A Short One: Playing Our Game

Assalamualaikum w.b.t

I have posted the article below as a note on my Facebook, but decided today to put it here as well, for 2 reasons.

1. So that I can reach those who I reach not via Facebook (not yet friends =p)

2. To keep a good archive for future reference (which, for some reasons, are more convenient here than Facebook)

I am taking this short time before I sleep tonight to share a thing I believe is important for all of us as Muslim, not only so that we can answer questions by our non-Muslim friends, but more importantly to help forming a strong wall against numerous attacks by non-Muslim enemies, and most important of all, as a self-protection, so that we hold true to Islam, with a strong faith insya Allah.

Allah says in Surah Al-An-'Am (6:125) which means: "Those whom Allah (in His plan) wills to guide, He opens their breast to Islam, those whom He wills to leave straying, He makes their breast close and constricted, as if they had to climb up to the skies, thus does Allah (heap) the penalty on those who refuse to believe."

Questions about prohibition of pork consumption, women must wear hijab, poligamy and many more are one of many ways enemies use to actually make fun of us and to pose logical but manipulated queries to create our own suspicions against Islam. No doubt though that some are very sincere to understand and seek truth, either way, we have to be careful on how to respond.

All the time, we can answer directly to the questions asked by giving 1001 reasons, logical explanations, scientific proofs and so on. For example, we don't eat pork because scientifically it can cause many diseases and pigs are filthy animals- that answer, of course makes sense.

But please beware of their games. We will never win unless we present our own game and not deceived into playing their games instead. Justifications based upon logical and scientific evidence alone, will hardly, if ever possible, put us on the winning side- because that's their game and their expertness, so they have the advantage to 'win.'

What is our game instead? Here: What ever the questions may be about, the first compulsory answer we must never forget is this- that I am a Muslim, I believe in Allah who says so, so I listen, Allah instructs so, so I follow. Aside from this answer, then only we can proceed with an 'optional' second response, which is based on logical and scientific reasoning.

You may ask why? Here are at least 2 answers why. Feel free to explore more.

First, let's take pork consumption for instance, reasoning that pork predisposes to disease and pigs are filthy are already invalid by now. Which means, if we use that reason for not eating pork, it means that we will agree to eating porks provided that it is no longer filthy and provides health benefit instead.

Mind you, across the world, there are many 'clean farms' with 'clean pigs' nowadays. Also, genetic engineering now has come up with pigs whose meats not only safe to consume but are rich in Omega3 which helps reduce risk of getting heart disease.

Having said that, would we then agree to consume pork just because our justification is now unjustified?

That is why we stick to the one that change not, until forever, the revelation from Allah, that He says eating pork is unlawful (haram) so it remains so until forever. Enemies out there have advantages in Science and technology so much that they can easily manipulate facts, even to the point of changing the nature (created by Allah by 'default'), just to prove that our Quran is wrong.

Allah already warns in Surah An-Nisa' (4:119) which means: "I will mislead them, and I will create in them false desires; I will order them to slit the ears of cattle, and to deface the (fair) nature created by Allah. Whoever, forsaking Allah, takes satan for a friend, has a surety suffered a loss that is manifest."

The second reason is based on a lecture by Abu Ammaar Yasir Qadhi, an American Muslim author and Islamic educator whom shared his one of many experiences.

In University, he befriended a very intelligent guy whom of course will not believe things easily unless there are strong and sufficient reasons to convince him to do so.

Yasir Qhadi had a 3-year conversation and casual debate with this friend of him about why Muslim women must wear hijab. With Allah's permission, he (Yasir Qhadi) successfully convinced this guy until he himself admitted that it would've been appropriate if all women (not only Muslim) around the world wear hijab. Unfortunately, he only was convinced with the wearing of hijab, not at all convinced it's because Allah says so.

The point here is that no matter what answers we give to respond to people's inquiries about do's and don'ts in Islam, our job is not to convince them based on their game (logical explanation alone) but more importantly is so that they (and us) know that it is so and so because it is a guidance and way of life prescribed by Allah in the Holy book of Quran.

Remember, in doing dakwah (invite others to the way of Allah), the ultimate aim is to do no other but to admit (with a total submission) that Allah is our Almighty God, One and Only- therefore we must follow everything He asks us to do and stay away from what He prohibits.

Wallahu'aklam. Good night all and please share with your friends and help enlighten them.

P/S: Allah, more than 1400 years ago (via Al-Quran), already described how is it if someone has HYPOXIA. Kindly refer to the first verse I include above. Praise be upon Allah.