Raising children in non-Muslim societies

Raising children in an Islamic way in a non-Muslim society needs everyone’s effort with no exception, starting with the parents’ efforts, to the Mosque’s, to the community’s efforts. All of these roles are important. The stronger these roles are and the more mutually complementary to one another, the better the raising process will be.

The role of the Muslim community is important and is based on a number of factors, of which, the most important are:

1 – Supporting the Islamic center so that it keeps providing all the different services and programs and makes improvements.

Continuous financial supports to cover all the operating expenses and activities expenses. Every program has expenses, which are to be covered by the community. This community has to show support in an exemplary manner for the center; all its activities, the Islamic schools, the monthly utility bills and so on.

We give good news and glad tidings to everyone who donates to an Islamic center that their donations are considered on-going charity that has positive rewarding effects even after death as Prophet Muhammad promised. Imaam Muslim reported that the Prophet said: “When a man dies, his deeds come to an end except for three things, (and the first of them): Sadaqah Jaareyah (ceaseless charity)” Allaah, Most High, Says (what means): “And whatever you spend in good, it is for yourselves, when you spend not except seeking Allaah’s Countenance. And whatever you spend in good, it will be repaid to you in full, and you shall not be wronged.” [Quran 2:272]

2- Supporting the Islamic center requires also efforts and time invested in voluntary programs and projects that are frequently needed. This is met when you personally go there and take your children with you. This way, your children take part in the voluntary work. It is an important factor in increasing their tendency to work with a group than to work selfishly and individually. The Prophet used to participate with all his companions in voluntary projects, which are beneficial to the Muslim community.

3- Supporting the Islamic center occurs also through suggesting a good idea to establish new important projects. It also occurs through constructive criticism for existing projects and programs so that they get better. Support does not occur from those who do not show action or from those who criticize only for criticism and always reject others. These people weaken some workers who may leave the projects and subsequently these projects will be weak.

4- Supporting the Islamic center is also done by effective participation in the existing programs and activities by taking your family with you. It is a must that you make this participation a part of your daily and weekly schedule. This participation will help you keep coming and so will be beneficial for you and your family. Also, do not forget that you children need social upbringing that will not be accomplished except through the Muslim community. You can not accomplish this alone. The Prophet ordered us to stay with the Jamaa’ah (community) and warned us from staying away from it. He said: “Stay with the Jama’ah (community) and be cautious of divisions-” [Saheeh Al-Jaami']

5- Supporting the Islamic center is done also by making other Muslim members of the community aware of the activities and programs that the Islamic center has. Also, make sure that you take some of them with you. This way, you will be performing the Muslims due rights and so you will be rewarded without decreasing their rewards on the Day of Judgment.
What helps you participate in the center’s activities and programs is your home. If you live closer to the Masjid (mosque), you will be more easily able to participate in the daily prayers for example. It is important that you also establish good relationships on the basis of Islam with other Muslim families. And to make effort to live in a neighborhood with other Muslim families, so that you can share your experiences about raising your children with them.


We need to establish good relationships on the basis of Islam with other Muslim families. That relationship should be based only on Islam and nothing else. Also, be aware from falling into racism, nationalism that the Prophet warned us against. The racism can be exploited by the satans (devils) among people and Jinn, which will lead to the destruction of the Muslim unity.

To keep away from the racism involves a number of things:

1- To develop good relationships with Muslim families that do not belong to the same nationality or ethnic background.

2- Be aware and avoid the activities that are aimed at only specific nationality or ethnic background or race, for example Arabs with Arabs only, or Indians with Indians only, or Pakistani with Pakistani only, or the Afro-Americans with the Afro-Americans only, even if these activities are intended to build a Masjid or a center or an organization. This will destroy the unity among Muslim community. Allaah, Most High, Says (what means): “And hold fast, all of you together, to the rope of Allaah (Quran or Islam), and be not divided among yourselve” [Quran
3:103] Allaah, Most High, also Says (what means): “The believers are nothing else than brothers” [Quran 49:10]

Many people who fall in the traps of nationalism are not even aware of the seriousness of this practice which destroys the relationship among Muslim children and among Muslim families. Therefore, destroys the meaning of the Islamic universal message that we need to implant in their minds and exemplify it in their reality.

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Definition of the word Fundamentalist

This question is often hurled at Muslims, either directly or indirectly, during any discussion on religion or world affairs. Muslim stereotypes are perpetuated in every form of the media accompanied by gross misinformation about Islam and Muslims. In fact, such misinformation and false propaganda often leads to discrimination and acts of violence against Muslims. A case in point is the anti-Muslim campaign in the American media following the Oklahoma bomb blast, where the press was quick to declare a ‘Middle Eastern conspiracy’ behind the attack. The culprit was later identified as a soldier from the American Armed Forces. Let us analyze this allegation of ‘fundamentalism’ and ‘terrorism’:
1. Definition of the word ‘fundamentalist’
A fundamentalist is a person who follows and adheres to the fundamentals of the doctrine or theory he is following. For a person to be a good doctor, he should know, follow, and practise the fundamentals of medicine. In other words, he should be a fundamentalist in the field of medicine. For a person to be a good mathematician, he should know, follow and practise the fundamentals of mathematics. He should be a fundamentalist in the field of mathematics. For a person to be a good scientist, he should know, follow and practise the fundamentals of science. He should be a fundamentalist in the field of science.


2. Not all ‘fundamentalists’ are the same
One cannot paint all fundamentalists with the same brush. One cannot categorize all fundamentalists as either good or bad. Such a categorization of any fund amentalist will depend upon the field or activity in which he is a fundamentalist. A fundamentalist robber or thief causes harm to society and is therefore undesirable. A fundamentalist doctor, on the other hand, benefits society and earns much respect.
3. I am proud to be a Muslim fundamentalist
I am a fundamentalist Muslim who, by the grace of Allah, knows, follows and strives to practise the fundamentals of Islam. A true Muslim does not shy away from being a fundamentalist. I am proud to be a fundamentalist Muslim because, I know that the fundamentals of Islam are beneficial to humanity and the whole world. There is not a single fundamental of Islam that causes harm or is against the interests of the human race as a whole. Many people harbour misconceptions about Islam and consider several teachings of Islam to be unfair or improper. This is due to insufficient and incorrect knowledge of Islam. If one critically analyzes the teachings of Islam with an open mind, one cannot escape the fact that Islam is full of benefits both at the individual and collective levels.
4. Dictionary meaning of the word ‘fundamentalist’
According to Webster’s dictionary ‘fundamentalism’ was a movement in American Protestanism that arose in the earlier part of the 20th century. It was a reaction to modernism, and stressed the infallibility of the Bible, not only in matters of faith and morals but also as a literal historical record. It stressed on belief in the Bible as the literal word of God. Thus fundamentalism was a word initially used for a group of Christians who believed that the Bible was the verbatim word of God without any errors and mistakes.
According to the Oxford dictionary ‘fundamentalism’ means ‘strict maintenance of ancient or fundamental doctrines of any religion, especially Islam’.
Today the moment a person uses the word fundamentalist he thinks of a Muslim who is a terrorist.
5. Every Muslim should be a terrorist
Every Muslim should be a terrorist. A terrorist is a person who causes terror. The moment a robber sees a policeman he is terrified. A policeman is a terrorist for the robber. Similarly every Muslim should be a terrorist for the antisocial elements of society, such as thieves, dacoits and rapists. Whenever such an anti-social element sees a Muslim, he should be terrified. It is true that the word ‘terrorist’ is generally used for a person who causes terror among the common people. But a true Muslim should only be a terrorist to selective people i.e. anti-social elements, and not to the common innocent people. In fact a Muslim should be a source of peace for innocent people.
6. Different labels given to the same individual for the same action, i.e. ‘terrorist’ and ‘patriot’
Before India achieved independence from British rule, some freedom fighters of India who did not subscribe to non-violence were labeled as terrorists by the British government. The same individuals have been lauded by Indians for the same activities and hailed as ‘patriots’. Thus two different labels have been given to the same people for the same set of actions. One is calling him a terrorist while the other is calling him a patriot. Those who believed that Britain had a right to rule over India called these people terrorists, while those who were of the view that Britain had no right to rule India called them patriots and freedom fighters.
It is therefore important that before a person is judged, he is given a fair hearing. Both sides of the argument should be heard, the situation should be analyzed, and the reason and the intention of the person should be taken into account, and then the person can be judged accordingly.
7. Islam means peace
Islam is derived from the word ‘salaam’ which means peace. It is a religion of peace whose fundamentals teach its followers to maintain and promote peace throughout the world.
Thus every Muslim should be a fundamentalist i.e. he should follow the fundamentals of the Religion of Peace: Islam. He should be a terrorist only towards the antisocial elements in order to promote peace and justice in the society.

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Stop America’s war which makes Muslims fight Muslims!

On 8 May, Pakistan’s Prime Minister, Yousuf Raza Gillani, announced a war in Swat in a telecast address to the nation, in these words, “For the sanctity of this pure land, for national dignity, to suppress the extremists, to ensure the protection of people, the army has been deployed.” However, the Prime Minister’s venture is neither for the restoration of national dignity and nor for the public protection, rather it is to restore the dignity of the cowardly American occupying forces and for ensuring America’s survival in Afghanistan, where she is immersed in a deep quagmire.

Keeping control of Afghanistan is not possible without crushing the Mujahideen, who are fighting against America in Afghanistan. But cowardly American and NATO forces, whilst possessing the latest weaponry, are afraid of confrontation with poorly equipped, small groups of Mujahideen. Moreover, the American economy is in continuous, unabated recession, despite all efforts, whilst politically, in the international arena, America has lost the support of her allies in her campaign of occupation and hegemony. Countries like China and Russia are openly citing their concerns about the American presence in the region. Hence, in this situation America is unable to revitalise her failing campaign in Afghanistan alone.

America depends upon the Pakistan Army to emerge from this deepening quagmire. America urgently desires that the Pakistan Army stands with her and fights wholeheartedly in support of the US war of occupation and hegemony. However, America knows very well that the Muslims of Pakistan harbour a deep hatred for America and absolutely reject the American presence in the region, and so are unwilling to launch their army for the sake of America’s war. Moreover, there is a negative opinion within the Pakistan Army itself about America’s war. All of which amounts to a great obstacle for America in getting essential military help from Pakistan. Thus it was necessary for America to create an atmosphere of chaos and fear to enable the start of military operations within Pakistan. These operations on the one hand ensure that the Mujahideen who are fighting in Afghanistan against the American occupation will now turn their guns away from the real enemy, America, and on to their Muslims brothers of the Pakistan Army; whilst on the other hand, these operations are an attempt to conceal the fact that the real cause of the chaos in the region is the illegal American occupation of Afghanistan, which the Pakistani government fully supports by providing supply lines for weaponry, food and ordinance to the occupying forces of America and NATO in Afghanistan, whilst deploying thousands of Muslim soldiers at the Pak-Afghan border to stop any attacks by Pakistani Muslims on the occupying forces.

This is the reality of the military operations which the Pakistani government began first in the tribal areas and then extended to the settled areas of NWFP. The result of these operations are hundreds of thousands of homeless, noble Muslim women spending their days and nights under the bare sky, elderly and young plunged into angst and despair, with countless families suffering. Houses, markets, schools and shops are being converted to rubble, whilst the blood of Muslims is shed without respite.

The Pakistan government has not only pitched the Muslim army against their own brothers, she simultaneously started a malicious, carefully orchestrated campaign in which she is presented a distorted picture to gain public opinion to her favour. Learning from the Lal Masjid experience, the government has taken carefully planned steps. Through an organized media campaign, the government tried to sway Pakistani public opinion in favour of the military operations. The attack on Minawan police training centre and the video of the flogging of a girl were used for the same purpose, to prepare the ground for military operations which were planned weeks in advance. To justify these military operations, Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani said that these people were challenging the writ of government and in such a case the government was left with no other option but to use force. We ask: wasn’t this writ challenged when America openly and flagrantly killed children, women and the elderly in Wazaristan and Banu through its drone attacks? Why did the Prime Minister not appear on the media then to announce military operations against these drone attacks? Were these drone attacks not challenging the “writ of government,” coming one after the other, despite continuous government protests? And is the American plan to grant India opportunities in the region not a challenge to the government’s “writ”? Though it is a grave threat, why is the Pakistani government helping the execution of this plan? Indeed, the government has signed the Pak-Afghan transit trade agreement, under the guardianship of US Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton, in Washington, although the political and economical fruits of this transit trade are only for the benefit of India. As for Prime Minister Gilani’s claim of guarding the honour of Swat’s women as a justification for his military operations, was the Prime Minister not worried about the honour of the Muslim daughter, Dr. Afia Siddique, who is imprisoned in America and whose children remain missing? So, why has his government taken care not to raise a word about Afia Siddique during its numerous meetings with the Americans?

O Muslims of Pakistan!

These rulers are liars and traitors against Islam and Muslims. They are only sincere to their own survival by fulfilling the interests of colonist Kuffar. These rulers are turning Muslims against Muslims to protect America, even though Allah سبحانه وتعالى said in the Noble Qur’an,

وَمَن يَقْتُلْ مُؤْمِناً مُّتَعَمِّداً فَجَزَآؤُهُ جَهَنَّمُ خَالِداً فِيهَا وَغَضِبَ اللّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَلَعَنَهُ وَأَعَدَّ لَهُ عَذَاباً عَظِيماً

“And whoever kills a believer intentionally, his recompense is Hell to abide therein, and the Wrath and the Curse of Allâh are upon him, and a great punishment is prepared for him.” [Surah An-Nisa’a 4:93]
RasulAllah سلم و عليه الله صلى said,

سباب المسلم فسق وقتاله كفر

“Abusing the Muslim is an aggression and fighting him is disbelief.” [Al-Bukhari, Muslim]
And RasulAllah سلم و عليه الله صلى said,

إذا التقى المسلمان بسيفيهما فالقاتل والمقتول في النار , قلنا يا رسول الله هذا القاتل فما بال المقتول قال انه كان حريصا على قتل صاحبه

“When two Muslims face each other in fighting and one kills the other, then both the killer and the killed are in the hell-fire.” The Companions asked, “O Messenger of Allah, this is the killer – what about the poor person who has been killed?” The Prophet, سلم و عليه الله صلى, said “He had the intention to kill his companion.”

The evil of these rulers is so extensive they even seek to incite sectarian conflict between Muslims to serve America. Previously America used the same tactic in Iraq, where she sought to strengthen her self by inflaming a Sunni-Shia conflict. May Allah سبحانه وتعالى punish these rulers, who descend to any depths to please the Kuffar. Indeed, the reality of these rulers is described by RasulAllah سلم و عليه الله صلى when he said,

«إِنَّهُ سَتَكُونُ بَعْدِي أُمَرَاءُ مَنْ صَدَّقَهُمْ بِكَذِبِهِمْ وَأَعَانَهُمْ عَلَى ظُلْمِهِمْ فَلَيْسَ مِنِّي وَلَسْتُ مِنْهُ وَلَيْسَ بِوَارِدٍ عَلَيَّ الْحَوْضَ وَمَنْ لَمْ يُصَدِّقْهُمْ بِكَذِبِهِمْ وَلَمْ يُعِنْهُمْ عَلَى ظُلْمِهِمْ فَهُوَ مِنِّي وَأَنَا مِنْهُ وَهُوَ وَارِدٌ عَلَيَّ الْحَوْضَ»

“There will be rulers after me, whoever testifies to their falsehood and lies and helped them in their treachery, he is not from me, and I am not from him (i.e. I have nothing to do with him). He shall not come near me at the cistern (Hawdh Kauthar). And whoever does not testify to their falsehood and does not help him in his treachery, he is from me and I am from him and he shall meet me at the Hawdh.” [Reported in Sunan an-Nisai on the authority of Ka’ab ibn ‘Ujrah (r.a.)]

These rulers do not even feel abhorrence when they meet with the so-called “civilized” American officials, who have punished the Muslims in Guantanamo Bay and Abu Gharaib with such brutal torture that even the Firaun would have shied from. In American torture cells Muslim men and women were piled over each other, Qur’an was defiled, the faces of prisoners were washed in toilets and Muslims were electrocuted. Yet, despite all this, in the eyes of these rulers, the American nation represents the peak of civilization. The rulers are consumed with honour and pride at any opportunity to meet them, whilst harbouring contempt and disgust for Islam, its rules and its punishments.

O Muslims of Pakistan!

How can you remain silent whilst your sons in the armed forces are being ordered to bomb and attack their own Muslim brothers? Do you not shed tears of blood when you see that your rulers are using your own army to plunge all the Muslims of the region under the dominance of their worst enemy, the America?
O Ulema of Pakistan!

You adopted a half-hearted stance at the time of the Lal Masjid massacre and Musharraf succeeded in spilling blood of Muslim women and children in a mosque and madrassa in the very capital Pakistan. The pain of that operation is still present in the hearts of the Muslims of Pakistan. Today, these “democratic” rulers are seeking to turn the whole of Swat into a Lal Musjid for the sake of their masters, America. So, will you not rise now and stop these rulers from this wasteful campaign? Arise and mobilize all your students in madrassas and march towards the palaces of these rulers, before America eradicates all mosques and madrassas from Afghanistan and the Tribal Areas.

O Political Parties of Pakistan!

You claim that you look after the affairs of the Muslims of Pakistan. And you are witnessing that Muslims are being turned against Muslims for the sake of America. So is there any sincere person amongst you who will come forward and account these rulers in the manner that it deserves and seize their hands? If you will not do this then do you wish that Allah سبحانه وتعالى includes you in the ranks of these oppressive rulers on the Day of Judgement? RasulAllah صلى الله عليه وسلم said,

إِنَّ اللَّهَ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ لَا يُعَذِّبُ الْعَامَّةَ بِعَمَلِ الْخَاصَّةِ حَتَّى يَرَوْا الْمُنْكَرَ بَيْنَ ظَهْرَانَيْهِمْ وَهُمْ قَادِرُونَ عَلَى أَنْ يُنْكِرُوهُ فَلَا يُنْكِرُوهُ فَإِذَا فَعَلُوا ذَلِكَ عَذَّبَ اللَّهُ الْخَاصَّةَ وَالْعَامَّةَ

“Allah does not punish common people by the bad deeds of some specific people, unless they see munkar between them and are capable to refrain it but do not do so. If they do this then Allah will punish both of them”[Musnad Ahmad]

O Muslim sons of the Armed Forces!

Do you not desire that your pure blood is spilled in the way of Allah سبحانه وتعالى to raise the Deen of Allah سبحانه وتعالى as the highest, rather than to maintain the American Raj over the necks of your own people? For how long will these rulers keep using you as a fuel for America’s war?

Research Associate,
Database and Multimedia Lab,
Computer Science Dept.,
KAIST.

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