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Ishmael, Our Brother – My views on the article by James B. Mayfield

Every time we hear a non-Muslims name we think that other people hate the Muslim community or, they are planning to exterminate all people in Arabia. From this article, we all can spread the message of Islam and explain to the hard lined non-Muslims that they should stop the harassment of Muslims. It explains our faith in a positive light and can help others understand the true spirit of the message of Islam. He starts with the spiritual experience of listening to the Azaan. Continuing to explain the life of our prophet (PBUH). At one point, he mentions, “a Muslims religion permeates his life from dawn to nightfall and from his inner chamber (or house/ room) to his shop (business) in the crowded marketplace.” This sentence was the most striking point for me. The life of a Muslim starts from waking up early to say Fajr prayers and continue his work along with the other prayers till Isha. The writer also mentions the importance of reading the Quran. Every Muslim memorises the opening of the Quran, al Fathiah, being recited at many occasions. The Quran tells us,

  1. Repeating the short creed included in the call to prayer
  2. Prayer five times a day when called by the moazzin
  3. Almsgiving
  4. And at least going to Makkah one a lifetime, if you can afford it.

He highlights that in Islam, the gender of a newborn child does not matter – if it is a girl or a boy.

James also mentions that there is no distinction between the prophets. The Quran over and over again, discusses about importance of reading, writing, the pen, the book and how knowledge is mandatory for every Muslim. Arabs’ contributions to medicine were impressive. A famed medical center in Persia is Jundi-Shapor. Medical works of the Greek, Persian and others were translated into Arabic. In astronomy, the Arabs improved the Greek astrolabe and invented many accurate instruments which enabled them to study the stars and measure distances between celestial bodies.

Ishmael indeed has become a “great nation”, according to James, endowed with a sense of civilization for which all the western world should be grateful of. On the day of judgement, every individual who must give an accounting. This concept is certainly compatible with latter-day Saint theology.

The sons of Ishmael are indeed our brethren, too!

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What is in our name?

How appropriate are the words of the Ameerul Mu’mineen, Umar bin al Khattab (radiaAllaahu anhu) when he said: “We were the most humiliated people on earth and Allah gave us honour through Islam. If we ever seek honour through anything else, Allah will humiliate us again.”

How apt is this statement in today’s time, when Muslims throughout the world are being humiliated and their dignity is disrespected. Laws are being formulated and practiced against Muslim culture, accusing our self-respecting dressing for being ‘oppressive’ and ‘backward’. ‘Ghettoisation’ and ‘ethnic cleansing’ is on the rise in many parts of the world. On a lower level, Muslims are the butt of jokes with restaurants slyly selling ‘Halal pork’ and Pringles wishing Ramadan Kareem on packets of smoky bacon-flavoured chips. Muslims are being asked to ‘go back to Arabia’ and are refused entry into countries for being a ‘security threat’. They are being bullied and are called out to ‘apologise’ for the actions of radical extremist groups which don’t represent an iota of Islamic values and only exist to spread terror and abuse their illegal power, defaming millions of Muslims across the globe. Muslims are being murdered simply for being a Muslim.

Have we been seeking honour through anything else other than Allah?

I believe it is as much a sin to suffer cruelty as to inflict cruelty. May Allah forgive us and guide this Ummah to stand up for ourselves, because what we are being shown as to the world, because the violence that is being propagated in our name, because the humiliation we are made to suffer is #notinmyname.