Indigo Jo Blogs

salam alaikoum

thank you for the plug, and most importantly, thank you for writing on this topic. the pictures with the questionable captions i saw when i wrote the post are now making the rounds of the media and several blogs, and thankfully all seem to be disgusted at the "white people don't loot" idea.

I have no words for the anger I feel right now. I may be white, but I am appalled at the way people in MY city were left to fend for themselves. There are still 2,000 people in the Superdome as I write this (1535 GMT on Saturday). There is no excuse for what is happening in New Orleans.

Alhamdoulillah no self proclaiming Muslim has come by my blog to say anything about how America "deserved this." The people stuck in New Orleans right now aren't rich people. The people dying on neutral grounds in front of the Convention Center aren't leading the country.

Barakallahou fik...

Given that the information we get on the situation is coming from journalists, rather than ordinary citizens it's quite possible the extent of the lawlessness has benn talked up a bit because 1) it makes for a more interesting story and 2) it helps detract from the govt's incompetence.

Culture is a construct arising from the situation people find themselves in, criminality is no more instrinsic to black people than it is to whites, much as it suits peoples' agendas to tell you otherwise. People talk about black people as though they were a monolith, a look at the diversity of cultures of black people will reveal that in countries where they form the majority, rather than an oppressed minority or majority (in the cae of RSA) there's little of the behaviour we are currently hearing about.

People should look beyond the colour of the New Orleans refugees and look to their situation and to their poverty and to the injustices of the largely white police force rather than playing the tire old race card.

this is interesting

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/4207628.stm#

Assalamualaikum, its not about colors but lack of belief, no taqwa. Given the same situation a mumin would react differently than a non-muslim. As a muslim, we all know Allah swt would certainly test us in this world. And Islam teaches us to have sabr, patience and repent to Allah swt, so that the misfortunes could turn to be a blessings and reward for us in the hereafter.. Sidi yusuf: i'm surprised and sad u wrote that piece about Katrina.Why so much emphhasis on the asbab but not the Agent? Nothing occcurs in this world is random or" natural" . Laa hawla wala Quwwata illa billah. Ya bikhair: do you have proof that "katrina" is not the slave of Allah? Laa hawla wala quwwata illa billah.

As-Salaamu 'alaikum,

Sidi yusuf: i’m surprised and sad u wrote that piece about Katrina.Why so much emphhasis on the asbab but not the Agent? Nothing occcurs in this world is random or” natural” . Laa hawla wala Quwwata illa billah.

I didn't say otherwise. The point is that certain people make speculations about things on which they have no authority. Things like Katrina are not natural in the sense of happening outside the will of Allah, but they are normal. New Orleans was devastated as people always said it would be. It's in a hurricane zone and it got a hurricane. South Carolina, which isn't a gay hotspot, also gets its share of hurricanes, as with Hugo in 1989. The point was that hurricanes, typhoons etc happen where they always happen, apparently without any correlation to what debauchery goes on there, if any. By all means warn people and call them to taqwa, but don't do what that liar in Pennsylvania did and make pronouncements about why Allah does as He does. That was my point.

I have a sister that went to Uni in New Orleans and she told me they have these kinds of evacuations a couple of times a year. I wouldnt be suprised that many people had the "cry wolf" mentality, treating it as just another evacuation. She had many school friends with families in the surrounding area so Alhumdililah she had the luxury to go to another state. Now, I am not suprised that many people just didnt take it that seriously.

The looting is a different issue altogether. Yes, some have on talk radio made it a racial thing but not most. Even some police officers were involved in the looting. It was just an oppurtunity for some folks to come up. Stuff like this happens. Why should attention be focused on looting anyway as if saving WalMarts from looters should be a priority?

If looting is apart of genes and underachievement, why would that speculation be made about Asians. There are no racial, ethnic differences between Asian Muslims, Sihks, or Hindus. I mean 60 years ago they were all Indians, right? Why does bad science always have to be brought up at times like this?

I'm seriously considering going to study in the UK for a year, thinking that it would be a rich multi ethnic and multi nationalistic expirience for me, but listening to you guys speak is quite disheartening. Race relations out there seems to be a step up from crap.

Looting isn't a racial issue and it isn't a religious issue. People do it, and it's wrong, unless for essential food and water. That's all there is to it.

Whatever colour and religion, peoples hopes and prayers should be for those who need it. Much as I like an argument, now is not the time to score points.

Thank you for this post, Brother Yusuf.

Bikhair,

" I’m seriously considering going to study in the UK for a year, thinking that it would be a rich multi ethnic and multi nationalistic expirience for me, but listening to you guys speak is quite disheartening. Race relations out there seems to be a step up from crap.

I would say, you should come and study in the UK. I think race relations is better in the UK than in the US. I have had some opportunity to compare both. Of course we still have some people with hangover from the colonial days and some low lives in right wing racist parties. But generally speaking the main cities in the UK are multi-cultural, harmonious and pleasant. The muslim community has a long way to go tho in making the mosques more accessible. The older people need to take a back seat.

anonymous wrote: "The muslim community has a long way to go tho in making the mosques more accessible. The older people need to take a back seat."

Out of curiosity, what do you mean by this?

Salaam 'Alaikum

As far as I know, NO does not have these types of evacuations several times a year. Actually, the evacuation last week was the first time a major city has been evacuated since the Civil War, isn't it? They may have drills, they may have voluntary evacations, they may have partial coastal evacuations like Florida, but not mandatory, city-wide ones.

And isn't it well known by now that it wasn't "cry wolf" mentality that kept so many people in NO, but an adult poverty rate of 40% (poor people who tend not to have cars) and Greyhound closing their doors and suspending services from the area as of last Saturday? City and state officials did not have any plans in place for the "mandatory evacuation" of the 100,000 or so who could not afford a car or any other means out of the city except to warehouse them in the Superdome and the convention center and hope they make it thru.

JD, salam'alaykum. I am referring to the tendency to have mosque committees dominated by elderly people who in turn for some reason do not know how to make these mosques attractive/accessible to the youths and the women folk without getting apprehensive.

May Allah reward them for what they are doing anyway.

anonymous,

(You need to get a real screen name. Do you know how many anons there are?)

I dont think so. I believe race relations in the USA are far better. I have lived in different parts of the US except The South. To be honest with you, the most racist place you will find are the suburbs of America. As a young kid in the valley in California, it was a terrible place to be a kid, upwardly moble city, great schools, safe communities but the children at school didnt know how racist they were or how ignorant they sounded when they spoke about other racial groups. They were so oblivious they would do it right in front of you. As an ethnic minority you were both spectacle and contemptuous.

Anonymous,

How are Muslims supposed to bring kafirs and estranged Muslims back to the Masjid? I wish I could find this hadith but anytime I act up, my husband reminds me that my actions are a dawah, and as it stands Muslims actions are giving bad dawah. On the other hand when I became Muslim, I became Muslim not because other Muslims were nice, though most were, it was because of Tawheed.

I dont think we should start having talent shows, bake sales, and the like simply to attract people. As a Muslim next time you are out, just give good dawah by your adab.

because of Tawheed.

I dont think we should start having talent shows, bake sales, and the like simply to attract people. As a Muslim next time you are out, just give good dawah by your adab.

You could start by speaking English. What on earth is all this adab tawheed stuff?

Oh Stompy Kafir.

I was speaking to the Muslims and they know what I am talking about. Adab in arabic means manners. I advised Muslims to give dawah- proselytize, to non Muslims with good adab or manners. When kafirs see Muslims they will get a good impression of them and inquire about Islam. For instance, when a Muslim woman covers properly people will always ask, as I have been asked many times, "Why do you cover?" "Aren't you hot?" I try to answer with statements from Allah's book- Al Quran, and the sunnah of Prophet Muhammed.

Tawheed is the principle belief in Islam. It has three pillars according to most Islamic scholars. Some of the deviants of today believe it has a third, Tawheedul Hakimiyah.

The first pillar is: Tawheedur-Rooboobiyyah (The Oneness of Allaah in His Lordship) The affirmation of the Lordship of Allaah over all things.

THe second is: Tawheedul-'Uboodiyyah (The Oneness of Allaah in His Worship) The singling out of Allaah in all acts of worship.

The third is: Tawheedul-Asmaa' was-Sifaat (The Oneness of Allaah in His Names and Attributes)
The correct belief in the Names and Attributes of Allaah devoid of figurative interpretation and philosophy.

This is a very very brief explaination of Tawheed. If you need more infor on Tawheed I can give you a essay written by Shaikh Salih al-Fawzaan on the subject. Now I am asking you to do me a favor, please dont ask anyone else on this forum about Tawheed. PLEASE!!!!!

bikhair,

Why make things so complex???? :( Even as a "muslim", you scared me with all those definition.

I doubt a non-muslim person will be able to follow you in such analysis of Tawhid.

Tawhid is simply monotheism. The belief in one, unique transcendent God.

All the aspects of tawheed you have explained above are simply to facilitate understanding. Do they have any essential Reality.

The Koran says it better:

Say, Allah is (Indivisibly) One/Unique, Allah is Complete, He does not beget. Nor was he begotten, And there is nothing comparable to Him.

I am sorry to say, but further analysis just complicates this....but understandably the analysis does sometimes help us especially because of our complex and multiple personality disorders from which the companions were all free. Hence, they had little tafseer for these things. The split of Allah's Lordship into categories is a reflection of a split within us, and never a split in His actual Lordship. As always, Allah knows best.

Thanks for your explanations.

Anonymous,

Listening Kafir isnt stupid, she is sometimes rude and vulgar but not stupid. There was nothing there that was complicated save a few typos. Give her the benefit of the doubt. It isnt rocket science or an episode of Fraiser. LOL!!!!

Assalaamu alaikum,

bikhair, I don't think anyone was implying that she's stupid. But I agree with "anonymous" that the concept of tawhid is so simple and pure... and natural!... that it shouldn't be made to seem so technical and so complex.