Wednesday, January 9, 2008

Beard doesn’t harm

Asaalamu alaikum, May peace and mercy of Allah, the Almighty God be upon you all,
Sub: Does a beard harm people?!!!
It is distressful that some people are getting annoyed after seeing a Muslim with long beard. The Media has set the mind of these people so rigid to think that the long beard is a symbol of a terrorist. Alas!! Does a beard can harm people?!! A Muslim with a long beard always inspected with extra care. Why? Is it possible to make a bomb with beard? Or were those who rained bombs in Hiroshima, Nagasaki, Iraq, Afghanistan, and Palestine bearded people? The most notorious dictators in the history of the world were beardless. Sikhs are widely enjoying this individual/religious right without facing any questions.
The long beard of a scientist often considered as a symbol of his intellectual orientation, as well as pastor with a beard is seen as a pious person etc. It is nothing but people's prejudiced and hatred mind towards Muslims and Islam.
Media propaganda
Islam, in terms of its beliefs and practices, is a threat to all capitalistic countries since Islam strictly prohibits prostitution, drugs, adultery, lesbian, homosexual, lottery, alcohol, abortion, interest etc which is one of the inevitable features of every capitalistic country. They gradually realised this fact that if people accept Islam it will be a threat for their existence and hence, trying to tarnish Islam through their media as a terrorist religion. Through this sort of propaganda they are trying to create misconception about Islam to prevent people from accepting it. But they can not put off the light of this true religion as Allah says in Qur'an:
And say: "Truth (i.e. Islamic Monotheism or this Qur'ân) has come and falsehood (i.e. Satan or polytheism, etc.) has vanished. Surely! Falsehood is ever bound to vanish." (Al-Isra 17:81)
I am not overlooking the reality that some sects among the Muslims are responsible to spread extremism in the world and they have led to the birth of destructive political movements, as well as promoting un-Islamic revolutionary modes of thought among the Muslims. Those who criticise Islam, often doing it at the cost of anti social activities and unIslamic practices of some name sake Muslims but in reality We Muslims never blame the religion when Hindus, Christians, Jews, or Sikhs do any wrong. It is despicable to call a terrorist who bears a name of Muslim as ‘Islamic terrorist’. We Muslims do not call Hitler a Christian terrorist even as he was a Christian and killed millions of Jews. We do not call the Americans who put atom bombs in Hiroshima and Nagasaki and killed millions of innocent people ‘Christian terrorists’, even as the men who bombed were Christians by religion. We do not call anyone a Hindu terrorist even when some of them have killed innocent Christians and Muslims in India during riots etc. So, why this tag on Muslims?
So, before blaming a religion we must see the authentic source of that particular religion instead of looking to the activities of its followers. The authentic sources of Islam are the Holy Qur'an and the Sunna of Prophet Mohammed (peace be upon him).
Quran says:” Invite to the way of your Lord with wisdom and beautiful admonition, and argue with them in ways that are better." [Sooratun-Nahl 16:125]
With the prayers for the peaceful life here and in the here after
Mammedutty Nilambur