Are devout Muslims obsessed? You bet!
January 23, 2009 by Guest Author
Recently, 28 million free DVDs of an Islamophobic, “documentary movie” called “Obsession: Radical Islam’s War Against the West” were distributed by direct mail in several parts of the USA. The film ostensibly attempted to draw parallels between “radical Islamists” and the Nazi Party during World War II.
And the question one should ask here is, are Muslims really obsessed?
Apparently, obsession is an inevitable part of everyone’s life.
There are people obsessed with money and possessions.
We call that greed.
Others are obsessed with their own appearance or accomplishments.
We call that vanity.
Others obsessed with eating.
We call that gluttony.
Others obsessed with their own country.
That is chauvinism.
Others obsessed with blood and bloodshed.
That is savagery.
Others obsessed with riots and revolutions.
That is anarchy.
Others obsessed with sexual satisfaction.
That is debauchery.
Others obsessed with idols, saints, Ahlul-Bait (descendants of the Prophet), or even the Prophets themselves.
That is shirk (polytheism).
And, finally, there are people obsessed with God.
And we call that perfect faith.
These (latter) people strive to centre their lives on the worship and pleasure of their Lord.
When a devout Muslim sets out to do something…
He says: “Bismi’llah” (In the name of God).
When asked: “How are you?”
He answers: “Alhamduli’llah” (Thank God / Praise be to God).
When he want’s to express his regret for doing something wrong…
He says: “Astaghfiru’llah” (I seek God’s forgiveness).
When talking of an intended future action…
He says: “Insha’Allah” (God willing).
When expressing wonder at God’s creation…
He says: “Subhana’llah!” (Glory to God!).
When expressing admiration of someone or someone’s deed…
He says: “Ma sha’Allah!” (So is God’s will!*).
When mourning…
He says: “Inna li’llah wa inna ilaihi raji’oon” (We belong to God and unto Him we shall return).
When cheering or garnering one’s inner strength…
He says: “Allahu Akbar” (God is greater!)
These are just a few of the words a devout Muslim uses in his everyday life that reflect his devotion.
Plus, as part of his obligations, he prays to God Almighty five times a day, corresponding to the time of dawn, afternoon, midday, sunset, and evening.
If he wishes to do more, he can also perform the prayers performed regularily by the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) and any voluntary prayers he’d like to add (separately).
But the obsession of pleasing God is NOT confined to rituals. Rather, it extends to each and every other aspect of a Muslim’s life… Starting from the respectful treatment of one’s parents and wife, all the way to – yes! – striving towards the protection of the Islamic Ummah against invaders and towards the peaceful process of conveying the message of Islam.
This notion can be summarized in the following two ayas (verses) of Surat Al-An’am (of the Noble Qur’an) in which God says:
“Say: Lo! My worship and my sacrifice and my living and my dying are for Allah, Lord of the Worlds. He hath no partner. This am I commanded, and I am first of those who surrender (unto Him).”
So, yes, we are obsessed! But this obsession – you’ll have to agree – is a healthy one, if not a recommendable one.
—-
Note:
*a statement that’s meant to avoid envy or the possible threat of an evil eye.
Regarding shirk, the irony is that traditionally, Greek Islam would have been Sufi, and closely interlinked witht he veneration of saints. In fact, Epirote Bektashism would be, by your argument, not even Islam at all.
It’s one thing Greeks reviving a Greek Musli heritage; it’s another importing alien Wahhabism…
Dear Aris,
can you explain what you mean about “Wahhabism”? Do you know what is “Wahhabism”?
Islam is the belief in One God with Prophet Mohammed (peace on him) the LAST of the line of prophets. I am not patronizing here, but im just clarifying that there is no imposition on humanity through the belief in this concept.
It is a freedom to have this belief system incorporated into one’s life, and indeed personally I find not believing in God (as ONE) a great loss.
People have lost their faith nowadays, choosing rather to be slaves to money, or their work, their outings with social groups, their hair and makeup and outer appearance, and in general all the superficial rubbish that one can imagine. To know that when you die you will answer to GOD, not for how much money you have, or how great your job is, or how many outings to your favourite club you have done,makes all the fascination with triviality truly a tragedy for humanity.
And I hope we are moving towards something great in Greece and that is the co-existence of two of the major religions with belief in God. And away from xenophobia, prejudice, and lust of material things.
I totally agree with you, Ari.
Indeed, Greek Islam is Sufi and Bektashi, and closely interlinked with the veneration of saints.
I trully hope, the Greek Muslims to reviving Greek Muslim heritage, here in Greece; and not importing alien Wahhabism…
Πύρρα,
τί εννοείς με το “alien Wahhabism” ? Τί είναι ο Ουαχχαμπισμός, ξέρεις? Εγώ ξέρω. Είναι ένα κίνημα του 18ου αιώνα, όπου ο Μουχάμμεντ ιμπν Αμπντουλ-Ουαχχάμπ αγωνίστηκε για να διδάξει στον λαό του το Ισλάμ έτσι όπως ήταν πραγματικά και να τους κάνει να εγκαταλείψουν ανισλαμικές αιρετικές πρακτικές που απ’ τις οποίες είχαν επηρεαστεί (και εγώ ακολουθώ τις διδασκαλίες του σέϊχ Μουχάμμεντ ιμπν Αμπντουλ-Ουαχχάμπ).
Δεν υπάρχει ελληνικό, τουρκικό ή αραβικό Ισλάμ. Το Ισλάμ είναι Ισλάμ. Απλά σε κα΄θε περιοχή ίσως υπήρξαν κάποιες αλλοιώσεις της πραγματικής μορφής του Ισλάμ. Όσο για τον Μπεκτασισμό, είναι αίρεση και όχι Ισλάμ και στο Ισλάμ λατρεία των αγίων δεν υπάρχει.
Ο Μπεκτασισμός είναι μία από τις χειρότερες αιρέσεις και δεν είναι η αυθεντική μορφή του Ισλάμ (η οποία είναι πολύ πιο κοντά στον Ουαχχαμπισμό τον οποίο δεν γνωρίζετε).
Ali,
Is it a heresy to view God as Love, and not as Hate? To seek out the love of God that unites all faiths, and not the mere customs which divide them? To see music and art as an expression of God’s beauty, and not as a creation of the devil?
How is man to approach God? In mystic awe of his grandeur, power and love- as would Sufism have it- or as if he is a computer or a DVD player who can only be understood from a manual?
Greece has a centuries-long history of Sufi Islam. The mosques that still stand in Athens, Salonika, Larissa, and Ioannina were built as Sufi mosques. Is that heritage to be discarded for the narrow cultism of an 18th c fanatic? In Bosnia, and Albania, Saudi Wahhabis are destroying the beautiful old Sufi mosques, tekkes and graveyards to build concrete wahhabi mosques, like airports or supermarkets. To deny beauty is, I think, to deny God. It would be a tragedy for Greek Muslims to repeat the mistakes of their Balkan brothers.
Ali,
Furthermore, to say ‘there is no Greek Islam, or Arab Islam. Islam is Islam’ is quite incorrect.
Why dop Egyptians circumcise their daughters and call it Islam? Is it Islam?No: it’s African custom, given false justification by appeal to Islam.
Equally, where does the hijab or jilbab come from? Does the Quran command women to cover their heads? No. Arab custom does- ironically, Arab custom derived from Byzantine Greek custom. This is why Arabs such as Abd-el Wahhab interpret the statement to ‘cover one’s jewels’ (in this context, probably breasts) as a command to cover hair.
If you want to adopt Arab tribal customs and call it Islam, that is your right. But you have no right to claim that Sufis, or any other Muslims, are not Muslims just because they don’t follow your personal, and narrow, beliefs.
Aris,
you say: “Does the Quran command women to cover their heads”? Yes, the Holy Quran and the prophet. Sufism is a heresy and not clear Islam. I didn’t say that loving God is something bad but music in Islam is haram (prohibited) except religion songs (but without musical instruments).
The prophet never made tekkes. It is a heresy. I didn’t say that we should hate other people from other religions but sufism is a heresy and Bektashism and a big HERESY, not according to the teachings of prophet Muhammad (pbuh) but is a sect very very far from prophet’s teachings.
Read this:
http://www.thewahhabimyth.com/
I can not unite Islam with other faiths. I can respect other religions and other people but religion unity is other and respect is other.
You said: “because they don’t follow your personal, and narrow, beliefs”. It is not my beliefs but prophet’s teachings and the unislamic practices of a lot of sufi sects are very far from Islam.
Islam is Islam. When i say that there is not Arab or Greek or Turkish Islam, i mean that Islam is the Holy Quran and the prophet’s teachings. This is Islam. Unislamic practices (as female circumcision) are not Islam but arab or greek or african or or or tradittion.
My friend Aris,
Bektashism (Turkish: Bektaşilik) is an Islamic Sufi order (tariqat), considered to be a distinct branch of Twelver Shi’a Islam. It was founded in the 13th century by the Islamic saint Hajji Bektash Wali. The Bektashi order was greatly influenced during its formative period by both the Hurufi missionary Ali al-’Ala (15th century) as well as the Qalandariyah Sufi movement, which took on many forms in 13th century Anatolia. The order was reorganized by Balim Sultan in the 16th century.
The veneration of Imam Ali is central to Bektashi faith, common with Alevi Shi’a and Twelver Shi’as.
Bektashism is considered to have blended a number of Shi’a and Sufi concepts, although the order contains rituals and doctrines that are distinct unto itself. Bektashis have always had wide appeal and influence among both the Ottoman intellectual elite as well as the peasantry.
Bektashism is a Sufi order and shares much in common with other Islamic mystical movements, such as the need for an experienced spiritual guide – called a baba in Bektashi parlance – as well as the doctrine of the four gates that must be traversed: the Shari’ah (religious law), Tariqah (the spiritual path), Ma’rifah (true knowledge), Haqiqah (reality). Bektashism places much emphasis on the concept of Wahdat-ul-Wujood وحدة الوجود, the “Unity of Being” that was formulated by Ibn Arabi. This has often been erroneously labeled by Westerners as pantheism, although it is a concept closer to panentheism. Bektashism is also heavily permeated with Shi’ite concepts, such as the marked veneration of ‘Ali, the Twelve Imams, and the ritual commemoration of the Ashurah marking the Battle of Karbala. The old Persian holiday of Norouz is celebrated by Bektashis as Imam Ali’s birthday.
In keeping with the central belief of Wahdat al-Wujud the Bektashi see reality contained in Allah-Muhammad-Ali, a single unified entity. Bektashi do not consider this a form of trinity. There are many other practices and ceremonies that share similarity with other faiths, such as a ritual meal (muhabbet) and yearly confession of sins to a baba (magfirat-i zunub مغفرة الذنوب). This has led many[citation needed] to form theories of borrowing and syncretism from Christianity and Gnosticism. Bektashis base their practices and rituals on their non-orthodox and mystical interpretation and understanding of the Qur’an and the Prophetic practice (Sunnah). They have no written doctrine specific to them, thus rules and rituals may differ depending on under whose influence one has been taught. Bektashis generally revere Sufi mystics outside of their own order, such as Al-Ghazali and Jelalludin Rumi who are close in spirit to them.
All these Aris, has nothing to do with Islam.
Assalamu alaikom, Brother Ali!
I would like to thank very much for the valuable information you have shared with us, as well as the strong arguements you’ve made.
Islam is in no way against beauty or love.
Allah has 99 known attributes. Among them are the “Most Beneficent”, “the Most Merciful”, “The oft forgiving”, “The most forgiving”, “The most kind”, and “The loving”.
But, on the other hand, He is: “The conqueror”, “The Almighty”, “The Avenger”, and “The Subduer”.
When one goes around, saying: “God is love”, “God is love”, “Mwah!”, “Mwah!”, xoxo, etc., then he or she is obviously concentrating on the positive (optimistic) side of his/her relationship to God and ignoring God’s wrath if they disobeyed him.
There’s a very eloquent Arabic verse that basically says: “The lover is obedient towards the one he loves”.
But are Sufis obedient towards God?
No, they’ll worship God in their own “loving way”!
Not out of fear of his Hell-fire, nor out of desire for his Pardise.
“What? How lowly of you? We are much more intelligent and thoughtful than that! We’ll worship him by whirling, and jerking or swaying while saying Hu, hu, hu, hu”.
(The last part reminds me of chimpanzees – maybe they’re Sufi chimpanzees… God knows).
Well, guess what? God says in Surat Al Imran, Verse 31:
“Say (O Muhammad SAW to mankind): “If you (really) love Allâh then follow me (i.e. accept Islâmic Monotheism, follow the Qur’ân and the Sunnah), Allâh will love you and forgive you your sins. And Allâh is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.”
Peace to those who follow the guidance,
Fadi