The Mosque: an oasis for hearts and eyes

Source: islamicity.com

By: Sumreen Wasiq

Seeking spirituality takes one places. To accelerate the devotional progress of their souls, devout Christians head to their churches. Observant Jews find themselves en route to their synagogues. And how many a foot is laid upon the earth striding toward a temple in pursuit of the same holy reason?

Yet it is the Muslims, since centuries ago, who have been used to relinquishing the demands of their chaotic selves at the five punctuations of their stated night and day in the heavenly atmosphere of a mosque, a masjid. Its breathtaking structure speaking volumes of the architectural masterminds behind it, the bona fide objective of this divine enclosure is in no way insignificant.

Documentary: The Road to World War 3 (Video)

 We are on a road that leads straight to the World War 3, but in order to see that and to fully understand what is at stake you have to look at the big picture and connect the dots. This video examines the history of the dollar, its relation to oil, and the real motives behind the wars of the past two decades.
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TOP FIVE MISQUOTATIONS OF THE QURAN

Source: spiritualperception.org

By: Dr. M. Nazir Khan

The recent surge in negative sentiments towards Islam and Muslims has resulted in many attempts to depict the religion as inherently violent. This has also resulted in absurd accusations against the Qur’an. What are the five most frequently misquoted passages in the Qur’an? Do accusations of violence stand up to academic scrutiny, or are the verses being distorted to suggest the opposite of what they actually say? 

Religion has always been a convenient scapegoat for violence. Genocidal maniacs and extremists throughout history have frequently invoked religion to grant cosmic significance to their earthly conflicts. The political conflicts, brutal dictatorships, and warfare involving Muslim countries in recent decades have lead to the emergence of modern extremist groups attempting to justify violence in the name of Islam. Chaos, instability and prolonged warfare create a political vacuum where power-hungry groups vie for control. Such groups will raise whatever banner draws support for their cause, whether it be the banner of ethnic identity, cultural identity, nationalism, 0r a particular ideological or religious identity.

“This ummah of yours is a single ummah…”

Source: en.islamtoday.net

By: Sheikh Salman al-Oadah

“This ummah of yours is a single ummah, and I am your Lord, so worship me. But they were cut off from one another in the matter of their unity, and yet they will all return to Us.” [Sûrah al-Anbiyâ’: 92-93]

The Arabic word “ummah” as it is used in these verses means: “people united by faith”. This particular meaning for the word “ummah” is often see in the Qur’ân. For instance, Allah says: “Humanity was a single ummah and Allah sent Messengers with glad tidings and warnings…” [Sûrah al-Baqarah: 213]“This ummah of yours is a single ummah, and I am your Lord, so worship me.” [Sûrah al-Anbiyâ’: 92]

CRESCENT CHRONICLES | A BRIEF HISTORY OF MOONSIGHTING IN NORTH AMERICA

By: Waleed S. Ahmed

Source: http://muslimmatters.org/

The city of Toronto has many distinctions; the CN Tower, Skydome – the crack smoking escapades of its mayor – just to name few. One distinction, unbeknownst to many, is the city’s unique position in Islamic history. Toronto is one of the few cities, if not the only, which hosts mosques that simultaneously follow all permutations of moonsighting opinions that have ever existed in Islam’s legal history; local sighting, global, Saudi-sighting, astronomical calculations – perhaps there are more. This represents a trend which has become common occurrence across much of the North America; Muslim communities split along lines of lunar dogmatism.

So, how did we get here? In 2006 the Fiqh Council of North America (FCNA) and Islamic Society of North America (ISNA) decided to switch to astronomical calculations, as opposed to moon sighting, as a means of tabulating the Islamic calendar. The unprecedented decision led to a considerable degree of controversy due to its unorthodoxy. However, what is not as well known is the history and the context which lead to this decision. I had the unique opportunity to sit with Shaykh Abdullah Idris Ali, former President of ISNA, who shared with me a brief history of the moonsighting methods employed and what eventually lead to the current climate.

The Student Loan Debt Crisis In Context (Video)

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The Yinon plan: “Greater Israel”, Syria, Iraq, and ISIS

By: ANON

Source: http://www.timesofpol.com/

The Zionist Plan for the Middle East, also known as the Yinon Plan, is an Israeli strategic plan to ensure Israeli regional superiority. It insists and stipulates that Israel must reconfigure its geo-political environment through the balkanization of the surrounding Arab states into smaller and weaker states.