Allhu Akbar...
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The Middle East's Leading English Language Daily
Sunday 24 August 2008 (23 Sha`ban 1429)
Terrorizing people in the name of dawa
Hassna’a Mokhtar I Arab News
—
JEDDAH:
A missionary campaign entitled “The Protective Shield” recently
organized by the missionary summer camp in Taif has sparked controversy
among women participants and visitors, Al-Watan newspaper reported last
Saturday.
Corpses were displayed inside a dark tent and visitors
were allowed to enter only after sunset — so that it was pitch-black
inside. The religious objective of the episode was “to bring to life
dead hearts” as the supervisor of the campaign, Balgees Al-Ghamri,
explained.
This type of dawa (missionary work of Islam) will
certainly terrorize and antagonize people through a focus on death,
punishments and hellfire in the afterlife. It has become so common
these days that many Muslim converts living in Saudi Arabia say they
are happy they did not learn about Islam here.
“Sheikhs
(preachers) and society in general make people feel that you should be
stiff. I’m very happy I learned about Islam abroad. I know other
expatriates who feel the same way. They tell me if they had learned
about Islam after coming here, they would have never converted,” said
Aisha Mohammad, a 34-year-old American teacher.
Hassan Hathout,
an Egyptian-American medical doctor who takes active interest in
monotheistic religions and dawa work, said that people should not miss
the total picture of Islam. “It is simple to conclude that anything
which conflicts with mercy does not run parallel with the mission of
the Prophet (peace be upon him). I see Muslims do know the rules and
regulations, but they miss the element of mercy, which is the essence
of Islam,” said Hathout.
Allah has made it abundantly clear in
the Qur’an that He sent Prophet Muhammad “not but as a mercy for all
creatures.” He also said: “It was by the mercy of Allah that thou wast
lenient with them (O Muhammad), for if thou hadst been stern and fierce
of heart they would have dispersed from round about thee.”
Muhammad
An-Nabulsi, a well-known Syrian scholar and author of the “Encyclopedia
of the Beautiful Names of Allah” and the “Encyclopedia of Scientific
Miracles of the Holy Qur’an and Prophetic Sunnah,” said, explaining the
verses, that if a person were well educated and had command of his
knowledge yet was rude and hardhearted, people would turn away from him
and avoid him. “You can’t convince people unless you’re following the
right path. You’ve got to be a role model. You can’t be influential in
your dawa work unless you treat people with kindness,” said An-Nabulsi.
Positive persuasion
Then
why do many insist on working and spread the divine message in a
frightening way instead of mercifully, lovingly and warmly inviting
people to Islam? A Saudi woman working in dawa — who preferred not to
be named — says people think that intimidating others will encourage
them to adhere to the rules and principles of Islam and avoid sinning.
She believes that positive persuasion, convincing and encouragement
come first in Islam. “Many books and incidents from the life of the
Prophet emphasize leniency in presenting Islam, whether to Muslims or
non-Muslims. When people love their religion, gradually they are able
to develop self-discipline. Punishment, death or hellfire are reminders
so they don’t stray or become weak in the face of temptations,” she
said.
In her article “Dawa By Any Means Necessary,” American
writer and author Pamela Taylor, 44, said that mosques had become
frequented by droves of unsolicited advice at every possible time, more
often than not in an argumentative, rude, self-righteous, or ill-timed
manner that serves only to provoke anger and antagonize and drive away
the target audience.
“How did the idea that dawa is to be
accomplished by any means necessary, or possible, ever gain such
popularity in the face of so many Qur’anic and Prophetic injunctions
and examples to the contrary? When did focusing on minor issues become
more important than taking care of the fundamentals? The irony, of
course, is that those who practice dawa by any means are almost
completely unsuccessful in changing anyone’s opinion,” she said.
Copyright: Arab News © 2003 All rights reserved. Site designed by: arabix
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Jusfiq Hadjar gelar Sutan Maradjo Lelo
Allah yang disembah orang Islam tipikal dan yang digambarkan oleh al-Mushaf itu
dungu, buas, kejam, keji, ganas, zalim lagi biadab hanyalah Allah fiktif.
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