Imam Khalid Latif is blogging his reflections during the month of Ramadan, featured daily on HuffPost Religion. For a complete record of his previous posts, click over to the Islamic Center at New York University orvisit his author page, and to follow along with the rest of his reflections, sign up for an author email alert above.
Last night after I broke my fast at sunset, I led members of our community at NYU in our fourth prayer of the day called Maghrib. Once the prayer was completed, or so I thought, I turned around to find everyone looking at me confused. I had made a mistake while leading the prayer.
My initial inclination was to ask why no one corrected me. Then a flurry of excuses as to why I messed up went through my mind -- ranging from sleep deprivation to maybe the 200 people praying behind me were the ones mistaken and I had actually performed the prayer correctly. But then I wondered where those excuses were coming from. It was rather obvious that I had made the mistake. Why was my initial reaction to look to blame someone else? Why was it so hard for me to accept that I had done something wrong?
Responsibility can be pretty heavy but we make it that much heavier by not knowing how to deal with failure. It's not possible for any individual to be right all of the time yet for some reason we try so hard to prove that we are not wrong. Especially in those instances when we actually are.
In the Arabic language, most words are derived from trilateral roots. Words that share a root also share a meaning. For example, the words Muslim, Islam, and salaam are all derived from the trilateral root sa la ma and it is easy to see what they have in common. The Arabic word for human is insaan. The word insaan is derived from the root na sa aa, which means to forget. The idea being that inherent to human nature is that we will forget -- we will make mistakes. Ironically, this is the one thing that we have forgotten.
When I had made the mistake in my prayer, my initial reaction was to defend myself. Once I had gathered my thoughts, it was clear that there wasn't anyone there that I had to even defend myself to. I didn't need to make an excuse for myself because excuses were being made for me. So if everyone else was making excuses on my behalf, why was I reacting the way that I was? It would have been better for me to acknowledge what the reality of the situation was so that I could learn something from it. And that is what Islam is about -- reality.
His Airness, the great Michael Jordan, once said "I have taken more than 9000 shots in my career. I have lost almost 300 games. Twenty six times I have been trusted to take the game winning shot and missed. I have failed over and over again in my life; and that is why I succeed."
Fasting teaches us to be self-critical, not self-deprecating. But it won't work if we are being too self-centered to admit that we can and do make mistakes.
This is what makes them exclusivists.
JPaulNorton makes the same mistake in his comments and believes that the members of other religions have not been dropped a lifeline by God so they can be saved as well.
The fact of the matter is very simple: God, in His Infinite Wisdom, Love and Mercy, has provided many, many paths for the salvation of human beings.
As a matter of fact, there are as many ways back to God as there are hearts, for everyone is on a unique journey back to his/her Source.
JPaulNorton needs to open his heart and mind to expand his vision to see how much greater God's Love, Mercy, Grace and Forgiveness is, compared to what he thinks and sees.
All men and women, from the time of Adam and Eve, to now, into the future have been provided a lifeline from God. Originally, it was the hope in the promised Messiah which Abraham and the Prophets so joyfully longed for and trusted God for by faith. Then Jesus came and walked among us and the people walked with God and again by faith accepted that he was the promised Messiah.
Now, today, the Gospel of his death and resurretion lead the rest of us from the promise, through its fulfillment towards the hope of his return. This salvation has been freely offered to all. There is no other name under heaven by which we are saved, Praise God.
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9 hours ago (11:43 PM)
Maybe they should reflect on their own violent culture, and why every country dominated by Islam is a violent and barbaric society...Afghanistan, where women are covered from head to toe and treated worse than dogs, I mean, Islam is a violent ideology
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The only negativity on this thread is you, and I pity you for it. I would suggest you go visit one of the many open houses that Masjids give during Ramadan and get to know your community. I think you will find that you are misinformed in your conceptions.
I agree that there are many problems in Muslim countries. But I would argue that the violence you see is a result of a mixture of culture (nothing to do with religion), oppression (nothing to do with religion), and ignorance (lack of education; see culture), and frustration (see oppression). If you read the Qur'an in it's context, I think you will be surprised by it's recurring theme of compassion and forgiveness.
By and large, religion does not corrupt people, people corrupt religion by using the bits and pieces they want to justify their behavior. It's been done throughout time, and still being done. By people of all faiths.
Culture of violence? These countries do not have a monopoly on violence, my friend. You see a culture of violence in almost every society. Is there not a culture of violence in the US?
According to Islam, Taqwa ( God consciousness) is the seed to all good. A God-conscious heart is in actual fact a driving force for positive action.
It is a fundamental prerequisite for self-purification, self inspiration, self-motivation, and for selfless
sacrifices and contributions towards the development and welfare of society.
Taqwa also brings peace and tranquillity to hearts, creates energy in individuals for righteous action, forges brotherhood and sisterhood and cultivates community spirit.
Also Ramadan is a month of sharing, of giving Sadaqah (voluntary charity), of paying Zakah (compulsory charity). The Prophet (PBUH) said: " If someone gives one who has been fasting something with which to break his fast, it will provide forgiveness for his sins."
Through all these a strong sense of purpose and community is cultivated.
Fasting cultivates Sabr (i.e. patience and fortitude) amongst the Muslims. Through fasting Muslims learn to be patient and to endure hunger and thirst. This also helps them to understand the sufferings of the poor and needy people ( think of the famine in Africa right now) in our world thus generating compassion and a feeling to help others
Fasting brings community members together (rich and poor), aid in the cultivation of a strong relationship with the Creator, affect attitudes positively and strengthen relationships between members of the community.
The reason give in the Quran for fasting is very simple, it says “ SO THAT YOU MAY ACQUIRE TAQWA”
TAQWA is auxiliary and facultative, that is why the Quran says “ SO THAT YOU MAY…..In Islam’s scheme of autonomy and answerability, there is nothing automatic: NEITHER GOOD NOR EVIL; NEITHER REWARD NOR CONDEMNATION
The grace and mercy of God is there but ONE HAS TO STRIVE AND DESIRE and correct himself.
Being hungry and abstaining from pleasure of sex is no pleasure in itself except when it is for the sake of GOD ALMIGHTY.
One can pretend to fast and he can not expose it or prove it. Fasting helps to crystallize and heighten one’s closeness to one’s Creator.
Voluntary hunger and intensive disciplining produces a unique bringing together of feelings and attitudes and demolish all barriers of ego and inequality.
Dignity of a person enhances due to hunger.
Fasting is meant to enable man to be closer to his Master and prepare him to take the challenges and responsibilities that face him beyond the cocoon of his ego.
http://gulfnews.com/news/gulf/uae/society/uae-residents-report-flouting-of-ramadan-work-hours-1.846944
Abu Dhabi/Dubai: Scores of non-Muslims have sought help from authorities concerned protesting against what they say is discrimination in terms of reduced work hours during Ramadan.
Many Gulf News readers also voiced complaints that they are made to work longer hours than their Muslim colleagues during Ramadan despite a Ministry of Labour announcement to the contrary. The ministry recently announced that all private and public sector staff are required to work a maximum of six to seven hours daily. Companies are required to reduce regular working hours by at least two hours during Ramadan.
It makes man to worship all manner of imaginary forces and false values seemingly helpful to human aggrandizement-like wealth, power, literary talents, religious knowledge and artistic abilities or even conceit of “progress” and to deny validity to any truth, however obvious, which runs counter to man’s self-importance.
Man arrogantly assumes that man is self-sufficient-an illusion as the Quran says, Quote: “NAY VERILY MAN BECOMES GROSSLY OVERWEENING WHENEVER HE BELIVES HIMSELF TO BE SELF-SUFFICIENT, FOR BEHOLD UNTO THY SUSTAINER ALL MUST RETURN” Chapter 96: Verses 6, 7 and 8.
At another place the Quran says, Quote, “NONE BUT THOSE WHO ARE BENT ON DENYING THE TRUTH WOULD CALL GOD’S MESSAGES IN QUESTION. BUT LET IT NOT DECEIVE YOU THAT THEY SEEM TO BE ABLE TO DO AS THEY PLEASE ON EARTH: TO THE TRUTH GAVE THE LIE BEFORE THEIR TIME” Chapter 40: verse 4
What did we do to deserve such a public lashing?
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This is a rather harsh assessment, don't you think? Do you really believe that, or did you come here just to throw a few insults at the Muslims and then run away?
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"Afghanistan, where women are covered from head to toe and treated worse than dogs, I mean, Islam is a violent ideology"
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So you give one example and then generalize that "Islam is a violent ideology."!
Hmm!
Did you bother to look at other Muslims, say, the ones who live in America?
Your comments do not help anything. They are just insults thrown at the Muslims. How can one have a civil discouse with you!?