MUSLIM BUT NOT ISLAM

The oft repeated accusations that the west has demonised Islam is not new. It is only of late that I realised, it was the muslims themselves (at least the majority of us) who had actually perpetuated that myth by their words and action. How do you convinced non muslims that Islam is a way of life when the non muslim Japanese are more discipline and courteous than the muslim Arabs. How do you tell the non believers that Islam is not a religion of the sword if suicide bombers kills innocent civilians when Islam itself teaches that you don’t kill non combatants in war.

Witness Saidina Hamzah, a muslim leader and general, who stayed his sword from severing the head of an enemy who has fallen from his horse. When asked why he did not strike when the opportunity is there, Saidina Hamzah replied, “When we were fighting on horseback, I was fighting for Islam. When I wanted to strike you when you were down, it was out of anger. That is not the way of Islam”.

My non muslim colleagues were taken aback and slightly confused when I told them that muslims and Islam are not the same. A muslim is not neccesarily islamic. That you cannot learn about Islam by looking at muslims. Dr.Ahmad Deedat, the late South African muslim preacher once famously said that he finds “a lot of Islam in Europe but very little muslims and a lot of muslims in the Arab states but very little Islam”. The same can be said of Malaysia, a supposedly muslim run if not an islamic country.

I hope my Christian friends don’t take offence but Islam is on the way of becoming like Christianity is today, a religion of rituals but not practice. Islam is fast becoming a “do this don’t do that, if you do that, you will go to hell” religion and not a religion that teaches you to look after the welfare of your neighbour irregardless if your neighbour is a jew, a christian, a hindu or even an atheist. Yes, Islam has it’s do and don’t but it is not the end all of being a muslim. Islam is about living your life as Allah ordained, it should be lived. The muslim way of life is described abundantly in the Holy Quran and exemplified in the manners, speech, behaviour and character of the Prophet Muhammad s.a.w. The problem is that muslims today has failed to look beyond the do’s and don’t aspect of Islam. If muslims themselves do not exhibit the beauty and righteouness of Islam in their private and personal life, how in heaven do you expect the non muslims to believe in Islam.

I have said it once and I will say it again ... and again .... and again. Islam is all about how you live your life in accordance with Allah’s commands and not simply parroting the do’s and the don’ts. There is a great difference in not screwing outside of marriage because it is a sin and understanding the concept and essence of why illicit sex is forbidden in Islam.

My friends say, if there is no traffic policeman, drive like a bat out of hell lah. Policeman no catch, no saman what! The goondo that I am, I still drive between 110 to 120 kph on the highway even when the nearest speed trap is a 100 km away. I chose to drive within the speed limit, not because I am afraid of the law but because I know, 110 kph is the optimum driving speed. Drive faster, petrol consumption, wear & tear and the danger of a mishap increases. Drive slower, danger of a mishap, petrol consumption and wear & tear lessens but time taken to reach your destination increases. That’s the difference between not doing something because the law says so and not doing it because you understand the concept behind the prohibition.

Once in Warick, UK, an old englishman was waiting for the bus during a slight drizzle. A young englishman wearing a raincoat walks past. On seeing the 60+ years old man, the young man walks over to the other englishman, takes off his (young man) raincoat to cover the old englishman and walks away. The old man ran after the youth to asked him, “Why are you doing this when we are complete strangers?” The answer was simple, “Because I am a muslim”. That is Islam.

The very next day, the old gentleman, converted to Islam.

Until we meet again, a bit of advice from Uncle B to all the non muslim girls out there. Believe in Islam first, convert, then look for an islam practising muslim man to be your husband and not the other way round, fall in love with a muslim man first and then convert to Islam to get married. Don’t become a muslim to get sex but become one because it is you.

Salam.