Making sense of God and Islam – frequently asked questions answered

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Many people do not know this but Islam did not start at the time of prophet Muhammad (pbuh) – it started at the time of Adam and Eve.

Muslims believe that there is only one God in this world, the same God that Abraham, Moses and Jesus worshipped.

What is your belief about God?

Muslims believe God is one and that He created the heavens, the earth, human beings, animals – everything in this universe.  He has no partners and there is no object worthy of worship except Him.  This means Muslims do not believe that a stone, a tree, a cow or a human being is God and they do not worship any of these.  In other words, Muslims cannot fathom Jesus being God or part of God.  This would go against the very nature of monotheism – of God being strictly one. He does not need anyone but we need Him.  He is the most merciful, He sees everything, hears everything and knows everything.  And nothing is comparable to God.

So why do you call Him Allah?

When Muslims use the word ‘Allah’, that does not mean a different god, a moon god or a cow god.  Allah is just the Arabic word for Almighty God in English or Theos in Greek.  Arab Christians and Jews also say ‘Allah’ because it means God.  We prefer to say ‘Allah’ because it accurately means ‘the God’, i.e. the One God without any partners because if you say God in English, some people might think we are talking about Jesus.

Why are there so many religions?

Muslims believe that all of the prophets from Adam, Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Ishmael, David, Solomon to Moses, to Jesus and Muhammad etc. (peace be on them all) came to teach the people the exact same message – that God is one, without any partners and to submit your life to God.  This is what we call Islam because the meaning of the word Islam is “submission”, i.e. submit to the will and law of God.  So, in this sense, we believe that all prophets were following Islam, or ‘Muslim’ – someone who submits to God.  Islam is more than a religion, it is a way of life.

Each time a prophet came, some people believed in his message and they established the religion (Islam).  Then after some generations, the original message was lost and people started creating their own religion, mostly creating partners with God (ex. a cow, human etc.). So then God would send the next prophet to bring them back to the original message of Islam and the cycle would continue.

So, this is why Muslims believe in all of the prophets and all of the books, which are the spoken word of God– the Torah, the Gospel, the Quran, etc. and also believe in God’s angels and the Day of Judgement.

You can say Islam is the pure Christianity that Jesus taught and the pure Judaism that Moses taught before some priests, rabbis and people changed it to manipulate their followers and control them.

If God created us, would He leave us to figure things out on our own?

Just like most mothers would not leave their babies to the streets to take care of themselves, God would certainly not leave his creation without taking care of them.  But how does God provide us with this guidance if we cannot hear Him?  Through the Quran and scriptures He left us with full instructions on how to live the best life in this world and in the afterlife and through the prophets He sent us to teach us the guidance.

Because submission to God is a way of life and not just limited to a religion that you practise once a week, the guidance of instructions from God must cover everything in our lives such as the spiritual, emotional, economical, social and family aspects etc.

So, when people ask Muslims why Islam is strict with so many rules, they do not view it like this.  They consider these guidelines as ultimate guidance in living the best life.  Imagine you were lucky enough to have the richest man in the world mentor you on how to succeed financially, the best family counselor in the world mentor you in family and marriage aspects, the world leader in civilization and politics guide your country on how to be the most advanced nation and the wisest spiritual mentor guide you in gaining the closest relationship to God.  Would you consider those rules and restrictions in your life or guidance?

What is the purpose of my life?

And the biggest guidance is to answer a question that most human beings ask themselves at some point in their lives – What is the purpose of my life? Why am I here?

God gives us the answer to this in the Quran.  The purpose of our lives is to worship Him and to submit our lives to Him.  Read that sentence again.  The purpose of our lives is to worship God and to submit our lives to Him. 

We will be asked about this when we die and are resurrected on the big judgement day.  We will be questioned about everything we did and if we followed God’s guidance and did good deeds.  God will reward those who submitted their life to Him will punish those who did not and this is the ultimate justice system.

 

Free will or not?

God knows everything that we will do but He gives us a chance to live out our lives and gives us the free will or choice in order to provide evidence to us when we are on the Day of Judgement.  In this way, on that day, no one can provide excuses that God’s verdict is not fair.

This is a glimpse to what Islam is so that when you ask a Muslim a question about Islam, you can keep in mind that he or she will answer you from this context.

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photo credit: NPCA Photos

Κατανοώντας τον Θεό και το Ισλάμ – Απαντήσεις σε Συνηθισμένες Ερωτήσεις

Read in English

Translated by Gerasimos Loukatos

Πολλοί είναι αυτοί που δεν γνωρίζουν ότι το Ισλάμ δεν ξεκίνησε τον καιρό του Προφήτη Μωχάμμεντ ( Ειρήνη και Ευλογία μαζί του) – ξεκίνησε από τους Πρωτόπλαστους, τον Αδάμ και την Εύα.

Οι Μουσουλμάνοι πιστεύουν ότι υπάρχει μόνο Ένας Θεός, ο ίδιος Θεός τον οποίο λάτρεψε ο Αβραάμ, ο Μωυσής και ο Ιησούς.

Τι πιστεύετε για τον Θεό;

Οι Μουσουλμάνοι πιστεύουν ότι ο Θεός είναι Ένας και Δημιούργησε τους Ουρανούς, την γη, τους ανθρώπους, τα ζώα και οτιδήποτε υπάρχει μέσα στο Σύμπαν. Δεν έχει συνέταιρους και δεν υπάρχει δημιούργημα άξιο λατρείας, παρά μόνο Εκείνος. Αυτό σημαίνει ότι οι Μουσουλμάνοι δεν πιστεύουν ότι μια πέτρα, ένα δέντρο, μια αγελάδα ή ένας άνθρωπος μπορεί να είναι ο Θεός και δεν θεοποιούν τίποτε από αυτά. Με άλλα λόγια, οι Μουσουλμάνοι δεν μπορούν να εννοήσουν τον Ιησού ως Θεό ή κομμάτι Του. Αυτό θα ήταν ενάντια στην φύση του μονοθεϊσμού – της απόλυτης Μοναδικότητας του Θεού. Εκείνος δεν έχει την ανάγκη κανενός, ενώ τα πάντα είναι εξαρτώμενα από Εκείνον . Εκείνος είναι ο πιο φιλεύσπλαχνος. Εκείνος βλέπει τα πάντα, ακούει τα πάντα, γνωρίζει τα πάντα και τίποτε δεν μπορεί να συγκριθεί μαζί Του.

Τότε γιατί τον αποκαλείτε Αλλάχ;

Όταν οι Μουσουλμάνοι χρησιμοποιούν την λέξη “Αλλάχ” δεν εννοούν τον θεό-φεγγάρι ή τον θεό-αγελάδα. Αλλάχ είναι απλά η Αραβική λέξη για τον Παντοδύναμο όπως είναι η λέξη “God” στα Αγγλικά και η λέξη “Θεός” στα Ελληνικά. Οι Άραβες Χριστιανοί και Εβραίοι επίσης αναφωνούν “Αλλάχ” όταν αναφέρονται στον Θεό γιατί αυτή είναι η σημασία της λέξης. Οι Μουσουλμάνοι προτιμούν να χρησιμοποιούν την λέξη “Αλλάχ” γιατί η ακριβής σημασία της είναι “Ο Θεός” δηλαδή ο Ένας, χωρίς συνέταιρους ή γένος (αρσενικό ή θηλυκό). Διότι αν χρησιμοποιήσουμε την αγγλική ή την ελληνική λέξη, ίσως κάποιοι να νομίζουν ότι αναφερόμαστε στον Ιησού.

Γιατί υπάρχουν τόσες πολλές θρησκείες;

Οι Μουσουλμάνοι πιστεύουν ότι όλοι οι προφήτες από τον Αδάμ, τον Νώε, τον Αβραάμ, τον Ισαάκ, τον Ισμαήλ, τον Δαβίδ, τον Σολομώντα, τον Μωυσή, τον Ιησού και τον Μωχάμμεντ (Ειρήνη και Ευλογία σε όλους) ήρθαν για να διδάξουν με το ίδιο μήνυμα – ότι ο Θεός είναι Ένας χωρίς συνέταιρους και η υποταγή της ζωής μας είναι σε Εκείνον. Αυτό ονομάζεται Ισλάμ, γιατί η λέξη Ισλάμ σημαίνει “υποταγή”, δηλαδή η υποταγή μας στο θέλημα και τον νόμο του Θεού. Υπό αυτήν την έννοια πιστεύουμε ότι όλοι οι προφήτες ακολουθούσαν το Ισλάμ, άρα ήταν Μουσουλμάνοι – (εκείνοι που υποτάσσονται στον Θεό). Το Ισλάμ είναι πολύ περισσότερο από μια θρησκεία, είναι τρόπος ζωής.  

Κάθε φορά που στάλθηκε ένας προφήτης, κάποιοι πίστεψαν στο μήνυμα του και εγκαθίδρυσαν την θρησκεία (Ισλάμ). Όμως, ύστερα από μερικές γενεές, το αρχικό μήνυμα είχε χαθεί αφού οι άνθρωποι είχαν δημιουργήσει την δική τους θρησκεία, κυρίως τοποθετώντας συνέταιρους δίπλα στον Θεό (μία αγελάδα, έναν άνθρωπο κ.τ.λ.). Έτσι, ο Θεός έπρεπε να στείλει τον επόμενο προφήτη για να επαναφέρει στους ανθρώπους το αρχικό μήνυμα του Ισλάμ, ένας κύκλος που συνεχίστηκε.

Γι’αυτό οι Μουσουλμάνοι πιστεύουν σε όλους τους προφήτες και τα βιβλία που εστάλησαν ως ο προφορικός λόγος του Θεού – το Πεντάτευχο, το Ευαγγέλιο, το Κοράνι κτλ, όπως επίσης πιστεύουμε στους αγγέλους Του και στην ημέρα της Κρίσεως. Μπορεί να πει κανείς, ότι το Ισλάμ  είναι ο αγνός Χριστιανισμός που δίδαξε ο Ιησούς και ο αγνός Ιουδαϊσμός που δίδαξε ο Μωυσής. Αυτό, πριν να παραποιηθεί το μήνυμα από Ιερείς, Ραβίνους και άλλους ανθρώπους, προκειμένου να παραπλανήσουν τους οπαδούς τους για να τους ελέγχουν.

Αν ο Θεός μας δημιούργησε, θα μας άφηνε μόνους χωρίς καθοδήγηση;

Όπως μία μητέρα δεν θα εγκατέλειπε το μωρό της χωρίς φροντίδα, έτσι και ο Θεός, σίγουρα δεν θα άφηνε τα δημιουργήματα του χωρίς φροντίδα. Όμως, πώς μπορεί ο Θεός να μας προσφέρει την καθοδήγηση Του, αν εμείς δεν μπορούμε να τον ακούσουμε; Δια μέσω του Κορανίου και των Γραφών που έστειλε σε εμάς, με πλήρεις οδηγίες για να ζήσουμε την καλύτερη ζωή σε αυτό τον κόσμο και σε ότι ακολουθεί μετά από αυτόν και δια μέσω των προφητών που έστειλε για να μας καθοδηγήσουν εκεί.

Επειδή η υποταγή στο Θεό είναι τρόπος ζωής και δεν περιορίζεται σε μια θρησκεία που γίνεται πράξη μία φορά την εβδομάδα, η καθοδήγηση Του θα πρέπει να καλύπτει όλες τις πτυχές της ζωής μας όπως την πνευματική, την ψυχική, την οικονομική, την κοινωνική, την οικογενειακή κτλ.

Έτσι, όταν ερωτούνται οι Μουσουλμάνοι, γιατί το Ισλάμ είναι τόσο αυστηρό σε αρκετούς κανόνες, εκείνοι δεν το αντιλαμβάνονται έτσι. Θεωρούν αυτούς τους κανόνες ως την ύστατη καθοδήγηση, προκειμένου να βιώσουν την καλύτερη των ζωών. Φαντάσου να είχες την τύχη να έχεις δίπλα σου τον πλουσιότερο άνθρωπο του κόσμου, για να σε καθοδηγεί στα οικονομικά, τον καλύτερο οικογενειακό σύμβουλο να σε καθοδηγεί σε οικογενειακά και θέματα γάμου, τον καλύτερο πολιτισμικό και πολιτικό ηγέτη να καθοδηγεί την χώρα σου στο πώς να είναι η πιο προηγμένη και τον πιο σοφό πνευματικό σύμβουλο να σε καθοδηγεί στο να επιτύχεις την στενότερη δυνατή σχέση με το Θεό.

Αυτό θα το θεωρούσες ‘κανόνες και περιορισμούς’ στην ζωή σου ή ως καθοδήγηση στην ζωή σου;

Ποιος είναι ο σκοπός της ζωής μου;

Η σημαντικότερη καθοδήγηση είναι να απαντηθεί αυτό που διερωτούνται όλοι οι άνθρωποι, κάποια στιγμή στην ζωή τους – Ποιος είναι ο σκοπός της ζωής μου; Γιατί βρίσκομαι εδώ;

Ο Θεός μας δίνει την απάντηση μέσα στο Κοράνι. Ο σκοπός της ζωής μας είναι να λατρεύουμε μόνο Εκείνον και να αφιερώσουμε την ζωή μας σε Εκείνον. Ξαναδιάβασε αυτή την πρόταση. Ο σκοπός της ζωής μας είναι να λατρεύουμε μόνο Εκείνον και να αφιερώσουμε την ζωή μας σε Εκείνον.

Θα ερωτηθούμε για αυτό, όταν πεθάνουμε για να αναστηθούμε ξανά, την μεγάλη εκείνη ημέρα της Κρίσεως. Θα ερωτηθούμε για ότι πράξαμε και για το αν ακολουθήσαμε τις οδηγίες του, κάνοντας καλές πράξεις.

Ο Θεός θα επιβραβεύσει εκείνους που άκουσαν τις εκκλήσεις Του και θα τιμωρήσει εκείνους που έκλεισαν τα αυτιά τους στην καθοδήγηση Του. Και η κρίση Του είναι η απολύτως αλάνθαστη.

Ελεύθερη βούληση ή όχι;

Ο Θεός γνωρίζει οτιδήποτε θα πράξουμε αλλά μας δίνει την ελευθερία της βούλησης και της επιλογής ως απόδειξη των πράξεων μας, την ημέρα της Κρίσεως. Έτσι, εκείνη την Ημέρα, κανείς δεν θα έχει την δικαιολογία μιας άδικης κρίσης από τον Θεό.

Τα παραπάνω είναι μια σταγόνα του τι είναι Ισλάμ, έτσι ώστε να έχεις στο μυαλό σου ότι όταν ο Μουσουλμάνος ή η Μουσουλμάνα ερωτηθεί, θα απαντήσει μέσα από το αντίστοιχο πρίσμα.   

 

Me Allah and you…bureaucracy

The adventures and the backward steps for the establishment of the Athens mosque

Source: Vima Newspaper

By Mariniki Alevizopoulou

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“If today we are able to ask the Greek prime minister ‘when we will open the Athens mosque?’ that happens thanks to the steps we made,” stated the Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan allying the nationalistic groups in his country.

At the same time the Christian pilgrims were attending the historical service at the remains of Holy Mary Soumela of Pontus, for the first time after 88 years. A few days before some other nationalistic groups had desecrated the graves of a Muslim cemetery in Komotini. Those two facts made the Turkish prime minister feel ‘one step in front of the Greeks’ causing discomfort (and) of the Muslims that live in Greece.

“If the government looked this matter of the mosque with greater seriousness, they wouldn’t have pressure via statements from abroad,” responds the almost disappointed  president of the Muslim Association of Greece Mr. Naim Elghandour and continues, “Everything was ready since 2006. Even the funds were there; 15 million euro are in the treasury of the Ministry of Education since that time. This is important to emphasize that in a so crucial financial period for Greece. Maybe part of this money comes from EU.”

The blame is not only on the backward steps of the political will and the political timing that almost four years have passed without a step. The mosque is one but the authorities that are involved in the construction are endless: foreign ministry, education ministry, Ministry of Environment, Ministry of National Defense, Ministry of Finance and the City of Athens are all basic players.  And the Greek bureaucracy is there at every step.

Meanwhile the square footage of the mosque, that he and the thousands of religious Muslims that live in our country are waiting from 2006 to be constructed, are decreasing. “In the beginning the measurements in the blueprint from the general secretary of the minister of education Mrs. Marietta Giannakou, was 56.000m². At the next meeting, it became 42, the governments change and I make a third meeting to drop at 24 and we reached today 16.000m².”

The objections came from the Church. “Since the first moment that the construction of the mosque came up, the Holy Synod had not an opposite opinion. And that because every human has the right of religious freedom where worship is included, which is a respectful right and is entrenched by the constitution,” states the representative of the Holy Synod, Bishop of Nafpaktos Ierotheos. “In fact, at the same time, in an action of good will the Church bestowed for use 30.000m² from its land in Shisto to create a Muslim cemetery.” The truth is that in the plans of the new Christian cemetery in Shisto, in order to cover the needs of the municipalities of Piraeus and Moshato, was from the beginning a plan for a Muslim cemetery in this area.

Then everything changed. “The Church objected at the establishment of an Islamic educational center,” clarified Mr. Ierotheos. “The concern of the Archbishop Christodoulos was intense for such a center because centers like that promote not only the religious teachings but also political propaganda.”

The area for the cemetery at Shisto finally was found unsuitable because of the terrain, the Islamic center was found “dangerous” and somehow the discussion (and the concern) came back to the mosque. “The law of 2006 at the first New Democracy party government was zoning the mosque at a part of Eleonas. At the second government of Karamanlis, under the authority of his office was formed a committee where we as City of Athens were participating, because this area belongs to the Ministry of National Defense and is characterized as a ‘navy fort’ but it must become a green park and come to the authority of the City of Athens,” states Mrs. Tasia Lagoudaki, topographer of the City of Athens.

Things already became complex without calculating the reef of National Defense ministry, that owns the “navy fort” based on a royal order. “In fact it is a garage with five buses,” Mr. Elghandour supports and continues. “The defense ministry is compromised with 5 million euro and 10 month time to relocate the navy. While the minister was Mr. Meimarakis (and after a formal question of PM Pericles Korovesis in the parliament) he asked initially 68 million (!). We proposed to go out with coupons – not from abroad, we do not want foreign money to build the Athens mosque, we want the Greek state to control it, to gather money from the immigrants and from the Greek Muslims.”  This proposition was not accepted and the last elections came.

When will we come out of the underground garages?

“After the first 100 days of the new government and particularly the 110^th day I sent a letter to the Defense ministry because the problem is with them. As a Greek who has served the Hellenic army I have the courage to complain,” notes Mr. Naim Elghandour who lives 38 years in our country. As a result they invited me and went with all data in hands. For the time being the only movements you can observe are statements before the visit of the prime minister to a country that is in danger to be asked for the mosque, and endless calls from foreign and domestic press to my phone for the development of the mosque. I do not want to harm the image of Greece abroad. At “Focus” I did not respond to them after the front cover with Aphrodite with the finger. Does anyone appreciate that? Will our children ever come out of the underground garages, and now that we have Ramadan with 40°C we are risking to be carried by the ambulances?” he wonders.

The adventure started at 1996

The adventures of the mosque in Greece, as states at “Vima” the vice president of the government Mr. Theodore Pangalos, have their roots way back. “This story started at 1996 by my initiative and based in two thoughts. Firstly that we are the only European country that has not a mosque and secondly that in Athens that time were gathered about 50.000-60.000 without an official and established place to perform their religious duties, when in all Muslim countries there are Orthodox Churches even in Teheran.”

That time as a foreign minister he prepared a draft law describing the establishment of a Muslim religious and cultural institution in the Hellenic capital. “The Greek state would have the control, the majority of the funds would be ours but we would accept contributions from countries that were willing to do so. At that time Arab countries as Saudi Arabia and Egypt showed interest. The Institution would include a library, a place of worship and a place of gathering as in weddings, for example, men and women celebrate separately.”  The plan proceeded for Peania.

“The Archbishop of that time had stated his approval, the mayor of Peania the same, the Arabs as well.”  But on 1999 Mr. Pangalos left the foreign ministry with Otsalan case and somewhere there “the plan was abandoned and the reactions started.”

New Greek Muslim needs your advice

This came in through our old blog site.  Can you give her some advice?

 

My name is Aisha(19 years old) and I am Greek currently living in Czech Republic for my studies. When I was in Greece i had no idea about Islam, due to the lack of information about it in Greece. I just thought that it is a religion for Arabs… However Allah gave me the opportunity to see this beautiful way of life in Czech Republic.

As most of the Greeks understand being a muslim in Greece is not very common. In about 1 month i will go back to Greece and i will have to face my Christian parents. Although they are not very religious, they don’t go to church except Easter and Christmas and sometimes not even then, the idea of having a different religion from the rest of my family (and the rest of the Greek citizens) and the idea that i will make it so obvious by wearing the hijab will not give a very good reaction according to their behaviour…

I would appreciate it a lot if you could give me some advise on how to talk to them and what to tell them because they don’t know anything for islam except that it is a religion that people from Pakistan that live in the city center,where most of violence occurs in Athens. May Allah help me and make it easy for me.

Moreover, showing off in Greece is something that I use to do but i find it meaningless anymore. Girls nowdays in Greece have lost their mind and walk almost naked in the street,driving the attention of every female person that passes next to them.

However this is something very common, but wearing the hijab isn’t.. I don’t know what my non-muslim friends will be with the idea of going out with a girl that covers her body… Iknow them since i was a little child and they will understand but i will have to explain them in the right way… do you have any suggestions?

Even a very small advice might be very usefull for me so please help a new muslim girl that needs your help.  please take in consideration that i reverted to islam 2 weeks ago

The following text is for muslim women:

In Czech Republic like in Greece there are not a lot of muslims especially girls. Can you please send me a few basic information about basic things concerning the islam?

not for the social life but the every day life and things that muslim gilrs do!

Peace be upon all of you!!

Thanks to all of you spending time even reading about my story.

ALL PRAISES BE TO ALLAH!

Salam!

Construction of mosque in Botanical – green light after three decades

Source:  Kathimerini

© Translation: Muslim Association of Greece

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In the near future the tens of thousands of Muslims living in Attica (and the visitors as well) will be able to pray at the first official place of worship that will be constructed in the capital after about two centuries. The government announced their decision settling, in fact, a pending case of three decades.

 

Discussions, laws, plans on paper, bureaucratic obstacles, reactions of citizens and ecclesiastic leaders, in combination with the “political cost” intercepted every attempt dealing with a social matter that was putting the respect of human rights and religious freedom to trial.

“We are very satisfied that an official place will exist. It will be a significant step for the unobstructed practice of our religious duties,” states to “K” Mr. Naim Elghandour, president of the Muslim Association of Greece.

Already, in the last months, the issue was frequented in meetings with the participation of the related factors meaning the ministries of Education, Internal Affairs, Foreign Affairs, City of Athens, Navy General Headquarters, and the Organisation for Regulating Planning of Athens.

As was decided in a meeting, the mosque will be constructed in an area of 17.000m² at the Votanikos area, where today the Maintenance Centre of Navy Vehicles exists. According to the plan, from the moment that all legal procedures will finish in order to bestow the usage of the area to the ministry of Education, it will take 6 -12 months to relocate this Navy department.

The mosque will be constructed by the expenses of the Hellenic state by the Program of Public Expenditure Fund. According to the relative law that was forwarded from 2006 by the former Minister of Education Marietta Giannakou, the building of the mosque must agree with the terms and limitations of building of this area. According to these terms, the building area should cover 839m², its entrance being from Iera Odos Avenue through to Asyrmatou Street and will be close to the church of Saint Christopher.

History

 

The matter of constructing a mosque in Athens was on the table for the first time since the late 30s. The discussion was forgotten after World War II began. After the change-over and particularly in the 80s, the issue was brought again by ambassadors from Muslim countries. In mid 90s the issue concerned the government again.

The negotiations between those who were concerned led to voting for law 2833 in 2000 that described the construction of a mosque and an Islamic cultural centre funded by Saudi Arabia. For this reason, the state bestowed an area at Peania, but was confronted by the citizens of the area and the deceased Archbishop Christodoulos, who did not agree that the first view of visitors landing to Greece from the new airport to be an Islamic minaret.

As the solving of the matter was not proceeding, the proposal of the former mayor (and right after Foreign Minister) Mrs. Bakoyiannis, to operate the Monastiraki mosque again that today is known as a popular art museum. Finally, after ‘fermentations’ in the internal affairs of New Democracy government the Votanicos solution was forwarded.

Associates of the former foreign minister expressed their satisfaction for the decision to proceed with the construction of the mosque.  Mrs. Bakoyiannis was always in favor of the construction of a mosque. She played a significant role in choosing the place and to the disengagement of the issue from the ‘protection’ of foreign interests,” they state at “K” associates of the former minister. In 2006, the minister of Education Mrs. Giannakou presented the existing law that describes the construction of a mosque with funds from the Hellenic state.

By Nikos Papachristou

Translated by Anna Stamou

Επιταχύνεται η ανέγερση τζαμιού

Πηγή: Καθημερινή

Του Νικου Παπαχρηστου

Επιταχύνονται οι διαδικασίες για την ανέγερση ισλαμικού τεμένους στην Αθήνα. Οταν το έργο ολοκληρωθεί, θα αποτελέσει τον πρώτο επίσημο μουσουλμανικό χώρο προσευχής, ο οποίος θα λειτουργήσει στην πρωτεύουσα ύστερα από τουλάχιστον δύο αιώνες. Στις προθέσεις της κυβέρνησης, σύμφωνα με στελέχη της, είναι η αντιμετώπιση ενός κοινωνικού ζητήματος που αφορά χιλιάδες μουσουλμάνους, είτε Ελληνες είτε μετανάστες, που ζουν στο λεκανοπέδιο Αττικής.

Για τον σκοπό αυτό το τελευταίο διάστημα έχουν πυκνώσει οι συσκέψεις εκπροσώπων των εμπλεκόμενων φορέων, κατά τις οποίες εξετάζονται οι τελικές νομικές διευθετήσεις που αφορούν την παραχώρηση της έκτασης όπου θα ανεγερθεί το τζαμί των Αθηνών.

Υστερα από συνεννόηση του υπ. Παιδείας με τον Οργανισμό Ρυθμιστικού Σχεδίου Αθήνας, αποφασίστηκε το τέμενος να δημιουργηθεί στην περιοχή του Ελαιώνα και συγκεκριμένα στον Βοτανικό, σε έκταση 17 στρεμμάτων που θα παραχωρήσει το Γενικό Επιτελείο Ναυτικού. Στον χώρο αυτό σήμερα λειτουργούν εγκαταστάσεις του Κέντρου Συντήρησης Αυτοκινήτων Ναυτικού (ΚΣΑΝ), οι οποίες θα μετεγκατασταθούν εντός της υπόλοιπης έκτασης που διατηρεί το ΓΕΝ. «Η περιοχή αυτή επελέγη για να είναι προσβάσιμη στον λαό. Εμείς αντιλαμβανόμαστε τα κοινωνικά προβλήματα που αντιμετωπίζει η χώρα μας και θα κάνουμε ό,τι καλύτερο μπορούμε για να θέσουμε στη διάθεση του διάδοχου φορέα τη χρήση του χώρου, ώστε σύντομα να εξυπηρετηθούν οι συμπολίτες μας μουσουλμάνοι», δηλώνουν στην «Κ» υψηλόβαθμα στελέχη του Πολεμικού Ναυτικού.

Το ύψος της δαπάνης μετεγκατάστασης των υπηρεσιών του Πολεμικού Ναυτικού, που θα αναλάβει το υπ. Παιδείας, υπολογίζεται σε 2,5 εκατ. ευρώ, ενώ δεν υπάρχει ακόμα συγκεκριμένη εκτίμηση του τελικού συνολικού κόστους ανέγερσης του ισλαμικού τεμένους και της διαμόρφωσης του περιβάλλοντος χώρου. Ωστόσο τα έξοδα θα καλυφθούν από το Πρόγραμμα Δημοσίων Επενδύσεων.

Η ανέγερση του τεμένους θα γίνει σύμφωνα με τους όρους δόμησης του νόμου 3512/2006. Συνολική επιφάνεια του οικοδομήματος 840 τ.μ., είσοδος από την Ιερά Οδό, ενώ θα γειτονεύει με το παρεκκλήσιο του Αγ. Χριστοφόρου που ανήγειραν πριν από χρόνια οι υπάλληλοι των υπηρεσιών του Ναυτικού. «Στόχος είναι το τζαμί να ανεγερθεί από ελληνικές κατασκευαστικές εταιρείες», σημειώνουν κυβερνητικοί αξιωματούχοι και προσθέτουν: «Επιθυμία μας είναι να αντανακλά την ισλαμική θρησκευτική παράδοση και την αρμονική συνύπαρξή της με τους πολιτισμούς του μεσογειακού χώρου». Τους τελευταίους μήνες πολλαπλασιάζεται ο αριθμός των ανεπίσημων χώρων μουσουλμανικής λατρείας. Σύμφωνα με στοιχεία της «Κ», σε όλη τη χώρα -πλην Θράκης- λειτουργούν 75 ανεπίσημα τζαμιά έναντι 68 τον περασμένο Ιούνιο. Από αυτά, 61 βρίσκονται στην Αθήνα και απευθύνονται κυρίως σε σουνίτες, 23 δημιουργήθηκαν από Πακιστανούς και 15 από μετανάστες από το Μπανγκλαντές.

Παράλληλα, σύμφωνα με πληροφορίες, υπάρχουν ενδείξεις ότι μεταξύ των χιλιάδων μουσουλμάνων μεταναστών που έφθασαν στην Ελλάδα συμπεριλαμβάνονται πιστοί ακραίων ρευμάτων του Ισλάμ.

Κωλυσιεργία για τέμενος και κοιμητήριο

Amreeka movie now online for free

A while back, I wrote about a movie called Amreeka that recently came out.  Now you can watch it online for free.  Click on the photo below:

 

A feel-good comedy about a Palestinian mother who moves to rural Illinois with her teenaged son, Amreeka is a kind of stealth political film that confronts issues of ethnic tension and American xenophobia.

 

Revealing the real purpose of fasting

I used to find it odd – if not heretic – to starve yourself from sunrise to sunset.  Anything that went against fasting in the Greek Orthodox way was indeed heretic, or so I thought. 

The first time I heard Muslims fast in a different way, my stomach churned and I thought, man you guys are completely off the mark.  You need to be saved!

At that point, I’d never researched the proofs for fasting in the Bible or the Quran, but it was my pride that would never let a thought into my brain that said that they might have proof for what they were saying while I have absolutely none – or at least knew of none. 

And frankly, I didn’t care.  Fasting was one of the zillion rituals of the Greek Orthodox faith that you ‘just believed in’  and didn’t question.

The weirdest thing to me was that Muslims would not only fast from food but actually from ‘bad’ things like drinking, going to bars or dating.  Now, that for me was completely illogical !  What does food have to do with having fun?

It was normal for all of us Greek Orthodox to fast before Easter and go out and have fun at the exact same time – without feeling an inch of guilt.

Once you find out why you are supposed to fast in the first place (which, as a Christian I never really did), then you’ll understand that it’s not about the food.

Muslims believe that God revealed to mankind to fast because through self-restraint, you can become pious.

“O you who believe! Fasting is prescribed for you as it was prescribed for those before you, that you may become Al-Muttaqun (the pious).  (Quran 2:183)

You might be asking, What does piety have anything to do with it?  I was confused at the beginning too but when I started fasting – starving myself from dawn to dusk actually – I realized that it was a true sacrifice.  

It’s like having a close friend that you love more than you love yourself.  You give up something that you love the most to make her happy.  It’s not like you are forced to do this.  You choose this because you love her.  That’s when your relationship has gone to a new level – because she’s seen the proof that you put her before yourself. 

That’s in a way, the purpose of fasting.  When you choose to give up something that is permissible, like food, you realize that you want to because you love God more than yourself.  And you want to show Him that love.  That’s the journey of piety.

So, really, for anyone who is fasting, whether Muslim, Christian or other, fasting was prescribed for all of us as the verse says.  Only when you know what the purpose of fasting is can you really taste the journey of love for God.

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  photo credit: opusbloo

Greece: the Church, the Mosque and the lost vote

Source:  Enet.gr

By Thomas Tsatsis

© Translated by the Muslim Association of Greece

Διαβάστε στα Ελληνικά

Ten years ago, when the issue of the identity cards and the indication of the religion was hot, the former bishop of Alexandroupolis – Anthimos was supporting the position of the official Church in an…unorthodox way.

Referring to a fact that was never clarified if it had a real existence, the bishop was saying that about 70  Muslims that were living in the wider region of Alexandroupolis had asked a “voting paper” to sign their claim to mention religion on the ID cards.

This is the same bishop that gave a battle after – out of solidarity – against the Muslim mosque at Peania, as was ordered by the law that was voted by the parliament.

And now he starts a new battle against the law that gives Hellenic nationality to the immigrants who many of them are Muslims. With a simple argument: “The Church was not asked about that. You can’t bring 700 thousands Muslims in the country and make them Greeks without even asking the Church.”

The Thessaloniki bishop (Anthimos), whatever they charge on him, one must admit that he knows about politics. The governments many times are acting according to the perception of the “lost vote” from the “side-church” that prevails inside the hierarchy. That means that the bishop will shout from the pulpit, the Christian crowd will be terrified, the MPs will feel pressures and they will transfer this to their parties to convey the message.

Thus with the populism of the opposition party and with the fear of the vote that can be lost, the government goes backwards and turns 180 degrees. The issue of the identity cards confirms the above. There were only two or three MPs and ministers of PASOK during 2000-2004 that defended the omitting of the religion from the identity cards publically. The rest had disappeared in order not to be indicated as opponents of the Church.

Four years now the governments do not take over the political cost of the construction of the Mosque at Eleonas as mentions the law of New Democracy government of 2006. But they are also scared to proceed to the construction of the Muslim cemetery in a field that the Church has bestowed! Yes, of the Church!

The government has not many choices. Either they will proceed immediately and solve the problem of the thousands of immigrants – and not only – Muslims that live in Attica and will confront a part of hierarchy in front and behind stage, or they will confront issues that cannot solve.

The scattered mosques-warehouses that are more than 100 in Attica are not under any control. Whatever is heard by “imams” that are self-announced small “prophets” many times are dangerous and cannot be confronted by the police. The legitimacy, the operation of one or more mosques with rules and conditions, official, with moderate imams and not with competing “Mujahidins”, can be a start.

Unless the government is waiting to finish first with the law for the immigrants and after that to take counsel with the Church. And just the day before yesterday the Hoy Synod stated that they believe that the law for the nationalities does not coincide totally with the immigration problem and that the government should consider the opinions of the bishops.

Bishops that “on one hand they preserve the teachings of Christ for love to everyone, on the other hand they do not know the partial national and social sensitivities, thus their opinions should be co-calculated to face such crucial matters.” This is the Holy Synod whose president is Archbishop Ieronymos.

Attention atheists – can you explain this?

After watching this video, I wonder how anyone can be an atheist.

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