If You Only Knew

You made the effort of finding the timing of prayers.
You somehow learnt that Fridays are the days where men go to the mosques for their congregational prayers.

You thought killing 50 Muslims would stop Islam.
But you didn’t know that what you did probably made them martyrs.
Bet you didn’t know that you had single-handedly raised the statuses of our brothers in the eyes of their beloved Creator with his actions. And how, through your actions, they will be raised as the most righteous and pious of Muslims.

Perhaps you didn’t know that doing what he did, at the time and place he chose, it actually meant that the last words that escaped the victims’ lips were probably words of remembrance and praise of Allah. Which is a noble end many Muslims could only dream of. 
And perhaps you didn’t know, but what he did would almost guarantee them paradise as they died a shahid death.

You didn’t know you unwittingly showed the world how Muslims welcome, with open arms, even people like yourself into our mosques, which is our second home. 
And that you showed that our mosques have no locks or gates, and are unguarded because everyone and anyone is welcome to join and be with us.
And that you let the world see the powerful image of a man he injured, lying on back on the stretcher with his index finger raised high, as a declaration of his faith and complete trust in Allah.

And oh you brought the Churches and communities together to stand with us Muslims with rallies, vigils, observances of silence.
And you made countless New Zealanders come out of their homes to visit the mosques nearest to them with flowers and beautiful messages of peace and love.

Sure you have broken many, many hearts and made the world weep. You left a huge void.
But what you did also had also brought us closer together. And it has strengthened our faith and resolve.

In the coming weeks, more people will turn up in the mosques - a place you hate so much - and show more sympathy to Muslims and refugees whom you hate so much, fortified by the strength in their faith, and inspired by their fallen brothers and sisters.
In the coming weeks, more non-Muslims will turn up at the gates of mosques with fresh flowers and beautifully handwritten notes. They may not have known previously where the mosques in their area was. But now, they do. All because of you.

You may have achieved your short-sighted aim of intended destruction, but you have failed to incite hatred, fear and despair in all of us. 

And while I understand that it may have been your objective, I hate to say that after all of that elaborate planning, and the perverse and wretched efforts on your part, you still failed to drive a divide among the the Muslims and non-Muslims in the world.

For that, I can’t say that I’m sorry. I can only feel almost sorry for you instead for failing.

Because the Quran was recited in the New Zealand Parliament.
The azan was called across the country.
The Khutbah (sermon) was aired on television and also attended to by others.
The Hadith was read by the Prime Minister.
The hijab was donned by New Zealand women.

The cowardly act you committed only brought all of New Zealanders out as a nation which stands together with the Muslim community in time of need and made everyone united, stronger and more loving.

Now, if only the rest of the world can emulate the New Zealanders and treat others who consider their country as their adopted home no matter their religion, race, faith, colour as one of themselves. The little Kiwi nation can shame the rest of the world.

Liberated And Emancipated

The month of March pays tribute to women with the International Women’s Day on 8 March and Mother’s Day (yes, some countries do celebrate Mother’s Day in March) to commemorate women’s rights and honour the mothers of the world. These two designated days started in early 20th century (in the UK, Mother’s Day evolved from the 16th century Mothering Sunday practice of visiting one’s mother church which resulted in family reunions).

Since there is always a negative stereotype and perception of how Islam views women, I’m going to touch on the religion’s views of women and mothers in this post. There are verses in the Quran that acknowledges the mother, emphasising the difficulties of pregnancy, labour, breastfeeding and the need to respect one’s mother. These verses many times mention parents in general but go into detail in regard to the mother because she faces challenges that the father does not. Verse 15 from chapter 46 illustrates this point:

And We have enjoined upon man, to his parents, good treatment. His mother carried him with hardship and gave birth to him with hardship, and his gestation and weaning [period] is thirty months. [He grows] until, when he reaches maturity and reaches [the age of] forty years, he says, ‘My Lord, enable me to be grateful for Your favour which You have bestowed upon me and upon my parents and to work righteousness of which You will approve and make righteous for me my offspring. Indeed, I have repented to You, and indeed, I am of the Muslims.’

This verse begins with a command for both parents, but goes into detail in regards to the mother and the difficulties she endures. There are also instances where Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) commanded us to respect their mothers:

A man came to the Prophet and said, ‘O Messenger of God! Who among the people is the most worthy of my good companionship? The Prophet (PBUH) said: Your mother. The man said, ‘Then who?’ The Prophet said: Then your mother. The man further asked, ‘Then who?’ The Prophet said: Then your mother. The man asked again, ‘Then who?’ The Prophet said: Then your father. (Bukhari, Muslim)

A man once consulted the Prophet Muhammad about taking part in a military campaign. The Prophet asked the man if his mother was still living. When told that she was alive, the Prophet said: ‘(Then) stay with her, for Paradise is at her feet.’ (Al-Tirmidhi)

On another occasion, the Prophet said: ‘God has forbidden for you to be undutiful to your mothers.’ (Sahih Al-Bukhari) 

OK, now about Islam’s view of women. Women are regarded highly in Islam. In pre-Islamic Arabia, women had no rights whatsoever. They were not considered equal to men, were viewed as objects and were constantly humiliated. Female babies were considered a disgrace and female infanticide was common. Islam abolished that barbaric practice and elevated the women’s status. Why, there is an entire surah in the Quran – the fourth one too - titled an-Nisa or women and there are numerous references to women in that surah. Women have rights to education, to be employed (remember, Siti Khadijah, Prophet Muhammad’s first wife, was a very wealthy and successful merchant), to marry and divorce (Siti Khadijah was the one who asked for the Prophet to marry her, how modern was she?!), to have assets and properties.

From the earliest days, greater financial security is assured for women. Women are entitled to receive marital gifts, and to keep properties and income for their own security. A single woman is not required to spend a penny on the household. She is entitled to full financial support during marriage and during the waiting period (‘iddah) in case of divorce. Whether she is a wife or mother, a sister or daughter, she is allowed to receive a certain share of a deceased kin’s property, and no one can disinherit her.

While both men and women are entitled to inherit property of relations, their portions vary. The man usually receives more because the man by law is solely responsible for the complete maintenance of his family. It is also his duty to contribute financially to all good causes in his society. The woman, in contrast, has no obligatory financial responsibilities. She is provided for, whether by her husband, son, father, brother, or other male relative. If she has no relation on whom she can depend, and she has no inheritance, in Islam, she is the responsibility of the society. She may be given aid or a job to earn her living, and whatsoever money she makes will be hers. So, in the hardest situation her financial responsibility is limited, while the man’s is unlimited.

Islam also recognises the women’s individuality. They are granted the freedom of choice and expression, and are encouraged to contribute opinions and ideas. Women would pose questions to Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) and offer their opinions concerning religion, economics and social matters. The right to vote was already given to women 1,400 years ago: when women came to Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) and swore their allegiance to him and he accepted their oath, this established the right of women to publicly participate in selecting their leader. Islam does not forbid a woman from holding important positions in the government.

Post-Islam women also participated in public life, accompanying Muslim armies into the battlefield to nurse the wounded, prepare supplies and serve the warriors. They were not shut behind iron bars or considered worthless helpless creatures as we see in some so-called Muslim societies.

So whatever negative perception over women in Islam, that we are not liberated, have no say, have no rights, must be submissive and under the thumb of the men is all because in some misguided age-old cultures, this is how women are still treated despite Islam’s teachings and rulings and nothing whatsoever to do with the religion at all. Islam has long recognised the importance and status of women, more than a millenium before the idea for the International Women’s Day or Mother’s Day was even conceived.