Glancing over the Quran in the order it was revealed upon the Prophet

Part one
By Dr. Aslam Abdullah

Many Muslims and non-Muslims would go over the Quran during the month of Ramadan, the month in which Muslims believe that it began to be revealed upon the Prophet. The Prophet under his supervision arranged the Quran the way we read it. The arrangement is believed to be from the longest Surah (loosely translated as a chapter) to the shortest Surah with the exception of Surah Al-Fatiha that has only seven Ayah that is the first Surah of the Quran.

In this series, the Surahs of the Quran are being introduced the way they were revealed upon the Prophet so that we could follow the footsteps of the Prophet. During the month of Ramadan, the series would offer the summary of the dominant ideas of four Surah daily. We would also identify Surah that has Ayah requiring the believing readers to prostrate while reading it.

Surah loosely means chapter, Ayah means verse or sign, Ruku means section and Surah with Sajda Ayah means the Surah that has a verse upon whose reading the believers should offer prostration.

Each Surah has its number of revelation as well as the number of its appearance in the traditionally arranged Quran that we have. It has its Arabic name and its English translation also in parenthesis.

The following Ayahs require prostration when read.

1.      Surah Araf (7:206)

2.      Surah Raad (13:15)

3.      Surah An-Nahl (16:50)

4.      Surah Isra (17:109)

5.      Surah Maryam (19:58)

6.      Surah Al-Hajj (22:18)

7.      Surah al-Hajj (22:77) according to Imam Shafai

8.      Surah al-Furqan (25:60)

9.      Surah An-Naml (27:26)

10.  Surah As-Sajdah (32:15)

11.  Surah Saad ( 38:24)

12.  Surah Fussilat (41:38)

13.  Surah An-Najm (53:62)

14.  Surah Inshiqaq (84:21)

15.  Surah Al-Alaq (96:19)

On the authority of Prophet Muhammad, Muslims believe that the Quran is a divine revelation in Arabic sent to human beings through Angel Gabriel in a period of 23 years in Arabia peninsula. The period of revelation is between 610 CE to 632 CE. The Quran has 6,236 verses, 114 surah and about 323,000 letters. Some 33,000 companions have verified and testified that the Quran as compiled under the supervision and with the approval of the one who was receiving it is the same as they heard from him.

The Quran was revealed differently than the way it was compiled under the supervision of the Prophet. Sometimes, an entire surah was revealed to the Prophet and sometimes parts of the surah were revealed at different times and different proportions. The arrangement in this series is according to their chronology of revelation. It is possible that parts of the surah may have been revealed at different times. However, we put the Surah in chronological order according to the revelation of its first part.

We are publishing the most agreed upon the chronology of the revelation with a short introduction of the theme of each surah.

Day Two

1. Al-'Alaq (The Germ-Cell) (96)

Place of Revelation: Makkah

Al-Alaq is the 96th Surah in traditionally arranged Quran. It is the first Surah revealed upon the Prophet. It was revealed in Makkah and it has one Ruku and 19 Ayah. The first five Ayahs were revealed in the Cave of Hira in Makkah and the remaining 14 ayahs were revealed when the Prophet was asked to perform the prayers in Kasbah.

The Surah lays the foundation of faith and invites people to build their character, life, family, and society on the divinely created knowledge. It invites human being to reflect on the process of his or her own creation and alludes to the fact that only through divinely revealed knowledge. Human beings can control their rebellious instincts.

2. Al-Qalam (The Pen) (68)

Place of Revelation: Makkah

Al-Qalam was the second Surah revealed upon the Prophet. It is the 68th Surah in the traditionally arranged Quran. It was revealed in Makkah and has two Ruku and 52 Ayah. The name itself suggests that the art of writing down on paper with the pen was known to the people around the Prophet. It also implied that the divine guidance would no longer be at the discretionary power of the memory, however strong it may be, rather it would be written down so that every letter and word is recorded for eternity.

The Surah reminds people that the message being revealed upon the Prophet is the continuation of the divine message given to human beings through messengers throughout human history. Even though it is being revealed in the Arabic language, it is for all human beings. It is also declaring that the ideas that are shared by the Prophet were rooted in rationality and they were relevant to the needs of the society. It asks people to ensure that those who are forced to live in a state of dependence causing them humiliation must be helped. It shares the story of a people who had a garden with plenty of produce, yet they would deny the needy any share in it. Consequently, they lost everything. It lays the foundation of a society that creates conditions for acquiring the means of subsistence for everyone. It also narrated the story of Prophet Jonah, and his followers and urges the followers of the Prophet not to give up and continue their mission to spread virtue in their society.  It introduces the idea of learning from the past to better the present.

3. Al-Muzzammil (The Enwrapped one) (73)

Place of Revelation: Makkah

Al-Muzammil was the third Surah revealed upon the Prophet. It is the 73rd Surah in the traditionally arranged Quran. It was revealed in Makkah and has two Ruku (sections) and 20 ayahs.  It is the seventy-third Surah in traditionally arranged Quran. It reminds the believers to focus on the message of the Quran and make it's reading part of the prayer. It invites the adherents to the faith to take strength from reliance on the divine message as being revealed upon the Prophet.

4. All-Muddathir (The Enfolded One) (74)

Makkah

Al-Mudassir was the fourth Surah revealed upon the Prophet. It is the 74th Surah in the traditionally arranged Quran. It was revealed in Makkah and has two Ruku and 56 ayahs. It dwells upon the manners of sharing the faith with others and elaborates upon the manners of dawah. It exhorts the believers to identify the evils plaguing the society and work to remove them, It also reminds the people that those who deny the truth would suffer the consequences.

Day Three

5. Al-Fatiha (The Opening) (1)

Place of Revelation: Makkah

Al-Fatiha was the fifth Surah revealed upon Prophet Muhammad. In the traditionally arranged Quran, it is the first Surah.  It was revealed in Makkah and has seven Ayah. It is known by different names and it has seven ayahs. It summarizes the essence of divine guidance and explains the basic principles of the faith. It reminds the people that if they do not follow the divine path, they would be lost and might indulge in actions that would harm them. It exhorts them constantly to be in a state of gratitude to God seeking his succor in all aspects of life. It also reminds them of the Day of Judgment when each of his creations would return to give an account of their deeds and words.

6. Al-Lahab (the Twisted Strands) (11)

Place of Revelation: Makkah

Al-Lahab or Al-Masad was the sixth Surah revealed upon the Prophet and it was revealed in Makah and has five Ayah. It is 111th in the traditionally arranged Quran and known by the above mentioned two names. Even though it names the enemies of the divine guidance, it reminds the believers that those who deny the truth consciously will never succeed in hiding it. Abu Lahab, whose name has been mentioned in this revelation along with his wife, lived several years after its revelation. He had the opportunity to challenge the truthfulness of the Quran by changing his faith to Islam. Yet, he refused and thus, testified the accuracy of the Quranic message.  It establishes the principle that each one is responsible for one’s action.

7. Al-Takwir (Shrouding in Darkness) (81)

Place of Revelation: Makkah

Al-Takwir is the seventh Surah revealed upon the Prophet. It is the 81st Surah in the traditionally arranged Quran and it was revealed in Makkah and has 29 Ayah. It describes the happenings at the end of the world and shows a glimpse of the scenes of the Last Day. It explains that everything would cease to exist and no one would get a chance to go back and change their wrongful deeds. It urges people to become morally upright in order to succeed on the Last Day. The purpose of this message is to remind people to become morally upright.

8. Al-A'la (The All Highest) (87)

Place of Revelation: Makkah

Al-Ala is 87th Surah in the traditionally arranged Quran was the eight Surah revealed upon the Prophet. It was revealed in Makkah has 19 verses in one Ruku.  It defines the majesty and grandeur of the Creator and invites people to express gratitude towards him. It asserts that divine guidance would make human progress and their denial would make them stagnant. It reminds people of the continuity of the divine guidance through successive messengers and invites them to follow the divine guidance to succeed in this life and the life hereafter. It also refers to the Last Day.  

Day Four

9. Al-Layl (The Night) (92)

Place of Revelation: Makkah

Al-Layl was the ninth Surah revealed upon the Prophet. In the traditionally arranged Quran, it is 92nd Surah. It was revealed in Makkah and has 21 verses in one Ruku. The Surah reminds humans of the two main choices they all have, the choice to live a good life and the choice to lead a life with evil actions.  It informs them that their actions would have consequences to bear. It has basically the same theme as the previous Surah, but it tells us about the two ways of life: good way and the evil way and the consequences of both ways.

10. Al-Fajr (The Dawn)

Place of Revelation: Makkah (89)

Al-Fajr is the tenth revealed upon the Prophet. It is the 89th Surah in the traditionally arranged Quran. It was revealed in Makkah has 30 Ayah in one Ruku. It explains the concepts of reward and punishment through historical references of Pharaoh and the people of Aad and Thamud. It reminds people that when they neglect their responsibilities towards the neglected and the deprived ones and start indulging in a lifestyle that makes them forget Allah, they invite consequences to their actions. It also introduces the concept of a comforted soul that upon its return to God joins the ranks of those who dwell in the heavens among the closest to God.  

11. Ad-Duha (The Bright Morning Hours) (92)

Place of Revelation: Makkah

Ad-Duha is the eleventh Surah revealed upon the Prophet. In the traditionally arranged Quran, it is the 93rd Surah. It was revealed in Makkah and has eleven Ayah. It highlights the internal search for truth that every human has and explains that regardless of the human conditions one faces, the truth becomes manifest upon searching for it. It invites people to devote their resources for the poor and the needy and assures them the coming days would be better than the days of difficulties.

12. Ash Sarah (The Opening of the heart) (94)

Place of Revelation: Makkah

Ash- Sharah is the twelfth Surah in the chronology of the revelation. It is the 94th Surah in the traditionally arranged Quran. It was revealed in Makkah and has eight verses in one Ruku. It introduces humans to a permanent rule that difficulties do not last forever as they always lead to ease. It also reminds people that their work for the good of humanity lasts more than their lifetime.

Fifth day

13. Al-‘Asr (The Time) (103)

Makkah

Al-Asr is the thirteenth Surah revealed upon the Prophet was Al-Asr. It is 103rd in the traditionally arranged Quran and has three ayahs. It was revealed in Makkah and has three Ayah in one Ruku. It summarizes the essence of human history with the conclusion that human beings would continue to harm themselves if they do not adhere to the path of truth and perseverance. It explains that truth is the only substance that liberates humans from all bondages.

14. Al-'Adiyat (The Chargers)

Makkah

Al-Adiyat is the 100th Surah in the traditionally arranged Quran and is the fourteenth Surah revealed upon the Prophet. It was revealed in Makkah and has 11 Ayah in one Ruku. Referring to human history, it shows the ungratefulness that humans have toward the Creator and towards each other. It also reflects on the wild and imbalanced lifestyle of Arabs and reminds humans that on the Day of Judgment all that human beings were hiding would be exposed.

15. Al-Kawthar (Good in Abundance) (108)

Makkah

Al-Kawthar is the 108th Surah in the traditionally arranged Quran. It is the fifteenth Surah revealed upon the prophet. It was revealed in Makkah and has three verses in one Ruku. It is a Surah of hope and glad tidings. It assures the people that the divine guidance would ultimately be accepted by them and truth will prevail.

16. Al-Takathur (Greed for More and More) (102)

Makkah

Al-Takathur is the 102nd Surah in the Quran and it was the sixteenth surah revealed upon the Prophet. It was revealed in Makkah has 8 Ayah in one Ruku and it refers to the human tendency, in general, to be greedy for more and more. It reminds people of the consequences of materialistic lifestyle and explains that this practice is a recipe for disaster for all as the society remains divided between haves and have nots and the greed prevails the relationship.

Sixth Day

17. Al-Ma’un (Assistance) (107)

Makkah

Al-Maun is the 107th Surah of the Quran. It is the seventeenth in the chronology of the revelation. It was revealed in Makkah and has seven Ayah in one Ruku. It defines faith in terms of its inspiration to people to help the poor and the needy. It reminds them that faith is lip service as long as it does not lead to creating a compassionate and kind society for all.

18. Al-Kafirun (The deniers of the Truth) (109)

Makkah

Al-Kafirun is the eighteenth Surah revealed upon the Prophet and it is the 109th Surah in the traditionally arranged Quran. It was revealed in Makkah and has six Ayah in one Ruku. It establishes the principle of freedom of religion and argues that any compromise in matters of faith would reduce the significance of divine guidance by mixing the truth with falsehood.

19. All-Feel (The Elephant)

Makkah

Al-Feel is the nineteenth surah that was revealed to the Prophet is also the 105th Surah in the traditionally arranged Quran. It was revealed in Makkah and has five Ayah in one Ruku. It refers to the invasion of Makkah for the purpose of demolishing the Kaaba by the ruler of Yemen. In the midst of hostilities towards the Prophet, the Surah reassures him that Allah is the protector of the faith and his protection is for all who stand for the truth.

20. Al-Falaq (The Rising Dawn) (113)

Makkah

Al-Falaq is the twentieth Surah revealed upon the Prophet and its number in the traditionally arranged Quran is 113th. It was revealed in Makkah has five Ayah in one Ruku. It explains that evil forces are out there to tempt humans away from the truth to harm them and destroy their peace. It invites people to find refuge in the divine guidance from the forces of darkness.

Seventh Day

21. An-Nas (Human Beings) (114)

Makkah

Immediately after the revelation of Al-Falaq, the 114th Surah known as An-Nas was revealed. It was revealed in Makkah and is the 21st Surah revealed upon the Prophet. It has six Ayah in one Ruku. It exposes the satanic strategy to whisper evil ideas in the minds and hearts of people and advises them to focus on the divine guidance in their words and deeds to succeed in this life and the life hereafter.

22. Al-Ikhlas   (The declaration of God’s Perfection) (112)

Makkah

Al-Ikhlas was the 22nd revealed upon the Prophet. It is the 112th Surah in the traditionally arranged Quran. It was revealed in Makkah and has four verses in one Ruku. It is a statement of monotheism and an elaboration on how the monotheism should be defined. It speaks of the uniqueness and oneness of Allah without attributing any biological traits.

23. An-Najm (The Unfolding) (53)

Makkah

An-Najm is the 23rd Surah of the Quran revealed upon the Prophet. It appears as 53rd Surah in the traditionally arranged Quran. It was revealed in Makkah and has 62 Ayah spread over three Ruku. The Surah refers to the incident of the Prophet’s ascension to heavens to experience the closeness with Allah. It asks the unbelievers to take divine guidance and the status of the messenger seriously. It refutes the narration that angels were like the daughters of Allah. The Surah refers to the issue of the intercession of Angels on behalf of humans.

24. 'Abasa (He Frowned) (80)

Abasa is the 80th Surah in the traditionally arranged Quran and 24th Surah revealed upon the Prophet. It was revealed in Makkah has 42 Ayah in one Ruku. It establishes the rule that in the dissemination of divine guidance, everyone should be treated equally. The divine message is for everyone and the decision to accept or reject is the prerogative of every individual who is exposed to it. It reminds the people that those accept it would benefit from it and those who reject it would suffer the consequences.   

The doors of heavens are closed and the gates of heaven are opened

by Dr. Aslam Abdullah

The hadith is rated authentic and it is reported in other books of ahadith. All the original narrators of the hadith joined the faith of Islam some three years before the death of the prophet so it can be safely assumed that the companions learned about it some five years after the month of fasting was made obligatory upon the Muslim community forever.  Obviously, it does not mean that the doors of hell were not closed or the gates of heaven were not opened during the earlier years of fasting when this hadith was not reported by the Prophet. How should one read this hadith and what is the essential message that is being relayed in it?

Obviously, it does not mean that the gates of heaven remain closed in all other 11 months of the Islamic lunar calendar or the gates of hell are closed only for one month. It also does not mean for obvious reasons that devils are fettered only during this month because of everything that is described as sinful in religious scriptures does not vanish for one month to return immediately after the conclusion of Ramadan.

The hadith is a symbolic explanation of the conditions that prevail during the month of Ramadan among the fasting believers. What is explained in this hadith is here that the fasting believers feel empowered during this month to take control of themselves and avoid committing anything that may be considered sinful in the divine message?  Researchers have conducted studies on the lifestyle of people fasting during the month of Ramadan and they have observed at least interesting patterns.

1. T.hose fasting are conscious of the fact that they are in a process of spiritual purification, i.e., trying to follow divine guidance on fasting to get closer to the Creator.

2. They are aware of the consequence of any deviation for their personal and spiritual growth. For instance, they would not eat or drink knowingly to falsely claim their fasting or would not indulge in any activities such as backbiting or cheating or anything that can be termed as a behavioral deviation that might invalidate the fasting.

3. They generally tend to be more generous during this month. For instance, they would share their resources with the poor and the needy or would support a cause that may benefit the community at large.

4. They would focus more on their family and encourage each other to pray more and to remind them to fulfill their responsibilities to the divine message.

5. They would spend more time on personal reflections on their life and work

6. They would connect with the Muslim community to ensure that they share the moments of spirituality with others.

7. They increase visitations to each other's homes to bring closeness to the community

8. They would usually give their zakat during this month to take care of the poor and the needy.

9. They would become more disciplined in their work and family chores.

10. They would be happier during this month compared with other months and occasions.

All these patterns create a positive impact on the life of an individual as they try to avoid anything that is negative, thus preventing evil and deviant ideas to influence their behavior and action. Obviously, a religion that places emphasis on strong moral character recognizes its value and promises rewards for it in this life as well as in life hereafter. In other words, the fasting believers through their behavior and action create conditions that increase their chances of achieving high rewards from God and preventing the punishment, thus overpowering the Satanic forces to play any significant role in their life at least during the month.

However, if a fasting believer is not careful in watching his or her behavior and actions, the Satanic forces would always be there to manipulate him or her the way they want to.

It is in this context, this hadith should be read. In a way, this hadith reinforces the idea that the Quran strongly promotes "human beings are responsible for their actions." (5:105) If they are careful, they are closer to God and if they are careless, Satan overpowers them. This month is giving every fasting believer the opportunity to prove to himself and herself that they are capable of taking control of their lives and assert their independence from the Satanic circles. This way they would close the doors of hell and open the gates of heaven, chaining satan with their action and behavior

The terror unleashed on peaceful worshipers in Sri Lanka

By Dr. Aslam Abdullah

On one of the most sacred and significant days in Christian history, in a Buddhist dominated state of Sri Lanka, suicide bombers allegedly belonging to an outfit described as Muslims killed more than 250 worshippers and injured hundreds more. The US described them ISIS-inspired and the Sri Lankan government called them local Sri Lankans with ties to National Toweeth Jamath. 

The Sri Lankan Muslim community, realizing the seriousness of the situation issued the following statements

"For members of Sri Lanka’s Muslim community, it’s no surprise that local jihadist group National Thowheed Jamath is being blamed for deadly bombings that killed nearly 300 people on Easter Sunday. Hilmy Ahamed, vice president of the Muslim Council of Sri Lanka said he warned military intelligence officials about the group and its leaders about three years ago. “Targeting the non-Muslim community is something they encourage -- they say you have to kill them in the name of religion,” Ahamed said in a phone interview from Colombo on Monday. “I personally have gone and handed overall the documents three years ago, giving the names and details of all these people. They have sat on it. That’s the tragedy.”  

Religious places and religious worshipers are the easiest targets, a terrorist can attack without much resistance. This is what the terrorists have done for decades. A mob in 1992 in India demolished a house of God under the instigation of political leadership that claimed that it was built on the birthplace of a mythological Hindu warrior and ruler Rama, who has been given the status of a god by some of the followers of the Hindu faith. Two years later, a Jewish doctor gunned down scores of worshiping people in occupied Palestine. Until 2010, scores of places were attacked, vandalized and brutalized, sometimes by followers of rival religions and sometimes by the followers of the same religion belonging to different sects.

Houses of worship around the world, a place of reflection and peace, have been targeted for attack by extremists. Here are some of the deadly assaults over the last decade:

Since 2010, the world has started taking note of such incidents. Thus, in the last 19 years, some major acts of violence took place and they are as follows.

Oct. 31, 2010: Al-Qaida in Iraq attacked Our Lady of Salvation Catholic Church in Baghdad during Sunday night mass, killing 58 people.

Dec. 15, 2010: Two suicide bombers from the Sunni extremist group Jundallah blew themselves up near a mosque in southeastern Iran.

July 16, 2010: Jundallah group killed 27 and injuries 270 after it carried out a double suicide bombing against another Shiite mosque in southeastern Iran.

Aug. 5, 2012: Six members of the Sikh Temple of Wisconsin, in Oak Creek, were fatally shot by a white supremacist, Wade Michael Page. Page was shot by a responding officer and later killed himself.

Nov. 18, 2014: Two Palestinians using axes, knives and a gun killed four Jewish worshippers and an Israeli police officer in an attack on a Jerusalem synagogue.

Jan. 30, 2015: Suicide bombing at a Shiite mosque in the Pakistani town of Shikarpur killed 71. Jundullah claimed responsibility.

March 20, 2015: Islamic State suicide bombers attacked a pair of mosques in Yemen's capital, unleashing monstrous blasts that ripped through worshippers and killed 137 people.

June 17, 2015: Nine black worshippers, including a pastor, were killed by Dylan Roof, a 21-year-old white supremacist after he prayed with them in Charleston, South Carolina. Roof was convicted of federal hate-crime and obstruction-of-religion charges and sentenced to death.

Sept. 24, 2015: A suicide bomber struck a mosque in Yemen's rebel-held capital, killing 25 worshippers during prayers for the Muslim holiday of Eid al-Adha.

Nov. 12, 2016: Suicide bomber from ISIS killed over 50 at the shrine of Shah Noorani, in Pakistan's Baluchistan province.

Dec. 11, 2016: Suicide bomber struck inside a Cairo chapel adjacent to St. Mark's Cathedral, the seat of Egypt's ancient Coptic Orthodox Church killing at least 25 people.

Jan. 29, 2017: At the Islamic Cultural Centre of Quebec City, a mosque in the Sainte-Foy neighborhood of Quebec City, Canada. Six worshippers were killed and nineteen others injured when a man opened fire

Feb. 16, 2017: Suicide bomber detonated his explosives vest among the devotees at the shrine of Lal Shahbaz Qalandar in Pakistan's Sindh province, killing 98.

April 9, 2017: Twin suicide bombings rocked churches in the Egyptian coastal city of Alexandria and Tanta, killing at least 45 people. The attack was claimed by the Islamic State group.

June 15, 2017: A suicide bomber killed four people at a Shiite mosque in Afghanistan's capital city of Kabul. Among the dead is a leader of Afghanistan's ethnic Hazaras, who are mostly Shiite Muslims.

Aug. 1, 2017: A suicide bomber stormed into the largest Shiite mosque in Afghanistan's western Herat province, opening fire on worshippers before blowing himself up, killing at least 90 people. Hundreds more were wounded in the attack, which happened during evening prayers.

Aug. 3, 2018: Suicide bombers disguised in burqa robes attacked a Shiite mosque in eastern Afghanistan, killing 27 people.

Aug. 25, 2017: Militants storm a packed Shiite mosque in Kabul during Friday prayers. The attack ends with at least 28 worshippers killed and 50 wounded, many of them children. Two of the assailants blow themselves up and another two are shot dead by Afghan security forces.

Sept. 29, 2017: A suicide bomber blew himself up outside a Shiite mosque in Kabul, killing five. The attack took place as worshippers were leaving the mosque after Friday prayers.

Oct. 20, 2017: ISIS claimed a suicide bomber attack, killing 31 and wounding 29 people, at a Shiite mosque in Kabul.

Nov. 5, 2017: Dressed in black tactical-style gear and armed with an assault weapon, 26-year-old Devin Kelley opened fire at the First Baptist Church of Sutherland Springs, Texas, killing 26 people and wounding about 20 others.

Nov. 24, 2017: Militants killed 311 worshippers in a mosque attack in north Sinai, the deadliest such terrorist attack in Egypt's modern history.

Dec. 17, 2017: ISIS attacked a church in the Pakistani city of Quetta kills 16 people.

Oct. 27, 2018: A gunman believed to have spewed anti-Semitic slurs on social media entered Tree of Life Congregation synagogue in Pittsburgh and opened fire, killing 11 and wounding six, including four police officers.

Jan. 27, 2019: Two suicide attackers detonate two bombs during a Mass in a Roman Catholic cathedral on the largely Muslim island of Jolo in the southern Philippines, killing 23 and wounding about 100 others. Three days later, an attacker hurls a grenade in a mosque in nearby Zamboanga city, killing two religious teachers.

March 15, 2019: At least 51 people are killed in an attack at mosques in the New Zealand city of Christchurch.

In addition to that hundreds of places of worship were destroyed by either authorities or mobs in China, Myanmar, Israel, Congo, and India in the last several decades.

Apparently, religious violence is on the rise and the religious leadership is failing to control hatred, terror, and violence committed by their followers.

In this increasingly volatile and violent situation, it is easier to point fingers at others and blame them and religion for that. The reality is that no sane person and no genuine religion can promote violence or terror against those who differ with its basic tenets. No one is born with hatred as part of his or her gene. People learn to hate based on what learn in their families, religious institutions, schools, and social and political circles. People are often instigated to use violence and terror to silence others or to intimidate a whole community.

It is this notorious brainwashing done in the name of religion that needs to be challenged and eliminated. Every religious community has to play a proactive role in controlling its hate mongers, but the most effective way is to challenge the promoters of violence and terror through interfaith efforts. The religious community must come together to fight this menace that has become a political tool to divide people and spread hatred and violence. If such an initiative is not taken, then we all will suffer. The attack on the Christians of Sri Lanka was, in fact, an attack on Islam and Judaism and Buddhism as well as Hinduism and only when these communities and their leaders come together to fight terror, the monster can be tamed.

The forces of evil and the sources of Islamophobia

by Dr. Aslam Abdullah

In the wake of the recent tragedy in New Zealand against Muslims, it is imperative to address the following questions:

Are there people and groups responsible for Islamophobia? Why are they spreading hatred against Muslims and Islam? What biases have they developed against Islam?

A cursory look at the statements issued by different groups and individuals against Islam and Muslims on a regular basis suggest that the following are the main sources from where the anti-Islam propaganda is spreading in the world:

1. Right-wing Christian Evangelical groups. They preach hatred against Islam in their places of worship and declare Islam as evil and Muslims as pagans out to destroy western civilization.
2. Jewish supremacists and their supporters. They promote hatred against Arabs and Muslims and claim that Muslims are anti-Jewish and anti-Semitic.
3. White supremacists. They regard Muslims as part of dark races and even those who are born in the Caucasian region cannot claim to be white. They believe that God is on the side of the White race.
4. Hindutva supremacists. They believe that their God is only there for them and others are untouchables and consider Muslims in India invaders who must be converted back to Hinduism.
5. ISIS and Violent Muslim groups. They believe that God has given them a license to kill innocents and them use the miseries of Muslim people to hurt innocents.
6. Buddhist supremacists. They believe that they can claim peace while killing others and want to cleanse Myanmar of Muslim presence.
7. Democratic and Republican demagogues. They serve multinational corporations and the interests of Israel to earn their livelihood. They have the least regard to the human rights of those who are not like them.
8. A right-wing and multinational corporation-controlled media that loves to see the blood of innocent spill in the streets so that through its reporting and divisive reporting it can get more advertisement and ratings.
9. A liberal left that view Islam as a bane of human civilization.

All of them find Muslims an easy target. Because Muslims still believe in divisions in the name of the false division, between Shia and Sunnis and hundreds of schools of thought.

They have learned that hatred towards Muslims can get them elected. They can use any pretext to attack Muslims. They do not realize that humanity is one and every human deserves a dignified existence and it is through respect and love one would create bridges to bring people together.

How should Muslims defend them besides relying on God? They should develop alliances with Jews, Christians, Buddhists, atheists, and Hindus and others who believe in the sanctity of life and who are willing to confront their owns to seek dignity for every human being.

 Congress passes a resolution condemning Islamophobia, racism, and antisemitism

 By Dr. Aslam Abdullah

When it came to voting, only 23, all of whom were Republican members of Congress voted a resolution condemning hatred and intolerance including Islamophobia and anti-Antisemitism. 407 congress members from both the parties created the history as for the first a resolution condemning anti-Muslim bigotry in America was addressed. Three Muslim members of Congress, Rashida Tlaib from Michigan, Omar Ilhan from Minnesota and Andre Carson from Indianapolis jointly celebrated the resolution by saying " we are tremendously proud to be part of a body that has put forth a condemnation of all forms of bigotry including, antisemitism, racism and white supremacy. At a time when extremism is on the rise, we must explicitly denounce religious intolerance of all kinds and acknowledge the pain felt by all communities. Our nation is having a difficult conversation and we believe this great progress. 

Several pro-Israel Democratic Congressmen and Republicans wanted to single out Ilhan Omar for her remarks that being critical of the policies of Israeli prime minister and occupation are not the same as being antisemitic. They wanted her to be removed from the congressional committee on foreign affairs and they wanted her not to be included in the intelligence briefing sessions.

It appeared that the pro-Israeli lobby was closer to achieve all this, but the support three influential senators offer to Ilhan changed the nature of the debate and the speaker of the House who at one time was willing to have a resolution condemning Ilhan for her statements changed her position and said that the tweets were not antisemitic. 

Ilhan Omar took a bold stand on the issue and in her defense argued that she should not be expected to have support to a foreign country in order to serve my country in Congress or serve on the committee. She further wrote " I am told every day that I am anti-American if I am not pro-Israel. I find that to be problematic and I am not alone. I just happen to be willing to speak up on it and open myself to attacks. "

She was brutally attacked by the left and the right and even center. The pro-Israeli lobby mobilized hundreds of phone calls to congressmen urging them to vote Ilhan Omar out of the foreign affairs committee. However, they could not persuade 407 members who refused to single out her for her  criticism of Israel.It is a victory for freedom of speech and a defeat of racists and bigots who have been trying to stifle public opinions on matters that impact the nation.

Here is the text of the resolution.

Whereas adherence to these principles is vital to the progress of the American people and the diverse communities and religious groups of the United States;

Whereas whether from the political right, center, or left, bigotry, discrimination, oppression, racism, and imputations of dual loyalty threaten American democracy and have no place in American political discourse;

Whereas white supremacists in the United States have exploited and continue to exploit bigotry and weaponized hate for political gain, targeting traditionally persecuted peoples, including African Americans, Latinos, Native Americans, Asian Americans, and Pacific Islanders and other people of color, Jews, Muslims, Hindus, Sikhs, the LGBTQ community, immigrants, and others with verbal attacks, incitement, and violence;

Whereas the Reverend Martin Luther King, Jr., taught that persecution of any American is an assault on the rights and freedoms of all Americans;

Whereas on August 11 and 12, 2017, self-identified neo-Confederates, white nationalists, neo-Nazis, and Ku Klux Klansmen held white supremacist events in Charlottesville, Virginia, where they marched on a synagogue under the Nazi swastika, engaged in racist and anti-Semitic demonstrations and committed brutal and deadly violence against peaceful Americans;

Whereas a white nationalist murdered nine African American worshipers at the Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church in Charleston, South Carolina, on the evening of June 17, 2015, in the hopes of igniting a nationwide race war;

Whereas on October 27, 2018, the perpetrator of the deadliest attack on Jewish people in the history of the United States killed 11 worshippers at the Tree of Life Synagogue building in Pittsburgh and reportedly stated that he "wanted all Jews to die"

Whereas anti-Semitism is the centuries-old bigotry and form of racism faced by Jewish people simply because they are Jews;

Whereas in 2017 the Federal Bureau of Investigation reported a 37 percent increase in hate crimes against Jews or Jewish institutions and found that attacks against Jews or Jewish institutions made up 58.1 percent of all religious-based hate crimes;

Whereas there is an urgent need to ensure the safety and security of Jewish communities, including synagogues, schools, cemeteries, and other institutions;

Whereas Jews are the targets of anti-Semitic violence at even higher rates in many other countries than they are in the United States;

Whereas it is a foreign policy priority of the United States to monitor and combat anti-Semitism abroad;

Whereas anti-Semitism includes blaming Jews as Jews when things go wrong; calling for, aiding, or justifying the killing or harming of Jews in the name of a radical ideology or extremist view of religion; or making mendacious, dehumanizing, demonizing, or stereotyped allegations about Jews;

Whereas Jewish people are the subject in the media and political campaigns to numerous other dangerous anti-Semitic myths as well, including that Jews control the United States Government or seek global, political, and financial domination and that Jews are obsessed with money;

Whereas scapegoating, and targeting of Jews in the United States have persisted for many years, including by the Ku Klux Klan, the America First Committee, and by modern neo-Nazis;

Whereas accusing Jews of being more loyal to Israel or to the Jewish community than to the United States constitutes anti-Semitism because it suggests that Jewish citizens cannot be patriotic Americans and trusted neighbors, when Jews have loyally served our Nation every day since its founding, whether in public or community life or military service;

Whereas accusations of dual loyalty generally have an insidious and pernicious history, including—

(1) the discriminatory incarceration of Americans of Japanese descent during World War II on their basis of race and alleged dual loyalty;

(2) the Dreyfus affair, when Alfred Dreyfus, a Jewish French artillery captain, was falsely convicted of passing secrets to Germany based on his Jewish background;

(3) when the loyalty of President John F. Kennedy was questioned because of his Catholic faith; and

(4) the post-9/11 conditions faced by Muslim-Americans in the United States, including Islamophobia and false and vicious attacks on and threats to Muslim-Americans for alleged association with terrorism;

Whereas anti-Muslim bigotry entails prejudicial attitudes towards Muslims and people who are perceived to be Muslim, including the irrational belief that Muslims are inherently violent, disloyal, and foreign;

Whereas Muslims and people perceived to be Muslim are subjected to false and dangerous stereotypes and myths, including unfair allegations that they sympathize with individuals who engage in violence or terror or support the oppression of women, Jews, and other vulnerable communities;

Whereas in 2017, mosques were bombed in Bloomington, Minnesota, and burned in Austin, Texas, Victoria, Texas, Bellevue, Washington, and Thonotosassa, Florida, and mass attacks on Muslim communities were planned against communities in Islamberg, New York, in 2019, Jacksonville, Florida, in 2017, and Garden City, Kansas, in 2016;

Whereas the Federal Bureau of the Investigation reported that hate crimes against Muslims or Muslim institutions in the United States increased by over 99 percent between 2014 and 2016;

Whereas attacks motivated by bigotry against those who are Muslim or perceived to be Muslim have substantially increased since the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks;

Whereas the violation of an individual's civil rights based on his or her actual or perceived membership in a particular religious group clearly violates the Constitution and laws of the United States; and

Whereas all Americans, including Jews, Muslims, and Christians and people of all faiths and no faith, have a stake in fighting anti-Semitism, as all Americans have a stake in fighting every form of bigotry and hatred against people based on religion, race, or place of birth and origin:

Now, therefore, be it Resolved, That the House of Representatives—

(1) rejects the perpetuation of anti-Semitic stereotypes in the United States and around the world, including the pernicious myth of dual loyalty and foreign allegiance, especially in the context of support for the United States-Israel alliance;

(2) condemns anti-Semitic acts and statements as hateful expressions of intolerance that are contradictory to the values that define the people of the United States;

(3) reaffirms its support for the mandate of the United States Special Envoy to Monitor and Combat Anti-Semitism as part of the broader policy priority of fostering international religious freedom and protecting human rights all over the world;

(4) rejects attempts to justify hatred or violent attacks as an acceptable expression of disapproval or frustration over political events in the Middle East or elsewhere;

(5) acknowledges the harm suffered by Muslims and others from the harassment, discrimination, and violence that result from anti-Muslim bigotry;

(6) condemns anti-Muslim discrimination and bigotry against all minorities as contrary to the values of the United States;

(7) condemns the death threats received by Jewish and Muslim Members of Congress, including in recent weeks;

(8) encourages law enforcement and government officials to avoid conduct that raises the specter of unconstitutional profiling against anyone because of their race, religion, nationality, political, or particular social group, including the assignment of blame or targeting members of an entire religious group for increased suspicion, based on the conduct of a single individual or small group of individuals; and

(9) encourages all public officials to confront the reality of anti-Semitism, Islamophobia, racism, and other forms of bigotry, as well as historical struggles against them, to ensure that the United States will live up to the transcendent principles of tolerance, religious freedom, and equal protection as embodied in the Declaration of Independence and the first and 14th amendments to the Constitution.

Who changed the priorities in the Quranic Guidance?

Dr. Aslam Abdullah

The discussions, the lectures, the arguments and the topics that Muslims and Muslim scholars have been discussing, debating and giving priorities for centuries in their institutions and seminaries are not the issues that were initially raised by the Quran, a divine scripture that Muslims describe as a book intended for them and practiced and lived by the messenger whom the Muslim own as theirs. The Quran never described it as a book for Muslims only. Rather, it defined itself as guidance to humanity, “It was the month of Ramadan in which the Qur'an was [first] bestowed from on high as a guidance unto man and a self-evident proof of that guidance, and as the standard by which to discern the true from the false….” (2:185)  Similarly, the final messenger, Muhammad, peace, and blessings are upon him, never identified himself as a messenger to Muslims only. The Quran testifies to this belief when it says, “And [thus, O Prophet,] We have sent thee as [an evidence of Our] grace towards all the worlds.21:107

However, the issues that Muslim scholars have raised over the centuries and still, debate were the ones the Quran initially asked its accepters to focus on. Over the centuries, the Muslims have been discussing issues that are relevant to Muslims only in their ritual matters such as Wudu (ablution) and Ghusl (bath), rules for fasting, amount of zakat (charitable contributions spent on Muslims only, Hajj or pilgrimage obligatory on those Muslims who can afford, prayers in a particular form for Muslims only, etc. Or in recent times, they have raised issues of Hijab, beard and its length, or the length of trousers or the consumption of only zabeeha meat by Muslims.

Rarely, you hear Muslims focusing on issues that concern humanity in general and focuses on its interests. Rarely, one finds Muslims offering ideas and practical programs to counter issues that a great majority of human beings face on the face of earth.

By the standards of the Quran, the Muslim scholars and intellectuals, by and large, have turned the Quran into a book not to be heard, not to be followed and not to be practiced and lived but to be recited melodiously and referred to constantly. This is precisely what the Quran had anticipated when it said “AND [on that Day] the Apostle will say: ^“O my Sustainer! Behold, [some of] my people have come to regard this Quran as something [that ought to be] discarded!.” 25:30

The original message of the Quran was simple and very clear. It challenged people’s existing concept of monotheism and explained that the oneness of God can be lived only when humanity is perceived as one organic whole and when those who believe in this idea dedicate the to ensure that human beings are liberated from the bondage they have been placed in and the hunger is eliminated from our world. The Quran exhorted its believers their primary task as follows

 [It is] the freeing of one's neck 90:13 

and the feeding, upon a day of [one's own] hunger, 90:14 

(Whether) of an orphan near of kin, 90:15 

or of a needy [stranger] lying in the dust 90:16

In the analysis of the Quran, a human cannot reach his or her true potential unless he/she is free and not hungry. Thus, it asked the followers to identify with the issues of people and ensure that their dignity is restored. How have our scholars and activists throughout the centuries worked on these two issues. It deserves to be analyzed.

A worldwide survey was conducted in 2017 comprising 31,000 18-35 years old across 186 countries. The participants were identified as the ten most serious issues the world face today. The survey was the World Economic Forum’s Global Survey. These issues were:

1. Climate change/destruction of nature (48.8%)

2. Large scale conflict / wars (38.9%)

3. Inequality (income, discrimination) (30.8%)

4. Poverty (29.2%)

5. Religious conflicts (23.9%)

6. Government accountability and transparency/corruption (22.7%) 

7. Food and water security (18.2%)

8. Lack of education (15.9%)

9. Safety/security/well being (14.1%)

10. Lack of economic opportunity and employment (12.1%)

Muslims have thousands of organizations and institutions all over the world. Can we identify a few that have offered some analysis or position papers on any of the above-identified issues in a global or regional context?

It is not that Muslims lack resources, intellectual or material. It is because Muslim scholarship has rarely focused on the message of the Quran in a universal context. When the scholars and intellectuals focus on peripheral issues, how can our younger generation be inspired to focus on the message of the Quran for humanity and how can they dedicate to activism that brings about a qualitative change in the living conditions of the people.

Obviously, the agenda of the Quran has been changed by none other than the scholars who claim to glorify the Quran, Unless the community returns to the original guidance of the Quran, it would not be able to live its purpose and objective in this world.