My Journey to Islam

Worship

 

 

As Muslims we are commanded to worship only Allah and ascribe divinity to no other.  Who we worship is never a problem, but the why of our worship can lead to problems.

 

The problem is a subtle one and we would not be aware of it happening.  When we allow our selfish desires to take over our worship can go astray.  For example:

 

There is something in this life that we wish to have dearly.  We pray to God that it may be granted – “Our Lord, grant us what is good in this life and what is good in the life after.”  It is possible that we begin to worship for a reason other than the worship of Allah alone.

 

“I am praying – God please grant me what I want because I am praying.”

 

We may begin to associate prayer, worship and living by God’s Law with more immediate, worldly rewards.  We may stop worshipping Allah for the sake of worshipping Allah, we may stop living by the Word of God because we are commanded by God to live that way and in submission and begin to live, without submission to God, for selfish desires.

 

We must always be aware of our motivation – when we worship are we sure we are worshipping Allah only to worship our Lord?  Are we sure our actions are following the Law because we have submitted to God or because we expect something?

 

There is a danger that we will begin to think our actions are the sole cause of reward, and not the Grace of Allah.  Reward, in this life and the life after, is bestowed by Allah alone though the Grace of Allah.

 

There is a Hadith that states God has no need of an associate, and if you do anything that includes another person or thing other than God and you say it is for God, God shall repudiate that action.

 

A Muslim must worship Allah only because it is Allah.  A Muslim must live properly because they have submitted to Allah, not because they expect reward in this life.  We worship Allah because that is why we were created.  The only reward we can truly hope for is admittance to Paradise by the Grace of God.

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The Benefit of Prayer

 

 

As human beings we can neither benefit nor harm Allah.

 

The meaning of prayer varies by Muslim, for each gains something themselves.  At first glance Salah five times a day does not always make sense.  An unbeliever will say that God is arrogant and egotistical for demanding such praise.  I will give two short answers to that statement and move on since it isn’t all that important – first it is GOD; second one cannot apply human attributes to God.

 

Going back to the first statement, the benefit of prayer is for us not Allah.  If we examine daily Salah we can see how.

 

We will first look at the number of times we are to pray (for this instance I will only deal with the obligatory prayers and not Sunna prayers).  Praying five times a day makes one constantly aware of God’s presence in our lives.  It is very easy to forget God when we pray only once a day, or once a week.  Throughout our daily lives prayer keeps us constantly reminded of God in our lives, helping to keep us from straying.  Knowing in our minds that in an hour or two we must face our Lord, we will think upon our actions and wonder if we could go to God unclcean.

 

Next we can look at the times – first thing in the morning, around noon, mid-afternoon, sunset and evening.

 

Morning prayer helps us to start the day with God in our minds and hearts.

 

The timing of the next prayers is important.  After busying ourselves with worldly affairs in the morning we must stop our day and take time for prayer.  We step aside from the noise, the conflict and the stress of daily life; we take time to remember what is important.  What a benefit to us!  We can achieve a few moments of reflection and peace away from the world.  We are able to remember what is important, that true reward is in the life after and that our lives, actions and successes on earth are devoid of meaning without God.

 

We repeat the process a few hours later, then again at sunset and again in the evening.  Each time repeating the stepping aside from the temporary world to remember what is truly important.  After evening prayer we are afforded the luxury of the night with our families to enjoy ourselves.

 

We can also look at the number of Rakahs each time.  Two simple Rakahs in the morning, when many people find it difficult to concentrate. 

 

Then we perform the longer prayers with 4 and 3 Rakahs.  Four times we enter into Ruuku and 8 times we prostrate ourselves.  The physical actions reinforce the mental and the spiritual.  Many times one enters into prayer with a mind that is distracted and rushed.  Being force to perform these actions this many times helps us – it helps us enter into a proper state of mind for worship.  By the end of the fourth Rakah, the repetition has brought our minds to the proper state to worship our Sustainer properly.

 

If one were to merely think of God as their prayer, or only say a few words, since we are human it would be easy for us to forget our prayer, to go astray and to merely say the words without them being true from our hearts.

 

The added Sunna prior to the obligatory prayers go even further to aid our preparation, as does proper Wudhu.

 

Allah is the One who knows best, and Allah does not want to place an undue burden upon us and wants those who believe to be successful on the path, and Allah’s Commandments to us are for our benefit.

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 N.B. The first essay is about me personally falling into that trap.  The second essay is how I personally came to accept praying in a prescribed manner instead of how I thought I should (being raised Catholic and very aware of empty rituals and resisting any attempt to make me come to Allah in a way other than my own).  I am a very experiential learner - you can give me all the words and reasons in the world, but I have to experience it myself.  I am the child who put his finger in a light socket to see why I wasn't supposed to, or to use a very Canadian example - I stuck my tongue to a metal poll in the freezing winter to see if it really would stick.  It did.  And ripping my tongue off the poll hurt.  Don't try it at home folks.

From the Toronto Star:

 

Olivia Ward
STAFF REPORTER

A majority of people in the world believe that a "clash of civilizations" is not inevitable, and most feel tensions between Islam and the West are caused by conflicts over political factors, not differences in religion and culture, a new poll says.

A BBC World Service poll of 27 countries released today shows that, in spite of a climate of anxiety, 56 per cent believe common ground can be found between Muslims and the West and only 26 per cent feel fundamental cultural differences are to blame for tensions between them.

"Most people (58 per cent) see the problems arising from intolerant minorities and not the cultures as a whole," said the poll, done by the international polling firm GlobeScan with the Program on International Policy Attitudes at the University of Maryland. Fifty-two per cent see "conflicts about political power and interests" as a divisive factor.

Canadians scored much higher than average for cultural tolerance, with 73 per cent of those polled saying it was possible to find common ground, and only 16 per cent saying conflict was inevitable.

A "significant majority" of Canadians (56 per cent) see tensions stemming from "political power and interests," while fewer than three in 10, or 29 per cent, point to religious and cultural differences.

The worldwide poll of more than 28,000 people has a margin of error per country of plus or minus 2.5 to 4 per cent.

"Canada's showing was certainly among the strongest," said Doug Miller, the Canadian president of GlobeScan. "But right across the world, what is striking is that regardless of religious backgrounds, people aren't buying the view that there is something fundamental that is pulling different cultures and religions apart, and instead blame intolerant minorities on both sides."

The poll showed firm adherence to faith does not necessarily make people more intolerant.

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Perhaps I should show this to the local shayk, who on Friday screamed (he loves screaming at Jummah, any other time he is soft spoken and gentle) that the nation (Canada) is against us.  He also felt it neccessary to point out that an unbeliever and the Muslim who killed him will never meet in Hell - no qualifying statement about self-defense or fighting oppression, just that a Muslim won't go to hell for killing an unbeliever. I am still trying to figure out why someone who has lived in Canada for longer than I have been alive (and had a successful and prosperous life here) deemed that a salient point to mention.

We Muslims should take our own advice when we say don't believe everything you see in the media.  Fox news pundits and a few rednecks (the majority of the 26% who will not change their minds, which the Quran states is the Will of Allah) do not make a society.  And let's be honest - the 'intolerant minorities' are on both sides of the equation.

I have pretty much given up on arguing with words.  I am tired of someone always asking me why a terrorist does what he does - ask a terrorist, not me (I even saw a post from a Muslim that said Muslims owe the world an explanation for terror).  "Explaining" is a trap - someone will inevitably condsider it justification and take it as further proof that Islam is violent and backwards.  I look to how Islam spread throughout south east Aisia and the Pacific.  Did fanatic armies land on the shores of south India or Malaysia or Indonesia?  No, traders did and their example set the standard.  I have also read in the Quran where the Prophet (peace be upon him) was commanded to preach the word of Islam, but to do so in a calm manner and to leave those who reject to God.

So, may it be the Will of Allah, when I have my own business (I am hoping to buy a water purification business in Kingston, Ontario) I will operate it fairly and according to the laws of commerce set forth by Islam (which can be done in accordance to Canadian law), I will be involved in the community and hope that with the guidance of Allah I can be an honest and upstanding man. 

 

 

Thursday night I was at evening prayer and something occured to me.

 

When the imam took his place in front and the men lined up, I slid in between a black man born in Africa to my right and a man born in Pakistan to my left.  Our shoulders touching, toes lined up evenly.  And what came to mind was ONE.  We were one.  Even during my time as an infantry soldier (a job where brotherhood and belonging is stressed heavily) I never felt so much a part of a community.

 

Not that God needs a reason for what God does but, I can see the reason why Muslims are commanded to pray together at least once a week.

 

It is powerful.

It's been quite a while since I posted here, and much has happened.  One of the major happenings was a trip to India, which was incredible.  The most important thing to occur actually happened in India.

 

While in India I as presented with a book detailing the Prophet's Prayer and I began to follow it (somewhat, but that is a discussion for another day).  I have to remind readers that I grew up in the Catholic church and while not strict practising Catholic I know about rituals and rites.  That experience makes me a very indvidualistic person when it comes to Islam.  I know that it is commanded that Muslims pray together, but doing something by rote was difficult.  I do understand though the power of communal worship, and of all Muslims doing the same thing, at the same time.

 

While in India, and after a few days of performing the Prophet's prayer, the bombing in Malegaon happened.  I have seen many terror attacks reported on the news, and I live only a few minutes away from the Canadian base where fallen soldiers arrive from Afghanistan and seen the funeral processions, but never have I had a reaction like the one I had when I saw the bombing on the news.  I wept.  I felt..I said "Those are my people, that is me."  For the first time, I truly felt a part of a community with other Muslims.  For the first time I identified with others.  I was angry about Lebanon, but this was different.

 

So yes, I do understand the power of performing the same actions at the same time, for Islam is both a personal relationship with God, and a communal one.

 

My fatih was strengthened in India, for reasons other that what I described above, and I returned home with a renewed vigour.  I also thought that it may be easier to live in a Muslim country for a time, to learn and fall into the rhythm of Islam.  Here, here I am pretty much on my own.  I know there is a masjid in town but I don't know how to get a hold of anyone there, it's listed on the net but no phone number.  I often forget to pray because daily life here continues on during the day without stopping and I get caught up in the pace of business.  I don't need help in determining right from wrong, what is moral or immoral, but I need to find the rhythm, the way of life that is Islam and in a secular, western and Christian based society that isn't always easy.  So one of the avenues I have decided to try to follow (there are others but that is a different story) is to try to find work in either Dubai or Saudi, even India in the Bangalore area.  Dubai is my first choice, and preferably Jeddah if it's  Saudi.

 

So...if anyone knows someone looking for an environmental professional (but willing to explore other job functions) with a Canadian passport, here's my resume:

 

Summary of Professional Accomplishments and Skills

·         Reduced the amount of Ministry of the Environment financial assurance by over $100,000 with innovative solution

·         Compiled a research and development tax credit which resulted in credits in excess of $300,000

·         Over five years of management experience

 October 2005 to present

Environmental Compliance Manager

·         Ensuring compliance with provincial and municipal government regulations at a waste management / recycling facility

·         Cost accounting and production figures for two processing lines

·         Organization of a Canada Revenue Agency SR&ED tax credit

·         Market research of alternative energy solutions and markets for end products of recycling process

Stream International – September 2003 to September 2005

Part-time technical support representative

• Providing telephone support to notebook computer customers in a time efficient manner with a strong focus on customer service
• Troubleshooting hardware issues, software/operating system problems and internet/networking issues – including wireless technology

Stream International – December 2000 to September 2003

Team Supervisor

·         Managing team of up to 40 support representatives in a high stress environment

·         Coaching support representatives in the areas of quality and call statistics

·         Motivation of staff and peers to exceed client determined metrics

·         Counseling of agents on policy and performance issues

·         Administrative duties including payroll and attendance

Big 5 Sporting Goods – September 1998 to June 2000

First Assistant Manager

·         Management of up to 20 sales staff

·         Daily accounting of sales figures and nightly bank deposits

·         Training and coaching of staff to maximize customer experience and sales

·         Maintained stock levels through computerized inventory system

Control Power Inc – May 1996 to September 1998

Department Manager

·         Managed assembly department for oil field electronics manufacturer

·         Constructed units of up to 3500 Volts, 300 Amps with Programmable Logic Controllers for the operation of downhole submersible oil pumps

·         Testing and quality assurance of completed products to client specifications

·         Ensuring completion of orders by deadline date

·         Assisted in the construction of surface progressive cavity pumps for use with injection wells

Canadian Armed Forces – June 1993 to May 1995

Infantry Soldier

·         June 1993 to July 1994 – Hastings and Prince Edward Regiment(Reserve)

·         July 1994 to May 1995 – Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry (Regular)

·         Operating as a member of a team in stressful conditions

·         General training in weapons, physical fitness and field craft

Education

·         Environmental Technician Diploma, Loyalist College 2005, Dean’s List

·         Completed courses include Hydrology and Hydrometry, Statistics, Field Biology, Hydrogeology and Soils, Hydraulics and Fluids, Chemical Instrumentation and Waste Management

·         Knowledge of Global Information Systems and AutoCAD

 

Computer Skills

·         Strong knowledge of  Windows XP and Microsoft Office Suite

·         Knowledge of Wireless Local Area Network IEEE 802.11a b/g

Flames flicker and people flee to a line on the map

Huddled in horror in a hole in the ground

Ishmael was first yet banished

Isaac second yet inherited

Two brothers in Heaven

Weep together.

How I came to Islam is an interesting story.  First I should tell you what kind of person I am.

 

I am a man who values reason, rational thought and logic.  Mainly as a self defence mechanism I filter everything through my intellect before it goes to my heart.  Anyone who is Muslim may already see where this is leading.

 

I am Canadian, born and raised here, of Irish Roman Catholic and English Anglican descent, but it was catholicism that I grew up in, nominally.

 

I have absolutely despised religion for many years, and in fact I still to - man's corruption of God's word to suit his own needs.

 

I came to Islam because of probably the best reason there is - love.  About 6 weeks ago I fell in love with a beautiful, intelligent wonderful woman who is Muslim.  It actually never came up much in our conversations, and when it did she always said she didn't want me to change who I was.  To be clear, I did not become Muslim for her, but it was because of her.  There is a difference.

 

If you knew me, you would know what a contrary and stubborn man I am, and there is no way that I would bend to the will of another person.  In fact, accepting anything, any kind of submission was virtually impossible - I needed the control. 

 

In order to better understand the woman I loved and where she came from, I began to read the Quran.  I didn't get very far into it before I submitted to God.  My plan was, as always, investigate first - read the Quran all the way through and then maybe if I thought it was acceptable I could do it.  I got as far as the second Surah. 

 

Things were happening rapidly.  Suddenly things would happen that there was no chance of being coincidence, and when looking back on my life I counted the amount of times I should have been dead and for some reason survived.  Hanging from scaffolding around a church steeple 6 stories up, one foot barely on the plank and one hand on a bar just in time to prevent a fall.  Drunk.  A near weapon explosion on a firing range.   A little incident with the Outlaws Motorcyle Club. The list goes on.

 

I wanted something so badly that I said to God I would do anything, just show me.  I did that for two reasons - the first was selfish because I wanted something desparately, the second was to have the help should it not happen.  It wasn't a bargain this time.  Then, after sometime previous to that of rolling the words "There is no god but Allah and Muhammed is the last Prophet" in my head a few times, I said them.  First to myself in my heart, then to her.

 

You may be wondering if I received what I asked for.  Well no, not yet anyway.  As a matter of fact in that area I have had some bad news at times.  Yet, surprising myself, I didn't turn away for God.  Instead I asked for God's help.  I have however, received strength, a calm that was always lacking in me and some other things that I had wanted for a while, but had never asked God for.

 

One of the things I received, through the Grace of God, came after I had a moment of weakness, asked forgiveness, and almost immediately after got the good news.  In the preceding weeks, by experience, it would have been bad news. 

 

Now for some irony, we will go back to my reason, rational thought and logic.  I became Muslim before reading all of the Quran - only up to Surah 2.  Had I read all the way first, it would still have appealed to my reason.

 

As i give examples from the Quran, it should be noted that my primary transliteration is The Message of the Quran by Muhammad Asad, which is important in this particular quote.

 

2: 163

AND YOUR GOD is the One God: there is no deity save Him, the Most Gracious, the Dispenser of Grace. (2: 164) Verily, in the creation of the heavens and of the earth, and the succession of night and day: and in the ships that speed through the sea with what is useful to man: and in the waters which God sends down from the sky, giving life thereby to the earth after it had, been lifeless, and causing all manner of living creatures to multiply thereon: and in the change of the winds, and the clouds that run their appointed courses between sky and earth: [in all this] there are messages indeed for people who use their reason.

 

The last word, "reason" - other transliterations use "understanding" etc.  I doubt I would have made so concrete a conclusion with any word other than "reason".

 

A year ago I used the Law of Conservation of Mass and Energy to prove the existence of a "higher being".  Since matter and energy can be neither created nor destroyed, in order for the universe to exist the laws of physics would have to be broken.  Or created.  The math of the universe - the alignment of the planets, the properties of water that make it physically impossible to leave the earth's atmosphere, the mathematical precision of flower petals (look up Fibonnaci numbers), the function of bacteria etc.  The above passage seemed written for me.

 

Next is Surah 96, that I came across accidentally only a few days ago (I am not that far in yet).  Asad's translation uses germ-cell.

1) READ 1 in the name of thy Sustainer, who has created –

 (2) created man out of a germ-cell! 2

 (3) Read - for thy Sustainer is the Most Bountiful One

 (4) who has taught [man] the use of the pen –

 (5) taught man what he did not know! 3

 

Other transliterations use "clot" or "blood clot", and again by accident - had I seen "The Clot" my interest would not have been piqued the same as seeing "The Germ-cell".  I have yet to determine which is the closest but, it doesn't matter much.  Here is the Quran saying man had biological origins.  It also does not discount the possibility of evolution (but that is for another discussion).  The Quran does not assault my intellect - it allows for science, and reason.  Note God's command to READ!  To learn!  To put the Word of God down permanently to avoid the possible corruption of the oral tradition.

 

If you are Muslim you will notice a few things about my writing style.  First I usually say God instead of Allah, that is merely habit and I am still talking about the same God and God knows that.  Second, I do not use (PBUH) or (SAW) etc.  To start with, simply typing (PBUH) instead of peace be upon him is well, slack.  I have yet to read in the Quran where is says one must use those terms, and until I do I most likely won't.  It is not a matter of disrespect, but I only go from the Quran.  It is the Final Revalation, it is not incomplete and to be honest tradition doesn't interest me much.  I don't trust man, or what man has written, or what man has decreed what should be done.  I do not need anyone to interpret the Quran for me (I read through a couple of transliterations until I can learn Arabic), although at times I may need clarification on a translation when some seem to conflict.  I truly only trust one person for any kind of real guidance here on earth - her, who shall be known as Raven.

 

If I sin, I sin against myself (another wording in the Quran that I truly do like) and I am the one who answers for my sins, therefor it is my responsibility to learn what God wants.  I cannot rely on another to do that for me.

 

If you wish to leave comments I welcome them.  If you wish an intelligent discourse, I welcome that as well.  If however, you wish to be dogmatic, hateful and intolerant, then I shall follow the words of the Quran and not even argue with you.  THere is not complusion in Islam, no "conversion" is done, and I won't even try.