to call these folks back.
“In a very calm, very respectful voice, they said that the Stave family thanks you for your prayers,” he said. “They cannot terminate the lease, and they do not want to. They support women’s rights.”
This started with a dozen or so friends, then grew. Soon, there were more than a thousand volunteers dialing.
If they could find the information, Stave’s callers would even ask the family how their children were doing, and mention their names and the name of their school. “And then we’d tell them that we bless their home on such and such street,” giving them their address.
In some cases, the family of a protester who called Stave’s home could get up to 5,000 calls in return.
Harsh? Nope.
“We gave them back what they gave us,” he said. Do onto others, and so forth.
The supporters came so fast and in such big numbers, Stave founded a group, Voice for Choice . And now there are about 3,000 volunteers ready to make calm, reasoned calls to the homes of people who bombard doctors, landlords and families with their unsolicited protests at homes or schools across the country.
Stave is pretty rakish about explaining the tactic, clearly enjoying turning the tables after decades of not fighting back.
“What? They don’t want unsolicited calls to their homes?” he asked.
Still, there are calls they won’t make.
“Someone might call and say: “They’re protesting in front of my clinic. They’re praying, chanting, with their signs.’ And I say: ‘Are they harassing you? Harassing the patients?’” Stave said.
“And if they say ‘No’, then I say: ‘I can’t help you. There is no more appropriate place for them to do this than here. They are protected by the First Amendment.”
He is being called a hero and even received an award from NARAL at a big gala in California last week. And that’s when the trouble began again.
While he was out in California, his neighborhood was canvassed with fliers depicting Stave in a Nazi uniform, with graphic photos of Holocaust victims and mangled fetuses. And it had all of his contact information as well as phone numbers and addresses for other family members.
“It wasn’t random. They knew I’d be gone and they wanted my daughters and neighbors to find them,” he said.
On Monday, a protester showed up outside of his brother-in-law’s Rockville dental office, protesting abortion where molars were being extracted.
“How was your trip to San Francisco?” the protester asked Stave, when he arrived at the dental office to confront him.
Seriously? Confronting patients getting cavities filled with horrifying posters of a ripped up fetus is a reasonable protest tactic?
And these folks don’t seem to care if children are around for the show. One year, the March for Life protesters leaving the Mall poured into the playground of my child’s pre-K school, slapping stickers on their jackets and putting fliers into the hands of 4-year-olds . The police were called to get them out.
All of this is ridiculous.
People who want to stop abortion can make a difference with education, support, counseling and genuine efforts to prevent unwanted pregnancies and support childrearing.
They need to be working toward affordable and safe childcare for all, solid healthcare for children and generous workplace policies and family leave so that parenthood is not an onerous and difficult prospect in America.
In last year’s report “Failing its Families,” Human Rights Watch wrote that at least 178 countries have national laws guaranteeing paid maternity leave. The exceptions include Swaziland, Papua New Guinea and the good ole United States of America.
Working on real issues like this, that actually support the family values these protesters say they hold so dearly is one way to stop abortions.
But harassing schoolchildren — or even dentists — is not.
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. . . . . .

. . . . .

. . . ..

Mike
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MikeGhouse is committed to building a Cohesive America and offers pluralistic solutions on issues of the day. He is a professional speaker, thinker and a writer on pluralism, politics, civic affairs, Islam, India, Israel, peace and justice. Mike is a frequent guest on Sean Hannity show on Fox TV, and a commentator on national radio networks, he writes weekly at Dallas Morning News and regularly at Huffington post, The Smirking Chimp and several other periodicals. His daily blog is www.TheGhousediary.com

Wednesday, March 21, 2012

Further on Quraan burning

http://worldmuslimcongress.blogspot.com/2012/03/further-on-quraan-burning.html 
Posted at WorldMuslimCongress@yahoogroups.com in response to concerns and question from Mian Waheed and Khalid Faridi.


First of all, I second and endorse the words of Khalid, “Quran is our symbol. And to a Muslim this symbol carries enormous weight and value.” Indeed, it is.  Most of the conflicts start by messing with the symbols and icons of others.

Mian you are right about burial, as the pages may be uncovered years later, as it happened in Yemen, those unearthed pages are being looked at in Germany and there are conflicting reports on that.  There is a new book out called Which Quran? By an ex-Muslim Ibn Warraq, he had copied the pages from different copies and shows them to be different. I have not seen this yet, but I have been called on it. No wonder Hazrat Umar burned several copies of the Quraan that were misprinted (written).

The Afghan rebels desecrated the Quraan before the American soldiers burnt it, they wrote secret messages on the pages of Quraan, no idea what they were, but you are not supposed to alter, or give the appearance of alteration.  Neither one is charitable acts.

Burning may not be the real issue, but disrespect, desecration and denigration is the issue. The behavior is designed to irritate the Muslims and Muslims fall prey to it.

We have several choices to consider:

1. Retribution – Retribution should be addressed directly to the men and women who messed with it. They need to be called in at the court and punished appropriately, if found guilty. Islam presumes one is innocent until proven guilty as does our constitution, only God knows what is in one’s heart until we can extract it from them.

If retribution is not confined to the men and women, then it is inflammatory and wrong. We cannot condemn Afghans, Muslim or Americans for the acts of the individuals. God sets the example of punishment to the individuals. Please remember the Quraan is clear about it; no one bears the burdens of other.

2. Forgiving and turning the other cheek – Prophet Jesus and Prophet Muhammad both have set that example innumerable times – don’t aggravate the conflict, but mitigate it and nurture goodwill. Taif incident is a good example (full story below). What does Quraan say about forgiveness? God’s favorite human is the one who forgives, is it not?  Forgiving disengages one from malice and liberates one to be free.

3. Reaction – Had Muslims not reacted violently across the globe, and followed the example of prophet – hold a prayer meeting, invite the press, and say prayers for the miscreants. You know what that would do? It will not tempt any one, anymore to do such despicable acts; it is no more fun to them, as Muslims will not react.

Here is a piece Imam Zia and I co-authored way back in September 2010.   http://wisdomofreligion.blogspot.com/2010/09/quraan-burning-appeal-to-muslims.html it was also published in Huffington post.

# # #

MikeGhouse is committed to building a Cohesive America and offers pluralistic solutions on issues of the day. He is a professional speaker, thinker and a writer on pluralism, politics, civic affairs, Islam, India, Israel, peace and justice. Mike is a frequent guest on Sean Hannity show on Fox TV, and a commentator on national radio networks, he writes weekly at Dallas Morning News and regularly at Huffington post, The Smirking Chimp and several other periodicals. His daily blog is www.TheGhousediary.com

Tuesday, March 20, 2012

TEXAS FAITH: Should the ban on political activity by churches be repealed?

Should the federal ban on political activity by churches and religious institutions be repealed – or remain in place? Our Texas Faith panel weighs in – and they don’t agree on the answer. This is a weekly column at Dallas Morning News, addressing the issues facing the nation. http://theghousediary.blogspot.com/2012/03/texas-faith-should-ban-on-political_20.html

MIKE GHOUSE, President, Foundation for Pluralism, Dallas, Texas

As Americans of Republican, Democratic, Libertarian, independent and other persuasions, we are collectively and partially funding religious institutions through tax subsidy, and the least we can expect from them is to remain neutral to each one of us on political matters.

Every American has 1/312 Millionth of a share in such subsidy, why would I, a Republican want my money to go to a church that supports democrats or vice-versa?
As a nation we have to debate the need for giving tax breaks to religious organizations, and why do they need the tax break? We may disagree with Governor Perry on a lot of issues, except the idea that every foreign nation must justify their need for even a dollar to go to them. How does giving a tax break for religious organizations benefit every American indiscriminately?

Dallas Morning News had a similar question a few months ago. Can the Pastor of a Church publicly endorse a candidate without influencing or dividing his or her congregation? That is the fine line that blurs the separation of Church and state.

The fact of the matter is, every one of us is politically inclined towards one candidate or the other; for a majority of us it is an emotional decision. Nearly 2/3rds of Americans have decided through party affiliation who they will vote for – it is a clear choice to them; Democrats or Republicans. It is really the 1/3rd of undecided voters that the parties are vying for.

So the top ten evangelicals ganged up on Romney, simply because of his faith - cloaked in the disguise of not conservative enough. Wouldn’t their congregations follow their lead? The most conservative states are following that lead and giving boost to Santorum. He in turn has followed the bait by going to the extreme and becoming Mullah Santorum.

If we allow any majority to dictate the nation, we will lose the very essence of America; a God’s country where everyone of His creation lives in harmony.

We are not a mobcracy-democracy, where the majority bullies the minorities, like the Republican house bullied the Democratic minority in holding out the payroll tax break for majority of Americans. We need to follow the rule of law and temper the majority with righteousness and honor everyone’s space and right to the pursuit of their happiness.

Greatness of our nations lies in our system, the checks and balances. The representative form of governance has not let us fall into a pit like most other nations. We must keep the separation of church and state and strip the tax breaks from those institutions that break the rules.

Had it not been for bad politics, there would have been one Christianity; one Islam, one Judaism, one Hinduism and one Native Tradition. Now let’s not allow the same bad politics to divide our nation based on religion.

For all the responses from the panelists, please visit Dallas Morning News at
http://religionblog.dallasnews.com/archives/2012/03/texas-faith-should-the-ban-on.html
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MikeGhouse is committed to building a Cohesive America and offers pluralistic solutions on issues of the day. He is a professional speaker, thinker and a writer on pluralism, politics, civic affairs, Islam, India, Israel, peace and justice. Mike is a frequent guest on Sean Hannity show on Fox TV, and a commentator on national radio networks, he writes weekly at Dallas Morning News and regularly at Huffington post, The Smirking Chimp and several other periodicals. His daily blog is www.TheGhousediary.com

Sunday, March 18, 2012

A Muslim dream, what is yours?

I have a dream, that one day, we the Muslims will become fully participating and contributing members of the society, and never stand on the side lines and let others take away our due share.
There was a disappointment for me when I attended the statue inauguration of Martin Luther King Jr.,  in Washington DC.  It was further disappointing that of the 40,000 people who came to see the grand opening of the Margaret Hunt Hill Bridge, a new Dallas Landmark on Trinity River, I was the only Muslim, there wasn't any. Deep down, like all religious groups, we have our own percentage of bad ones, but 99% of us are good people that the other 99% in other religious group don't know about us resulting in false perceptions about us.  Don't we want to change this? 

Here is one small step toward achieving that goal - to be normal beings in the normal society. We have to facilitate a positive change, and have formed America Together Foundation to encourage participation from all. Our programs are designed to bring Americans together from every race, ethnicity and faith to get to know each other...and learn to live with goodwill.   


Please take a look at the Sharia Symposium note below.  You can also organize the event in your city, it takes a minimum of $10,000 to do it right  and to negate the false perceptions out there about Sharia; a way of living one's normal life. We have to differentiate between culture and religion, the Sharia Muslim Americans follow will not affect any one, just as the Jewish Halaqa does not affect any one. Let's learn to act before we "have" to re-act. This is a serious matter we cannot overlook it, sitting around will not cut it.


Your support can take this organization to new levels, join us and become partners in making America, an all inclusive nation. America is waiting to embrace us all, we need to step up.

Every one of us can take care of the family, keeping up with our faith, earn a living, and be a part of the society. I encourage you to roll up your sleeves and leave a legacy of serving others as others have served us. At the end no one will be buried with their wealth and I have seen folks who refused to give donation to women in desperate situations and have seen them go from the world. I will be sharing an article that is pending publication - Muslim Priorities. Where do we need to focus to have a safe, peaceful and prosperous future for all of us Americans and American Muslims. 

You can support our efforts by sending a check to America Together Foundation, 2665 Villa Creek Dr, suite 206, Dallas, TX 75234- We are a non-profit organization details are at www.AmericaTogetherFoundation.com 

Thank you.

Mike Ghouse
If you will, you can do all of this month after month:

How much of a candidate's religion is fair game?
http://theghousediary.blogspot.com/2012/03/texas-faith-how-much-of-candidates.html
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Sharia Symposium: fear, phobias and facts

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Cheyenne and Arapaho tribes of Oklahoma

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Mike Joins the board Israeli-Palestinian confederation

Dallas' Margaret Hunt Hill Bridge opens on Trinity River

Happy Purim, one of the happiest Jewish Holidays

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India Association celebrates fifty years

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HAPPY HOLI, the India festival of colors and joy

TEXAS FAITH: Is the world getting better?

CAIR responds positively, it does not discriminate any Muslim


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Texas Faith: Are humans to serve the Earth? Or is the Earth to serve humans?

Mike Ghouse talk carried on 970 WFLA Tampa Bay's

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Mike Ghouse is committed to building a cohesive America and offers pluralistic solutions on issues of the day. He is a speaker, thinker and a writer on pluralism, politics, civic affairs, Islam, India, Israel, peace and justice. He is a frequent guest on Sean Hannity show on Fox TV, commentator on national radio network, writes weekly at Dallas Morning News and bi monthly at Huffington post, The Smirking Chimpand other periodicals. His daily blog is www.TheGhousediary.com 

A Muslim dream, what is yours?

I have a dream, that one day, we the Muslims will become fully participating and contributing members of the society, and never stand on the side lines and let others take away our due share.


There was a disappointment for me when I attended the statue inauguration of Martin Luther King Jr.,  in Washington DC.  It was further disappointing that of the 40,000 people who came to see the grand opening of the Margaret Hunt Hill Bridge, a new Dallas Landmark on Trinity River, I was the only Muslim, there wasn't any. Deep down, like all religious groups, we have our own percentage of bad ones, but 99% of us are good people that the other 99% in other religious group don't know about us resulting in false perceptions about us.  Don't we want to change this? 

Here is one small step toward achieving that goal - to be normal beings in the normal society. We have to facilitate a positive change, and have formed America Together Foundation to encourage participation from all. Our programs are designed to bring Americans together from every race, ethnicity and faith to get to know each other...and learn to live with goodwill.   


Please take a look at the Sharia Symposium note below.  You can also organize the event in your city, it takes a minimum of $10,000 to do it right  and to negate the false perceptions out there about Sharia; a way of living one's normal life. We have to differentiate between culture and religion, the Sharia Muslim Americans follow will not affect any one, just as the Jewish Halaqa does not affect any one. Let's learn to act before we "have" to re-act. This is a serious matter we cannot overlook it, sitting around will not cut it.


Your support can take this organization to new levels, join us and become partners in making America, an all inclusive nation. America is waiting to embrace us all, we need to step up.

Every one of us can take care of the family, keeping up with our faith, earn a living, and be a part of the society. I encourage you to roll up your sleeves and leave a legacy of serving others as others have served us. At the end no one will be buried with their wealth and I have seen folks who refused to give donation to women in desperate situations and have seen them go from the world. I will be sharing an article that is pending publication - Muslim Priorities. Where do we need to focus to have a safe, peaceful and prosperous future for all of us Americans and American Muslims. 

You can support our efforts by sending a check to America Together Foundation, 2665 Villa Creek Dr, suite 206, Dallas, TX 75234- We are a non-profit organization details are at www.AmericaTogetherFoundation.com 

Thank you.

Mike Ghouse
If you will, you can do all of this month after month:

How much of a candidate's religion is fair game?
http://theghousediary.blogspot.com/2012/03/texas-faith-how-much-of-candidates.html
- - - - -

Sharia Symposium: fear, phobias and facts

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Cheyenne and Arapaho tribes of Oklahoma

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Mike Ghouse is committed to building a cohesive America and offers pluralistic solutions on issues of the day. He is a speaker, thinker and a writer on pluralism, politics, civic affairs, Islam, India, Israel, peace and justice. He is a frequent guest on Sean Hannity show on Fox TV, commentator on national radio network, writes weekly at Dallas Morning News and bi monthly at Huffington post, The Smirking Chimpand other periodicals. His daily blog is www.TheGhousediary.com

MUSLIM SPEAKER

MUSLIM SPEAKER
Email to: SpeakerMikeGhouse@gmail.com

Voice of Moderate Muslims

Voice of Moderate Muslims
Voice of Moderate Muslims

Moderate Islam Speaker

Moderate Islam Speaker
Moderate Islam Speaker

quraan burning

Planned Muslim Response to Qur'an Burning by Pastor Jones on September 11 in Mulberry, Florida

PRESS RELEASE
August 19, 2013| Dallas, Texas

Mike Ghouse
Text/Talk: (214) 325-1916
MikeGhouse@aol.com

Mirza A Beg
(205) 454-8797
mirza.a.beg@gmail.com

www.WorldMuslimCongress.com


PLANNED MUSLIMS RESPONSE TO QUR'AN BURNING BY PASTOR JONES ON 9/11/13 IN MULBERRY, FLORIDA

We as Muslims plan to respond to pastor Terry Jones' planned burning of 3000 copies of Quran on September 11, 2013 in positive terms.

Our response - we will reclaim the standard of behavior practiced by the Prophet concerning “scurrilous and hostile criticism of the Qur’an” (Muhammad Asad Translation Note 31, verse 41:34). It was "To overcome evil with good is good, and to resist evil by evil is evil." It is also strongly enjoined in the Qur’an in the same verse 41:34, “Good and evil deeds are not equal. Repel evil with what is better; then you will see that one who was once your enemy has become your dearest friend.”

God willing Muslims will follow the divine guidance and pray for the restoration of Goodwill, and on that day many Muslim organizations will go on a “blood drive” to save lives and serve humanity with kindness.

We invite fellow Americans of all faiths, races, and ethnicities to join us to rededicate the pledge, “One nation under God”, and to build a cohesive America where no American has to live in apprehension, discomfort or fear of fellow Americans. This event is a substitute for our 10th Annual Unity Day Celebration (www.UnitydayUSA.com) held in Dallas, but now it will be at Mulberry, Florida.

Unwittingly Pastor Jones has done us a favor by invigorating us by his decision to burn nearly 3000 copies Quran on September 11, 2013. Obviously he is not satisfied by the notoriety he garnered by burning one Qur'an last year.

As Muslims and citizens we honor the free speech guaranteed in our constitution. We have no intentions to criticize, condemn or oppose Pastor Terry Jones' freedom of expression. Instead, we will be donating blood and praying for goodness to permeate in our society.

We plan to follow Jesus Christ (pbuh), a revered prophet in Islam as well as Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) – that of mitigating the conflicts and nurturing good will for the common good of the society.

We hope, this event and the message will remind Muslims elsewhere in the world as well, that violence is not the way. Muslims, who react violently to senseless provocation, should realize that, violence causes more violence, and besmirches the name of the religion that we hold so dear. We believe that Prophet Muhammad was a mercy to the mankind, and we ought to practice what we believe and preach. We must not insult Islam by the negative reactions of a few.

We can only hope it will bring about a change in the attitude of the followers of Pastor Jones, and in the behavior of those Muslims who reacted violently the last time Pastor sought notoriety – We hope this small step towards a bridge to peaceful coexistence would propel us towards building a cohesive society.

Like most Americans a majority of Muslims quietly go about their own business, but it is time to speak up and take positive action instead of negative reaction. May this message of peace and goodwill reverberate and reach many shores.

Lastly, we appreciate the Citizens of Mulberry, Florida, Honorable Mayor George Hatch, City Commissioners, police and Fire Chiefs for handing this situation very well. This will add a ‘feather of peace’ in the City’s reputation. We hope Mulberry will be a catalyst in showing the way in handling conflict with dignity and peace.

We thank the Media for giving value to the work towards peace rather than conflict.






URL- http://worldmuslimcongress.blogspot.com/2013/08/planned-muslim-response-to-quran_18.html



Thank you.

CIVIL DIALOGUE

The people in Dallas are making an effort to understand and clean their own hearts first, when we are free from bias, it would be easy to share that with others. Islam teaches us in so many ways to "respect the otherness of others" and it is time we find simple practical ways of doing it.