Mind Matter

Season of goodwill:

Raja Zarith Idris (Sultanah of Johore)

If Christmas is the celebration of the birth of Isa (Jesus), a prophet respected and revered in Islam, is it so wrong to wish a blessed day for those who celebrate it?

During the days before Christmas last year, I wished my friends who were celebrating “Merry Christmas” in much the same way they would wish me “Selamat Hari Raya” or “Happy Eid”.

I find it rather sad that such a simple greeting – one which I grew up with and which I have never regarded as something that would compromise or de-value my own faith – is now regarded as something so religiously incorrect for us Malaysian Muslims.

When I was at boarding school in England, I had to go to church every Sunday because it was part of the rules.

My father advised me to consider it as part of my ‘education’ and he had no doubt that the experience would strengthen rather than weaken my own faith.

I was able to see the similarities and differences between Christianity and Islam.

I learned more than the average Malaysian Muslim would about Christianity. I learnt that just as we Muslims categorize ourselves according to the four different schools of thoughts of the four Imams (Imam Malik, Imam Al Shafi, Imam Abu Hanifa and Imam Ahmad Abn Hambal) and are either Sunnis or Shias, so Christians too are divided into different sects or churches.

Going to church did not make me less of a Muslim when I was a young girl, and neither does saying Merry Christmas make me less of a Muslim now.

My faith has not been shaken just because I wished some friends a time of joy with their families. Neither will I suddenly suffer from amnesia and forget what my religion is.

What I do not wish to forget, however, is that there are good, kind people who are not of the same faith as me. As Harun Yahya, the Turkish writer (he was selected last year as one of the 500 most influential Muslims in the world by the Royal Islamic Strategic Studies Centre of Jordan) noted: “Islam is a religion of peace, love and tolerance”.

Today, however, some circles have been presenting a false image of Islam, as if there were conflict between Islam and the adherents of the two other monotheistic religions.

Yet Islam's view of Jews and Christians, who are named 'the People of the Book’ in the Quran, is very friendly and tolerant.

“This attitude towards the People of the Book developed during the years of the birth of Islam. At that time, Muslims were a minority, struggling to protect their faith and suffering oppression and torture from the pagans of the city of Mecca.

Due to this persecution, some Muslims decided to flee Mecca and shelter in a safe country with a just ruler. The Prophet Muhammad told them to take refuge with King Negus, the Christian king of Ethiopia. The Muslims who followed this advice found a very fair administration that embraced them with love and respect when they went to Ethiopia. King Negus refused the demands of the pagan messengers who asked him to surrender the Muslims to them, and announced that Muslims could live freely in his country.

“Such attitudes of Christian people that are based on the concepts of compassion, mercy, modesty and justice, constitute a fact that God has pointed out in the Quran.”

I do not wish to be a self-centred Muslim who expects friends of other faiths to wish me Selamat Hari Raya or, for those who are not Malaysians and therefore do not know about Hari Raya, a Happy Eid and yet do not return their goodwill when it is Christmas, Chinese New Year, Deepavali or Vesak Day.

Every year, friends who are Christians, Buddhists, Hindus and Sikhs or those without any faith come to our home to celebrate Hari Raya with us.

They do so with sincerity and as a mark of respect for one of the most important days in the Muslim calendar. Why should we not reciprocate their kindness, show them the same mark of respect for their religion and wish them the same joy on their holy days of celebration?

An Islamic scholar and lecturer also reminded me that as Muslims we must remember the importance of both the five Pillars of Islam and in the six Pillars of Iman (Faith), which are:

Belief in Allah;

Belief in the angels;

Belief in the revealed Books (which include the Bible, the Torah and the Holy Quran);

Belief in the Prophets (May Peace be Upon Them);

Belief in the Resurrection and the events of Kiamah, the Day of Judgement; and Belief in the predestination (Qada’ and Qadar) by Allah in all things.

The prophets include not just Muhammad (May Peace Be Upon Him) as the last prophet and as the Messenger of Islam, but also in the 24 earlier ones who are mentioned in both the Bible and the Quran. Four of them are Ibrahim (Abraham), Musa (Moses), Daud (David) and Isa (Jesus).

So, if Christmas is the celebration of the birth of Isa (Jesus), a prophet respected and revered in Islam, is it so wrong to wish a blessed day for those who celebrate it?

We are now in the second decade of the 21st century. Surely, we should, now more than ever, be far more enlightened at a time when information of any sort and of all kinds is so readily available to us.

What is most important is that we regard one another as fellow citizens and treat each other with respect, regardless of our race or religion.

The writer is Royal Fellow, School of Language Studies and Linguistics, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM), and holds a BA (Honours) degree in Chinese Studies, University of Oxford.

The writer is also the current Sultanah of Johor

How I became the only Hijab in my Norwegian village

Tonje Hagen

I once heard a Muslim explain his religion like this: “Islam is a relationship between you and the Creator - after you get to know Him”. For me, born and raised in a Christian family in a small town in Norway - with seven different churches and no mosque - then accepting Islam at the age of 19, this was the perfect explanation of my new religion.

Looking at my own skin

There were a few incidents in my early years that made me consider the fact that there could be something “more right”. First of all, I remember learning about imperialism. These white men were invading the countries of black people and behaving like they were superior and masters of the other human beings. It didn’t make sense.

I was looking at my own skin and my mom’s and dad’s. We were all white. I couldn’t understand how people like us could treat others like animals just because they had a different skin color. For this reason I thought to myself, maybe we aren’t right.

Maybe there is another group of people in this world doing things differently and more correctly than us (I must admit that I imagined this other group to be an unknown tribe in the middle of the rainforest).

Purpose? What Purpose?

The other incident was a very brief article about some teenagers explaining what their purpose in life was. Some said surfing, hanging out with friends, just having fun, etc.

But the one that made the strongest impression and got stuck in my mind was: “The purpose of life is to find it”.

From that day on (and I was just a child, maybe 10 or 11) I didn’t have any special opinion of what the purpose of life might be.

Nevertheless, I was certain I would find it.

Teenage years

At the age of 15, I was confirmed in a Protestant church, with the firm conviction that I had done it for the sake of God and in order to confirm my faith.

For me personally it was very important to have the right intentions, because in Norway (at least in my hometown) practically everyone confirms when they reach this age. And there’s a lot of money involved. I never liked that money played such a big part of the ritual.

It only caused friction, jealousy, and ironically, ingratitude, because those getting the most money didn’t exactly keep quiet about it.

The grumbling of comfortable people

That’s what’s funny about Norway. Most people have far more than they need - all kinds of possibilities, an amazing health system, and the list goes on and on. Still, we complain like we’re the most unfortunate people in the world.

I was always thinking that we should look at those with less, rather than at those with more. Seeing my thoughts in the writings of the Prophet (saw)

This was actually one of my reasons for coming to Islam. I read a hadith of the Prophet Muhammed (saw) saying the exact same thing – in a different wording – and I was just amazed to find my thoughts written down (but this wasn’t until some years later).

Essential questions

It was when I first turned 18 (in June 2010) that I started reflecting on essential questions. Every day for a whole week (summer vacation had just begun) I went down by the river or some other nice place by myself, with a pen and some paper.

I thought a lot about life, why I was created, God, what my future would bring, and what I would teach my kids if I were to get married and have children.

The last one was actually just a dream I didn’t believe would come through.

But still I realized that if it did happen, I needed to know what to tell them.

I needed to have a clear sense of the purpose of life so that I had something valuable to share with them.

I wanted to be able to make them confident, independent human beings, who would have a positive impact on people and the world.

It was a very interesting week, but then it stopped. I got caught up in things people normally do; I met friends, drove around on my scooter, went swimming, and pretty much just enjoyed the vacation.

Two Impressive People

In August I met two people who made a huge impression on me. One of them was a beggar sitting on a busy bridge with nothing more than his clothes, a paper cup, and a broken umbrella. It was a very cold and rainy day, and I was just passing by on my way to buy some food. Due to travelling I was quite hungry myself.

But after passing him the second time and then starting to eat my calzone, my guilt just grew and I couldn’t eat more. So I decided to go out to him again and offer him the calzone and a bottle of water.

I was thinking I would do him a little favor, but he actually did me a bigger favor.

The gratitude he expressed and showed me for that little piece of food was way beyond anything I had ever seen before. It wasn’t just his words saying: “Thank you very much!” It was his whole body, his face, his eyes, his smile.

You could see he was truly thankful.

The other person was a 93-year old friend of my grandmother.

Of course she noticed that her body, sight, and hearing weren’t functioning as well as they used to, but over and over again she told me the reasons for her happiness and gratitude. Most of all she was extremely grateful for being alive.

Due to these two persons, I would end every single day thanking God for the blessings in my life.

I would not sleep without mentioning many of the things I was grateful for.

Five beneficial ways Muslims can spend the holidays

So it's that time of year again. All are in holiday mood. Essentially, this will be a few days off like any other few days off in the years before. We could use this time (one of the most precious commodities that Allah has given us) to kick start something new… something life changing. Here are just a few ideas:

1. Read an Islamic book

Whilst most of us will almost certainly be stocking up on nourishment for our stomachs during the break, many will be neglecting intellectual and spiritual nourishment that comes from gaining Islamic knowledge.

We all have a book or two that we wish we could read but we just can't find the time. Well, this is that time.

Want to know exactly why Khalid B Walid was one of the greatest generals of all time? Interested in learning all about the fiqh of raising children? Looking for Islamic inspiration at a low point in your life? There's a book for all of that and more.

2. Ahadith at home

With schools and offices being shut this quality family time could be spent constructively with the family briefly sitting down together to go through a Hadith.

Get the children interested by involving them in debate on the meaning or application of the Hadith, or even getting them to prepare some Hadith themselves, will reap rewards for decades to come. The family that prays together stays together.

3. Attend an Islamic event

In the West Muslims are very lucky that there are a variety of Islamic events organized for the winter break. Many of these are family friendly and there is usually something for every taste around. Whether it is fiqh, tafsir, sirah, or comparative religion, you'll find a talk or course organized somewhere for you and your friends or family. All you need is the desire to learn and the willingness to travel. Grab your younger brother or sister, that friend who just needs a push in the right direction or even your parents and make the journey. The trip there and back could be a real chance to open up about where you (and they) are going Islamically and what could be done about it.

4. Inspire children at your Mosque

There are mosques in which the children are inspired and entertained by their elders in a way that makes them keep coming back for more. Why not put on a talk for children around a subject they may find vaguely interesting? All it needs is the willingness to share a story, some nifty advertising, and a desire to inspire rather than bore.

You can talk about literally anything, from the real story behind Christmas and Isa, to what parents are looking for in prospective son-in-laws. If you do it right, the cool feeling of seeing someone get closer to the faith through you sharing knowledge with them will keep you coming back for more week after week.

5. Organize a fundraiser

Unfortunately there is no shortage of Muslims in the world who are in desperate need. Whether it is in Burma, Gaza, Syria or in many African nations – a relatively small amount of money could be the difference between life and death.

Why not organize a fundraiser at your home or mosque where people come together for an evening of Halal entertainment, food, and social activism? Show them pictures of the suffering people, share some stories, and then encourage donations.

Not only will you have a chance to spend a pleasant evening with friends and interesting strangers, but you'll be doing your part to make the world a better place. Once you start, you'll be so filled with an indescribable sense of purpose and peace that it

I didn’t love my life until I became a Muslim

Reading Islam Staff

Read this interview with sister Alicia about her Journey to Islam; the self-destructive lifestyle she used to lead and the devastating ordeals she experienced and the happiness, satisfaction, and spiritual fulfillment that she enjoys now after embracing Islam.

I didn’t come from a very religious family. I mean they say they are religious but they are not really what you would call a religious family. We were the type of family that doesn’t go to church regularly.

My parents were divorced when I was 10. So we lived with my dad after that until I was 17. My father was very abusive to me and my younger brother. He wasn’t so much abusive to my little sister, but he was really abusive to me so much I think because I reminded him a lot of my mother.

When I was 16 actually I moved in with my grandparents. I led a pretty self-destructive lifestyle. I hated myself and everything around me.

It was just like I wanted to do anything I could do to hurt myself. I just did this like it was fun, and as something I wanted to do.

I’ve tried drugs, alcohol and sex and nothing ever really fulfilled me emotionally. I went back to live with my mother when I was 17, and I thought maybe it was like a different thing; a new beginning. But still I led the same pattern, and maybe it even got worse.

I met my daughter’s father when I was in my senior high school. He was really funny and sweet, so I thought that was a good path for me. And we dated for a couple of years, and I ended up getting pregnant. At first, it wasn’t as bad. I wasn’t fulfilled and we didn’t have the best of things but it wasn’t bad. We had somebody for each other at least, and I was just satisfied with what I had. I didn’t ask for too much. I didn’t expect too much, as I was certainly better than what I had before.

After my daughter was born, that’s when my friend, her father, got really heavy into drugs. It was not just drugs like Marijuana but I’m talking about hard stuff like Cocaine. I can’t say I didn’t do it, I thought it’s OK, I’ll do it too. After three months we came to the point where we lost everything. So I quit that and thought he had to quit too but he didn’t.

I left him a few times trying to give him a chance after a chance because I loved him and I cared for him, and when you love and care for someone you forgive him, and a lot of people make mistakes and they are forgiven. I thought maybe he could change. Maybe I could change. I did everything.

My daughter was actually diagnosed with Guillain-Barré Syndrome.

It’s a syndrome that starts at your feet, and moves up your body and makes sure muscles are really weak, where your immune system attacks your central nervous system, and it causes your muscles to get really weak and moves up to different parts of your body. It happens to kids or adults. It can happen to anybody. My daughter can move her arms, but some kids get damaged layers, but thank God she didn’t get that bad. She is getting better. I met Hayat and some Muslims at the hospital, and started to ask them a lot of questions about religion and things like that.

First, I think a lot of people are misinformed about Islam. I thought it’s just something predominantly like the Middle East type of things.

I didn’t really know about Islam. When they started to tell me that a lot of Islam had to deal with the same background, because I’ve always known that there’s one God I’ve never questioned that, but I was brought up as Jesus died on a cross and that he was the son of God.

When I looked at Islam, I found that there’s one Quran. Everybody knows what it says. It’s translated in the English but you can read the Arabic.

It’s not something that you can’t learn or you can’t read yourself. It’s not very difficult to understand. It’s fairly easy to understand. It’s not like five different things that can come out of it. It’s pretty self-explained and that’s what attracted me. What made me get over the fear and pass that to where I could allow myself to embrace Islam, was when I was talking to Hana who showed me a lot of passages and I had prayed every night before I go to bed: “Oh God please give me a sign, some kind of a clear sign to know that’s the way I’m supposed to go.”

And she read a passage of Quran to me and I can’t read Arabic, so I read the English part and the last words, I don’t remember which chapter it was, but it was about Jesus saying I’m not God and never said I was, and then in the last sentence it said “To all who are looking for a sign, this is a sign within itself”.

This is a sign for you. If this is what you are looking for, this is your sign.

To me that was like an overwhelming feeling came over me and I just started to cry because I just felt like this is my sign. This is exactly what I was looking for, and God gave this to me.

And I actually embraced this because this is something special, because you don’t get a sign from God every day.

That made me really happy and then felt love and support because nobody before was so happy for me, and I never had that before.

I feel really good. I feel like a big weight has been lifted off of me.

I feel like I can breathe easier than ever before. I don’t have to worry about anything anymore.

I’m re-born and I’m free of everything. All the sins that I have committed and all the things that happened in my life don’t matter any more.