Cocoa Break

Extract from http://sg.news.yahoo.com/afp/20100530/tap-indonesia-health-tobacco-children-aeccaac.html

“In the absence of tough government regulations Muslim clerics recently issued a fatwa against smoking.

But analysts said the religious edict was likely to have about as much effect as regulations banning smoking in bars and restaurants, which are widely ignored.”

In the Name of God, The Most Gracious, The Most Compassionate…

The above is just one of the many things I am simply unable to accept. No, I am not addicted to smoking. The issue here is not about trying to ban smoking but the FATWA. Muslim clerics of the world have yet again decided to use the power and political influence they have on believers of the Islamic faith, to set new rules on what is deemed Haram (Forbidden) and what is not as if they are God themselves. Who are they to go against the Quran?

This is all that is Haram in the Quran:

2.173 PICKTHAL: He hath forbidden you only carrion, and blood, and swineflesh, and that which hath been immolated to (the name of) any other than Allah. But he who is driven by necessity, neither craving nor transgressing, it is no sin for him. Lo! Allah is Forgiving, Merciful

5.003 PICKTHAL: Forbidden unto you (for food) are carrion and blood and swineflesh, and that which hath been dedicated unto any other than Allah, and the strangled, and the dead through beating, and the dead through falling from a height, and that which hath been killed by (the goring of) horns, and the devoured of wild beasts, saving that which ye make lawful (by the death-stroke), and that which hath been immolated unto idols. And (forbidden is it) that ye swear by the divining arrows. This is an abomination. This day are those who disbelieve in despair of (ever harming) your religion; so fear them not, fear Me! This day have I perfected your religion for you and completed My favour unto you, and have chosen for you as religion al-Islam. Whoso is forced by hunger, not by will, to sin: (for him) lo! Allah is Forgiving, Merciful.

Do we really need another council that comes out with their own standing orders to order us what to do on top of the Holy Quran? Isn’t the Quran comprehensive enough on how to live our simple lives? I know some of you are rolling your eyes and think I am blowing my top off for nothing and I should just follow what they council decides. I assure you, you wouldn’t be saying this if you were living in Afghanistan under Taliban’s rule and having them come out with Fatwas to imprison the whole country and taking away every single bit of your life from you.

Fatwas such as, All entertainment is HARAM as it strays you away from what God has ordered you to do. All indulgences (yes it includes chocolates and ice-creams) are HARAM because you get unnecessarily happy and makes you forget God. It is HARAM to educate women because they will go against their husbands and that is something against the wishes of God. And a whole list of bullshit that they set in Afghanistan that were discriminative, prejudiced and they simply stole the beautiful lives they were living…

The odd thing is there are many ready blind followers out there that will not question the Council. Just because they are “the Council”. I wonder if God is disappointed to see most of his masterpieces (Adam and Family) not utilizing the beautiful brain that he blessed them with. No! I am not mocking Islam here! I am trying to get people to wake up. I truly wonder who will be by my side if I am to make my stand against such things ever…if there will be anyone that are ready to listen to what I have to say without being biasesd about anything from the start….

I can get really into this as I am a proud Moslem that tries to abide by the words of the Al-Quran as I believe there is no other standing order needed to live my life…

18:27 “You shall recite what is revealed to you of your Lord’s scripture. Nothing shall abrogate His words, and you shall not find any other source beside it.”

It’s a heavy downpour here on this side of town. And to my surprise, I love it.

I love the rain. I feel happy when it rains like this and I am in a moving vehicle. It’s cold and the air just cools my heart. A great blessing to me especially when it has been like a heated oven for the past few days.

Captured as Image as Arabic font not supported here.

That is my name written in Arabic font. Not that difficult to write actually. I just typed my name in ABCs at http://www.yamli.com/ and it automatically converted my name into arabic text.

And if you are wondering, my name is suppose to mean something like, “Praiseworthy of prostrating to faith (in worship)” son of “Praiseworthy for the Lord increases”.

Kinda too much isn’t it? But I like my name. Though it is a mouthful.

Well, that’s why I just introduce myself as Deen Yusoff (Faith as the lord increases). Whatever that is suppose to mean, as I feel that most names don’t make sense when you try to get the real meaning from of the names.

Full of myself,

Deen Yusoff

I had one of the worst debates with my mother recently with regards to Menstruation and Islam. One thing I realized from that argument, it is dangerous to talk about contrary beliefs to a person. Well unfortunately for me, I like to question when I don’t see obvious answers or when I see contradictory behavior. Like when women are not allowed to pray, fast or in other words not allowed to perform their religious duties and not allowed to even touch the Holy Qur’an but still must say grace before they eat or recite “Do’a” before they do anything with at least a simple “Bismillah” (In the name of God).

Anyway, let me begin with what I know about Islam and Menstruation.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/samlavi/ / CC BY 2.0

The traditional Islamic interpretation of the Qur’an forbids intercourse, but not physical intimacy, during a woman’s menstrual period. During menstrual period, women are not required to perform prayers and fasting. Some scholars believe that women are not authorized to enter mosque during this period. And, after the period, Ghusl (a spiritual bath) is required to be able to perform prayers, fasting, and to enter the mosque – the same type of bath required of both men and women after sexual intercourse.
Quoted from Wikipedia.

(more…)

Reading my good friend’s post about his disbelief in religions of the world will definitely make a person with an intellectual mind think deeper. I agree with that existence of God is something that you can’t proof. But I guess it is comforting and it gives a person hope for miracles to happen when a person is indeed in need of one.

Before I go further, I declare myself as a believing Muslim but definitely not a conventional one. I have faith in the words of the Holy Quran and will only take the other texts available, be it Hadith/Sunnahs or the Bible and Vedas as just references that may have contradictions as they were compiled late by men.

Ultimately, I would not do things against my conscience and not try to be a good Muslim. However, I am working my way to be a good Human. I also believe that it is perfectly fine to question and it is definitely ok to seek for the truth but I guess I have to try a soft approach or I will be hated by the masses.

As many conventional Muslims have already verbally abused me to have warped ideas about Islam and going the wrong path. There are many non-Muslims and educated Muslims that are able to grasp what I say and able to appreciate the Quran upon hearing what I have understood from the holy texts.

I do not blame anybody from any religion for their unfavourable reactions towards my interpretation as it is not easy to change one’s mind if they already have faith in what they were taught before. The question of who am I and what are my credentials will also be risen by many if I am to go against the common beliefs. My request is always very simple, don’t just listen to what I say. Read it yourself. Then ponder on what I have said and then come back to me and argue with me if you think I misinterpreted the Quran. Give yourself a chance.

So is there a heaven and will all good men go to heaven?

5:69 (Asad) for, verily, those who have attained to faith [in this divine writ], as well as those who follow the Jewish faith, and the sabians, Asad(5,86)^[86] and the Christians – all who believe in God and the Last Day and do righteous deeds – no fear need they have, and neither shall they grieve

I believe in the Quran, and this verse makes me happy. All good people goes to heaven. However, there is a clause, you must believe in the existence of a higher power. So will an atheist who has a kind soul and does good deeds without expecting without the belief of a heaven get to God’s paradise?

I believe that atheist wouldn’t care even and they definitely wouldnt fear too. But based on the verse quoted, they will grieve. Question is for how long? Will your punishment be eternal in hell? Will you be forced to use a chalkboard and repeat a million times  that, “I believe in God” till your fingers fall off? We don’t know.

But I believe that God will proof his existence before punishing his creations and then accept him back to home ground. He gave us free will, and he will definitely be proud of us for not believing blindly. If we were to believe a conman blindly and get robbed of all our wealth, it is our own fault. So he wouldn’t practice double standards when it comes to himself, would he?

I believe he is a Good God, and no I am not believing blindly. I have my reasons to believe his existence but its personal and may sound crazy if told. So he wouldn’t put you to hell until you deny his existence when he comes proving himself to you. Sounds fair, doesn’t it? Well at least it sounds fair to me.

This topic is never ending so I am ending this abruptly with my current prayers.

I pray God will stop Men from using him as a political tool…

La ilaha illallah,

Deen