Archive for August, 2009
Heroes with super-values
There’s been a buzz around “The 99″ for some time, but the latest news is that these Islam-inspired superheroes will soon be making their debut on British TV.
They have proved a hit from Morocco to Indonesia and were recently named as one of the top 20 trends sweeping the world by Forbes magazine. Now they are being brought to British television by Endemol, the production company behind Big Brother, with a mission to instill Islamic values in children across all faiths. [...]
They were created by Dr Naif al-Mutawa, a clinical psychologist from Kuwait, who felt Muslim children needed a new set of heroes to look up to, to counter jihadist role models. [...]
Dr al-Mutawa hopes the cartoons will have a universal appeal. He said: “It is based on attributes such as generosity and mercy. These are not things that Islam has a monopoly over.”
One rather strange point in the Independent’s report was the claim that “there will never be a full cast of 99 superheroes since it is forbidden to depict all Allah’s attributes.” I can’t see what this statement is based on, and there are two further problems with it: (1) God’s attributes cannot truly be portrayed in the first place, but these are characters just reflecting some aspect of the “99 Names”; (2) Although it’s not commonly known, God has more than 99 names, as evidenced in a supplication taught by the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh), in which we say:
“O Allah, I am your servant, son of Your servant, son of Your maidservant. My forelock is in Your hand; Your command over me is forever executed; Your decree over me is just. I ask You by every name belonging to You which You named Yourself with, or revealed in Your Book, or You taught to any of Your creation, or You have preserved in the knowledge of the unseen with You, that You make the Qur’an the springtime of my heart and the light of my breast, and a departure for my sorrow and release from my anxiety.”
Ramadan: A Taste of Hunger
Article by Sohaib Saeed, first published in Interfaith Matters, August 2009
[NB: this issue is still pending release]
Muslims around the world eagerly await the coming of every Ramadan, the annual season of reflection, repentance and renewal. The month of fasting begins with the sighting of the new moon, this year around 20th August, and ends with the arrival of ‘Eid al-Fitr: a day of celebration and thanksgiving for the blessings of the past 29 or 30 days.
Ramadan is the month of worship and remembrance, even though these are required all year round. It is a month of training, of putting in extra effort to gain the spiritual sustenance to keep us going for the remaining eleven months of the year. Most notable is the fasting from dawn to sunset, compulsory upon all men and women unless they have an excuse such as being pregnant or very young or old. Fasting is to abstain from all food, drink or sexual activity throughout the daylight hours, and the ‘nil by mouth’ rule extends similarly to smoking.
Fasting is by no means a practice born with the prophethood of Muhammad (peace be upon him), as the Qur’an instructs believers to fast “as fasting was prescribed for those before you.” In an age of faddish diets, fasting is a divinely recommended detox for body and soul. It breaks the chains of habit, especially of the destructive kind, and liberates the free will. It teaches us moderation in eating, and to value the food we are blessed with while many go without.
The value of any ritual is seen in its effect on one’s personality and behaviour. Thus the Prophet declared that “Whoever does not abstain from lying and evil deeds should know that God has no need for his abstaining from food and drink.” He was also more generous to the needy in this month than any other.
Because these are values common to people of all faiths, it is quite natural that many non-Muslims opt to fast for a day or more along with their Muslim friends, tasting that little bit of hunger in order to enjoy its abundant fruits.
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Plus something for football fans:
Fredi Kanoute: “I Can Keep Fasting In Ramadan Even When I Am Playing”
I Can Keep Fasting In Ramadan Even When I Am Playing – Fredi Kanoute
The Original Sin: Racism
Today I had the pleasure of joining a large gathering in Edinburgh to mark the official opening of this year’s Festival of Spirituality and Peace. There were speeches by Justice Minister Kenny MacAskill MSP and organisers of the festival, as well as a wide variety of performances and offerings for reflection.
My contribution was to recite a passage from the Qur’an, which I chose to do in a new way, alternating between each Arabic verse and its translation in English. Qur’anic recitation is a unique art form which I promote through an organisation I founded called Quranica, and which I practise as best I can. In terms of the science of accurate recitation, I am blessed to have learned from leading experts – mainly in Egypt – and received traditional ‘ijazah’ certification by reciting to them.
Since the theme of the 2009 Festival is “The Call of Home”, I explained before commencing that I chose these particular verses for three main reasons:
- They remind us that all humans beings share a common mother and father.
- They reveal that the true Original Sin – literally the very first sin to occur in the universe – was the arrogance of Satan in supposedly being made of a nobler substance: in other words, racism. It should be noted that Satan, also known as Iblis, was never an angel but was at one time in their company, hence his inclusion in the command directed to the angels.
- They remind us of our origin, and the home we must strive to return to by worshipping Almighty God and serving Him in these earthly lives of ours.
