Related Posts

WakeUp! Come to the best of all deeds!

So, our friends over at Muslim WakeUp! have instituted a new activity, a WakeUp! Call. Their first one is directed to the Islamic Society of North America (ISNA). ISNA is supporting a temperance society that believes the only way to salvation is through Jesus and all immigration should be stopped lest the hordes run us over. But the good news is, they will bring back prohibition. Didn’t we learn anything from the 2000 election? A single issue, at the ignorance [yes, I know it’s not the correct use of the word, but it really is a willful ignorance] of all…

The fragility of Muslims

Keep to forgiveness (O Muhammad), and enjoin kindness, and turn away from the ignorant. – The Qur’an, Chapter 7, Verse 199 What would the Prophet have done given the presence of those cartoons? Most probably smiled and turned away.  Why are Muslims getting so worked-up about the works of ignorant cartoonists from the boondocks of Denmark?  Is Islam so weak that we need to kill each other demonstrating our anger at an insult at the Prophet?  Is the legacy of the Prophet so weak that we have to condem every Tom Dick and Lars when they insult him?  Is Allah…

Maimonides on Giving

I’m placing this here because I think it has strong resonances with the Muslim thinking on the concept of charity. I’ll post a similar one for Muslims shortly. Eight Rungs of the Giving Ladder: The concept of giving anonymously without knowing the recipient can be traced back to ancient Israel. Beggars would regularly congregate next to a wall of a courtyard and donors, being aware of this, would face the opposite direction and toss coins over the shoulders in the direction of the wall. Therefore, the recipients of the charity would not feel ashamed or indebted to the giver. Maimonides,…