Where are the likes of Bibi Khadija, Muhammad (pbuh) and the righteous ones?
By Mike Ghouse
One of the many ways to pull ourselves (American Muslims) up by our bootstraps is to look at our own history and revive on the model created by Bibi Khadija, Prophet Muhammad and the righteous leaders. Unless we make an effort nothing will change. There is hope and here is a plan to bring the change.
Muslims are killed and burned mercilessly in Burma, gassed and shelled in Syria and harassed everywhere including America, Australia, Russia, Europe and even in India. It is painful to see such humility and there is a way out. Muslims need to channel that into positive action instead of negative reactions. Of course every group of people is harassed somewhere are the other, but Muslims are getting the bad rap, an effort needs to be made to change that.
We have to work on ourselves first; we are our own worst enemies. We harass, kill, and murder fellow Muslims for merely differing with us in belief. Ahmadiyya and Shia Muslims are not safe in Sunni majorities and Sunnis are not safe in Shia majorities. Hindus and Christians are not safe in Muslim majority nations let alone Atheists. This attitude of Holier than thou stinks, and as American Muslims we have to reject these attitudes.
Imagine “American Muslims” calling on President Trump and asking, “Mr. President, would you please speak up and do something to stop the harassment of Muslims?”
If he says, “Get out of here, I will listen to you guys if you are willing to condemn the killing and harassment of minority Christians, Hindus and others in your home countries including your own Shia, Ahmadiyya and other denominations, if you can accept them as fellow Muslims then come and talk to me?”
We can argue about exclusion, first Amendment, nothing to do with American Muslims and other stuff, but where do we go with that?
There is a leadership vacuum and the American Muslims have a responsibility to take the lead. We have to be givers to earn the respect.
BIBI KHADIJA MODEL
When Muhammad (pbuh) walked home all excited and trembling with the revelations he had just received and not knowing what to do, his wife Khadija did not discount or question him; she believed and comforted him instead.
There is a woman behind the success of every man. Indeed, the historians have written that Khadija was “the rock upon which Muhammad built his faith.”
Bibi Khadija became a catalyst in his mission of creating responsible, accountable, and just societies which is an expression of oneness of creation or simply put Tauheed.
She was with him all the way till he realized his mission. She saw to it that he succeeded in his goals. Khadija was the kind of woman that every man or an organization needs to succeed.
Khadija was ahead of her time and led the women’s liberation movement of her times. She did what no one had done before in any society, she proposed marriage to the man 15 years younger than herself. The Prophet accepted and subsequently they were married. Thus began the journey of freedom for women, the Prophet restored women’s inalienable God-given right to be free and independent. He declared that a woman was responsible for her own deeds on the Day of Judgment as was the man. No one bears other’s burden, and each one of us is a full and a dignified human.
Bibi Khadija and Prophet Muhammad had a strong relationship for 25 years of their life together. She allowed him the space he needed to grow towards Prophethood. And her support remained unequivocal throughout her life. Muslims revere and admire the exemplary relationship between Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) and Bibi Khadija.
A MUSLIM WOMAN CAN BE A CATALYST
It takes a woman to change the world. Is there a Khadija out there, who can see the current situation of Muslims and turn it around?
She can take the leadership by the horns and bring about the necessary change. If she wants to run with an already established organization and pave the way to security for every American , there is an organization waiting for her.
The Center for Pluralism is a mainstream organization initiated by Muslims to contribute to America’s peace, prosperity and success. America needs Muslim women leaders to be contributors to the common good of America. That is how we can change the perception about Muslims and earn a dignified place in the society.
It is not just the likes of Khadija (r.a); we need the likes of Abu Bakr Siddique (r.a), Umar (r.a), Uthman (r.a), and an Ali (r.a) who had committed their energies to the development of peaceful and orderly societies. Isn’t that what Islam is all about?
Our Mission is to work for a world of co-existence through inclusiveness and participation. As a member of diverse family of faiths, our efforts will be directed towards justice and equity to attain peace for the humankind with a firm grounding in commonly held values. We cannot have advantages at the cost of others. Such benefits are temporary and deleterious to lasting peace.
Indeed we aspire to promote goodwill amongst peoples of different affiliations, regardless of their faith, gender, race, nationality, culture or any other uniqueness blessed by the creator.
As a Muslim representing the Muslim segment of the organization, I am committed to build cohesive societies, where not only Muslims, but every human can live without apprehension and fear of the other. We should not fear anyone but God; the only fear we should have is “fear of messing up the harmony and tranquility of God’s creation.” God wants us to take care of his creation in so many verses.
At the Center for Pluralism, we are committed to the higher goal of Islam – that is to build peace and harmony among God’s creation. It is based on the principle that God is the God of the Universe (Aalameen-1:2) and that God has created everything in balance (55:5-11) and has given us the responsibility (Khalifa) and intelligence to us (humanity) to manage our environment and survive instead of washing away in floods, getting crushed under the meteoroids, or burning in scorching heat. He further said that we are one big family – as we all came from Adam and Eve. The best ones among us are those who take the time to learn about each other, and when we do that, conflicts fade and solutions emerge for the peaceful existence.
Prophet Muhammad said in his last sermon (AD 632) that we are all created equal, a similar wisdom found its way into our immortal Declaration of Independence 1144 years later. That, ” We hold these truths to be self evident that all men are created equal.”
God created two forms of life; Animals and humans. He gave fangs, claws and horns to the animals to square off their differences and their resolution to be “winner survives.” For humans, God chose to give the power of reasoning and the tongue to communicate and the ability to dialogue to square the disputes and the resolution to be “everyone survives.”
Quite often the question arises that what does God want? He wants harmony with which he has created the world. Because each one of us is a unique individual, he expects us to argue between us and fight for the resources like space, sustenance and nurturance. That freewill is indeed DNA’d into each one of us, but then HE also DNA’d an element of unselfishness so all of us can co-exist.
Personally, I am blessed to have accomplished a lot of things in life and God willing want to accomplish a lot more. Before my mother departed the world, she had said that she would like to meet me in the paradise and expected me to say, “Amma, at the time of my death I was helping an orphan feel secure, and was not counting the money as you had advised me not to.”
The Center for Pluralism is a fully functioning organization with a record of success in opening people’s hearts and minds. 19 years of Thanksgiving Celebrations, 13 years of Unity Day, 12 years of Holocaust and Genocides commemoration… just look at the tabs like Programs, workshops, Conferences, Wisdom Series, Festival of Faith and other tabs at the website www.CenterforPluralism.com
By bringing Americans Together in social, cultural, political, religious, civic and other settings, we learn to immunize ourselves to divisiveness resulting in fewer misunderstandings and misperceptions among fellow Americans. We have over 24 events throughout the year to facilitate the opportunity to contribute towards building a cohesive America. We believe humans are born to be good and will be drawn towards harmony and balance. I have devoted my life to this belief.
We need to reassure each other, particularly the disconnected ones, that together as Americans, we are committed to safeguarding the American way of life. No American needs to worry about losing his or her way of life. As Americans we uphold, protect, defend and celebrate the values enshrined in our Constitution, which paves the way for life, liberty and the pursuit of our happiness.
I have been managing the Center for Pluralism with my personal funds, however a few friends have helped with smaller amounts for specific events over the years and were duly acknowledged in the post event reports. Whatever I have earned is fully invested in this venture and I am ready to have it run by another individual, preferably a woman and God willing, I will continue for a few years.
Over the years, I have successfully dealt with the Quran burning Pastor Jones, Quran bashing Pastor Robert Jeffress, been involved in the Ground Zero Mosque project and responded to the challenge to Quran and Islam in over 300 TV shows including over 100 with Sean Hannity and I have brought successful results. I have organized many conferences on Quran, Sharia and other issues. Likewise, I have been in over 200 Radio Talk Shows on the nationally syndicated programs. I have written over 3000 articles on Pluralism, Interfaith, Islam, foreign policy and American politics.
One of our goals is to have a stable and secure life for every American; now and when we retire, and also secure a stable future for our children. We don’t need to live in apprehensions which can be done by creating a respectable social, religious, political, and economic and space. That is what the Center for Pluralism is all about.
If you are serious and want to know more, please visit our website and look at the work done in the last 20 years!
If I am in a car accident tomorrow, I know I will die in peace knowing that I was not selfish and kept receiving the goods and services, but also gave back much of what I received. I have done some good deeds – which the prophet defined as planting a sapling or a seed in the ground and nurturing it knowing full well that I am not the beneficiary of its fruit or shade when that seed grows to be a tree.
Khadija must be committed to build a cohesive America. No human can live safely if others around him or her don’t. Our security hinges upon the security of people around us and this very notion behooves us to build a secure world.
On my part, I have dedicated the rest of my life to keep building cohesive societies from America to India and Insha Allah other nations. This is my passion, commitment and my life. A just and a fair America is first and foremost important to me, the America that is my home for eternity and I am a Muslim by choice.
By the way, my full name is Mike Mohamed Ghouse and here is the story of my name -The story of my name – http://www.theghousediary.com/my-name-is-mike-ghouse/
Referenced videos:
- Liberty- inalienable right to be free – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pIHKA49Q1LU
Brigitte Gabriele on Supporting our work – https://www.facebook.com/MikeGhouse/videos/1438210749532124/
https://www.facebook.com/MikeGhouse/videos/1438210749532124/ - Stuart Varney on appreciating what we do – https://youtu.be/aGSti7f9F-A
- Appaiah Story – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wyDBHp4GQaM
- There are several videos out there but some at www.Centerforpluralism.com homepage.
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