Search the Community

SALAAM PLEASE READ THE ENTIRE POST AND UNTIL THE LAST FULL STOP. SUSPEND JUDGEMENT OF THE TITLE.: I BELIEVE CONSERVATIVE-LIBERTARINISM IS THE WAY IN THE MODERN WORLD. HERE'S WHY: Libertarian Islam by S. Hammad Haider | Feb 12, 2017 A commonly used epithet to describe Islam is ‘The Religion of Peace,’ but this is inaccurate and confusing. The phrase became more commonly used after 9/11 by politicians. The Quran never describes the faith in these terms. It is more accurate to describe Islam as a religion of non-aggression and justice. The Non-aggression principle (NAP) is considered to be a defining principle of libertarianism. Many libertarians today like to bend, or flat out break this principle, however, a Muslim can be a Rothbardian libertarian, like Ron Paul, who manages to encompass economic and sociological theories while using the NAP as an axiom. Libertarians who want to learn more about the NAP are blessed to have the many resources such as the Libertarian Institute, the Scott Horton Show and the Ron Paul Liberty Report. The other day I found some time to listen to one episode of the latter. Afterward, the live chat feature remains open, where many libertarians sing praises for Dr. Paul. To my surprise, in the live chat, there were many libertarians or those who call themselves libertarian, who rejected the NAP! If libertarians are wavering on the NAP, then how can a Muslim, who is supposedly in an inherently aggressive religion, adopt this principle? Again, there are many resources available to libertarians who want to better understand how Muslims can adopt libertarian ideals. Dr. Imad-ad-Dean Ahmad is a scholar and libertarian activist who ran for US Senate as the Libertarian Party candidate. He is currently the President of the Minaret Freedom Institute, a libertarian Muslim think tank. I urge those who want to know more about Islam and libertarianism to read his publications. Furthermore, the roots of Muslim libertarianism are historically much deeper. Dr. Denise Spellberg, an associate professor in the Department of History, at the University of Texas-Austin has a fascinating interview online about her book on Thomas Jefferson’s Quran. She explains that Jefferson saw a place for Muslims in his free society through the writings of John Locke: “Neither pagan nor Mahometan,” meaning Muslim, “nor Jew ought to be excluded from the rights of the commonwealth because of his religion.” It may also be a surprise to some readers that Muslims have a rich tradition of secularism. According to the International Humanist and Ethical Union, the father of secularism is the influential Muslim philosopher Ibn Rushd, also known as Averroes. In his work The Decisive Treatise he provided the justification for the separation of state and religion. Dr. Gary Adler Jr., an associate professor at Penn State University, summarized Ibn Rushd’s secularism in his book on Secularism, Catholicism and the Future of Public life: “In other words, secularism can be seen as an instrument of the Divine, ensuring that the righteous Muslim would be wise in matters affecting them on earth in the same way as the Quran ensures his correct path with respect to matters eternal.” (Secularism, Catholicism and the Future of Public life Adler; p.86). The Prophet Muhammad himself can be an example of the NAP in practice. Imam Tahir ul-Qadri, the scholar who controversially issued a 600-page fatwa against terrorism and suicide bombing, spoke to the United States Institute of Peace about the life of the Prophet. According to Qadri, the Prophet of Islam had a military career for thirteen years, and he only fought back any aggression imposed on him by the enemy. The scholar summarized five verses in the Holy Quran, Islam’s holy book, which mentions ‘self-defense,’ was revealed to the Prophet in the city of Mecca. He believes the word ‘Jihad’ to have many meanings but in a military context as a ‘defensive war’. Jihad, he maintained, is not an aggression, rather it represents self-protection according to the Quran. Ron Paul, a champion of the NAP and libertarianism, echoes this idea of defensive wars, by consistently clarifying his position of non-interventionism, not isolationism. If you have read this far you may assume that I am a typical Muslim apologist. My intention is not to be an apologist, but to offer you a line of reasoning which allows Muslims to fully adopt the NAP. That said, as a believer in the NAP, I fully condemn all forms of terrorism including that from radical Muslims. The Islamic State is led by Sunni Muslims who follow a radical interpretation of Sunnism in order to feed their aspirations. These radical interpretations are rooted in The Ridda Wars conducted after the death of Prophet Muhammad and in the writings of Sunni thinkers Ibn Taymiyah and Abdul Wahab. The Ridda Wars, or Apostasy Wars, were a bloody and influential innovation in the name of Islam, especially from a libertarian perspective. Many libertarians believe in a voluntary tax system, whereby the citizenry can hold the state accountable. Well, in 7th century Arabia, the Prophet Muhammad held a voluntary tax system, and never fought a war for taxes. This took a drastic change after his death when the Islamic empire began to spread by the sword. The beginning of this evil expansion is exemplified in the Ridda Wars, where the first caliph implemented the first statutory taxes. The caliph mandated that anyone who did not recognize his leadership, and held back taxes in opposition to this authority, was an apostate, and an enemy of the state. This began the killings for Apostasy, and taxes, which were never conducted under the leadership of Prophet Muhammad (Sunan an-Nasa’i volume 5, Book 37, Hadith 3978, Eng. Ed., Sahih Darussalam). Ibn Taymiyah and Abdul Wahab aimed to give an academic relevance to this form of terrorism against apostates. Richard Bonney was a History Professor at the University of Leicester, and he wrote the book titled Jihad: Quran to Bin Laden. In his book, he describes Ibn Taymiyah and Abdul Wahab as the inspiration for Osama bin Laden: “Ibn Taymiyah thus should be seen as a revivalist of the doctrine of jihad…His fatwa regarding the Mongols established a precedent: in spite of their claim to be Muslims, their failure to implement shariah rendered the Mongols apostates and hence the lawful object of jihad. Muslim citizens thus had the right, indeed duty, to revolt against them, to wage jihad. For Osama bin Laden, Ibn Taymiyah, along with Shaykh Muhammad Ibn ‘Abd al-Wahhab, is one of the great authorities to be cited to justify the kind of indiscriminate resort to violence which he terms jihad (Jihad: Quran to Bin Laden Bonney; p.121-2). Libertarian Islam is an oxymoron under the violent interpretations of Sunnism, but all major religions have a history of violent and peaceful interpretations. This gives an added importance to Muslims, and fellow libertarians, to use the NAP as a foundational principle. A principle of non-aggression can have the power to unite people. Libertarianism in its purest form has a profound attraction to people of all backgrounds, and I am proud to call myself an American libertarian Muslim. Like many Americans, I am a small business owner, a husband, and a father of two young girls. Yes, I do sport a full beard and my wife wears a headscarf. Yet we still attended the Republican caucuses and proudly wrote in Ron Paul as our vote for president in 2012, not only due to Dr. Paul’s unwavering NAP-based philosophy but due to our belief in wholly American ideals. Freedom of religion is an important part of our society, and if we want American libertarianism to triumph then we should trust our ideals. Scott Horton, a founder of the Libertarian Institute, summarized it best on his podcast. He described the difficulties we will face if we reject Muslims based on their faith, and do not give them a place in our society, as envisioned by John Locke and Thomas Jefferson: “The Islamic state has been saying ‘see fellow Muslims, the Westerners, the Christians, and the Jews, they hate us and they will always hate us. We have no place in the west!’ In other words, pushing for a clash of civilizations that they need because War is the health of the (Islamic) state… Instead of (the Trump administration) arguing that, oh yeah, we believe in the enlightenment and freedom of religion… Muslims absolutely have a place in our society, plenty of places in our society… instead this (immigration) policy plays into the hands of those on the other side.” Salam Ya Ali Madad

Assalamualaikum. Ya Ali (عليه السلام) Madad. I hope this message finds you well. I would like to share a deeply personal experience that I have undergone, seeking clarity and guidance from an Islamic perspective. About five years ago, I had the pleasure of meeting a remarkable girl online. She is a zakira, devoted to reciting majalis throughout the year. We developed a strong connection over time, nurturing our relationship despite the physical distance between us. We've met sometimes tho. Unfortunately, our journey together took an unexpected turn when faced with a challenging situation. Before delving into this, allow me to provide some context. I have an elder sister who remains unmarried. The girl I was in love with and I aspired to marry one another. However, I held the belief that my sister's marriage should take precedence, delaying our own plans until she found a suitable partner. Despite our sincere intentions, we struggled to find a suitable match for my sister, leading to a prolonged wait. As time went on, the girl I cared for started receiving marriage proposals from other suitors. She expressed her concern to me, emphasizing the urgency of addressing our own relationship's future. She insisted that I approach my family about our desire to marry, or she would have no choice but to consider other proposals. Taking her words to heart, I initiated a conversation with my mother about our intentions. It is important to note that my father had passed away a few years prior, leaving me with the responsibility of communicating our intentions to my mother alone. To my dismay, my mother's initial response was one of rejection and unwarranted criticism against the girl's character. This reaction deeply pained me. This was the first instance I had witnessed such behavior from my mother, as she had always been kind and understanding. I found it difficult to reconcile the fact that the person I held in high regard could harbor such prejudice against someone I deeply loved. I embarked on a mission to convince my mother, invoking the significance of compassion and fairness emphasized in Islamic teachings. I reminded her that hasty judgments and character defamation were strictly prohibited, especially without sufficient knowledge about the person in question. I beseeched my mother to consider the qualities of the girl I loved, and to view our relationship with an open heart. I implored her to evaluate the situation fairly, placing trust in the values she had instilled in me over the years. The ensuing weeks were challenging as I balanced my deep affection for the girl I loved and my commitment to respect and honor my mother's wishes. Eventually, the emotional strain led to a point where my mother urged me to leave the house, coupled with the threat of being disinherited. In that moment of despair, I confided in my sister, who assured me that she would manage the situation and find a solution. Trusting her, I shared the girl's contact details with my sister, who took the initiative to speak with her father. Tragically, my sister's actions were contrary to what I had hoped for. She approached the girl's father and persuaded him to distance his daughter from me. This revelation shattered me completely, leaving me in a state of emotional turmoil. I felt utterly isolated, with thoughts of suicide clouding my mind as I believed I had lost everything dear to me. In the aftermath of these events, I found myself grappling with overwhelming emotions and a deep sense of loss. The girl I had envisioned a future with was now united with another, my relationship with my mother and sister had suffered irreparable damage, and the trust I once held for my loved ones was shattered. For the past two years, I have tried to mend the broken ties with my mother and sister. While some semblance of normalcy has returned to our interactions, it is undeniable that the dynamics have forever changed. Their actions have left scars that continue to affect our relationship, leaving me feeling conflicted about the love and respect I once held for them. Their insistence that I seek forgiveness for a transgression I fail to comprehend only deepens my internal struggle. As I reflect on my journey, one question remains at the forefront of my mind: What guidance does Islam provide for individuals facing such intricate and emotionally charged situations? I yearn for clarity on how to navigate this turmoil in a way that aligns with my faith. My earnest aspiration is to eventually establish financial stability, enabling me to make the difficult choice of parting ways with my family and seeking a life of my own. I am genuinely appreciative of any insights or wisdom you might be able to offer, grounded in Islamic teachings and values. Thank you for taking the time to read my story and for considering my plea for guidance.

Salam My question here is that is it permissible for a women to visit the graveyard while she's on her period?

Salam brothers and sisters, In the Quran surah 7 ayat 27 it says, "O children of Adam, let not Satan tempt you as he removed your parents from Paradise, stripping them of their clothing to show them their private parts. Indeed, he sees you, he and his tribe, from where you do not see them. Indeed, We have made the devils allies to those who do not believe" Also in the Quran surah 28 ayat 56, "Indeed, [O Muhammad], you do not guide whom you like, but Allah guides whom He wills. And He is most knowing of the [rightly] guided. So the big question here is does Allah or Satan lead us astray as humans? Hope you guys can clear this up for me. Also this is a problem because even if there is one problem with the Quran the entire book goes down that's why you guys should be cautious when answering this for a confused brother. Also this brings up a question of free will so do either of these beings guide us as these verses say or do we do what we want to do? Salam

[MOD NOTE: All personal information [EDIT] was removed. Please do not post personal information that can be used to identify you or someone else. Whatever you post on the Internet will be read by scammers and spammers.] Salaam My Fellow Brothers and Sister, [EDIT] I have been asking on many chats and forums but none were able to help me out in this situation. All I need is information that who can help me out and provide me with KHUMS here in karachi as this is my right and I'm syed. [EDIT]

I have a cousin whom i have been long time best friends with since really young age and we still hang around here and there. Would it be haram to tell her i love her as a cousin (Cousin Love)

As salamunalaikum people. Bismillah hir rahma nir raheem I am a girl of Indian origin. I live in Delhi. I am studying at Delhi University. I live in the hostel. The problem is that I had a friend from the ranks of male. We used to chat(clean chat) and just discuss our problems. 1 year ago he proposed me to be his girlfriend. I refused keeping in mind the laws of sharia. After 2 months he sent me an edited pic of mine. It was a vulgour pic. Then after thinking alot it was clear that he used my profile pic to get the image edited. He almost edited ten pic of mine and sent to me. He also started blackmailing me that if i dont sleep with him he will leak the pics. I have lived in a sense of horror since then. I tried every thing i could. For one year I couldn't sleep properly. Yesterday in a majlis a friend of mine suggested me this site. All I need is someone who can edit pics perfectly so that i can force him to leave me alone or I'll sent the pics to his parents. Kindly help. Jazakallah Khair.

In Islamic teachings we find a relationship between fasting and patience. Although apart from all Islamic texts, one can guess such a relationship (because avoiding eating and drinking and other invalidating cases of fasting need patience) yet this issue is clarified in some narrations. As an interpretation of the Almighty God’s statement “Seek help from patience and prayer” [Holy Quran, 2:153] quoted from Imam Sadiq (A.S) what is meant by patience is fasting. (Mir’atul Uqool, v.16, p.201) Yes brothers and sisters! When something hard occurred for you, one way is that you must get help from fasting to solve problems.

Salam everyone. I am in a very depressing state. Yesterday I had a fight with one of my friends. In anger I cursed him. Now I feel sorry. Is there any dua or namaz to undo the effect. The thing is that if by coincidence something happens to him, I will not be able to forgive myself. Please help. Jazakalla khair

I m 15 year old boy once when i was 12 year old my cousin just showed me a pornographic video after that i could'n stop mastrubating plz help me out i hate my self from this but when i dont i could not even sleep i feel like loneliness plz help me out of it

First of all, I'd like to say I'm new here and this is my first ever post. (Unfortunately), I'm not very religious, I've deviated and I decided today's a good day as any to try and turn things around Insha'Allah :). One thing that really bothers me having been born into a shia family, is the hate and criticism we shias get from all other sects. All of them have various hadiths (72/73 sects will go to hell and only one to heaven --> I know who narrated this btw but its still annoying) and such supposedly directed toward shias which denounce them. And its so confusing, especially for someone like me who does not have all the knowledge that helps affirm even have iman. I mean, these people are saying things like shias are kaffir, shias will go to hell etc. It's scary and makes me wonder if I'm on the right path. Majority of Muslims are sunni, so it makes me think that if all these Muslims are sunni then there has to be some kind of weight or reason behind that doctrine for the majority of the Ummah to be based upon it. I'm sure for some of you, who's knowledge and faith is better than mine, this makes me seem very stupid and unclever, which I'd agree with (but I'll fix it :)). Actually, I was just watching one of those short lectures on youtube with those speakers on black magic and there was a video playing with people who were preparing for the invocation of the shaitaan, it involved a man dressed in red whipping himself, and the speaker says, "Who does that remind you of(?)" and I could hear the people in the lecture sniggering. What bothers me is not the whipping thing, I know why people do it (I personally do not agree with it but anyways) I was bothered by how Shias are some kind of joke and public laughing stock. Can someone please explain and convince why shias will not be going to hell and they are not kaffirs? Why so many Muslims are Sunni? Why Shias are made fun of? Please can you give Hadiths as well. Thanks in advance,

There was a time a few years back when I was younger, I am 20 so when I was around 14. I not only avoided bad acts but I even avoided bad thoughts, naturally whenever I had a bad thought I would quickly be rid of it. Bad actions were out of the question, my gaze was low and it was hard for me to raise my gaze. When I saw other men stare at women I would feel ashamed but sadly now that I think of it, I have to keep telling myself to keep my gaze low and I still fail. I don't know where or what went wrong, I was so innocent but now I feel like my legions fighting against Satan are dead and only a few injured ones are limping around fighting Satan within me, so hopelessly losing. It is as though I have become my carnal desires, I continuously forget that I am not my desires and my desires are against me, I have to keep reminding myself. Each act I do is done for a selfish reason even charity is done for a selfish reason, not like the old days when I would just feel bad and give, now I give because I have been told it helps me. I offer prayer but even that is for a selfish reason because if I don't do it I will be punished and if I do it then I am saved from punishment, given rewards, and I would have either pleased people or Allah. When I don't know a person I like them but when I know them, I see their faults and as a result I lose heart for them and they become 'unworthy' in my eyes but the people who I don't know seem saintly and perfect and I am humbled before them. So I am forever spending money, treating people nicely, befriending them, only to forget them and repeat the process with new people. Even with the land I have a problem, when I live here in the UK, I see its problems and envy a different place but at the different place I envy what I left remembering what the old land had which the new one lacks. Even with the seasons, in winter I wish for Summer and in Summer I wish for winter. I have also lost the plot about why I should interact with men and the only motive with interaction with women is lust and because of this I also keep away from women. Part of me wants to be noticed, tells myself that I am good but another part of me doesn't want to show off, wants to be good without being noticed and tells me I am worthless and useless and low. I have no idea about my worth, I have achieved nothing but I have also achieved something, I want to be pious and I am pious but I am only fooling myself in thinking this way. The only thing my heart, mind and soul agrees on is where I should be buried, the type of soil I want to be left alone in. I am fearful of being buried in a wet soil, it seems cold, damp and dark to me. I feel attraction and warmth when I think of being buried in a dry, warm soil. The only thing I seem to be certain of is my grave, or at least what I want my grave to be like. I don't know anything else. I was also in awe of the Scholars when they were out of reach but now I realize that those who give light are sitting on darkness, like a light bulb which illuminates its surrounding but beneath it is a shadow. How can I get back to that innocence and revive the might of my legions against Satan? To live as a human, being Adam for which God praised himself and naturally giving priority to my soul before my desires. Please quote each problem and give me an advice on each one separately as best as you can. Thank you.

Salam Alaikum, I am going through a very difficult phase in life and I request all of you to please make Dua for me. Please keep me in your duas and pray to Allah (SWT) to relieve me of this problem behaqqe Sayyeda (as) wa Abeeha wa Ba'luha wa Baneeha (as). Ameen. Ilahi Aameen. JazaakAllah Khair. Wsalam, Your sister-in-faith

Salaam alaykum Brothers I must say first im a new shia imami, im becoming from maliki madhab and i'am in the middle of the transition, and i have some probems to understend the salaat time and the broking time of the fast in this Holy Ramadhan that will start the 9 of july ( as i get) the first i learn reading the pays of the zuhur and asr mus be praying together, and the magrib and isha too. But i didnt get exacly how is is, im sure is more simple than i think this is the time of the salat for the Tuesday Imsaak 3:35 Fajr: 3:52 Sunrise: 5:39 Dhuhur:13:09 ASR: 17:09 Sunset: 20:39 Magrib: 20:59 Isha: 22:17 in witch excltly time i must perfom the dhuhur- asr and in witch time the magrib-isha according with that time? and other acording to that time at witch time i must brock the fasting I must do this asks for here beacause i downt know any follower of Ahlul bayt (AS) in Turkey that knows english . Wa salaam and thanks for the help