Hasan A. Yahya, Ph.Ds
Ignorance does not mean illiteracy or lack of knowledge. Ignorance is a willful neglect or refusal to acquire knowledge which one may acquire and it is his duty to have. It is the condition of being ignorant; the want of knowledge in general, or in relation to a particular subject; the state of being uneducated or uninformed. The worse may be happen when people reject to understand or to know more about something they have already made themselves satisfied with their mental states as knowing enough, and they do not want to know more. This situation gets worse, when it comes to knowledge about Islam.
Beautiful Islam, is a simple religion, depends on the oneness of God (Allah), Any one man or woman accepts this principle is a Muslim, no matter what his or her religion is. This idea makes people accept for a certain degree other basic principles of Islam, like the Prophethood of Muhammad, prayers, fasting, giving alms, and pilgrimage performance if they are able to do so, physically and financially.
To be a strong Muslim or weak Muslim, it is up to the person, his or her environment, but both remain Muslims. In one tradition of the Prophet, (pbuh) says: If you hear a statement calls for good actions, even I did not say it, consider it as if I said it. What does that mean, it means that ordinary people who have their own understanding can be judges for themselves. And distinguish between good and bad. This ability of normal and ordinary people, gives them the sense of Islamic belief.
In recent years, types of ignorance were noticed on the internet, in books, on TV shows, and market places. For example, calling to ban Islam as a faith in western Countries cannot be made without suspition of ignorance. Another example, attacking Islam, Muslims,Qur’an, and more annoying for Muslims, the attacks on Muhammad, the Prophet of Islam.
Islam is a beautiful religion, calls for peace of mind. Especially when a person performs prayer. The feeling of security and satisfaction cannot be described in a prayer time, where no objects come between the person and God. It’s a pure feeling. Those who believe in Islam feel it every time they pray. Five times a day, few minutes each time. Very simple in practicing, without rush or force other than the force of belief in one self and One God.
Many ignorant people, which come under the definition in the start of this article, do not want this self-satisfaction or self security in the company of God. While they are accepted as they choose what they wanted, it is the right of those who chose to be close to God, believing His Oneness and Might, and acting according to that belief, whither they have Hijab, or certain dress. While we encourage certain dress in sports, and accept it as a norm in the USA in the hockey, football, and swimming or accepting the one piece or two pieces dress for women on the beach, we have to accept the Hijab dress for Muslims, the Hat cover for Sikhs, the head cover for church or funeral goers in a free land.
Ignorance of these practices should be overcome, by knowing more about the beautiful things in Islam, from accepting God as One and Only God, to ability of performing pilgrimage. Muslims everywhere, can be between the two, the strength of faith is characterized by the ability of person, male or female, to perform one or more of Islamic obligations, But all of them follow one beautiful Islam, Islam of mind and passion by choice. The same can be said on any other faith, Because the God of Islam (Allah)gives human beings the choice to be or not to be Muslims. It is the human choice to select by permission of God. Because the selection has consequences any person is responsible for his or her choice. ( 673 words) www.askdryahya.com
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