text:
10 Things You Didn't Know About President Mursi
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By Yavus Selim
At times of great tribulation and turmoil, the first casualty is always the truth. Why? Because the greatest weapon in the hands of the oppressors and tyrants is their ability to manipulate the facts to suit their agenda. Because without the truth, we cannot see what is right and what is wrong. Without the truth, there is only falsehood… and injustice.
And that is how we find ourselves where we are in Egypt today, where the elected President of a nation – who was kidnapped and held incommunicado for months till his supporters could be imprisoned, crushed, tortured, killed and banned – stands trial for crimes that seem to multiply by the day. Depending on which side of the divide you fall, President Mursi is either a principled hero of epic proportions or a bungling nefarious criminal mastermind. So who is the real President Mursi?
Here are ten little known facts that may help provide us with some clues:
1. He is a Hafiz of the Quran
One of the little known facts about the president is that he has memorised the entire Quran by heart. This is no mean feat and something that itself is worthy of praise. The Prophet said: "The best among you (Muslims) are those who learn the Quran and teach it." Abu Musa Al Asharee reported that the Prophet said, "Part of showing glory to Allah is to show respect to a white-haired Muslim, and a carrier of the Quran who does not exaggerate in it nor ignore it and a just ruler." An interesting combination of virtues there don't you think?
2. He is intelligent
It is widely assumed that Mursi is not that bright. He is repeatedly portrayed as bumbling and dimwitted. His detractors point to a series of decisions that seemed to exacerbate anger against him – such as the taxation U-turns, the choice of governor for Luxor and his battle royale against the judiciary. And yet the majority evidence points to Mursi being much more academically gifted than any of his detractors. He has a PHD, is a professor and was the head of the Department of Engineering in Zagazig University. He has previously worked on various projects in America and was a visiting professor there. In his short time in office, he managed to achieve a fair amount and surrounded himself with individuals with proven track records in their fields.
3. He lived in an apartment
The Egyptian president has many palaces dotted around Cairo. They are sprawling in size and lavishly furnished. When Mursi walked into the Presidential palace for the first time, he had made up his mind that he would not live in any of them. He relented to carry out official government business in these vast palaces, but he would continue to live an apartment rented out for some time. This was how we were treated to the unbelievable sight of the President of a nation having death threats to his family being graffitied onto the walls of the elevator he used to get to his flat. Compare this to the other Muslim "leaders" who (and this is not an exaggeration) have toilets that are bigger than this President's home.
4. He refused special treatment for his dying sister
Whilst Mursi was president, his sister fell seriously ill. When he went to visit her in hospital, the doctors told him that she may get better treatment if she was transferred to Europe or America. All they needed was the order from him and a medivac chopper and airplane would be commandeered. He refused stating that his family should not be favored above those of order Egyptians merely because of the position he held. His sister passed away in a government hospital like any other Egyptian citizen.
5. The Azaan takes precedence over his speech
When Mursi was delivering an important speech he was suddenly made aware that prayer time fell. Instead of ignoring the Azaan and continuing his speech or even just staying silent for a minute – Mursi loudly and proudly repeated the Azaan. The effect was electrifying and a generation of pious young Muslims saw that even their leaders submitted to the words of Allah.
6. The homeless widow
The video above is of a homeless woman who used to sleep on the streets of Cairo. One day a car pulled up and Mursi himself got out of the back. He asked her why she slept on the streets. She told him that since she had become a widow, she was unable to continue paying for their apartment and eventually found herself on the street. Mursi said that no mother in Egypt should suffer like this and directed officials to provide her with a respectable apartment and enough of a stipend from the state to pay for it. Since the coup she has become homeless again.
7. He took part in aid work
This is a picture of President Mursi visiting Banda Aceh, Indonesia following the devastating South Asian Tsunami that killed hundreds of thousands of people. He was there as part of an aid mission to help the survivors rebuild their shattered lives. Mursi isn't just another scheming member of the deep state of Egypt who has done nothing but worked for their own advancement and that of their families since day one. When Bashaar Al-Assad sent him a congratulatory message on his election to the Presidency, Mursi replied "I do not recognize you as the rightful representative of the Syrian people." Despite all protocols, he could not bring himself to be polite to the murderer of so many innocent people.
8. The worlds lowest paid leader
We get so used to seeing the sickening figures that business moguls, sports stars and so-called celebrities pull in that we expect our political leaders to be earning mega bucks as well. We're not shocked when we see former Prime Ministers or Presidents become millionaires on the lucrative speakers circuit. Mursi could have taken the opportunity of being President to build a nest-egg for himself and his family. After all, he still lived in a rented flat. Maybe he could buy himself a house? It turns out that President Mursi was the lowest paid world leader. Read that again. In. The. World. He stipulated that his salary would be $10,000 for the entire year. At the time of his kidnapping, it transpired that he had actually not actually drawn any salary at all. He had been working for free.
9. He rarely missed Fajr in the mosque
President Mursi was so keen not to miss any prayers in congregation and in the mosque that it became a running joke amongst the coup supporters who felt such outward displays of piety were pretentious. Yet, ignoring their cynicism, Mursi did not miss his prayers and he was often seen moved to tears by the khutba on Friday prayers.
10. No pictures please
Egypt, like most Arab dictatorships, had the picture of their "benevolent" leader plastered across the walls of every building. You couldn't go anywhere in Egypt without seeing Mubarak staring down at you. When Mursi was elected, he decreed that his picture should not be hung in any Government buildings and replaced the portraits of his predecessor with that of the name of Allah. This policy has been reversed and many Egyptians are once again deifying their overlord.
The truth is the first casualty of war. And I accept that the truth is much more complex than these 10 points. There have been mistakes – Mursi admitted as much. But, whether you love or hate him, I hope some of these facts will help you gain a better understanding of the man behind the figure of love and hate. I hope they can help point you in the direction of the truth.
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80 Comments
May Allah SWT free him and return him safely to us. Ameen.
Dr. Mursi must be released from prision, he is a political and religious leader, cc is a Baaghee he must be hung. Nasheed from the Rep of Maldives.
May Allah help and guide Bro Mursi to freedom.
He can be all those things and still be incompetent. Not saying he is, I know nothing of him, but I do know ALOT of people who dislike him. They also must have valid concerns. But I didn't know these facts, and they are pretty amazing on face value.
We all knew this was going to happen these other corrupt kings and "presidents" couldn't have someone around like him because he would make them look bad, and his and Egypt's well being would encourage people of other countries to get rid of the governments. So what they did was for a whole year they made everything as hard as possible for his government. Violence/weekly protests shutting down main roads. Corrupt businessmen sabotaged Egypt's economy, the Media which is owned by secularists attacked Mursi and the MB 24/7 – you had hypocrites like Bassem Youssef making fun of the Islamists whilst he's silent now. etc.
Then after only two days of mass protests the army stepped in, arrested him and declared a new temporary regime. Now they are pushing for Sisi to become president.
Thank you for speaking the truth.
It's obvious that there was some kind of conspiracy against Mursi after it was made clear that he was adamant about moving Egypt in a more Islamic direction. Now the Egyptians are being led on a leash by their western secular puppet, the murderer of Muslims, el-Sisi. I hope he gets what's coming to him.
Masha'Allah! AllahuAkbar! AllahuAkbar! AllahuAkbar!
I'll admit that Morsi may not have had the sharpest political acumen, but Id rather take a thousand honest men as leaders than shrewd liars and butchers that this ummah keeps getting … Consider what was before him- Mubarak– no intro needed, and what will be after him- Sissy– a pathological evil traitor and murderer. Like Imran khan in Pakistan, the people reject what is good for them and then they decry the cursed leaders that befalls them! What a tragedy!
I have serious doubts that someone who heads a political party that has a pseudo-fascist nationalist like Shireen Mazari in a high position is good for Pakistan.
Wonderful….. What a great leader.May Allah(SWT) help him with all His blessings and more srengthen him with courage.Ameen.Janat is prepared for such people.
may Allah show the people of egypt the truth
All I can say is he has succeeded and we have failed. He was tested as a leader with wealth and power and it did not allure him. Everyone, we owe him a great debt of gratitude keep him in your duas.
He will be remembered in history as the just ruler of Egypt and people will speak of him in years to come as if he were a legend allahuma barik mashallah tabarakallah.
May allah protect him, his family and supporters and grant him freedom, justice and victory.
Morsi is a liar and deceiver who conned or bribed millions into voting for him to become president. The web of lies he spun during the electoral trail is incredible claiming he was a NASA rocket scientist on liberal tv then outright denying it of Islamist tv. He deserves to be where he is. Long live EGYPT for EGYPTIANS not Zionist Muslim Brotherhood.
What on earth is a Zionist Muslim Brotherhood? You seem like a sad, confused angry guy.
People with no common nationality, cultural background or common region brought together under a religious banner to create a new United Arab States for "Muslims" the same ad Israel
What is sad Laila, that instead of questioning me you have to resort to personal insults
Haha Laila the guy us comfused Zoinist and Muslim brotherhood in the same sentence
The people of Egypt got rid of a great Muslim and leader and replaced him with a Zionist sympathizer, May Allah protect him from any harm.
1. As a Muslim, I really don't care if my president knows the Quran by heart, it's not a priority for any Moslem to do so. Even the Hadith you quoted says "learn" not "learn by heart", because what really counts is understanding it, not reciting it.
2. If you think that academically gifted equates to being smart, you need to re-evaluate your perception of intelligence.
3. A) It wasn't an apartment, it was a villa. B) Even if it was an appartement, believe me, nobody would have had the kind of access to write graffiti on his lift unless he was a resident of the building himself, and if so, it means that even his long time neighbors hated him, making him a bad Moslem since the prophet instructed us to take care of our 7th neighbor.
4. Heartless, if he has no compassion to his own sister, how can he have any to the rest of the country.
5. Unprofessional. "If the hour is about to be established and one of you was holding a palm shoot, let him take advantage of even one second before the hour is established to plant it", if the prophet tells us not to interrupt our work when judgement day comes, do you really think we should do it for the call for prayer? Why do you think that Moslems have hours to do their prayers between each call for prayer and the other?
6. Hypocritical! So he helped one homeless person? Is that really the only homeless person he saw in the street during his whole year? What did he do for the other homeless people of Egypt? The fact that he didn't help his own dying sister but helped this one homeless person shows that this is a feeble PR attempt. If someone wants to help, he helps anybody who needs it, not only the ones that would improve his image. Both this point and the one about his sister clearly show that they were both done for the sake of public opinion that he's fair and just, but in fact it shows that he's nothing close to fair and just.
7. And?
8. The fact that he was a leading figure of the Muslim Brotherhood indicates that he is already extremely rich. When the brotherhood put put him in his position, it wasn't for personal gains, nor was it for the well being of Egypt. It was to have a puppet who would cement the secret society at the helm of Egypt, the theft would come later. If you want examples go his abuse of power, don't look at him (too obvious), look at his children, specially the two sons.
9. What does that have to do with being a president?! Unless it's the fact that he's an early bird :D
10. You obviously don't live in Egypt. Why don't you have him as a president where you are instead of trying to force him upon other people who don't want him?
You are very correct about your comment on Morsi's villa in new Cairo but I would like to add that i lived in the same district and regularly he had the road closed and at least 2 APC's and a couple of JEEP's stationed outside
It was Morsi's own idea during his electoral campaign, he urged Egyptians to revolt in Tahrir square and remove him from power if he failed them as a leader. Well, he did, so they complied. So there's no reason to whine about it, we can either agree that this is what he proposed, that he should grow a pair (instead of scratching them in front of female dignitaries) and assume the consequences of his actions and words, or agree that this was a lie that he said for the sake of getting elected, which hardly makes him a good moslem regardless of how much he prays or recites the holly Quran, in fact it makes him the worst kind of Muslim, because he gives Islam a bad name.
If you were in Egypt, you would have realized that the number of people who revolted against Morsi by far surpassed those who revolted against Mubarak; I know, I was there in both. Morsi has managed to put against him every single Egyptian who's not linked to the Brotherhood, even the apathetics and the very religious Azhar and the Salafis; proof that it has nothing to do with Islam. That's why now the Brotherhood is trying to get support from outside of Egypt, because those are the only ones who don't realize that despite all the inconveniences, Egypt is a far more peaceful and stable place without Morsi and his friends.
I also remember a conversation I had with a Brotherhood friend who was trying to convince me to vote for Morsi. At one point he told me "Are you worried because they're religious? Because they're not, at all!". So I told him that this was precisely what I was worried about, at least if they were religious, they would fear God in their actions, but these don't.
Egypt is not some small country in the desert for some secret sect society to experiment with its ideologies on it, Egypt needs someone to manage it, not someone who's trying to rule it by interfering between it's people and God. That's the whole idea about Islam, isn't it; the Quran is the book of God, it's his own words in a living language, you read it for yourself and do to your best abilities and understanding, but under no circumstances allow anybody to interfere between God and you. As Muslims we are lucky to have the example of Europe's medieval dark ages ruled by the Vatican to learn from. As an educated Moslem (those whom God loves most) I want a President to manage the country, that's where his limits end.
Wow, your hatred of the man has blinded you to even see basic goodness in this man. Bring us one leader who has these qualities in the Muslim world and we will gladly give up on Morsi.
Who is your alternative? Sissi? Or some other anti democratic fulool?
Amad-whats the big deal about democracy? The only thing we Muslims care about is that Allah's word is highest. If there are some aspects of the democratic system which are acceptable under Islam, then fine, but it's not something to call to.
Well said, if a bit harsh.
I do not think being pious means he would be a good leader. If someone needs a Doctor, do you want the most pious Doctor or the most proficient. How would you feel if a surgeon stopped in the middle of an operation to pray?
If you have a dam leaking, do you want a pious Engineer or a Engineer with the brains, focus and experience to fix the problem. Do pilots stop piloting an aircraft to pray?
He was the Leader of Egypt, it was not his job to set examples of piousness, but to fix the country. How dare he put his own self, in front of the people he was charged to help, while he prayed, many more widows were cast out on the street, because he was not doing his job, saving one widow, was nothing but grandstanding, if that event happened at all.
Egypt's many problems will not be fixed by a pious man, and saying he is intelligent by having a PHD from Zagazig University, LOL really? It is ranked the 2,485th best University in the world!!! My 8yo daughter faces a more challenging academic environment at her primary school.
So trying to make a poor leader sound good by whitewashing the problems and his failure to address them only makes him look pathetic.
Egypt needs someone to fix the economy, curb population growth, create security and provide a means to feed the population of Egypt without going and begging for hangouts from the Gulf states and Saudi Arabia.
If he was a responsible leader he would of been working to fix the disaster that Egypt is, instead of worrying about being pious.
The rule you pay for what you get never seemed so correct, I think the reason he did not collect his pay was out of shame at so little he achieved except make things worse.
The responsibility of a leader of a Government is first to his country and the people within, being derelict in his duty because he was too busy being pious, is just as bad as if he was off with a prostitute or drinking with his buddies, he was not doing the job that Egypt, and its people needed.
As to his alleged crimes, to be honest I think it in the most part fabricated. That does not excuse the real crime, which was neglect of his job because he was too busy being pious.
…aaand folks, this is the reason why Egypt is where it is today.
President doesn't use taxpayer money for family's medical expenses? "Heartless." President helps out one homeless person? "Hypocrite."
I actually had to read the comment over again to make sure it wasn't satirical. But then again, considering Egypt's current state, it makes sense.
He is a blatant liar, isn't lying haram? In fact, to Islam, it is more important not to lie that any of the points you have enumerated above :)
Assalaamu 'alaykum,
Wow! Thanks for sharing these points. Regardless of the different opinions or realities of the situation at hand, Allaah knows best the truth, these points definitely demand a level of respect for Mursi. May Allaah guide the people of Egypt to what's best!
It has to be realised that it was millions Muslims of Egypt that rose up to demand the resignation of Morsi MISLIMS!! The Muslim Brotherhood are what? The only Muslims in Egypt that matter or are they superior somehow? What they have done is to use the word of Islam to benefit their own agenda for power subjugation of the masses and domination.
Millions rose up to usurp the democratic government that was instilled by millions more… Remember more people voted Morsi in than came on the street. And I hope you aren't gonna spring the 33 million number on me because if you do, I am ready to sell you some sand in a desert.
And millions voted for Gen. Ahmed Shafiq where was there representation in the Morsi government?
Even if he was a good person, he was a terrible leader. And Gen Sisi may or may not be a good person but he is an amazing leader who cares for the people of Egypt. Most Egyptians hate Morsi and there must be a reason why they do that.
How could you call someone who spilled or allowed the spilling of the lives of thousands of people? We don't have to agree on personalities but if sissi's start tells us anything about him, then he is a great leader in the footsteps of tyrants and dictators… In this regard "great" becomes an adjective that is not associated with goodness.
Wallahi, I can say that the Egyptian media has cast a spell over people that they are so blinded by hatred of one party, that they allowed butchery on their streets. This is why you see the media outside almost uniformly condemning the coup, that they have to be on the side of Islamists — a position they would never voluntarily choose had the situation been even gray. It isn't. It is black and white– oppression of a military coup as clear as the sun on a bright day.
The first step to clean your brainwashing is to remove yourself from the groupthink environment and approach the situation with a clean slate. And I am sure if you are even a little bit human, you will see the picture clearly too.
Br. Amad,
Well said…but your advice must also apply to Islamists and their supporters.
Those of us who are non-ideological when it comes to politics want a civil state.
Islamists can participate like anyone else, win and legislate when they win…but
the framework of the state must be civil and non-ideological., which means
that if they lose they must accept the loss and step aside, and we have the right
to remove laws they have passed.
Morsi & co. tried to ram through a Brotherhood constitution that would be stuck in
place whether they won in the future or not, and that made the coup inevitable. Ennhada in Tunisia has shown more political maturity and sense. Most Muslims are neither secularists, Islamists or any other thing in the ideological political sense…they simply want things like transparency, lack of corruption, good economy, rights in a civil state, a say in who governs them and the laws they pass… and better lives overall. Morsi failed to win over these people and army,ideologue secularists…and I refuse to omit this: the Saudis who wanted a counter-revolution….took advantage.
Morsi might be a great guy…but he was a lousy politician and frankly, Islamists overestimate their popularity. Most Muslims are NOT ideologues…which is why Jamaat or JUI also get paltry 2% in Pakistan or kicked out of office by exasperated public in KPK. Initial victories have more to do with Islamists being better organized under dictatorial rule and sending a message to former regime…not love of their platform.
Islamists must accept the fact most Muslims are not willing to trade military or secular dictators for religious dictators. They should also eschew group think, black and white thinking and play by the same rules. They should also condemn Islamist fanatics like Taliban who murder, terrorize and oppress as if competing with Sisi. Their oppression is also clear as the sun.
Zai- your definition of "most Muslims" is irrelevant, ALL Muslims are not secularist disbelievers. Granted, a lot may care more for their lives then establishing Allah's law in the land, but that doesn't negate the fact that they accept it.
*This comment was edited by the MM Comments Team in order to comply with our Comments Policy*
Dear ZAI, , ASSLLAMUALLIEKUM, , JAZAKALLAH being kind enough to heed , , please tell me how can be A Muslim secularist? How can he be a corrupt? How can he be non transparent? PLEASE do substantiate your points with reference & reliance on ISLAM, being non ARAB I know/feel you may understand my desire to enlightening myself. Please do the favour.
Do you and other supporters of Morsi/MB/NASL/SAC actually mourn those who died at Rabia or were they sent to "suicide by cop" in order to gain public sympathy, to be used as a political tool, and for the murder of police and military to be justified? The same scenario as the female MB supporters in Alexandria, sent out to cause a commotion get themselves arrested to be used for propaganda.
Assalamualaikum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuh
It's really sad to see some Muslims missing the point. The reality is, some of those who oppose Mursi are secularists. They are against Allah's Sharia. The believe in a different law.
That makes them DISBELIEVERS. Because a Muslim enslaves himself to Allah and accepts that Allah is the one who can legislate.
It is not as simple as that. There are many people who might not agree with the MB's interpretation of an "Islamic state", while there are also many scholars such as Tariq Ramadan who offer other insights into democracy and Islam. We cannot broad-brush anyone against MB as disbelievers. This is wrong and unhelpful.
Allah legislated, but it is human beings who interpret that legislation.
but some of that legislation is clear that it does not need twisted interpretations. If twisted it is clear that they are going against the legislation.
True…but that is perhaps 5% total of the Qur'an according
to scholars like Imam Suhaib Webb. Further, Islamists themselves
twist things plenty by going beyond Qur'an and Hadith to enforce
things Allah has not given them or any government permission to enforce
or punish, but left up to individuals.
Yeah Zai, the Sahaba were human and they implemented and we will follow this.
*This comment was edited by the MM Comments Team in order to comply with our Comments Policy*
Teslam El Eyadi ya Hisham
Isn't it obvious already? Egyptians don't deserve Mursi. Its that simple. Truly, Allah will never change the condition of people until they change themselves. When the egyptians stop taking pride in their football and shisha, then may be Allah will open doors of Mercy for them and bless them with leaders like Mursi. for now, deal with sissy you sissies…
May the disbelievers and hypocrites feel no moment of relaxation or satisfaction in the slightest until they enter Islam, may they be constantly worried and stressed, and may the foolish Muslims who are ignorant and opposed him see the error of their ways, regret it immensely and support Allah's deen.
And may Allah send down tranquility on all the Muslim Mursi supporters, and guide the mushrik Mursi supporters, few as they are.
He went the wrong path of democrazy.
May Allah SWT free and forgive him. Amin.
They missed the most important point.
He is only president in modern history that refused to take a salary for his presidency.
He didn't need a salery when he used politician expenses to buy $300,000 worth of grilled chicken.
You are incorrect sir. Where is your proof for saying that?
Mayor bloomberg of new york has a salary of $1. And that $1 is because the law states that he must have a salary and cant work for free
And the same things that have been said about Mursi were also sad about Ahmadinejad
That he had a beat up car and lived in a small house
Is that man an angel too?
Here is an article from al arabiya
and here is a video saying that Ahmadinejad doesn't take a salary
whoopee doo
Not taking a salary doesnt show the heart and character of a man
Bloomberg is a billionaire. He doesn't need a salary. Your comparison is not valid on so many levels.
Hats off U Morsi! What an inspirational Leader.
President Dr. Muhammad Mursi is a Hero and Icon of Islamic world. We are with President Hafiz Dr. Muhammad Mursi. Live long Doctor Muhammad Mursi.
This was not a very sound article. It uses black and white techniques to make its point.
I have known many people who had at one point in time memorized the
entire Quran. But if you dont keep up the practice of reciting and
memorizing your Quran, eventually you will forget.
Many of those same people that I met that were Hafiz when they
were a teenager, but a few years later, they were no longer a hafiz.
I dont know much about Morsi, except what the media tells me. I dont
claim to know him or to criticize him. Allah knows the truth.
But this article didnt seem very "scientific" in its reporting. It uses
the same techniques that Fox news uses. Where are the sources?
Even sources can be fabricated.
Please dont tell me that someone if someone recites the Azan, it means they are a good person'.
There are videos of many arab dictators doing salat. Does that make them good?
george bush goes to church. Does that make him good?
Can we deny the millions he has killed?
Also george bush and other american presidents have done a few good acts of charity here and there.
Dont tell me someone helped a homeless person and they are now a good person
Bashar al assad is "muslim"…..so was saddam hussein and gaddafi?
are they good?
That logic that this article presents is flawed
I urge everyone to read the book: "You Are Not So Smart: Why You Have Too Many Friends on Facebook, Why Your Memory Is Mostly Fiction, and 46 Other Ways You're Deluding Yourself"
You can find it on amazon
I am sorry, but this article panders to the minds of 10 year olds who dont think critically, who view everything as black and white.
Again….I dont know much about Mursi, except what the media has shown. At the end of the day Allah is our Only Judge
I think this is the only comment on this article that makes sense.
The Morsi supporters are showing their colors yet again, they bombed a police station in Cairo, this is their modus operandi, to kill innocent people. They have been killing innocent Egyptians since they were kicked out of power and if they continue this way, every Egyptian and Arab will support eliminating every trace and supporter of this terrorist movement. I have been to Saudi Arabia and the Saudis absolutely hate Morsi and the Brotherhood for their terrorism in name of Islam
So…..Hisham…..you are a Muslim….right? Why don't you start a political party to implement Allah's law.
Where are the Americans and the Europeans now?
When their precious democracy has failed in Egypt ?
They wanted it got it and when it doesn't suit them got rid of it?
This is the curse of divided Muslims as seen in other muslim lands
Assalam Allaykum,
when to worry about the spiritual health of one's heart? As humas, we commit sins. Islamic teachings encourage us to ask Allah for repentance. But many of us get quite comfortable with committing those sins to the extent that the pleasure from those sins completely desensitizes us from the need to rectify those faults. if any of us find ourself in such a state, then as ibn Al-Qayyim stated, 'When the heart becomes empty from such grief and one is happy with sin, then one should question his faith. Firoun (lanatulai) called 60000 magicians to come face Musa (allay Salam). But when those Magicians discovered the truth, they accept Allah SWT. They accept in the morning and were exterminated in the night. As they were been massacre, they ask Allah to use the pain to replace their misdeed they done before. To me Morsi has not failed, let us ponder as Muslims. May Allah free him and more Morsi among us. May Allah SWT give him courage and patient to pass test from Allah.
Please put English subtitle to videos
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"Truth is war's first casualty."
This quote is from a song, by a band called One Day As A Lion.
Please be original. And if you're gonna plagiarize, then at least give proper credit where it's due.
On the bright side, someone on MuslimMatters is exposed to satanic music.
You may want to research a bit before carrying out FALSE assumptions; who's to say he got that quote from a song?
IMHO, GENERAL words of TRUTH should not have to be given credit to unless the ORIGINATOR asks for that to be done.
This is especially seeing as most quotes just get passed on from generations (forefathers etc.) usually by speaking then hearing, thus it's had to know who said the quote ORIGINALLY.
We call it SLANDER = completely FORBIDDEN in Islam.
*Some words have letters which are all capital for emphasis – to highlight that point.*
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May Allah make it clear to us the truth from falsehood. Ameen ya Rabbil 'alameen.
This is especially seeing as most quotes just get passed on from generations (forefathers etc.) usually by speaking then hearing, thus it's *hard to know who said the quote ORIGINALLY.
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Hahhhhhhaaahhhaa he let his sister die bcoz he doesnt want to be treated like a special one?? Oh cmon hes suxx
great personality
People who are blinded by the evil fail to see the qualities of such high orders in Mohd. Morsi…He worked in full cooperation with Palestinians and helped them with their preparation against the zionist
oppression by opening Egypt border with palestine…which off course did not go down well with the cunning zionist neighbourhood, hence came a traitor, Sisi in picture…
and rest is for all of us to see.
I remember a beautiful quote by Imam Hasnul Banana..
"An idea will keep on living…if faith in it is strong".
Imam Hasan al-Banna.
Long live Mohammad Morsi…Long live Ikhwanul Muslimoon…
May Allah bless them and accept their sacrifices…
The Qualities Of Morsi will certainly make tyrants and anti- islamic folk to hate him. when we refuse to judge people by God Fearing and good character but by personal hatred,then we will always have bad leaders.
May ALLAH allocate honor for MURSI here and there.
Bought tears to my eyes reading this
You Muslims have no idea how foreign and disconnected you sound to we regular Australians. Forget Arabic and all that Islamic foolishness and just live peacefully in Australia and become Australian. This means integrating and assimilating. Everything you do and say appears otherwise tot he vast majority in this country.
I along with many in the west welcomed the Arab spring movements as evidence that the region could finally advance politically. How tragically it has all turned out. Morsi was an elected leader, however his main opponent was from the old regime so it was a protest vote rather than overt support for him. The Brotherhood appears to be secretive, exclusionist and intolerant, not like a real political party. I would urge Muslims not to support it just because it claims to be Islamic. Major black marks against Morsi were his rejection of judicial verdicts (though the judiciary was in part composed of holdovers from the old regime, the rule of law is important) and his unwillingness to stop the blatant persecution of minorities in Egypt. Muslims really have to come to grips with the issue – do they want an Islamic state or a liberal democracy?
Morsi is the hero of the Muslim world and we love him
What a magnificent resume. Though not an Egyptian, i believe those against Mursi will really pay for it one day and Allah will raise His religion above everything. What they are against is the Islam and Sunnah. Its just as it is happening in my country Nigeria today though ours is not so religious, people sacrificing to vote a president to power and later revolting. may God help us
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#Current Affairs
Why Israel Should Be 'Singled Out' For Its Human Rights Record
Unlike other countries, ordinary citizens are complicit in the perpetual crimes committed against defenseless Palestinians.
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Why is everyone so obsessed with Israel's human rights abuses? From Saudi Arabia, to Syria, to North Korea to Iran. All these nations are involved in flagrant violations of human right, so why all the focus on Israel – 'the only democracy in the Middle East'? Clearly, if you ignore these other violations and only focus on Israel, you must be anti-Semitic. What else could be your motivations for this double standard?
This is one of the most common contentions raised when Israel is criticized for its human rights record. I personally don't believe in entertaining this question – it shouldn't matter why an activist is choosing to focus on one conflict and not others. What matters are the facts being raised; putting into question the motives behind criticizing Israel is a common tactic to detract from the topic at hand. The conversation soon turns into some circular argument about anti-Semitism and the plight of the Palestinian people is lost. More importantly, this charge of having double standards is often disingenuous. For example, Representative Ihan Omar has been repeatedly accused of this recently and her motives have been called 'suspicious' – despite her vocal criticism of other countries, especially Saudi Arabia.
However, this point is so frequently brought up, I think that perhaps its time activists and critics simply own up to it. Yes – Israel should be singled out, for some very good reasons. These reasons relate to there being a number of unique privileges that the country enjoys; these allow it to get away with much of the abuses it commits. Human right activists thus must be extra vocal when comes to Israel as they have to overcome the unparalleled level of support for the country, particularly in the US and Canada. The following points summarize why Israel should in fact be singled out:
1) Ideological support from ordinary citizens
When Iran and North Korea commit human right abuses, we don't have to worry about everyone from journalists to clerics to average students on campuses coming out and defending those countries. When most nations commit atrocities, our journalists and politicians call them out, sanctions are imposed, they are taking them to the International Court of Justice, etc. There are instruments in place to take care of other 'rogue' nations – without the need for intervention from the common man.
Israel, however, is unique in that it has traditionally enjoyed widespread ideological support, primarily from the Jewish community and Evangelical Christians, in the West. This support is a result of the historical circumstances and pseudo-religious ideology that drove the creation of the state in 1948. The successful spread of this nationalistic dogma for the last century means Israel can count on ordinary citizens from Western countries to comes to its defense. This support can come in the form of foreign enlistment to its military, students conducting campus activism, politicians shielding it from criticisms and journalists voluntarily writing in its support and spreading state propaganda.
This ideological and nationalistic attachment to the country is the prime reason why it is so incredibly difficult to have any kind of sane conversation about Israel in the public sphere – criticism is quickly seen as an attack on Jewish identity and interpreted as an 'existential threat' to the nation by its supporters. Any attempts to take Israel to account through standard means are thwarted because of the political backlash feared from the country's supporters in the West.
2) Unconditional political support of a world superpower
The US is Israel's most important and closest ally in the Middle-East. No matter what war crimes Israel commits, it can count on America to have its back. This support means the US will use its veto power to support Israel against actions of the UN Security Council, it will use its diplomatic influence to shield any punitive actions from other nations and it will use its military might to intervene if need be. The backing of the US is one of the main reasons why the Israeli occupation and expansion of the colonial settlement enterprise continues to this day without any repercussions.
While US support might be especially staunch for Israel, this factor is certainly not unique to the country. Any country which has this privilege, e.g. Saudi Arabia, should be under far great scrutiny for its human rights violations than others.
3) Military aid and complicity of tax-payers
US tax-payers are directly paying for Israel to carry out its occupation of the Palestinian people.
Israel is the largest recipient of US-military aid – it receives an astonishing $3 billion dollars every year. This aid, according to a US congressional report, "has helped transform Israel's armed forces into one of the most technologically sophisticated militaries in the world."
Unlike other countries, ordinary citizens are complicit in the perpetual crimes committed against defenseless Palestinians. Activists and citizens thus have a greater responsibility to speak out against Israel as their government is paying the country to carry out its atrocities. Not only is this aid morally reprehensible, but it is also illegal under United States Leahy Laws.
4) The Israeli lobby
The Israeli lobby is one of the most powerful groups in Washington and is the primary force for ensuring continued US political support for the nation. It consists of an assortment of formal lobby groups (AIPAC, Christians United for Israel), think-thanks (Washington Institute for Near East Policy), political action committee or PACs, not-for-profit organizations (B'nai B'irth, American Jewish Congress, Stand for Israel) and media watchdogs (CAMERA, Honest Reporting). These organizations together exercise an incredible amount of political influence. They ensure that any criticism of Israel is either stifled or there are serious consequences for those who speak up. In 2018 alone, pro-Israel donors spent $22 million on lobbying for the country – far greater than any other nation. Pro-Israel lobbies similarly influence politics in other places such as the UK, Canada, and Europe.
5) One of the longest-running occupation in human history
This point really should be the first one on this list – and it is the only one that should matter. However, because of the unique privileges that Israel enjoys, it is hard to get to the crux of what it is actually doing. Israel, with U.S. support, has militarily occupied the Palestinian territories (West Bank, Gaza and East Jerusalem) since 1967. The belligerent occupation, over 50 years old, is one of the longest, bloodiest and brutal in human history.
Israel continues to steal land and build settler colonies the West Bank – in flagrant violation of international law. It has implemented a system of apartheid in these territories which is reminiscent of the racist regime of South Africa. The Gaza strip has been under an insufferable siege which has made the living conditions deplorable; it has been referred to the world's largest 'open-air prison'. In addition to this institutional oppression, crimes committed against Palestinians include: routinely killing civilian protesters, including teenagers and medics, torture of Palestinians and severe restrictions on the everyday movement of Palestinians.
The brutality, consistency and the duration for which Israel has oppressed Palestinians is alone enough reason for it being 'singled out'. No other nation comes close to its record. However, for the reasons mentioned above, Israel's propaganda machine has effectively painted itself as just another 'liberal democracy' in the eyes of the general public. Any attempt to bring to light these atrocities are met with 'suspicion' about the 'real' motives of the critics. Given the points mentioned here, it should be evident that the level of support for Israeli aggression is uniquely disproportionate – it is thus fitting that criticism of the country is equally vocal and unparalleled as well.
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#Current Affairs
An Urgent Call Regarding the Plight of Shaykh Salman al-Ouda, Shaykh Awad al-Qarni, and Dr. Ali al-Omari
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دعوة عاجلة بخصوص أزمة الشيخ سلمان العودة، والشيخ عوض القرني، والدكتور علي العمري
الحمد لله، والصلاة والسلام على رسول الله محمد وآله
السلام عليكم ورحمة الله وبركاته
لقد تلقينا بقلق بالغ ما يتوارد من أخبار غير مؤكدة حول الإعدام الوشيك للشيخ سلمان العودة، و الشيخ عوض القرني، و الدكتور علي العمري
لقد علمنا الإسلام أن الحياة نعمة من الله و إن أولئك الذين يعملون على حرمان أى أحد من هذه النعمة دون أساس شرعي واضح قد ارتكبوا إثمًا فظيعًا عدّه الله من الكبائر: وَمَن يَقْتُلْ مُؤْمِنًا مُّتَعَمِّدًا فَجَزَاؤُهُ جَهَنَّمُ خَالِدًا فِيهَا وَغَضِبَ اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَلَعَنَهُ وَأَعَدَّ لَهُ عَذَابًا عَظِيمًا (سورة النساء، 93)
حرمة المؤمن
إن رسول الله ﷺ وصحابته قد اعتبروا حياة كل من نطق الشهادة، وكذا ماله وعرضه حرامًا لا يُقبل انتهاكها ولقد حرصوا كل الحرص على ألا ينتهكوا تلك الحقوق الأصلية حتى في تطبيق الحدود
قال رسول الله ﷺ: ادفَعوا الحدود ما وجدْتم لها مدفعًا (سنن ابن ماجة)، وقال ابن مسعود: ادرءوا الجلد والقتل عن المسلمين ما استطعتم (السنن الكبرى)
إن حرمة دم المسلم عند رسول الله ﷺ عظيمة جدًا، فلزوال الدنيا أهون عنده من قتل امرئٍ مسلم (سنن الترمذي)
ولقد كان السلف يقولون عند طوافهم بالكعبة: ما أعظمك وأعظم حرمتك، والمؤمن أعظم حرمةً عند الله منك (رواه الترمذي)
التماس رأفة
في ضوء الهدي النبوي، وعِظم أمر انتهاك الحقوق الأصلية التي منحها الإسلام للمسلم، فإننا نطالب السلطات المعنية بأن يوقفوا أي خطة مبيتة لإعدام الشيخ سلمان العودة، والشيخ عوض القرني، والدكتور علي العمري، سواءً في المستقبل القريب أو البعيد
نطالب أولئك الذين في السلطة أن يصدروا عفوًا في حقهم في هذا الشهر المبارك
إننا نؤمن بيقين أن هؤلاء العلماء لم يقترفوا أى شيءٍ يبرر التعامل المروع الذي يتعرضون له لمدة عام وأكثر وإننا نطلق هذا النداء كنصيحة صادقة، محققين دورنا كعلماء عليهم واجب بيان الحق، ومستحضرين أن كل واحد فينا سيسأل عن عمله في الآخرة حيث الظلم ظلمات لا تفضي إلا إلى عذاب النار
والله في عون المظلومين واللهم صل وسلم وبارك على سيدنا محمد
17 رمضان 1440 /22 مايو 2019
كتب بواسطة (الشيخ) سلمان يونس
An Urgent Call Regarding the Plight of Shaykh Salman al-Ouda, Shaykh Awad al-Qarni, and Dr. Ali al-Omari
All praise belongs to Allah, and blessings upon the Prophet Muhammad and His family.
Peace and mercy be upon you:
It is with great concern and perturbation that we have received unconfirmed reports regarding the imminent execution of Shaykh Salman al-Ouda, Shaykh Awad al-Qarni, and Dr. Ali al-Omari.
Islam teaches us that life is a blessing from Allah. Those who seek to deprive someone of this blessing without a clearly sanctioned religious basis have committed an act that God deems atrocious and a mighty sin: "If anyone kills a believer deliberately, the punishment for him is Hell, and there he will remain: Allah is angry with him, and rejects him, and has prepared a tremendous torment for him."(Qur'an, 4:93)
The Inviolability of the Believer
The Prophet ﷺ and his Companions viewed the life, wealth, and honor of all who uttered the testimony of faith (shahada) as inviolable. They took immense care not to impede on these basic rights even in the context of enacting punishments.
The Prophet ﷺ said, "Avoid applying punishments as long as you are able to find an excuse to avert them,"(Sunan Ibn Majah) and Ibn Masʿud stated, "Avoid flogging and applying the death penalty upon people as much as you can."(Sunan al-Kubra)
Indeed, the sanctity of the believer was so great in the eyes of the Prophet ﷺ that he deemed the destruction of the world as a lighter affair than the killing of even a single Muslim. (Sunan al-Tirmidhi)
Similarly, the early Muslims (salaf) would remark when gazing upon the Kaʿba, "The inviolability of a believer is greater with Allah than your inviolability." (Sunan al-Tirmidhi) There are few statements one can imagine as emphatic as these in affirmation of the rank of the believer.
A Call for Clemency
In light of the guidance of the Prophet ﷺ and the gravity of depriving a Muslim of the fundamental rights granted to him or her by Islam, we urge the authorities in question to immediately cease any plans to execute Shaykh Salman al-Ouda, Shaykh Awad al-Qarni, and Dr. Ali al-Omari in the immediate or distant future.
We urge those in the leadership to grant them clemency in this blessed month of Ramadan.
It is our firm belief that the actions of these scholars do not in any way justify the appalling treatment they have been subjected to over the past year and more. We make this call in the spirit of providing sincere counsel, realizing our role as scholars duty-bound to the expression of truth, and recognizing that each of us will be held accountable for our actions in the next life where oppression will be nothing but darkness leading to perdition.
And Allah is in the aid of His oppressed servants. May the blessings and peace of Allah be upon His Prophet.
Ramadan 17th, 1440
May 22nd, 2019
Drafted by Shaykh Salman Younas
Signatories (v. 2)
|Shaykh Faraz Rabbani
|Dr. Yasir Qadhi
Islamic Seminary of America
|Shaykh Omer Suleiman
|Dr. Ingrid Mattson
Dr. Omar Qureshi
Dr. Abdullah Hamid Ali
Shaykh Mustapha Elturk
Amir, Islamic Organization of North America
|Shaykh Rami Nsour
Tayba Foundation
|Dr. Shadee Elmasry
Safina Society
|Mufti Muhammad ibn Adam al-Kawthari
Director of Darul Iftaa Leicester
Shaykh Azhar Nasser
Tasneem Institute
Professor John Esposito
Georgetown University
Mufti Abdur-Rahman ibn Yusuf
|Dr. Jonathan Brown
Georgetown University
|Professor Mohammad Fadel
University of Toronto
|Imam Suhaib Webb
Scholar in Residence, ICNYU
|Shaykh Shams ad-Duha
Ebrahim College
Ustadha Zaynab Ansari
Tayseer Seminary
Dalia Mogahed
Imam Dawud Walid
Member of Michigan Imams Council
Dr. Asim Yusuf
|Dr. Ovamir Anjum
University of Toledo
|Dr. Abdullah Hakim Quick
|Shaykh Hani Saleem
Islamic Center of Detroit
|Dr. Shabbir Ally
|Shaykh Furhan Zubairi
Dean of IOK Seminary
|Dr. Ihsan Bagby
University of Kentucky
|Shaykh Mohammed Faqih
Islamic Institute of Orange County
|Shaykh Bilal Ali Ansari
Khalil Center
|Mohammad Elshinawy
Yaqeen Institute
|Shaykh Abdur Rahman Khan
Co-Chair of National Catholic-Muslim Dialogue
|Shaykh Sulaiman Gani
|Dr. Hamid Slimi
|Mufti Taha Karaan
South Africa
|Shaykh Sadullah Khan
South Africa
|Dr. Muzammil H. Siddiqi
Chairman of Fiqh Council of America
|Shaykh Taha Abdul-Basser
|Imam Ibrahim Hindy
Dar al-Tawheed Islamic Center
|Dr. Basma Abdelgafar
Vice President of Maqasid Institute Global
|Prof. Jasser Auda
President of Maqasid Institute Global
|Laila Mehar
Former President of UConn SJP
|Dr. Osman Latiff
Jamia Masjid and Islamic Center
|Imam Abdul-Malik Ryan
DePaul University
|Imam John Ederer
Muslim Community Center of Charlotte
|Shaykh Amer Jamil
|Shaykh Bilal Ismail
Imam Development Project
|Shaykh Muhammad Mustaqeem Shah
|Dr. Bekim Hasani
Imam and Activist
|Imam Imran Salha
|Dr. Tajul Islam University of Leeds
|Dr. Mustapha Sheikh
University of Leeds
|Dr. Ahmed Soboh
Religious Director of Chino Valley Islamic Center
|Dr. Rafaqat Rashid
Al Balagh Academy
|Imam Shafi Chowdhury
|Buthaina Hawas-Neveln
Iraqi Journalist
|Shaykh Salmaan Parkar Australian Islamic College
|Muslema Purmul
The Majlis
|Dr. Mohammad Ilyas,
University of Florida
|Dr. Asif Hirani
Imam and Resident Scholar of Worcester Islamic Center
|Shaykh Ahmad Kutty
Resident Scholar of Islamic Institute of Toronto
|Shaykh Mohammad Aman Haque
|Imam Mazhar Mahmood
Director of Islamic Foundation of Peoria
|Ishraq Ali
Organizing Director of MPower Change
|Usman Qamar
Muslim Chaplaincy of Waterloo
|Mawlana Zakariyah Harneker
|Shaykh Shahinur Rahman
al-Rahma, UK
|Shaykh Abdul Wahab Saleem
Salik Academy
|Dr. Usaama Al-Azami
Markfield Institute
|Ustadh Samir Hussain
ISNA High School
|Shaykh Tariq Ata
|Dr. Zaid alBarzinji
Maqasid Institute
|Shaykh Abdur Rahim Reasat
|Mufti Liaquat Zaman
Birmingham, UK
Imam Salim Astewani
Cheshire, UK
Shaykh Tabraze Azam
Dr. Sharif El-Tobgui
Brandeis University
Ismail Royer
|Imam Qasim Rashid
Al-Khayr Foundation
|Dr. Yvonne Haddad
Georgetown University
|Omar Usman
Executive Director, MuslimMatters
|Shaykh Muhammad Abuelezz
Muslim Association of Canada
|Mufti Ismail Syed
|Mawlana Safwaan Navlakhi
Al-Ma'aly Institute
South Africa
|Dr. Ildus Rafikov
|Aamir Ansari
|Shaykh Hassan Rabbani
Zia-Ul-Quran Mosque
|Ustadha Umm Jamaal ud-Din
Islamic College of Australia
|Dr. Munir Elkassem
President, Islamic Institute of Interfaith Dialogue
|Dr. Yusuf Salah
Khalil Foundation
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#Current Affairs
OpEd: The Planned Saudi Executions Have A Context
The Arab Spring and its immediate aftermath was a wake-up call to all those who feared for the security of their thrones
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By Abdullah Abu Dawud
The news of the intended Saudi execution of three prominent scholars has infuriated many observant Muslims around the world. This is no surprise considering the fact that that the three scholars have attracted a vast audience through their TV programs and social media activity. These three scholars, and many like them, have been the source of religious knowledge and inspiration for many Muslims, not only in the Arab world, but around the globe.
However, our objection Saudi Arabia's treatment and intended execution of these scholars should not be simply rooted in emotion. In order to properly oppose such reckless decisions, we must understand the motivation behind them and the context in which they exist. For as reckless as these decisions may be, they are not arbitrary and are not devoid of context. They exist within a bigger picture; a picture that I will try to sketch in this article. We must rewind back to the early part of the 20th century. That era witnessed events that, by all accounts, changed the nature of the Muslim world. The Muslim lands that were under the rule of the Ottoman Empire were conquered and colonized by Western powers (Britain and France), and the office of the Caliph (based in Istanbul) was abolished. This was accompanied by a calculated uprooting of Islamic social and legal structures that existed for centuries; the colonizing powers imported their European structures to serve as the new order in this part of the world. By the end of the colonization project, populations across the Arab world ended up with corrupt and authoritarian regimes and social structures and legal codes which were imported from foreign countries.
Inevitably, this new reality that was imposed on the Arab populations gave rise to organic reactions which aimed to resist this new reality. Eventually, a broad movement (often labeled as the "Islamic movement") took shape with two main identifiable goals: 1) The revival of Islamic law and values and re-establishing Islam's role in governance and public life (which was highly reduced after the abolishment of the Caliphate), and 2) Establishing a governance system whose legitimacy was rooted in the consent of the people. It may also be said that those two primary goals also served as criteria by which Muslim governments would be measured; i.e their adherence to Islam and their respect for the will of the populations. This broad movement was largely led by the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt and then spread across the Arab and Muslim world. Although the Brotherhood is deemed to be an originator of this movement, today, many people share this vision of "revival" and "popular legitimacy" while lying outside of the organizational borders of the Brotherhood (but can still be described as being part of the "Islamic movement").
Those who shared this vision, not surprisingly, were constantly pursued by the authoritarian regimes of the Arab world. It is also not surprising that those who shared this vision would be vocal supporters if not active participants in the Arab Spring. Indeed, the Arab Spring has demonstrated repeatedly that Arab populations yearn for a participatory form of government and find a certain appeal in the message of Islamic parties (as evidenced by the electoral victories of Islamic parties in all countries of the Arab Spring). In other words, the Arab Spring made it clear to all observing autocrats that, when given the choice, Arab populations will likely elect Islamic parties into power. The Arab Spring and its immediate aftermath was a wake-up call to all those who feared for the security of their thrones. In Abu-Dhabi and Riyadh, things were clear: The Arab spring is either to be reversed, or they will be next. With the successful ousting of the Brotherhood in Egypt and the unconditional green-light given by the Trump administration, Riyadh, Abu Dhabi, and Cairo have decided to kill the Arab Spring once and for all. The recent news about the intended execution in Saudi Arabia must be seen in this context.
Clerics such as Salman Al-Ouda, Ali Al-Omari, and Awad Al-Qarni were all vocal supporters of the Arab Spring uprisings and are associated with the Sahwa movement (which is a movement of Islamic political activism in the Gulf that draws heavily on Brotherhood ideas). The Arab autocrats simply view those voices as a danger. They represent a movement which challenges the status quo and questions the legitimacy of the rule of Arab autocrats; a movement which can be traced to the movement originated by the Brotherhood following the fall of the Caliphate and beginning of colonization. The autocrats could not afford to have influential clerics and TV personalities preach about popular legitimacy or the relevance of Islamic values and principles to public life and governance; after all, these are ideas that, if believed, would seriously question the legitimacy of their rule. As such, and after getting brief a taste of what free choice would look like in Arab nations, it became clear that the to these autocrats that the danger was more real than what they thought and more immediate. It seems that their action plan is simply to silence anyone who represents the spirit of the "Islamic movement". From their perspective, they want to chop off the head of the snake and settle the matter once and for all.
These intended executions are not about support for extremism (a laughable accusation). Nor are they about views concerning the recent blockade on Qatar. Nor are they about the clerics' criticisms of their government; in fact, these clerics did engage in harsh criticism of the Saudi government. Their crime is that they represent a message that, by definition, calls into question the legitimacy of the Saudi government. More importantly, it calls into question the legitimacy of the entire "order" that exists in the Arab world. The Saudi government is declaring war (along with its allies in Abu-Dhabi and Cairo) against those who represent a movement that has the potential of redefining the Arab world. Even if those clerics do not engage in direct confrontation with the Saudi government and express their views in positive terms, the existence of that message and its accessibility to Arab populations is serious enough of a problem.
What these autocrats to do not realize is that the ideas which these scholars represent exist independently of the efforts and words of these scholars. The belief in the centrality of Islam and the will of the people exists in the conscience of the vast majority of Muslims. These ideas are not the product of scholars such as Salman Al-Ouda, Awad Al-Qarni, or Ali Al-Omari. Rather, those scholars are the product of the ideas which organically exist in the minds of many Muslims. As such, executing these scholars will not bring an end to those ideas whose strength was demonstrated in the aftermath of the Arab spring. If anything, such executions are an affirmation by the Saudi government that it and its autocratic allies stand on very feeble ground. If the Saudi government goes through with its plan, all it will be doing is creating a void that will inevitably be filled by other people represent the same ideas. The cycle will keep going until the feeble ground which these autocrats stand gives way.
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text:
Arjun has joined Aspiring Solicitors as our new Universities Officer.
He graduated from the University of Leeds with a Law Degree in 2017. Since then, Arjun has worked as a Paralegal for the AA plc and has recently completed the Fast LPC LLM course at BPP Holborn.
Arjun has been a member of AS for several years and has attended many of our events. In particular, Arjun is a three-time finalist and winner of the Commercial Awareness Competition. He is now a Future Trainee at Baker McKenzie.
Having come from a working-class background and as a British Asian, Arjun is passionate about helping those from underrepresented groups break into the legal profession.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Like the small rudder that turns a massive ship, the tongue wields incredible power.
With our tongue we can hurt or heal, kill or make alive. With it we can gossip or encourage, tear down or build up.
Loose Lips Sink Ships
Bad news travels fast. Whether it's a broken engagement, lost job, pending divorce, or wayward child, curiosity keeps the news cycling.
Keeping tongues silent when they ought to be is hard. Human tendency is to speculate and gossip and try to satisfy curiosity. Learning how to keep confidence takes wisdom.
Lately I've been thinking about "loose lips" a lot. Bad news seems to come in waves. The weight of others burdens can feel crushing at times. Sometimes I just want to spill it all. Talking about the problems around me helps me sort through them.
That's the time to keep this beautiful reminder from Leah in mind, "Have you prayed about it as much as you've talked about it?"
When the answer is "No", it's time to shut up and pray.
Only rarely does talking about someone else's problem help the issue. Often it's nothing more than gossip that can sink ships. Or at least friendships.
Just think what a beautiful testimony it would be if all Christian women took the sad stories we're entrusted with and brought them before the cross. If we just shut up more often and prayed.
When a Ship Needs Sinking
Sometimes a ship needs sinking though. Sometimes sin needs to be confronted. Sometimes a simple misunderstanding just needs to be cleared up.
But the temptation is to go about it in the wrong way. Instead of taking steps to address the issue, it's easy to let the problem simmer and talk about it with everyone but the person involved.
When there's actual sin involved, God's laid out a pattern to follow to address it (Matt. 18:15).
When it's simply misunderstandings that pile on top of each other, the best choice is to either forgive and forget or to humbly and honestly address it.
Not too long ago, I let misunderstandings pile up with a friend. When I started complaining about it to Joshua, he said what he usually says in that situation, "Darling, have you talked to her about it?"
And, like usual, my answer was, "No!"
Trouble was, I really, really didn't want to confront her about it. I was afraid she'd be upset.
Guess what. When I finally broached the subject (after much prayer and trembling), the first thing she said was, "Really? I've been wanting to talk to you about this for so long, but didn't know if you'd want to talk about it."
Half an hour later we were laughing. We both wanted the exact same thing all along. We had simply misjudged each other for way too long.
Sadly, not all confrontations end quite so happily. But if an issue needs to be addressed, it's almost always wisest to address it. Humbly. With the person involved.
Controlling Loose Lips
Our tongues are powerful tools. When tongues are properly tamed they can break the cycle of gossip, uplift needs in prayer, resolve misunderstandings, and encourage those around us.
Like the Proverbs 31 woman, the law of the tamed tongue is "a law of kindness."


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text:
I saw it as almost a quintessential rite of passage, between our First Communion and our Holy Confirmation. Whether it was carrying the cross in the procession, preparing the altar or holding the Roman Missal, we felt involved. We were part of a unique group of students that would be called upon during Sundays and special celebrations during the school week.
The involvement and the service which we were doing was vital to our faith development, even if we didn't realize it then.
In serving at the Lord's table, young boys and girls are given many important gifts. They must go through extensive training. When I went to practices back in Grade 4, it was no easy task getting all of us to fold our hands just so, or to walk in synchronization. We also had to learn all the responses and prayers to model them for the congregation and for our own understanding.
In being close to God on the altar and learning everything that happens in the Mass, down to the exact phrase and second of execution, altar servers get to know God more closely. They spend many hours in His presence and service. Their friendship in Him is almost inevitable. I firmly believe I would not be as faithful a Catholic had it not been for my many years of altar service.
While every minister in the church — liturgists, ministers of Holy Communion and choristers — have a special place, altar service is one ministry that inspires young people inside and outside of the Mass. In being young friends of Jesus Christ, a joyful spirit dwells within them, calling them to serve, love and respect others throughout their life. It's no wonder that altar service is a channel for vocations to religious life.
However, some people believe that only boys should serve on the altar, precisely for the sake of vocations to the priesthood. Altar service however, is open to both boys and girls because all are called to a vocation of service to God which is not exclusively being ordained to the priesthood. The values and intimacy with God which is kindled in altar service are important in every vocation. Therefore, should we not be encouraging more young people to serve at the Lord's Table?
My priest once said he wished to see 100 altar servers in our parish. While this is an exaggeration, his mentality is certainly in the right place. Let us all encourage our brothers and sisters, children and grandchildren to become an altar server; not only as a rite of passage but as something much more meaningful and God-centred, in order to share in the Lord's work of building His Kingdom here on Earth.
(Travale, 17, is a Grade 12 student at Sacred Heart High School in Walkerton, Ont.)