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.”

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.

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I can’t help but to blog about the issue on “Halal-ness” of an eatery after what I’ve read.
I am sorry for those who think that I am being a busybody but since the so called private debate was public, I believe I am entitled to my own personal view. As you guys mentioned at the end of the debate,

“To each his own”.

The argument is about how Halal is an eatery and if is wrong, or should I say forbidden, for a Muslim to eat and drink at a place he or she feels “Was-Was” or doubtful about the “Halal-ness” of the eatery.

There were 2 Singaporean Muslim friends that went on a trip to Bangkok, Thailand and ran into a couple of “Was-Was” circumstances when it comes to having their daily meals. Both obviously have different ideas on what is Halal for consumption on their trip.

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Just read one of my best buddy’s post, Arif’s Ticking Clocks, titled Complexities of my religion and couldn’t help it but think myself.

 I couldn’t agree more with him that most orthodox Muslims will say that as long as you are not a Muslim, you will go to hell. Topping on to that, even if you are a Muslim and you don’t practice Islam the way those guys in the Mosques do so, you will still go to hell!

So just what gets you an express ticket to heaven in Islam?

The answer that my parents drilled in my mind since I was young is….Nothing.

There is a funny twist to what I learn in the Madrasah who claims that if people don’t do their formal prayers, their prayers won’t be heard.

I remember this story that my parents used to tell me during the days where I would believe anything an adult would say and I would like to share it with the world. The story took place in the time of our beloved Prophet Mohammed and it goes something like this…

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