Rebuilding the Jewish-Christian-Muslim symbiosis in my homeland

MOIN’S SPEECH AT THE UNITARIAN UNIVERSALIST CHURCH

AMERICA IS MY LAND TOO: A patriotic Muslim American speaks out

Akhbar Navees

?? ????? ????| PAKISTAN LEDGER | ???????? ????? | September 14th, 2008 | Akhbar Navees | ???? ??????? | | RUPEE NEWS | Akhbar Navees | September 14th, 2008 | ???? ??????? | ????? ????? | ABOUT ME: I am a patriotic American and a Muslim. These two facts are not contradictory, but supplement each other and make our country great. I am an American by choice. I love America. I love the American declaration of independence, because it is one of the best written documents ever written by human beings.

“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness”

What a marvelous concept, surely such deep insight and such fantastic ideals could only be the creation of people of tremendous vision and enterprise. Jefferson, Madison, Hamilton are my heroes. In a world steeped in monarchy, Colonialism, slave trade, man’s inhumanity to man, consideration of women as chattel, and absolute divine powers to the emperors Like King George, how did anyone come up with such lofty ideals and fantastic vision. Surely in a few minutes, we will investigate the influences on these great geniuses. Describing the equality of all human beings on this planet and the equality of men and women, the Quran says

O mankind! We created you from a single (pair of a) male and a female, and made you into nations and tribes, so that you may know each other. Verily the most honored of you in the sight of Allah is (one who is) the most righteous of you…. (Al-Hujurat 49:13)

And also in chapter 4:1:

God created you from a single soul. Created, of like nature, his mate and from them scattered countless men and women. Be mindful of God through whom you demand (your mutual rights), and (be mindful of violating relations based on) the wombs; for God ever watches over you. (Al-Nisa 4:1)

The character of all human beings as equal was a very alien one for Europeans in the 18th century. This concept of abject equality not only between all men was championed by Islam in the 7th century and practiced the world over. The 7th century was when the Quran said men and women are equal. The prophet Muhammad in his farewell address to all humanity said:

“An Arab has no superiority over a non-Arab, nor has a non-Arab over an Arab. You are all born of Adam, and Adam was made out of clay.”

According to scholars the rights defined in Islam “Haq a Hurriat”, “Haq a Qol”, and “Haq e Insaanâ” were described by our the prophet of Islam in the 7th century. Arnold Toynbee and others verify this claim. He writes:

The extinction of race consciousness as between Muslims is one of the outstanding moral achievements of Islam, and in the contemporary world there is, as it happens, a crying need for the propagation of this Islamic virtue. The forces of racial toleration, which at present seem to be fighting a losing battle in a spiritual struggle of immense importance to mankind, might still regain the upper hand if any strong influence militating against racial consciousness were now to be thrown into the scales. It is conceivable that the spirit of Islam might be the timely reinforcement which would decide this issue in favor of tolerance and peace. (A. J. Toynbee, Civilization an Trial, Oxford university Press, 1948, pp. 205-6)

Malcolm X, when he visited Mecca saw racial and gender equality in Mecca and changed his mind about White man and came back an ambassador of unity among all races. Our Declaration of Independence says. –That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, –That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to

In Surah Al-An’am, Allah first poses a question in this manner: …Which of the two parties has more right to security and peace, (tell me) if you know. (Al-An’am 6:81) and then the answer is supplied thus: It is those who believed and did not pollute their faith with zulm that are truly in security and are rightly guided. (Al-An’am 6:82)

The prophet said:”Struggle against injustice and tyranny, if you cannot struggle, speak out against it If you cannot speak out against it, keep it in your heart”

AMERICA I MY LAND TOO: America is my land too. From the mountains of Alhambra California to the plains of Alabama (Allah-bumya); From the hiding places of lovers in Palestine, Virginia to the corn fields of Medina, Ohio; from the airport of Philadelphia (Amman) to the traffic lights of Seville (Al Sebilia), Ohio; From the towers of Mecca, California to the town halls of Fatima New York; from the beaches of Islamorada, Florida to the steeples of Khalifia Haroonia (California); From the streets of Cordoba (Qartaba) CA, to the valleys of San Joaqin; from coffee houses of Lebanon, New Jersey to the Crepe places in Lahore, New York, is my land too.

From the museums of Lahore is, Orange County, Virginia (1850), to Agra (California & Oklahoma); From the Main street of , Bombay (New York), to the temples of Cashmere (Washington State); From the schools of Calcutta (Ohio and West Virginia) to the minarets of , Delhi (California, Iowa, Louisiana, Ohio and New York);

From the townhalls of Madras (Oregon) to the sidewalks of Tal-Allah-asse, Tennessie. From the Moorish designs of Ringlin brothers home, the Caad Zaan palace in Sarasota Florida, to the Tiffany’s home in New York; from the Alhambra arches in California, to the Gothic architecture of our capitol domes, we see Islam everywhere in America. The list is long. Want to see the impact of Islam on America. Walk down Main street USA. From the halls of justice that allow jury trials, to the domes of our capitol buildings, we see the impact on the numbers on our homes and offices.

I immigrated to America 25 years ago. I did not come here as an economic or political refugee, I came here as a student. Like my parents and grand-parents before me, we have a family tradition of going aboard to gain knowledge. I was the first one to come to America. I have post graduate education in engineering, and have n MBA, and worked for America for many years at the highest levels of executive leadership. I am originally from Pakistan, and went to Catholic School all the way through high school. My teaches Ms. Flanigan, and Father Byrne taught me about the wonderful side of Christianity that carry in my heart. God Bless them. I never met any bad Christians in Pakistan and did not know any who were bigoted or prejudiced. I see them everyday on Fox.

WHO ARE THE MUSLIMS IN THIS COUNTRY? Today there are about 10 million Muslims in America. About 50% are African American Muslims. 80% of the other Muslims are of Asian origin, Pakistanis, Indians, Bangladeshis, Indonesians. About 10% are of Arab Descent and the others are from other countries of the world.

WHAT HAVE MUSLIMS CONTRIBUTED TO AMERICA? Muslims in America are model community. We have the lowest crime rate, very low violence, low divorce rates, no prostitution, no alcoholism, no drugs, and are a productive part of this society. We have a very high literacy rate. We are engineers, doctors, attorneys, and executives. Muslims of America have a higher per capita income than normal white Americas, We have more graduate degrees, more phDs, and live in the best parts of our cities. Muslim Americans run some of the largest American corporations, Sun Microsystems, Ethan Allen, Schering Plough, and are part of the scientific fabric of our research institutions. 80% of the American phD programs are foreign born students. Muslims make up a big portion of that. 50% of our graduate program are foreign born students. Muslims make us a significant portion of that number.Why is education so important to Muslims? Because the prophet said “go to China if you have to learn and get knowledge”

HISTORY OF MUSLIMS IN AMERICA: Muslims sailed to America before Columbus with Chinese Muslim Admiral Zeng He, with Columbus (Panzone Brothers who captained two of his ships), and after Columbus. For references, you please read “1421″, and “They Came before Columbus”. 25% of African American slaves were Muslims and today about 30% of African Americans are Muslim.

WHAT DOES THOMAS JEFFERSON AND JOHN LOCKE HAVE TO DO WITH ISLAM: It is a matter of historical evidence that Thomas Jefferson owned a copy of the Quran. When he lost it, he purchased another one. Jefferson was not one who kept books for decoration purposes. Haq e Qol (Freedom of speech), Haq e Insaan (Right to humanity), Huq e hurriat (Right of Freedom) were clearly enunciated by Ibn Haytaum, Ibn Tufail and narrated by Ibn Rushd. These are right out of the Quran. Greek writings were unavailable to the Europeans. They would have been lost if they had not been translated into Arabic. Thomas Aquinas and John Locke were heavily influenced by Greek writings which had been translated by Ibn Rushd. Jefferson, Hamilton, and Madison were heavily influenced by John Locke.

As you know Plato’s opinions about women and Socrates opinions about democracy cannot be repeated in this august gathering. So where did the ideas about equality for women and freedom come from? My answer is that the works of Ibn Rushd who talked about Reason and revelation are important building blocks for these ideas. If you want to find further evidence of Muslim influences on Locke or Sir Isaac Newton, please read the religious writings of Sir Isaac Newton, more specifically on the errors of the scriptures. What further evidence do I have about Muslim influences on Jefferson?

Thomas Jefferson wrote a Bible. It is given to every member of Congress. It is freely downloadable from the internet. The Jefferson Bible is exactly what Islam teaches about Jesus. Any Muslim would not have any problem accepting Jefferson’s Bible as enunciation of the Quranic belief system.Forced by the media to a stereotypical version of the Muslim, it is incomprehensible for some to see anything Islamic in America. You find Islamic influences in America each time you drink Qahwah (coffee) discovered in Southern Ethopia, or whenever you use Qamra (an invention by Ibn Haitham, a word that means “dark room”).

You see Islam in America whenever you use shampoo a product introduced to London by Mahomed’s Indian Vapour Baths on Brighton seafront in 1759. You have all heard to Icarus and Dedulas, but you never hear about Abbas ibn Firnas a man who jumped from the minaret of the mosque in Cordoba in 852 and flew for a few minutes. Many modern surgical instruments are of exactly the same design as those devised in the 10th century by a Muslim surgeon called al-Zahrawi. Jabir ibn Hayyan invented Sulphuric and Nitric Acid as well as Al-cohol. al-Jazari invented the crank-shaft to raise water for irrigation. The modern cheque comes from the Arabic saqq. Muslims doctors also invented anaesthetics of opium and alcohol mixes and developed hollow needles to suck cataracts from eyes in a technique still used today.

The windmill was invented in 634 for a Persian caliph and was used to grind corn and draw up water for irrigation. The fountain pen was invented for the Sultan of Egypt in 953 after he demanded a pen which would not stain his hands or clothes. One has to be blind not to see it in the Moorish architecture of 5th Avenue synagogues. One has to illiterate not to realize that our numbering system is called Arab numerals. One has to be really bigoted to ignore the 526 names of towns that are Muslim names, Alhambra, Medina, Palestine, Allahbumya (Alabama), T Allah hasse (Talahasee) .One has to be Islamphobic not to know that Columbus sailed with Muslim sailors using Muslim inventions like the astrolabe and Muslim maps. One has to be rabidly anti-Muslim not to realize the Alhambra arches of California homes are Muslim in origin.

It would be tragic to ignore the 800 year old Jewish-Christian-Muslim symbiosis in Muslim Spain that created the renaissance and transported Greek and Roman knowledge to Latin Christians. Egos, imperial hubris and contempt for all other ideas will surely prohibit some to admit their own faults for BEARING FALSE WITNESS and not taking the trouble to find out the real truth. America or Europe was not born in a vacuum and all knowledge did not emanate from the fountains of Sorbonne and Oxford without any prior or current interaction with Al Azhar and Cordoba. The very word college is base don the Arabic “Kulliat” . Tulipomania in the Netherlands was based on getting the Tulips from Turkey. Beethoven based his 9th symphony on Turkish Janessarian music. Some may also refuse to read Islamo-Christian Civilization by Dr. Boulliett.

Nullus liber homo capiatur vel imprisonetur aut disseisietur de libero tenemento suo, vel libertatibus, vel liberis consuetudinibus suis, aut utlagetur, aut exuletur, aut aliquo modo destruatur, nec super eum ibimus, nec super eum mittemus, nisi per legale judicium parium suorum, vel per legem terrÃ¦

Just because the Magna Carta words were written in Latin cannot hide it’s Islamic origins.”"No freeman shall be taken, or imprisoned, or be disseised of his freehold, or liberties, or free customs, or be outlawed, or exiled, or any otherwise destroyed; nor will we not pass upon him, nor condemn him, but by lawful judgment of his peers, or by the law of the land.”" (See “The Islamic Origins of the Common Law,” 77 North Carolina by John Maksdisi).

Alas, todays Patriot’s Act invalidates the habeous corpus. World War I deaths: 15 million. World war II deaths 50 million…………..we counted 173 million deaths in the past century…………….and Islam is the violent religion? Crusades, inquisitions, Vietnam, Korea, colonization………..Islam is the violent religion? In 1526 Emperor Babar established the Mughal empire a center of ecumenical harmony among Hindus, Jews, Christians and Muslims that lasted three centuries. This was the time when the Spaniards were burning every Jew and Muslim in sight…………… In 1631 in Mughal India, while Muslim Emperors like Shah Jehan were building wonders of the world as a monument for the love of his life, General Mathew was planning different ways of creating a rapport with women. Around the same time, innovative ideas were being drawn up on torture witch burning. And this was happening in post renaissance and the ENLIGHTENED WORLD.

In a provocative article “Chapter 39, Order 39 Torture and Neo-Liberalism with Sycorax” in Iraq Peter Linebaugh compares the sexual abuse and depravity of Abu Ghraib with what went on in the West in the 17th century….

WHO ARE THE IMPORTANT WOMEN IN ISLAM?According toe many traditions, one of the most important women in Islam was Khadija a Christian women. Our prophet was hired by Khadija and he made many profitable ventures for her. She was so impressed by his honesty, that she asked him to marry her. He remained loyal to Khadia for more than 20 years â€˜till he was an old man. Ayesha was also a very important women in his life. She took up arms and led an army in battle right after his death in a battle of succession which she lost to Ali, the 4th caliph. Every major Muslim country in the world has been and is being led by women. Mrs Khalida Zia of Bangladesh is the current prime minister of Bangladesh. Mrs Sukarnoputri is the previous prime minister of Indonesia,. Turkey had women prime ministers, and Pakistan elected Mrs. Benazir Bhutto twice in non-consecutive terms. In fact, one of the â€œfathers” of the Pakistani nation was a women, Mrs Fatima Jinnah who almost became the prime minister in 1963. Many Muslims countries have opposition leaders who are women, Bangladesh, Indonesia, and Pakistan are on the short list. The number of women parliamentarians is 23%. This is not uncommon. Tunisia, Turkey and many other countries are even higher. Compare 8% in the US.

MAIN PRECEPTS OF ISLAM: VERY SIMPLE. VERY LOGICAL.Prey to one God! Islam menas peace, and we wish peace in every one of our greetings. Salaam, which is similar to Shalom! 1) The first commandment: There is no divinity but God 2) Jews pray 3 times a day. Muslims Pray 5 times a day 3) Alms to the poor; Tithing 4) Fasting similar to month of lint fasting 5) Pilgrimage to Mecca once in a lifetime if finances permit:

Source: American Gospel: God, the Founding Fathers, and the Making of a Nation (Hardcover)

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