Similarities between the two mighty messengers of God.

Jesus is the son of a virgin named Maryam (“Mary” in English), who is a role model for faithful women. He is a prophet filled with the Holy Spirit (Surat 2 Al-Baqarah, 87) and the messiah in both religions (but the Christians add that besides having a human nature, he would be God too, which the Quran clearly denies). Jesus is the “word of truth” (Surat 19 Maryam, 34). He, through God’s power and will, cures the blind and the leper, raises the dead to life and knows what you eat and what you store in your houses (Surat 3 'Ali `Imran, 49).

The seven billion-plus people in our world today, some 4.5 billion are the followers of Prophet Jesus and Prophet Muhammad. Here are some similarities between them. These are the values that define both of our communities. Of course, these are common to other faiths too, but the two might messengers of God devoted their lives for this. Circulate them at your will.

1. Neither Prophet Jesus nor Prophet Muhammad claimed divinity for them.
2. They both said that the message they were relaying to people was from God, almighty, omnipotent and Omnipresent.
3. They both said that human beings are essentially good.
4. They both said that through dedicating their life to God, they can reach the true potential of their existence.
5. They both said that God is merciful and loving and forgiving and compassionate.
6. They both said that life is sacred and it must be protected and respected.
7. They both said that justice is the essence of one's existence.
8. They both said take care of your neighbors and do not exploit others on the basis of your status.
9. They both worked tirelessly to end the bloodshed and bring peace to their communities.
10. They both preached that humanity is one and people are free to make their choices in life.
11. They both said that violence is not the norm of human society.
12. They both said that human beings can live in peace and harmony if they overcome their egos.
13. They both said that discrimination and prejudice on any basis is anti-divine because He is the creator of all.
14. They both said that human beings are the trustees of the divine resources created in the world. Those resources should be used to help human beings achieve their highest potential. And not to exploit others.
15. And they both sacrificed their lives, their comfort for the well beings of all. They both suffered persecution but never complained. They endured because their goal was to see humanity relate to each other in love and compassion.

How should we deal with San Bernardino Shooting?

Let us be clear about one thing. San Bernardino shooting is not an isolated incident. Some Muslim individuals and groups, in the past, have indulged in violent acts to terrorize people. There is no guarantee that such individuals and groups would not act in the future. The community of Muslims comprises some 1.6 billion or more people who speak different languages, come from different ethnic groups, live in different geographic zones and follow different sects with their own interpretation of the Quran and Islam. No two Muslim groups or sects have identical ideas. Moreover, there is no single authority that speaks on behalf of Islam and Muslims. So no one individual or group can speak on behalf of all Muslims or Islam and no single entity can control the behavior of all Muslims.
After all, if in a country like ours of some 320 million people, we cannot control the behavior of those who indulge in gun violence despite our commitment to law and order and a well-defined justice system, how can we guarantee that 1.6 billion Muslims with vast differences in their understanding of Islam would behave in a controlled manner.
For instance, if we use broader criteria to include incidents with at least four fatalities and injuries caused by gunfire, than in 2015 alone at least 355 such incidents took place. We cannot control the behavior of some 31 percent fellow Americans who have guns in their households.
So how should we deal with a situation like this because these acts of random violence are not likely to come to an end soon? We are not a united community and we cannot expect all of our organizations and groups to come together to develop a unified response. But we as average citizens can do a lot to help ourselves.
At each city level, we should try to identify our community members and help them develop a network of communication. This would help us identify how many of us are there in a particular locality and where do we live and what type of work we do. We do not need an elaborate organization to create this network. One or two individuals can volunteer to do that.
Once we have this information, through the internet or smartphones, we should create a group of the local community only. This forum is necessary to communicate with each other so that we can bring up any issue or incident that may be detrimental to all of us. For instance, if we find that a student from our community faced harassment in her or her school because of religious identity, we can bring it up to the group.
Once we have this information, we can inform the local authorities, including the police, the elected officials or the concerned agencies about it. They would most certainly take appropriate actions. If they fail to do that, we can always go to FBI civil rights unit or to the local media or other agencies to raise the issue.
Simultaneously, we should also try to become part of neighborhood watch groups. We should volunteer with local elementary and middle and high schools, We should volunteer with the local library, nonprofit groups, and city hall as well as police. They are always looking for volunteers.
Additionally, we should try to familiarize with our neighbors. We should introduce ourselves to them, invite them to our homes if we can, smile and say hello to them when we see them, and exchange gifts if can with them on our festivals.
We should also keep ourselves informed of the events taking place in our city. Through city-based newspapers, we should inform the community at large of some of our programs and activities that we organize for the people at large.
These are some of the things that we can do at the city level and we do not need any expertise to do such things. Initially, we would not be able to gather all who live in a city, but we can start with whatever families we can bring into the network.
Only, when we become part of our neighborhood, we will be able to change the perception of our community. Only then we would be able to help the average citizens overcome their fear about us. Only then we would be able to establish our trust. Otherwise, we would remain stranger in a land where our children and grandchildren are going to earn their livelihood and work. These are extraordinary times and extraordinary times require extraordinary steps to overcome the difficulties. We all are capable of doing all that is described above. Let us do it.

What does BJP loss mean to India?

In the recently concluded state assembly election in Bihar, India, the Hindu nationalist party, the Bhartiya Janata Party while capturing over 24 percent votes got only 53 of 243 seats. The victory of parties in the Grand Alliance should not be seen as a surprise. It is an inevitable outcome that has repeated itself in almost every election in India. Whenever political parties with secular outlook have split their votes, the Hindu nationalists have won and whenever they have overcome their differences, the victory has touched their feet in an overwhelming manner.

Indian society is a highly polarized society. On the one hand are those who believe that India is the inheritance of upper-caste Hindus who have the right not only to rule over the country, but the privileges to demote other communities to a status of second or third-class citizens.

On the other hand, are those who believe in a pluralistic India with equality to all and special privileges to those who through their political, social or financial skills are capable of running the affairs of the country.

The Hindu nationalists have consistently enjoyed the support of the 30 percent electorates while the secularists of various shades have the theoretical support of the remaining 70 percent whose majority usually does not come out to vote on the Election Day.

The Hindu nationalists have a grassroots network of dedicated and ideologically motivated volunteers, ready to offer everything for the vision of the Rashtriya Swayam Sewak Sangh (RSS). The RSS has over 6 million members and more than 51,000 local units as well as hundreds and thousands of other outfits in educational, political, social and financial sectors.

Among the secularists the Indian National Congress and the two communist parties have a nationwide infrastructure while the rest center around caste, ethnicity or community based social network.

The RSS believes that India is to be ruled only by Hindus. It views Muslims, Christians, and people of other faiths as invaders. It strictly believes in a caste system that divides people on the basis of their birth families. It practices strict Hindu laws of purity and profanity as described in upper-caste religious books. It wants to implement the code of Manus, known as Manusmriti, an ancient upper-caste book of laws. In one of its publications, the RSS ideologues were highly critical of the Indian constitution when they said:. "But in our constitution, there is no mention of that unique constitutional development in ancient Bharat... To this day his laws as enunciated in the Manusmriti excite the admiration of the world and elicit spontaneous obedience and conformity. But to our constitutional pundits, that means nothing.” Manufmirit believes in inbuilt discrimination and violence on the basis of caste loyalties.

Secularists, on the other hand, are not driven by a single ideology or vision. The common theme among all of them is that the country should not be ruled in the name of religion and religious differences must not be used to serve one caste or community.

The RSS has always exploited religion and caste to serve its political interests. The party is not directly involved in politics, but its political wing, the Bhartiya Janata Party and many other outfits are. It serves as the boot camp for Hindu nationalists who join different groups and serve its ideological interests. Whenever the Hindu nationalists have succeeded in heightening tensions among various religious communities or castes, they have helped their political parties win elections. They did in Gujarat under the leadership of current Prime Minister Narendra Modi and in Uttar Pradesh during the last parliament elections.

One must recognize the fact that some 30 percent of Hindus would continue to support the hate-based ideology of RSS unless there are efforts at the grassroots levels to promote a counter perspective. Through its schools, study circles, and audio and video productions, RSS, indoctrinate millions on a regular basis. The secularists do not have either the network or the ideological vision to counter it. Thus election results in India would be determined on the following factors in the foreseeable future.

1.      How much RSS and its affiliated outfits succeed in spreading communal and caste hatred?

2.      How much reconciliation the secularists are willing to achieve among themselves?

If secularists succeed in creating a national alliance, the BJP would stand no chance despite all the nefarious manipulations by the RSS, but if the secularists keep on focusing on their differences, the Hindu nationalists would not have difficulty in imposing their agenda. After all, during the last few decades, they have succeeded in making their presence felt in every institution of India.

What is the Rationale behind spending billions on Sacrificing animals while Refugees Continue to suffer? 

Visit any South Asian country during the three days of Eid ul Adha and you will see animal blood flowing like water in many streets, you will see animal bones and intestine rotting and you will find people going around asking for hides to be donated to religious institutions. These hides, later, are sold to leather manufacturers. This is how the sacrifice of Prophet Abraham and his son Prophet Ishmael is celebrated by Muslims annually. 

Every year over a billion-dollar are spent by the Muslim community to buy goats, lambs, cows, and buffaloes to live what they have been told is their religious obligation to God.  Even though the Quran is very clear in describing the real purpose of animal sacrifice.

[But bear in mind:] never does their flesh reach God, and neither their blood: it is only your God-consciousness that reaches Him. It is to this end that We have made them subservient to your needs so that you might glorify God for all the guidance with which He has graced you with. And give thou this glad tiding unto the doers of good: - 22:37

The practice has been going on forever under circumstances that appear to be horrifying for Muslim Ummah. A large number of Muslims live as refugees, many live below the poverty level and still many more lack basic amenities to live an existence that can be called decent.

Yet, we as a community are so much obsessed with following the traditions that we rarely ask the rationale of such a practice in changing circumstances. The Quran specifically reminds the believers that, whenever they are reminded of their Sustainer’s messages, do not throw themselves upon them [as if] deaf and blind; (25:73)

We have a serious situation at hand. Millions of Muslims have been rendered refugees by political circumstances beyond the control of anyone People are dying and those alive suffers from hunger and thirst with no place to spend a restful night or day. 

What should be the priority of a faith-based community? To help these people out of the situation or to spend billions on sacrificing animals to live a tradition. Is religion so insensitive to the changed situation that it cannot allow people to divert their resources from living a ritual to helping the needy? By distributing the sacrificial meat to the refugees one can take care of their proteins for a day or two as they would not have access to the fridge to refrigerate the food for long. After a day and two, they would still be living in a miserable condition. What about diverting the money to some concrete actions that would ensure proper housing, long term rehabilitation and building infrastructures that would ensure some stability and dignity to such people

Would God be angry for this humanitarian gesture? After all, God himself asks people to be considerate to their fellow human being. So why are we so obsessed with this ritual that we would allow tragedies to unfold without being considerate to the circumstances.

Perhaps, this year and until the situation does not change, we should appeal to the people to send their sacrificial money to organizations that are doing work among refugees and displaced people. Our relief organizations should ask people to donate to a rehabilitation fund rather than sponsoring the sacrifice of animals that would not change the ground reality. Our religious leaders should take a bold step in convincing their followers to divert their resources to serve people.

This is not changing the rulings, but to live up its relevance and spirit. After all it is the taqwa that reaches Allah and the Taqwa can assume different forms,

Islam given by Allah or Islam invented by Mullah?

Which Islam do we follow in general? An Islam that was revealed by Allah and lived and practiced by the Prophet or an Islam that was invented by those who claimed to be gatekeepers of Islam. Which Islam would we prefer? An Islam introduced to us by Allah and His messenger or an Islam imposed by those whom we call clerics or clergy, realizing fully well that Islam does not recognize this category of people. Which Islam is genuine? An Islam that establishes the supremacy of Allah or an Islam that turns a scholar a spoke person of Allah?

Who would determine what Islam is genuine and what Islam is not? The only way to answer this and other related questions is to have some objective criteria that do not reflect personal choices or opinions. Otherwise, each would answer the question according to his or her own subjective interpretations of Islam. Moreover, the subjective opinion is based on the school of thought that each one answering these questions represents. Hanbali, Hanafi, Ibadis, Maliki, Sufis, Jafaris, Shafais and their sub-sects or Tablighi, Ikhwan, Hizb Tahrir or Jamatis would answer it according to what their ideologies or religious leaders tell them.

In fact, if we look at the way Muslims have defined and practiced Islam, one can easily notice the subjectivity in their approach to understanding Islam. Most of the approaches that we Muslims have been following are based on personal loyalties to individuals, parties, sects as well as traditions handed down to us by our families. We are Sunnis because we are born into a Sunni family. We are Hanbali or Hanafis because we are born in these sects. We join parties because we are mesmerized by the leadership who appealed us most in its understanding of Islam. The fact of the matter is that we follow our own subjective understanding in deciding what Islam we live. If we are following an Islam that is determined by the clergy and clerics, or the groups or parties then what is wrong in inventing an Islam on our own?  

So we need objective criteria. For Muslims, this criterion is the Quran and way the Prophet lived the Quran in his lifetime. We are certain about the accuracy of the Quran because the one who ensured that each and every word of the Quran is preserved in its original form was none other than the one who was chosen by the Creator as His messenger. But we cannot be hundred percent sure about the preservation and the effectiveness of the methods adopted by scholars after the death of the Prophet till the fourth centuries to determine what is attributed to him especially when nothing that is related to him was ever verified or approved by him.  In this situation, one has to refer to the basic source, the Quran, to determine the accuracy of what is attributed to the Prophet regardless who is reporting it or how many have been reporting it. The divine guidance cannot be determined on chance. It has to be clear, concise, precise, certain and definite.

Based on the criteria, it should become apparent to even a beginner in Islam that there exist two Islams. One that is given by Allah and one that is invented by the gatekeepers or in popular terms Mullah. The Islam that is dominant and in control of the Muslim mind is the Islam that is invented by the Mullah. Even though each school of thought and every party and group and leader makes the argument that his Islam is the one that is given by Allah, yet in reality, it is his or her Islam and not the Islam was given by Allah or introduced by the Prophet.

The masses follow invented Islam because they are unaware of the criterion to determine what is real and what is concocted. In their ignorance, they are dependent on the clerics that we sometimes define by different names. Unless masses become well versed in the Quran, true Islam cannot make its impact upon Muslims or in the world in general. The invented Islam would continue to dominate the world of Muslims leading to more conflicts, and violence.

To understand the differences between two Islam Islams, let us just focus on a few simple facts. In Islam given by Allah, guidance comes from Allah only. In Islam invented by the clerics or gatekeepers, the Quran as the source of guidance is not sufficient. It needs the statements attributed to the Prophet, scholarly opinions, the consensus of scholars and blind following or in the case of some subjective reasoning.  Allah says in the Quran “Indeed the guidance of Allah is the real guidance.” In the Islam of Mullah, the guidance invented by his or her class over centuries is the guidance. The Quran says that Allah has made the Quran easy for people to understand. The Mullah says that the Quran cannot be understood by average Muslims. They would need the services of a Mullah to teach them the Quran. The Quran says that when the words of Allah are revealed, the believers reflect upon them and understand them before jumping to any conclusions. The Mullah says that there is no need to reflect on the Quran as there is no place of intellect in the comprehension of divine guidance. The Quran says that the guidance is for people to organize their lives on its basis. The Mullah says the words are for the only recitation. The Quran says it is a book for action. The Mullah says that it is a book of getting a blessing. The Quran introduces itself as a practical guide for people. The Mullah introduces the Quran as a book of magic and charms.

The Quran asks the believers to read it for the purpose of understanding, reflecting and acting on its contents. The Mullah says that books has to be recited and sung in a particular way. The Quran says that its contents are for people in general. The Mullah says that only those who have purifying ablution can touch it. Look at the books of fiqh, look at the rulings on most issues and you would find Mullah taking a position that often contradicts the Quran.

What is evident from the above discussion that the Islam invented by Mullah is different than the Islam presented to humanity by Allah. In order for us to relate to Islam given by Allah, we have to relate to His book first, understand it and then live it without the intervention of the Mullah. We can go to teachers to understand some of the things that due to our poor knowledge of history or language or human psychology or physiology or anatomy, we are unable to fully grasp. But ultimately, when we connect with the Quran on our own, can we relate with the Islam of Allah. Until then, we are at the mercy of Mullah for our understanding of Islam.

Hypocrisy in the name of God and Same-gender marriages

The US supreme court's decision to legalize same-gender marriages has sent shock waves in the religious world. It seems, so say the pious people, that the throne on which He sits is shaking. Some people are predicting the coming of the doomsday and some people are suggesting that the punishment meted out to Sodom and Gomorrah would inflict upon Americans and their allies soon. Some people are suggesting that pious religious people should leave the country, some are even suggesting to revolt. They assert that Shaitan, (devil)  has completely overtaken the country and God is ultimately subdued.
Among Muslims, the issue is even more serious. Clerics are fuming and the average person is re-questioning his decision to live in a country where marriage is no longer defined as a union between a man and a woman. Muslims living in different parts of the world are shaming Muslim Americans for being a witness to this intervention in marriage rules.
But is it about same-sex marriage or is there a bigger issue involved in this?
How come these people did not see the coming of doomsday when the Netherlands first legalized same-gender marriage in 2000? How come they did not make noises when 20 other countries followed the course? These countries are: The Netherlands (2000),  Belgium (2003), Canada (2005), Spain (2005), South Africa (2006), Norway (2009), Sweden (2009, Argentina (2010). Iceland (2010), Portugal (2010), Denmark (2012), Brazil (2013), England and Wales (2013), France (2013), New Zealand (2013), Uruguay (2013). Luxembourg (2014), Scotland (2014), Finland: (signed 2015, effective 2017) and Ireland: (2015)
None of these countries faced any known divine wrath in the last 15 year and none of the people raised the level of noises when these countries were legislating the bill and none of them pointed fingers at communities for allowing it to happen.
So why now? And is the gay marriage the issue.
Reductionists would make us believe that America is the greatest immoral force ever existed in history and the same gender marriage is the peak of that immorality. They see America as an embodiment of oppression, arrogance, filthy capitalism, unbridled racism and promoter of satanism in the name of freedom. They argue that sexual deviation is the worst kind of sins in the eyes of the divine, hence America is doomed and with it the rest of the world is also doomed.
Realistically speaking, the issue is not about same-gender marriage, even though it appears to be so. The real issue is much bigger than the sexual preferences of individuals. It is about God and His domain and his revelation. Does it really matter that we believe in divine guidance in a true sense? Does it really matter that He is followed in all aspects of life? Do people have a right to deviate from His path and guidance? Or they have no choice? In other words, the issue is about the concept of God that we as people have. It is about our relations with him and it is about our rights as human beings and choices as well.
Human beings, throughout, human history have demonstrated three major patterns in their relations with God.
1. God is all-powerful and the creator of everything. He has given guidance to human beings in every aspect of life and If people do not follow the guidance, they will be punished in this life and the life hereafter.
2. God is all-powerful and creator of the universe, but he does not want to interfere in matters pertaining to social life and it is up to individuals to decide and determine what is best for them.
3. It does not matter who created the universe. We inherited it and it is our responsibility to decide its future on the basis of the decision of the majority and the most powerful.
Despite the existing differences among these three approaches, those who accept God claim to speak on his behalf have in fact behaved in a manner that is exemplified by the third approach. They have used and abused the divine guidance to serve3 their interests invoking his name. They have created hierarchies of people based on their so-called piety and commitment to the divine words.
There is no consensus among people of God about the definition of God, His attributes, His domain, and powers. Each religious group negates the definition of God by the other. In view of each, the universal God is a God of their communities. There are no divinely recognized universal guidance and even in issues o marriage, they have major differences. The history of all religious communities including Muslims explains that vividly.
 When it comes to homosexuality, all religious communities and religious leadership is guilty of committing it secretly. Catholics have done it, Hindu pundits do it, Buddhist monks do it. Jews do. In Muslim countries, especially in Muslim religious seminaries, homosexuality is a norm and not an exception. Yet, few have challenged it and did anything substantial to eradicate. They all try to cover it up and brush it aside as a nonevent. In all Muslim countries and communities, fornication and adultery are not uncommon, an act that is considered a major sin, yet no one really does anything to challenge it. Call girls circles do exist and brothels, hidden and open are not invisible in several places. Thousands of Muslim girls are inducted in the prostitution business every year and yet no one talks about it.
Oppression of innocent people, denial of rights to labor and persecution of the weak and the disadvantageous are common, yet few raise the issue. child marriages, children and spousal abuses are no exception and widely prevalent in our world extensively. Murder and terror are also present and destruction is caused in the name of God regularly.  There is not a single vice that has not been committed in the name of God by those who claim to be Muslims, Christians and Jews and the followers of any other religious traditions.
In almost every aspect of life, despite their claims that they are the recipient of the divine message and the follower of the divine guidance, the vast majority of people have acted in defiance and rebellion. It does not matter whether this defiance is in matters pertaining to the divine norms of marriage or social justice. The religious community, by and large, has acted in a hypocritical manner. While condemning the deviations, it has allowed it to be practiced though secretly.
What right any religious community has to condemn same-gender marriages when it has always indulged in deviations in defiance of God. Look at the Jewish community. It has violated the fundamental rights of Palestinians to live as decent human beings and it claims to be carrying out the will of God. Look at the Christian community, it has been involved in colonization, slavery, violence for centuries in the name of God. Look at Muslims. they indulge in racism, terror, in denial of rights to women, child abuse in the name of God. Look at Hindus. They have institutionalized inequality by dividing human beings in various caste and persecuting them according to their positions. Look at Buddhists. They indulge in violence against the weak.
Show me a single community that has lived the divine guidance in essence. They are hypocrites and they have no right to judge others for what they are doing. Their leadership is hypocritical and has no moral rights to point fingers to anyone. They have not stood for justice, for equality and for honesty and integrity. Rather, they have allowed every deviation to take place to serve their financial and political interests.
In Islamic traditions, God has given permission to humans to deviate from his path, defy him, reject him and ignore him. This choice is inbuilt in the structure of the faith. It is a guaranteed right that God had given to the first deviant, Satan, to pursue and propagate his defiance without facing any consequences in this life. If Shaitan has been guaranteed the freedom to deviate without any consequences in this world, then why the society has to punish those who follow him. God is tolerant of the opposition, but his creation does not want any opposition to existing. God could have destroyed Satan, but he allowed him to live and prosper. In fact, he even promised him a non-interventionist approach in the domain of Shaitan.
Humans in the divine scheme have the free will to choose whatever path they want to choose. The divine explains that their deviations would not cause hurt to them and their society as they would not be able to cause any hurt to God or to those who truly believe in him.
In the divine scheme, people bring disasters to them by their own actions. The same-gender marriages are in fact a statement asserting the right to self defines oneself without the guidance of God, a right that is given by none other than the one who calls himself the divine. If that right is theologically accepted, then why is this noise and hypocrisy?
In fact, the argument of the religious community is totally abused. It is so because it goes against the divine scheme and divine will. If he had willed, he could have made all of us a uniform community. Hypocrisy can never win an argument. It always creates more deviations.
Who had prevented the religious community to develop a sound and rational argument in support of their point of view on marriage? But all religions negate each other. Each call the other false religion. Each describes the other Satanic. How can any sane person believe in their credibility? Each has different rules of marriage. For instance, restrictions in marriages pertaining to who one should marry and not marry make the entire institution status-driven and discriminatory. How could they develop a unified perspective when within their own traditions they have differences.
The religious communities all around have failed to define marriage in a universal sense. Each has restrictions in the name of God and even if a man and a woman want to get married, issues related with a dowry, color, status, religion, ethnicity, language, and social custom prevent one from exercising the right freely. A Shia cannot marry a Sunni and vice versa. Catholics are discouraged to marry Protestants. Jewish orthodox cannot marry reformist. It's a mess out there in religious circles.
So the issue is not the same-gender marriage. It is divine guidance versus unbridled human freedoms. Can humans exercise their free will to reject the divine will in all aspects of a lie? Yes, they have every right to do so. But while doing that they have to be honest to them and the divine words. They cannot twist the words to suit their interests. If those who advocate the religious view point do that they would be no different than the religious communities.
Without any doubt the scriptures define marriage a union between a man and a woman. Why use the same term to define same-gender union and why to say that is endorsed by God. It is hypocrisy to act in such a manner. Does it mean that benefits that are given to a married couple of man and a woman should be denied to others? No, legally and socially, no one can be deprived of their rights as human because they do not follow a particular divine commandment. 
Yes, I as a believer in the divine guidance reject this life style. But I have no right to prevent others to indulge in this life style other than expressing my point of view. I have no right to create laws that would diminish their freedom and choices and human rights. My job is to convince people around me that my perspective is dignified and humane. But throughout history, people who have claimed to be religious have always acted in an inhumane and oppressive manner towards others. Each has indulged in discrimination, murders and killings of the other. Each has persecuted the other as a deviant. Each has denied equality to others in every possible way. So the religious communities, in general, have lost any moral grounds to stand firmly and challenge it.
Deviation from the divine law has always been part of human history. God has always been defied. It is not new. What is important is that those who believe in the divine message truly reflect it in their life. Otherwise, it would be a hypocritical stand. And this is what what we have been witnessing in our times. Let God do his job and let us do our job by explaining to each other who we are and what we stand for. Only through this open debate and dialogue, we would be able to find our humanity. 

The purpose of Abstaining from Lawful things? Benefits of Ramadan

Should we call it the month of fasting or the month of abstinence? Well, our scholars say that "the word saum means "to abstain from something" and according to the Fiqh it means abstaining from eating, drinking, sexual acts and all evil actions with the intention of pleasing Allah, from true dawn to sunset." This definition needs further explanations.
1. All those who are fasting are required not to eat and drink from dawn to dusk. They can eat during the night.
2. Only married couples are required not to indulge in conjugal relations during the time of fasting.
3. Physical intimacy between unmarried male and female members of the Muslim community is prohibited regardless of the month.
4. Intention to please Allah is not confined from dawn to dusk. It is a part of one's life.
5. Avoiding evil is also not confined to dawn to dusk in the ninth lunar month of the Islamic calendar. It is a commandment that is valid for all time and all months.
So what is so significant with this month of abstinence?
The main purpose is to empower each individual to take control of him or herself and ensure that they emerge stronger in every aspect of their life. So Ramadan is not the peak of one's commitment to Islam. It is the beginning as it prepares those who abstain for the next 11 months as well to live a meaningful and disciplined life.
Before the season begins for National Foosball League or Baseball or Basketball, the players go through a vigorous and rigorous training schedule to prepare them for the season. Similarly, those abstaining have month-long training to prepare them for the rest of the year.
There are two aspects to the abstinence.
1. Physical endurance
2. Spiritual enhancement
Physical endurance is a very subjective issue. For instance, those living in Australia or South Africa would have 9 to 10 hours fasting in 2015 and it would not be as hard for them to abstain from food and drink as it would be for people in Nordic countries. Depending on the climatic conditions one lives, physical endurance would be different for different people. So one cannot say that the fasting was primarily for the purpose of physical fitness or detoxification.
We cannot also argue that it is to help us go through the feelings of those who live in constant poverty and hunger. The fact of the matter is that despite whatever we say, we hardly care for finding a solution to poverty and hunger. Every year Muslims spend millions of dollar in serving food to those who are already fed. During the last 1400 years, we have not found any institutional solution to hunger as the gap between poor and rich has been on the rise in Muslim majority countries. If going through the hunger and thirst was meant to help us identify with poverty struck people, then we did not fulfill the purpose, not only us but the very learned and very pious as well.
Let us understand the real purpose of abstinence as described by the Quran that reminds us that "you may act responsibly or become conscious of Allah." Being conscious of Allah means we adhere to his guidance in all aspects of life and we respect the fellow human beings as we are required to do. It means living a disciplined life in this world.
Hence, the Prophet was very clear about the purpose of abstinence. He recognized that people will abstain from food and drink and will go through the cycle of hunger and thirst and he advised that unless there is a qualitative change in the behavior, attitude, and action, abstinence from food or water would not be considered the valid act of worship.
Thus the prophet said that those who lie, who backbite, who make false oaths, who complain all the time and who lustfully look at their fellow human beings would lose the essence of abstinence as the saum would become invalid for them.
It is a simple statement that fasting is more than physical endurance. It is spiritual mainly. It is for this reason that those abstaining are advised to spend most of their time in reflecting on the message of the Quran. 
It is a ritual on the part of Muslims to finish reading or listening to the entire Quran during this month regardless of their level of understanding.  Sometimes, even those who recite the Quran in their melodious voice do not understand what they are reciting. The guidance comes when we know what the guidance is and what it is all about. So we need to focus on the process of understanding the Quran in whatever language we speak or understand in addition to our readings in the Arabic language.
If we find an improvement in our behavior and attitude towards ourselves and others, and if we find ourselves a better person, the purpose of this training would be served and the reward for this would be immense in this life and the life hereafter. Otherwise, it would be just a ritual and rituals often do not produce desired results.