Bad Ambassadors!

I was going through a few blogs on Technorati today and I was shocked at how many anti-Islam blogs I came across. I'm not just saying people opinionated against it, no, I mean people that are going on to say all Muslims should be EXTERMINATED! Well, I can understand why people might think this way. People only think Islam condones terrorism because there are Muslims that give them cause to!

The series of events regarding Islam and the western world is so unfortunate. People commit atrocities for political sakes in the name of Islam. They justify cruelty and injustice with "Jihad". To me, they are very bad ambassadors of Islam. I have been a Muslim all my life, had intensive Islamic Education from very early childhood and nowhere along the line have I come across a verse or chapter that condones most of these actions.

Islam has only brought peace, joy and contentment to my life. Sometimes I wish people would understand it the way I do, but I know it's impossible. I look at my close set of friends and smile at the cocktail of religions; Muslims, Christians, Jews, Hindus, Atheists and Baha'is. If we can all get along, why can't the world?

As I grow up I see my the chances of my childhood dream of world peace thinning. I think people that are anti-Islam should try to see things politically and not religiously. Most muslims in the world are from the middle east and we all know how politically fustrated that region is. I just wish they didn't use Islam to justify their actions.

Was going through Surah Al-Imran and came across some beautiful verses about forgiveness. I wish people will realise that fighting violence with violence is only multiplying violence. If only people can learn to forgive...

وَالَّذِينَ إِذَا فَعَلُواْ فَاحِشَةً أَوْ ظَلَمُواْ أَنْفُسَهُمْ ذَكَرُواْ اللّهَ فَاسْتَغْفَرُواْ لِذُنُوبِهِمْ وَمَن يَغْفِرُ الذُّنُوبَ إِلاَّ اللّهُ وَلَمْ يُصِرُّواْ عَلَى مَا فَعَلُواْ وَهُمْ يَعْلَمُونَ
3:135 and who, when they have committed a shameful deed or have [otherwise] sinned against themselves, remember God and pray that their sins be forgiven - for who but God could forgive sins? - and do not knowingly persist in doing whatever [wrong] they may have done.



Zahratique's Prayer

..."O our Sustainer! forgive us our sins and the lack of moderation in our doings! And make firm our steps, and succour us against people who deny the truth!" - (Qur'an 3:147)

ربَّنَا اغْفِرْ لَنَا ذُنُوبَنَا وَإِسْرَافَنَا فِي أَمْرِنَا وَثَبِّتْ أَقْدَامَنَا وانصُرْنَا عَلَى الْقَوْمِ الْكَافِرِينَ