I don't hate you, but I simply cannot support your cause!

June is the so-called PRIDE month but we all are PROUD Muslims throughout the twelve months and three hundred and sixty five days in the year, alhamdulillah. We as a Muslim are very clear to ourselves that LGBTQ+ movement is not aligned to our faith. Islam has clearly disavowed the same-sex relationships and altering one’s body based solely on personal feelings without the basis of solid foundation in biology. When we express our inability to support their cause, we often get a push back from the LGBTQ+ community. As a muslim, we are given a very clear boundary on what we can support and what we can’t. However, effectively communicating this can be challenging. As the saying goes, it's not only what you say, but also how you say it.

InshaAllah, here is a way to express our stance as a proud Muslim without being apologetic, but with clarity and conviction: First and foremost, it is crucial to recognize that the US Constitution explicitly protects my First Amendment right to practice my religious beliefs without any infringement. You can use that fact as the first line of defense. However, the arguments don't always go into what’s my right and what’s not. Rather, it comes more from an emotional angle. They put the facts of supporting Muslims and minority groups and in return they simply ask to support and be compassionate about their cause. Some of the common arguments put forth are:

“When Trump declared Muslim ban we stood by your side to support you as a marginal community and a minority in America.”

“When you asked us to be respectful during your fasting month, Ramadan, we showed respect and solidarity - even though we weren’t believers of your faith.”

“When you had Hijab day, we supported your right by showing up in your cause and putting on a hijab to show solidarity even when we don’t believe in your religion.”

“So why would you not show compassion, love and solidarity to another marginal community who are being oppressed and targeted for hate.”

“Aren’t you being unjust and unkind by expecting others to support you when you were the target of oppression and refusing to support the other marginalized community when they are calling out for help? Why can't you show reciprocity in your actions?”

Those are very emotional arguments. Avoid going into logical arguments. Like it or not: every side has logical reasoning and they also believe in their cause. So, any logical arguments would spiral into a bitter debate and you will end up spending hours without moving the needle towards your cause - unless the discussion is an open educational discussion to talk about the faith, biology, and societal impact. The biology and societal impacts are pretty strong arguments against such practices and we all should have that knowledge. However, most of the time, you will be confronted from an emotional angle rather than a rational reasoning debate. You should be educated on those rational aspects but I am pretty sure even the people who are pushing you to support their cause don’t have that detail of data or most of the time that doesn’t matter to them as they say: “that’s the way I feel”. And you can’t argue or win an argument of “feeling” with a factsheet even when you are 100% right.

Rather try a different approach. Here’s a conversation you can pursue with them: ask them if they believe climate change is happening. Then ask them if they know that 10% of Americans outright deny that climate change is real, while 14% of Americans believe that climate change has nothing to do with human actions. Ask them if they believe the Earth revolves around the Sun or the other way around. Then ask them if they knew that almost 20% of Americans believe that the Sun revolves around the Earth i.e. geocentric. Ask them if they believe the earth is sphere and round or it’s a flat body. Then ask them if they know that almost 2% Americans believe that the Earth is flat.

Now, the chance is very high that they believe the Climate change is real, the Earth revolves around the Sun and the Earth is in spherical shape. However, if they claim otherwise, please stop talking to them - they are ignorant and don’t have the intellect to have a sane-conversation and they need divine intervention to rectify their situation. Coming back to the point. Ask them if they want to support the cause of the climate change deniers, the flat-Earth claimers and geocentric believers. Stand with them to support their cause. Aren’t they the minority? Shouldn’t they support the minority causes, especially when the flat-Earth and geocentric believers are ridiculed and the media and the society is trying to suppress their voice? Unless they are hypocrites, they should get that immediately and the argument should stop there. And if it’s not and continue the hypocritical arguments: we don't argue those; rather we show the hypocritical nature of someone's belief and leave them to ponder. Humans are the most intelligent species and given time and Allah’s will, the chance is high that they will not be able to live with such hypocritical beliefs for long, inshaAllah. We continue to stand for our faith and justice. We stand with others in the society for the just causes but we can not bend our religion to support unjust causes.

Another side topic: never giveaway your right. We shouldn’t give up the space that is ours. The LGBTQ+ uses the Rainbow as their flag but we can’t give up and cave in. We shouldn’t stop using these God-gifted beautiful symbols that we experience through the rain-shine cycle. Nobody has the monopoly on anything that Allah has made pure for the human. Let’s reclaim it by using it for pure purpose.

P.S: there is another argument that needs a whole new discussion to disprove their claims so setting that aside for another day. It is something like: “If Islam can’t coexist with the LGBTQ+ movement then your religion isn’t compatible with twenty-first century modern America.” If you already know your ground to refute that bogus claim, well and good otherwise, just know that this is the very old technique that's been used for decades but they know nothing about Islam and the history of Islamic Golden Age before making such baseless claims.

References: 

1. https://www.newsweek.com/10-percent-americans-dont-believe-climate-change-15-percent-unsure-poll-1642747
   
2. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geocentric_model
   
3. https://blogs.scientificamerican.com/observations/yes-flat-earthers-really-do-exist/
   

Is There Any Secret to Attain Allah's Guidance? Cracking the Code of an Open Secret!

Have you ever wondered why Umar Ibn Al-Khattab was guided to Islam even when he was on his way to kill the prophet (pbuh) while Abu Jahal remained and died in kufr? Similarly, many people get Hidaya, the guidance of Allah, seemingly with ease while rest are stranded and circles in the state of darkness and disbelief?

As a Muslim, we are aware that Iman, which is the belief in one God (Allah), is inherent in our Fitra or innate nature from birth. The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) mentioned in Sahih Bukhari that parents and society can lead children astray and cause them to lose faith in one God. Therefore, if we are fortunate enough to be born into a society that nurtures and preserves this faith from Fitra, then everything is well and good. However, as our prophet (pbuh) told us, it is possible for families and societies to deviate from the belief in Allah and instead embrace faithlessness or other deities. This can happen over generations in places where Islam has not been meaningfully propagated or where people have been influenced by misguided ideologies. In such situations, the question arises: How can faith be reclaimed in a society where it has been lost or corrupted?

Allah said in the Quran that Hidaya, the guidance, comes alone from Him. If He doesn’t guide one then no-one gets guidance and whoever He misguides they don’t have any way to be guided (مَنْ يَهْدِهِ اللَّهُ فَلَا مُضِلَّ لَهُ وَمَنْ يُضْلِلْ فَلَا هَادِيَ لَهُ). That brings a question then is there anything in our hand that we can do to get Allah's guidance. After all, we can’t even be guided by ourselves or even by anyone else. That had been mentioned in the Quran many times even Prophet (pbuh) was only the messenger and warner and guidance comes from Allah alone. Many of the prophet's (pbuh) own family members weren't guided to Islam even after relentless effort by our beloved prophet (pbuh). Also, if Allah misguides people then they won’t be able to get back to guidance ever. Now, take the concept of guidance with what Allah said in the Quran that nothing happens without His wills and His explicit knowledge or approval. In that case, a person can ask the question that how can I even be guided if I don’t have any power to be guided or misguided?

Let's explore and demystify the concept of Hidaya (guidance) and delve deeper into understanding how we can attain Allah's guidance.

I have been searching for that answer for quite some time, or to be more precise, for decades. I am sure that this quest is not unique to me; it is shared by many individuals who observe the diverse states of people around them. Some individuals seem to experience the blissful taste of faith, living in an enviable state of tranquility and contentment. Let's refer to them as the "people of the right." On the other hand, there are those who live their lives without any concern for the afterlife and appear to be "just fine" or even seemingly "better off" than many faithful men and women. Let's call them the "people of the left." Additionally, there is a third category of people who find themselves caught in the middle. They possess enough faith to believe in the afterlife, yet their conviction is not strong enough to fully embrace life like those in the "people of the right" category. They tend to live in a state of fluctuation, neither fully committed to faithfulness nor embracing faithlessness. Consequently, a fundamental question arises: What did the individuals in the "people of the right" category do differently to be blessed with the sweetness of faith, while the other two categories either misguided or fluctuate in and out of the state of guidance?

Allah has bestowed upon us the gift of free will, making us the only creation (excluding the Jinn, who are not visible and thus not part of this discussion) to possess this attribute. However, our free will does not determine whether we are guided or misguided, as Allah has clearly stated that guidance and misguidance come solely from Him. Therefore, the choices we make with our free will are the actions we take or choose not to take. So, is there anything that the people of the left category can do to receive Allah's guidance? Yes they can and that’s clearly stated in the Quran. I was always looking for the direct answer but it's rather given in a little different way more in the form of deductive approach: listing out who won't be guided by Allah. 

Allah has mentioned few attributes as well as actions that if done, then their name will be "listed" on the group who Allah declares to not to guide. So, once we stop doing those listed actions and do not embrace ourselves with those attributes, then there's no barrier to receive Allah's guidance. Where can we find those attributes and actions? Where else but in the Quran.

In numerous instances, Allah has emphasized that He does not guide those who are deceitful, dishonest, corrupt, vulgar, oppressive, treacherous, disobedient, boastful, egoistic, and so on. Here are few evil actions and behaviors listed in the Quran that are ineligible to attain Allah's guidance:

Surah Al-Baqara (2:258), Surah Al-'Imran (3:86), Surah At-Tawba (9:19, 109), Surah As-Saff (61:7), Surah Al-Jumu'a (62:5),

وَٱللَّهُ لَا يَهْدِى ٱلْقَوْمَ ٱلظَّٰلِمِينَ

Surah Al-Maeeda (5:51), Surah Al-An'aam (6:144), Surah Al-Qasas (28:50), Surah Al-Ahqaf (46:10)

إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ لَا يَهْدِى ٱلْقَوْمَ ٱلظَّٰلِمِينَ

Surah Al-Baqara (2:264), Surah Al-Maeeda (5:67), Surah At-Tawba (9:37)

وَٱللَّهُ لَا يَهْدِى ٱلْقَوْمَ ٱلْكَٰفِرِينَ

Surah Al-Maeeda (5:108), Surah At-Tawba (9:24), Surah At-Tawba (9:80)

وَٱللَّهُ لَا يَهْدِى ٱلْقَوْمَ ٱلْفَٰسِقِينَ

 Surah Al-An'aam (6:107)

وَأَنَّ ٱللَّهَ لَا يَهْدِى ٱلْقَوْمَ ٱلْكَٰفِرِينَ

Surah Al-Zumar (39:3)

إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ لَا يَهْدِى مَنْ هُوَ كَٰذِبٌ كَفَّارٌ

Surah Al-Ghafir (40:28)

إِنَّ اللَّهَ لَا يَهْدِي مَنْ هُوَ مُسْرِفٌ كَذَّابٌ

Surah Al-Munaafiqun (63:6)

إِنَّ اللَّهَ لَا يَهْدِي الْقَوْمَ الْفَاسِقِينَ

If you look around your surroundings and even look into the history of mankind then you will find that pretty evidently. Here's an  examples: Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) prayed to Allah to get one of the Omar into Islam. Who Allah guided into Islam? Omar ibn Khattab. Wasn't he heading to kill the prophet (pbuh) with sword in his hand? That's definitely a bad action from his side but if you compare that with Abu Jahal then you see the difference in their actions that who, even though both were disbeliever, you put in the list of "Ineligible for Hidya", according to Allah's criteria? Off-course Abu Jahal. The companion of the prophet (pbuh) who were guided to Islam, they either didn't pose those attributes or stopped holding those attributes and actions before getting Allah's guidance. There's no example in history who were guided while they were actively in the very state of those attributes and actions. It's evident even today. The people who answers the call of Islam and converted are those who are basically good people who were not in that "ineligible list” but didn't have the right understanding of God. 

This perspective can also be viewed from another angle: as humans, Allah has created us with an inherent nature inclined towards truth, which is known as "fitra." When we abstain from engaging in evil actions, our inner disposition towards truth is awakened, compelling us to search for the truth. However, if the truth of Allah is not presented to individuals in a proper manner, they may gravitate towards half-truths or falsehoods disguised as truth and begin embracing them. Metaphorically speaking, our fitra (and soul) is like a fertile land ready for cultivation. Once the land is cleared off for cultivation and water starts to flow but left uncultivated, any plants, shrubs, or grasses, regardless of their usefulness, will flourish in that fertile environment. Similarly, faith is like the beneficial plants, and our innate nature is like the fertile land waiting to be cultivated. Thus, faith is easily planted in our pure soul that’s free from corruption and evil actions mentioned in the Quran. As we embark on this journey and seek guidance from Allah, He extends His mercy by guiding us. This is Allah's promise in the Quran that He will metaphorically hasten towards those who seek Him.

Therefore, it is incumbent upon us to abstain from engaging in such behaviors and evil actions in order to seek Allah's protection from misguidance. Allah's guidance isn't automatically guaranteed rather we earn it through our actions and prayer and ultimately relying on His mercy. Likewise, when we desire guidance for someone else, we should actively assist them in avoiding those harmful actions to bring them out of that “ineligible list” of guidance and sincerely pray to Allah for their guidance.

You may then find masses who are out of that "ineligible" list but still don't have the faith in Allah. Why that could be the reason? Why they aren't getting the promised hidayah from Allah? Allah has repeatedly mentioned in the Quran that whosoever don't use their intellect and reasons, wouldn't believe. So, take it as combination of being out of that "ineligibility" and then use the intellect and reasoning to ponder the creation of Allah. Otherwise their heart won't open up to the truth. So, this is not "either-or" but a combination of both actions and efforts. Here's one example from Quran but there are many ayats asking the disbelievers to use their intellects and reasons.

"Have those who disbelieved not considered that the heavens and the earth were a joined entity, and then We separated them and made from water every living thing? Then will they not believe?" Surah Al-Anbiya (21:30)

إِنَّ شَرَّ ٱلدَّوَآبِّ عِندَ ٱللَّهِ ٱلصُّمُّ ٱلۡبُكۡمُ ٱلَّذِينَ لَا يَعۡقِلُونَ

“Indeed, the worst of living creatures in the sight of Allah are the deaf and dumb who do not use reason.” - Surah Al-Anfal (8:22).

كِتَـٰبٌ أَنزَلۡنَـٰهُ إِلَيۡكَ مُبَـٰرَكٌ۬ لِّيَدَّبَّرُوٓاْ ءَايَـٰتِهِۦ وَلِيَتَذَكَّرَ أُوْلُواْ ٱلۡأَلۡبَـٰبِ

“(Here is) a Book which We have sent down unto thee, full of blessings, that they may meditate on its Signs, and that men of understanding may receive admonition.” - Surah Saad (38:29)

Here are the list of ayats demanding you to use your intellect. I am just giving the references so that you can read on your own from the Quran. The theme of all these ayats is the same- think and use your intellect:

لَعَلَّكُمۡ تَعۡقِلُونَ

 أَفَلَا تَعۡقِلُونَ

Surah Al-Yunus (10:5) ...No wise did Allah create this but in truth and righteousness. (Thus) doth He explain His Signs in detail, for those who understand.

Surah Al-Yunus (10:24) ...Thus do We explain the Signs in detail for those who reflect.

Surah Al-Yunus (10:16) ...A whole lifetime before this have, I tarried amongst you: will ye not then understand?" 

Surah Al-Hijr (15:75) indeed there's a sign for the people of intellect.

Surah Al-Noor (24:44) Allah changes days and nights. It has lesson for people who are keen on observing

Surah Al-Furqan (25:55) Allah made humans from water...

Surah Al-Yunus (10:100) Allah imposes filth on who don’t use intellect 

Surah Al-Jasiyah (45:3-5) There are signs for believers - on earth and sky , our creation and animals spreading . Day and night, bringing rain from sky, flow of air- there are signs for the people of intellect 

Sura Al-Aa’raf (7:185) don’t they ponder on the sky’s and earth’s management and what Allah has created?

Surah Al-Imran (3:190-191) Heavens and earth day and night - there are signs for those who are knowledgeable . They ponder and say you didn’t create us without any reason.

Surah Al-Mu’minun (23:80) - Allah creates, gives life, gives death- will you not use reason?

Surah Al-Hadid (57:17) perhaps you will understand 

Surah Al-Room (30:28) this do we detail for who use their reason

Surah Al-Baqarah (2:170-171) opposite of Using reason - they will follow their parents

Surah Al-Baqara (2:44) will you not reason 

Surah Al-Ankubat (29:43) but none will understand except who use reason 

Surah Yusuf (12:2) Quran in Arabic so that you understand 

Surah Al-An'am (6:151) so that you may use reasons 

Surah Al-Nisa (3:118) so you may use reason

Surah Ya-Sin (36:62) so did you not use reason 

Surah Al-An’am (6:32) So will you not reason?

Surah Al-Qasas (28:60) will you not reason?

Surah Al-Hajj (22:46) travel through the earth and use reason 

Surah Al-Mulk (67:10) if they used reason, they wouldn’t be companion of blaze

With our efforts and Allah's will, we can hope to be guided to the right path, inshaAllah.

Next: I will cover the next precious stage of Iman which is Taqwa i.e. God consciousness: fear & love of God, InshaAllah. 

Reference:

Ibn Umar reported: The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said, “O Allah, strengthen Islam with one of two men whom you love more: Abu Jahl or Umar ibn al-Khattab.” Ibn Umar said, “The most beloved of the two was Umar.” - Sunan al-Tirmidhī 3681

Narrated Abu Huraira: Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said, "No child is born except on Al-Fitra (Islam) and then his parents make him Jewish, Christian or Magian, as an animal produces a perfect young animal: do you see any part of its body amputated?" Then he rec 'The religion of pure Islamic Faith (Hanifa), (i.e. to worship none but Allah), The pure Allah's Islamic nature with which He (Allah) has created mankind. Let There be no change in Allah's religion (i.e. to join none in Allah's worship). That is the straight religion; but most of men know not..." (30.30) - Sahih Bukhari.

The term "fitra" refers to the inherent predisposition or natural inclination towards recognizing and seeking the truth.

Gift of Advice for my son: A Twenty-Twenty Vision of Life!

This is the gift for my son as he is turning 15 soon . I used to repeat these to him so many times, so thought that it may be a good idea to put them together so that he can go back when he needed to be reminded. Coincidentally, when I finished the list, I found out that the sum total number of advices was 20, and thus the title of this blogpost came in impromptu- a twenty-twenty vision of life!

• Childhood is the most precious and unique time of life. Once you pass this stage of life, you will never get it back, so enjoy your childhood to your fullest.
• Once you see something, you can not “un-see” it, once you hear something you can not “un-hear” it, and once you know something you can not “un-know” it. So be careful of what you see, what you hear and what you know.
• Trust in destiny. Everything will come out just fine. Just do your best. How do you know you did your best? Try hard until you've exhausted all of your options, such that you don’t regret later and say “I wish I had studied little more or tried little harder.”
• Never fear of failure. Failure is not that when you tried and couldn’t reach your goal but failure is that which you wanted to do but never got the courage to try out Also, it’s never late to start anything new.
• Success and failure are not at your hand and are not a direct proportion to your efforts. There are bazillions of variables those are not in your control that would define the success or failure for the effort you put forth. Regardless of the outcome, your effort will take you there where not enough people have reached.
• There’s nothing called “you missed the train.” There would always be another train in your life, you just need to prepare yourself to catch it when it comes next time: set incremental goals in your life and put forth your best effort towards reaching one goal after another, so that you don't have to grief later on for not giving your best shot at it
• Never compete with others rather compete with yourself. You have to reach to the edge of your potential and keep pushing the edge of the limit.
• Follow your heart. It doesn’t matter which field of study you pursue but whatever your heart calls you, pursue that and be the best in that field.
• Try different avenues, and try early enough, before you settle on your aim in life. The diversity of experience in life makes you stronger in later life.
• Never chase after money to chose your profession. Money that is set to come, will come as a byproduct of your journey of life but in the meantime you will make your life miserable for you and the people surrounding you. It’s just one life and you can’t take your money with you. Look at the millionaire and billionaire who left all the money when they left this world.
• Chose your profession wisely. You will spend most of your time, outside from your family, with the people who you would be working with. So if you despise your profession, the chance is very high that you wouldn’t enjoy the time with the people of that profession. And staying most of your day with those people would make your life miserable.
• Your immediate family is your parents, brothers, sisters, wife, children and they come before your work in terms of your priorities. You can leave your workplace if you don’t like it and moreover, many times your workplace will leave you. But your family is your place of sanctuary that incomparable to your workplace.
• The family you born to and the society you’re raised in aren’t something that you earned rather you were blessed with those. So there’s no reason to be boastful of what you will earn standing on the platform of your parents.
• Trust the people around you. There would be a very few people in your life who will forfeit your trust so if you live in a life full of mistrust then it is you who would live a miserable life.
• Help and do good to others without setting any expectations in return of your generosity. Life is not a business where you take calculated steps by looking for return. You are guaranteed to get the return, eventually, in a multiplied number but from some other unrelated and unexpected sources.
• Never stop dreaming about your future. Everything else depends on some other factors, in one way or another, that you would have no control on your own.
• Don't exaggerate the events of suffering that you're going through right now. Eventually you will laugh on how you cried over “spilled milk”.
• Use time scale to reflect upon an event of life. What seems mountainous (too big to handle) on a shorter time scale could be proven as a little bump on the road of your journey.
• Your father is another human being who is imperfect, so do not follow him uncritically of everything he does rather learn from him that are righteous and try to avoid that are otherwise.
• I will be most proud when I see you exceeding me in every aspects of life. There’s no better moment for a dad to see his son standing taller than his father.

Finally and above all: You aren’t created in this world without any purpose. Know  the purpose of your life on this earth and fulfill it!