Re: The duty of parents.
Peace Sister Pathani
For the labelling of a Jamaat as Kaafir/Non-Muslim ... This is done by scholars who have investigated the creed of the Jamaat. There must be a consensus for this to be done and average people are not in a position to make this claim. The distinction is important to protect the quality of most authentic interpretations and be totally reliant on ijama opinions rather than opinions of splinter factions, as per advice of the Prophet Muhammad (SAW).
There needs to be room for dialogue and coherent argumentation not by ignoring or slandering ofcourse. That is not the way.
I totally agree that there needs to be a unification process. A platform for dialogue and common interest pursuits. Such as for example 'good education', or centralised funding for housing in capitalistic environments, etc.
A note of the Jihad of today you mention. I agree that we need to be lenient on others, but by default we also need to be harsh on ourselves. By ourselves I mean each one of us to our own person and by others I mean anyone despite the race, creed, colour or gender.
This may seem the most important aspect to you, however, we need to make sure that we have understood Islam and regain our identity. We do too much to argue about what we are not, but not enough on what we are.
Just one question .... Your thread started off with Duty to Parents as the title, but you end up talking about bad parents and how different groups should tolerate each other. I have seen you talk about this issue before. Please elaborate on the duty to parents part of it all.
Sure, bear with me ..Im at work. I will try my best though.
I believe everything starts from home...... Now, children do not know or practice hatred or treating each other as if sudden groups are lesser human beings than others. This is what parents afflect. Children/youngsters are a mirror of the upbringing they have had. If you tune the mind of children into hatred and intolerance, that is what they will practice.
They might be good Muslims, keeping themselves pious and offering namaz etc. but in their hearts, they condemn, judge and label various sects under Islam as none-muslims?
What is the meaning behind sending children to posche schools or world famous universities, if they lack common respect towards people in their very own community?
Young people and children today, have friends of various circles, even refugees. They are the vicitim of war and genicide. Though they interact, still the influence of parents shows, when they say they feel sorry for them, but then again REASON that oh they bought it upon themselves because they are Shias, Ismailis or Ahmadis......
And I notice this stinky form of intolerance amongst higher learned people and especially academic people too. I simply fail to understand, how these people can take degrees and have carriers etc. but STILL lack fundemental understanding of what Islam preaches how to TREAT minorities/weak groups/widows/orphans etc.? How is this so?
I see families living on well fare and doing zero community work or even being good examples as Muslims....Their kids are allowed to play and visit none muslims but other kids ARE NOT allowed to visit Muslim kids at their place, because GORAY or other Muslim kids are KAFIR.
I have often taken care of families, where kids name other kids directly for swine and dirty. Sudden schools have major issues.....the young kids being totally out of control. They respect none! Their parents have managed to turn these small boys to tyrants of the school. And, many have directly verbally threatened staff of school or kindergarten...so policehold was a must!
Im looking around and see all these symtoms of hatred, aggressiveness and intolerance as IF they are VALUES of ISLAM!
We need to think, what we say to kids at home. They dont forget!
I admit, I have seen people getting killed for their beliefs and the sad consequences of it.
Cant we learn from the Jews? They might have different agendas and approach, but they still manage to get along and have a dialogue.
Here we LACK dialogue and even with people bought up in the western? How ironic? I can perhaps cope with fanatics from Pakistan/Afghanistan taking laws in their hands.....its an everyday scenario....but young people with educated parents being so narrow minded and closed in their way of thinking, baffles me!
I preach tolerance for all. It is NOT my business to tell how others should live or practice their faith.....YET I step my foot down, when they start being more jahil than past generations......whats their excuse? How do they justify their acts and behaviour?
So yes, when young people have the intolerable attitude of hatred and arrogance of being the better JAMAAT, I ask myself if this is due to lack of proper fundemental Islamic upbringing........ It doesnt happen by itself.
We need not to be disrespectful towards parents or community, but rather gently and wisely question why there is being spread hatred & intolerance.....
So the proces of an united Ummah begins at home, begins with YOU!
We MUST be ALLOWED to differ and to present our point of view, without labelling each other.
I myself come from a family where there are sunnis, shias and Ismailis and you name it. Our parents managed to raise us all counsins without problems of who being who...... Even now the trend of inter-faith marriages seems to become a rare incidents.
Who is Jamaat? Jamaat consists of your parents, their actions and amaals.
Its not simply a school of thoughts out there, far from reach. Every family good or bad are contributing to the facets of Islam or even lack of it.
Live and let live......ONLY Allahjee is to judge at judgement day.
Human beings should not act as God or be blinded by clerics......Do your research, even about other various sects, so YOU KNOW WHY you belong to the Jamaat you do. And other sects are not at your service to provide information or keep up with tiresome defensive arguements, just because you in your intellectual capacity lack to do some home work/research...... Instead of you demanding to have your questions answered.....go and visit the same people in real in local mosques.......