Isn't it against Islam...

Society Religion & Philosophy
21

Nice to see the other point of view too. Great. However, in my personal view, reverence for their charity is a secondary issue.

The primary and most fundamental question is how did these folks get into power? Who appointed them the rulers and custodians of the wealth of these countries (Not just UAE... but also KSA, Qatar, Bahrain, Oman, Kuwait etc)

Secondly, even if we are willing to put aside the history of how they came into power, the second most important part is how much of their rule is in accordance with Islam and how much voice do their citizens have in continuing the rule of these rulers? Are there any objective criteria to make sure that the will of the people is ascertained and respected?

Based on my view, these rulers get failing grade in both instances.

To convince us otherwise, we need objective evidence. Anecdotal instances of how much some of their populace likes them just won't do. And unfortunately, in the absence of a free political system, a truly free press and independent judiciary; anecdotal evidence is all we have left. This is a gross failing, in itself.

22

just wondering - was it okay to demolish the bahmani buddhas when the islamic world has such big images upon its buildings allegedly by popular choice?

23

And many Pakistanis would be willing to go for Jihad to save these so called Muslims in the middle east. And most of you guppies would be cheering them on.

24

Funguy, muslims would go for Jihad to defend other muslims, what’s wrong with that? and how do you become a so called muslim?

Queer, it was not ok, and the images have nothing to do with worshiping.

25

[QUOTE]
*Originally posted by Faisal: *

The primary and most fundamental question is how did these folks get into power? Who appointed them the rulers and custodians of the wealth of these countries (Not just UAE... but also KSA, Qatar, Bahrain, Oman, Kuwait etc)

Secondly, even if we are willing to put aside the history of how they came into power, the second most important part is how much of their rule is in accordance with Islam and how much voice do their citizens have in continuing the rule of these rulers? Are there any objective criteria to make sure that the will of the people is ascertained and respected?

Based on my view, these rulers get failing grade in both instances.

[/QUOTE]

and same goes for all other muslism states that exist on this planet....
care to name any other country where the ruler (king or democratic) gets better marks than these????

26

^ or even the "civilized" democracies of the West. There, people are fooled through media which is in the hands of 4-5 people. Not only this but big corporation who have money fund candidtates to win in an election. Sorry, but this world of ours has too much mess and only Islam has the solution.

27

^ what is the solution? and where is your avatar?

28

[QUOTE]
*Originally posted by armughal: *
And same goes for all other muslism states that exist on this planet....
care to name any other country where the ruler (king or democratic) gets better marks than these????
[/QUOTE]
Is that an excuse? Because I am not the one here defending the dictators and monarchies and claiming that they are so well-loved by 'some' people that the pics are drawn out of an over-whelming love for the dictators. :)

I am sure worst dictators like Stalin, Mousilini, Hitler or even our own home-grown varieties like Zia and Idi Amin etc also had some good personal traits and selected citizens in their states were very happy with them. But that does not excuse the fact that they were dictators who usurped people's basic human rights. Now to say, that 'some' people love them so much that they WANT to display their giant-sized images on multi-storyed buildings and carry their pics in their wallets is kinda weird argument. How can you ascertain who is doing what out of their free goodwill, when you are living in a darned dictatorship with no other option (for rulers) available. You have what you have. Like it or not. Thats it.

29

U r all confusing the issue.
the pics r ugly
the glasses r ugly
the bhamaini bhuddas too were ugly
its all in damn poor taste.

30

[QUOTE]
*Originally posted by queer: *
off topic, but the pic reminds me of something from tintin. lol.
[/QUOTE]

Omg I thought the exact same thing.The Arab guy in Tintin looks exactly like this.

Anyway well as far as this is concerned yeah its very arrogant and not exactly Islamic.However when you think about it -exactly how many us sell our cars and jewlery to give the money to the poverty stricken?

I dont know ,but this is not exactly impossible to understand. Im being honest here, so yeah we have two cars...we can live with one..or none...or live in a house thats less expensive....so many other things....but well we dont.We spend money on ourselves even though we could survive without all this.

So yeah perhaps this is over doing it a bit ,but haram? I dont think so.

31

Armughal,

Firstly, dost, i was born in this country. i have lived there for almost half my life. My father lives 5 minutes’ walking distance from this building. i know Abu Dhabi like i know the back of my hand. It is a part of me, my brother was born there, i went to school there until junior high. My father still lives there. i think, i know VERY WELL what this particular ruling family is like. When you state “the people of uae love their royal family” – err that’s not entirely accurate. Yes the majority of Arabs and several members of other ethnic groups love the royal family, but that feeling is not one shared by the ENTIRE country as your post made it out to be.

True. If you ask the construction workers and labourers who sweat in 50+ temperatures and have the shade of palm trees to rest under while their bosses go to spend the noon-day heat in air-conditioned 5-star restaurants, then they may tell you that they don’t have the money or the luxury to print t-shirts with his picture.

**
Please. :flower1: Don’t even go there. It is not royal-bashing, as you are making it out to be. My comments may be “stupid” for you, but they may not necessarily be “stupid” for ME. Please try to understand where i am coming from and respect my opinions just as you would want me to respect your’s.

All they are, are members of a dynastical family that has given itself the right to rule over a country by sole virtue of their birth. Sorry if i seem to find a certain contradiction vis-a-vis Islamic principles with that. i don’t recall anywhere in the Quran where Allah States that position at birth gives one life-long superiority over others. Sorry. That doesn’t jibe with me. They are no more pious, or deserving of other peoples’ respect, than anyone else except by their deeds. Come the Day of Judgement, Allah will not raise people from their graves by calling them by their familial connections. Nor will the Maktoums be raised as a separate group simply because they were the “Sheikh Maktoums”. Nor will the gates of jannat be open to them simply because they have a ‘sheikh’ infront of their names. Whether it is a Sheikh, or a construction labourer, each man will be Judged by his deeds.

32

Re: Isn't it against Islam...

[QUOTE]
Originally posted by Nadia_H: *
Not only is it horrendously out of taste, but um - not to sound too *dadi*ish, but what happened to modesty and humility ?* Even Hazrat Muhammad (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) would never behave in this way**... so what gives 21st century Muslim dictators to do so ?
[/QUOTE]

You sure know how to draw an anology? The Prophet (pbuh) was perfect is all regards, and need not be compared to these leaders.

And yes, I see no need for the big size pictures, but then again, maybe it does make sense to have them there, but I have never lived there, so you would probably know better than me.

33

He was a human being and he made mistakes. The analogy i was making was simply in terms of both individuals being Muslims. If he is the example for all of humanity, that implies we are supposed to try and emulate his behaviour.... as impossible (in a realistic sense) as that would be. But he is the example for all of humanity is he not.

34

Re: Isn't it against Islam...

[QUOTE]
*Originally posted by Nadia_H: *
... to be this arrogant? um i mean to have your picture and your sons' pictures plastered on a skyscraper ? Not only is it horrendously out of taste, but um - not to sound too *dadi*ish, but what happened to modesty and humility ? Even Hazrat Muhammad (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) would never behave in this way... so what gives 21st century Muslim dictators to do so ?

Just leaves a really bad taste in my mouth to see this picture. It's really rather pathetic IMHO.

[thumb=H]ghaith6483_2117815.JPG[/thumb]

[thumb=H]gtower6483_9128902.JPG[/thumb]
[/QUOTE]

Yeh Last Prophet of Allah ka Dhikr kesee agiyaaa.
Doesn't make any sense.
Khudaa Muslammanoo ko sedhee rahaa per Daleee.

35

[QUOTE]
Originally posted by Nadia_H: *
He was a human being and he made mistakes. The analogy i was making was simply in terms of both individuals being **Muslims*. If he is the example for all of humanity, that implies we are supposed to try and emulate his behaviour.... as impossible (in a realistic sense) as that would be. But he is the example for all of humanity is he not.
[/QUOTE]

He (SAW) made WHAT mistakes. Konsee mistakes.
Are you talking about Last Prophet Muhammad(May Allahs peace
and blessing be upon him).

36

[QUOTE]
*Originally posted by Nadia_H: *

Armughal,
If you ask the construction workers and labourers who sweat in 50+ temperatures and have the shade of palm trees to rest under while their bosses go to spend the noon-day heat in air-conditioned 5-star restaurants, then they may tell you that they don't have the money or the luxury to print t-shirts with his picture.

.
[/QUOTE]

This is also a situation in other countries. Maybe even Canada.
This is not fair. Lekn Laborers apne marzee seee Rizq ke khatir
ayee heee. Not by force. This doesn't mean I admire these
Hakims.

Agr Pakistani Canada me same kaaam kar rahaa hee.
Tu kia uskaa boss ukso apne Ghar ley agayaa kiaaa.
As for photographs, Ghareeb Irakiooo pictures per comment
app kuee nahee karteee. or maybe post them.

37

In my opinion, our Prophet Mohammad (pbuh) should not be compared to an ordinary human being. :flower1: It’s just not right.

38

Yes. You are right. Little Human with a big heart.

39

i never tried to justify monarchy ni any other country....
its just not Islamic....
but it sickens me to see the hypocricy among people when they only point fingers at the arab nations....
why acnt u first correct ur own selves and then look at others....
most of us r pakistanis....
how r we beter than these people????
we have dictators there....
atleast these rulers here do something for their ppl....
why cant we first get a proper Islamic government in our country and then speak of others....
or r we just good at pointing fingers at others????

and Nadia, i dnot think the poor men who work in the heat to put that up wud feel any better if they were putting up a mosque....
its still the same job for them....
or do u think in a proper Islamic state the workers wud be given an air-conditioned environment for such kinds of jobs????
or that the bos to wud have his desk kept in the sunlight....

baseless accusations is all i can call these comments of urs....

40

you seem to be very defensive about arabs. why?

if you find that pakistanis should fix their own backyard before looking elsewhere, why do you reserve that criticism solely for when it comes to arab countries.

do you yourself never offer any opinion about the vices in say.. america? nor do you find the fact that there is a World Affairs forum puzzling, inspite of us having so many troubles in our backyard?

why the myopic application of your obvious distaste for talking about other people's issues?

as for what these monarchs did for their countries, aside from creating the most consumer oriented, luxury centric societies, they have accomplished nothing. to make this easier for you to swallow, allow me to give you an analogy. consider the rest of the world, especially countries we Muslims seem to have a distaste for, as purveyors of drugs. consider the gulf a rich addict. what you're saying amounts to "so what if he doesnt have any meaningful contribution to life, so what if he doesnt spend on charity, so what if hes a drop out bum mocked by everyone who sees him, atleast he smoked a LOT of pot."

their universities produce some of the worlds most expensive, highest grade trash in the world. and thats speaking about the better ones.

our educational facilities, strained tho they be, are qualitatively and quantitatively much more superior to theirs, inspite of being consistently strapped of cash.

there are more pakistani doctors, engineers, scientists in the world than all the gulf combined.

add to that the fact the incredible amount of wealth they have. and reflect on what they actually did with it.

arab rulers take incompetence, complacency and shortsightedness to a COMPLETELY different level, and you have the spunk to actually stick up for them?

as for the conditions of laborers. do you even know what you're talking about? i have personally seen laborers standing jampacked in an open truck, the way cattle is transported. thats indicative of the mindset they have. slavery is the word that comes to mind, and rightly so.

Muscat just built a magnificent, sprawling, HUGE mosque. I have yet to be to a bigger mosque, apart from mecca/medina. Leave aside the fact that existing mosques are hardly half full. They had the mosque built by indian laborers, and the Government of India made it a contract condition that 70 percent of the laborers would be Hindu.

and yes, I was born and raised in Muscat. My parents still live there. I love the place. Hate the ruling class.