Weather Modification Prophesied 1400 Years Ago?

Credits to ODD TV and Shade The Motion Picture:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V4VFYRaltcc

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Df2KJPyRdqg

The prophecy was spoken over 1400 years ago, when speaking in reference to Dajjal (the Deceiver, the anti-Christ):

GOD's Messenger, how quickly would he walk upon the earth? Thereupon he said: Like cloud driven by the wind. He would come to the people and invite them and they would affirm their faith in him and respond to him. He would then give command to the sky and there would be rainfall upon the earth and it would grow crops. He would then come to another people and invite them. But they would reject him and he would go away from them and there would be drought for them and nothing would be left with them in the form of wealth. (Sahih Muslim 2937) 

What kind of technology is altering the weather to bring rain in designated areas, while depleting other areas of rain? You guessed it - weather modification. The methods used for cloud-seeding range not only to silver iodine, but now also include bacterial agents, metals, lead, copper, BARIUM, AMMONIA, and more (see Patent US5360162 A and Patent # 5,223,412).

Here is the technology that is being used to create droughts:

Patent # 6315213 - November 13, 2001 - A method for artificially modifying the weather by seeding rain clouds of a storm with suitable cross-linked aqueous polymer. The polymer is dispersed into the cloud and the wind of the storm agitates the mixture causing the polymer to absorb the rain. This reaction forms a gelatinous substance which precipitate to the surface below. Thus, diminishing the clouds ability to rain. 

Read more about this by clicking the links below:

Arizona Drought - Weather Modification - the Jelly Connection
http://weatherpeace.blogspot.ca/2013/07/arizona-drought-weather-modification.html

Connecting the Dots: Monsanto and Weather Modification
http://weatherpeace.blogspot.ca/2013/08/connecting-dots-monsanto-and-weather.html

The Case Against Cloud-Seeding
http://weatherpeace.blogspot.ca/2013/08/silver-iodide-case-against-cloud-seeding.html

Hail Storms: A Case for Anthropogenic Ice-Nucleation?
http://weatherpeace.blogspot.ca/search?q=bacterial

More about the ethical concerns of cloud-seeding:

The lack of provincial regulation worries Louis Bauman, south of Sundre, who’s been following cloud seeding since the government’s involvement in the 1970s. His brother Joseph, who has since passed away, fought with the government back in the late ’70s and early ’80s to stop the project. He said it wasn’t right that the government was meddling with the natural course of weather and said such activities were devastating for agriculture, livestock farming and recreation. 

“Is it lawful in Alberta to change the natural course of the weather by physical and chemical intervention to produce artificially positive rain and hail storm in one part in order to prevent contingent rain and hail in another?” he wrote in an affidavit to the Red Deer Provincial Court in 1984." “Maybe the seeding will help Olds and Calgary by pre-emptying the clouds onto us, but what sort of reasoning is that, and how fair could that be?” asked Schroeder in a letter to the editor last year.

The link between weather modification and GMOs:

U.S. weather patent # 5003186, entitled "Stratospheric Welsbach seeding for reduction of global warming" uses aluminum oxide. So does patent # 7645326. 

Aluminum-resistant gene patent # 7582809: A method of producing a genetically transformed plant wherein the method comprises: (a) cloning or synthesizing a nucleic acid molecule encoding a Al-inducible citrate efflux transporter polypeptide ... providing tolerance to aluminum to a plant. 

Bill Gates is a big funder of  David Keith's idea of spraying aluminum into the sky, while also funding vaccines and genetically-modified foods. Does this not sound like a conflict of interest?

The Transgender Agenda - Islamic Prophecy Fulfilled

He (Muhammed – peace be upon him) said: “Approaching the Hour you will find: men imitate women, and women imitate men”

Major Media Push To Destroy Gender Roles For New World Order (Redsilverj):

Bruce Jenner And The Satanic Illuminati Agenda + Plus CNN Anderson Cooper Exposed Extended Version:

Male and Female, Identity Politics, Medicare Gives Sedatives, West Creates Demons - Morris:

This commenter nailed it: Hello Morris, I listened to an article the other day that claimed they are attacking the XX male carrying sperm of the human reproductive system by an oestrogen mimicker they put into plastics called Bisphenol A or BPA for short. It is having many freakish results including people being born with both male and female reproductive organs.

In Utero exposure to BPA May Adversely Affect Male Genital Development:

OAKLAND, Calif., -- In utero exposure to Bisphenol-A may adversely affect male genital development, according to a Kaiser Permanente study published online in the journal Birth Defects Research.

A Physiologically Based Approach To the Study of Bisphenol a and Other Estrogenic Chemicals On the Size of Reproductive Organs, Daily Sperm Production, and Behavior:

Two chemicals previously shown to have estrogenic activity, bisphenol A and octylphenol, were examined for their effects on accessory reproductive organs and daily sperm production in male offspring of mice fed these chemicals during pregnancy. These chemicals are used in the manufacture of plastics and other products, and have been detected in food and water consumed by animals and people...We found that the 2 ng/g dose of bisphenol A permanently increased the size of the preputial glands, but reduced the size of the epididymides; these organs develop from different embryonic tissues. At 20 ng/g, bisphenol A significantly decreased efficiency of sperm production (daily sperm production per g testis) by 20% relative to control males. The only significant effect of octylphenol was a reduction in daily sperm production and efficiency of sperm production at the 2 ng/g dose. A new approach to studying physiologically relevant doses of environmental endocrine disruptors is discussed, particularly with regard to the development of the reproductive organs, the brain, and behavior.

Prenatal Exposure to Bisphenol A at Environmentally Relevant Doses Adversely Affects the Murine Female Reproductive Tract Later in Life

(Shaitan said): "And most certainly I will lead them astray and excite in them vain desires, and bid them so that they shall slit the ears of the cattle, and most certainly I will bid them so that they shall alter Allah's creation". But whoever takes the Shaitan for a guardian rather than Allah he indeed shall suffer a manifest loss (4:119).

Narrated Ibn ‘Abbas: The Prophet cursed effeminate men (those men who are in the similitude (assume the manners of women) and those women who assume the manners of men, and he said, “Turn them out of your houses .” The Prophet turned out such-and-such man, and ‘Umar turned out such-and-such woman.  (Bukhari :: Book 72 :: Volume 7 :: Hadith 774 )

Correcting the Ismaili Translation of "Manifest Imam" in 36:12

Here is one verse that Ismaili authorities have translated (36:12) as :

Everything have we *ACCOMMODATED* IN THE  MANIFEST **IMAM**  

So I had to look this up, and when you quote the whole of the verse, here is what the verse in its actuality says:

Surely We give life to the dead, and We write down what they have sent before and their footprints, and We have *counted* everything in a clear **record** 

Does Imam in the verse mean an Imam person, or Record? Note that the same root word is used for Imam and Ummi (unlettered, having to do with writing). Note the context of the verse, in which Allah is stating that He gives life to the dead, and He writes down everything .... in a clear record, to be presented on the Day of Judgement. 

Now we can search up this word "Imam" and see if the Qur'an only uses it to mean a person Imam / leader.

First, here is the whole verse found with its words broken up:

     http://corpus.quran.com/wordbyword.jsp?chapter=36&verse=12

These are all the times Imam are used in the Quran (12 times):

     http://corpus.quran.com/qurandictionary.jsp?q=Amm#(36:12:13)

*Firstly, here is proof that the word aḥṣaynāhu means to enumerate or count:

     http://corpus.quran.com/qurandictionary.jsp?q=HSy#(36:12:11)

Therefore, according to an Ismaili translation, would this make sense?

Everything have we *COUNTED* IN THE  MANIFEST IMAM 

**And the word "Imamin" does not just mean an Imam or leader, but can also mean a record or road, illustrated here, found to be used in various places in the Quran.

For example, this verse uses the word Imam to mean lead:

...and before it was the Scripture of Moses to lead and as mercy. (11:17)

And this one uses the word Imam to mean a person leader:

The Day We will call forth every people with their leader. Then whoever is given his book in his right hand - those will read their books, and injustice will not be done to them...

But this verse uses it to mean road, record, or register. It wouldn't make sense for this to mean an Imam person.:So 

     We took retribution from them, and indeed, both [cities] are on a clear record.         < Correct 
     So We took retribution from them, and indeed, both [cities] are on a clear Imam.    < Incorrect

In the above verse, Dr. Ghali translates Imam as record; the remaining translators use the word road or highway. This last verse is the proof in the pudding, because it uses the exact same words, imāmin mubīnin as the verse quoted in 36:12 - which the Ismaili authorities have translated as MANIFEST IMAM 

So if we were using this same logic, that imāmin mubīnin means manifest Imam, 15:79 would read:

So We took retribution from them, and indeed, both [cities] are on a MANIFEST IMAM.

So, Allah just destroyed a city full of evil-doers, and now they are on a manifest Imam? Doesn't make sense, does it? I think we can now conclude that 36:12 reads:

Surely We give life to the dead, and We write down what they have sent before and their footprints, and We have recorded everything in a clear record. 

Also Akbar's interpretation response here:

http://www.mostmerciful.com/rebuttal.htm

Quran Orders Us To Help Myanmar's Rohingya 'Boat People' at Sea

Dear Governments of Indonesia and Malaysia,

I sincerely hope that you will help Myanmar's Rohingya boat people at sea. If you refuse to do so, then fear the punishment of a Great Day or a calamity that may come upon you. Let us not forget when Indonesia was in dire need of help, when the vicious tsunami struck your country back in 2004, coincidently right around Christmas time. Your Lord will reward you for helping these people stranded at sea. That land belongs to Allah, and not to you, even though it was taken from the Aborigines. Our Creator commands us to help the needy and the wayfarers, meaning those who are travelling:

Give to the near of kin his due, and also to the needy and the wayfarers. Do not squander your wealth wastefully; for those who squander wastefully are Satan's brothers, and Satan is ever ungrateful to his Lord. (Quran, 17:26 - 27)

Those needy ones who are wholly wrapped up in the cause of Allah, and who are hindered from moving about the earth in search of their livelihood especially deserve help. He who is unaware of their circumstances supposes them to be wealthy because of their dignified bearing, but you will know them by their countenance, although they do not go about begging of people with importunity. And whatever wealth you will spend on helping them, Allah will know of it. (Quran, 2:273)

It is not righteousness that you turn your faces towards the East and the West, but righteousness is this: that one should believe in Allah and the Last Day, and the Angels, and the Book, and the Prophets, and give away wealth out of love for Him to the near of kin and the orphans and the needy and the wayfarer and the beggars and for (the emancipation of) the captives, and keep up prayer and pay the poor-rate; and the performers of their promise when they make a promise, and those who are patient in suffering and hardship-- these are they who are true (to themselves) and these are they who guard (against evil). (Quran 2:177)

These people who are trapped at sea are wayfarers and are in dire need of your help. They are in search of livelihood, needing food and water. They have been patient in suffering and hardship. Please help them. The individuals who scarred the back of those unarmed men at sea by whipping them, will have their share of punishment from whips made of fire.

"What caused you to enter Hell-fire?" They will respond: "We were not among those who prayed, nor did we feed the needy... (Quran 74:42-48)

O Believers! Do not nullify your acts of charity by stressing your benevolence and causing hurt as does he who spends his wealth only to be seen by men and does not believe in Allah and the Last Day. The example of his spending is that of a rock with a thin coating of earth upon it: when a heavy rain smites it, the earth is washed away, leaving the rock bare; such people derive no gain from their acts of charity. Allah does not set the deniers of the Truth on the right way. (Quran, 2:262 - 264)

Believe in Allah and His messenger, and spend (in charity) out of the (substance) whereof He has made you heirs. For, those of you who believe and spend (in charity),- for them is a great Reward. (Quran, 57:7)

I commend the governments for any change of heart and having some mercy after rejecting these people:

Malaysia Orders Navy, Coast Guard To Rescue Rohingyas At Sea

Malaysia's prime minister has ordered the navy and coast guard to search for stranded Rohingya migrants in the Andaman Sea, a day after Kuala Lumpur and Jakarta agreed to take boatloads of desperate refugees who have been in limbo for weeks since fleeing persecution in Myanmar.

On Twitter, Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak said he had ordered the navy and coast guard "to conduct search and rescue efforts (for) Rohingya boats. We have to prevent loss of life," according to an Associated Press translation of the tweet written in Bahasa.

The thousands of mostly Muslim refugees – many of whom have been adrift for weeks – have been denied access to land in Buddhist majority Thailand, but were also initially rejected by predominately Islamic Malaysia and Indonesia.

Source: http://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2015/05/21/408457733/malaysia-orders-navy-coast-guard-to-rescue-rohingyas-at-sea

Is Hijab Mandatory in Islam: Part II

Say [O Muhammad]: "Who forbids the nice things God has created for His creatures, and the good provisions?" Say: "Such provisions are to be enjoyed in this life by those who believe. Moreover, the good provisions will be exclusively theirs on the Day of Resurrection." We thus explain the revelations for people who know. [Quran 7:32]

INTRODUCTION

If you haven't read Part I, it can be read here. The above verse was revealed to Prophet Muhammad (pbuh), with God ordering him to "say", in response to something that he was facing at that time, as seen with the context. It was most likely similar to things that Jews forbid when Jesus came to them with clear signs. So why do many Muslims keep forbidding hair, the filamentous biomaterial that grows from follicles found in the dermis? Why do they treat the head like a private part, when really it is no different (in attractiveness) than their face, or many would say it doesn't even come close to being more attractive than the face! And even if hair was to be covered, why would this include ears?

OTHER SCHOLARLY INTERPRETATIONS

There are people who attest that khimar does not mean head-cover, and they are definitely not alone in questioning this notion. Check out scholars of Indonesia, Turkey, Libya, and Iraq; or see works by Khaled Abou El Fadl, Amina Wadud, Fatima Mernissi, Leila Ahmed, Dr. Ibrahim B. Syed (President of Islamic Research Foundation International, Inc). Majority of salafi/wahhabi scholars and their translators insist that khimar means head-cover, only because they resort to ahadith which possibly imply that the women (culture and norms of that time) did cover their heads (but as did men also). Perhaps it is orthodox vs un-orthodox? However, this is a poor way to translate the Qur'an. We should not fall into this trap, because khā mīm rā (خ م ر)  or khimar (in Quran, 24:31) is also mentioned in reference to wine and intoxicants, describing them as "covering" the intellect. Therefore, khimar or khā mīm rā (خ م ر)  should be properly translated as cover. If you have not read our previous blog post, please read it here.

"If you think the difference between heaven and hell is 45 inches of material, boy will you be surprised..." [Amina Wadud]

Sahih International (the Saudi Mullah version) translates khimar as head cover; Muhsin Khan even goes to a further biased extreme, suggesting it means face cover. These people have their own religious agenda and interpretations. On the contrary, other scholars such as Yusuf Ali, Pickthall, and Dr.Ghali have chosen to use the  word "veil". Since a veil's purpose is to cover, khimar should simply be translated as "cover". Even if we were to believe that it means head cover, which it does not, we can look at some historical context. One respected scholar and translator, Muhammad Asad (in reference to Quran, 24:31), states:

"The noun khimar (of which khumur is plural) denotes the head-covering customarily used by Arabian women before and after the advent of Islam. According to most of the classical commentators, it was worn in pre-Islamic times more or less as an ornament and was let down loosely over the wearer's back; and since, in accordance with the fashion prevalent at the time, the upper part of a woman's tunic had a wide opening in the front, her breasts were left bare. Hence, the injunction to cover the bosom by means of a khimar (a term so familiar to the contemporaries of the Prophet) does not necessarily relate to the use of a khimar as such but is, rather, meant to make it clear that a woman's breasts are not included in the concept of "what may decently be apparent" of her body and [bosoms] should not, therefore, be displayed." 

So why are we stressing on covering hair when Allah is stressing on covering bosoms in 24:31. The bosom, jayb (جَيْب), is mentioned by name, but not the hair or face. Furthermore, the word 'hijab' is used several times throughout the Qur'an, but there is no use of the word 'hijab' in terms of women's dress code or head scarf. One may only begin to wonder what other teachings have been made a part of our deen which have no basis in Islam or that which was revealed unto Prophet Muhammad (pbuh). 

CULTURAL CONFUSION

Culture vs Religion

How many other cultural practices and norms that were not originally a part of Islam have now been made Islamic today? The face veil is just one example. This is noted by historians and scholars alike:

"The veil was first introduced by the Assyrian kings in the near east. The practice of hiding ones face was also prevalent in classical Greece, in Persia, and in the byzantine Christian world. Later on, Islam embraced these regional practices of covering ones face and in the second Islamic century the veil became common. It was considered as a status symbol as it signified power and was first used among rich women. Around the 10th century the veil appeared as a common rule and in the Middle Ages various laws were enacted regarding the wearing of the veil. Some urged strictness in veiling and forced women to remain inside the four walls of their homes. It became known as the attire of the oppression among women."

ALLAH BRINGS YOU EASE

Let us not forget how hard it is for women to have their heads suffocated all day, and with the head being a major source of heat loss, that's a lot of trapped heat! Along with not being able to air out her tightly squeezed head, her hair follicles (if she has bangs) are being pulled back with great pressure. This kind of practice promotes headaches and itchy scalp syndrome. But Allah reminds us:

He desires not hardship for you . . . you should magnify Allah for having guided you, and that peradventure you may be thankful. [Quran, 2:185]

And strive for Allah with the endeavor which is His right. He has chosen you and has not laid upon you in religion any hardship; the faith of your father Abraham. He has named you Muslims of old time and in this (Scripture) ... [Quran 22:78]

And again Allah reminds us that those who forbid what God has made lawful invent a lie against Allah. This appears to be very common in our communities, and should also include the forbidding of a women's head:

"And do not speak lies for what your tongues describe: "This is HALAL and that is HARAM, to forge a lie against Allah." [Quran 16:116]

Is this not interesting? How many imams and conservatives do you hear yelling haram and halal ? By telling people lawful things are haram, they are stating that God says so, and since it is not true, this is (unintentionally) forging a lie against Allah. Yusuf Ali similarly translates the last part as "ascribe false things to Allah", because one is making people believe God said something when He (in fact) did not. This is a perfect example for those who forbid the head of women, making their exposed hair strands seem haram. It is as though Allah knew future Muslims would fall into this very thinking that the "righteous" Jews of Jesus' time did, when really it is they who were inventing what was haram and what was halal (and not God). Furthermore, in response to our hijab debates today, our Lord instructs us about dress code:

O ye Children of Adam! We have bestowed garment upon you to cover your shame, as well as to be an adornment to you. But the garment of righteousness - that is the best. Such are among the Signs of Allah, that they may receive admonition (7:26)

Another instance where Allah could have chose to mention the garment covering of the head as a religious requirement, but He did not.

WHAT ABOUT THE HIJAB HADITH?

There is not one statement in the hadith literature where the Prophet (pbuh) is reported to have directly instructed women to cover their heads. The closest we can find that I am aware of is in Abu Dawud. Keep in mind that this hadith I am about to show you is compiled by Abu Dawud, in order to please his teacher Imam Ahmad. It was not written down by the Prophet or his disciples (i.e. his sahaba). The hadith was not even written down by Aisha. This hadith has only been ascribed to Aisha, passed down through the many narrators from generation to generation. So, even to say that Aisha surely said this, can be doubtful:

Aisha said, "Asma (Aishia's sister), daughter of Abu Bakr, entered upon the Apostle of God (pbuh) wearing thin clothes. The Apostle of God turned his attention from her and said, "O Asma, when a woman reaches the age of menstruation, it does not suit her except that she displays parts of her body except this and this," and he pointed to her face and hands. (Sunan Abu Dawud)

What do you know about Bukhari?

Keep in mind that Asma was wearing thin or little clothes, depending on who translated this. If the Prophet was telling her to cover up and not display parts of her body, it would make more sense that she was wearing little coverage. Also keep in mind that the observer (Aishia) said he is pointing towards her facial area, which can also include the head. If I pointed towards your face, it can imply that part of the body, meaning the head also, could it not? If I pointed to the bosom, would that imply center chest only, or back area and breasts also? Should we really be so literal when interpreting one's speech? In the end, it's all merely interpretation. This hadith is found only in the hadith collection of Abu Dawud (no. 4095). According to Abu Dawud, it is considered weak (da'if) because the narrator who transmitted it from Aisha is not known (mursal).This hadith, which may most likely be untrue, has been the sole reason why Muslim female have to wear the hijab (headscarves). Many Muslim scholars of Morocco have decreed that hijab is NOT mandated by Islam.

HOW ACCURATE ARE HADITHS?

Now a little background information about the compiler of the above hadith would be useful for the devout Muslim. That hadith which you read was compiled by Abu Dawud, more than 200 years after the Prophet's departure. Here is a short biography of him:

"Imam Abu Dawud heard hadith from 300 persons who were his teachers. Some were: Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal, Ishaq ibn Rahawaiy, Abu Thaur, Yahya ibn Ma'in. For one to grasp his elevated status, he narrated hadith to the teachers of Imam Ahmad. He completed its compilation at Bagdad in 241 A.H. He presented the completed compilation to his beloved teacher Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal, who was greatly pleased at this collection."

It's interesting how many times you hear the mention of Imam Ahmad. It sounds very similar to how the Gospels were written. Here is one example from the writer of Luke, presenting his hadith work to his beloved leader:  "...it seemed good to me also, having followed all things closely for some time past, to write an orderly account for you, most excellent The-oph'ilus". An example of how people can use ahadith to mislead the masses:

Abu Ya’la narrated in his Musnad from Ibn ‘Abbaas that the Prophet said: “The bonds of Islam and the bases of religion are three, on which Islam was founded. Whoever gives up one of them becomes a kaafir thereby and it is permissible to shed his blood: the testimony that there is no god but Allah, the prescribed prayers and fasting Ramadan.”

 This hadeeth was classed as Sahih (true) by al-Dhahabi, and as hasan (sound) by al-Haythami in Majma’ al-Zawaa’id, 1/48, and by al-Mundhiri in al-Targheeb wa’l-Tarheeb, no. 805, 1486. However, it was classed as da’eef (weak) by al-Albaani in al-Silsilah al-Da’eefah, no. 94. Shaikh Muhammad Nasir-ud-deen Al-Albaani, the famous Muhaddith and Faqeeh of our century, found over 5,000 "Weak, Spurious and Fabricated Hadeeths" that "Islam absolves" today. You can read more about this here. It is also fascinating that Allah has chosen to use the word hadith throughout the Quran, and informs us:

And there are among men those who purchase ridiculous hadiths, without knowledge, misleading (men) from the Path of Allah and throw ridicule (on the Path) (Quran, 31:6)

And one may wonder how many false hadiths have indeed mislead mankind from the path of Allah, and these are merely only a handful in the ocean of fabrications.

Let us not forget that the Jews also made their own laws (hadiths) and went astray from the teachings of Moses. This happened when they created their book of hadiths, the Talmud. Jesus told them, "You have a fine way of setting aside the commands of God in order to observe your own traditions! Thus you nullify the word of God by your tradition that you have handed down. And you do many things like that.” (Mark 7:9-13)

CONCLUSION

As a final proof of assurance, one may go to the Quran.com search engine and search for the word "head". There are numerous results returned which use or reference the word "head", yet none of these verses tell women to cover their heads. The triliteral root rā hamza sīn (ر أ س) occurs 18 times in the Quran as the noun ras (رَأْس), the word used for head. Out of these verses, Allah speaks about how we bow our heads (2:43), wash our heads (in ablution or wudu, 5:6),  shave our heads (2:196), hold our heads (7:163), carry bread on one's head (12:36), birds eating off one's head (12:41), raising one's head (14:43), nodding our heads (17:51), and even the grey hair on our heads when we become old (19:4 and 30:54). But none of these verses mention the covering of a woman's head.

If a head cover was so mandatory for a woman, why would Allah not have mentioned covering her head? If our Lord could mention eating birds off one's head, why not simply for a woman to cover her head? It is simple logic--simply because Allah does not require a headscarf for women. It is a shame there are those who try to place words in God's mouth. If covering a woman's head was mandatory, our Lord would have said so, just as He instructs her to wash her head before prayer (5:6). Hair is not forbidden in the Qur'an, and women need not be bashed for refusing to censor their hair. A woman can still have faith and practice Islam without a head scarf. Furthermore, Allah does speak about hair in the Qur'an, and there is no mention of banning women's hair.

"Having faith without a headscarf"

Related Articles:

Is Hijab Mandatory in Islam: Part I
Hijab & Niqab in the Qur'an

Why Liberal and Conservative Muslims?

Among the people, there are those who uphold baseless hadith, and thus divert others from the path of God without knowledge, and take it in vain. These have incurred a shameful retribution. [Quran, 31:6]

INTRODUCTION

I recall having a very interesting conversation with my friend last summer. In my search for a spouse partner, I tell him how hard it is to find a girl who is in between liberal and conservative. He agrees with me that it is in fact very difficult to find a moderate grounded woman who chooses the middle path. He has been there. Either she is a beer-drinkin' liberal who eats non-halal meat, or either she is an anti-pub gelatin-hatin' conservative. She is either holding an alcoholic beverage, or she is either holding a tasbeeh. She either dresses immodestly by openly exposing her bosom in public with short sleeves and a mini-skirt, or she either wraps up her head in a hijab not exposing a single strand of forbidden hair. 


One might ask, why the two extremes? Why are Muslims either full-fledged liberals or full-fledged conservatives, and why is there no middle path. Generally speaking, Muslims are mostly on either end of the spectrum. Could a reason for this very well be the teaching of our imams and misleading scholars in many cases? I know Muslim girls who are forced to neglect praying all their life simply because they are told they cannot pray while wearing nail polish. It may sound funny, but it's true, and it is a real issue dealt with in our communities. It is an issue that may start with a man-made fatwa, but it doesn't end there, as it triggers many negative changes in people. Although it is not always so black-and-white, why is there an increasing number of anti-religious liberals and ultra-orthodox conservatives popping up in our communities?

THE STORY OF FATIMA AND AISHA

As an example, here is a story of Fatima and Aisha who are sitting together in the mosque, listening to a khutba (sermon) given by the legislating imam. The ladies are told that menstruating women are impure and therefore cannot pray, so they are forced to avoid spiritual activities. They are brainwashed into believing that being a good Muslim means praying 5 times a day and suffocating their hair with a hijab. The imam leaves each girl with a subconscious choice: it's either she prays 5 times a day, or she doesn't pray at all. If she prays, she is forced to cover up all of her hair, which means she must wear the hijab. If she doesn't wear hijab or pray, this Catholic-seeming God will send her to the Hell-fire. So what most likely can end up happening: Fatima turns away from religion and leaves the mosque, plunging her hands in her ears at any mention of Islam or God; while Aisha stays to become a conservative fanatic, blindly following everything that her imam preaches. As you can see, both of the Muslima girls had pure intentions and started with an earnest desire to become a better person.

Instead of turning towards God, Fatima turns away in the opposite direction. Instead of turning to the Qur'an which she is forbidden to touch since she does not have wudu, she turns away from Al-Islam. Even when she does read or hear the Qur'an, it is only in mere Arabic, and she can only understand English. When she does decide to pray, she finds her thoughts wandering off, as the meaningless words of Arabic echo through the room. Since Fatima doesn't fit in with the righteous Muslim girls who also judge her for not wearing a hijab, she finds her own place of belonging, with other not-so-good friends. Leading towards the path of sin and self-destruction, she may even resort to alcohol or unchaste ways, all because of this notion of what was preached to her as religion. Her soul may begin to rot inside, as it longs to soar free. Remember, all of this started with the imam's speech, turning her away from religion.

Luckily, Aisha turns towards God. But she offers lip-service salah with her meaningless words, quickly pecking her head down like a chicken in her ritual sajdah, and after prayer she enjoys gossiping (back-biting) about others. Aisha observes all of the man-made rituals and outwardly orthodox teachings set in stone, but she doesn't realize that her soul is rotten inside. While she is busy judging Fatima, Aisha is filled with religious ego (pride) and unable to see her own corruption, resulting in her being rather deaf, dumb, and blind. She thinks of herself higher than others, and in fact more righteous than the non-hijabi girls. She fits in nicely with her righteous Muslim girlfriends, yet she is prone to the same unchaste sins as Fatima.

WHO IS TRULY RIGHTEOUS?

Surely, those who believe, those who are Jewish, the Christians, and the converts; anyone who believes in God, and believes in the Last Day, and leads a righteous life, will receive their recompense from their Lord. They have nothing to fear, nor will they grieve. [Qur'an, 2:62]

Is Aisha not the righteous girl, who chose to obey her imam and went in the opposite direction as Fatima? Fatima may give up drinking, and after realizing she is not an object that is solely used for the pleasure of men, she may even start to dress more modestly. Fatima can in fact repent and turn back to God, since the angels rejoice more for a sinner who repents than a righteous one who thinks he/she is sinless. On the one hand you may have an earnest Muslima Fatima, who respects and has love for all peoples, reading her Qur'an in English, yet not praying 5 times a day. And on the other hand you may have a conservative Muslima Aisha who treats people with ill, reciting her Qur'an in Arabic, and praying 5 times a day. Fatima feeds the poor and needy, holding the hands of the orphans, while Aisha simply gives her meaningless 2.5% zakah each year, slamming her door in the face of a homeless man. 

Why is Aisha considered more righteous or religious than Fatima simply because she observes the hijab and prays 5 times a day? Does this make her more godly or virtuous than Fatima? Is this not the very twisted notion observed in our communities when imams preach outer values over the inner values? Does this illustrate how twisted our notion of religious teaching and true righteousness has become? It is the same law-abiding hypocrisy and backwardness that Jesus (Isa) faced when he confronted the Rabbis of his time. The Rabbis were allowed to divorce, according to the Law of Moses, yet some of them used this as a means of sampling different women. They scorned people for committing adultery, yet they married and re-married women as if it was nothing. They scoffed and ridiculed at the eating of un-halal (unlawful) meat that goes into one's mouth, yet they were careless and paid no attention to such harsh words that came out of their mouths. Does this not remind you of someone?

MISINTERPRETATION OF AL-QUR'AN

Had Fatima (or Aisha) been given a chance to read the Qur'an in her own language, she will be surprised to find that her Lord is Most-Merciful, and Oft-Forgiving (39:53). She will be amazed at how God will grant "those who believe and do good deeds" gardens (greenery) beneath which rivers flow (4:57). She is told that good deeds include acts of humanity, done for the sake of Allah (2:215). She is told that the al-Muttaqun, "those who guard" from evil, will be successful in the Hereafter (26:90). She will also be surprised to find that Allah only warns "those who deny" (kafir) the good ways, spread mischief on the earth, transgress, oppress people and do evil works--it is those individuals who God warns of the Hell-fire (16:88).

She will also be surprised to find that nowhere does this Qur'an state that menstruating women can't pray (2:222), including nail-polish-wearing women (5:6). She will also learn that the believing women are advised to hide their bosoms with a cover (khimar), and not their individual strands of meaningless hair (24:31). She will find that nowhere does God say He will punish us for not praying 5 times a day, but rather He tells us that remembrance (dhikr) of God is far greater (29:45). Furthermore, she will discover that we are not ordered to pray 5 times a day, but rather to "glorify Him" at night and at the "two ends of the day" (24:36, 76:25). Would this not be a most shocking discovery for the knowledge-seeking spiritually-deprived Muslima, Fatima? It could very well change her life, and bring her back unto the Straight Path, but our fake scholars and backwards imams are too busy preaching the opposite of what the Glorious Qur'an teaches. They are too busy with their meaningless outwardly man-made routines and lip-service teachings, while yelling, "Biddah!" They have become like the "lost sheep of Israel" (the Jews), misinterpreting the Divine Law (31:6), and forgetting the Spirit of Islam. 

My cousin who works in the field once asked me if he must re-make his wudu for prayer, after passing gas. He also asked if he could touch the Qur'an without having wudu. After finding that the Qur'an endorses neither of these man-made beliefs, I told him he was free to glorify (not salah) his Maker even if he did not have wudu (3:191). I told him that nowhere does Allah state that the passing of gas invalidates one's wudu (5:6), and that he was free to perform salah (prayer) with his wudu. I also advised him that he can read the Scripture and verses of God freely without having to be in a state of wudu. I advised him that drinking alcohol is not good, but that doesn't mean God will indefinitely throw him in Hell. I told him even if he is committing a sin (to his own soul) or doing something which God advises us to avoid, to always turn to God and never stop praying. I told him all of this because that is what the Qur'an teaches, and that is what the Prophet (pbuh) upheld. But it is truly sad that people are forced to avoid prayer and scripture all their life, simply due to the man-made fatwas of the preaching imams.

CONCLUSION

Many people think that they either have to be a sinless saint or a sinful sap, but fail to realize that humans do make mistakes, like Adam. But learning from his repentance with prayer and constant reminders of the Holy One can help one to break free. Learning how to pray in our mother tongue (or the translation), and reciting the sacred Names of Allah need to be stressed more often than reciting meaningless Arabic words. Did our Prophet (pbuh) not pray in his mother tongue, supplicating unto his Lord in his own language? True modesty, and not simply covering one's hair, needs to be preached to our young Muslim girls. 

We need to start teaching the inner values of Islam, and how cleansing your inner thoughts in wudu is more important than missing a chunk of your nail, due to nail polish. Why not teach our youth the translation of the salah (prayer) and how to focus and cleanse inner thoughts, rather than teaching them how to be overly-obsessed with outwardly things such as, where to place your hands or playing footsies with the person next to you.


If our Prophet (pbuh) was merely observed praying a certain way (or many ways!), yet never dictated to us that our arms should be outward/inward during sajdah, then why should we dictate these things? Imams fail to recognize that what may have been the Prophet's culture or preference, was not a religious mandate. While the Prophet (pbuh) stressed us to "Pray as though you see Allah", the imams stress our Muslims to separate their feet exactly 14.2 inches, forgetting that God wants us to pray unto Him in Spirit.

We need to show our Muslims the verses of Mercy and Compassion, and not just the verses of Wrath and Punishment intended for the wicked ones, who are rather made to "taste their own deeds" as a form of karma. We need to reach out to our youth and religious followers, helping them to leap towards spiritual freedom in the middle path, lest they become an extremity of Fatima, the hardcore liberal, or Aisha, the fanatic conservative.

All that was asked of them was to worship God, devoting the religion absolutely to Him alone, observe the contact prayers (Salat), and give the obligatory charity (Zakat). Such is the perfect religion. [Qur'an 98:5]