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LETTER
from Br. Solano, Texas:
In the
USA
there are no concubines. Rich people simply hire illegal aliens
to take care of their children and cook for them.
They call them "nannies".... These woman lead lonely lives and at times
except for a few rapes from the "master" go without a sexual life until they
are deported or dismissed because the children are grownup.
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ROLE OF MUSLIMS IN AMERICA: WITNESSES TO THE TRUTH,
NOT SUPPORTERS OF ANY PARTY OR GROUP
RELEVANCE OF PROPHET's EXPERIENCE IN CAVE OF HIRA
On November 11, 2003
Dr. Kaukab Siddique
was the keynote speaker at the Johns Hopkins [Graduate] Hospital in
Baltimore, Maryland at a
Ramadan
iftar gathering organized by Muslim students. The gathering was unusual in
that along with about 80 Muslim men and women [mostly graduate students]
there were about 70 non-Muslims, mostly "White." Dr. Siddique led the
Maghrib prayers and made the following points in his address:
Text: "....The messenger of Allah ...used to go into seclusion in the cave
of Hira where he used to Worship (in contemplation) for many days before
his desire to see his family took him back. He used to take with him the
journey food for the stay and then come back to Khadija to take his food
likewise till SUDDENLY THE TRUTH DESCENDED ON HIM WHILE HE WAS IN THE CAVE
OF HIRA...."
[Sahih Bukhari]
-
The Prophet's (pbuh) experience in the cave distinguishes Islam from
spirituality and mysticism. For the Sufi, the descent of Allah's light on
the heart of the human [known as ma'arifa] is the ultimate in spirituality.
For Islam, the descent of truth is just the beginning. The messenger receives
the ultimate truth and then LEAVES THE CAVE TO TRY AND CHANGE THE WORLD HE
LIVES IN.
-
Muslims in America must understand the people among whom they live and be
witnesses to the truth without taking sides with any of the misled forces
at work here.
-
America has serious problems which only Islam can solve. Among them:
-
Drugs and crime interlinked, hooked to the burgeoning prison industry.
-
Racism which persists in spite of laws against discrimination.
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The breakdown of the family.
-
The debate between pro-"choice" and pro-"life" groups.
-
The fragmentation of the truth between Republicans and Democrats.
-
The exploitation of women under cover of "freedom."
Muslims should not go in for tactical gains by supporting any party.
Thinking strategically, the
Qur'an
has made it their role to be supporters of whatever is right anywhere.
[The program concluded with brief presentations by six Muslim graduate
students, 4 women, two men, who described what fasting meant to them
personally.]
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2003-11-27 Thu 13:33ct