Editor's Note: Huffington Post Religion has launched a scripture commentary/reflection series, which will bring together leading voices from different religious traditions to offer their wisdom on selected religious texts. We are pleased to announce a series of reflections for the Holy Month of Ramadan featuring posts by HM Queen Noor, Dalia Mogahed, Eboo Patel, Kabir Helminski, and Rami Nashashibi. They will all be reflecting on a passage from the Qur'an, Sura 2:177, which appears below. Last month we featured Christian reflections on the Gospel by Rev. Jim Wallis, Dr. Serene Jones, Dr. Emilie Townes, Sister Joan Chittister, and Rev. James Martin, S.J. Coming in September we will feature Jewish commentaries for the High Holidays and in October Hindu commentary for Diwali. We hope all readers, Muslim and non-Muslim, will gain wisdom from the insights of our writers on the Holy Qur'an:
True piety does not consist in turning your faces towards the east or the west -- but truly pious is he who believes in God, and the Last Day; and the angels, and revelation, and the prophets; and spends his substance -- however much he himself may cherish -- it -- upon his near of kin, and the orphans, and the needy, and the wayfarer, and the beggars, and for the freeing of human beings from bondage; and is constant in prayer, and renders the purifying dues; and [truly pious are] they who keep their promises whenever they promise, and are patient in misfortune and hardship and in time of peril: it is they that have proved themselves true, and it is they, they who are conscious of God. (2:177 [Asad])
In a sense this beautiful verse is its own commentary, and for a Muslim these exhortations are among the most familiar commandments in their religious life. It is one of those verses where several strands of the Quran's teachings interlace. Each phrase, taken alone, repeats an idea that is found throughout Islam's sacred text, and taken together they form a kind of summary of the teachings of Islam.
It is from passages such as this one that Muslims find their main articles of faith: belief in the one God, the Day of Judgment and the Hereafter, the existence of the angels, revelation in the form of sacred books, and the messengers and prophets who have borne that revelation to humanity from Adam until the Prophet Muhammad, blessings and peace be upon them all.
Ramadan is the holiest month of the Islamic year. We observe it this year against a backdrop of intensifying global human suffering, caused by economic hardship, human rights abuses, military conflict and terrorism, and the rapidly multiplying disastrous consequences of climate change. Muslims have an opportunity to use the days of this month as God intended: to reflect on our own humanity and our collective duty towards our fellow human beings. True religion isn't built of the manifestations of piety through prayer -- turning faces towards the east or west -- but requires good deeds and action that manifest and express the essential values of our faith.
Unwavering faith is the foremost pillar of a Muslim's religion. While Muslims will refrain from drink and food from sunup till sundown for a whole month and will attend prayers at mosques around the world, God's judgment will rely heavily on their ability to share their fortune, look after their relatives, the orphans, the poor, travelers and beggars and ensure freedoms for "human beings in bondage." Philanthropy in the financial sense will not be the only measure, either, but also generosity of spirit in the face of hardship.
This dedication and sensitivity to the welfare of other human beings -- which, as we see from this verse, is required by God of humans as testament to their faith -- inspired the life of my late husband King Hussein of Jordan, who for almost five decades tirelessly pursued human security and social equity not only for Jordanians but all Arabs, Muslims and others around the world. This objective has now become the mission of the King Hussein Foundation, founded in his memory in 1999 to give enduring life to his humanitarian vision and legacy.
Islam is believed by Muslims to be the last of the monotheistic religions with messages not only for its own followers and those of the Abrahamic faiths but also for all humanity. And while this verse clearly reminds Muslims of their priorities ahead in the holy month of Ramadan, I believe that these priorities apply to all individuals pursuing peaceful coexistence, social equity, the protection of human rights and the ethics and values essential to a healthy, cohesive society. My hope is that we all find ways to contribute to the peace and security of our communities and larger world by reaching out to those in need and building bridges of understanding based on our common values.
Ramadan Kareem to you all.
I've just noticed your puzzled, indeed puzzling response... Look for what it's worth, all our
sentient activities revolve around the "if - then" syllogism.
You obviously disregard the intellectual caution implied in the "if" - as in "If a supernatural
entity could exist in principle, then would such an entity act other then by chance?"
Regards,
Mark Gendala
is undertaking the task as if no god exists to assist. Yet in ways that create the conviction in others, that such an entity does.
“peace and security”
The chances of a Israeli-Palestinian resolution are small. Yet might they not be multiplied, by allowing the world to act as witness? What if, as each side raised a proposal point, it was placed upon the interweb. That way the inhabitants of Earth itself, might each make their own individual judgement concerning the fairness or unfairness of that offer and the terms of its acceptance. Thereby enabling humanity to deduce who, if indeed either of the parties involved, truly has peace in their heart. And is therefore deserving of future assistance and support, from the planetary community.
When one reads a holy poem (the deepest reality of the writer), one is transported to a realm of beauty, if read as a whole. Sadly, when a few lines are missing or those lines are taken literally, the One is shattered.
Five paths encourage the same destination. Buddha said there are as many ways to enlightenment as there are conscious beings. How can this writer ethically force you onto her path? . . . utter foolishness, like forcing all human beings to dye their hair blonde! Let each other BE.
peace on your unique path,
from one of the billions
The end result is a conglomeration of fragments of messages, which for the most part have lost some of their original intent
Today, we think we're advanced compared to those who lived centuries ago. This misconception has its cause in our belief that science explains the world more clearly and more literally when it only explains the shadows more clearly. For those in disbelief of this, see Bell's Interconnectedness Theorem.
The only solution is education on multiple fronts. It is the right and duty of everyone to educate themselves.
Consider a logical test I've devised 17 years ago and nobody as yet has been able to either pass
to my satisfaction or point out its shortcomings... Hey, this could be someone's lucky day!
1. Take some tangible outcome of a purported miracle - say, a fish from the Christian "Loaves and fishes" story.
2. Attach a number to any namable feature consistent with word "fish" - the number of its "scales" for example, and you'll get some finite outcome. Let's imagine it to be 976 scales...
3. Logically, a fish with "1 scale less" or "1 scale more" would still remain the fish of that Christian
story regardless of being numerically distinct from our first hypothetical example.
4 What's the logical conclusion? Since at least 3 numerical alternatives could have led to the "fish" from the "Loaves and Fishes" story, such a purported miracle would have only been an outcome of chance...
5. "Look, God knows everything - He decides the numbers so don't even try to get your little head around such matters" That's the standard response I get after explaining my test to believers of any Faith - Christians, Jews, Muslims, Hindus, etc... That's OK.
6. My reply? "Had it been possible - omniscience would logically have to include the knowledge of acting by chance"
7. The end result? A 17 year-old stalemate.
Gentle readers, could someone deliver me from the error of my ways.
Sincerely,
Mark Gendala
Melbourne, Australia
www.ssotu.com
How much money does Queen Noor really have at her disposal to do something like this, and what would the effects be on the stability of her country, and in the stability of the government of her country? Do the people deserve the truth? Would she be willing, in the name of Humanitarian activism and Philanthropy, be will to actively endorse and promote such a move? It would be gambling the monarchy, but it could also save it.
Surely she has enough faith in the intelligence of her people to expose them to such wonderful knowledge presented in such a visual and universal way.
How many classrooms are there in Jordan? How many DVD players and television sets are there in the schools? How much would it cost to do this? If the United State offered to pay the tab, would she be open to that?
Are you aware that while Europe was laboring under the yoke of the Christian caused Dark Ages, the Arab world was a center for the study of mathematics, medicine, engineering, astronomy, navigation, and chemistry, in a largely Muslim culture?
Without Arabic numerals, modern mathematics could not exist. It was the Muslim world that taught algebra to Europeans.
Many of our names for stars were taken from Arabic astronomers.
The astrolabe for navigation came from the Middle East.
The first known battery was invented in Mesopotamia.
Highly skilled Muslim doctors were much sought after by sick and injured wealthy or powerful Christians.
There is also the matter of religious tolerance. For hundreds of years all Jews were banned from entering Jerusalem by Christians, until the Muslims conquered the city and took it from the Eastern Roman Christian Empire. It was the Muslims who allowed the Jews to resettle and live peacefully in Jerusalem. When the Christian Crusaders laid siege to Jerusalem, Jews fought alongside Muslims in defence of the city, and in defence of the other cities that the Crusaders attacked. Until Zionists started demonizing Muslims in the 19th century, Jews and Arabs coexisted quite well.
Even Afghanistan, which today has a 10% literacy rate, was recently known as the Eden of that part of the world, before the Soviet invasion and the resultant 32 years of war.
I really enjoy watching the History Channel's series, "The Universe". And I like the Science Channel's series, "How the Universe Works". We are very fortunate in the West to now have the computing and animating talent to create visualizations of galaxies, stars, black holes, strange planets, comets, etc. These shows are state-of-the-art. This represents the best of the best. The cream of the crop. The crown jewels of humanity's scientific knowledge visualized in high definition living color with captivating dramatic images and scenes that are worth many thousands of words.
When the citizens start thinking in time scales of billions of years, suddenly they might realize that all the Creationist stories they've been taught are just simple nonsense. Suddenly a royal family that owes all of its political power to the idea of being a direct descendant of a Prophet sent by God isn't so impressive any more.
The Queen is a humanitarian. An activist for justice. How about doing her school children some justice and allowing them share this knowledge?
Would she be willing to GIVE UP HER POWER in order to UPLIFT HER POPULATION into a new realm of enlightenment? And I'm not talking about her scientists. I'm talking about the average student in the average classroom who could really benefit by watching these videos in Arabic.
denounce it, pin a tail on its rear end, burn it at the stake, psychoanalyze it, how are
you going to do so, person by person, and still lay claim to the most important
ideal on your list of remaindered virtues, kindness? The world is messy, and the
human mind is messy. If religion is an opiate, what does the middle aged or
aged agnostic or atheistic take when facing the void? Well, it depends on the local
dealership and it depends on character. Still messy. We want religion to leave
us alone. I certainly do. I am compelled to leave religion alone and to respect it,
because I am messy too and believe in the golden rule. Of course the Religious
right in America, the Moslem fundamentalists, ad nauseum, trespass on decency.
Then what? Messy. Life is messy. It gets messier when one goes too far
in trying to tidy it up.
I think you have a different definition of tolerance than I do. I am open to freedom of religion, free speech and worship, I tolerate it all, I wouldn't be a good American if I did not. I don't denounce the mosque at ground zero or any of that. But that does not mean I should shut up and stand aside when it comes my time to express my own opinion about religion. Tolerance is not about allowing any old idea to run unchecked. They can preach their religion, and I can speak against it. It is a war of ideas, and a healthy debate is needed. If atheists and secularists do not come out strong, the vastly powerful people you warn about in your initial post will always have the advantage. I wouldn't be a good American if I didn't speak my mind either.
- James Madison
"Ecclesiastical establishments tend to great ignorance and corruption, all of which facilitate the execution of mischievous projects."
- James Madison
"Shake off all the fears of servile prejudices, under which weak minds are servilely crouched. Fix reason firmly in her seat, and call on her tribunal for every fact, every opinion. Question with boldness even the existence of a God; because, if there be one, he must more approve of the homage of reason than that of blindfolded fear."
- Thomas Jefferson
"In every country and in every age, the priest has been hostile to liberty. He is always in alliance with the despot.... they have perverted the purest religion ever preached to man into mystery and jargon, unintelligible to all mankind, and therefore the safer engine for their purpose."
- Thomas Jefferson
"...religion is a matter which lies solely between man and his God, that he owes account to none other for his faith or his worship, that the legislative powers of government reach actions only, and not opinions, I contemplate with sovereign reverence that act of the whole American people which declared that their legislature should 'make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof,' thus building a wall of separation between church and State."
- Thomas Jefferson
- Benjamin Franklin
"If we look back into history for the character of the present sects in Christianity, we shall find few that have not in their turns been persecutors, and complainers of persecution. The primitive Christians thought persecution extremely wrong in the Pagans, but practiced it on one another. The first Protestants of the Church of England blamed persecution in the Romish Church, but practiced it upon the Puritans. They found it wrong in Bishops, but fell into the practice themselves both here (England) and in New England."
- Benjamin Franklin
"Of all the tyrannies that affect mankind, tyranny of religion is the worst."
- Thomas Paine
"I do not believe in the creed professed by the Jewish Church, by the Roman Church, by the Greek Church, by the Turkish Church, by the Protestant Church, nor by any Church that I know of. My own mind is my own Church. Each of those churches accuse the other of unbelief; and for my own part, I disbelieve them all."
- Thomas Paine
"All national institutions of churches, whether Jewish, Christian or Turkish, appear to me no other than human inventions, set up to terrify and enslave mankind, and monopolize power and profit."
- Thomas Paine
"The Bible is not my book, nor Christianity my profession."
- Abraham Lincoln
"This would be the best of all possible worlds, if there were no religion in it."
- John Adams
I am a not a Muslim but make an effort to gain a deeper understanding and wisdom from all religions and not the distorted interpretations that the few use to subjugate the many.
There solidarity can be seen in there generous help for their drowned brothers and sisters in the Pakistani floods.