When the earth trembles, Forced Marriages, Defects of Extremism
Issue 335 » July 15, 2005 - Jumada-al-Thani 8, 1426
General
| Living the Quran |
Al-Zilzal
(The Earthquake) When the earth trembles ... At 3:08 am, Turkey experiences the worst earthquake in a long time, reaching 7.8 on the Richter scale. The epicentre is near Golcuk, the Turkish naval base on the Marmara Sea near Ismit. My wife and I, fast asleep, are being thrown around in bed for forty-five endless seconds. There is no more electricity but the police call all citizens to leave their houses in expectation of a worse quake. So we spend the next few nights on an asphalted car park near our house - a scene weirdly resembling a picnic party.
Soon, rumours started spreading about the fact that the naval base, where a high brass party had been going to celebrate the military's victory in the war against the hijab, had been utterly destroyed by the quake and had even sunk into the sea. Had Gilles Kepel not called one of his books The Revenge of Allah? For about a week, people in Istanbul walked about like zombies. The life picked up again and they became as heedless (and as frequently saturated in raki) as before. How many warnings do people need? How many warnings will they get? Source: |
| Understanding the Prophet's Life |
| Arranged Marriages, Forced Marriages Islam recognises a marriage arranged by parents or relatives where the bride and groom have freely and willingly given their consent; indeed, consent on both parties to a marriage is a must. Without this a marriage is not valid. This was made very clear by the Prophet, peace be upon him. Khansa bint Khidhan al-Ansariya narrated that her father gave her in marriage when she was a matron (childless woman, divorcee or a widow) and she disliked that marriage. So, she went to Allah's Messenger, and he declared the marriage null and void (al-Bukhari). Abu Hurairah narrated that the Prophet said, "A matron should not be given in marriage except after consulting with her (ie. getting her consent), and a virgin should not be given in marriage without her permission (consent)." (al-Bukhari) There is no room for forced marriages in Islam. To force anyone into a marriage is not lawful in Islam. Freely-given consent is a basic requirement in Islamic marriage. No one should force either a male or a female into a marriage; even the parents who always want the best for their children should not force them into marriage in which they have not consented. Lack of the correct knowledge about Islam and insistence on local customs and culture may be the reason for doing un-Islamic things. Muslims should follow the teachings of the Quran and the Sunnah of the Prophet. There is nothing wrong in following local customs and culture if they do not violate Islamic Teachings. Source: |
| Blindspot! |
3 Defects of Extremism The first defect is that excessiveness is too disagreeable for ordinary human nature to endure or tolerate. Even if a few human beings could put up with excessiveness for a short time, the majority would not be able to do so. Allah's legislation addresses the whole of humanity, not a special group who may have a unique capacity for endurance. The second defect is that excessiveness is short-lived. Since man's capacity for endurance and perseverance is naturally limited, and since man can easily become bored, he can not endure any excessive practice for long. Even if he puts up with it for a while he will soon be overcome by fatigue, physically and spiritually, and will eventually give up even the little he can naturally do, or he may even take a different course altogether substituting excessiveness with complete negligence and laxity. The third defect is that excessive practice jeopardizes other rights and obligations. A sage once said in this respect: "Every extravagance is somehow bound to be associated with a lost right." Source: |
