Arab nationalism in Palestine and Jewish nationalism

"Partition of Palestine" redirects here. For the Partition of Palestine into Israel, the Gaza Strip, and the West Bank, see 1949 Armistice Agreements 

UNSCOP (3 September 1947) and UN Ad Hoc Committee (25 November 1947) partition plans. The UN Ad Hoc committee proposal was voted on in the resolution.
Date	November 29, 1947
Meeting no.	128
Code	A/RES/181(II)
Voting summary	33 voted for 13 voted against 10 abstained
Result	Recommendation to the United Kingdom, as the mandatory Power for Palestine, and to all other Members of the United Nations the adoption and implementation, with regard to the future government of Palestine, of the Plan of Partition with Economic Union set out in the resolution

The United Nations Partition Plan for Palestine was a proposal developed by the United Nations, which recommended a partition with Economic Union of Mandatory Palestine to follow the termination of the BritishMandate. On 29 November 1947, the U.N.General Assembly  adopted a resolution recommending the adoption and implementation of the Plan as Resolution 181(II)

 

 

The resolution recommended the creation of independent Arab and Jewish States and the Special International Regime for the City of Jerusalem. The Partition Plan, a four-part document attached to the resolution, provided for the termination of the Mandate, the progressive withdrawal of British armed forces and the delineation of boundaries between the two States and Jerusalem. Part I of the Plan stipulated that the Mandate would be terminated as soon as possible and the United Kingdom would withdraw no later than 1 August 1948. The new states would come into existence two months after the withdrawal, but no later than 1 October 1948. The Plan sought to address the conflicting objectives and claims of two competing movements: Arab Nationalism in Palestine and Jewish Nationalism , known as Zionism.The Plan also called for Economic Union between the proposed states, and for the protection of religious and minority rights.

The Plan was accepted by the Jewish public, except for its fringes, and by the Jewish Agency despite its perceived limitations. With a few exceptions, the Arab leaders and governments rejected the plan of partition in the resolution and indicated an unwillingness to accept any form of territorial division.Their reason was that it violated the principles of national self determination  in the UN charter which granted people the right to decide their own destiny.

Immediately after adoption of the Resolution by the General Assembly, the civil war  broke out.The partition plan was not implemented

Prophet Muhammad: A Messenger from God

The Prophet Muhammad explained to this people that Allah is the only god and summoned them to believe in Allah.

By: Harun Yahya
The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) is the last prophet. Through the verses that begin with “Say”, Allah conveyed to our Prophet (peace be upon him) what needed to be said to people. Through these verses, our Prophet (peace be upon him) communicated Allah’s message.
The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said that those who fear Allah and seek to be forgiven, should follow him:

Say, “If you love Allah, then follow me and Allah will love you and forgive you for your wrong actions. Allah is Ever-Forgiving, Most Merciful.” (Al-'Imran 3 :31) 

This call of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) still applies universally. Allah enjoined strict obedience on the messengers He sent, and in many verses, states that obedience to the messengers is, in actuality, obedience to Allah.
The Prophet (peace be upon him) also stressed the importance of obedience in the hadith: “Whoever obeys me, obeys Allah, and whoever disobeys me, disobeys Allah, and whoever obeys the ruler I appoint, obeys me, and whoever disobeys him, disobeys me.” (Al-Bukhari)
For this reason, obedience to the messenger is at the heart religion and showing this obedience surely comes about through strict submissiveness to the issues conveyed by messengers.

He Did Not Ask for any Wage in Return for His Services

As all other messengers, the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), stated first and foremost that he did not ask for any recompense in return for his communicating Allah’s message. He stated that he did everything to earn Allah’s approval and that he awaited his reward from Allah alone. Some of the verses through which Allah commanded the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) to tell people that he did not ask for any rewards from them are as follows:

They were the ones whom Allah guided, so follow their guidance. Say, “I do not ask you for any recompense for this. It is simply a reminder to all mankind.”   (Al- An`am 6:90)

Say: “I have not asked you for any recompense: Keep it for yourselves. My reward is the responsibility of Allah alone. He is the witness of all things.” (Saba’ 34:47)

In another verse, on the other hand, the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), who told his people that he did not expect any rewards, made his main goal clear, saying:

“I do not ask you for any recompense for it—only let anyone who will, take the right path to his Lord.” (Al-Furqan 25:57)

The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) Stated that those who wanted to see miracles to believe would still fail to believe, even if they did see miracles.
Although the signs of Allah’s existence are obvious, disbelievers find pretexts not to believe and ask for miracles from Allah. The Prophet Muhammad’s (peace be upon him) people also asked him to work miracles in order not to adhere to him; the reason why such people asked for miracles was not to have faith or to deepen their faith; it was simply a pretext for their unwillingness to submit themselves to Allah. Allah commanded the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) to say the following to these people:

They have solemnly sworn by Allah that if a Sign be given them, they will believe in it. Say: “The Signs are vouchsafed by Allah alone.” How can you tell that even if a Sign be given them, they will indeed believe in it?  (Al-An`am 6:109)

Every man is destined to die on a certain day, which is decided in Allah’s sight. When that time comes, angels assigned by Allah descend on man to take his soul. If it is the death of a faithful person, then angels greet him, giving him the good news of Paradise and take his soul with ease. If it is the death of a disbeliever, on the other hand, then angels inform him that he will be exposed to a degrading torment. At that very moment, seeing what should have been obvious to them, those who disbelieve will submit themselves. However, after that point, nothing, not even having faith, will avail the disbeliever, for the time granted to him is already up. Allah conveyed this fact to those seeking excuses for their disbelief and commanded the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) to address the people as follows:

Are they waiting for the angels to come to them or for your Lord Himself to come, or for one of your Lord’s Signs to be given to them? On the day that one of your Lord’s Signs does come, faith shall not avail the soul that had no faith or did not put its faith to good uses. Say: “Wait, then if you will; we too are waiting.” (Al- An`am 6:158)

He Was Only a Human Being

Out of pride, non-God fearing people decline to obey a human being or accept that he could be superior to them, in spite of their own certainty about him. As we have also seen in the case of the past nations to whom messengers were sent, such people believe that messengers should possess attributes beyond ordinary human ability and power; in order not to obey them, they offer many excuses, saying that he could not have been a Prophet, for he was an ordinary person “walking in the market place.”
The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) told people who had such expectations that he was only a human being and that those who had any intention of attaining salvation should turn to Allah alone.

Say: “I am only a human being like yourselves. It is revealed to me that your god is One God. So let him who hopes to meet his Lord act rightly and not associate anyone in the worship of his Lord.”  (Al-Kahf 18:110)

Again, in the face of such expectations on the part of his people, the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) told them that he was only a reminder, that he only fulfilled his Lord’s commands and that those following him would find salvation:

Say: “Obey Allah and obey the Messenger. Then if they turn away, he is responsible only for what he is charged with just as you are responsible for what you are charged with. If you obey him, you shall be rightly guided.” The Messenger is responsible only for giving a clear warning. (An-Nur 24:54)

He Was Submissive To Allah

As with all disbelieving nations, the Prophet Muhammad’s (peace be upon him) people also attempted to argue about Allah. Against his nation who assumed such an ugly attitude, the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) communicated them that he submitted himself to Allah:

Say, “Do you argue with us about Allah when He is our Lord and your Lord? We shall both be judged by our actions. To Him alone we are devoted.”  (Al-Baqarah 2:139)

He Had Faith in Allah Alone

The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) explained his people that Allah is the only god and summoned them to believe in Allah. He warned against a grievous torment. Almighty Allah says:

Say: “This is my path. With inner sight, I call on you to believe in Allah, I and all who follow me. Glory be to Allah! I am not one of the idolaters!” (Yusuf 12:108)

Say: “I call only upon my Lord and do not associate anyone else with Him.” Say: “I have no control over any good or evil that befalls you.” Say: “No one can protect me from Allah and I will never find any refuge apart from Him. My mission is only to make known His Messages.” “As for one who disobeys Allah and His Messenger, he shall abide in the Fire of Hell, remaining in it timelessly, for ever and ever.”  (Al-Jinn 72:20-23)

He Would Never Follow Disbelievers

To his people, who strove to divert him from the straight path, slandered him, threatened him with murdering and exiled him, the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) conveyed the following message:
Say: “I am forbidden to worship those you invoke besides Allah.” Say: “I will not yield to your whims and desires. If I did, I would go astray and cease to be on the right path.” Say: “I have received veritable proofs from my Lord and yet you deny Him. I have no power to hasten that which you challenge. Jurisdiction over this is Allah’s alone. He tells the truth and He is the Best of Arbiters.”  (Al-An`am 6:56-57)

What Reasons Refuse to Come to Jesus?

Jesus was in Jerusalem attending one of the annual Jewish feasts (probably the Passover). On this occasion, he encountered an disabled man who had been in his affliction some thirty-eight years.

The Lord asked the poor gentleman if he would like to be made whole. After a brief exchange, Christ instructed the man to “Arise, take up thy bed, and walk.”

Immediately the man was made whole. He picked up his bed and walked (John 5:1-9).

Since this remarkable incident occurred on the sabbath day, the Jewish leaders attempted to accuse the Lord of violating the Sabbath. John, who records this matter, informs us that the Jews persecuted Jesus and intensified their efforts to kill him (cf. Jn. 5:10-18).

After an extended discourse during which Jesus affirmed his divine relationship with the Father, Christ charged the Jews:

“You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; and it is they that bear witness about me, yet you refuse to come to me that you may have life” (Jn. 5:39, 40).

There are several important truths in this statement that warrant further reflection.

Spiritual Blindness

In this statement of Christ, there is the shocking truth that one can be a diligent student of the scriptures and yet not know Christ!

Many of the Jewish leaders, particularly the scribes, prided themselves on their rich knowledge of the sacred writings. Why, then, were they unable to recognize Jesus of Nazareth as the promised Messiah, since the Old Testament narratives were filled with prophecies that centered in him?

Remember how the Lord had said, “[E]verything written about me in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms must be fulfilled” (Luke 24:44).

Well, the reason they failed to see the Christ of the Old Testament was, as Paul explains the matter, that “whenever Moses is read a veil lies over their hearts” (2 Cor. 3:15). Their preconceived notions of what the Messiah ought to be like and do blinded them to an objective evaluation of the character, words, and works of the Lord.

When I think of the many religious scholars of today’s religious scene who have spent a lifetime mastering Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek; who have studied biblical lands and cultures; who have become experts in exegesis; and yet, who do not know the Son of God in the genuine sense of the term “know,” I am deeply saddened. Knowledge that is not set to action only brings a more severe condemnation.

Salvation is in Christ only

There is the fact affirmed by Christ that there can be no eternal life apart from him.

In this age when the spirit of pseudo-ecumenism has invaded the hearts of many, this truth needs to be vigorously pressed. The Son of God made no apology for his declaration:

“I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me” (Jn. 14:6).

There is simply none other in which salvation is to be found:

“there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved” (Acts 4:12).

If that sounds narrow. so be it! The question is not one of bigotry, but one of truth. Are the claims of Christ true? Will the evidence support such? That is what it all boils down to; and that is why it is our job to bring men to the Savior!

Some Choose to Reject Christ

The Master here teaches that it is possible to exercise that personal will-power by which men make the decision as to whether or not they will be counted with Christ or against him.

Some religions have suggested otherwise. Calvinism asserts that men are so enslaved be inherited depravity that they are completely helpless to respond to the Savior’s message until assisted by some miraculous impulse of the Spirit.

But what does that really mean? It puts all the responsibility for their conversion solely with God, and hence, implicates the Lord in wrong-doing if they are not saved!

Here’s what the Bible teaches. Man is a volitional creature; he is capable of making choices (cf. Gen. 2:16, 17; Josh. 24:15; Isa. 7:15; Jn. 7:17; Rev. 22:17).

Accordingly, when exposed to the gospel call, men assume the responsibility for either accepting or rejecting the divine message. If they are thus lost, God certainly is not to blame.

But there is another thought that engages the attention when contemplating John 5:40. Jesus said to those Jews, “Ye will not come to me that ye may have life.”

Since the message of the gift of Christ is so beautiful; since the facts of his death and resurrection are so dynamic: and, as the blessings offered are so impelling, one wonders how it is that rational people can neglect coming to the Redeemer.

How is such foolishness to be explained? Let’s consider several possibilities.

Some are simply unaware that they are lost.

The Bible teaches that Christ came to seek and save the lost (Lk. 19:10). Unless a person is aware of being lost, he will see no need whatever for Christ as a Savior.

For many decades society has been told, by rationalistic philosophers and humanistic psychologists, that “sin” does not exist in reality. It is alleged to be the mere imaginative concoction of insecure, religious fanatics.

Oh, man may occasionally be involved in “unacceptable societal behavior” (e.g., murder, rape, robbery, etc.) but these are simply impulses hammered out by his “evolutionary, jungleistic past” or his so-called “reptilian brain.” The secular humanist argues that for such slips of conduct, humanity should actually feel no guilt. Such behavior does not really warrant punishment. “Guilt” is really a dirty word in the vocabulary of many.

Until, therefore, the message of sin, rebellion. and, yes, guilt can be burned into the consciences of our contemporaries, many will continue to see absolutely no need for what Jesus Christ has to offer.

Some will not come to Christ because they are not convinced of his uniqueness.

The time was, in days gone by, when most of our neighbors revered the name of Jesus. But that day is rapidly vanishing. We are living in an increasingly unbelieving world.

Many of our fellows no longer even believe in the existence of God. They have been taught from elementary school onward and via the modern media outlets that the universe is eternal and self-sustaining.

Again, we are taught that man evolved from an animalistic ancestry. They say the Bible is not the Word of God, but is merely a collection of ancient fables.

And Jesus Christ, though he may have been a remarkable teacher and a benevolent influence of antiquity, nonetheless, is not the unique Son of God and the Savior of the world.

My friend, without an accurate knowledge of who Christ is, you just are not going to be drawn to him. The study of “Christian evidences” is one of the crying needs of our time.

“Is the Bible true? Is Jesus the Son of God?” These are questions which Christians answer affirmatively, but which precious few are prepared to deal with when confronting those who have not been raised in the environment of Christian influence.

Some do not come to the Lord because, due to false teaching, they have concluded that they are already associated with him.

In Acts 19:13ff, you can read of certain “strolling Jews” who feigned the ability to cast out evil spirits. Part of their exorcism routine was to invoke the name of Christ. But their fakery was dramatically exposed.

There is something we can learn from this case: not everyone who claims connection with Jesus Christ actually enjoys such a union.

I think this is a biblical truth that some of us need to be reminded of. Correct teaching and an accurate understanding of the message must precede obedience to the gospel.

Under the Mosaic system, a person was physically born into a covenant relationship with Jehovah. As a result, they had to be taught to know the Lord after their birth into that covenant relationship.

But under the New Testament economy, it is different. This is one of the very points of emphasis in the great prophecy of Jeremiah 31:31ff. The prophet declares: “no longer shall each one teach his neighbor and teach his brother, saying, ‘Know the LORD,’ for they shall all know me, from the least of them to the greatest, declares the LORD” (vs. 34).

In this age, we are taught before we enter the new covenant relationship with Christ.

Christianity is a taught religion. Jesus announced:

“And they will all be taught by God. Everyone who has heard and learned from the Father comes to me” (Jn. 6:45).

One does not learn error and, at the same time, obey the truth. Denominational clergymen have taught a perverted gospel (cf. Gal. 1:6-8), and many have sincerely, though erroneously, been led to believe that a false doctrine is genuine Christianity.

It is the sacred responsibility of every child of God to show the distinction between truth and error, to draw the line between primitive Christianity and modern sectarianism, and to call others back to the Bible.

And some of our preachers have ceased to proclaim this distinctive message and are assuming postures that will lead our people into destructive apostasy.

Some will not come to Jesus because they are unwilling to pay the price he requires.

If you would follow Christ, you must be willing to forsake all that is in conflict with Heaven’s requirements. A person must be willing to deny himself, take up the cross daily, and follow his Lord (Lk. 9:23).

The Savior urged men to count the cost before assuming the role of discipleship, and he who is not willing to renounce any obstacle to the faith cannot be a follower of Christ (cf. Lk. 14:25-35).

A tragic example is that of the rich, young ruler. He was consumed with materialism. When, therefore, the Lord demanded that he sell his possessions and then follow him, the young man sorrowfully departed from Christ (Matt. 19:16-22). He was unwilling to pay the price!

For some. forsaking worldliness is too great of a demand (cf. 2 Tim. 4:10) for discipleship. Others cannot afford the time. And so they trade the few moments of time for eternity.

The excuses are many; the result is the same. Other priorities crowd out the Christ.

Some will not come to the Lord because they fear failure.

We have heard the excuse many times: “I would become a Christian. But I know I just couldn’t hold out.”

Do you not realize that when you turn to Christ, God that you are but a babe in the faith? Don’t we understand that Heaven is sympathetic of human frailty? Hasn’t Jesus promised to be with us “all the days” (Matt. 28:20 ASVfn)?

Yes, we will make mistakes, and frequently. But we will repent of those things and learn to grow in spite of our blunders.

What if one reasoned: “I will not marry because so many marriages end in divorce”? Surely that would be unsound thinking. What if the farmer argued: “I will not plant, for there was a crop failure in ’42”? He would go hungry!

Don’t fear failure. Do your best to serve your God. And promise yourself to be progressively learning and responding to the truth.

Some do not come to the Christ because of what they see in professed Christians.

Listen, no one will be excused for his own disobedience in the day of judgment because he was influenced by someone else’s sorry example. Each person is responsible for his own activity (2 Cor. 5:10).

Be that as it may, it is a fact that cannot be denied — some of the Lord’s own people are his worst enemies. By their coarse and wretched lives, they drive away many from the truth even before they have opportunity to know the gospel.

In some places, the morals of members of the church are far inferior to those of false religionists. And in most areas, corrective discipline in the church is a totally unknown practice. Surely Jehovah will not hold us unaccountable for such deliberate neglect.

Yes, there are many “excuses” why men reject Christ; there are no reasons!

Muslim women who wear the hijab and niqab

When you look at Aliya Naim or Nadia, they don’t want you to see objects of beauty, nor do they want you to see women constrained by societal standards.

Instead, they say, they want to be judged by their intellect and personalities. They say it’s the reason they don’t show too much more.

Both Muslim American women cover themselves from head to toe in adherence to their faith’s promotion of modesty and humility. Like most Muslim women who cover, they do so only in front of men who are not in their immediate family.

Aliya, a 20-year-old student at the University of Georgia, wears the hijab, or headscarf. She also wears clothes that cover everything but her face and hands, attire that is also referred to as hijab.

“You often see in many societies women being objectified because of how they look or being disrespected,” she says. The hijab, she says, helps “force people who may be otherwise unwilling to take the focus off of our physical appearance.”

Nadia (who asked that her last name not be given) similarly covers most of her body and goes a step further by covering her face—excluding her eyes—with a piece of fabric known as the niqab.

The 25-year-old mother of two doesn’t believe it’s a practice that Islam mandates, but that it draws her closer to God.

“When you love someone, you want to be more pleasing to them,” she says. “…You want to do anything you can and constantly talk to them and know more about them, and that’s how I feel also with my creator.”

While the number of Muslim women in America who wear the hijab or niqab has never been recorded, some suggest that there was an increase in Muslim women covering after the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, as many wished to express their identities in the wake of anti-Muslim sentiment.

After the attacks, says Georgetown University Professor Yvonne Haddad, more Muslim women became spokespeople for their religion.

“The women have sort of become the banner of Islam,” said Haddad, co-author of Muslim Women in America: The Challenge of Islamic Identity Today. “The little scarf is saying, ‘I am Muslim, and I have a presence here.’”
Aliya, whose Muslim parents taught her that covering was part of Islam, began wearing the hijab when she was 12. But she says it was her choice.

She says it protected her from focusing intensely on her weight and appearance, as her friends did. At her small all-girls middle and high schools, her peers didn’t give her much trouble about it.

It was also shortly after the attacks on 9/11 and she, too, felt a need to express her identity and combat Muslim stereotypes.

Nadia, on the other hand, did not cover for most of her life. She said she first started wearing the hijab in college after studying Islam more closely and growing closer to her faith.

She added the niqab to her wardrobe after about a year. She says the decision came after a conversation with other Muslim women who covered.

“When I actually got to know them [the women], I understood that they were intelligent people still and they were still full of life and had their own character,” she said. “It didn’t take away from them. But what it added to them, to me, was this increased love for the creator.”

She says that, contrary to the common misconception of Muslim women being forced to cover, her husband, who’d converted to Islam, had nothing to do with her decision. In fact, it came as a surprise to him, though he supported the move.

Bans and backlash

Last month, France’s lower house of parliament passed a ban on wearing any veils that cover the face, including the niqab and burqa—a similar covering that additionally conceals the eyes with a mesh panel—in public.
A short time later, Syria’s minister of higher education issued a ruling outlawing the niqab in universities across the Muslim-majority country.

There have also been bans on the hijab over the years.

Turkey first banned the headscarf in universities and public buildings in the 1980’s, however the law was not strictly enforced until 1997.

In 2004, France banned religious symbols, including the wearing of the hijab, in public primary and secondary schools.

Although the United States is not expected to follow suit, Nadia feels she has already begun to experience the effects of anti-covering sentiment spreading in her home of Lilburn, Georgia.

She says she has been denied entry into grocery stores and has been verbally harassed by strangers. Once, when she was at a gas station, she says a man a man pulled off of the road, swerved his truck in front of her pump, and took a close-up picture.

She watched him speed back out of the station and saw a large sign on the side of his vehicle advertising a website called trickledownterrorism.com. “I was so disturbed and I cried, and I couldn’t understand it. I just felt like, why would he do this?” Nadia said.

She often encounters people who tell her that her way of dress is something that Americans don’t do, that she should leave her foreign beliefs behind. As an African-American born and raised in the United States, such statements are often difficult to hear.

“I’ve already told someone in a store, ‘I’m from the nation’s capital, lady. I’m sorry to put it that way but please stop telling me we don’t do that here because I’m from here, and I am here. My family’s raised here, I live here...You might not do it here, but I do it here.’”

While Aliya still experiences frequent stares and often feels misunderstood by the general public, she says that wearing the hijab has also brought positive experiences, including opportunities to explain her religion and answer humorous questions.

“I think the one that always makes me laugh is, ‘Do you shower in that?’ And I always say to that, well, do you shower in your clothes? There’s your answer.”

Once, a young boy at a national park approached her and told her that she looked like the character Padme from Star Wars. She still laughs about that one.

Misconceptions

Aliya and Nadia feel that the biggest hardship they face is others’ assumptions about their beliefs.

Both say that the most common misconception about Muslim women is that they are oppressed, and that their religion views them as inferior to men.
For instance, French President Nicolas Sarkozy referred to the burqa as “a sign of subservience… a sign of lowering,” earlier this year.

Nadia disagrees.

“I’ve never seen anybody interview a Muslim woman and ask her if she’s oppressed. Or if she feels oppressed for wearing what she wears, or if she’s oppressed in her home,” said Nadia.

Aliya says that if women are oppressed, it is the fault of people and culture, not Islam.

“There’s a saying by the Prophet Mohammed, peace be upon him, that women are the equal halves of men. And from what I’ve read and studied about Islam, that’s very much how Islam views women,” she added.

Aliya says that she has never met an American Muslim woman who was forced to wear the hijab or niqab.

“I actually know more people who wear it against their parents’ wishes than unwillingly in compliance with their wishes,” she said.

To be sure, there are countries that require women to cover. Iranian law says women have to wear a hijab in public, while Saudi Arabia requires Muslim women to wear the hijab.

Moving forward

Despite some hurtful experiences in public, Nadia is content with her decision to wear niqab and says she feels a distinct difference in how men respect her now as opposed to her earlier days of low-cut shirts and formfitting pants.

Aliya also feels a joy in wearing the hijab, she says.

“And I think that definitely what’s in the heart is most important,” she said. “And your outward appearance should be a manifestation of that, not something to disguise what you really think or feel or believe.”

Unwillingness of homosexuality

Well, there is some truth in that, in that the matter is very clear from an Islamic perspective: acting on homosexual desires is forbidden by our Creator, and so whether we talk about “same-sex attraction” (as we do) or “orientation”, the duty of every Muslim towards it is the same.

When it comes to “conflict” between worship and desires, between dunya and Akhirah, there really is no contest.

Another oopsie: the pro-homosexuality “scholar” (or, it seems, Manzoor herself) cited the Qur’an 49:3 when she presumably meant 49:13. As the refuted argument goes, Allah has created diversity of all types, so all diversity should be accepted. Note that the Qur’an calls our attention to diversity of the following kinds and made them signs of His power and beauty: two genders, many nations and tribes, many languages and colours, and even the fact that not everyone will follow the truth of Islam.

Did you spot sexual orientation anywhere? And if we take this argument too seriously, couldn’t any deviant tendency be gathered under the umbrella of diversity?

But then again, there is a secret to Manzoor quoting 49:3.

Indeed, those who lower their voices before the Messenger of Allah – they are the ones whose hearts Allah has tested for righteousness. For them is forgiveness and great reward.

If we study the meanings  of this surah, we understand that these are the people who show utmost respect for the Messenger of Allah (peace be on him), submitting to the commands of God as revealed in the Qur’an and Sunnah, not pushing their own opinions and desires

Why Islam in Japan is difficult growth ?

There are countries in the world, mainly in Europe, that are presently undergoing significant cultural transformations as a result of Muslim immigration. France, Germany, Belgium and Holland are interesting examples of cases where immigration from Muslim countries, together with the Muslims’ high fertility rate, effects every area of life.

It is interesting to know that there is a country in the world whose official and public approach to the Muslim matter is totally different. This country is Japan. This country keeps a very low profile on all levels regarding the Muslim matter: On the diplomatic level, senior political figures from Islamic countries almost never visit Japan, and Japanese leaders rarely visit Muslim countries. The relations with Muslim countries are based on concerns such as oil and gas, which Japan imports from some Muslim countries. The official policy of Japan is not to give citizenship to Muslims who come to Japan, and even permits for permanent residency are given sparingly to Muslims.

Japan forbids exhorting people to adopt the religion of Islam (Dawah), and any Muslim who actively encourages conversion to Islam is seen as proselytizing to a foreign and undesirable culture. Few academic institutions teach the Arabic language. It is very difficult to import books of the Qur’an to Japan, and Muslims who come to Japan, are usually employees of foreign companies. In Japan there are very few mosques. The official policy of the Japanese authorities is to make every effort not to allow entry to Muslims, even if they are physicians, engineers and managers sent by foreign companies that are active in the region. Japanese society expects Muslim men to pray at home.

Japanese companies seeking foreign workers specifically note that they are not interested in Muslim workers. And any Muslim who does manage to enter Japan will find it very difficult  to rent an apartment. Anywhere a Muslim lives, the neighbors become uneasy. Japan forbids the establishment of Islamic organizations, so setting up Islamic institutions such as mosques and schools is almost impossible. In Tokyo there is only one imam.

In contrast with what is happening in Europe, very few Japanese are drawn to Islam. If a Japanese woman marries a Muslim, she will be considered an outcast by her social and familial environment. There is no application of Shari’a law in Japan. There is some food in Japan that is halal, kosher according to Islamic law, but it is not easy to find it in the supermarket.

The Japanese approach to Muslims is also evidenced by the numbers: in Japan there are 127 million residents, but only ten thousand Muslims, less than one hundredth of a percent. The number of Japanese who have converted is thought to be few. In Japan there are a few tens of thousands of foreign workers who are Muslim, mainly from Pakistan, who have managed to enter Japan as workers with construction companies. However, because of the negative attitude towards Islam they keep a low profile.

There are several reasons for this situation:

First, the Japanese tend to lump all Muslims together as fundamentalists who are unwilling to give up their traditional point of view and adopt modern ways of thinking and behavior. In Japan, Islam is perceived as a strange religion, that any intelligent person should avoid.

Second, most Japanese have no religion, but behaviors connected with the Shinto religion along with elements of Buddhism are integrated into national customs . In Japan, religion is connected to the nationalist concept, and prejudices exist towards foreigners whether they are Chinese, Korean, Malaysian or Indonesian, and Westerners don’t escape this phenomenon either. There are those who call this a “developed sense of nationalism” and there are those who call this “racism”. It seems that neither of these is wrong.

And Third, the Japanese dismiss the concept of monotheism and faith in an abstract god,  because their world concept is apparently connected to the material, not to faith and emotions. It seems that they group Judaism together with Islam. Christianity exists in Japan and is not regarded negatively, apparently because the image of Jesus perceived in Japan is like the images of Buddha and Shinto.

The most interesting thing in Japan’s approach to Islam is the fact that the Japanese do not feel the need to apologize to Muslims for the negative way in which they relate to Islam. They make a clear distinction between their economic interest in resources of oil and gas from Muslim countries, which behooves Japan to maintain good relations with these countries on the one hand, and on the other hand, the Japanese nationalist viewpoints, which see Islam as something that is suitable for others, not for Japan, and therefore the Muslims must remain outside.

Because the Japanese have a gentle temperament, and project serenity and tranquility toward foreigners, foreigners tend to relate to the Japanese with politeness and respect. A Japanese diplomat would never raise his voice or speak rudely in the presence of foreigners, therefore foreigners relate to the Japanese with respect, despite their racism and discrimination against Muslims in the matter of immigration. A Japanese official who is presented with an embarrassing question regarding the way the Japanese relate to Muslims, will usually refrain from answering, because he knows that a truthful answer would arouse anger, and he is both unable and unwilling to give an answer that is not true. He will smile but not answer, and if pressed, he will ask for time so that his superiors can answer, while he knows that this answer will never come.

Japan manages to remain a country almost without a Muslim presence because Japan’s negative attitude toward Islam and Muslims pervades every level of the population, from the man in the street to organizations and companies to senior officialdom. In Japan, contrary to the situation in other countries, there are no “human rights” organizations to offer support to Muslims’ claims against the government’s position. In Japan no one illegally smuggles Muslims into the country to earn a few yen, and almost no one gives them the legal support they would  need in order to get permits for temporary or permanent residency or citizenship.

Another thing that helps the Japanese keep Muslim immigration to their shores to a minimum is the Japanese attitude toward the employee and employment. Migrant workers are perceived negatively in Japan, because they take the place of Japanese workers. A Japanese employer feels obligated to employ Japanese workers even if it costs much more than it would to employ foreign workers. The traditional connection between an employee and employer in Japan is much stronger than in the West, and the employer and employee feel a mutual commitment to each other: an employer feels obligated to give his employee a livelihood, and the employee feels obligated to give the employer the fruit of his labor. This situation does not encourage the acceptance of foreign workers, whose commitment to the employers is low.

The fact that the public and the officials are united in their attitude against Muslim immigration has created a sort of iron wall around Japan that Muslims lack both the permission and the capability to overcome. This iron wall silences the world’s criticism of Japan in this matter, because the world understands that there is no point in criticizing the Japanese, since criticism will not convince them to open the gates of Japan to Muslim immigration.

Japan is teaching the whole world an interesting lesson: there is a direct correlation between national heritage and permission to immigrate: a people that has a solid and clear national heritage and identity will not allow the unemployed of the world to enter its country; and a people whose cultural heritage and national identity is weak and fragile, has no defense mechanisms to prevent a foreign culture from penetrating into its country and its land.

Sex & Marriage in Islam

"And Allah has made for you Mates (and Companions of your own nature." (Surah Al Nahl 16:72)

"And among His signs is this, that He created for you mates from among yourselves that you may dwell in tranquility with them and He has put love and mercy between your hearts: verily in that are signs for those who reflect." (Surah Al Rum 30:21)

Sex has always been a difficult topic to talk about publicly among the Muslims. This topic is always shoved aside and not dealt with in an honest manner. Every young Abdul and Ayisha is confused by the ambivalence shown toward sex by their parents and elders. They go out in the world where sex is a commodity, everyone is engaging in sex and talking about sex but then they come back to their Muslim communities only to find that their elders are unwilling to engage the topic in a manner both relevant and ethical. This article will try to address some common questions about sex & marriage by presenting a compilation of different ahadith, quranic ayahs, and scholarly statements on the etiquettes of sex.

Q1: Is Sex and relationships before marriage allowed in Islam?

Sex outside of marriage is categorically prohibited and that includes touching, kissing, fondling, hugging a non-mahram man or woman

"Say to the believing men that they should lower their gaze and guard their modesty; that will make for greater purity, and God is well acquainted with all they do. And say to the believing woman that they should lower their gaze, and guard their modesty." (24:30-3 1).

"Do not go near to adultery. Surely it is a shameful deed and evil, opening roads (to other evils)." (17:32)

Q2: But I am in a relationship with this person, I really love her and I am going to marry her!

Nevertheless you should cease all physical relationship with her. It is understandable that you have feelings for her, which is not haram (prohibited) by the way, but you are expressing your feelings in ways God has prohibited. Love can make you do crazy things but you must see that this can ruin your afterlife. You do not necessarily have to stop all contacts with her, which would confuse and hurt her, but tell her plainly that you want to behave more islamically and she should support you. If you truly love her and she loves you truly then you wouldn't want to do things with her that can destroy her afterlife. Forego the immediate haram physical pleasure for an eternity with her in heaven, inshallah.

"And those who guard their chastity, Except with their wives and whom their right hands possess,- for (then) they are not to be blamed. But those who trespass beyond this are transgressors." (70:29-31)

"Allah created male and female from a single soul in order that man might live with her in serenity." (Quran, 7:189)

Q3: When should I get married? I cannot wait!!!

Marriage is a hefty responsibility. It is immensely rewarding but also emotionally taxing. According to Sh Abullah Adhami,

"By getting married you are not just getting a wife, you are getting your whole world. From now until the rest of your days your wife will be your partner, your companion, and your best friend. She will share your moments, your days, and your years. She will share your joys and sorrows, your successes and failures, your dreams and your fears. When you are ill, she will take the best care of you; when you need help, she will do all she can for you. When you have a secret, she will keep it; when you need advice, she will give you the best advice She will always be with you: when you wake up in the morning the first thing your eyes will see will be hers; during the day, she will be with you, if for a moment she is not with you by her physical body she will be thinking of you, praying for you with all her heart, mind and soul; when you go to sleep at night, the last thing your eyes will see will be her; and when you are asleep you will still see her in your dreams. In short, she will be your whole world and you will be her whole world."

Also Sheikh Abdullah Adhami advices that one should not marry unless one has a job and can pay for his wife's expenses. In the Quran it says:

"Men are the protectors and maintainers of women, because Allah has given the one more (strength) than the other, and because they support them from their means. Therefore the righteous women are devoutly obedient, and guard in (the husband's) absence what Allah would have them guard." (4:34)

Also do not make a girl wait for you by promising her that one day you will marry her. Approach a parent of the girl you are intending to marry only if you are sure that you can marry her the next day (hypothetically speaking), move her into your place and be able to support her. If you can not then you should not leave a woman hanging with empty promises and uncertainty. It is not allowed in Islam to make another suffer from one's own uncertainty. It can be emotionally and spiritually very damaging for her and for you.

Q4: Many people in America use different types of aphrodisiacs, preventative measures and enticement techniques in their sex life which has no precedents in the Prophet's time. Are they allowed in our religion?

This is a tough question. Certainly there are some things and practices that are clearly prohibited in Islam. However the absence of a practice in the Prophet's (pbuh) time does not necessarily make it haram. Please consult a jurist for rulings on specific issues. One rule of thumb to follow is that any practice or act that somehow demeans or hurts your significant-other should be avoided.

Q5; Hi, I am a sister and I will be married soon! I was wondering if you could tell me and my future hubby how the Prophet (sa) approached his wives and what did he suggest?

"They are your garments and you are their garments." (Surah Al Baqarah 2:187).

"Your wives are as a tilth unto you; so approach your tilth when or how ye will; but do some good act for your souls beforehand; and fear Allah . And know that ye are to meet Him (in the Hereafter), and give (these) good tidings to those who believe." (2:223)

Allah's Messenger (pbuh) said: "In the sexual act of each of you there is a sadaqa." (i.e. a good deed, an act of charity). The Companions replied: "O Messenger of Allah! When one of us fulfils his sexual desire, will he be given a reward for that?" And he said, "Do you not think that were he to act upon it unlawfully, he would be sinning? Likewise, if he acts upon it lawfully he will be rewarded." (Muslim)

The First Time

The first time is very special and a man should take extra care with his wife. Most likely his wife has been very modest all her life and will be very shy. She will feel very uncomfortable, at first, about undressing herself in front of a man (that is you) right away.

A wise man said "Women are like beautiful flowers. Their petals are very soft and sensitive so be careful when handling them."

I have no advice for women about how to treat men because, well simply men are easily satisfied (trust me on this one).

The Prophet (s.a.w.) recommended that on the wedding night the husband should be kind to his bride, and comfort her by offering her something to drink when they meet the first time after the official marriage ceremony (Zawaj.com Editor's Note: this does not refer to alcoholic drinks, but rather milk, water, juice, etc).

The man should put his hand on her forehead, say the name of Allah (Bismillahir Rahmanir Rahim), and pray to Allah (make a Du'a) to bless their marriage.

The groom and the bride are also recommended to pray two Rak`ahs together when they meet on the first day of marriage.

The Prophet (s.a.w.) recommended that the couple should start every intercourse by saying: Bismillahir Rahmanir Rahim (in the name of Allah ), and by praying to Allah (making a Du'a) to protect them from Satan, and to protect the child from Satan if a child comes from that intercourse. The Prophet (s.a.w.) said: "If one of you when going to his wife said: Bismillahir Rahmanir Rahim (In the name of Allah ), O Allah! Protect us from Shaitan and protect the sustenance (child) you give us from Shaitan, and if Allah then gave them a child, Shaitan would not affect it at all." (Al-Bukhari).

The Prophet (s.a.w.) also told the men not to leave their wives before they too had been satisfied, as is their right. The man should not surprise his wife by starting the intercourse suddenly, since that is harmful to her, and the consequences could be harmful to her faith. He should get acquainted with her and should make her feel comfortable instead. "Not one of you should fall upon his wife like an animal; but let there first be a messenger between you." (Zawaj.com Editor's Note: this "messenger" consists of sweet words and caresses).

And Imam al-Ghazali says: "Sex should begin with gentle words and kissing."

The Prophet (saw) said: "The best of you, is the one who is best to his wives, and I am the best of you toward my wives." (At-Tahaawi: Saheeh )