Mengapa Begitu Banyak Wanita Karir di Inggris Masuk Islam?

Fenomena semakin banyaknya kaum wanita di Inggris terutama para wanita karir disana yang menjadi mualaf membuat media Inggris terlihat “heboh” untuk menganalisa lebih jauh. Seperti yang ditulis di dailymail.co.uk mengenai begitu banyak wanita karir di Inggris yang masuk islam, menurut Kevin Brice dari Swansea University yang merupakan spesialisasi dalam mempelajari fenomena wanita berkulit putih berbondong bondong memeluk Islam, dia menyebutkan bahwa wanita-wanita ini adalah bagian dari “trend” yang menarik perhatian.

Belum hilang dari ingatan beberapa waktu yang lalu public dikejutkan oleh penampilan dari Lauren Booth, yang merupakan kakak tiri Cherie Blair istri dari mantan Perdana Menteri Tony Blair, di acara bertajuk Damai dan Persatuan yang diselenggarakan Islam Channel di Inggris pada 25 Oktober 2010 lalu. Lauren Booth yang muncul di atas panggung sebagai tamu dengan baju panjang dan selendang/khimar, setelah berbicara mengenai pengalamannya di Iran dan Palestina lalu dengan percaya diri berkata “Nama saya Lauren Booth dan saya seorang muslim.. “

Seperti dalam tulisannya, Kevin Brice menjelaskan : "Mereka (wanita karir di Inggris yang mualaf – red) mencari spiritualitas, dalam pengertian yang lebih tinggi, dan cenderung memiliki pemikiran yang mendalam. Jenis lain dari wanita yang membelakangi Islam (wanita yang terlahir dari orang tua muslim tapi menyukai budaya barat dan kebebasan dalam artian barat-red) adalah apa yang dia sebut "melakukan pertukaran kenyamanan". Mereka menganggap sebagai perangkap agama untuk menyenangkan suami mereka yang Muslim dan keluarganya, tapi tidak akan selalu menghadiri masjid, berdoa dan berpuasa." 

Dengan survei YouGov baru-baru ini menyimpulkan bahwa lebih dari setengah masyarakat Inggris percaya Islam menjadi pengaruh negatif yang mendorong ekstremisme, penindasan perempuan dan ketidaksetaraan, orang mungkin bertanya mengapa salah satu dari mereka akan memilih arah seperti itu untuk diri mereka sendiri. 

Namun statistik menunjukkan orang-orang yang masuk Islam tidaklah rata seperti panci, tetapi menunjukan perkembangan yang signifikan. Islam dari semua agama adalah yang paling cepat berkembangannya di dunia, dan cerita dari masyarakat barat yang berkulit putih yang masuk Islam merupakan bagian penting dari perkembangan itu. 

“Bukti menunjukkan bahwa rasio perempuan Barat memeluk agama Islam dibandingkan kaum laki-laki bisa setinggi 2:1, "kata Kevin Brice. 

Terlebih lagi, wanita-wanita karir yang memeluk Islam ini berani untuk menunjukan tanda dari keyakinan mereka, seperti menggunakan jilbab, yang mana banyak wanita yang terlahir muslim memilih untuk tidak menggunakannya.

Ini beberapa kisah mereka seperti yang tertulis di dailymail.co.uk :

Mantan DJ bernama Lynne Ali bercerita, setelah masuk Islam dia bahagia untuk shalat lima kali sehari. Lynne Ali ingat malam yang tidak terlupakan olehnya. "Aku pergi ke pesta ulang tahun ke-21 teman lama di sebuah bar," ia mengungkapkan. "Aku masuk, mengenakan jilbab dan berpakaian sederhana, dan melihat bagaimana semua orang memakai pakaian yang terbuka. Mereka mabuk, berkata-kata kotor, dan menari provokatif.

'Untuk pertama kalinya, aku bisa melihat kehidupan saya sebelumnya dari kacamata orang lain, dan saya tahu saya tidak ingin kembali untuk itu. "Saya sangat bersyukur” menemukan jalan keluar. Ini adalah saya yang sesungguhnya - Saya senang untuk shalat lima kali sehari dan mengambil kelas di masjid. Saya tidak lagi menjadi budak masyarakat yang rusak dan itu adalah sebuah harapan." 

Wanita seperti Kristiane Backer 43, seorang mantan presenter MTV yang tinggal di London, dulunya menganut gaya kehidupan Barat yang liberal, dia mengatakan “Menjadi seorang Muslim membuat hidupnya lebih murni”. Sempat menulis sebuah buku tentang perjalanan spiritualnya yang berjudul “From MTV to Mekkah”, dia percaya bahwa generasi baru modern, Muslim independen bisa bergabung untuk menunjukkan kepada dunia bahwa Islam bukanlah keyakinan yang tumbuh sejak dilahirkan, dan bukan yang memberikan cap pada hak-hak wanita. 

Dia berkata: "Aku tahu wanita yang terlahir Muslim menjadi kecewa dan memberontak terhadap itu. Ketika kau menggali lebih dalam, bukanlah agama yang mereka lawan tetapi budaya. Aturan seperti menikah dengan orang yang memiliki budaya yang sama dan pendidikan yang menjadi kurang penting untuk anak perempuan, karena mereka harus menikah - dimana itu dikatakan di dalam Al Quran? Itu tidak ada.

"Banyak pemuda Muslim telah meninggalkan versi "api dan belerang" yang mereka jalani sejak lahir, dan telah menemukan kembali pendekatan spiritual dan intelektual yang lebih, yang bebas dari dogma budaya dari generasi tua. Begitulah cara saya berniat untuk menghabiskan hidup saya, menunjukkan kepada dunia keindahan Islam yang benar." 

(terjemahan singkat dari http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-1324039/Like-Lauren-Booth-ARE-modern-British-career-women-converting-Islam.html - dengan beberapa perubahan kalimat yang disesuaikan)

Larangan “Berpakaian Mini” di daerah pantai Italia, kapan ya pantai di Indonesia??

Menjadi sesuatu yang menarik apabila kita mendengar sebuah kawasan di wilayah Eropa melarang para penduduknya terutama kaum hawa untuk tidak berpakaian mini. Hal ini terjadi di Italia tepatnya di kawasan kota pantai Italia. Walaupun masih merupakan sebuah wacana toh menjadi berita yang menghebohkan mengingat Italia adalah salah satu negara di Eropa yang menganut kebebasan berekspresi bagi semua masyarakatnya. 
Larangan tersebut bertujuan untuk meningkatkan standar kesopanan publik bagi warga Italia dikawasan tersebut seperti diungkapan oleh walikota setempat yang dikutip oleh bbc.co.uk, Senin 25 Oktober 2010.
Kota tersebut bernama Castellammare di Stabia yang diusahakan untuk menjadi lokasi baru di Italia untuk membuat kekuatan baru dalam menindak apa yang dianggap perilaku anti-sosial. 

Walikota Luigi Bobbio mengatakan peraturan ini akan membantu "memulihkan kesopanan daerah perkotaan dan memfasilitasi dengan baik kehidupan warga sipil”. 

Pelanggar terhadap peraturan ini akan dikenakan denda antara £ 22 dan £ 440 (300rb – 800rb) 

'Keputusan Yang Benar' 

"Tidak terlalu mengungkapkan" adalah kebijakan baru Walikota Bobbio yang ingin ditegakan, seperti yang dikatakan wartawan BBC Duncan Kennedy di Roma. 

Itu berarti kode etik baru dalam berbusana yang efektif dalam pelarangan segala sesuatu dari rok mini ke celana jeans berpotongan rendah ketika orang berjalan-jalan di Castellammare Stabia, tambah wartawan bbc. 

Bobbio, dari rakyat tengah-kanan partai Kebebasan, mengatakan ia ingin menargetkan orang-orang yang "urakan, nakal atau hanya berperilaku buruk". 

Juga akan ada larangan berjemur dipantai, bermain sepak bola di tempat umum, dan hujatan dengan menggunaan kata-kata kotor, jika proposal disetujui pada pertemuan dewan pada hari Senin. 

"Saya pikir itu keputusan yang tepat," kata pendeta setempat, Don Paulo Cecere di koran Napoli. "Ini juga merupakan cara untuk memerangi meningkatnya pelecehan seksual." 

Castellammare di Stabia adalah kota terbaru untuk memanfaatkan kekuatan ekstra yang diprakarsai oleh pemerintah Perdana Menteri Silvio Berlusconi kepada walikota, dalam upaya untuk memerangi kejahatan dan menghadapi perilaku anti sosial. 
Di tempat lain di pantai mereka telah melarang membuat istana pasir, berciuman di mobil, member makan kucing liar, menggergaji kayu dan penggunaan mesin pemotong rumput di akhir pekan. 

terjemahan dari http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-11617091 dan sedikit penambahan kalimat pada bagian2 tertentu

The true nature of Isa (Jesus) peace be upon him!

The Islamic view of Prophet Isa (Jesus), peace to him, lies between two extremes.   

The Jews, who rejected Jesus, called him an impostor. The Christians consider him to be the son of God and worship him as such, but Islam considers Jesus as one of the great Prophets of God and respects him as much as prophets Ibrahim (Abraham), Musa (Moses) and Muhammad, peace be on all of them.   

This is in conformity with the Islamic point of view of the oneness of God, the oneness of divine guidance, and the complimentary role of the subsequent messages of God's messengers. And now let's look at the facts, successively, which concern Jesus, in order to get clear a conception of him. 
  
God is Omniscient, and Jesus was not  

Talking about the Day of Resurrection, Jesus was clear about limits of his knowledge saying:   

"No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father". 

(Mark 13:32)   

As regards to God, He knows everything, and His knowledge is not limited by anything, as of Jesus, judging by his own words he did not know when the Day of Judgment will come, and this is a clear proof that Jesus was not omniscient, therefore he was not God. 
  
God is Omnipotent, and Jesus was not  

Making a lot of miracles, Jesus in his own words said that he makes them not by his own powers, but due to those abilities which were granted to him by God. Jesus said:   

"I tell you the truth, the Son can do nothing by himself; he can do only what he sees his Father doing". 

(John 5:19)  

In addition, he said:   

"By myself I can do nothing; I judge only as I hear, and my judgment is just, for I seek not to please myself but Him who sent me". 

(John 5:30) 
  
God does not have a God, but Jesus had a God  

God himself is the last Judge and the last resort for everyone, and He does not invoke anyone, and does not pray to anyone. As of Jesus, he admitted that there is someone whom he worships and whom he prays to, by saying:   

"...I am returning to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God". 

(John 20:17)   

It is reported that while he was on the cross he called:   

"...My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?" 

(Matthew 27:46)   

If Jesus were God himself, then we could read it in the following way: "My own self, my own self! Why have you forsaken me?" but wouldn't it be a total nonsense? Was Jesus praying to his own self when he was praying his God? And when he was praying in the garden of Gethsemane, saying the words:   

"My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as You will". 

(Matthew 26:39) 

Was he praying to himself? Thus in concordance with his own confessions and deeds, Jesus worshiped and prayed to another being, which is God, and this is a clear proof that Jesus was not God. 
  
Will different from his own will  

Perhaps, the clearest indication that Jesus was not equal to God, consequently, they were not identical to each other, comes from Jesus himself when he said:   

"...for the Father is greater than I". 

(John 14:28)   

And when someone called Jesus a good teacher, he said:   

"Why do you call me good? No one is good-except God alone". 

(Luke 18:19) 

Moreover, Jesus made a clear distinction between himself and God, by saying:   

"...I have not come on my own; but He sent me". 

(John 8:42)   

Jesus clearly states that he is subordinate to God, and not equal to Him, saying:   

"...yet not my will, but Yours be done". 

(Luke 22:42)   

and also:   

"...I seek not my own will but the will of Him who sent me". 

(John 5:30)   

Confession by Jesus that he came to this world not by his own initiative but was ordered to do so, his confession that there is a Being that is greater than him, and a denial of his own will as a sign of respect to the will of someone else can be a clear proof that Jesus was not the Most High and was not God.

It is said in the Bible that God is an invisible spirit... 
  
As of Jesus, he had flesh and blood  

Christians believe that God created men in his own image, but what exactly is He like: white, black or something else, male or female? It is said in the Bible:   

"Then God said, "Let us make man in Our image, in Our likeness...", 

nevertheless it says in other part:   

"To whom, then, will you compare God? What image will you compare Him to?" 

  

Also: 

  

"To whom will you compare Me? Or who is My equal?" says the Holy One".

It is also said in the Bible: 

  

"For who in the skies above can compare with the LORD? Who is like the LORD among the heavenly beings?" 

  

And now we want to ask, how can Jesus be God? And how can one say that Jesus was born from a mortal woman, if nothing like Him exists and nothing can embrace Him?

Thousands of people saw Jesus and heard his voice, and Jesus in his own words said:

"No one has ever seen God..." 

(John 1:18)

He also said:

"You have never heard Hs voice nor seen Hs form". 

(John 5:37)

Thus, Jesus in his own words said that no one ever saw and heard God, then how does it come that Jesus were God, if his followers heard and saw him? And this is a clear proof that Jesus was not God.

During his lifetime Jesus never declared that he was the Almighty God, who should be worshiped. Besides, he clearly called his people to worship One God who is in the Heavens. So why don't we submit ourselves to this One and the only God, like Jesus (peace be upon him) did, and to what can undoubtedly convince us that Jesus was a man and a prophet?   

The conclusion    

The church accepts that the Bible is the main source of knowledge about God and Jesus, but if the Bible itself clearly states that Jesus is not the Almighty, and the Almighty is not Jesus, so on what grounds should we believe in something else?

We should clearly understand that all the prophets and the messengers of God from Adam until Muhammad, peace be upon all of them, preached monotheism. Therefore, their religion was Islam which is a total submission to the will and orders of God (Allah) only. All of them stated that there is only one God, and that He is not the triune. There is nothing like Him, and only He is perfect. And it is said in the following verses of Quran, which should be memorized:

"Say: He, Allah, is One. Allah is He on Whom all depend. He begets not, nor is He begotten. And none is like Him". 

(The Holy Quran, Surah 112. "The Unity", verses 1-4)

What Quran says about Jesus   

Messenger of God   

Jesus is only the messenger of God, whose birth was a special miracle in itself. Allah in the Holy Quran says the following:   

"And when the angels said: O Mary! surely Allah has chosen you and purified you and chosen you above the women of the world. O Mary! keep to obedience to your Lord and humble yourself, and bow down with those who bow. This is of the announcements relating to the unseen which We reveal to you; and you were not with them when they cast their pens (to decide) which of them should have Mary in his charge, and you were not with them when they contended one with another. When the angels said: O Mary, surely Allah gives you good news with a Word from Him (of one) whose name is the '. Messiah, Jesus son of Mary, worthy of regard in this world and the hereafter and of those who are made near (to Allah). And he shall speak to the people when in the cradle and when of old age, and (he shall be) one of the good ones. She said: My Lord! when shall there be a son (born) to I me, and man has not touched me? He said: Even so, Allah creates what He pleases; when He has decreed a matter, He only says to it, Be, and it is. And He will teach him the Book and the wisdom and the Torah and the Gospel. And (make him) an apostle to the children of Israel: That I have come to you with a sign from your Lord, that I determine for you out of dust like the form of a bird, then I breathe into it and it becomes a bird with Allah's permission and I heal the blind and the leprous, and bring the dead to life with Allah's permission and I inform you of what you should eat and what you should store in your houses; most surely there is a sign in this for you, if you are believers. And a verifier of that which is before me of the Torah and that I may allow you part of that which has been forbidden t you, and I have come to you with a sign from your Lord therefore be careful of (your duty to) Allah and obey me. Surely Allah is my Lord and your Lord, therefore serve Him; this is the right path. 

(The Holy Quran, Surah 3. "The Family Of Imran", verses 42-51) 

Jesus was no one but a Prophet   

Mary, the mother of Jesus has never claimed that she is the mother of God. She was a godly and a pious woman, and it says in the Holy Quran:   

"The Messiah, son of Mary is but an apostle; apostles before him have indeed passed away; and his mother was a truthful woman; they both used to eat food. See how We make the communications clear to them, then behold, how they are turned away".
(The Holy Quran, Surah 5. "The Table Spread", verse 75)   

Jesus was created as Adam was   

In the Holy Quran the Almighty says:   

"Surely the likeness of Jesus is with Allah as the likeness of Adam; He created him from dust, then said to him, Be, and he was". 

(The Holy Quran, Surah 3. "The Family Of Imran", verse 59)   

Jesus is not the son of God    

There is nothing new that people proclaim another men as being gods or sons of God, and many ancient myths contain such legends. In the Holy Quran the Almighty Allah says:   

And the Jews say: Ezra is the son of Allah; and the Christians say: The Messiah is the son of Allah; these are the words of their mouths; they imitate the saying of those who disbelieved before; may Allah destroy them; how they are turned away! 

(The Holy Quran, Surah 9. "The Repentance", verse 30) 

It is also said in the Holy Quran:   

"Say: He, Allah, is One. Allah is He on Whom all depend. He begets not, nor is He begotten. And none is like Him". 

(The Holy Quran, Surah 112. "The Unity", verses 1-4)   

Jesus is not God 

On the Day of Resurrection Jesus, peace to him, will reject that he knew that people were worshiping him as God. In the Holy Quran the Almighty Allah says:   

"And when Allah will say: O Jesus son of Mary! did you say to men, Take me and my mother for two gods besides Allah he will say: Glory be to Thee, it did not befit me that I should say what I had no right to (say); if I had said it, Thou wouldst indeed have known it; Thou knowest what is in my mind, and I do not know what is in Thy mind, surely Thou art the great Knower of the unseen things. 

(The Holy Quran, Surah 5. "The Table Spread", verse 116)  

Jesus was not crucified   

The end of Jesus' earthly life is surrounded by mystery same as the beginning. How can one consider that he was crucified when many Christian books speak about uncertainty of his death? And in the Holy Quran the Almighty Allah says:   

"And their saying: Surely we have killed the Messiah, Jesus son of Mary, the apostle of Allah; and they did not kill him nor did they crucify him, but it appeared to them so (like Jesus) and most surely those who differ therein are only in a doubt about it; they have no knowledge respecting it, but only follow a conjecture, and they killed him not for sure. Nay! Allah took him up to Himself; and Allah is Mighty, Wise". 

(The Holy Quran, Surah 4. "The Women", verses 157-158) 
  
Source: Badr Center

Kavkaz Center

http://www.kavkazcenter.com/eng/content/2010/03/19/11681.shtml

Righteous wife is the foundation of righteous family

My life has been arranged so, that I did not disdain anything sinful and committed disgusting acts instigated by the Devil all the time. As regards to prayer, I did not pray except for some rare occasions; when I was among praying people. 

My seven years old son Marvan who was deaf mute had absorbed the faith in Allah through the milk of his righteous mother. Once in the evening at the sunset, me and Marvan were home alone when I was laying and going through my mind planning the next day. I was thinking how to spend it with our friends and where to go when Marvan, who was standing in front of me, had interrupted my thoughts as if he wanted to say something. I got up to listen to him and he asked me with gesticulation: "Daddy, why aren't you praying?" 

Then he lifted his hand to the sky and pointed that Allah is watching me. He had witnessed my disgusting actions quite often. I was surprised how he had addressed it to me. Then suddenly he started crying. Feeling sorry for him, I wanted to hug and calm him down, but he tore loose from me and got locked in the bathroom. That had worried me a little, but soon he came out with ablution. Most likely he had learned that from his mother, who never stopped admonishing me; however, her efforts were vain. She also knew the Holy Qur'an by heart, and tried to inoculate faith in God to her siblings.   

Marvan came to me asking to wait a little, and stood up for prayer. After the prayer he took the Holy Qur'an and opened the Surah Mary without going through pages. He pointed me the verse:   

"O my father! surely I fear that a punishment from the Beneficent Allah should afflict you so that you should be a friend of the Satan". 

(The Holy Quran, Surah 19. "Mary", verse 45)   

Then he cried so badly that I also cried with him. We could not come down for a long time, and then he got up, wiped off my tears, kissed my head and hand and with familiar gestures said: "Oh, father! Start praying while you are alive, before the punishment has befallen you".   

There was such a persevering request in his eyes as if it would solve his destiny. I swear the Allah, I went through such a fear that I begun to rush about the house and kept turning lights on. My son had followed me from room to room and kept looking at me with amazement. Then he snubbed me, and said with gestures: "Leave the light. Let's go to the big mosque",-meaning the Prophet's (pbuh) mosque. I said: "All right, let's go to the mosque near our house." But he kept insisting on visiting the Prophet's (pbuh) mosque, and we went there. I had experienced the strongest fear and trembling. Then we entered the "Ravza"; the place between the minbar and the room where the Prophet (pbuh) was buried. It was over flown with people. There I had prayed the night prayer with everybody. During the prayer imam had recited the words of Allah:   

"O you who believe! do not follow the footsteps of the Satan, and whoever follows the footsteps of the Satan, then surely he bids the doing of indecency and evil; and were it not for Allah's grace upon you and His mercy, not one of you would have ever been pure, but Allah purifies whom He pleases; and Allah is Hearing, Knowing". 

(The Holy Quran, Surah 24. "The Light", verse 21)   

I had inexpressible feelings that I couldn't help crying. Marvan was standing near me and also was crying; more likely with sorrow for me. At one point he pulled out a handkerchief from his pocket, and wiped off my tears. After the prayer I kept crying, and he was wiping off my tears. I had sat like that in the mosque for about an hour, and then Marvan had worried about my condition and said: "It is enough father, don't be afraid. Let's go home".   

That was the best night; I could say that I was reborn. My wife and children met us home and when they saw my condition all of them got upset and started crying. But nobody knew what was wrong. Then Marvan explained them: "Dad had prayed in the Prophet's (pbuh) mosque".   

My wife was happy to hear that. Undoubtedly, it was result of her education. I told her what happened between me and Marvan. I asked her if he acted upon her request. She swore three times that she didn't say anything to Marvan. Then she said: "Praise be to Allah, Who has guided you to the right path".   

This was the best night.   

As for now, praise be to Allah, I don't miss any prayer and pray in the mosque. I have left all my bad friends. I have felt the taste of faith, which I didn't have before; and was reflected on my face. My life makes sense now. There is love and mutual understanding with my wife, children and particularly with my death- and- dumb son, Marvan whom I love the most. How I cannot love him when due to him Allah have guided me to the right path. 

  
Source: IslamHous

http://www.kavkazcenter.com/eng/content/2010/03/14/11689.shtml

Amnesty International: ''Defensive jihad of Muslims against the infidels is a legitimate means of struggle''

A conference in Saudi Arabia this week ended with the condemnation of the so-called "terrorism" and appeals to Muslims to reject "extremism", but it also recommended that all Muslim governments apply the Sharia (Islamic law) in all aspects of life. 

Sources say that hundreds of scientists and experts gathered at the Islamic University of Medina for a conference. A long list of recommendations included "an implicit call for terrorism to be defined in a way that excludes resistance against foreign occupation". 

Curiously, the international human rights organization Amnesty International officially agreed with it. 

More than 80 research papers were examined in 12 sessions over four days, after which a 2,500-word document of recommendations for Muslims was compiled and released. 

Among these, Muslim parents were encouraged "to foster moderation in their children and to shield them from Web sites belonging to deviant and extremist groups". 

 "Extremist groups that identify with Islam were advised to think seriously and carefully about the ramifications of their actions and the negative impact they have on Islam and Muslims", said the delegates. 

The document also said Muslims should learn their religion from "trustworthy scholars known for being moderate" and reject "unreliable teachings relating to jihad and takfir (apostasy)". 

 However, the very notion of "extremist groups" remains a matter of controversy. Who are to be considered "extremists and terrorists"? 

Further the recommendations went on to urge all Muslim governments to "apply Islamic law in all aspects of life". 

 The Medina document said conference participants condemned "all acts of terrorism regardless of the place or the perpetrators". 

 Scientists called "Israel" "a state of terrorism", and urged Islamic media to continue "coverage and exposure of Israeli occupation crimes against defenseless Palestinian civilians, in particular the Israeli Holocaust in Gaza". 

  Like most declarations of Islamic scholars on terrorism, the final document of conference stated that one should distinguish between the concepts of "terrorism" and "actions taken against foreign occupation" recommended the adoption of a definition of terrorism as articulated by the Arab Council of Interior Ministers and Arab Council of Justice Ministers. 

  According to the press, at the most recent meeting of the Arab Council of Interior Ministers, in Tunis on March 17, the body - as it has done in years past - again "emphasized the need to differentiate between terrorism and the legitimate struggle of people against occupation". 

  However, apparently, the participants of conference tend to believe that the struggle of the Palestinians is a defensive jihad, and the struggle of other Islamic nations does not fall in this category. That is rather strange - this is a sign of hypocrisy. 

  Interestingly, the Amnesty International Secretary-General Claudio Cordone said that "defensive jihad of Muslims against the infidels is a legitimate means of struggle and it does not violate human rights", western media outlets reported. 

Department of Monitoring, 
Kavkaz Center

http://www.kavkazcenter.com/eng/content/2010/04/07/11802.shtml

Isy Kariman aw Mut Syahidan

Isy Kariman aw Mut Syahidan. Hidup Mulia Atau Mati Syahid. Slogan ini oleh aktivis Islam Liberal dianggap sebagai Slogan Pembangkit Militansi, ‘Teologi Maut’ yang negatif dan menghancurkan dan tidak sesuai dengan Islam. Jawa Pos, sebuah harian yang rajin mengekspos ide-ide sekuler dan liberal menurunkan tulisan sejak tanggal 26 September 2009 secara berseri untuk membahasnya. Tercatat ada 8 orang penulis, mulai dari Syafi’i Anwar hingga Kamaruddin Hidayat, termasuk Musdah Mulia ikut ambil bagian membuat tulisan pesanan tersebut.

Ironisnya, dalam membicarakan hidup mulia dan mati syahid tersebut tidak ada seorang pun penulisnya yang merupakan representasi seorang mujahid, atau ulama mujahid. Bahkan mengutip dari para mujahid atau ulama mujahid saja juga tidak, kecuali untuk ‘dipelintir’ maksudnya. Karena hampir seluruh penulisnya aktivis Islam liberal, maka arah dan kecenderungan tulisannya pun sudah bisa ditebak, yakni membela mati-matian ide liberalisme dan pluralisme serta menolak ide syariat Islam dan jihad. Lantas, apakah makna dari slogan Isy Kariman aw Mut Syahidan yang sebenarnya?

Isy Kariman aw mut Syahidan, Haditskah ?

Isy Kariman aw Mut Syahidan berarti Hidup Mulia atau Mati Syahid, atau bisa juga berarti hiduplah dengan mulia dan matilah secara syahid alias menjadi seorang syuhada. Isy Kariman aw Mut Syahidan bukanlah sebuah hadits, melainkan semacam moto atau slogan dalam khazanah perjuangan Islam.

Ungkapan ini pertama kali dikemukakan oleh ibunda Abdullah bin Zubair, yakni Asma Binti Abu Bakar kepada puteranya, Abdullah bin Zubair. Konteks ungkapan itu juga kontekstual dan sangat heroik, karena disampaikan oleh Ibunda Asma kepada putranya Abdullah bin Zubair agar tetap semangat berperang membela kebenaran sampai titik darah penghabisan melawan kekuasaan tiran saat itu pimpinan Yazid bin Muawiyah.

Ungkapan ini menjadi istimewa karena diucapkan oleh seorang Shahabat atau Shahabiat, yang di dalam Islam memiliki kedudukan yang istimewa. Sebagian ulama bahkan berpendapat bahwa ucapan Shahabat termasuk dalil syar’i yang bisa dijadikan rujukan untuk melakukan amal perbuatan.

Asma Binti Abu Bakar dalam Islam dikenal dengan julukan “Dzatu An Nithaqayn” yakni Wanita Dengan Dua Ikat Pinggang. Beliau mendapat julukan ini karena membawakan makanan untuk Rasulullah SAW dan Abu Bakar ketika hijrah dan memutuskan untuk membagi ikat pinggangnya menjadi dua untuk mengikat makanan dan air sehingga mereka dapat membawanya.

Sementara itu, Abdullah bin Zubair, dikenal dalam Islam sebagai seorang pemuda dan pejuang yang berani dan selalu siap berjuang untuk Islam. Dalam kehidupan sehari-hari beliau juga dikenal sangat tekun beribadah, dan sebagaimana pesan ibundanya, beliau juga mengakhiri hidupnya sebagai orang yang syahid dalam memperjuangkan Islam.

Syekh Umar Bakri Muhammad dalam bukunya “Hal Qowl as-Sahabah Hujjah fid Deen?” mendefinisikan ucapan Shahabat sebagai :

“Apa saja yang terkait dengan rantai periwayatan yang shahih dan tidak terdapat kontradiksi di dalamnya dengan dalil-dali syar’i (Al Qur’an dan Hadits), baik itu berupa perbuatan, perkataan, persetujuan (terhadap sesuatu) maupun pendapat.”


Dalam buku tersebut dijelaskan posisi Shahabat Rasulullah SAW yang begitu tinggi dan mulia dalam Islam, dikarenakan mereka adalah orang-orang yang mendapatkan pengajaran langsung tentang Islam dari Nabi Muhammad SAW. Dengan demikian, merekalah, alias para Shahabat yang paling tahu dan mengerti makna Islam dan aplikasinya dalam kehidupan sehari-hari.

Banyak dalil Al Qur’an maupun hadits yang menjelaskan posisi para Shahabat dalam Islam yang begitu tinggi dan kewajiban kaum Muslimin untuk mengikuti mereka. Beberapa ayat menjelaskan masalah tersebut, di antaranya:

“Orang-orang yang terdahulu lagi yang pertama-tama (masuk Islam) diantara orang-orang muhajirin dan anshar dan orang-orang yang mengikuti mereka dengan baik, Allah ridha kepada mereka dan merekapun ridha kepada Allah dan Allah menyediakan bagi mereka surga-surga yang mengalir sungai-sungai di dalamnya, mereka kekal di dalamnya selama-lamanya. Itulah kemenangan yang besar.” (QS. At Taubah (9) : 100)

“Sesungguhnya Allah telah ridha terhadap orang-orang mu’min ketika mereka berjanji setia kepadamu di bawah pohon , maka Allah mengetahui apa yang ada dalam hati mereka lalu menurunkan ketenangan atas mereka dan memberi balasan kepada mereka dengan kemenangan yang dekat (waktunya).” (QS. Al Fath (48) : 18)

Dalam hadits Nabi SAW., terdapat banyak kemuliaan dan perintah untuk selalu berpedoman kepada para Shahabat, di antaranya :

“Sebaik-baik ummatku adalah generasiku (Shahabat), kemudian generasi sesudahnya (tabi’in), dan kemudian yang sesudahnya (tabi’ut tabi’in).” (HR. Bukhari dan Muslim)


“Muliakanlah para Shahabatku, karena mereka adalah yang terbaik di antara kalian.” (HR. Ahmad, An Nasa’iy dan Al Hakim)


“Kalian akan senantiasa dalam kebaikan selama di antara kalian masih ada orang yang pernah melihatku dan bersahabat denganku. Demi Allah, kalian akan senantiasa dalam kebaikan selama diantara kalian ada orang yang pernah melihatku dan bersahabat denganku.” (HR. Ibnu Abi Syaybah, Ibnu Abi’ ‘Ashim, Ath Thabraniy, dan Abu Nu’aym)


“Bintang-bintang adalah penjaga langit, apabila bintang-bintang itu hilang, maka akan datang bagi penduduk langit tersebut apa yang dijanjikan. Aku adalah penjaga para Shahabatku, apabila aku meninggal maka akan datang bagi para Shahabatku apa yang dijanjikan. Dan para Shahabatku adalah para penjaga ummatku, apabila para Shahabatku meninggal, maka akan datang bagi ummatku apa yang dijanjikan.” (HR. Muslim)

Dikarenakan ucapan atau qaul Shahabat juga merupakan dalil syar’i yang bisa dijadikan hujjah (argumen) dalam agama dan hasilnya dapat dipergunakan oleh ummat Islam dalam kehidupan mereka sehari-hari, maka moto atau slogan Isy Kariman aw Mut Syahidan yang diucapkan oleh ibunda Abdullah bin Zubair patut menjadi perhatian dan kajian bagi kaum Muslimin.

 

Makna Hidup Mulia Dalam Islam


Secara fitrah, setiap manusia pasti mendambakan kehidupan mulia. Bagi setiap Muslim, setiap harinya mereka selalu berdoa kepada Allah SWT., agar diberikan kehidupan mulia di dunia, dan begitu pula di akhirat, Robbana atina fi dunya hasanah wa fil akhiroti hasanah. Hanya saja perlu diperjelas, kehidupan seperti apa yang dianggap mulia dalam pandangan syariat Islam.

Hidup mulia dalam Islam hanya bisa tercapai jika fungsi dan esensi manusia diciptakan oleh Allah SWT bisa diwujudkan dalam kehidupan sehari-hari. Fungsi dan esensi tersebut adalah menjadi abdullah (hamba Allah) dan khalifatullah (khalifah Allah) di muka bumi. Kedua tugas suci tersebut telah disampaikan secara tegas sebagaimana firman Allah SWT :

“Dan Aku tidak menciptakan jin dan manusia melainkan supaya mereka menyembah-Ku.” (QS Adz Dzaariyat (51) : 56)


“Ingatlah ketika Tuhanmu berfirman kepada para Malaikat: ‘Sesungguhnya Aku hendak menjadikan seorang khalifah di muka bumi…”. (QS Al Baqarah (2) : 30)


Dua fungsi dan esensi hidup mulia dalam pandangan Islam tersebut hanya bisa terealisir dalam kehidupan sehari-hari dalam bingkai syariat Islam yang menaungi. Bahkan kehidupan mulia di bawah naungan syariat Islam inilah yang mampu memberikan rahmat tidak hanya kepada orang Muslim, melainkan kepada seluruh alam, sebagaimana firmanNya :

“Dan tiadalah Kami mengutus kamu, melainkan untuk (menjadi) rahmat bagi semesta alam.” (QS Al Anbiyaa’ (21) : 107)


Imam Ibnu Katsir di dalam tafsirnya menjelaskan:

Allah ta’ala mengabarkan bahwa Dia telah menjadikan Muhammad SAW., sebagai rahmat bagi semesta alam. Yaitu, Dia mengutusnya sebagai rahmat bagi kalian semua. Barangsiapa yang menerima dan mensyukuri nikmat ini, niscaya dia akan berbahagia di dunia dan di akhirat. Sedangkan barangsiapa yang menolak dan menentangnya, niscara dia akan merugi dunia dan akhirat.

Maka dapat difahami bahwa hidup mulia dalam pandangan Islam hanya dapat dicapai jika Risalah Islam beserta syariat Islam diterima, diyakini dan diamalkan oleh manusia sebagai pedoman hidupnya dalam seluruh aspek kehidupan. Kehidupan mulia tidak hanya akan tercapai di dunia bahkan juga di akhirat, bahkan rahmat atau kemuliaan juga akan melingkupi seluruh alam semesta. Untuk tujuan inilah, kehidupan dan perjuangan seorang Muslim diarahkan, sehingga kalaupun dia belum berhasil mencapainya, namun dia telah mengupayakannya dan tetap yakin bahwa Allah SWT suatu saat pasti akan memberikan hal tersebut kepada hamba-hambaNya. Hal ini sebagaimana firman Allah SWT :

“Dan Allah Telah berjanji kepada orang-orang yang beriman di antara kamu dan mengerjakan amal-amal yang saleh bahwa dia sungguh- sungguh akan menjadikan mereka berkuasa dimuka bumi, sebagaimana dia Telah menjadikan orang-orang sebelum mereka berkuasa, dan sungguh dia akan meneguhkan bagi mereka agama yang telah diridhai-Nya untuk mereka, dan dia benar-benar akan menukar (keadaan) mereka, sesudah mereka dalam ketakutan menjadi aman sentausa. mereka tetap menyembahku-Ku dengan tiada mempersekutukan sesuatu apapun dengan Aku. dan barangsiapa yang (tetap) kafir sesudah (janji) itu, Maka mereka Itulah orang-orang yang fasik.” (QS An Nuur (24) : 55) 

 

Mengapa Mati Syahid Menjadi Dambaan?


Dalam Islam dan bagi kaum Muslimin telah maklum bahwa hidup di dunia tidak selamanya dan kehidupan di akhiratlah yang abadi dan harus menjadi prioritas dan diusahakan semaksimal mungkin pencapaiannya.

Tidak berguna jika hidup di dunia mulia, kaya raya, berumur panjang, namun akhirnya menemui kematian dengan buruk (su’ul khatimah). Karena yang menjadi perhitungan dan menentukan bagi kehidupan seseorang adalah bagian akhirnya, apakah berakhiran atau menemui kematian dengan buruk (su’ul khatimah) atau berakhiran dengan baik (khusnul khatimah).

Nabi SAW bersabda :

“Sesungguhnya seorang hamba benar-benar telah beramal dengan amalan ahli neraka padahal sesungguhnya ia termasuk ahli surga, dan beramal dengan amalan ahli surga padahal ia termasuk ahli nereka. Dan sesungguhnya amal-amal itu tergantung penutupannya.” (HR. Bukhari)


Syekh Abdul Baqi Ramdhun dalam bukunya “Al Jihaadu Sabiluna” mengatakan :


‘Islam mendorong kaum Muslimin untuk berjihad di jalan Allah dan menggesa mereka untuk terjun ke kancah kancah peperangan dan pertempuran dalam rangka meninggikan kalimat Allah, memberanikan mereka untuk menerjang bahaya dan kesulitan demi memperoleh ridha Allah, serta memotivasi mereka agar senang menyongsong maut dengan lapang dada, hati tegar, dan jiwa yang tenang lantaran menginginkan apa yang ada pada sisi Allah. Dan Allah telah membesarkan ganjaran dan pahala atas amal tersebut serta melimpahkan keutamaan dan anugerah di dalamnya.’


Beliau di dalam bukunya juga menjelaskan bahwa Allah SWT telah menyiapkan bagi mujahidin dan orang-orang yang mati syahid di jalanNya berbagai karomah, anugerah, ketinggian maqom, dan ketinggian kedudukan yang tidak dapat dicapai melalui ibadah-ibadah yang lain bahkan lewat shalat, zakat, puasa, haji, serta seluruh bentuk ibadah dan qurobah (pendekatan diri kepada Allah yang lain). Dengan penjelasan ini, tidak heran mengapa mati syahid menjadi kematian yang begitu tinggi kedudukan dan keistimewaannya dalam pandangan Islam dan menjadi dambaan setiap Muslim yang mengerti serta memahami permasalahan tersebut.

Syekh Usamah bin Ladin dalam video The Caravan of Syuhada mengatakan :

“Penutup para nabi dan rasul, Muhammad SAW., mengharapkan kedudukan ini. Perhatikan dan renungkan kedudukan seperti apakah yang diharapkan oleh sebaik-baiknya manusia ini. Beliau berharap menjadi seorang syahid. 


Demi jiwa Muhammad yang ada di tangan-Nya. Sungguh aku berharap bisa berperang lalu aku terbunuh, kemudian (hidup lagi) untuk berperang lalu aku terbunuh, kemudian (hidup lagi) untuk berperang lalu aku terbunuh. (Al Hadits)


Hidup yang lama dan panjang ini diringkas oleh Nabi SAW dengan petunjuk Allah SWT., dalam sabda Beliau di atas. Beliau sangat menginginkan kedudukan ini Orang yang bahagia adalah orang yang telah dipilih oleh Allah SWT sebagai seorang syahid.”

Syekh Jabir bin Abdul Qoyyum As Sa’idi Asy Syami dalam bukunya “Al Ishobah Fii Tholabisy Syahaadah” menjelaskan mengapa mati syahid atau menjadi syuhada itu begitu memiliki kedudukan yang tinggi di dalam Islam.

Diriwayatkan dari Sahal bin Hanif, ia dari bapaknya, bapaknya dari kakeknya, bahwasanya Nabi SAW., bersabda:

Barangsiapa memohon mati syahid kepada Allah dengan tulus, niscaya Allah akan menyampaikannya ke derajat para syuhada' meskipun ia mati di atas kasurnya. (HR Muslim, Tirmidzi, Nasai, dan Abu Daud)


Diriwayatkan dari Abu Is-haq, dari Al Barro', ia berkata: Seseorang dari Bani An Nabit dari kalangan anshar datang lalu berkata: Aku bersaksi bahwasanya tidak ada ilah (sesembahan yang benar) kecuali Allah dan bahwasanya engkau adalah hamba dan utusan-Nya. Kemudian ia maju dan berperang sampai terbunuh. Maka Nabi SAW., bersabda :

Orang ini beramal sedikit namun diberi pahala banyak. (HR Bukhari, Muslim, dan Ahmad)

Dengan demikian, dalam pandangan Islam sesungguhnya keberhasilan yang paling utama dan anugrah yang paling baik yang didapatkan oleh seseorang itu adalah jika Allah memilihnya untuk mati syahid.

Nabi SAW bersabda kepada seorang sahabat yang berdo'a kepada Allah dengan mengucapkan:

Ya Allah berikanlah kepadaku apa yang paling baik yang telah Engkau berikan kepada hamba-Mu yang sholih.

Rosululloh shollallohu 'alaihi wa sallam bersabda kepada orang tersebut:

Jika demikian kudamu akan tersembelih dan engkau akan mati syahid di jalan Allah.

Maka Mut Syahidan atau mati syahid atau mati sebagai seorang syuhada (orang yang berjihad di jalan Allah SWT) adalah kedudukan yang sangat besar dan tinggi yang tidak akan diraih kecuali oleh orang yang layak untuk mendapatkannya.

Dalam hadits lain disebutkan :

“Dikatakan, “Wahai Rasulullah, amal apa yang dapat menyamai (pahala) jihad fi sabilillah ? Nabi bersabda, “Kalian tidak mampu melaksanakannya.” Lalu mereka mengulang pertanyaan itu atau tiga kali, dan semua dijawab, “Kalian tidak mampu melaksanakannya.” ! Lalu Nabi bersabda, Perumpamaan mujahid fi sabilillah seperti orang yang shaum (puasa) dan shalat malam dan membaca ayat-ayat Allah dan tidak berhenti melakukan shiyam dan sholat sampai seorang mujahid fi sabilillah kembali.” (HR. Tirmidzi dari Abu Hurairah)

Diriwayatkan dari Anas bin Malik rodliyallohu 'anhu bahwasanya Nabi shallallahu 'alaihi wa sallam bersabda:

Tidak ada seseorang yang telah mati yang mendapatkan kebaikan di sisi Allah, kemudian dia ingin kembali ke dunia atau ia diberi dunia dan seisinya kecuali orang yang mati syahid. Sesungguhnya orang yang mati syahid itu berharap untuk dapat kembali ke dunia lalu ia terbunuh di dunia lantaran keutamaan mati syahid yang ia lihat. Dan di dalam riwayat lain disebutkan: lantaran kemuliaan yang ia lihat.

 

Khatimah


Jadi tidak ada yang salah dengan mati syahid. Mati syahid bukanlah sebuah kematian yang sia-sia, terhina, harus ditangisi, dilecehkan dan ditakutkan oleh seorang Muslim. Karena mati syahid, mati ketika memperjuangkan agama Allah SWT atau jihad fi sabilillah, adalah sebuah kematian yang sangat tinggi dan mulia kedudukannya di dalam Islam, yang tidak mungkin dicapai dan diraih kecuali oleh orang-orang yang memang dipilih oleh Allah SWT.

Nabi Muhammad SAW sebagai contoh dan teladan kaum Muslimin memberikan ilustrasi yang begitu indah tentang mati syahid, dimana beliau begitu menginginkannya dan berharap bisa mencapainya. Bukankah ini menjadi sebuah bukti yang tidak terbantahkan?

Adapun kehidupan mulia dalam Islam juga bukan berarti hidup mewah dan berfoya-foya serta lantas lupa kepada Sang Pencitpa, Allah SWT, sebagaimana sangkaan orang kebanyakan yang hidup pada saat ini. Hidup mulia di dunia dalam pandangan Islam adalah sebuah ketundukan total seorang manusia, baik sebagai seorang hambaNya, dan juga sebagai khalifahNya.

Kehidupan mulia di dunia hanya bisa tercapai jikalau seluruh syariat Islam diberlakukan secara kaafah (totalitas) sehingga tidak hanya orang Muslim yang akan mendapatkan rahmat, orang non Muslim juga akan mendapatkan rahmat, bahkan alam semesta. Maka sudah merupakan kewajiban bagi setiap Muslim untuk dapat meraih kehidupan mulia di dunia, yakni dengan jalan selalu mengupayakan tegaknya syariat Islam di muka bumi.

Dengan demikian, betapa indah dan bertujuan indah, serta penuh maknanya semboyan dan slogan yang telah diucapkan oleh Shahabat dan kini menjadi populer kembali, yakni Isy Kariman aw Mut Syahidan. Hidup Mulia Atau Mati Syahid. Keduanya adalah kebaikan yang sangat didambakan oleh setiap Muslim. Semoga kita bisa meraih salah satu dari keduanya, Insya Allah…!

By: M. Fachry
Arrahmah.Com International Jihad Analys


Ar Rahmah Media Network
http://www.arrahmah.com
The State of Islamic Media
© 2009 Ar Rahmah Media Network

http://www.arrahmah.com/index.php/blog/read/5863/isy-kariman-aw-mut-syahidan

BIBLE PROPHECIES ABOUT THE ADVENT OF MUHAMMAD

Abraham is widely regarded as the Patriarch of monotheism and the common father of the Jews, Christians and Muslims. Through His second son, Isaac, came all Israelite prophets including such towering figures as Jacob, Joseph, Moses, David, Solomon and Jesus. May peace and blessings be upon them all. The advent of these great prophets was in partial fulfillment of God's promises to bless the nations of earth through the descendents of Abraham (Genesis12:2-3).Such fulfillment is wholeheartedly accepted by Muslims whose faith considers the belief in and respect of all prophets an article of faith.

 

BLESSINGS OF ISHMAEL AND ISAAC

Was the first born son of Abraham (Ishmael) and his descendants included in God's covenant and promise? A few verses from the Bible may help shed some light on this question;

1) Genesis 12:2-3 speaks of God's promise to Abraham and his descendants before any child was born to him.

2) Genesis 17:4 reiterates God's promise after the birth of Ishmael and before the birth of Isaac.

3) In Genesis, ch. 21. Isaac is specifically blessed but Ishmael was also specifically blessed and promised by God to become "a great nation" especially in Genesis 21:13, 18.

4) According to Deuteronomy 21:15-17 the traditional rights and privileges of the first born son are not to be affected by the social status of his mother (being a "free" woman such as Sarah, Isaac's mother, or a "Bondwoman" such as Hagar, Ishmael's mother). This is only consistent with the moral and humanitarian principles of all revealed faiths.

5) The full legitimacy of Ishmael as Abraham's son and "seed" and the full legitimacy of his mother, Hagar, as Abraham's wife are clearly stated in Genesis 21:13 and 16:3. After Jesus, the last Israelite messenger and prophet, it was time that God's promise to bless Ishmael and his descendants be fulfilled. Less than 600years after Jesus, came the last messenger of God, Muhammad, from the progeny of Abraham through Ishmael. God's blessing of both of the main branches of Abraham's family tree was now fullfilled. But are there additional corroborating evidence that the Bible did in fact foretell the advent of prophet Muhammad?

 

MUHAMMAD:
The Prophet Like Unto Moses

Long time after Abraham, God's promise to send the long-awaited Messenger was repeated this time in Moses' words.
In Deuteronomy 18:18, Moses spoke of the prophet to be sent by God who is:

1) From among the Israelite's "brethren", a reference to their Ishmaelite cousins as Ishmael was the other son of Abraham who was explicitly promised to become a "great nation".

2) A prophet like unto Moses. There were hardly any two prophets ,who were so much alike as Moses and Muhammad. Both were given comprehensive law code of life, both encountered their enemies and were victors in miraculous ways, both were accepted as prophets/statesmen and both migrated following conspiracies to assassinate them. Analogies between Moses and Jesus overlooks not only the above similarities but other crucial ones as well (e.g. the natural birth, family life and death of Moses and Muhammad but not of Jesus, who was regarded by His followers as the Son of God and not exclusively a messenger of God, as Moses and Muhammad were and as Muslim belief Jesus was).

 

THE AWAITED PROPHET WAS TO COME FROM ARABIA

Deuteronomy 33:1-2 combines references to Moses, Jesus and Muhammad. It speaks of God (i.e. God's revelation) coming from Sinai, rising from Seir (probably the village of Sa'ir near Jerusalem) and shining forth from Paran. According to Genesis 21:21, the wilderness of Paran was the place where Ishmael settled (i.e. Arabia, specifically Mecca).

Indeed the King James version of the Bible mentions the pilgrims passing through the valley of Ba'ca (another name of Mecca) in Psalms 84:4-6.

Isaiah 42:1-13 speaks of the beloved of God. His elect and messenger who will bring down a law to be awaited in the isles and who "shall not fail nor be discouraged till he have set judgement on earth." Verse 11, connects that awaited one with the descendants of Ke'dar. Who is Ke'dar? According to Genesis 25:13, Ke'dar was the second son of Ishmael, the ancestor of prophet Muhammad.

 

MUHAMMAD'S MIGRATION FROM MECCA TO MEDINA:
PROPHECIED IN THE BIBLE?

Habakkuk 3:3 speaks of God (God's help) coming from Te'man (an Oasis North of Medina according to J. Hasting's Dictionary of the Bible), and the holy one (coming) from Paran. That holy one who under persecution migrated from Paran (Mecca) to be received enthusiastically in Medina was none but prophet Muhammad.
Indeed the incident of the migration of the prophet and his persecuted followers is vividly described in Isaiah 21:13-17. That section foretold as well about the battle of Badr in which the few ill-armed faithful miraculously defeated the "mighty" men of Ke'dar, who sought to destroy Islam and intimidate their own folks who turned -to Islam.

 

THE QUR'AN (KORAN) FORETOLD IN THE BIBLE?

For twenty-three years, God's words (the Qur'an) were truely put into Muhammad's mouth. He was not the "author" of the Qur'an. The Qur'an was dictated to him by Angel Gabriel who asked Muhammad to simply repeat the words of the Qur'an as he heard them. These words were then committed to memory and to writing by those who hear them during Muhammad's life time and under his supervision.

Was it a coincidence that the prophet "like unto Moses" from the "brethren" of the Israelites (i.e. from the lshmaelites) was also described as one in whose mouth God will put his words and that he will speak in the name of God, (Deuteronomy 18:18-20). Was it also a coincidence the "Paraclete" that Jesus foretold to come after Him was described as one who "shall not speak of himself, but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak (John 16:13)

Was it another coincidence that Isaiah ties between the messenger connected with Ke'dar and a new song (a scripture in a new language) to be sang unto the Lord (Isaiah 42:10-11). More explicitly, prophesies Isaiah "For with stammering lips, and another tongue, will he speak to this people" (Isaiah 28:11). This latter verse correctly describes the "stammering lips" of Prophet Muhammad reflecting the state of tension and concentration he went through at the time of revelation. Another related point is that the Qur'an was revealed in piece-meals over a span of twenty three years. It is interesting to compare this with Isaiah 28:10 whichspeaks of the same thing.

 

THAT PROPHET- PARACLETE- MUHAMMAD

Up to the time of Jesus (peace be upon him), the Israelites were still awaiting for that prophet like unto Moses prophecied in Deuteronomy 18:18. When John the Baptist came, they asked him if he was Christ and he said "no". They asked him if he was Elias and he said "no". Then, in apparent reference to Deuteronomy 18:18, they asked him "Art thou that Prophet" and he answered, "no". (John 1: 1 9-2 1).

In the Gospel according to John (Chapters 14, 15, 16) Jesus spoke of the "Paraclete" or comforter who will come after him, who will be sent by Father as another Paraclete, who will teach new things which the contemporaries of Jesus could not bear. While the Paraclete is described as the spirit of truth, (whose meaning resemble Muhammad's famous title Al-Amin, the trustworthy), he is identified in one verse as the Holy Ghost (John 14:26). Such a designation is however inconsistent with the profile of that Paraclete. In the words of the Dictionary of the Bible, (Ed. J. Mackenzie) "These items, it must be admitted do not give an entirely coherent picture."

Indeed history tells us that many early Christians understood the Paraclete to be a man and not a spirit. This might explain the followings who responded to some who claimed, without meeting the criteria stipulated by Jesus, to be the awaited "Paraciete".

It was Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) who was the Paraclete, Comforter, helper, admonisher sent by God after Jesus. He testified of Jesus, taught new things which could not be borne at Jesus' time, he spoke what he heard (revelation), he dwells with the believers (through his well-preserved teachings). Such teachings will remain forever because he was the last messenger of God, the only Universal Messenger to unite the whole of humanity under God and on the path of PRESERVED truth. He told of many things to come which "came to pass" in the minutest detail meeting, the criterion given by Moses to distinguish between the true prophet and the false prophets (Deuteronomy 18:22). He did reprove the world of sin, of righteousness and of judgement (John 16:8-11)

 

WAS THE SHIFT OF RELIGIOUS LEADERSHIP PROPHECIED?

Following the rejection of the last Israelite prophet, Jesus, it was about time that God's promise to make Ishmael a great nation be fulfilled (Genesis 21:13, 18)

In Matthew 21:19-21, Jesus spoke of the fruitless fig tree (A Biblical symbol of prophetic heritage) to be cleared after being given a last chance of three years (the duration of Jesus' ministry) to give fruit. In a later verse in the same chapter, Jesus said: "Therefore, say I unto you, The Kingdom of God shall be taken away from you, and given to a nation bringing forth the fruit thereof" (Matthew 21:43). That nation of Ishmael's descendants (the rejected stone in Matthew 21:42) which was victorious against all super-powers of its time as prophecied by Jesus: "And whosoever shall fall on this stone shall be broken, but on whomsoever it shall fall, it will grind him to powder" (Matthew 21:44).

 

OUT OF CONTEXT COINCIDENCE?

Is it possible that the numerous prophecies cited here are all individually and combined out of context misinterpretations? Is the opposite true, that such infrequently studied verses fit together consistently and clearly point to the advent of the man who changed the course of human history, Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). Is it reasonable to conclude that all these prophecies, appearing in different books of the Bible and spoken by various prophets at different times were all coincidence? If this is so here is another strange "coincidence"!

One of the signs of the prophet to come from Paran (Mecca) is that he will come with "ten thousands of saints" (Deuteronomy 33:2 KJV). That was the number of faithful who accompanied Prophet Muhammad to Paran (Mecca) in his victorious, bloodless return to his birthplace to destroy the remaining symbols of idolatry in the Ka'bah.

Says God as quoted by Moses:
And it shall come to pass, that whosoever will not hearken unto my words which he shall speak in my name, I will require it of him. (Deuteronomy 18:19)

Dear Readers:
May the light of truth shine in your heart and mind. May it lead you to peace and certitude in this life and eternal bliss in hereafter.

AMEEN

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