To hate or love someone; one must know that person in the first place...

Some of the sayings of Muhammad PBUH


"The proof of a Muslim's sincerity is, that he pays no heed to that, which is not his business." (Abu Hureira: Tirmidhi)

"You will not enter paradise until you have faith; and you will not complete your faith till you love one another." (Muslim)

"Whoever loves to meet Allah, Allah loves to meet him." (Bukhari)

"The most excellent Jihad is that for the conquest of self." (Bukhari)

"If you put your whole trust in Allah, as you ought, He most certainly will satisfy your needs, as He satisfies those of the birds. They come out hungry in the morning, but return full to their nests." (Tirmidhi)

"When Allah created his creatures He wrote above His throne: 'Verily, my Compassion overcomes my wrath." (Bukhari & Muslim)

"Allah will not give mercy to anyone, except those who give mercy to other creatures." (Abdullah b. Amr: Abu Daud & Tirmidhi)

"'Son, if you are able, keep your heart from morning till night and from night till morning free from malice towards anyone.' Then the Prophet said: 'O my son! This is one of my laws, and he, who loves my laws verily loves me.' " (Bukhari)

"Say what is true, although it may be bitter and displeasing to people." (Baihaqi)

"Kindness is a mark of faith, and whoever is not kind has no faith." (Muslim)

"When you see a person who has been given more than you in money and beauty, look to those, who have been given less." (Muslim)

"If you do not feel ashamed of anything, then you can do whatever you like." (Abu-Masud: Bukhari)

"It is better to sit alone than in company with the bad; and it is better still to sit with the good than alone. It is better to speak to a seeker of knowledge than to remain silent; but silence is better than idle words." (Bukhari)

"Verily, a man teaching his child manners is better than giving one bushel of grain in alms." (Muslim)

"It is difficult for a man laden with riches to climb the steep path, that leads to bliss." (Muslim)

"Who is the most favoured of Allah? He, from whom the greatest good comes to His creatures." (Bukhari)

"Allah does not look at your appearance or your possessions; but He looks at your heart and your deeds." (Abu Huraira: Muslim)

"Keep yourselves far from envy; because it eats up and takes away good actions, like a fire eats up and burns wood." (Abu Daud)

"Much silence and a good disposition, there are no two things better than these." (Bukhari)

Comments: Father Bill Haymaker

Look, I know my crystal ball is no more accurate than yours. But it's becoming almost certain that a great needless tragedy is about to befall our world.

Please understand, I'm no Bible thumping, come up to the altar and repent now doomsday predictor. But I do believe I have some qualified experiential understanding of the human emotions of hurt and rage, and the reactions of people when they become so incensed by their anger that they become obsessed in seeking to avenge the wrongs that have been perpetrated against them. Phew ... long sentence!

I have already been so deeply saddened over the events surrounding the publications of the tasteless and offensive cartoons in the Danish newspaper. The Danish are such a lovely people and I feel so deeply for them that they are now victims of a backlash because of an individual's inappropriate and hurtful actions.

Less than a week later, film is being broadcast around the world showing the British military apprehending barefoot, rock-throwing Iraqi youths and beating them repeatedly. I cannot describe my disgust and shame over these images, and my concerns for our troops who serve there, who have always considered themselves as peacekeepers and ambassadors for democracy and cultural understanding.

Despite full knowledge of the rage and hurt it caused, other publications, namely the French satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo, chose to again reprint the offensive cartoons.

There's no good reason for any press to re-publish material proven to incite violent demonstrations and lead to endangering the lives of others, redeployment of troops and closure of embassies. It seems to me to be a wholly gratuitous exercise, not an exercise in democratic freedoms.

Now, the Iranian Embassy in Frankfurt is demanding that the German paper Der Tagesspiegel issue an apology for their denigrating and offensive depiction of the Iranian World Cup team as terrorist bombers. Of course, the German paper is refusing to apologise, invoking their rights of free press.

And here we are this morning, just days after this litany of poor taste and abuse, we now see the most repugnant, vile images from Abu Ghraib prison, showing further abuse of prisoners, including one who is clearly mentally ill. And this isn't a happenstance occurrence. The person doing the filming has had plenty of time to take multiple shots from different angles, including a broad-shot from a higher point in the prison, perhaps a second floor. This is just outrageous! I remember the filming of the beating of Rodney King in America. This filming was only made by luck. Just imagine how many other events may have occurred that were never discovered. And after the filming of British troops and the new film from Abu Ghraib, my thoughts are along similar lines: how many instances of abuse have never been captured on film?

The press is reporting that the White House is taking steps to prevent the publication of the images. It's too late, and there's no doubt that wherever people have been aggrieved, their rage from other events is only being compounded. And each time we see more of this, innocent people get caught up in the expressions of rage.

When people are so hurt and aggrieved, sometimes, unfortunately, even apologising isn't enough to heal. Dialogue and constructive ideas may sometimes help, but that often doesn't heal the pain. And in these instances, people who want to correct the wrongs often look to their leaders for guidance. And it's that leadership that can guide and nurture others into modelling the leader's behaviour and persona. At least it's a start.

Sadly though, we may already have a glimpse of one leader's understanding of the benefits of contrition or apologies, when all the public hears after that individual shoots a friend of his:

No Comment.

Almighty and merciful Father, we have erred. We have left undone those things which we ought to have done. Have mercy upon us. Lead us to build a peaceful world. Guide and protect our leaders. Help us to find ways to give our children a world that lives in peace, rather than a world that lives in division. Amen

Source: http://knowtheprophet.com/letter/father.htm

Though every way I try
His whim to satisfy,
His every answering word
Is a pointed sword.

See how the blood drips
From His finger-tips;
Why does He find it good
To wash in my blood?
~Rumi

Bullah The Great

I know not who I am

I am neither a believer going to the mosque
Nor given to non-believing ways
Neither clean, nor unclean
Neither Moses not Pharoah
I know not who I am

I am neither among sinners nor among saints
Neither happy, nor unhappy
I belong neither to water not to earth
I am neither fire, not air
I know not who I am

Neither do I know the secret of religion
Nor am I born of Adam and Eve
I have given myself no name
I belong neither to those who squat and pray
Nor to those who have gone astray
I know not who I am

I was in the beginning, I'd be there in the end
I know not any one other than the One
Who could be wiser than Bulleh Shah
Whose Master is ever there to tend?
I know not who I am.

Mahatma Gandhi, speaking on the character of Muhammad, (Peace Be Upon Him) says in (Young India):

"I wanted to know the best of one who holds today's undisputed sway over the hearts of millions of mankind....I became more than convinced that it was not the sword that won a place for Islam in those days in the scheme of life. It was the rigid simplicity, the utter self-effacement of the Prophet, the scrupulous regard for his pledges, his intense devotion to his friends and followers, his intrepidity, his fearlessness, his absolute trust in God and in his own mission. These and not the sword carried everything before them and surmounted every obstacle. When I closed the 2nd volume (of the Prophet's biography), I was sorry there was not more for me to read of the great life."

Al-Gurabaa` (The Strangers)
(Prisoners of IKHWANUL MUSLIMEEN)

Ghurabaa`, ghurabaa`, ghurabaaa` ghurabaa`

Ghurabaa`, ghurabaa`, ghurabaaa` ghurabaa`


Ghurabaa` do not bow the foreheads to anyone besides Allah

Ghurabaa` have chosen this to be the motto of life

Ghurabaa` do not bow the foreheads to anyone besides Allah

Ghurabaa` have chosen this to be the motto of life

If you ask about us, then we do not care about the tyrants

We are the regular soldiers of Allah, our path is a reserved path

If you ask about us, then we do not care about the tyrants

We are the regular soldiers of Allah, our path is a reserved path

Ghurabaa`, ghurabaa`, ghurabaaa` ghurabaa`

Ghurabaa`, ghurabaa`, ghurabaaa` ghurabaa`

We never care about the chains, rather we'll continue forever

We never care about the chains, rather we'll continue forever

So let us make jihad, and battle, and fight from the start

Ghurabaa`, this is how they are free in the enslaved world

So let us make jihad, and battle, and fight from the start

Ghurabaa`, this is how they are free in the enslaved world

Ghurabaa`, ghurabaa`, ghurabaaa` ghurabaa`

Ghurabaa`, ghurabaa`, ghurabaaa` ghurabaa`

How many times we remembered a time when we were happy

In the book of Allah, we recite in the morning and the evening

How many times we remembered a time when we were happy

In the book of Allah, we recite in the morning and the evening

Ghurabaa`, ghurabaa`, ghurabaaa` ghurabaa`

Ghurabaa`, ghurabaa`, ghurabaaa` ghurabaa`

Ghurabaa` do not bow the foreheads to anyone besides Allah

Ghurabaa` have chosen this to be the motto of life

Ghurabaa` do not bow the foreheads to anyone besides Allah

Ghurabaa` have chosen this to be the motto of life

If you ask about us, then we do not care about the tyrants

We are the regular soldiers of Allah, our path is a reserved path

If you ask about us, then we do not care about the tyrants

We are the regular soldiers of Allah, our path is a reserved path

Ghurabaa`, ghurabaa`, ghurabaaa` ghurabaa`

Ghurabaa`, ghurabaa`, ghurabaaa` ghurabaa`