Br. Suhaib Webb - a voice of "modern" Islam

http://www.suhaibwebb.com/blog/

Thanks to one of my local brothers for introducing this to me. Br. Suhaib is passionate about Islam, and exciting to listen to. His lectures are very insightful, and he is currently studying at an Egyptian college of Shariah, إن شاء الله he will continue with his ministry and return to the U.S.

Listening to him speak really lifts my spirits and inspires my Islam.

The Messenger of God (صلى الله عليه و سلم) said: "Tell me, if one of you had a river at the door of his house in which he washed five times daily, would any filth remain?" When he received the reply that none would remain, he said, "that is like the five times of prayer, by which God effaces sins" (البخاري و مسلم)

This hadith has followed me all week, and after one صلاوة I got the distinct impression that no matter how I'd arrived, I had left as a friend. Feeling in line with all creation, feeling alive and in tune with الله سبحان تعالى is truly a remarkable experience, and a feeling that I never want to be far away from. One of those experiences that reminds me how I am the one who drifts, not God.

استغفرالله

السلام عليكم

tonight as I sat at the مسجد waiting for الصلاة مغرب, I had a few moments, with the brothers, and with myself. I overheard a hooded brother, a respected fellow with a voice that filled the room. He says, السلام عليكم، he says, say it slow. He says that saying it slow says, "I wish to spend no more than 45 seconds with you in your presence. If you say it fast, it turns people off." He says not to rush the سلام, he says too many brothers rush each other into سلام, and it turns them off. He's not wrong, on either count. I should have given him سلام.

استغفر الله

Good Friday

Translated from al-Qur'an by Yusuf Ali: "That they said (in boast), "We killed Christ Jesus the son of Mary, the Messenger of Allah";- but they killed him not, nor crucified him, but so it was made to appear to them, and those who differ therein are full of doubts, with no (certain) knowledge, but only conjecture to follow, for of a surety they killed him not;-" (4:157)

That's the one that gets me. That's the aya that will be trouble between me and my christian family, or between me and the ummah. I was raised believing that Jesus was crucified, and though Jesus was a common name, what I've done to look into his documented existence seems to show that he did in fact live, and was in fact crucified. In saying this, I do not wish to lead any believer away from their faith.

I would also like to bring: "And (the unbelievers) plotted and planned, and Allah too planned, and the best of planners is Allah" (3:54; Yusuf Ali Tr.) and, "Behold! Allah Said: "O Jesus! I will take thee and raise thee to Myself and clear thee (of the falshoods) of those who blaspheme; I will make those who follow thee superior to those who reject faith, to the Day of Resurrection: Then shall ye all return unto me, and I will judge between you of the matters wherein ye dispute." (3:55; Yusuf Ali Tr.) to the table. "I will take thee and raise thee to Myself" has also been translated as "I am going to terminate the period of your stay (on earth) and cause you to ascend unto Me..." (Shakir).

While Christians look at 4:157 in al-Qur'an, muslims point to Psalm 91, Hebrews 5 & Isaiah 53 (and many others), to show that the prophecies that Jesus fulfilled might not have necessitated his crucifixion, postulating that these verses instead hint at his not-dieing.

There is a semi-heretical Christian belief that implies that though Jesus died on the cross, hell could not hold him for he was sinless, and that he "rose again," and was taken up into the heavens shortly thereafter. There are two "apologetic" standpoints in Islam regarding the situation of Jesus on the cross, the swoon theory (that he weakened and appeared dead, but did not die), and the replacement theory (that a double of some variety [sinner or disciple] took the place of Jesus, and Jesus watched on).

In conversation with Muslim brothers last night, the idea that "Certainty supersedes doubt" came up regarding wudu. If you are certain that you made wudu, but uncertain if it has been broken, then you are given license to act with certainty of your wudu. If certainty supersedes doubt, cannot it be taken as certain (in both Christianity and Islam), that Jesus lived after the crucifixion? If he was not killed by the cross, he lived. If he survived in a weakened state, he lived. If he did in fact "expose his soul" to death (however that can be interpreted), but in the end lived, he lived! And was later lifted up into the heavens, "returning" to God. Whether "his eyes" observed the crucifixion, or his entire being experienced it, in the end, as far as I'm concerned, the important part was the message of faith in Allah. Faith in "The God" not faith in a man, or a prophet.

"No man comes to the father except through me." (see John 5 for the whole text), seems to share an echo with the Islamic idea of the Sunnah of Mohammad (pbuh); in "the hidden gospel," Neil Douglas-Klotz explains that the idea of "through me," when taken in the aramaic context relates the importance of emulating the teacher, emulating the prophet, emulating the one who knows the way - and does not necessarily imply the divinity of Jesus.

Does (the one true) God turn away those who believe in (the one true) God? Be they Christian or Muslim or Jew? I believe that matter is between the God and the believers.

If you have gotten anything true or useful from this, it is from Allah, and if there is anything false or untrue, it is my mistake.

استغفر الله

Links

One of the things the brothers talked about tonight, was Islam on the internet. Seems there's a whole lot of "not quite right" out there, and alot of things must be taken with a grain of salt.

These are some of the best that I've found:

just al-Quran:

quranexplorer.com - 3 english translations, side by side arabic; audio recitation - I haven't gone anywhere on this site except to "launch Quran explorer." It's not amazingly user friendly, but it's not difficult.

USC Center for Muslim/Jewish engagement - Hadith and Quran search. It is almost too much to use effectively; I recommend using the "find on page" tool once you get into it.

Others:

makedua.com - side by side english and arabic dua (no transliteration)

islamic-dictionary.com - as a student of arabic, I have an interest in knowing the proper spellings for transliterations. I have not found a better tool than this for re-translating transliteration.

kalamullah.com - downloadable everything, a very vast resource

icnyu.org - Islamic Center @ NYU khutbah kast, a lengthy collection of khutbah pod-casts for those who have the time, or the space on an MP3 player. These are representative of my first contact with Islam. Their speakers present a broad range of vocal style and khutbah topics.

avari - a blog by Haroon Moghul; Moghul is one of the regular speakers for IC NYU. This is his regularly updated blog, along with a grand collection of links.

thursday nights

Thursday nights means dinner with the muslim brothers. الحمد الله! the food is so amazing, it's like it's very own blessing. I want to know the secret to this truly ideal rice, but I don't know how to ask ("Ummm, how does your wife cook rice?"). I think I'll find a way to ask Obaid tomorrow, if I remember enshallah. It's always such an interesting experience.

Tonight, I learned that a muslim should be in touch not just with his أمه, but with his neighbors. If even one of his neighbors (or his muslim brothers and sisters) is starving, he should not feast. I'm continually enthralled by the generosity of Islam, truly بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم. The idea of community is an idea that I need to become more active in. A few months ago I had the idea for a dinner co-op, trouble is I have too many night classes to organize and accomplish this. And I'm moving soon... =(

And I think about my christian cousins, and I wonder how this is going to come out, and be discovered. ماشاء الله I wonder why there isn't more interfaith activity, why there can't be more dialogue. Once you get beyond dogma, the similarities are numerous... course, it's the getting beyond dogma... Finding comfort in faith, that's something anyone with faith can relate to, and being in a world, but not of it.