woohoo… we’re gaining more Muslims Masha’Allah. That’s great Alhamdulillah… as they say, truth speaks for itself.
But wait, it gets better - they’re white! :hula:
:rolleyes: That’s the impression i receive from this particular article from a website that i frequently visit, and enjoy a great deal. i will always continue to enjoy this website Insha’Allah, it’s just this one article that kinda frustrates me for the time being. It sounds as though having “trophy lists” of white Muslims is something positive, but if we have ‘trophy lists’ of black Muslims - that’s not as positive. Am i being too harsh towards this article? Someone please let me know.
Don’t misunderstand me. i’m absolutely happy that more individuals are reverting to Islam. But the happiness lies in the fact that individuals are reverting to Islam, not that they happen to be white individuals and thus more ‘elite’. A brother is a brother is a brother in Islam…whether his pigmentation is white or purple or yellow. Otherwise, we should all close our ears the next time we hear the azaan because, afterall, the first Muezzin was Bilal…an Ethiopian man as dark as Ethiopians usually tend to be.
Nothing wrong.
Prophet Mohammad :saw: prayed to Allah to make Umar convert to Islam. After his conversion all muslims were overjoyed for gaining more power.But surely Billal(ra) got more reward for his sacrifies.
One thing i am unable to understand, why people convert to Islam ?
Considering the pathetic situation of Muslim Ummah and overal charactor of muslims around the world(corrupt, illiterate, backward etc.)
“They (non-muslims) desire to extinguish Allah’s Light (by blowing) with their mouths but Allah will perfect His light, even though the Unbelievers may detest (it).”
The point which I understood from you post is that you don’t like when people say a white person has entered into Islam…
take an example! …
what if a priest of a church converts himself as Muslim ? what you expressions would be ? you will be enjoyed more than if a plain person is converted…the reason is; he is more powerful person in the society and other may get influenced by him and chances are he will preach more cuz he has more social circle among non-Muslims…
cod-red gave an example of Hazrat Umer …prophet Muhammad :saw: had a dua to Allah that either his Uncle Abu Jehal or Hazat Umer should entered to Islam…
and Allah blessed his dua and Hazrat Umer did converted while he was coming to Kill prophet :saw:…then while coming , he listened his own sister was reciting Quran, …she kept quite and feared then Umer asked her to recite and then he realized and got converted…
this was a great day for Muslims at that time…cuz after that Muslim were able to pray and offer Azaan freely in the mosques…
so the influencial person does affect the society or religion!
Coming back o your point!..
The majority of white people are more educated and more influential than brown or blacks in western part of the world!.. its my observation that when a white person does accept Islam…he does after a great research in Islam…which is more better than any thing, they becomes much better Muslims in practice than us in so many cases…
I have been came across to few black people …its their own wording that they accepted Islam cuz their ancestors were Muslims and they feel more freedom and respect in Islamic culture than other… (not in all cases but I have meet at least 3 who said it)
Islam should be accepted for Allah… not for any personal liking or any type of social advantage…
I am not saying naoozbillah k any one is better or lower than any one, in the eyes of Allah all Human are equal and only HE knows whats is our heart…
But I have seen so many black Muslims who are now Imaam of so many Masajid and their faith and believe and knowledge is much more than a Muslim by birth…
It was just a social issue … which is indeed not good to distinguish as black or white…but on the other hand it is reality that in our culture and society we do have racial problems…
Don’t consider it a big issue…all Muslims are equal…
Read Prophet Muhammad :saw: ‘s last sermon …
But this is true that it gives more joy when an influential person enters into Islam…
Prophet Muhammad :saw: was used to send letters Kings of different states that time, the reason was to convert a king will ease to spread Islam more easily!..
All people are not equal. Someone gave an example of Hazrat Umar . Similarly when Hazrat Khaled Bin Waleed embraced Islam this was a big moment of strength for Islam. Although the superiority in Islam is based on “taqwa” however, people who are an important part of society influence many more people.
Not sure how just being “white” is really a relevant point, except perhaps to negate the stereotype that only blue-collar and working class people and people of color, embrace Islam. When educated people study Islam and embrace the faith, that gives a more profound message to the reader compared to, for example, a person in prison who had no where to go, and decided to convert to Islam. Surely, only Allah Ta’llah knows what is in their hearts, however, there is no denying that a multi-cultural Islam has more strength.
[QUOTE]
One thing i am unable to understand, why people convert to Islam ?
Considering the pathetic situation of Muslim Ummah and overal charactor of muslims around the world(corrupt, illiterate, backward etc.)
[/QUOTE]
Islam has its own momentum. Allah need people to uphold Islam. If the Muslims don't care for Islam then Allah (swt) has promised to change them for the 'better ones'.
Behold, ye are those invited to spend (of your substance) in the Way of Allah: But among you are some that are niggardly.But any who are niggardly are so at the expense of their own souls. But Allah is free of all wants, and it is ye that are needy. If ye turn back (from the Path), He will substitute in your stead another people; then they would not be like you– Qur’an 47:38
Hazrat Umr(RA)
The ayats read to him were from Surah Ta-Ha.
And he(RA) was called Al-Farooq, which means
differentiator.It was because of him embracing Islam
that lead to Muslims praying openly in Kaaba. And dawah of Islam
became OPEN.
When he went to Holy Prophet(SAW), Hazrat Hamza was with him(SAW).
And Hazrat Muhammad(SAW) asked all people to leave.And Hazrat Hamza(RA) said let me stay with you. Hazrat Hamza(RA) who was
famous for hunting lions was the best person to confront Umr(RA).
But Prophet(SAW) knew that Umr(RA) will embrace Islam.
Islam has its own momentum. Allah need people to uphold Islam. If the Muslims don't care for Islam then Allah (swt) has promised to change them for the 'better ones'.
Behold, ye are those invited to spend (of your substance) in the Way of Allah: But among you are some that are niggardly.But any who are niggardly are so at the expense of their own souls. But Allah is free of all wants, and it is ye that are needy. If ye turn back (from the Path), He will substitute in your stead another people; then they would not be like you– Qur’an 47:38
[/QUOTE]
i don't think most individuals understood what my original point was. That's probably my fault for making myself ambiguous. Let me try to explain myself much better, Insha'Allah.
There is nothing wrong with influential individuals reverting to Islam, or 'influential' Muslims - i myself have opened threads on Hakeem Olajuwon. His status as a seeminly extremely devout and sincere Muslim (Masha'Allah), plus his being an NBA superstar, when combined together, were the two reasons that i did so. Theek. There are Muslims like Imran Khan, Muhammad Ali, Hakeem Olajuwon, Jeffrey Lang, etc etc whom we all hold up as the 'trophy Muslims' - i have done it myself, and i currently still do it when i discuss Islam with nonMuslims.
To take that one step further and believe that the influential status derives from the colour of an individual - someone educate me as to how this is in accordance with Islam. Please educate me on this aspect.
Hazrat Muhammad, may all the peace and blessings be upon him, did not pray to Allah to make Umar revert because Umar happened to be fair-skinned. He prayed that because Umar was occupying a strategic social/influential position vis-a-vis others in the area whom Hazrat Muhammad, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, wanted to influence. It had nothing whatsoever to do with skin colour.
i'll respond to the rest of the thread in my second reply Insha'Allah.
Please give me objective statistics and reports for this. i want objective and accurate references.
Well as you stated, it has been your observation. i presume that observation is based upon your personal perspectives. My own observation, based upon my biased personal opinion, is that Muslim blacks, are just as devout - IF NOT MORE RELIGIOUS - than other Muslims.
When you state you have come across “few” black people, how little/many is “few” ? 2? 4? 10? How many have you actually known? How many have you actually surveyed to find the extent of their educational achievements ? How many have you known personally to be able to discern the level of religious passion inside their heart and their soul ?
How do you know this ? Have you talked to the Imams directly? How many Imams are you referring to? What number ? Did you talk with them personally?
And if we followed Islam, not Pakistani Islam or cultural Islam, or bihari Islam, or mohajir Islam, but just Islam, then these racial problems would not exist.
By ‘influential’ you mean ‘white’? Or do you mean a sincere man who embraces Islam into his soul ? The latter would give me far more pleasure. i could not care for the former by skin colour alone. Yoam al qiyamat mai, his skin colour is gonna mean next to nothing. The whiter your skin, it ain’t gonna help anyone to access jannat or avoid the gates of dozakh.
Yes, i addressed this point regarding influence in my above post.
One last point that i think i should have stressed in my original post - 'influence' manifests itself in diverse manners, three of which i have listed below for the purposes of this discussion:
influence by celebrity status/money (Hakeem Olajuwon, Muhammad Ali, Imran Khan)
influence by religious passion and devotion (i would include Abu Bakr Siddiq in this)
influence by colour (white Muslims)
The first two categories --> i am not concerned with. This thread regards the last category - i.e., making trophy lists of 'influential' Muslim reverts based upon their skin colour.
For eg., we get all excited when we hear, say, 500 Muslim white Britons have reverted to Islam in 2003 (it is an example i made up with a hypothetical number). Are we getting excited because these 500 happened to be white ? Or are we getting excited because we have added 500 new brothers and sisters, whatever their skin colour, into our ummah? Is it the fact that they are white that adds to their influence ? All of this is precisely what i feel the article was conveying implicitly. Yay they are white. Well ... SO? If they were black, is their reversion to Islam any less pleasing in Allah's Sight ? Is their white skin colour going to speak on their behalf to save them from hellfire on yoam al qiyamat ? Quite obviously not.
i know i get all riled up about this topic. i can't help it. It's the way i am. Believe me, if i could change this way of thinking, i would. But you can't change the way you are born.
…prophet Muhammad :saw: had a dua to Allah that either his Uncle Abu Jehal or Hazat Umer should entered to Islam…