Tag Archives: God

Kareem Salama: (Muslim) Rock At Its Finest

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In the Name of the Kind and Beautiful Precious Beloved Lord

Every once in a while, a popular musical group comes out with a heartfelt song full of wonderful, inspiring messages. One such example is “Where is the Love?” by the Black Eyed Peas. When I hear songs like this, I think to myself: Why don’t more musicians sing more songs like this? Well, folks, we have such a musician: American (Muslim) country singer Kareem Salama.

I have been a fan of Kareem Salama ever since he burst on the scene a few years ago. His first album, Generous Peace, was great, with many wonderful, heartfelt tracks. My absolute favorite on that album is “Lady Mary,” which is about the Virgin Mary. It almost always makes me cry. Salama’s newest album, “City of Lights,” is even better.

This album is intended to be much more “mainstream” than “country,” so to speak, and it is. That is especially true for the first track, “Makes Me Crazy.” But what strikes me most about this album is the varied subject matter of his songs, and how each of them is truly uplifting and spiritually fulfilling. Take this line from the track “Heavenly Dreams”:

Some of us do believe/God gave us heavenly dreams

Those two lines of verse are so profound that I can write so much about it (which I plan to do). The love songs on his album – “We Could Be Friends,” “Beat In My Heart,” and others – are so pure and meaningful. Salama proves that one can sing about love and not have to go after our base nature. That is one of his strongest suits.

Yet, hands down, the runaway hit on this album is the rock re-make of “Baby, I’m a Soldier.” He originally released the song on his first album and that version was very nice. But this version is AWESOME.

The song is about war and the experience of soldiers. It tells the amazing story of two soldiers on either side of a conflict, and the amazing thing that happens when they meet each other in battle. It is such an uplifting story, and everyone – especially our elected leaders – should listen to this song and learn from its many lessons (I will write about this one, too).

The bridge of this song is fantastic: he keeps the listener on edge, endlessly wondering about what thing “shocked” both soldiers. While waiting for the answer, the listener is treated with the best bit of electric guitar I have ever heard. It moves me so much, and I have listened to this specific part of the song over and over again without tiring. I was never really a rock/country fan, but Kareem Salama has made me a convert. Moreover, he is blazing the trail of (Muslim) rock/country, and I am forever grateful for it.

If you haven’t already noticed, I placed the word “Muslim” in parenthesis because, the fact that he is Muslim is wholly parenthetical. If you listen to the album without knowing the name of the singer, you would think it is an average rock/country album. The fact that Kareem is Muslim is irrelevant. I actually performed this “experiment,” if you will, with my neighbor, and he was shocked when I told him the singer is Muslim.

But that is the whole point: one can sing “Muslim rock” without once saying “Allah,” or “Islam,” or “Muhammad.” What I love most about Kareem Salama’s work is that he is not a singer who says “Allah” in a cowboy hat. He infuses his music with Islamic themes and spirituality, and the listener does not know it. And that is also the whole point: Islamic themes are universal and in common with the themes of all faiths and traditions, and Kareem weaves them in masterfully.

I will say again what I said with Muslim hip-hop group Native Deen: Go get this album. You will not regret it.

The Call of the Birds

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In the Name of Kind and Beautiful, Precious Beloved Lord

Wherever I may be, wherever I may sleep, the sound is the same. Wherever I may be, wherever I may sleep, the cocophany is the same. Birds of different feathers, birds of different stripes, birds of different walks come together and sing in the hours before dawn. They come together and sing their hearts out. They sing in praises of the Lord.

I do not comprehend their songs, but I know of which they sing. They sing of the Glory of the Precious Beloved, of His Majesty, of His Beauty, of His Grace, of His Awe, of His Power. I know that they sing of the Lord’s Mercy and His unending provision and generosity. I know that they sing of His Justice, of His Kingship, and of His Everlasting Love. Their songs are beautiful, singing about the Most Beautiful One in the Universe.

It is as God’s Word says it is:

The seven heavens extol His limitless glory, and the earth, and all that they contain; and there is not a single thing but extols His limitless glory and praise: but you [O men] fail to grasp the manner of their glorifying Him! Verily, He is forbearing, much-forgiving! (17:44)

Yet, I know that they also sing to me: they call out to me, reminding me of the obligation I have to the Lord each and every morning before the sun rises in the East. I know that they call out to me, challenging me to overcome my weaknesses and get up and praise the Lord with my body and tongue. I know that they call out to me, scoffing at my horrible ingratitude, continuing to sleep as my Lord blessed me so very much in the previous 24 hours.

Why do I not heed the call of the birds much more often?

Every morning, I struggle to heed the call of the birds, reminding me of the call of the Lord, who asks me to come to Him for success. Other calls move me much more strongly, but when I behold the call of the birds, the fog of slumber becomes ever more thick, ever more opaque. Other calls move me more strongly, but when I behold the call of the birds, my flesh and bones become heavier and more difficult to mobilize. Other calls move me more strongly, but when I behold the call of the birds, I listen to the siren call of the Whisperer, who sings me back to sleep with his sinister lullaby.

Sometimes I win, many times I do not.

I am so very ashamed to admit my failure. I am so very ashamed at my hypocrisy. I am so very ashamed at my ugliness in the face of my Lord’s Beauty.

Why do I not heed the call of the birds much more often?

It is such a beautiful time of day: peaceful and quiet; cool and serene; calm and calming; the day opens up its arms and reaches out to embrace His servants who seek His bounty and provision. What better time to extol His glory, praise His Worthy Name, and humble oneself to His Majesty and Power?

So why do I not heed the call of the birds much more often?

Because of my ugly hypocrisy, plain and simple. And for this I seek His forgivness and grace. My Lord, You are most Beautiful, and every single second of my life, You show me Your Beauty again, and again, and again, and again. Each and every second of my life, I reap the benefits of Your Love and Your Peace. Each and every second of my life, Lord, I bask in the warm glow of Your life-giving Light.

Yet, despite all of this, I fail to heed the call of the birds that You sent to me for my benefit.

Thus, my Lord, I ask for Your Forgiveness. Forgive my ugliness in the face of Your Beauty. Forgive my miserliness in the face of Your Generosity. Forgive my ingratitude in the face of Your Bounty. Forgive my hypocrisy in the Face of Your Grace. Forgive my weakness in the face of Your Strength. Forgive my patheticness in the face of Your Soothing Mercy and Protection. My Lord, my God! I am ashamed of my weakness, and I have nothing to say but “Forgive me, please!” Forgive me, my Lord, for I have no One else but You to whom to turn.

And please, my Lord, give me the strength, the muster, the power, the privilege to heed the call of the birds for the rest of my days. In Your most Holy Name I ask this. Amen.

Reach Out to “The Remedy”

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In the Name of the Kind and Beautiful Precious Beloved Lord

When I first listened to Muslim hip hop group Native Deen’s newest album, “The Remedy,” I thought that its title track was another song about how Islam is “the remedy” for our ills and problems. I didn’t have high expectations, despite my really liking the album thus far.

How wrong I was.

The song “The Remedy” follows the fantastic song about which I will reflect at a later time. “My Faith, My Voice” exhorts Muslims to assert that, despite what others say about Islam, it is our voices that matter. And so maybe, I thought, the lyrics of the song “The Remedy” would be an answer to the dilemma of being vilified because of the actions of Muslim extremists.

I was shocked to learn that the entire song consists of the repitition of God’s name, the Islamic shahadah (“testimony of faith”), and selected names of God. And it was masterfully weaved with a fantastic beat and rhythm. I have listened to it mulitple, multiple times. It has even brought tears to my eyes, as it made me reach out to the Precious Beloved with my heart and soul. My kids love the song as well.

And when I think about it, Native Deen is absolutely right: the only “remedy” for our ills should be God, and He alone. It is the Lord our God who is the remedy of our problems. It is to the Lord our God that we should turn when we need help, in both good time and bad. We should always remember the Lord our God when things are going well, so that – God forbid – if things do not go well, the Lord will come to you before you think about coming to Him.

I also found the names of God that ND chose to be interesting and fitting for the theme of the song:

Al-Malik (The King)
Al-Awal (The First)
Al-Khaliq (The Creator)
Al-Akhir (The Last)
Al-Qabid (The One who Moderates)
Al-Khafid (The One who Humbles)
Ar-Razzaq (The Provider)
Al-Fattah (The One who opens his Mercy to Mankind)
Al-Ghaffar (The Forgiving)
Al-Qahhar (The Subduer)
Al-Mu’ahkir (The One who gives us time to repent for our sins)
Al-Musawwir (The One who molds great beauty)
Al-Muhaymin (The Guardian)
Al-Muqadim (The one who delays punishment)
Al-Hadi (The Guide)
As-Salaam (The Source of Peace)
Al-Baqi (The Everlasting One)
Al-Rahman (The Most Forgiving)
Al-Mani (The One who prevents harm to come to those who ask)
Al-Haleem (The Forbearing)
Al-Wasi (The All-Comprehending)
Al-Kareem (The Most Generous)

Our Lord is the “remedy,” because He is the First and the Last, and He is the Only Everlasting King of all Kings. Our Lord is “the remedy,” because He is our Creator, and so He knows how best to help us in times of need. Our Lord is “the remedy,” because He is the Provider for everything in this Universe and beyond. Our Lord is “the remedy,” because He is our Guardian, our Guide, and our Source of Peace.

Our Lord is the “remedy,” because He subdues and humbles those who wish to harm us, and He prevents harm from coming to us. Our Lord is “the remedy,” because if we fall, He is Most Generous in His Forbearance, Most Merciful towards our sins, and most Gracious in allowing us time to come back to Him in repentence.

Our Lord is “the remedy,” because He shaped us in the most beautiful of forms, and He shapes the beauty of this world for our benefit. Our Lord is “the remedy,” because He comprehends everything in this universe, and He can come to our aid at all times. It is only the Lord our God who is our remedy, and so it is very fitting that this song consists of the names of God.

I can’t help but listen to this song again, and again, and again. I imagine I will get tired of listening to it at some point: this usually happens with most songs to which I first listen to. Yet, whenever I go back to more “secular,” yet clean, songs on my iPod, my heart aches, and I immediately go back to ND’s newest album and listen to “The Remedy.” Perhaps this time, I will not tire of the song…ever.

A Birthday Prayer

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In the Name of the Kind and Beautiful Precious Beloved Lord

Today, by the grace of God, is my birthday (DON’T EVEN THINK about extracting from me my age…). I offer up this prayer on this day:

 

Precious Beloved Lord,

Today, You have blessed me with another year of life

Today, You have blessed me with another year of breath and movement

Today, You have blessed me with another year of enjoyment with my family

Today, You have blessed me with another year to bask in the light of Your Love

Lord, my Beautiful God, forgive me for all those times in the past year that I have fallen from Your Grace

Lord, my Beautiful God, forgive me for all those times I have fallen short of Your Call and Way

Lord, my Beautiful God, forgive me for all the ugliness I have shown You for all of Your Beauty

As I traverse another year in Your Love, I ask that You bless my path

Bless my travels, bless my time, bless my family, bless my writing

Bless my practice of medicine, bless my practice of Your faith

Lord, let my next year be better than this one that has just passed

And Beautiful Lord, forgive all my sins that I have yet to transgress against Your Beauty

And if my journey were to end in the next year, please, my Precious Beloved:

Let me come back to Your Glorious Face happy and joyous,

Let me enter into Your Presence to dwell therein forever and ever

And let me, once again, see my beloved Booboo in all her glory and beauty.

In Your Most Holy Name I ask this. Amen.

The Rap Album That Made Me Cry

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In the Name of the Beautiful and Kind Precious Beloved Lord

I have been listening to rap music ever since my teenage years. Indeed, I do admit that some of it was not very pious or religious, and for that, I ask for God’s grace and forgiveness. AndlLet me insert here that the rap music of then was much better than that of today. I miss the “good old days” of hip hop, quite honestly. But, still, there has never been a rap album that has made me cry.

Until now.

Native Deen, the premier Muslim hip hop band, just released their new album “The Remedy.” By far, this is their best album yet. I do like and enjoy listening to all of their songs, but on the previous two albums, “Deen You Know” and “Not Afraid to Stand Alone,” there were some songs that were nice, but really didn’t move me. The tears, however, stream frequently as I listened to this album.

It is clear – as it should be – that the music of Native Deen has evolved. On the first album, much of the songs talked about Islam, and the Prophets, and such, but the flavor of the songs were very much flat. It also seemed a little “adolescent.” It got better with “Not Afraid to Stand Alone,” with more than one inspiring and uplifting song, such as “Life’s Worth” and “Rain Song.” No track on that album, however, compared with “Zamilooni,” which featured South African Muslim singer Zain Bhikha. That song, about the Prophet’s love for his wife Khadjiah, was the best they had at that point.

That is, until they released “The Remedy.” As with every album, they always begin with a song singing God’s praises and thanks, and the song, “Bismillah” is hip, fresh, and makes you move. I am almost moved to tears by “Mercy to Mankind,” which reminds me of the kindness and compassion of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). “Packed At All,” which talks about preparing for Judgment Day, is quite inspirational as well.

The tears really start, however, at “My Faith, My Voice.” This song talks about not allowing the Islam-bashers and Islamophobes direct the discourse about Islam and Muslims. The lyrics of the song speak for the millions of Muslims all over the world, who have to shudder every time a Muslim commits a crime:

There’s a lunatic, goes on a rampage/Using violence, and I’m outraged/This is senseless, and it’s gruesome/Please don’t let this be a Muslim

How many times have we Muslims all said that? But they always remind us that the discourse belongs to us Muslim, not the haters:

I know what they call us/They’ll try to blame all us/But I know how the Prophet lived/And I know what he taught us/This is my faith, my voice

I can’t help but cry. It uplifts me and keeps me strong: no matter what they say about us, Islam is my faith, and my voice is what counts.

Once this song is through, the next is the title track of the album,”The Remedy.” I thought it would be a typical song about how Islam is the remedy to all of our problems, a sort of “Islam is the solution” mantra put to rap. How wrong I was.

The entire song is nothing but repetition of God’s names and the shahadah, or testimony of faith. And the rhythm of the song is so awesome, that you can’t help but bop your head. But, the sounds of their voices go straight to my heart and make me reach out to the Lord in humility and love. And the tears stream. I have listened to this track a bunch of times, and it is – far and away – the best of the whole album.

This latest Native Deen album has a little of everything for everyone. There is a song about the Companion Bilal, the first Muezzin, or “caller to the prayer,” called “Ahad,” and it also made cry, reminding me of the strength and fortitude of that great companion, who was tortured for his conversion to Islam. Native Deen has also continued in the tradition of Muslim holiday songs with “Ramadan is Here,” and this will instantly become a classic. I will definitely play this one for my kids once Ramadan starts in a few weeks, God willing.

Another tear jerker is “I am Near,” a song with great rhythm and sound along with beautiful supplications to the Lord. The boys of Native Deen also constantly remind us of the poor and needy around the world with songs like “Hungry Ones,” and “Gaza,” which is a homage to the people of Palestine. I really can’t say enough about this album, and Native Deen has truly outdone itself, making an album that appeals both to Muslim children and youth, along with their parents. My daughters and I just finished listening to the album, and we all enjoyed doing so.

Now, it is no secret that the primary audience of Native Deen is Muslims. Yet, that does not mean that this album is not good for people of all faiths. It is, at its core, a great, modern hip hop album, and one that is pure to boot. The beats and the rhythms are fantastic. But, this album also lets listeners in on the internal conversations of the American Muslim community. You want to know what Muslims are saying to each other? Don’t listen to the Islamophobes, who are – by and large – lying to your face. Listen to Native Deen.

Bottom line: Go out and buy this album. You will not regret it.

Must Always Remember

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In the Name of God, the Kind, the Beautiful

As I enjoyed the majority of Memorial Day off with my family (I did have to go into the hospital and see some patients in the morning), it was amazing to see how many people were out and about shopping (just like we were). Families were everywhere, walking to and fro, and carrying bags from various retailers after having scooped up some cool deals (just like we did).

As I drove back, I noticed a band of men on motorcycles carrying a large American flag; I also noticed that many of the flags (if not all) were flying at half staff, in memoriam of all those soldiers who fought and died for this country. I did not fail to remember them as well. Yet, it seemed to be in the background, in the distance somewhere, perhaps quite far from the scores of shoppers making it difficult to navigate my car around the parking lot.

Well, we should always remember.

I do not agree with every deployment that those in command may send our soldiers; I do not accept when our soldiers commit crimes of ugliness when they are deployed by those in command; yet, I honor their commitment and sacrifice nonetheless. They serve so that I, and millions upon millions like me, do not have to. And for all those families that have lost loved ones serving our country, I send you my prayers for comfort and peace.

Losing someone you love is never easy. May the Lord always bring down His comfort to ease the pain.
Read more: http://blog.beliefnet.com/commonwordcommonlord/2011/05/must-always-remember.html#ixzz1Nx0bWGim

Must the World End? (Part II)

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In the Name of God, the Kind, the Beautiful

This was published on my Beliefnet blog, “Common Word, Common Lord.”

Last time, I posed the question that – if we believe that there will be a Last Day, that the world must end so that all the injustice we see will be accounted for and judged, should we just live our lives and not do anything about the wrong we see around us?

Absolutely not. In fact, we must seek to make the world as best of a place possible, even with its inevitable End, because on that Last Day, “[on that Day] every human being will come to know what he has prepared [for himself].” Our response to the cruelty of our world will also come into play on the Last Day. I

If we had the ability to help the victims of the flood along the Mississippi river, but neglected to do so saying, we will be held to account. If we had the ability to prevent a crime against an innocent person, but neglected to do so, we will be held to account. If we had the ability to speak out against injustice, but neglected to do so, we will be held to account.

Doing nothing and saying: “Well, there is going to be a Last Day” is not an excuse, and we will be held to account because of it.

No, we cannot control when a hurricaine, or tornado, or earthquake, or flood will strike a certain place. And such occurrences are not “punishment” for this deed or that. But, we can control our response to such disasters, and our response will be judged by the Most Just King on the Last Day, which will inevitably come one day (and it was not May 21, 2011).

The terrible injustice that abounds our world has caused many to lose faith, and indeed, it is a difficult test. I myself have suffered through the loss of my child to cancer, and it was – and still is – the worst thing I have ever, ever experienced. I struggle through the pain every single day of my life.

But, I know that I will see her again – and hold her again in my arms – on that Last Day that will definitely come one day. And in that thought, I find some comfort and solace. Some may see this as delusion, but it does not affect my belief in the least. In the end, we will see who is the one that is ultimately right, and I believe it will be me

Read more: http://blog.beliefnet.com/commonwordcommonlord/#ixzz1NHu6KYUe

Must The World End?

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In the Name of God, the Kind, the Beautiful

This was published on my new Beliefnet blog, “Common Word, Common Lord”

Now that the world has not ended, and we have survived the coming of the Rapture, and Mr. Camping has once again been discredited, a question arose in my mind: must there be an end to the world? Must there be a Rapture? Or a Judgment Day? Or a Final Reckoning?

Indeed, most, if not all, religious traditions talk about an end to the world, where all will come again before God for judgment and reckoning. The Qur’an is full of vivid references to the Day of Judgment, such as this:

O men! Be conscious of your Sustainer: for, verily the violent convulsion of the Last Hour will be an awesome thing! On the Day when you behold it, every woman that feeds a child at her breast will utterly forget her nursling, and every woman heavy with child will bring forth her burden [before her time]; and it will seem to thee that all mankind is drunk, although they will not be drunk – but vehement will be [their dread of] God’s chastisement. (22:1-2)

Here is another example:

WHEN THE SUN is shrouded in darkness, and when the stars lose their light, and when the mountains are made to vanish, and when she-camels big with young, about to give birth, are left untended, and when all beasts are gathered together, and when the seas boil over, and when all human beings are coupled [with their deeds], and when the girl-child that was buried alive is made to ask, for what crime she had been slain, and when the scrolls [of men's deeds] are unfolded, and when heaven is laid bare, and when the blazing fire [of hell] is kindled bright, and when paradise is brought into view: [on that Day] every human being will come to know what he has prepared [for himself]. (81:1-14)

Why?

Why must there be a day when the “seas will boil over”? Why must there be a day when the earthquake “will be an awesome thing”? Why must there be an hour when “Heaven and earth shall pass away” (Matthew 24:35)?

The Qur’anic passages give the answer: “[on that Day] every human being will come to know what he has prepared [for himself].” On that Day, the cruelty of this world will be reconciled; the iniquity of many shall be recompensed; the deeds of the wicked shall be called to account. On that Day, all will be made whole, and everyone will answer for what he or she have wrought.

In fact, it is the cruelty of our world that – in my mind – necessitates a Last Day. All over our world, it seems that good people are punished and made to suffer while truly wicked people are left to roam free. Parents – who try to be good people and live good lives – suffer from watching their children battle cancer and other horrific diseases. Parents – who try to be good people and live good lives – watch their children die before their eyes. Natural disasters wipe out entire cities – taking thousands of people with them – seemingly without rhyme or reason.

If our world was “it,” and there was no Last Day, no Judgment, no Hour, it would not make any sense at all. Yet, along with the belief in an All-Powerful, All-Beautiful, All-Merciful God comes the belief in a Last Day, when all will be made whole. And this Last Day will be the beginning of a new era where everything will finally be right, and whole, and proper. No more cruelty; no more injustice; no more unbalance. That is why this world must end, although no one knows when this end will be, despite the predictions of many to the contrary.

Yet, with the belief and knowledge that the world will end, does this mean that we should just remain passive and do nothing to effect change? If the Lord our God is in charge – which he is – then should we just live our lives with no concern for what is happening around us?

To Be Continued…
Read more: http://blog.beliefnet.com/commonwordcommonlord/2011/05/must-the-world-end.html

“Live Like We’re Dying”

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In the Name of God, the Kind, the Beautiful

I must have missed the memo, because I reserved a tee time on early Sunday morning. But, apparently, the world is about to end on Saturday May 21, according to a group called Family Radio and a man called Harold Camping. Never mind that both Jesus Christ and the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon them both) said that no one knows when the Last Day will come:

Prophet Muhammad: “The one being asked knows no more than the questioner.” (Bukhari)

Jesus Christ: “But of that day and hour knoweth no [man], no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only.” (Matthew 24:36)

Yet, that did not affect Camping, who took the money of many people to help pass the word by buying advertising space across the country. Yet, as I asked on my new blog on Beliefnet, “Common Word, Common Lord,” what should be our response? Thinking about this, it brings to my mind Kris Allen’s song “Live Like We’re Dying.”

The title of his song is one response to the “fact” that the Rapture will occur on Saturday: that we should “live like we are dying.” The first stanzas of his song outline well the current state of relations between many people:

Sometimes we fall down, can’t get back up
We’re hiding behind skin that’s too tough
How come we don’t say I love you enough
Till it’s to late, it’s not too late

Our hearts are hungry for a food that won’t come
And we could make a feast from these crumbs
And we’re all staring down the barrel of a gun
So if your life flashed before you,
What would you wish you would’ve done

He then outlines his solution to this state of affairs:

Yeah, we gotta start
Looking at the hands of the time we’ve been given
If this is all we got and we gotta start thinking
If every second counts on a clock that’s ticking
Gotta live like we’re dying

We only got 86,400 seconds in a day to
Turn it all around or to throw it all away
We gotta tell them that we love them
While we got the chance to say
Gotta live like we’re dying

He continues outlining why we must “live like we are dying”:

If your plane fell out of the skies
Who would you call with your last goodbye
Should be so careful who we let fall out our lives,
So when we long for absolution,
There’ll no one on the line, yeah

Then, he punctuates his view by stating a sad truth:

You never know a good thing till it’s gone
You never see a crash till it’s head on
Why do we think we’re right when we’re dead wrong
You never know a good thing till it’s gone

At first, I thought the the underlying basis of this song is negative: that there is nothing past this time on earth, so we should do everything we can to live in the now. But, when I reflected further, however, I feel that he is not saying this. Rather, he is saying that we should not put off until tomorrow what we can do today, especially when it comes to loving someone and telling them so. You get that inner motivation, that inner drive, to tell the person you love, “I love you very much,” but you say to yourself, “Later…I’m busy right now.”

Allen is saying, “No. Tell them now. Live like you’re dying.” Live like the Rapture is coming tomorrow, if you believe what Mr. Camping says.

This is along the very same line as the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) when he said: ““If the Hour [Last Day] were to occur and you had a seed or small plant in your hand, and you are able to plant it before that, then plant it.” Even if you know the end is coming (like…tomorrow), you should still do as much good as you can, until the very last moment. The ultimate outcome doesn’t really matter. If the world does come to an end, that seedling you planted will never become a tree. But, at least you did your part: you planted it.

The same goes with our loved ones: yes, whether or not we say, “I love you,” the love we feel for them in our hearts is still there. Yet, it is still good to say it to them and, more importantly, act upon it every second of our lives. It is daily challenge, and so many times, we fail in this challenge. But, Kris Allen is reminding us in this song to continually re-kindle the commitment to truly love those whom we say we love and show it to them every single second of our lives, as if we are going to die tomorrow, even if it is quite probable that the end will not come tomorrow (sorry Mr. Camping…).

It is a wonderful gauntlet to throw down to us, and I am glad he did so in his song.

God’s Light Cannot Be Extinguished

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In the Name of God, the Kind, the Beautiful

The death of Osama bin Laden is indeed a notable event: the symbol of Al Qaeda and the most prominent proponent of modern “jihadist” philosophy and thought, was killed by American Special Forces in Pakistan on May 1. His killing has been met with jubilation all across America, in both government and among the general populace. Among Muslims, news of his killing has elicited a myriad of responses, most of which was relief and a desire to move forward in a “post-bin Laden” world.

Is this the end of Al Qaeda? Perhaps. Is this the end of the terrorist threat against America and the West? Hardly, and it is naive for anyone to think so. Yet, the killing of Bin Laden is the exclamation point at the end of a steady decline of his philosophy and methodology of change.

Bin Laden’s heresy is but the latest in a series of “blips” in the historical trajectory of Islam and its core message of faith, justice, compassion, and mercy. Indeed, the blips can be the source of much strife, trial, and tribulation, but they are not threats to the core of Islam. The people behind these aberrancies embody this verse of the Qur’an:

They aim to extinguish God’s light with their utterances; but God has willed to spread His light in all its fullness, however hateful this may be to all who deny the truth (61:8)

The Kharijites were the first of these “blips” in the history of Islam. First appearing in the 7th Century, they emerged in response to the civil war between Imam Ali (r) and Mua’wiah (r). They became a force of dissension and rebellion, and many Muslims were killed because of their aberrant theology. These were the first to declare that anyone who does not follow their way to be a “kafir,” or “unbeliever” in their mind, who deserves death. The Kharijites ultimately assassinated Imam Ali (r) himself.

They sought “to extinguish God’s light with their utterances,” But their aberrancy died away, for “God has willed to spread His light in all its fullness.” The core of Islam remained intact, and the Muslim nation continued to do great things in human history.

Then came the Hashashin, or Assassins, who terrorized the Muslim populace for many years. They worked for Crusader and Muslim alike, doing whatever was necessary for their own wordly gain. They were one of the earliest terrorists to spread suffering among the Muslims. It is even believed that the Assassins attempted to kill Saladin himself.

Once again, these killers aimed to “extinguish God’s light with their utterances,” but their aberrancy also died away, for “God has willed to spread His light in all its fullness.” Islam was not destroyed by them, and its core message remained alive and well, giving nourishment to millions upon millions of people.

And now we saw Bin Laden, emboldened by the defeat of the Soviets in Afghanistan, who thought he could be a new force for change in the Muslim world. After being spurned and rejected, he turned violent, becoming a neo-Kharijite and declaring war on innocent people. In his name, thousands upon thousands of people – who did nothing wrong – were maimed and murdered. Legendary Muslim filmmaker Mustafa Akkad was one of those victims, among scores of others.

He aimed “to extinguish God’s light” with his rambling utterances, “but God has willed to spread His light in all its fullness…” The entire world saw the fruit of his beliefs, and it was nothing but terror, and darkness, and evil. He brought nothing good, and as the Qur’an says:

In this way does God set forth the parable of truth and falsehood: for, as far as the scum is concerned, it passes away as [does all] dross; but that which is of benefit to man abides on earth. In this way does God set forth the parables (13:17)

The scum of his violent theology has indeed passed away, and that which is benefit to man – the light of God’s truth embodied in the core of Islamic teaching – continues to abide on earth. And one can see how his scum philosophy has passed away: for his heretical beliefs have been largely ignored and spurned by the overwhelming majority of Muslims all across the world. In each and every street uprising, whether in Tunisia, or Egypt, or Yemen, or Syria, Muslims have said “NO” to Bin Laden and his theology.

This is because “God has willed to spread his light in all its fullness…”

Now there are those that want you to believe that these aberrations, these “blips” in the history of Islam, are the essence of the faith. They want you to believe that the terror and violence and intolerance that marked the Kharijites, or the Assassins, or the modern neo-Kharijite barbarians of Bin Laden’s ilk, is based in and comes from Islam. They lie in the worst possible manner.

All the violence and evil that comes from “Islamic terror” is inimical and antithetical to everything for which Islam stands. Terror in the name of Islam is the exception, not the rule, and the events of the last six months has borne this out in full display for everyone to see. As Michael Shank recently wrote in the Nation:

What is happening in the streets of Cairo and Sanaa and Damascus is not the work of Gene Sharp or Gandhi. As Americans angle to amplify nonviolent Muslim voices, a good start would be to give credit where credit is due: The seeds sprouting this Arab Spring are native born.

It very well may be that Muslims will face another aberrancy that will wreak havoc among their ranks, although I pray this does not come to pass. I pray that justice, freedom, and dignity embrace all peoples – Muslim or otherwise – and that peace will reign supreme. Yet, if such an aberrancy rears its ugly head, it too will pass, and the core of Islam will remain unscathed. That is because:

“God has willed to spread His light in all its fullness, however hateful this may be to all who deny the truth.”