American Muslim speaks on embracing Islam

Abu Dhabi: Embracing Islam at the young age of 15, American Muslim Yahya John Scaccia is hoping to become the true face of those who embrace Islam, removing perceived misconceptions that often associate them as future radicals.

Scaccia told his story as part of New York University’s (NYUAD) second annual TEDx event held on Sunday, which also saw eight other speakers share their stories of hardship, hope, and inspiration.

“A week before I left for NYUAD I received a package in the mail from my grandmother, and I thought perhaps the package would be a congratulatory message from my grandmother for my university acceptance. However, I was wrong. When I looked inside I saw newspaper clippings about a local teen suicide bomber, and other articles of this white American who embraced Islam who left the west in order to join Daesh.

“Apparently she found out through the internet that I had embraced Islam and that I was going to go and study in the UAE. At the time I was very upset and angry that she made the association of me with terrorism,” Scaccia recounted.

After joining NYUAD, Scaccia had the opportunity to travel to several different Arab countries as part of his studies, an experience Scaccia encourages many others to do.

“They say travelling breaks down stereotypes and I have been able to travel the world thanks to the university, and in all my experiences and travels to the Arab world I never encountered anyone threatening me or showing me hostility for being an American.

“When I was teaching in Palestine last summer in the city of Hebron, the people were always welcoming and open to me. I remember walking down the old city streets and the local residents would ask me where I was from and when I told them that I was an American, they would without hesitation ask me if I needed anything, and they would open their homes to me, making sure that I as an American was safe in their country, and all this despite living under a military occupation,” he said.

With many stories coming out on westerners embracing Islam and joining groups such as Daesh, Scaccia said that it was important to dispel notions that cast suspicion on such people, saying that the radicals did not represent the true story of westerners who embrace Islam.

“We hear stories about people going off to the Middle East to fight a jihad, and in my own way I am fighting my own jihad, which is simply a word that means ‘struggle’. I am learning, I am teaching, and I am discovering the many cultures of this world. I am the unheard voice of those embracing Islam,” he said.

“I don’t fit the orientalist description of new Muslims, which has been given a stigma, which is that if a person embraces Islam they have given up on their country and their family. The truth is that the vast majority of such new Muslims care about their local community, and the whole great community of humanity, and this is what we need more than ever in the current climate to tackle the greater issues.”

Source : http://gulfnews.com/news/uae/society/american-muslim-speaks-on-embracing-islam-1.1709053

Islam in Tonga

Islam in Tonga consists of about 47 people in a population of about 108,000. Muslims in Tonga belong to Sunni denomination.

Muslim school

Tonga’s Muslim community is planning to raise funds in the Middle East to build a new boarding school on Tongatapu.[1] The school is to follow the Tongan school curriculum, but additionally offer the Arabic language and Islamic studies as options. Sheikh Imam Abdul Fader, a spiritual leader of the Tongan Muslim community and a mathematics teacher, said their project is to build a three-story boarding school that will serve Muslims and non-Muslims, especially orphans who are often deprived of education. The children in the school will not be forced to study or convert to Islam. He also said that a small delegation of Tongan Muslims will leave in June 2007 for Saudi Arabia and Qatar to seek donations and funding for the new school, since these two countries are well known for their strong contributions to the Muslim community in Australia and New Zealand.

Introduction

Tonga, or the Kingdom of Tonga, is the only constitutional monarchy in the Pacific and the only South Pacific country never to have been colonized by a foreign power. It is an archipelago in the South Pacific Ocean, which consists of 171 islands with a total land area of 290 square miles and a population of about 106,000 as for July 2011.[1] These islands are spreading over 700,000 square miles in the South Pacific and Only 45 islands of them are inhabited. Most of the population lives in the largest island, Tongatapu.
The dominant religion in the Kingdom of Tonga is Christianity. According to the International Religious Freedom Report 2010, Christians comprise 96 percent of the overall population.[3] Islam is a recent newcomer to the Kingdom of Tonga and consists only of about 25 families. The total Muslim population consists approximately of 100 people, of which around 70 are Tongan nationals. The Tongan Muslim community is very mixed and consists of Tongans, Fijians, Bangladeshi, Pakistanis, Arabs, and Indians.

Challenges Facing the Tongan Muslim Community

The Tongan Muslim community is facing a lot of challenges going forward. One of them is the issue of Islamic education. Until now, the only places where children could acquire Islamic knowledge have been the mosque and the Islamic Center. In April 2007, an attempt was made to build the Kingdom of Tonga’s first Muslim boarding school on Tongatapu, which would serve especially the “orphans who stay in the isolated outer islands or villages and are deprived of fundamental education” and will be free of charge. The new school was supposed to follow the regular school curriculum of all Tongan schools with the addition of Arabic language and Islamic studies as options. The non-Muslim children would neither be forced to study these subjects nor will they be forced to convert to Islam. But, to no avail.

However, Arif Abdul Rahim, who is a son of late Abdul Rahim Rasheed, a dedicated da’wah worker and lawyer in New Zealand, and himself a lawyer, has been paying regular visits to the Kingdom of Tonga. During these visits, he gives lectures to the Tongan Muslims, meets with them, and supplies them with reading materials.

Another problem faced by the Tongan Muslim community is that due to its small numbers, the pressure of their families, and a lack of support or follow-up from Tongan Muslims and Muslim organizations from the outside world, some of the individuals who embraced Islam, lost interest and converted back to Christianity.[15] Other difficulties faced by the Tongan Muslim community are: in the past a lot of money was showered on the Tongan da’wah operations and, as a result, some Tongans converted to Islam from money reasons, and, therefore, it is hard to know who has converted from money reasons and who did it from his own sincere wish; the level of Islamic piety and knowledge is different between the local converts to Islam and the immigrant Muslims and this gap affects the relationship between these groups; the social culture of the Tongans put great pressure on the converts against practicing Islam; and the Ahmadiyyah remains a great threat for this community by presenting its false message as a true religion of Islam.

Summary

It is important to mention in this connection that there is a lack of research on Islam in the Pacific Islands in general and on Islam in the Kingdom of Tonga in particular. Not much has been written about da’wah and Islamization processes in this country neither in English nor in Arabic and in other language. Also the activities of the Ahmadiyyah in this country are unknown. This is why it is not possible to widely explore the challenges facing the Tongan Muslim community going forward.

However, in conclusion, it is safe to note despite these gaps in knowledge that international Muslim funding, aid and da’wah efforts have been and will continue to be paramount in the sustainability of the Tongan Muslim community. In addition, its continuity depends also on the impact of the clash that might be taking place between the Tongan social culture and tradition and between the religion of Islam, which is foreign to this Kingdom and to its culture. In my point of view, the outcome of these two factors will determine the future of the Tongan Muslim community.

Source : http://www.islaminpacific.com/content/islam-kingdom-tonga

The Battle of Mu'tah

Relations between the Muslims and the Romans were strained, for the Romans together with their Arab allies used to aggravate and provoke the Muslims by any means. This was particularly apparent in their frequent attempts to attack the Muslim merchandise coming from Ash-Shaam (Greater Syria) and the plundering of the caravans threading their roads, not to speak of the stress and grief that they subjected to every Muslim they could seize.

Their abuse reached its peak when they killed Al-Haarith ibn ‘Umayr Al-'Azdi  may  Allah  be  pleased  with  him the messenger whom the Prophet,  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allah exalt his mention ), sent to Shurahbeel ibn ‘Amr Al-Ghassaani, the king of Busraa in Ash-Shaam, to call him to Islam. This situation was very difficult for the Prophet,  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allah exalt his mention ), for this was the first of his messengers to be killed – contrary to the usual generous hosting and protection of messengers from harm.

Consequently, the Prophet,  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allah exalt his mention ), called the Muslims to go out to fight the Romans so that he would discipline them and put an end to their barbarian conduct. Quickly, three thousand warriors assembled and the Prophet,  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allah exalt his mention ), allocated three standards to three leaders to whom the Prophet,  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allah exalt his mention ), decided to assign leadership of the army in tandem to. He  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allah exalt his mention ) said: "If Zayd ibn Haarithah is wounded, let Ja‘far ibn Abi Taalib succeed him. If Ja‘far is wounded, let ‘Abdullaah ibn Rawaahah, succeed him."[Al-Bukhari and Muslim]

The army prepared and marched on a Friday in the eighth year of the Prophetic Hijrah. When people saw off the leaders of the army ‘Abdullah ibn Rawaahah  may  Allah  be  pleased  with  him cried. When people asked him why he did so, he told them that it was not due to clinging to the worldly life or to them, rather, he had heard the Prophet,  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allah exalt his mention ), reciting the verse that says (what means): {And there is none of you except he will come to it [i.e., Hell]. This is upon your Lord inevitability decreed} [Quran 19:71]

Thus, he did not know how he would escape Hell, having come before it.

The Muslims supplicated to Allah The Almighty to support, protect and assist the army to return safely. ‘Abdullaah ibn Rawaahah, however, recited poetry in which he expressed his yearning for martyrdom.

The Prophet,  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allah exalt his mention ), instructed his Companions to: "Go forth in the Name of Allah, in the cause of Allah and fight those who disbelieve in Allah. Proceed, but neither break pledges, act unfaithfully in regard to the booty, mutilate the killed, commit infanticide, nor kill the recluses in their monasteries." [Ahmad, Abu Daawood, An-Nasaa'i, At-Tirmithi and Ibn Maajah]

The Muslim army marched until they stopped at Ma‘aana, a village in Ash-Shaam, and they were informed that Heracles had arrived at Ma'aab in Al-Balqaa' region with 100,000 Roman troops. His army was also reinforced by another 100,000 soldiers from the Arab tribes loyal to Heracles, like Lakhm, Juthaam, Balqayn, and Bahraa'.

Therefore, the Muslims held a consultation session. Some of them suggested sending a message to the Prophet,  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allah exalt his mention ), informing him of the numbers of the enemies' troops so that he could either send reinforcements or order them to return. Others suggested a safe return because the Muslims had already entered the country and scared its people. Meanwhile ‘Abdullaah ibn Rawaahah  may  Allah  be  pleased  with  him remained silent.

Zayd  may  Allah  be  pleased  with  him asked ‘Abdullaah ibn Rawaahah about his view and he said, "O people, what you hate is the thing for which you set out for – martyrdom. We do not fight others by virtue of troops, military gear or multitudes. We fight them by virtue of this religion with which Allah The Almighty honored us. Proceed and it will be one of two things, either gaining victory or martyrdom." Hence, the Muslim soldiers approved of his truthful words.

They proceeded until they were close to Al-Balqaa', a region in Ash-Shaam, where they were met by the Roman and Arab troops at a village called Mashaarif. The enemies went forward and the Muslims drew back to a village called Mu'tah, which is known today as Kark. The armies met there and the Muslims prepared for confrontation, assigning leadership of the right wing of the army to Qutbah ibn Qataadah  may  Allah  be  pleased  with  him from Banu ‘Uthrah. Leadership of the left wing was assigned to ‘Ubaadah ibn Maalik  may  Allah  be  pleased  with  him from Al-Ansaar.

The two armies then engaged and fought relentlessly. Zayd ibn Haarithah  may  Allah  be  pleased  with  him was the first leader from the Muslims to be martyred whilst he was fighting courageously. Therefore Ja‘far ibn ‘Abu Taalib  may  Allah  be  pleased  with  him took the standard with his right hand and chanted lines of poetry referring to Paradise and his determination to fight the Romans. His right arm was cut off so he held the standard with his left hand, which was also cut off. He therefore enfolded the standard using the upper parts of his arms until he was martyred. ‘Abdullaah ibn Rawaahah  may  Allah  be  pleased  with  him grabbed the standard and endeavored to dismount from his horse. He recited lines of poetry swearing that he would dismount, and he went on wondering how his soul hated to be killed while it would later enjoy Paradise, and said to himself that if he was not killed in the battlefield, he would eventually die anyway.

After he had dismounted from his horse, one of his cousins offered him a piece of meat to eat so that he would have enough strength to fight on. No sooner had he taken a bite than he heard people shoving for combat. Thus he threw down the piece of meat and fought with his sword until he was martyred.

Thaabit ibn 'Arqam ibn Tha‘labah Al-Ansaari  may  Allah  be  pleased  with  him took the standard and suggested that the Muslims should entrust leadership of the army to one of them. They suggested that he could do this, however he refused and they ultimately chose Khaalid ibnul-Waleed  may  Allah  be  pleased  with  him.

Divine revelation quickly informed the Prophet,  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allah exalt his mention ), of the incidents of the battle before people had received news that they were martyred. Anas  may  Allah  be  pleased  with  him narrated that the Prophet,  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allah exalt his mention ), announced that Zayd, Ja‘far and Ibn Rawaahah  may  Allah  be  pleased  with  them were martyred. It is reported that the Prophet,  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allah exalt his mention ), said: "Zayd took the standard until he was martyred. Then Ja‘far took it until he was martyred. Then Ibn Rawaahah took it until he was martyred.”The Prophet,  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allah exalt his mention ), then shed plentiful tears and said:“Then a sword from the swords of Allah took it until Allah The Almighty granted them victory." [Al-Bukhari]

Having assumed leadership, Khaalid  may  Allah  be  pleased  with  him wanted to save the Muslim army in a way that would maintain its entity and cause dread in the enemy. In his opinion the solution was to retreat and give the enemy the impression that new reinforcements had come to the Muslims. He kept his ground in the battlefield until night fell and he utilized the darkness to change the warriors' positions, replacing the right wing with the left and the vanguard with the rearguard. He commissioned his cavalry to create clouds of dust and noisy clamor. Therefore the Romans thought that the Muslims were provided with reinforcements, so they lost power and the Muslims launched a fierce attack against them. Khaalid  may  Allah  be  pleased  with  him reported that he broke nine swords fighting, with nothing remaining in his hands but a Yemeni saber.

Thus, Khaalid  may  Allah  be  pleased  with  him managed to return with the army to Al-Madeenah with a small amount of potential losses, and killed numberless Romans, which constituted a great victory to Islam and Muslims.

When the army returned to Al-Madeenah some Muslims rebuked those who had fled at the beginning of the battle. These men feared Allah’s wrath and the anger of the Prophet,  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allah exalt his mention ), so they resolved to travel by sea and leave Al-Madeenah. However, they suggested approaching the Prophet,  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allah exalt his mention ), first to see whether they could repent, or else they would leave. They went to him,  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allah exalt his mention ), before the dawn prayer. When he saw them he asked: "Who are you?" They replied: "We are those who fled." The Prophet,  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allah exalt his mention ), said: "No! Rather, you are those who will return to the fighting. You are not to be blamed; you joined me and I am the recourse of all Muslims." They therefore drew near him and kissed his noble hands.

That was the battle of Mu'tah, which was full of valuable lessons. Once a person has read about its incidents, he cannot help but admire the Muslim combatants – those amazing soldiers, 3,000 in number, who faced the immense army of 200,000 warriors.

Just imagining these two military powers leads to the conclusion that victory would decisively be in favor of the greater army. Nevertheless, the Muslims stood firm, despite a small amount of troops and military gear, to show the greatest example of sacrifice, even gaining victory against the enemy in the greatest force experienced by the Roman Empire’s army.

The battle of Mu'tah is, according to all military criteria, a miracle and a supernatural event. The battle rendered the enemy face to face with the Islamic military principle that the Muslims would fight others based neither on troops nor military gear. Instead they fought by virtue of their religion. If we intend to fight sincerely for the sake of Allah and exhaust available means of military preparation, victory will be ours by the permission of Allah.

Love of spending and sacrificing one's soul and wealth in the cause of Allah springs from a Muslim's belief in Allah and the certainty of having His favor.

The remaining question is: will Muslims develop such valor and deduce lessons from the battle of Mu'tah? Islamic military history is particularly rich in lessons that may implant sacrifice in the hearts of Muslim youth so that the Ummah will be restored to its previous glory.

Source : http://library.islamweb.net/en/article/157807/the-battle-of-mutah

Syria army jet downed, pilot captured in Aleppo

A Syrian army plane has been shot down in the north of the country and the the pilot captured alive, according to government media and the opposition.

SANA, the state news agency, said on Tuesday that the fighter jet was downed by a surface-to-missile and that the pilot ejected over the Aleppo province.

The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said al-Nusra Front, al-Qaeda's affiliate in the country, had shot down the plane over the town of Al-Eis.

Al-Nusra Front is not party to a ceasefire between government forces and the opposition fighters that has been in place since February 27.

In footage circulated on social media, which purported to show the scene where the plane crashed, about a dozen men crowded around a man lying in the dirt.

Some of them shout: "He's Syrian, he's Syrian!" and others cry: "Get his weapons off him!"

On Friday, al-Nusra and its allies pushed government loyalists out of Al-Eis.

Last month, opposition fighters shot down a Syrian army plane over the village of Kafr Nabuda in the central province of Hama.

Source : http://www.aljazeera.com/news/2016/04/syria-army-jet-downed-pilot-captured-aleppo-160405115905087.html

Islam in Turkmenistan

According to a 2009 Pew Research Center report, 93.1% of Turkmenistan's population is Muslim.[1] Traditionally, the Turkmen of Turkmenistan, like their kin in Uzbekistan and Afghanistan, are Sunni Muslims. Shia Muslims, the other main branch of Islam, are not numerous in Turkmenistan, and the Shia religious practices of the Azerbaijani and Kurdish minorities are not politicized. The great majority of Turkmen readily identify themselves as Muslims and acknowledge Islam as an integral part of their cultural heritage, but some support a revival of the religion's status primarily as an element of national revival.

History and structure

Islam was introduced to Turkmenistan during the period of Islamic conquest by the second and third Rashidun Caliphs, Umar and Uthman.

Integrated within the Turkmen tribal structure is the "holy" tribe called övlat. Ethnographers consider the övlat, of which six are active, as a revitalized form of the ancestor cult injected with Sufism. According to their genealogies, each tribe descends from the Prophet Muhammad through one of the Four Caliphs. Because of their belief in the sacred origin and spiritual powers of the övlat representatives, Turkmen accord these tribes a special, holy status. In the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, the övlat tribes became dispersed in small, compact groups in Turkmenistan. They attended and conferred blessings on all important communal and life-cycle events, and also acted as mediators between clans and tribes. The institution of the övlat retains some authority today. Many of the Turkmen who are revered for their spiritual powers trace their lineage to an övlat, and it is not uncommon, especially in rural areas, for such individuals to be present at life-cycle and other communal celebrations.[2]

Islam in the Soviet Era

In the Soviet era, all religious beliefs were attacked by the communist authorities as superstition and "vestiges of the past." Most religious schooling and religious observance were banned, and the vast majority of mosques were closed. An official Muslim Board of Central Asia with headquarters in Tashkent was established during World War II to supervise Islam in Central Asia. For the most part, the Muslim Board functioned as an instrument of propaganda whose activities did little to enhance the Muslim cause. Atheist indoctrination stifled religious development and contributed to the isolation of the Turkmen from the international Muslim community. Some religious customs, such as Muslim burial and male circumcision, continued to be practiced throughout the Soviet period, but most religious belief, knowledge, and customs were preserved only in rural areas in "folk form" as a kind of unofficial Islam not sanctioned by the state-run Spiritual Directorate.[2]

Religion after independence

The current government oversees official Islam through a structure inherited from the Soviet period. Turkmenistan's Muslim Religious Board, together with that of Uzbekistan, constitutes the Muslim Religious Board of Mavarannahr. The Mavarannahr board is based in Tashkent and exerts considerable influence in appointments of religious leaders in Turkmenistan. The governing body of Islamic judges (Kaziat) is registered with the Turkmenistan Ministry of Justice, and a council of religious affairs under the Cabinet of Ministers monitors the activities of clergy. Individuals who wish to become members of the official clergy must attend official religious institutions; a few, however, may prove their qualifications simply by taking an examination.[2]

Some Turkmen do not regularly attend mosque services or demonstrate their adherence publicly, except through participation in officially sanctioned national traditions associated with Islam on a popular level, including life-cycle events such as weddings, burials, and pilgrimages.[2] However, since 1990, efforts have been made to regain some of the cultural heritage lost under Soviet rule. President Saparmurat Niyazov has ordered that basic Islamic principles be taught in public schools. More religious institutions, including religious schools and mosques, have appeared, many with the support of Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, and Turkey. Religious classes are held in both schools and mosques, with instruction in Arabic language, the Qur'an and the hadith, and history of Islam.[2]

Turkmenistan's government stresses its secular nature and its support of freedom of religious belief, as embodied in the 1991 Law on Freedom of Conscience and on Religious Organizations in the Turkmen Soviet Socialist Republic and institutionalized in the 1992 constitution. That document guarantees the separation of church and state; it also removes any legal basis for Islam to play a role in political life by prohibiting proselytizing, the dissemination of "unofficial" religious literature, discrimination based on religion, and the formation of religious political parties. In addition, the government reserves the right to appoint and dismiss anyone who teaches religious matters or who is a member of the clergy. Since independence, the Islamic leadership in Turkmenistan has been more assertive, but in large part it still responds to government control. The official governing body of religious judges gave its official support to President Niyazov in the June 1992 elections.[2]

On the other hand, some Muslim leaders are opposed to the secular concept of government and especially to a government controlled by former communists (see Centers of Political Power, this ch.). Some official leaders and teachers working outside the official structure have vowed to increase the population's knowledge of Islam, increase Islam's role in society, and broaden adherence to its tenets. Alarmed that such activism may alienate Orthodox Slavs, the government has drawn up plans to elevate the council of religious affairs to ministry status in an effort to regulate religious activities more tightly.[2]

Story of Prophet Lut (Lot) a.s

Prophet Abraham peace be upon him left Egypt accompanied by his nephew Lut peace be upon him, who then went to the city of Sodom (Sadum), which was on the western shore of the Dead Sea.

This city was filled with evil. Its residents waylaid, robbed and killed travelers. Another common evil among them was that men had sex with men instead of with women. This unnatural act later became known as sodomy (after the city of Sodom). It was practiced openly and unashamedly.

It was at the height of these crimes and sins that Allah revealed to Prophet Lut peace be upon him that he should summon the people to give up their indecent behavior, but they were so deeply sunk in their immoral habits that they were deaf to Lot's preaching. Swamped in their unnatural desires, they refused to listen, even when Lot warned them of Allah's punishment. Instead, they threatened to drive him out of the city if he kept on preaching.

Allah the Almighty revealed:

"The people of Lot (those dwelt in the towns of Sodom in Palestine) belied the Messengers when their brother Lot said to them, 'Will you not fear Allah and obey Him? Verily! I am a trustworthy Messenger to you. So fear Allah, keep your duty to Him, and obey me. No reward do I ask of you for it (my Message of Islamic Monotheism) my reward is only from the Lord of the 'alamin (mankind, jinn and all that exists). Go you in unto the males of the 'alamin (mankind), and leave those whom Allah has created for you to be your wives? Nay, you are a trespassing people!'

"They said, 'If you cease not, O Lot! Verily, you will be one of those who are driven out!'

"He said, 'I am indeed, of those who disapprove with severe anger and fury your (this evil) action (of sodomy). My Lord! Save me and my family from what they do.'

"So We saved him and his family, all except an old woman (this wife) among those who remained behind."

Al-Qur'an 26:160-171
The doings of Lot's people saddened his heart. Their unwholesome reputation spread throughout the land, while he struggled against them. As the years passed, he persisted in his mission but to no avail. No one responded to his call and believed except for the members of his family, and even in his household, not all the members believed. Lot's wife, like Noah's wife, a disbeliever.

Allah the Almighty declared:

"Allah set forth an example for those who disbelieve, the wife of Noah and the wife of Lot. They were under two of Our righteous slaves, but they both betrayed their (husbands, by rejecting their doctrines) so they (Noah & Lut) benefited them (their respective wives) not, against Allah, and it was said, 'Enter the Fire along with those who enter!' "
Al-Qur'an 66:10
If home is the place of comfort and rest, then Lut found none, for he was tormented both inside and outside his home. His life was continuous torture and he suffered greatly, but he remained patient and steadfast with his people. The years rolled by, and still not one believed in him. Instead, they belittled his message and mockingly challenged him:

"Bring Allah's Torment upon us if you are one of the truthful!"
Al-Qur'an 29:29
Overwhelmed with despair, Lot prayed to Allah to grant him victory and destroy the corrupt. Therefore, the angels left Abraham peace be upon him and headed for Sodom the town of Lut peace be upon him. They reached the walls of the town in the afternoon. The first person who caught sight of them was Lot's daughter, who was sitting beside the river, filling her jug with water. When she lifted her face and saw them, she was stunned that there could be men of such magnificent beauty on earth.

One of the tree men (angels) asked her, "O maiden, is there a place to rest?"

Remembering the character of her people she replied, "Stay here and do not enter until I inform my father and return." Leaving her jug by the river, she swiftly ran home.

"O father," she cried, "you are wanted by young men at the town gate and I have never before seen the like of their faces!"

Lot felt distressed as he quickly ran to his guests. He asked them where they came from and where they were going.

They did not answer his questions. Instead they asked if he could host them. He started talking with them and impressed upon them the subject of his people's nature. Lot was filled with turmoil; he wanted to convince his guests without offending them, not to spend the night there, yet at the same time he wanted to extend to them the expected hospitality normally accorded to guests. In vain he tried to make them understand the perilous situation. At last, therefore, he requested them to wait until the night fell, for then no one would see them.

When darkness fell on the town, Lot escorted his guest to his home. No one was aware of their presence. However, as soon as Lot's wife saw them, she slipped out of the house quietly so that no one noticed her. Quickly, she ran to her people with the news and it spread to all the inhabitants like wildfire. The people rushed towards Lot quickly and excitedly. Lot was surprised by their discovery of his guests. and he wondered who could have informed them. The matter became clear, however, when he could not find his wife, anywhere, thus adding grief to his sorrow.

When Lot saw the mob approaching his house, he shut the door, but they kept on banging on it. He pleaded with them to leave the visitors alone and fear Allah's punishment. He urged them to seek sexual fulfillment with their wives, for that is what Allah had made lawful.

Lot's people waited until he had finished his short sermon, and then they roared with laughter. Blinded by passion, they broke down the door. Lot became very angry, but he stood powerless before these violent people. He was unable to prevent the abuse of his guests, but he firmly stood his ground and continued to plead with the mob.

At that terrible moment, he wished he had the power to push them away from his guests. Seeing him in a state of helplessness, and grief the guests said, "Do not be anxious or frightened, Lot for we are angels, and these people will not harm you."

On hearing this, the mob was terrified and fled from Lot's house, hurling threats at him as they left. The angels warned Prophet Lut peace be upon him to leave his house before sunrise, taking with him all his family except his wife.

Allah had decreed that the city of Sodom should perish. An earthquake rocked the town. It was as if a mighty power had lifted the entire city and flung it down in one jolt. A storm of stones rained on the city. Everyone and everything was destroyed, including Lot's wife.

Allah the Almighty recounted this story:

"And tell them about the guests (angels) of Abraham. When they entered unto him, and said, 'Salaman (peace)!' Abraham said, 'Indeed! We are afraid of you.'

"They (the angels) said, 'Do not be afraid! We give you glad tidings of a boy (son) possessing much knowledge and wisdom.' (Abraham) said, 'Do you give me glad tidings (of a son) when old age has overtaken me? Of what then is your news?' They (the angels) said, 'We give you glad tidings in truth. So be not of the despairing.'

"Abraham said, 'And who despairs of the Mercy of his Lord except those who are astray?' (Abraham again) said, 'What then is the business on which you have come, O Messengers?'

"They (the angels) said, 'We have been sent to a people who are mujrimin (criminals, disbelivers, polytheists, sinners). (All) except the family of Lot. Them all we are surely going to save (from destruction).'

"Except his wife, of whom We have decreed that she shall be of the those who remain behind (she will be destroyed).

"Then when the Messengers (the angels) came unto the family of Lot, he said, 'Verily! You are people unknown to me.' They said, 'Nay! we have come to you with that (torment) which they have been doubting. And we have brought to you the truth (the news of the destruction of your nation) and certainly, we tell the truth. Then travel in a part of the night with your family, and you go behind them in the rear, and let no one amongst you look back, but go on to where you are ordered.'

"And We made known this decree to him, that the root of those (sinners) was to be cut off in the early morning.

"The inhabitants of the city came rejoicing (at the news of the young men's arrival). Lot said, 'Verily! These are my guests, so shame me not. And fear Allah and disgrace me not.' They (people of the city) said, 'Did we not forbid you to entertain (or protect) any of the 'alamin (people, foreigners strangers etc) from us?' Lot said, 'These (the girls of the nation) are my daughters to marry lawfully if you must act so.'

"Verily, by your life (O Muhammad), in their wild intoxication they were wandering blindly. So as-salihah (torment, awful cry, etc.) overtook them at the time of sunrise; and We turned (the towns of Sodom in Palestine) upside down and rained down on them stones of baked clay. Surely! In this are signs for those who see (or understand or learn the lessons from the Signs of Allah). And verily! They (the cities) are right on the highroad (from Makkah to Syria, i.e. the place where the Dead Sea is now). Surely! Therein is indeed a sign for the believers."

Al-Qur'an 15:51-77
Allah the Exalted also declared:

"So we saved him and his family, all, except an old woman (his wife) among those who remained behind. Then afterward We destroyed the others. We rained on them a rain of torment. How evil was the rain of those who had been warned. Verily, in this is indeed a sign yet most of them are not believers. Verily! Your Lord, He is indeed the All-Mighty, the Most Merciful."
Al-Qur'an 26:170-175
The book was closed on the people of Lot peace be upon him. Their towns and names have been erased from the face of the earth. Gone are they from memory. One book was closed of the books of corruption.

Lot peace be upon him proceeded towards Abraham peace be upon him. He visited him, and when he recounted the story of his people, he was surprised to learn that Abraham peace be upon him already knew. So Lut peace be upon him continued to invite people to Allah, as did Abraham peace be upon him, the patient one who turned to Allah repentantly, and the two held firm to their mission.

Source :http://sunnahonline.com/library/stories-of-the-prophets/297-story-of-prophet-lut

Hints of an End to the Fighting in Yemen

fter a year of civil war, there is a glimmer of hope for long-suffering Yemen. The main combatants, Iranian-backed Houthi rebels and Saudi-backed government forces, have agreed to a cease-fire starting April 10, and the United Nations plans to revive peace talks a week later.

Saudi Arabia is said to be looking for a way out of the war, but whether Saudi leaders and the Houthis can agree on a political solution remains a big question. In a show of good faith, the two sides did complete a prisoner exchange involving nine Saudis and 109 Yemenis.

The conflict has been a disaster — for Yemen but also for the region, Saudi Arabia and the United States, which supported the Saudi military intervention that human rights groups and the United Nations say resulted in war crimes. It needs to end now.

A Saudi-led coalition of mostly Sunni Arab nations began the air war a year ago with the aim of defeating the Houthis, an indigenous Shiite group, and reinstalling President Abdu Rabbu Mansour Hadi, whom the rebels had ousted from power. Although initially reluctant, President Obama agreed to support the effort with intelligence sharing, weapons and in-flight refueling of aircraft.

The Saudis, under a new king and an inexperienced defense minister, decided to take direct action against the forces of Shiite Iran because they feared Tehran was gaining influence in the region. Although the Saudis overstated Iran’s role, Mr. Obama apparently felt it was necessary to support them, perhaps in part to appease Saudi outrage over the Iran nuclear agreement.

The cost of this proxy war is staggering. More than 6,200 people have been killed, almost half of them civilians, and more than 30,000 have been wounded, the World Health Organization said this week. On Tuesday, Unicef said at least 934 children have been killed and 1,356 wounded. More than 80 percent of Yemen’s 24 million people need humanitarian aid.

There have been reports of abuses by the Houthis, but the top United Nations human rights official, Human Rights Watch and others say the majority of civilian deaths have been from indiscriminate airstrikes by the Saudi coalition. Schools, hospitals and electricity and water supplies have been destroyed. Last month, 106 people were killed at a crowded market reportedly by a coalition airstrike.

In January, a United Nations panel said 119 coalition sorties violated international law. It called for an international commission to investigate abuses by all parties. After the United States and Britain, a Saudi backer in the war and an arms supplier, played down such concerns, the United Nations Security Council opted for a Yemeni-led national inquiry, which will not be impartial.

Now, though, calls to end the conflict are building and the European Parliament recently approved a nonbinding resolution urging an end to arms exports to Saudi Arabia. Secretary of State John Kerry is expected to meet soon with foreign ministers of gulf Arab nations. If he can make sure they go forward with the cease-fire, there may be a chance of ending a conflict that has slaughtered civilians, tarnished America’s standing and diverted resources from fighting the Islamic State and Al Qaeda.

Source : http://www.nytimes.com/2016/04/01/opinion/hints-of-an-end-to-the-fighting-in-yemen.html?_r=0