baqar

(bismillah)
 
 
 
(salam)
 
 
 
I felt that this excerpt is applicable to those of the Abrahamic faiths in general and I think it will be beneficial to share it with you all.
 
 
 
The first condition for a mujahid in his struggle that he has to observe and abide by, at this juncture and at all other stages, is to control the flight of one’s imagination, so that he can subjugate the Devil and his armies. Imagination is like a bird restless to fly, and sit on any tree it reaches. This flight may bring about many great misfortunes. Fancy is one of the tools of the Devil, with which he enslaves man and renders him helpless. With the help of fancy, he entices men to committing villainies and indecencies.   A mujahid who is determined on self-rectification, and who has made up his mind to purify his inner self and banish satanic forces from there, should firmly hold the bridle of his imagination and let not it soar and wander about wherever it likes. He should try to prevent his mind from nursing corrupt and sinful thoughts, and always divert it to high and noble ideals. In the beginning, it appears to be a little difficult, since Satan and his forces may glorify bad things in your eyes. But with little concentration and attention everything becomes easy.   It is possible that as an experiment you may just think for a while, and will not be able to concentrate upon an object. Whenever you see that your thoughts are stooping to lowly and mean things, turn your attention aside from them and think about the worthier and nobler things. If you have been successful in your attempts, thank God Almighty for His help, and pursue these matters further. May God, out of His mercy, open the path of spiritual progress for you, and may you be invisibly guided in the straight path. May human deeds and right conduct be made easy for you. Be careful that vicious thoughts and vain fancies are induced by Satan, who wishes to fortify its forces in the domain of your inner self.   You, who are at war with Satan and his legions, and want to make the realm of your inner self a heavenly domain, are expected to be on guard against the guiles of the cursed villain. You should drive away those thoughts that counter Divine command. God willing, you will be able to recapture this significant fortification from the unholy occupation of Satan and his allies, in this internal war. This fortification serves as a boundary (between good and evil). If you are victorious here you may hope for greater and nobler victories.My dear friend, seek for God’s help at every moment. Pray and beg humbly in the court of your Lord.   O God Almighty! Satan is a great enemy, who has enticed your great friends and prophets. O God! help this weak and entrapped servant of yours, and guard him against these vain ideas and these infirm thoughts that inflict me, so that he may succeed in his war against this strong enemy, who is threatening to destroy my felicity and humanity. O God! please accompany Thy servant and guide him so that he may drive the Satan’s armies from Your seat, and may clip the hands of this usurper.   Extract from Fourty Hadith by Ayatollah Khomeini.    (wasalam)

Those who are pining for the destruction of Shia Islam, that is the Salafis / Wahabis of A lQaida, the Taliban and their psychotic allies. 

That is the whole problem - that the verdict is not commonly known. It is known to some (or may be even many) and some of those who do know deliberately like not to talk about it, so that they can live life as they please. 
 
To some extent but the problem is bigger than it appears. 
 
 
Yes, but that is not all. 
 
Our scholars keep saying a lot of things but we, the public, deliberately avoid asking them for a firm ruling. 
 
Because we know that we have no intentions of restricting ourselves any further.
 
In the wake of the rise of British power in India, Muslim women have all but given up hijab., even 70 years after the Brits have gone.
 
There is a very large number of scholars - both Shia & Sunni - in India.
 
But I think the people have made  up their minds.
 
They will do so much, but not more.
 
So when a scholar speaks on the subject, they listen quietly and then let it pass by.
 
In the predominantly Shia city of Lucknow (well, it is actually no longer predominantly Shia, but it was for centuries), you will see Shia women in complete black from head to toe, during Muharram.
 
But once they return home from a majlis, they are back into their old ways.
 
A mixed bag - but there is no one to take it up, on a wider scale.
 
Most of the youth are either completely confused or just couldn't care at all. 
 
A complete disaster, I must say!

I think if you talk to our scholars, they might say that co-education should be discouraged. Some might even say it should be abolished.  The big problem with Islam - both Shia and Sunni - is that we, the masses, never really sit down to come to an agreement on the subject with our scholars, on the subject.
 
 
I believe you are talking about Pakistan. In India likewise, there is barely any respect left for the good old 'purdah' system.
 
Not that it was right in all its entirety but we have gone totally the opposite way. In India, we have the all-pervasive influence of 'non-Muslim' friends and society and even swanky Bollywood movies, which are completely alien and abhorrent to Islam. 
 
In India, for the overwhelming majority of middle-class Muslims, whose parents & grand-parents strictly observed purdah, 'hijab'  is taboo. 
 
And if 'hijab' is mandatory, watching movies simply cannot be acceptable.  
 
But apart from religious scholars, does anyone know of an Indian Muslim (Shias included) who does not watch movies or has not watched a fair few?  
 
After 1400 years, most of us still do not know how much of it is essentially cultural and how much truly mandatory from Islam's point of view.
 
In fact, most of us would probably prefer not to know.
 
Our scholars mount the pulpit and make their speeches but there is no real communication with the masses on the subject, except perhaps with a handful. 
 
 
Not only Muslims.  The 'leering' is a integral component of life everywhere with similar cultural leanings - among non-Muslim Indians, for example.   
 
 
It has nothing to do with being a Muslim or a non-Muslim, rather the culture you are raised in.
 
 
Indeed it is.
 
The big question of the related topic of gender contact still remains unresolved.
 
And unless that is resolved, the 'staring' problem will continue.
 
But what exactly is required by Islam?  What restrictions does Islam place on us?
 
If living fully to the rule of the law is difficult, as it may be not only in the West, but even more so in the confused set of values in the sub-continent, I would like to ask how far is a compromise acceptable, in the eyes of Islam?    
 
If there is there a well-defined and well-established consensus on the subject, do kindly let me know.  

Thanks brother for that hopeful response
 
But could we please finalize this whole thing - once and for all, as soon as possible ?
 
If I was a man of influence, I'd initiate a meeting between our scholars and representatives of the the middle-class and upper-middle-class women in the sub-continent.
 
Somebody must do it, otherwise, we are singly and collectively all answerable to the Lord.
 
And the more influential one is, the greater perhaps the responsibility.
 
But I will strongly believe that the non-hijabi women in India and Pakistan, who form the majority anyway, will back out from such a meeting.
 
At the same time, I strongly believe we must do it and then everyone should follow common rules, to the best of their ability.
 
Muslim society today, especially in the sub-continent, is a total mess.
 
We need to know exactly what God wants from us, however hard life may be in that knowledge, and however difficult it might then be to get a doctorate in physics or engineering from Cambridge or the MIT. 

That is the whole problem - that the verdict is not commonly known. It is known to some (or may be even many) and some of those who do know deliberately like not to talk about it, so that they can live life as they please. 
 
To some extent but the problem is bigger than it appears. 
 
 
Yes, but that is not all. 
 
Our scholars keep saying a lot of things but we, the public, deliberately avoid asking them for a firm ruling. 
 
Because we know that we have no intentions of restricting ourselves any further.
 
In the wake of the rise of British power in India, Muslim women have all but given up hijab., even 70 years after the Brits have gone.
 
There is a very large number of scholars - both Shia & Sunni - in India.
 
But I think the people have made  up their minds.
 
They will do so much, but not more.
 
So when a scholar speaks on the subject, they listen quietly and then let it pass by.
 
In the predominantly Shia city of Lucknow (well, it is actually no longer predominantly Shia, but it was for centuries), you will see Shia women in complete black from head to toe, during Muharram.
 
But once they return home from a majlis, they are back into their old ways.
 
A mixed bag - but there is no one to take it up, on a wider scale.
 
Most of the youth are either completely confused or just couldn't care at all. 
 
A complete disaster, I must say!

Thanks brother for that hopeful response
 
But could we please finalize this whole thing - once and for all, as soon as possible ?
 
If I was a man of influence, I'd initiate a meeting between our scholars and representatives of the the middle-class and upper-middle-class women in the sub-continent.
 
Somebody must do it, otherwise, we are singly and collectively all answerable to the Lord.
 
And the more influential one is, the greater perhaps the responsibility.
 
But I will strongly believe that the non-hijabi women in India and Pakistan, who form the majority anyway, will back out from such a meeting.
 
At the same time, I strongly believe we must do it and then everyone should follow common rules, to the best of their ability.
 
Muslim society today, especially in the sub-continent, is a total mess.
 
We need to know exactly what God wants from us, however hard life may be in that knowledge, and however difficult it might then be to get a doctorate in physics or engineering from Cambridge or the MIT. 

(bismillah)
(salam)
Good idea. I'm sorry to you both as well. This is a pointless discussion (I seem to be initiating a lot of those lately... Maybe I'm just that bored... :no:).
Let's all agree on one thing, disregarding rape entirely... In other ways...
The hijab of men + The hijab of women = Healthy society due to the men doing their part in lowering their gaze (to make it less desirable for women NOT to cover) and the women doing their part in covering themselves to make it less desirable for the men to look, and thus, making it easier for both genders to achieve spiritual purification.
To debate which is more important is like debating whether the chicken or the egg came first.
Both genders' hijab seek to prevent illegitimate lusts from causing them to fall into haram and they both need to be worked on. Let's continue discussing the OP.
HaPpY SoCiEtY guyz...... Yay!

(wasalam)

You claimed. You didn't show.When I was young I feared no one and thought nothing of doing things and going places alone. One afternoon I was walking alone to the bus stop after visiting a friend at her home. I was covered from head to toe in loose trousers, long shirt, and head covering. A stranger came out of an abandoned building and grabbed me. I am certain his intentions were not just to say "Salam". He attempted to cover my mouth and drag me into that vacant building. Fortunately, I studied self defense so I managed to get myself free and run away.
I realize this is just an anecdote, but I doubt a woman's clothing has much if anything to do with rape.
I will acknowledge that a scantily clad woman is begging to be stared at, but our "men" should be able to control themselves, especially when we aren't talking about clothing extremes.

I think he is quoting from his own books. You can find all sorts of things there.

In any religious conflict, the minority is almost always labelled as a cult or spy of a rival nation. For 100 years the shia in Afghanistan were deemed as cult followers and spies of Iran. The sunni Afghans had good reasons to believe so and thats because they wanted to believe it because such assumptions made their injustice towards the shia community digestible. I have come to realize that no truly religious state could ever live up to its founding ideals for they, as a matter of faith and principle, have to be unjust towards those in the minority- whether religious, political, or social.

Satyaban was his name!
 
He was a lovely guy a thorough gentleman..
 
But we Shias drove him away by our rude behavior.
 
He had converted from Christianity to Hinduism because he found Hindu scriptures very enlightening, which indeed they are.
 
What many Muslims are not aware of is the fact that true Hinduism (Santana Dharma) is strictly monotheistic.  
 
The practice of idol-worship varies from one region to another and is essentially  cultural.
 
In any case, we should have treated him well but we didn't.
 
He was totally disgusted by our behavior. 
 
By our bad behavior, we lost the chance to show him the good side of Islam.
 
And yet, no Shias were banned for losing a friend and may be a potential revert.  

(bismillah)
 
(salam)
Exodus 20:12 
Honor your father and mother. Then you will live a long, full life in the land the LORD your God will give you. Proverbs 31:10-12 and 25-31 
A wife of noble character who can find? 
She is worth far more than rubies.Her husband has full confidence in her 
and lacks nothing of value.
She brings him good, not harm, 
all the days of her life.
She is clothed with strength and dignity; 
she can laugh at the days to come.
She speaks with wisdom, 
and faithful instruction is on her tongue.
She watches over the affairs of her household 
and does not eat the bread of idleness.
Her children arise and call her blessed; 
her husband also, and he praises her:
"Many women do noble things, 
but you surpass them all."
Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting; 
but a woman who fears the LORD is to be praised.
Give her the reward she has earned, 
and let her works bring her praise at the city gate.
Quran 4:36
and serve Allah and do not associate any thing with him and be good to the parents and to the near of kin and the orphans and the needy and the neighbor of (your) kin and the alien neighbor, and the companion in a journey and the wayfarer and those whom your right hands possess; surely Allah does not love him who is proud, boastful.
 
Quran 46:15
and we have enjoined on man doing of good to his parents; with trouble did his mother bear him and with trouble did she bring him forth; and the bearing of him and the weaning of him was thirty months; until when he attains his maturity and reaches forty years, he says: my lord! grant me that i may give thanks for thy favor which thou hast bestowed on me and on my parents, and that i may do good which pleases thee and do good to me in respect of my offspring; surely i turn to thee, and surely i am of those who submit.
 
Quran 31:14
and we have enjoined man in respect of his parents-- his mother bears him with faintings upon faintings and his weaning takes two years-- saying: be grateful to me and to both your parents; to me is the eventual coming.
 
Quran 17:23
and your lord has commanded that you shall not serve (any) but him, and goodness to your parents. if either or both of them reach old age with you, say not to them (so much as) "ugh" nor chide them, and speak to them a generous word
 
Quran 6:151
say: come i will recite what your lord has forbidden to you-- (remember) that you do not associate anything with him and show kindness to your parents, and do not slay your children for (fear of) poverty-- we provide for you and for them-- and do not draw nigh to indecencies, those of them which are apparent and those which are concealed, and do not kill the soul which Allah has forbidden except for the requirements of justice; this he has enjoined you with that you may understand
 
An anecdote:
 
The man at the door was a stranger, and a traveller, from a far away place. He asked to be received by the young host. He invited him in.
As they were busy with their conversations, the young man would ask permission to be excused for a while. He would disappear for a moment or two and would return to attend to the guest. It happened many times.
The guest asked of his excuse for these frequent disappearances. The young man informed him that he had an old, fragile mother in the next room, to him he needs to attend frequently. The guest requested that he be allowed to visit the old woman. Request was granted.
An old, weak and helpless woman was in bed. No sign of strength anywhere in her being. The only thing that was moving was her mouth, without any words coming out of it. The guest said to the young man that the mother had something to say. The young man nodded.
The quest inquired what it was that she was asking. The young man said, 'from a young age, she has always prayed for me, whenever I would do something for her, that is what she is doing now.' The guest asked what would she pray like. “May Allah make your abode the neighborhood of His messengers”.
The guest beamed with a smile. “Tell her that her prayer has been granted. I am Prophet Moses. I inquired from Allah about my neighbor in the heaven. He gave me your address. I asked of him how this person gains neighborhood of the prophets. He told me to come see it for myself.”
 
Lesson:
 
Be good to your parents for the sake of God no matter which faith you belong to.
(wasalam)

Satyaban was his name!
 
He was a lovely guy a thorough gentleman..
 
But we Shias drove him away by our rude behavior.
 
He had converted from Christianity to Hinduism because he found Hindu scriptures very enlightening, which indeed they are.
 
What many Muslims are not aware of is the fact that true Hinduism (Santana Dharma) is strictly monotheistic.  
 
The practice of idol-worship varies from one region to another and is essentially  cultural.
 
In any case, we should have treated him well but we didn't.
 
He was totally disgusted by our behavior. 
 
By our bad behavior, we lost the chance to show him the good side of Islam.
 
And yet, no Shias were banned for losing a friend and may be a potential revert.  

It should be revamped completely. 
 
The idea of allowing every T, D and H to say what and when they want could actually be injurious to the cause of Islam.
 
There are many dangers in this sort of discussion boards.  For example, 
 
some of us could give a 'wrong' impression of the teachings of Islam or handle our antagonist rudely, who might otherwise have seen the light.  
The whole idea of these discussion boards in their current format is reprehensible.
 
I had tried to make this point several years ago but lost to the power of admins and mods,
 
I think this problem should be taken up by our senior Ulema and whatever they decide, should be declared to the Shia public as a directive.
 
Until then, Shiachat administration could perhaps do something if they really wanted to.

Their beliefs are evil.
 
But every Wahabi is not necessarily evil.
 
There are some good people among them.

Their beliefs are evil.
 
But every Wahabi is not necessarily evil.
 
There are some good people among them.

Their beliefs are evil.
 
But every Wahabi is not necessarily evil.
 
There are some good people among them.

Funny you say that. Because this particular Rafidi Destroyer belongs to a sect that thinks that Shias are all heathens. 
 
The sect is called Salafi-ism  or Wahabi-ism, named after Abdul Wahab, the founder.  The Shia is the worst thing the Wahabi could ever come across. This is the sect that emerged in Saudi Arabia, I think, around 300 years ago. There was no Saudi Arabia at the time. It came into existence only about 100 years ago. Saudi Arabia was known as Hijaz at the time and formed part of the Turkish Ottoman Empire. Hijaz was a very liberal place, non-Muslims could visit the cities of Mecca and Medina as and when they liked. It is well-known that Guru Nanak, the founder of the Sikh faith, had also visited Mecca. Saudi Arabia, one of the greatest allies of the West in the Middle East, on the other hand, has forbidden entry of all non-Muslims into both those cities.
 
After Abdul Wahab introduced his new (supposedly purist) philosophy 3 centuries ago, Hijaz gradually moved towards Wahabism. Wahabi tribes gradually became more powerful and lobbied to rid the Turkish overlords. They were finally successful in (or around) 1915. The tribal leaders (who belonged to a tribe known as Saud) gained power and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia was formed.  
 
Since they believed that they alone were purists, one of the first things they did was to destroy the graves of the Prophet's family (as a special courtesy, they left the Prophet's and those of the first two caliphs - Abu Bakr and Omar, intact). Tractors (or something similar) were made to work their way through all other graves. 
 
Not only that. Anything that can be a memory of the past was destroyed - the remains of Imam Ali's house, for example. They believe that such memories interfere with true strict monotheism. Apart from one God, nothing is worthy of veneration.
 
And of course several sects, such as the Shias, who keep on endlessly mourning over the sufferings of their Imams, in particular Imam Hussain, are absolute heathens, who need to be eliminated from the surface of the earth.  The purity of monotheism, according to them, requires, God, God, God and God alone. Memories of the dead in any form is polytheism. That is why the Shias are heathens.
  
On the political front, as you are surely aware, Saudi Arabia is a dead enemy of Iran's. It is a very good friend of the US because it serves as the conduit of the American strategy in the Middle East.

Doing taqiyyah requires acceptance of that principle and using it with its necessary decorum. Whereas these clowns are only coward fasadis running for their pathetic lives.

Like most decent and fair-minded people, Dr. Einstein was against the racist establishment of Israel. 
 
 
Einstein on Palestine and Zionism
by Edward C. Corrigan
 
Many Zionists claim Einstein as one of their own. Einstein, however, was a pacifist, a universalist and abhorred nationalism. The evidence of Einstein’s position on Palestine and Zionism is best seen in his own words and actions on the subject. 
For example Einstein made a presentation to the Anglo-American Committee of Inquiry, which was examining the Palestine issue in January 1946 and argued against the creation of a Jewish State. Here is a quote from Einstein’s testimony before Judge Hutcheson, the American Chairman of the Committee:
Dr. Einstein to Judge Hutcheson: The state idea is not according to my heart. I cannot understand why it is needed. It is connected with many difficulties and narrow-mindedness. I believe it is bad. I am against it 
Albert Einstein wrote in a letter shortly after the 1948 Deir Yassin massacre and referred to the Irgun, led by Menachem Begin later a Prime Minister of Israel, and the Stern Gang, where Yitzhak Shamir also a future Prime Minister of Israel was a member, as terrorist organizations and refused to support these “misled and criminal people.”2
 
Albert Einstein, Sidney Hook, Hannah Arendt and twenty-five other prominent Jews, in a letter to the New York Times (December 4, 1948), condemned Menachem Begin’s and Yitzhak Shamir’s Likud party as “fascist” and espousing “an admixture of ultra-nationalism, religious mysticism and racial superiority.”3
To quote one commenter: “Einstein’s opposition to Israel was widely known and reported on during his life. In fact, the myth of Einstein’s support of Israel was born the day after Einstein’s death in his obituary in The New York Times, which shamelessly wrote that he championed the establishment of the Jewish state. This contradicted decades of reporting 
 
It is clear that Albert Einstein did not support political Zionism and opposed a Jewish State based on an ethnic or racial basis. His political views were remarkably consistent and supported universal human rights. He was opposed to war and chauvinistic ethnic nationalism.
 

Beautiful brother
 
Thanks

Beautiful brother
 
Thanks

(bismillah)
 
(salam)
 
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=10151798459282065&set=vb.144567145556978&type=2&theater
 
(wasalam)