ISIS IS NOT NEW

(Disclaimer: I am not a scholar, nor an expert in Islam or Quranic studies, Islamic doctrine or jurisprudence.  I am however very concerned at what is currently happening "in the name of Islam").

DOES THE FOLLOWING SOUND FAMILIAR ?  

The “Caliph” and his henchmen/thugs demand allegiance from everyone.  Anyone who dares to resist swearing allegiance to the Caliph or in their eyes belongs to an “infidel” tribe/family/village is fair game.  Such "infidels" / "kuffar" / non-believers  will suffer cold-blooded murder, followed by public beheading, mutilation of their corpses, being thrown into mass graves in ditches or rivers while their killers publicly rejoice in the “pools of blood”.  Their women and children will be taken captive, paraded and sold into slavery or humiliated or both.  Unless the children are male in which case they also are unlikely to be spared the fate of their fathers.

The above narrative is depressingly familiar to all of us witnessing in abject horror the atrocities committed by ISIS against innocent Yezidis, Christians, Jews and all Muslims whom ISIS believe are either heretics (Shi’ite) or even fellow Sunnis who dare to not accept their grotesque version of Islam.  #notinmyname indeed. 

But what if this had been done to the family of the Prophet of Islam ? By people who themselves claimed to be Muslims ? Under the leadership of a man who claimed to be the leader of all Muslims, the Caliph, the successor to the legacy and Message of the Prophet Muhammad PBUH ?  

Impossible to believe ?  Well, so is what ISIS are doing in the name of a religion of "peace and tolerance".  This is actually the same dilemma: How can a religion claim to be tolerant and peaceful when some of its "followers" commit the most heinous atrocities against fellow human beings.

ISIS have exploited this dilemma and general weakness in the Muslim world.  The biggest cause of this weakness is internal division and the biggest division among Muslims is that between Sunni and Shia.  Yet the central character in the event that led to that very schism, the grandson of the Prophet PBUH - Al-Husayn(AS), could be the healing agent and the common ground for reconciliation.  What happened to Al-Husayn(AS), why it took place and was then covered up can be the rallying example to re-claim the narrative of Islam from those like ISIS whose intolerance and barbarity is perverting our faith.

If there is a single moment in the history of Islam which crystallised the division which ISIS and other extremists now exploit it was the massacre by the sixth Caliph Yezid ibn Mua'wiah's army of the Prophet's sole surviving descendants following their refusal to accept his legitimacy and perversion of Islam. This event has seared itself into the consciousness of some Muslims while being forcibly downplayed and hidden from others. But it could also be the event that holds the key to greater understanding and reconciliation between mainstream Sunni and Shia people for the defeat of ISIS as well as other intolerant, extremist, exclusivist, ideologies masquerading as "true Islam".

All un-biased historians confirm both the massacre in AD 680 and the barbaric nature of it as opposed to some revisionists who claim it never happened or was merely the quelling of an armed rebellion. The intolerant attempt to have everyone conform to the ruler's idea of Islam has striking parallels to the way ISIS and others are operating today within the Muslim world. The barbaric response to Al-Husayn's peaceful refusal to accept this perversion has striking contemporary relevance. For this was not an event in which imperialistic, "infidel", colonial powers were waging war on Muslims.  Instead this was self-proclaimed "Muslims" murdering, butchering and humiliating fellow Muslims.  Not just any Muslims but the Prophet’s own grandson and his entire family. 

The intolerance and barbaric practices that were carried out in the name of Islam bore no resemblance to the true faith - the same way ISIS is attempting to hijack the religion of Islam today.  It was this massacre of the Prophet's own direct descendants which should be seen as a very stark reminder of what needs to be done to avoid the situation Edward Burke so famously warned against : "The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing".  

The details of what happened to the Prophet's family could be a literal template for what ISIS is doing to innocent families all over Iraq and Syria today.  Eighteen male family members of the Prophet's family were beheaded and their heads raised on spears, their bodies were mutilated as were those of their closest friends and companions.  The women and children of this family were captured, enslaved marched and paraded in such a way as to maximize humiliation and act as a weapon of terror.  They were marched on foot from Karbala in Iraq to Damascus in Syria.  

Exactly the same techniques of terror and use of ultimate savagery that ISIS use today.

But how can this be a cause for reconciliation ?  Because the family in question is dear to both Sunni and Shia - it was none other than the family of the Prophet Muhammad PBUH. 

What was Al-Husayn’s “crime”?  Public rejection of the corrupt, irreligious and immoral rule of the sixth Caliph Yezid and therefore refusing to pledge allegiance due to the extent he was distorting the faith and practice of Islam whilst claiming to be the leader of all Muslims (sounds familiar ?).

When we Muslims use the suffix PBUH (Peace Be Upon Him) after the name of the Prophet why do all of us not stop to think what kind of Peace do we wish on him when those who professed to be following his "Sunnah" ("path" or "way") could do this to his own family less than fifty years after his passing ? 

All Muslims should follow the Prophet's "Sunnah".  In the case of his grandson Al-Husayn(AS) what was the Prophet's sunnah ?

Two incontrovertible direct quotes from the Prophet PBUH on which all Muslims agree are the basis for Sunni / Shia reconciliation on the events at Karbala  : 

1.  The Prophet PBUH in his own lifetime had declared “Husayn is from me and I am from Husayn” 

2.  The Prophet PBUH also said that Al-Husayn(AS) along with his elder brother Al-Hasan(AS) were "the leaders of the youths of Paradise"

There can therefore be no doubt where the Prophet PBUH himself would have stood in this confrontation of the Caliph and his army against the grandson who set out not to wage war or armed rebellion but to peacefully protect his grandfather's legacy.

All Muslims should follow the Prophet's Sunnah and Al-Husayn's stand against the Caliph was in itself following that Sunnah. Resisting barbaric and oppressive rule conducted in the name of Islam is exactly what we should be doing in response to the perversion of Islam being played out by ISIS today.  Neither Sunni or Shia have a monopoly on Al-Husayn(AS). He is a supreme example for all human beings who value justice, liberty and a stance against tyrrany. This is evident in how he stands as an inspiration to contemporary heroes who are not Muslim - MK Gandhi and Nelson Mandela being just two examples who have stated clearly how he has inspired them.

This is the darkest secret in the history of Islam.  One whose facts deserve to be pored over and whose significance needs to be understood by all Muslims as an example of what can happen unless we shout loud and clear about what Islam is versus what it is being misrepresented as. ISIS are the latest manifestation of the ultimate enemy – those who wilfully pervert the true faith for their own purposes by masquerading as brothers to sabotage the faith from within.

In the midst of one of the darkest periods of recent history for Muslims the story and example of Al-Husayn(AS) should stand as an inspiration.  An inspiration to challenge ISIS and others like them with all means possible and show the watching world that ALL Muslims believe in only One God, One Quran, One Kaabah, One Prophet PBUH.  

Hajj - A personal perspective on the "journey of a lifetime" - Part One

Hajj Blog - for any of my non-Muslim friends, colleagues and acquaintances vaguely interested in where I was during October 2013

BEFORE / AFTER - WHAT I ANTICIPATED BEFORE HAJJ AND WHAT HAJJ TAUGHT ME ABOUT MYSELF AND THE WORLD I LIVE IN

Two weeks away from one's spouse, kids, parents/siblings, friends, your work colleagues and regular daily 9-5 routine of life in London (TV, newspapers, internet were all available but not the point of the trip and hence generally avoided) is actually quite a long time.

A long time to think and reflect as well as perform a series of deeply symbolic acts which have been performed by many millions of people before me in the last nearly one and a half thousand years.  This year - 2013 (or 1434 in the Islamic calendar) over three million people attended.

A couple of important acknowledgements are due here.  The "before/after" idea was given to me by a friend over lunch a week before I left for Mecca.  He suggested it might be interesting for my non-Muslim friends/ work colleagues if I could describe what I expected versus what I actually experienced. I am grateful for the suggestion because rather than a personal diary it made me think about a description of the trip which might prove at least moderately interesting to people who may have heard vaguely about the Hajj.  Secondly I must thank my brother, Raza, for doing all the research on which group to go with and all his encouragement before and during our Hajj.

Before we left for Mecca I had tried to read some books and articles about the Hajj but many if not most were from the perspective of the order, timing and specific actions :

- wearing your "Ihram" (two pieces of white cloth - the most simple garments used to denote every pilgrim as equal in the eyes of God and fellow pilgrims)
- performing your "Tawaaf"(walking seven times around the Ka'aba - the iconic cubic structure which Muslims view as God's sanctuary or "house" on Earth)
- performing your "Sa'ay" (performing seven circuits between the two small mountains of Safa and Marwa next to the Ka'aba) - roughly 3.5k in total
- staying at "camp" in Mina (place outside Makkah which is full of tents to accommodate all pilgrims)
- praying for forgiveness in the plains of Arafaat (place near Mina)
- stoning of the 3 symbolic "Jamaraat" - stone pillars which represent Satan (the devil "shaytaan")
- offering of a sacrificial lamb at specially authorised slaughterhouses - the meat from which is distributed to the poor and needy

I must admit to not having fully appreciated the full significance, background and history of WHY Muslims are asked to perform all the individual acts / rituals.  Hence I was very grateful to discover my own version of a "Lonely Planet Guide" for Hajj - the English translation of a book that is nearly 50 years old - simply entitled "Hajj" by an Iranian scholar/university lecturer called Dr Ali Shariati who died in 1977 aged 44 two years prior to the Iranian Revolution.  Dr Shariati was the antithesis of an "Islamic mullah" - educated at the Sorbonne in Paris under some of the West's top 20th century thinkers - Louis Massignon, Jean-Paul Sartre.  Clean-shaven, lecturing often in his pin-striped suits just his profile inspired my interest.

The book did not disappoint and its descriptions and analogies helped me so much in making sense not just of what and how I would do but most importantly for me the WHY of what we would do. More about this in a subsequent post - I hope.

We were constantly reminded by our "guide" (spiritual not tour) before and during our pilgrimage that in his words "Hajj is all about change".  Those words stayed with me throughout since the hardest thing will be to carry through the desire for change in oneself after the plane lands back at London Gatwick. Since I am only intending this for family and friends or interested work colleagues I am hoping that what I perceive as a "universal" message in what I experienced during Hajj may still be of interest to people who hold different or indeed no particular beliefs.

Here are five topics and what I had thought before and what I now think based on my experiences.

1.  BEFORE : Muslim Fundamentalism is a massive problem ; AFTER : Muslims need to get back in touch with the true "fundamentals" of the faith 
If we played a game of "Word Association" concerning the "ist" issue - if I asked any randomly selected individuals or group of people in Western society to tell me which word they would associate with the following - fundamentalist, terrorist, polygamist, chauvinist, "jihadist" the answer would probably be all too familiar to all of my fellow pilgrims.   In particular the negativity associated with the term "fundamentalist" is deeply disturbing.  During Hajj we were actively REQUIRED to go back to fundamentals - a few examples

a.  Equality of men and women (women not required to cover their faces - of course modest clothing and headscarves were evident but relatively few niqab / jilbab  during the Hajj)
b.  Equality of race and no outward signs of social status - every man wearing two pieces of white cloth (the "ihram" garments)
c.  Respect for ALL of God's creations - whilst in the "state of Ihram" (meaning the period where you are performing the Hajj and wearing the simple garment) you are expressly forbidden from knowingly harming any living creature including insects and plants/vegetation - care for the environment is paramount.
d.  Tolerance - huge emphasis on not reacting negatively to the undoubted "hardships" which those of us privileged to live in wealthy societies will come across - there is no "five star or VIP" version of the Hajj and that is one of the best lessons that you can learn i.e. you realise how the vast majority of humanity cope every day with over-crowding, basic food, sanitation and why tolerance is such an important virtue.
e.  Love and respect for your fellow human beings - we met people from all over the planet who were all there for the same reason and using the term "brother / sister" really carried great weight and responsibility.

We could build a better world by being fundamentalists - promoting that which unites us over and respectfully / peacefully discussing and debating that which divides us.  Focussing on "fundamental" basic and common human values - distinguish between natural prejudice on all sides, throw that off and make genuine attempts at promoting understanding of another human being's point of view and exposing bigotry on all sides as self serving.

2.  BEFORE : Hajj is a pilgrimage, a journey ; AFTER : Hajj can be a Spiritual Evolution

For me personally it was actually TWO things : not just a visit, pilgrimage or journey - these were just the obvious things; having the time to think through this question  at a deeper level I felt the Hajj was indeed a spiritual evolution (or movement per Dr Ali Shariati's masterful book) and also an amazing manifestation of God's promise of being "Oft-forgiving and Merciful".  Why not a journey ? I feel Hajj is all about teaching us how important and possible it is to change - not just to arrive at a destination but to strive every day of our lives to become better people, better human beings.  If you believe in a life after this one and that we are not just a random creation and that every person will be accountable for their actions then there are few if any opportunities to throw off your old "self" and attempt to become the best human being you can be / spiritually cleansed person and to try again / harder / as a fully grown adult - ultimate catalyst for change.

3.  BEFORE : Simple logistics of three million people in the same place at the same time trying to do the same thing will bring out the worst in humanity ; AFTER : Yes and No

There is no doubt that you do observe selfish behaviour, tempers fraying, pushing, shoving, queue jumping (just think of any concert or sports event you have been to and multiply it by a factor of 100). There is also no doubt in my mind that if the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) was to observe some of the pushing/shoving he would not be pleased.  However there were also many instances of immense generosity and kindness.  Everyone should be trying to demonstrate tolerance and patience ("sabr").  I was actually surprised to see some patience even among the Saudi authorities who cannot stop the march of technology - use of cameras in smartphones - but that may be as much to do with apathy because there are just too many people using them to take pictures to stop people any more.

4.  BEFORE : Inter-Faith reconciliation between the three Abrahamic mono-theistic faiths is impossible ; AFTER : Perhaps but as Muslims we need to try harder

Perhaps it is but only because everyone's position is entrenched. Perhaps non-Muslims just don't want to hear that there may be more to unite both sides (e.g. Palestinians and Israelis) than extremists on either side want to admit or for the "silent majority" to understand and proclaim.  Perhaps the idea that Abraham was not a Jew or a Christian but a hater of idol worship and a righteous person who believed in the one true God is threatening since this is the same God  that Muslims claim to believe in. Could both be right and how would that serve the interests of those who seek to drive division and conflict between Jews and Muslims at every opportunity ?

5.  BEFORE : Islam has a negative image in Western society ; AFTER - Muslims need a makeover, not Islam.

Islam has a very negative image in the West ; do we need our own Reformation ?
I firmly believe that Islam as a faith does not need a "makeover" but I also firmly believe that all Muslims need to recognise our own role as "ambassadors".

What impression are we creating in the non-Muslim countries and societies WE ARE CHOOSING to live in such as my own country - the UK?  What does our own personal conduct say about the faith we claim to hold ? Are we doing enough individually to make ourselves "heard" through our actions to where necessary challenge the stereotypes which result from the likes of the Quillian Foundation, Muslim Council of Britain, "Muslim Parliament" or any of the various "Muslim commentators/spokespersons" who happen to be trotted out on TV/radio, who claim to speak for Muslims in general ?  Forget the polar opposites of moderate versus extremist Muslim - why can't "ordinary Muslims" speak for themselves - through their actions, through their interactions with neighbours, friends, colleagues none of whom share the same faith but will have a very good sense of fair play and basic human decency.  It is a fact that my non-Muslim friends, neighbours and work colleagues will form at least part of their impression of "what are Muslims really like" based on what they see me do, say, act like, react etc.

During Hajj our common faith transcended any national allegiances and yet we all choose for various reasons to live in the UK.  Well, living in the UK should not just mean holding the passport - it should also mean supporting all those values which undoubtedly are common.  I am not aware of any of the core values associated with UK citizenship being contrary to Islam.  Drinking alcohol is not compulsory or enshrined in law in this country.  However the freedom to practice one's faith IS enshrined in the law of the land.

Since we choose to live here then we need to respect the rights - especially to free speech - which are enshrined as a way of life here.  Of course that will involve some people speaking out against "Islam" when commenting on suicide bombings in the Middle East etc. There is also some undoubted bigotry and Islamophobic / scare-mongering in the media.  But surely our rights give us various opportunities to speak out respectfully, thoughtfully and intelligently but also robustly.  Clearly we, as Muslims, need to take greater responsibility and accountability for defending our faith in a way that also looks at the conduct of the regimes or individuals who are associating their actions with the faith rather than being guided by it.

There is a way to engage in debate WITHIN Islam - between the different sects and it is with respect and academic discourse not violence, oppression and sectarianism.  There is also a way to engage with non-Muslims and those of us who choose to live in the West have an especially heavy duty to recognise our role as ambassadors and strive to live up to those values.  Not enough people we interact with understand that the "struggle" to live a better life and be the best human being one can be is the true meaning of that much mis-understood word - "jihad".

 

Open Letter to Roman Abramovich - True Blues cannot be gagged

Dear Mr. Abramowich (I cannot presume to know you hence cannot call you Roman)

I have supported Chelsea since primary school.  Being an Asian rather than Caucasian boy born and brought up in London during the '70s and '80s I was subjected to occasional racist language which I was thankfully taught to never be affected by ("sticks and stones..."). However I was very aware of a personal dilemma : I understood that the club I chose to support from five years old appeared to have a significant minority of so called "fans" who were openly racist.  But I also understood the most basic rule of being a football fan is that once you have become a fan that support is for life - you don't change "your team".   Although I continued to support the team I knew it was important to stand up for what was right and acknowledge when elements of the club were wrong.

I believe being a true fan gives one the right to maintain loyalty with the club and the players who perform week in week out whilst disagreeing on specific issues with a minority of fellow "fans" or indeed the ownership (chairman, chief executive, owner etc).  I hated the fact that a minority of "fans" openly expressed racist views but I also knew there were similar minority elements at many clubs and that my club, the leadership and players were making huge efforts to curb any spreading of the racist disease and I supported and applauded that effort.  Since I believe that you also hail from an ethnic minority you of all people will know what I mean about this kind of issue.

During the last ten years however I have been confronted by a different dilemma as a Chelsea fan.  It is undoubtedly the case that without your funding our club would not have enjoyed the on-field success that we have.  Ten major trophies including three League titles, four FA Cups and the Champions League is beyond the wildest imaginations of most true fans.  Every Chelsea fan has been on an unforgettable journey of success and being competitive with the most successful teams in this country and Europe also.  For that we are all truly grateful.

However, stuffing our mouths with trophies does not give you the right to expect us to gag ourselves and not speak out against the way business at our club is conducted and the way it is led.  True fans of our club will remain so for life whether the team is successful on the field or not.  True Chelsea fans yearn for our club to not only win but do so in the right way.  I am not just talking about Barcelona-esque passing and movement but instead about the way we conduct our affairs as a club.

I am talking (in reverse chronological order) about the respect, patience and support we should show for loyal servants of the club through difficult periods.  I am talking about the class we need to demonstrate in apologising unreservedly and quickly when we have initiated a complaint process against a referee in manifest error.  I am talking about the lack of leadership from your hand-picked leaders - Chief Executive, Chairman, Technical Director in not dealing with blatant lapses in discipline from some of our most revered players.  I fully understand that no one is immune from making mistakes.  But our club must always be bigger than any individual player no matter how glittering their career.  In fact I would bet that the players involved in some of the most egregious incidents in our club's history would have accepted far tougher punishment than they actually received for blatant breaches of common decency.  A racist phrase whether repeated or original is unforgivable as is the failure to apologise to the victim and his family as well as to our club for bringing it into disrepute.  Our "leadership" on these issues are an embarrassment to themselves and our club.

I decided not to write to any of your "club leadership" Mr. Abramovich because there is simply no point.  They stand as impotent parasites, feeding off the enormous wealth you have showered on your plaything yet purport to represent our club.  I am not clear what, if any appropriate qualifications they bring other than accepting they must keep their mouths shut and leave all the difficult public relations to the first team coach (I believe you do not want anyone to "manage" just coach).  Ron Gourlay, Michael Emanalo and Bruce Buck are representing you badly and doing all true fans and our club a dis-service.  They appear to be acting with your blessing and in a way that you have either instructed or approved.  This must be the case since unlike Jose Mourinho, Carlo Ancelotti and Roberto Di Matteo - all of whom true Chelsea fans will always remain indebted to - they remain in place, earning vast amounts and have not been asked to leave the club having been summarily dismissed.  The way our club have treated Jose, Carlo and Robbie, as well as Ray Wilkins is frankly unbecoming of a great sporting institution which is what we should aspire to and what we all hoped you were committed to building.

I now fear that we are about to repeat the same mistake with both Frank Lampard and Ashley Cole.  Whilst there have been a couple of very high profile lapses of judgement from Ashley (for which he has been rightly criticised) true Chelsea fans will also remember one of the finest left-backs in world football and most would agree the best to play in that position for our club.  In the case of Frank we are talking about not only one of the best goal-scoring midfielders of his generation but also a great role model for young professionals and someone whom I believe is actually a great ambassador for our club. Most clubs in our position would grant both of these great servants the dignity of allowing them to finish their careers at Stamford Bridge.  Which Technical Director of any standing would allow two giants follow another (Didier) out of the club in this manner on their watch ?  Why are your leaders not able to persuade you to do what all fans know is the right thing to do ?  Why do true Chelsea fans have to face the additional insult of being told by Mr Rafael Benitez that players who enjoy a standing with fans that he can only dream of are not likely to be at our club next season ?

Mr Abramovich, I am sure that nothing I write here or other fans have written in the comments section  in newspapers or said on football phone-ins will actually make a difference to the way you want to run our club.  But I would ask you to acknowledge one indisputable fact : whilst we are all grateful for your funding the club and the subsequent success we cannot sit idly by and watch the club we support be mismanaged in a way that is truly damaging for the long term. Self-evaluation is the first step toward                             effecting lasting change. We have become a pariah, a laughing stock, an example of an institution lacking in class and crying out for true leadership and honour not just money.  It is time for us to stop and take stock but I know this will not happen.

It is said that fans are the lifeblood of any football club.  Well, I can see the life being drained out of the club I supported as a boy and as a man.  This pains me and all other true fans I know.  For the sake of our club you should know this and recognise that some of us will be taking a sabbatical from the kind of unswerving support that only true fans provide.  We don't expect you to care.  But we have the right, whilst being repeatedly ignored, to be less than enthusiastic about your leadership of our club until we see the club we yearn for rise from whatever it is that you feel you are currently building.  We have a voice even if you choose to ignore it.  Chelsea Football Club existed before either you or I came onto our respective scenes and will be here long after we have both left the stage.

Yours sincerely
A long-standing Chelsea fan