We are living in a world that shaped by Western values of democracy, secularism, capitalism, human rights, the nation state and so on. It is seen as the latest point that human kind have reached. So, if you don't agree with these values in any part of the world, you need to be civilized. Because, you are simply in a much lower level.
As Muslims living in the West, this is the atmosphere that we are living in. As the fish in the sea doesn't know the water but it is vital and there, so are these values to our daily lives. These values effect us as Muslims and how we think. In this regard not only west for example Turkey is not so different. Turkey is a mostly Muslim living country but it is not an Islamic country. Still, western values rule over there.
I was with a group of young Muslims and the most of them said like Islam backs democracy, Islam backs human rights and etc. It was surprising to me (since these values are not innocent but rather dirty). It seem to me that whatever is the product of western thinking and adventure, we will find a support for it from Islam. Because, it is so comfortable to abide and compromise. Because, to say otherwise will require intellectual work and courage.
And that holy 'human rights' doesn't include Muslims at many times.
But there are non-Muslims are doing it, such as Arundathi Roy. A quote from her "Democracy is the Free World's whore, willing to dress up, dress down, willing to satisfy a whole range of tastes, available to be used and abused at will. Free elections, a free press and an independent judiciary mean little when the free market means they are on sale to the highest bidder, she said. I believe we wouldn't have a courage to say such a thing. Because, we have to convince white man that we are not subhuman. We have to prove that we are not terrorists.
I was watching to TV an evangelical christian lady who loves to bash Islam. She once clearly stated that she is 'Christian and then American'. She is not firstly American and secondly Christian. I believe any Muslim would find it very hard to say so in the US. Because, the trend is to prove that we are American. ( I am not saying this must be the answer of all Muslims but, what I wanna state is the level of our freedom of speech)
As it seems , Muslims are bombarded with some type of questions such as homosexuality, women's right and so on. I really wonder if the people of other faiths are really questioned as much as we were?
There is a constant flow of ideas, values, methods from the West to the Muslim countries but the opposite never or rarely happens. But, you know what, we export delicious food. Middle eastern food is popular in the west and unfortunately that seems to be all that we can offer. As an important note here is that the world didn't collapse on only Muslims, the disasters happened on non-muslim cultures like in far east Asia, and Africa as well.
We can look back to Islamic history and achievements to get self confidence. It can be okay that way. But, we can not look back to feel better and count the achievements of the past that earlier Muslims did. We are not them and we can not brag about their success to feel better. In this way it turns to an opium for us and can only make us drowsy.
I believe that collectively we are tend to go with emotions rather than intellect. This is partially understandable because the problems that Muslims of today are facing are huge and hard to deal with. As an example, the Youtube video counts for the injustice of Gitmo is so little compared to the one about ex-Gitmo guard converted to Islam. We want to feel good. So our attention is at where we can feel a bit better.
We Muslims must make our own mind rather than being convinced by others. Nobody should be able to tell us to read Jalaladdin Rumi but not Sayyid Qutb or vice versa. Being responsible must be a core value for all of us. And if we feel responsible then we can become active for good. To do Islamic work, I believe we must not imitate one another. We must not do the same thing that other Muslims do. We must try to address another challenge or problem. This would require us to be aware of the things going on and woke. We must have an open eye. We must follow whoever does good. We must have an open ear for the good, In universities. Churches, Mosques, community centers. We should help and participate whoever is doing good.
We must follow the key figures of today, Muslim leaders, intellectuals, and people of other belief and ideologies.
I want to get benefit from muslims around for their knowledge and ideas and understandings. We should talk to each others and add to each others. We all have different backgrounds. experiences and interests. The problems of today is so much bigger than one alim (scholar), or one activist or one Muslim leader can handle. Therefore, we must all be active and involved.
The below is a big jihadist lady that I respect . If the best jihad is to say “A word of truth in front of a tyrannical ruler.”She is exemplary.
First of all please read after listening to famous "Wake up" talk below as loud as to blow up your speakers!!!
Then What I want to tell will make more sense!
I hope you can have time to watch these videos of Yasir Qadhi and NoumanAli Khan and Khalid Yasin which I find related to what I want to talk about here.
This post is about what I have in my mind to share with any other Muslim who has a concern about Islam and/or muslims. I didn't have a chance to sit and talk with people, that's why I put a note here for the record. Hopefully, I can have a chance to talk with a muslim brother in person someday, somehow, sometime. Also, this article poorly reflects really what I want to say. I wish I was able to express my thoughts in a better way.
We always hear negative news about Muslims and bad things happen in Muslim majority countries. Islamophobia is increasing. Will Muslims have a better future? This highly depends on what Muslims are doing for a better future. If we don't have any effort, we don't have a right to expect good things to happen.
Talk to each others
We, muslims, can get together and have quality talks. We can learn from each others and hear each other's problems as muslims. This may help us to know about issues and situations faced by other muslims around us that we never experienced or noticed (a related hadith) . For example, I would not know what is the situation of an adult new muslim woman entering a mosque as a first time, as me being a born muslim in a mostly muslim living country. (please see the first 3 minutes of the video, click here). These type of talks and sharing experiences have a potential to heal us and teach us valuable lessons. But, in order to have that we must get together and share with each others. It souldnt be the only time for us to get together and listen to an Imam or sheikh or a famous muslim preacher. Beside that, we can get together and listen to each others. We have a lot to learn from each others.
Another reason to get together with fellow muslims is to share what is important to us as muslims. If we watch TV, listen to the radio, surf on the internet, as curse of living nowadays, we will be bombarded with all kind of news, information, gibberish, Islamophobia and etc... Also, we will be listening to things what is found important by others who are funded by others that are not necessarily important or deserving our attention. We must have the ability of setting our own agenda, rather than following the crowds. Here, an important question is, as a muslim, are we paying attention to what we should pay attention to? Therefore, instead of complaining about how media is biased against Islam, why don't we sit together and tell each others what is important for us as muslims today? This is not trivial because, by paying attention to right things, we would better be aware of our responsibilities. For example. should we follow the crowds and rap about how ISIS is brutal and unislamic? or talk about the crisis of how many muslim children became refugees and facing lack of school and education thus being pushed towards ignorance and to the hands of angry extremists due to foreign occupations and interventions in muslim lands?
With the previous two paragraphs, I imagine a group of muslims having a meeting, looking at power point slides on the screen and listening to a presenter and engaging in a following discussion session. And these people should not be allowed to have cheap talks about mideast politics or results of latest soccer games:) Here `Rad Talks` seems to be a good example.
Who cares what Muslims say?
As muslims, are we able to talk to everybody? Or we are able to talk only to the muslims? If Islam is for humankind and universal, why muslim talks, activities, doings, organizations etc, are not getting attention of non-muslims? It is not nature of the Qur'an just to talk to the muslims. But, somehow we muslims, our language, our activities are not able to draw attention from everybody. Our style is not suitable for everybody. We must be able to talk to everybody and our words should make sense to ordinary people who never heard of Islam. (Please see the print-screens of the emails that I got from a jewish organization, Click 1, click 2, click 3.) It implies that Jewish wisdom can help anybody, not only Jews. Is Islam only for muslims? If not, why we are not capable of getting attention of all ? By this, I don't mean marketing or sugar coating of Islam ( as it is unnecessary). I mean presenting Islam in good way with a beautiful language and proper style.
Recently, my wife told me how a girl she met was interested about Halal diet and Halal food after my wife told her about it. Because, this person has understandable concerns for the treatment of animals in the industrial settings, as you know many people are going vegetarian for that reason. Here the thing is if we are going to talk and promote and practice Halal food in a meaning of making sense to any conscious person or it will be just some special, spiritual, weird Muslim thing that has nothing good to the rest of the world? Or, we are just going to make life easier by saying chicken is not big deal, beef is not pork, it must be okay and etc...{1} Keep blind to animal abuse in meat industry by not demanding Halal. But, meanwhile repeat a cliche "Islam defends animal rights" hypocritically...
We, Muslims, quit praying salat but look up to Yoga and meditation as a cool stuff. We quit Halal and then we need animal right activists teach us about animal's treatment. Because our faith doesn't make us to get up and do anything for environment, we have to go to green peace or so. Indeed, we really ignore so much of Islam( we are stuck with 5 pillars), and we really need Islamization of muslims.
Who we are?
As the general picture of Muslim youth today, we don't have a sound Islamic education since in the West or other muslim living (not islamic) countries, we go to secular schools and learn about religion in a piecemeal fashion when we have a chance out of the school. And nowadays, we learn from YouTube, We don't know so much about Islam. Not all of us went to Islamic schools and studied Islamic Theology. But, it is also kind of impossible for all of us to be an Alim (scholar). We all cant be scholars of Islam but, still each one of us carries the responsibilities of being a muslim. Therefore muslim leaders, doers or activists will be among us, not only among Muslim scholars. As a result, today's muslim youth should not feel ashamed or weak due to lack of islamic knowledge but have confidence and produce activism for the sake of God, As we all know learning Islam is a lifelong and never ending struggle.
Also, we won't be only listening to muslim scholars in every aspect of life as one scholar can not know everything. Their great knowledge of the religion does not make them superheros. Lets say, a Muslim psychologist would be a better person to solve marriage problems rather than Imam in the mosque knows the religion but does not know the psychology.
But, here we don't see so many of a Muslim historian, psychologist, sociologist, intellectuals, economists, doctors, scientists, educators who has a Muslim mind and producing new information and approaches. We should be able to see those guys more in muslim lectures, halaqas (circles) and Islamic centers. Otherwise,we look up to Alims (Islamic scholars) again to hear from them on the subjects that they are not specialized in. Moreover, we tend to build only mosques and masjeeds but not schools, TV stations, radio stations {2}, libraries, community centers, universities, hospitals... We don't have needed muslim financial institutions that provide us interest free options. Since we dont have a muslim financial option ( here, I want to disregard the ones, putting a muslim and halal label then charging more more than anybody else by abusing shortage of supply), we all indeed have one real option which is interest way capitalist banks and credit companies, loans.
In addition, we only see big humanitarian aid organizations by muslims. That's great. But, it is not the only way to serve to Islamic causes. There is so much to do but, instead of producing Muslim activities, statements, responses, reactions, art, movies, affirmations, words, we just imitate one another. Let's start a new muslim humanitarian organization?
When we talk about dawah, many times it means bringing non-practicing muslims to the mosque or to an Islamic event that they don't really care. I disagree that the life will be better if all Muslims go to masjeed to pray 5 times and do fast and perform other fards (obligations). We must be better Muslims, Yes. But, this means so much more than praying. fasting, giving charity and etc... As a summary, is our problem quantity of the muslims in the masjeed or quality of them? The practicing Muslim definition shouldn't be degraded to one prays. fasts, do hajj and donate money. I say this keeping in mind that, I admire some great people who devout their life for great purposes and they are non-Muslims. But they are people that you want to be with them for their quality, sincerity, and consciousness.
Who is going to do it?
If a Muslim's right violated for being Muslim? Don't worry, CAIR will handle it. If a new famine appeared in Africa, don't worry `Islamic Relief` will do something, you just donate. If ISIS kills people in a western country? Don't worry a Muslim scholar who is famous in YouTube will condemn it at a drop of a hat. So on and so forth, thus we can outsource everything ( please don't get me wrong. I have no problem but I am grateful to those organizations and people) We don't have to do anything. No intellectual and physical effort is necessary. We can kick back and watch the Superbowl games. Is it really so? Who represent Islam and Muslims? If you remember a few years back, there was a stupid movie said to be about our beloved prophet Mohammad (pbuh). It is said to be an ugly movie and a very poor job, sure to be made just to denigrate him. It was protested in many muslim countries by angry protesters and some muslims died in the incidents. I agree with protesting. Nevertheless, that wasn't the only way to show our disturbance and disagreement. But, who get together and come up with a good idea, who produced a thoughtful Muslim response? Likewise, some terrorists killed people in Charlie Hebdo magazine in France which published nasty cartoons about our prophet. I don't remember any response to that cartoons by muslim communities. Yes, this immoral acts in the name of freedom of speech hurt all muslims. But, what is our response. What we can suggest young muslims to do as a response to that? If we dont have any good idea or solution, then some angry young guys can do bad things, like doing violence. This is wrong. But, unfortunately it happened. Then, we rush to condemn those who did it and say it is unislamic. So, what was Islamic then? and where the hell it is? Unfortunately, today ISIS or chaotic situations in muslim countries bring up Islam to the attention of the society. Compared to the number of muslims in the world ( that 1.6 billion we ignorantly love to brag about), activity, productivity or effectiveness of muslims seem very low. It is sad to say but until we start to do something, ISIS will represent world muslims! ( it is not an excuse to say media always picks up the bad example and want to misrepresent Muslims) We keep saying this is not Islamic, that's not Islamic but then people would ask then where is the Islamic? Islamic is not there because we don't realize Islam. I wish I could better explain what I mean here. I couldn't write for pages, Please help me by leaving a comment then I can explain or modify parts that could be misunderstood. {1}Remember that, when you go to the grocery store, you would notice how many products are labeled as kosher, while how many of them labeled as halal. Therefore, it is clear that producers respect Jewish consumers but not Muslims consumers. I believe that they did enough to earn that but we, Muslims, apparently didn't do enough.
{2}One day, I was randomly listening to a local radio station and a Christian preacher was bashing Islam by quoting some hadiths (sayings) of Mohammad(pbuh). Obviously, it wasnt only me listening, So, a non-muslim was preaching on Islam to many listeners who would hear about Islam as a first time.
I want to add links of some Muslims who are doing great job, Please check them out.
After seeing all the news coverage and videos in TV and internet about the coup attempt, I had to put out my points and facts related to failed coup attempt in Turkey (which is my homeland) on July 15th, 2016, Friday night.
What happened? A group of people from army, mostly gendarme forces, occupied bridges over the Bosphorus, Istanbul Ataturk Airport, TRT (turkish national state TV station) and CNN Turk, a sister TV station to CNN. The president of Turkey, Recep Tayyip Erdogan was in a vacation in the southwest of the country. He managed to leave the hotel just before it was raided by soldiers. Lets hear the rest from a video below and I believe it would make a great sense to Americans.
How the coup is stopped? It is very important to note that the coup stopped by the people of Turkey. People took the streets before and after Erdogan's encouragement via facetime connection on the TV. Ordinary people, not only Erdogan supporters, took the streets and run up to the soldiers by telling them what they are doing is wrong. It was a whole night awake time for people in Turkey. The call to prayer (Adhan) was called very often the entire night from the mosques. The incidents could escalate and take long turn but fellow soldiers who resisted to coup soldiers did a great job even for the cost of their own life.
An important point here is many people are shot by the soldiers, and shot from tanks and helicopters. Here, I may share some footage at the bottom of the page, which I believe that they were not shown on TV. This is a point that prevents foreigners to comprehend fully the heaviness of the incidents. Please have a look on these but I warn you that it is graphic.
This phrase is the most searched on Google that night: "How to stop a tank"
If you watched CNN, BBC and some other TV stations, they all said that President Erdogan called his supporters to the streets, even though he clearly called everybody to take the streets, not his fans or followers. Do you think it was a simple mistake or deliberate blunder?
Who did that? People who are followers of Fethullah Gulen.
Gulen is a religious figure in Turkey. He preached in many mosques in Turkey and has been living in the US since 1999. It was one of his long term project to place his followers in critical and high level positions in Turkey in order to reach his innocent and religious goals such as steering the country to a better direction. But nope, it was how it is marketed.
His followers opened over a thousand of secular schools around the globe including the US. They have more than 130 schools in 26 states of the US. He always promoted human rights. rule of law, democracy, secularism, love and so on. Also, his followers taught Turkish language, which they called "language of love". Of course teaching Turkish language has nothing to do with Islam, but they used it as a way to trick nationalist and patriotic people of Turkey on their side. When colonialists pushed their culture and language on colonized land it was immoral but when his followers did the same it was fine. Again, his followers run many secular schools, that are not Islamic or Muslim schools. And, this movement, as they called Hizmet (means Service), don't open mosques or masjeeds in the US like other muslim nationals or communities. Instead, they deliberately prefer to open Turkish American cultural centers. This is for sure because of the reason that they don't want to be associated with other muslims which they may not like due to their inclination in Islam, At the end of the day, it is not cool to be associated with Salafi, Wahhabi or long bearded or hijabi Muslims.
Long story short, during the years Gulen gained so much power due to number of people and money that they manage. Many people in government and high level positions in Turkey. President Erdogan, recently noticed this and wanted to stop him due to huge power and influence that he has over the state. Until then, Erdogan and Gulen movement was fine. His followers gained more power in Erdogan's term of presidency. Erdogan said, "we were deceived by this group".
Gulen's movement was accepted as an illegal terrorist organization recently. In reality, nobody expected and believed that those people would be a terrorist. But, July 15th coup attempt was an eye opener to everybody. Gulen followers from military and police has killed police, soldiers and mostly civilians.
240 people killed and over 2200 wounded. One of Erdogan's friend was killed with his teenager son. Please, keep this in mind if you hear anybody saying ignorantly that it was staged. Also, that night a suspended Gulen movement police chief was found in an army tank, as police are not supposed to be in an army vehicle. This shows that they were connected.
Now, the question you may have is though some soldiers did the coup why many people are being fired in Turkey nowadays ? It is about 70 thousand people fired from army, police, universities, judiciary, state departments. national institutes and so on. The number keeps rising too.
To understand this, you should know about how Gulen movement people acted over the years. If a Gulen follower held a high position, when a new hire was necessary he or she gets another Gulen follower hired as they already had connection. Therefore, Gulen followers in those positions, do not necessarily there as deserving. They hold those positions because they are just members of this group. Lets say, to work at Turkish Airlines, you don't have to have such and such qualities. Nope. It is just enough to have any degree and be a member of Gulen movement. Thus, I am not sorry for those who didn't deserve. Of course, this phenomenon is not valid for each one of them as there are highly qualified ones among them. Moreover, there are ongoing investigations and arrests regarding Gulen guys cheating on national exams to get positions as officers. For example, at a national state exam more than a hundred people got full points (by answering correctly to all the questions) and many are husband and wives or close relatives. Also, they all are from Gulen movement. It is obvious that they have been given the answers before the exam by a high level officer. So, justice must prevail. No sorry for that.
Also, if you look at decisions by the judges on certain cases. It gives you the clue that his guys in the system don't follow the proper procedure but their own secret agenda. For example, there was a big case that caused many to be jailed as a member of a terrorist organisation after those guys talked negatively about Fethullah Gulen but had no guilt. Also, Gulen's guys in police and intelligence agency wire-taped many innocent people for investigation of a fabricated illegal organization. Again, this seems to be for their own agenda, maybe eliminating their rivals?
Also, Turkish government stated Gulen movement as an illegal organization since 2015, So far, it must have given people enough time to break apart from it. On the other hand, Gulen already told his followers to deny their love for him and even insult him publicly to cover themselves up. He denied that he is behind the coup, and yes, that is no surprise for a taqiyya (liar) guy.
Let's come to Erdogan's dictatorship :) This is a funny headline that you hear in western media. Since, they cant obviously say how much they are sorry for not getting rid of Erdogan, they innocently fuss about his increasing authority. Another deliberate translation mistake by western media was, Erdogan's statement on being harsh on coup actors. He said "this criminals (coup soldiers and so on) will be punished harshly" on the night of the events. How it is translated by western media is "Erdogan said he will be harsh on his opponents". It was pathetic. They are not opponents, they are soldiers and police with the guns, tanks and plane killed their own people. They are criminals and terrorist. Of course, they will be caught and prosecuted for their crimes and traitor acting.
Turkey officially ask the US to extradite Fethullah Gulen but he still resides in Pennsylvania comfortably.
Please see the links below . I hope this helps you to figure out things better.
