'...and into the hole of the lizard we enter!'

***
In the name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate; blessings and peace be upon Prophet Muhammad s.a.w.

Reflection
"Do not spy one another,
nor let any of you backbite others..." (Hujurat 49: 12)
***

AFTER the terrorist attacks in Paris, the world including its media was quick to put the blame on Muslims and surprisingly many Muslims felt offended and quickly work out PR efforts to tell the world that Islam is against terrorism.

The word ‘Muslim terrorists’ made us sad. It was used in the wrong place. Why must ‘they’ highlight and associate ‘Muslims’ with terrorism? 

What were some Western leaders and their media up to for exploiting the news to give negative and distorting image about Islam around the globe? 

The irony of it, some of our own media too followed suit - they were just like parrots! As a guideline to those who would still read and follow the main stream media, remember this word of Allah SWT: "O ye, who believe! If a wicked person comes to you with any news, ascertain the truth, lest ye harm people unwittingly, and afterwards become full of repentance for what ye have done." (Al-Qur'an 49:6)

Recently during a 'tazkirah' (Islamic lesson) at a 'masjid' near my house, I heard the 'ustaz' (religious teacher) telling his audience that nowadays Muslims are living at the mercy of Westerners because 'they have won the war' - they are now in power to dictate the world 'on what is right and wrong'.

 

Perhaps what the 'ustaz' was trying 'to explain' to his audience had the truth because nowadays it seemed that the minds of many Muslims had been corrupted into believing and following the footsteps of non believers. Perhaps they even believed to the Western accusation that Islam promotes terrorism.

Regarding the tendency of Muslims to follow the footsteps of non-believers, a hadith from Bukhari and Muslim, narrated Abu Sa'id, r.a. noted the Prophet peace be upon him (pbuh) said, "Surely, you will follow the ways of those nations who were before you, in everything as one arrow resembles another, (i.e. just like them), so much so that even if they entered a hole of a sand-lizard, you would enter it." 

They said, "O Allaah’s Messenger! Do you mean to say that we will follow the Jews and the Christians?" The Prophet (pbuh) replied, "Whom else?" (By meaning the Jew and Christians) 

The 'ustaz' said the Western world especially the Jews are now vigorously exporting their way of life and thinking to the people of the world. The Jews did not conquer the world as the British, Spaniards, Dutch and Portuguese but their succeeded in capturing the minds of the people. They are up to destroy the people of the world other than the Jews themselves.

He claimed that the Jews were up to destroy the Muslim world with their '5-F strategy' that are lifestyles regarding 'film, family, fashion, fun and food'. For example, films produced in Hollywood which were dominated by Jews were accepted around the globe - lifestyles portrayed in Hollywood's films were totally against the teaching of Islam but they had been idolized world wide including in the Muslim world.

The Jews or Western way of life regarding family, fashion, fun and food too had destroyed the life of the new generation of Muslims...but Muslims especially their leaders choose not to fight the evil but to be part of them. Perhaps it was in line with what former US President, George W Bush had declared: "you are with us or we will fight you."

Thus, regarding the recent development of Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement (TPP), Muslim countries such as Malaysia and Brunei Darussalam have no choice - they must sign it although the TPP suffers from a serious lack of transparency.

The 'ustaz' said, at this moment when power is held by the Western world, they had their hands on almost all 'world matters' but Muslims could overturned it by once again by becoming the 'superpower of the world' as they had proved it during the era of Abbasid where one of its greatest caliphate Harun Al-Rashid (786-803 AD) was much respected by the king of Franks, Charlemagne (771-814 AD). The Frank king even sent his special delegation to Baghdad which was known as the world's center of knowledge.

By sending his envoy to Baghdad, Charlemagne had high respect to the Muslims way of living including to live in peace with all the people of the world. Islam is a religion of 'Rahmatan Lil 'Alamin" (blessing to all mankind); in Ayah 107 of Surah al-Anbiya, Allah SWT notes:  "We have not sent thee, O Muhammad, but as a mercy to all mankind."

Islam is a mercy to all mankind but many people including those living the West, distort this statement to understandings that are mistaken. So that raises a lot of mistakes in the practice of religion even in a very fundamental thing, that in the matter of belief.

The ustaz said, cruelty has no place in Islam. Even when dealing with animals, such as slaughtering them for food, the rule is to attend to it accordingly such as mentioning the name of Allah (Bismillah), make the animals die swiftly and easily by using sharp knives but not by sharpening the knives in front of the animals.

Islam is a beautiful religion revealed by God that covers all aspects of life; even there are even laws regarding rearing and slaughtering of animals, what more when dealing with human lives such as the attack on Paris!

Islam covers all aspects of living not only to be safe in this world but in the Hereafter; the irony of it many Muslims choose to follow the way of the Jews and Westerners...well  into the hole of the lizard we would enter!