Quote-Unquote – Book I: Dr. Pasha on Islam, Muslims and the World (1-100) | June 18, 2011
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QUOTE OF THE DAY – 100
No Truer Patriot or More Loyal Citizen than a Muslim
“No nation or society or country ever had a truer patriot, or a more loyal citizen, than a Muslim who truly understands Islam and is unequivocally committed to it.” (Dr. Pasha)
QUOTE OF THE DAY – 99
How to Purify Our Motives and Intentions
“People: Let us take “us and ours” out of the equation in any form or fashion. What is left will be as close to pure Islam as possible. That is the first step to purity of the heart and to the purity of our motives and intentions that Islam requires as a starting point to everything else in life.” (Dr. Pasha)
QUOTE OF THE DAY – 98
Loving America, Did You Say? Why in the World Not?
“Loving America – or any other place where one lives and works, and where one pursues one’s education and career, and raises one’s family – may be the end point of life for others. But for Muslims, who truly understand Islam, that is where life on earth begins.” (Dr. Pasha)
QUOTE OF THE DAY – 97
To My Fellow-Muslims in the West, a Fresh Start
“God gave us an opportunity to present Islam to the West in its original purity and simplicity. We used it instead for building our lives and for pursuing wealth and name, and power and position, for ourselves and our families. Results now stare us in the face. How about making a fresh start even now and getting on with the business of Taking the Qur’an to Every Home and Heart that Needs it?” (Dr. Pasha)
QUOTE OF THE DAY – 96
Damage Done to Islam by “Islamic” Mercenaries
“Some of the worst disservice to Islam may have been done by the mercenaries among us – those who turned Islam into a career path, rather than treating it as a cause and a mission that Islam was meant to be.” (Dr. Pasha)
QUOTE OF THE DAY – 95
Islam and True Patriotism Are the Twain that Never Do Part
“If you think you have to give up your Islam in order to be a patriot, you understand the meaning of neither Islam nor patriotism. Islam and True Patriotism are the twain that never part company.” (Dr. Pasha)
QUOTE OF THE DAY – 94
Character Is the Key, Did You Know That?
“It is not Islam or Iman Muslims need more of, it is character. Just like so many others in the world do.” (Dr. Pasha)
QUOTE OF THE DAY – 93
While Floods Ravage Pakistan,
Pakistan President Goes Looking for World Leaders to Meet
“It is August 2010. And it is also the month of Ramadan – 1431 – during which Muslims everywhere fast the entire day.
Pakistan, we are told, is having the worst floods of its 60-year history, with 20 million reported victims. And during this crisis the president of that country is said to have been on a fairly extended tour of Europe and UK to meet what are called World Leaders.
We may have a couple of things to say on that. First, nothing a politician ever does comes as a surprise to us, especially one from Pakistan.
Second, if all the president of Pakistan wanted to do was to fly over a large body of water like the Atlantic, why couldn’t he have gotten into a helicopter and flown over the flooded parts of his own country? If he wanted to, he could have asked his military to colour those waters green to make them resemble the Atlantic. Pretty much everything in Pakistan is run by the military we are told.” (Dr. Pasha)
QUOTE OF THE DAY – 92
Is Full-Face Covering Really the Way Out for Muslim Women?
“If God had wanted to impose a Niqab – full-face covering some people insist is an absolute Islamic requirement – on every woman everywhere as an absolute feminine necessity, don’t you think he would have asked nature to take care of it, like eyes, nose, mammalian glands and menstruation? For, Nature is the instrument, and the handmaiden if you will, through which God generally works his Will in the world.” (Dr. Pasha)
QUOTE OF THE DAY – 91
The Mantle of Misogyny Muslims Inherited from Others
“There was a time when the Christians and the Jews debated endlessly whether the woman was a human being or not; and whether she had a soul or not; and whether she was taking everybody to Hell or not.
Some of them called her the Instrument of the Devil. Others gave her the name Gateway to Hell. Everybody agreed that she was somehow a lesser human being, fundamentally lacking in the human essence and spirit.
But in the Middle of the Seventh Century – 1400 years back – Islam came and put an end to all that nonsense. Once and for all.
At least so you would have thought. But, as it turns out, not if the Muslims could help it. For, eventually, they too decided to dive into the same lizard hole the Christians and the Jews were occupying before them. Just as the Prophet, Sallallahu Alaihi wa Sallam, had warned them they would.
But, unlike the Jews and the Christians, the Muslim concern was not if a woman had a soul or not; and if she led them all to hell or not; but, rather, if a woman could have a leadership role in life or not.
They also agonized about what kind of clothes they would like to see a woman wear.
Not all Muslims, mind you, but yet quite a few among them. Especially, many of those who thought they were the better ones among Muslims – more ostensibly God-fearing; more manifestly conformist; and more punctiliously observant of the required Islamic “rituals”; and somehow, paradoxically and inexplicably less tolerant and less accommodating of others than their Prophet, Sallallahu Alaihi wa Sallam, was.
As if that was their mandate from God: Going after the female half of their species and telling them what to wear and how to behave.
So, the Muslims gladly wore the broadly misogynist mantle inherited from the Christians and the Jews, even though they opted for only the lighter and milder version of it. In the process, the Muslims forgot their own glorious teachings and traditions of female emancipation, equality and empowerment. And in many cases they went after the womenfolk with a vengeance under one pretext or another, even though there never were any burnings at the stake – a la Joan of Arc or other putative witches of Salem, Massachusetts.
In the process, the Muslims gave up education and science and turned their back on innovation, creativity and enlightenment.
They also replaced personal liberty with social and political tyranny and exchanged a democratic and egalitarian way of life for hereditary monarchy and dictatorship. And for all sorts of feudal and authoritarian power structures.
And they filled their mind with all kinds of idle thought and empty spaces.
I have always refrained from honouring these debates by joining them. But let me ask this question anyway – a question that to me is most simple and elementary. Those who spend endless hours and days debating if a woman can be a leader or not; and if she can be in charge of something or not; and then they drag the glorious and blessed name of Islam in this almost perverse, foolish and futile debate; all they need to do is just think about one thing.
That is all they need to do. Think about one thing. Answer one simple question.
Let them ask themselves: Just who was the owner, master – and leader – of their kitchen, when their gourmet meal was being prepared the previous day, and who was in charge of that cup of sumptuous tea or coffee – or some other similar drug – that their wife placed in their hand that morning?
And then let them allow their imagination to wander. And let them ponder all the Might-Have-Beens of that kitchen and all the likely brews that could have taken the place of that cup of life-giving early morning tea or coffee. And all the different kinds of poison, some slow to act and some faster to work their havoc; some most painful and some with their deadly effects barely visible to the naked eye.
No, under the eminent, capable and compassionate leadership of their women, their cup of tea was still a cup of tea and the food they had been consuming all of yesterday was nothing but food. The result is that these ingrate men live on – maybe only to ungraciously malign their women another day.
They are still alive and breathing – these ungracious and ingrate men – and continuing to make mischief. Their wives did not use their total mastery of their territory to put an end to their existence with a chalice full of hemlock. And the women of their household – and practically every other household on earth – exercised their leadership in the most positive, supportive and nurturing manner that they have been doing for who knows how long.
And then what many of these male Muslims need to do thereafter is to hang their head in shame and turn to God and repent from their folly and their arrogance – and for having strayed so blatantly and shamefully from the pure, pristine and pro-female teachings of Islam.
And immediately thereafter they need to start apologizing to every woman they meet – starting out with their mother and wife.
These Muslim men who ask if a woman can be a leader.” (Dr. Pasha)
QUOTE OF THE DAY – 90
Two Paths to Success: Islam and Machiavelli
“Islam presents a methodology of doing life – and attaining success – that is a bit at variance from that articulated by Machiavelli. To Niccolo Machiavelli, Success was the result of lies and deception and manipulation and ruthlessness — and of taking advantage of the weak, the unwary and the vulnerable.
In Islam, however, Success is a gift and a blessing from God Almighty and its path is illuminated by truth and justice and honesty and integrity and transparency — and fairness and compassion. It is often a by-product of Charity toward all and malice toward none as someone once put it.” (Dr. Pasha)
QUOTE OF THE DAY – 89
Lying Is Endemic to Human Nature,
Machiavelli May Have Just Shown Us How to Do It Well
“Machiavelli did not invent the art of lying, deception and manipulation. He merely codified it and raised it to the level of almost a science – and spelled out the practical and pragmatic reasoning behind it.” (Dr. Pasha)
QUOTE OF THE DAY – 88
Europe Makes Cheap Political Hay Using the Niqab Issue
“They lie. Those who say they are protecting the cultural integrity of a nation or society by banning the Niqab – the full face-covering some Muslim women insist on wearing in public, thinking that is what Islam wants them to do.
But to any sensible person, and Islam is all about being a sensible person, Niqab could present a serious security situation in places like the streets of Paris, London and Brussels in these uncertain times. Who can vouch what surprises lurk behind what Niqab?” (Dr. Pasha)
QUOTE OF THE DAY – 87
Indian Muslims and Their Glacial Pace of Change
“Not that Indian Muslims – especially the good ones – won’t do the right thing, the smart thing. It is just that many of them may not be around by the time they get around to doing it.” (Dr. Pasha)
QUOTE OF THE DAY – 86
People Pleasing Does Not Always Pay
“Memo to politicians: Those who try to please everyone on everything may end up pleasing no one on anything.” (Dr. Pasha)
QUOTE OF THE DAY – 85
Opiate Use of Islam by Its Followers
“Muslims used to get mad at Karl Marx for calling religion “The Opium of the People.” But that didn’t seem to have stopped many of them from OD-ing on it.” (Dr. Pasha)
QUOTE OF THE DAY – 84
If Only He Had Claimed to Be God or Son of God!
“Sometimes I think part of the resistance some people feel toward Prophet Muhammad, Sallallahu Alaihi wa Sallam, comes from the fact that he did not claim to be God or Son of God. If he had done that, the world probably would have been in a stampede to bow down before him.
But him claiming to be God’s messenger on earth, and asking everybody to follow his example of super-uprightness, and obey God’s law of perfect truth, justice, equality and morality in all things, that is a tough sell.” (Dr. Pasha)
QUOTE OF THE DAY – 83
How to Be a Republican or a Democrat Using the Prism of Islam
“It is not a question of being Republican or Democrat. It is about doing what is absolutely, positively the best for America with regard to everything – above personal interest and beyond party politics. Now, that comes pretty close to how a real Muslim would think. Except that a real Muslim may go even further and think in terms of the wellbeing of the entire human race.” (Dr. Pasha)
QUOTE OF THE DAY – 82
A Tyrant’s Best Friend: Give the Dog a Bad Name and Hang It!
“They say, “Give the Dog a Bad Name and Hang It!” In real life it often comes down to this: Give something – just about anything – a bad name; make it stick; give it wide currency; and then invoke that bad name to justify everything terrible and unfair you want to do to the bearer of that bad name.
Works like a charm. Every time. And no tyrant was ever without it.” (Dr. Pasha)
QUOTE OF THE DAY – 81
When You Lie, Make Sure Your Lies Make Sense
“If Muslims had really used the sword to convert the world, as some detractors of Islam allege, wouldn’t everybody in the world be a Muslim today? After all, Muslims and Islam were dominant in many parts of the world for hundreds of years.” (Dr. Pasha)
QUOTE OF THE DAY – 80
Truth Is What We All Need More Of
“Without Truth as its guiding light, there is no religion, no morality and no civilization. And, frankly, no humanity.” (Dr. Pasha)
QUOTE OF THE DAY – 79
Judge People Based on Their Character, Not Based on Their Colour
“Islam wants to give everyone a fair chance. It wants to level the playing field.
That is why Islam wants us to focus, not so much on people’s race, gender or age, which they cannot change; or even on their nationality or social status, which are also mostly inherited; but rather on their belief and their behavior, which most people should be able to analyze, understand and modify if they tried.” (Dr. Pasha)
QUOTE OF THE DAY – 78
Truth Is a Fundamental Requirement for Life, Liberty and Equality
“With Truth as foundation, we have a better chance of establishing Peace and Justice in this world and of realizing the goals of Life, Liberty and Equality for all.” (Dr. Pasha)
QUOTE OF THE DAY – 77
Islam Taught the World the Best of What the World Knows Today
“All you need to do is to rewind the world to the time when Islam first appeared in Arabia – 1400 years ago. And then compare item by item where the world was then and where it is today.
And then with regard to each item quietly ask yourself an honest question: “But isn’t this exactly what Islam has been teaching all this time? All these 14 Centuries?” Your answer will tell you who you are and it will take you where you want to go.” (Dr. Pasha)
QUOTE OF THE DAY – 76
Denying Rights of Democracy to Islam and Muslims
“Liberal Democracy sadly has come to mean free and fair elections so long as Islam and its advocates are not in the race and don’t have a credible chance of winning. It is the same old formula of Universal Tyranny: You can play the game all you want, so long as we – not you – will win it, every time.” (Dr. Pasha)
QUOTE OF THE DAY – 75
Islam Means Free and Fair Elections
“Where there are no free and fair elections, there is no Islam, regardless of what else may or may not be there. It is that simple.” (Dr. Pasha)
QUOTE OF THE DAY – 74
Islam Means Democracy
“Democracy in the broadest sense is the system of life and government that Islam came into this world to establish and that Muslims then gave away to non-Muslims and have been looking for it ever since. Darkness is never deeper, and the tragedy never more stark, except when Muslims, some of them claiming to know Islam, argue about how alien democracy is to Islam.” (Dr. Pasha)
QUOTE OF THE DAY – 73
If Modernity Means Something Good, It Has To Be Islam
“Sometimes I wonder if Modernity isn’t simply Islam kidnapped and camouflaged to hide its true identity – with some judicious distortions thrown into the equation. And then there are those who argue with a straight face that Islam is the very antithesis of Modernity.” (Dr. Pasha)
QUOTE OF THE DAY – 72
Progress in Its Truest Sense Is Just another Name for Islam
“For the most part, what we call Progress is the degree to which the world has inched closer to the divine teachings of Islam – without giving Islam or Muslims much credit.” (Dr. Pasha)
QUOTE OF THE DAY – 71
Allah’s Will Is Always Done
“What many of us don’t understand is that Allah gets his work done, no matter who gets in the way; and no matter who refuses to do his bidding; and no matter who drags his feet.
Whoever said: “His Will Be Done!” wasn’t kidding. The point is that His Will is done all the time, right here in this world.
And more often than we realize, which is practically every time, we – you and I – are the instruments of His Will; whether we like it or not; whether we know it or not; and whether we are with him or against him.” (Dr. Pasha)
QUOTE OF THE DAY – 70
What the King Giveth, the King Taketh Away
It was a long time ago.
“We were both in the mosque. This super-good Muslim and me. But he was a really good guy, though. Then he suddenly comes rushing to me and says: “Do you know the king has issued a decree for democracy?”
He was all excited. He could barely contain his joy.
I say to him: “Don’t you know what the king giveth, the king taketh away?”
He looked at me, puzzled, even pained I thought. I am not sure he understood what I was saying.
Or maybe he did. And I just burst his bubble.
Should I feel terrible thinking about it? I don’t know. He was a good man.” (Dr. Pasha)
QUOTE OF THE DAY – 69
Do They Even Know What Shari’ah Is?
“When I hear some super-special Muslims talk about implementing the Shari’ah Law in Muslim societies – whatever they mean by it – I feel like saying to them – and I have done so on some occasions: “Absolutely! How about we begin by introducing the White Man’s laws first?
Laws such as simple traffic regulations.
Laws such as One Man-One Vote – and the right, both in theory and practice, of unfettered exercise of that vote.
And I want to say to them, How about laws such as First Come-First Served.
And laws such as the accountability of government officials and bureaucrats before the ‘Tax-Paying Public’?
And while we are on that topic, how about an educational system that rocks?
And then you pull all those things together, you get the finest start to the Shari’ah Law you can think of.
How many of you know that is what Shari’ah is all about?
For, Shari’ah means law – in all its forms and manifestations. And it is actually redundant to tag on the word Law with the word Shari’ah, for, both words mean the same thing: LAW! Is that what is called a tautology?
Organized life without Shari’ah is inconceivable. And there isn’t a society on earth that does not live under a Shari’ah – law – of its own.” (Dr. Pasha)
QUOTE OF THE DAY – 68
Stop and Think for a Moment
“Place is Hyde Park, London. The orator on the soapbox says: “Now, stop to think for a moment!” I ask myself: “Should I, really?” Why can’t I walk and think at the same time? Or tread water in the ocean and think, something I love to do?
And why can’t I drive and think, which, by the way, is what I do most of the time? I compose entire papers and articles that way. If I could walk and chew gum at the same time, as they say, surely I should be able to walk and think at the same time, don’t you think?
But then Allah does say in the Qur’an: “Go, stand by yourself, or in the company of someone – and THINK…”
Naturally, the Qur’an is right – always. And God’s word is supreme – always! And I shudder at my cheekiness.” (Dr. Pasha)
QUOTE OF THE DAY – 67
Who Really Made This World: God or You?
“There are only two ways of looking at this world: Either God, the All-Mighty, made it; or you, Mr./Ms. Pipsqueak, made it.
By that I mean all kinds of theories, or stories, or explanations, or speculations, in different stages of baking, you may have patched together about the nature and origin of the world.
My advice: Go with what you think is right or most likely. Go with your gut. Use your common sense. It is more common than many people say it is. Put the pedal to the metal of your brain. It is only fair.
In the absence of certain and direct knowledge one way or the other, what else can you do? And when you go to meet your Lord, the All-Mighty, have your story ready.” (Dr. Pasha)
QUOTE OF THE DAY – 66
Now, To Tell You the Truth
“Every time someone says to me, “To tell you the truth,” I feel like saying to them, “What, you have been lying to me all this time?” ” (Dr. Pasha)
QUOTE OF THE DAY – 65
Past Is Not for Living, Only Present Is
“Allah will not ask Muslims about things 500 years or 1000 years before their time. He will not hold them accountable for the past they inherited, a past they did not personally inhabit. He will only ask them what they themselves did right here and now — during the time they themselves lived in this world – their present.” (Dr. Pasha)
QUOTE OF THE DAY – 64
Islam Has Nothing to do with Illiteracy, Feudalism or Tyranny
“One of the first and most important lessons you learn about Islam is that Islam and Illiteracy, Islam and Feudalism, and Islam and Tyranny – whether social, political or economic – don’t mix.
But you won’t be able to guess that by looking at Muslim reality today.” (Dr. Pasha)
QUOTE OF THE DAY – 63
How Muslims Set Asunder What God Joined Together
“Every time Allah talks about Salaat or Prayers in the Qur’an, he almost invariably couples it with Zakaat or Charity – the economic-financial levy of two-and-a-half percent that God imposed upon well-to-do Muslims.
But every time Muslims talk about Salaat, they almost always pair it up with Siyaam or Fasting. And then Muslims boast that they never did to the Qur’an what the Christians and Jews did to the Bible – change it, I mean.
For, Muslims very neatly set asunder – Salaat and Zakaat – what God Almighty joined together in the Qur’an.” (Dr. Pasha)
QUOTE OF THE DAY – 62
Killing and Lying: Joined at the Hip
“First the Bible says in the Sixth Commandment: “Thou Shalt Not Kill!”
Then the Bible says in the Ninth Commandment: “Thou Shalt Not Lie!”
Don’t you see how Lying and Killing go hand in hand? In fact, the two seem to be joined together at the hip.
For, Lying is often what goes before, during and after Killing. Whether it is in the case of individuals committing murder; or groups committing genocide; or nations waging wars of aggression on nations.
It is almost as if you cannot have one without the other.” (Dr. Pasha)
QUOTE OF THE DAY – 61
No Elections, No Islam – It Is That Simple
“Where there are no free and fair elections, there is no Islam, regardless of whatever else may or may not be there.” (Dr. Pasha)
QUOTE OF THE DAY – 60
Muslims, Follow Your First Commandment: “READ!”
“The very first command issued by God in the Qur’an to humanity says: “Read!”
If Muslims had internalized this core message of Islam to any degree, wouldn’t education be the highest priority in the lives of Muslims? And wouldn’t Muslim societies be models of educational attainment and excellence today?
And wouldn’t their educational supremacy have solved all their problems and set them free?” (Dr. Pasha)
QUOTE OF THE DAY – 59
Who Will Mind the Terrible Social Condition of Muslims?
“To many Muslims today, Islam seems to be all about fasting and praying. And then, for those who can afford it, it seems to be about running off to do as many extra Hajj as possible. The social conditions – disease, poverty and lack of education – in which most Muslims live today don’t seem to bother them.” (Dr. Pasha)
QUOTE OF THE DAY – 58
Steering Clear of the Education Question
“You attend Muslim conferences, and read Muslim writings, you will come across all kinds of ideas about what Muslims must or must not do to reclaim their glorious Islamic heritage.
But one thing you will probably not hear a single word about is how to raise the educational level of Muslims in Muslim societies.” (Dr. Pasha)
QUOTE OF THE DAY – 57
Just Do the Next Best Thing, for, That Is Islam
“Islam is all about Doing the Next Best Thing.
That is: If you cannot do the very best thing that Islam requires of you, then, what is the Next Best Thing that you can do in its place? Just go ahead and do that Next Best Thing.
That is Islam for you in a nutshell.” (Dr. Pasha)
QUOTE OF THE DAY – 56
God Opens All Kinds of Doors for People
“What many people don’t understand is that when God seems to close one door for you, he may open a thousand other doors.” (Dr. Pasha)
QUOTE OF THE DAY – 55
All the Terrible Conditions in Which Muslims Live:
Why Isn’t Anyone Upset about Them?
“When was it you last saw a real good Muslim really, really upset by the terrible social, educational and economic conditions pervading much of the Muslim world? Why, all that is not Islam? And Muslims are not people?” (Dr. Pasha)
QUOTE OF THE DAY – 54
Just Inventory All the Ways Muslims Today Defy God’s Laws
“I can’t begin to count the ways in which Muslim societies today defy the teachings of Islam – socially, politically, morally and economically.” (Dr. Pasha)
QUOTE OF THE DAY – 53
Do Muslims Drive through Life Looking at the Rear View Mirror?
“Many Muslims drive through life’s highways with their eyes glued to the rear view mirror. How do you expect them to get anywhere?” (Dr. Pasha)
QUOTE OF THE DAY – 52
No One Does Connectivity Like Islam Does:
And for the Past 1400 Years Too
“In this age of the Internet, we all understand the meaning of “Connectivity.”
Islam gave the world that concept, 1400 years ago, and drilled Muslims into practicing it, by requiring them to attend Congregational Prayers in neighbourhood mosques no less than five times a day — unless of course anyone should have a legitimate excuse.
That is as much Connectivity as anyone can imagine.” (Dr. Pasha)
QUOTE OF THE DAY – 51
Superior Human Attributes Are What Lead to Being a Better Muslim
“To pretend to be “better” and superior-quality Muslims, without trying to first embody in us the better and superior human attributes mandated by the Qur’an and modelled by the Prophet, Sallallahu Alaihi wa Sallam, is a sham and a fraud.
It is the very height of hypocrisy – and arrogance. And it will never work.” (Dr. Pasha)
QUOTE OF THE DAY – 50
Is There, or Is There Not, a God – That Is the Question!
“The greatest challenge before human beings is to decide if there is or there isn’t a God. And if there is, then, what kind of God he is or he could be. Once you get past this checkpoint, everything else is a cinch – or should I say breeze? Everything else follows, as night follows day.” (Dr. Pasha)
QUOTE OF THE DAY – 49
A Great Muslim Is a Great Human Being First
“Want to be a great Muslim? Try being a great human being first!” (Dr. Pasha)
QUOTE OF THE DAY – 48
Qur’an on God’s Boundless Love and Mercy
“Just like we cannot think of rain or ocean without water; or of forest without trees; or of desert without sand; or of sky without sun, moon and the stars; in the same way we cannot also conceive of God without the qualities of love, compassion and mercy.
The Qur’an tells us over and over that Allah’s greatest attribute is his infinite love and his boundless mercy and compassion. God is, says the Qur’an, Rahmaan and Wadood: most merciful and most loving. The Qur’an makes it perfectly clear that nothing falls outside the bounds of God’s most amazing and all-encompassing grace.” (Dr. Pasha)
QUOTE OF THE DAY – 47
Islam Is about Being a Better Human Being
“We all need to work on being better human beings first — better men, better women and better children. We may then, if Allah wants, some day hope to graduate to being better Muslims.” (Dr. Pasha)
QUOTE OF THE DAY – 46
Want to Live Free? Elect the Government You Want
“If you don’t work to elect the government you want, someone else will impose on you the government they want.” (Dr. Pasha)
QUOTE OF THE DAY – 45
Islam and Feudalism Don’t Mix
“I have never been able to understand how a society can be loudly Muslim and rigidly feudal, both at the same time. What is equally puzzling is that you don’t hear a squeak about it from any of the Muslim sources that act as if they hold a patent on Islam.” (Dr. Pasha)
QUOTE OF THE DAY – 44
Don’t Make Islam Your Refuge from Islam
“Many Muslims hide in Islam from Islam. They would rather sit in mosques and roll the rosary, which is not what Islam wants them to do all the time, than be out on the streets helping or educating people, which is what Islam really wants them to do as much as they can.” (Dr. Pasha)
QUOTE OF THE DAY – 43
Freedom also Means Freedom from the Tyranny of Alcohol
“Alcohol is a powerful drug with enormous health, social, economic and political cost, consequences and compulsions. To use it is to abuse it. Therefore, to be truly free an individual, people, nation or society must be free from the tyranny of alcohol in their lives.” (Dr. Pasha)
QUOTE OF THE DAY – 42
To Vote Is as Islamic a Duty as You Can Imagine
“If you are Muslim, you must vote! Or be prepared to answer to God on the Day of Judgment.” (Dr. Pasha)
QUOTE OF THE DAY – 41
If We Only Knew the Full Hazards of Smoking!
“Smoking pollutes! And not just the environment.” (Dr. Pasha)
QUOTE OF THE DAY – 40
Using Extra Hajj to Avoid Responsibility to Society?
“Some Muslims would rather dash off to Makkah to do an extra Pilgrimage than invest time and money in helping their own societies deal with hunger, disease and lack of education.” (Dr. Pasha)
QUOTE OF THE DAY – 39
Say in Private Only What You Will Not Hesitate to Say in Public
“Advice to those working for Allah in America: Don’t say or do anything in private that you do not wish to see make the front page of The New York Times the next day.” (Dr. Pasha)
QUOTE OF THE DAY – 38
Islam Is Islam and Muslims Are Merely People
“Sometimes I think: How much better our world would be if all of us — Muslim as well as non-Muslim — focused a little bit less on what Muslims do and a little bit more on what Islam really is! So if you have an ounce of intelligence or integrity, don’t blame Islam for everything Muslims do.” (Dr. Pasha)
QUOTE OF THE DAY – 37
How about Learning Some of the Old Ideas First?
“Those who rush to introduce new ideas into something are often the ones who have not taken the trouble to master the old ideas first.” (Dr. Pasha)
QUOTE OF THE DAY – 36
A Simple Definition of Islam
“Islam has a simple definition: Honouring Your Guest. That is Islam.” (Dr. Pasha)
QUOTE OF THE DAY – 35
There Is No Islam without Integrity
“Our credibility is our integrity. We have to be meticulous in what we do. Otherwise, it won’t be Islam.” (Dr. Pasha)
QUOTE OF THE DAY – 34
Moderation Is Just another Name for Islam
“There is no Moderate Islam and Radical Islam – except in the mind and language of professional anti-Islam propagandists. There is only one Islam that came from God and that Muslims have known for a thousand years. And its name is Moderation. Bottom Line: If It Is Not Moderate, It Is Not Islam, Period!” (Dr. Pasha)
QUOTE OF THE DAY – 33
Tyranny and Falsehood, Two Peas in a Pod
“They say Truth is the first casualty of war. Makes sense, does it not? For, once you kill Truth, then it becomes easier to kill people. That is why Falsehood is such a staunch and inseparable ally of Tyranny. They are two peas in a pod.” (Dr. Pasha)
QUOTE OF THE DAY – 32
Qur’an Is the Book of Life, from the Maker of Life
“Qur’an is the book of life, from the maker of life, for human beings on how to live their life in this world.” (Dr. Pasha)
QUOTE OF THE DAY – 31
The Human Predator – Deadliest of All
“Most predators kill their prey only one way. Humans can kill each other a million different ways.” (Dr. Pasha)
QUOTE OF THE DAY – 30
Being Human Can Be Hazardous to Your Health
“Sometimes, being human can be hazardous to your health. Look at all the ways human beings have invented to harm, hurt and kill themselves.” (Dr. Pasha)
QUOTE OF THE DAY – 29
Muslims Smoking? How Does That Make Sense?
“I have never been able to figure out how smoking fits into Muslim lifestyle.” (Dr. Pasha)
QUOTE OF THE DAY – 28
Giving a Dying Dog Water Can Be Your Passport to Paradise
“Want to purchase Paradise on the cheap? Give water to a dying dog. Or feed a hungry cat. At least so says the Hadith of Prophet Muhammad, Sallallahu Alaihi wa Sallam.” (Dr. Pasha)
QUOTE OF THE DAY – 27
Cigarettes Can Bring Death to Your Family and Friends
“Cigarettes may kill – not just you, but your entire family. And some of your friends too.” (Dr. Pasha)
QUOTE OF THE DAY – 26
Your Family Females Hold the Key to Your Paradise
“Looking to go to Paradise? Go, be good to your mother, your wife, your daughter and all the other females in your family. I don’t know of anyone who gives women a better billing.” (Dr. Pasha)
QUOTE OF THE DAY – 25
You Change the World by Just Being in It
“Who says you can’t change the world? You are doing it, aren’t you? Just by the way you are living your life?” (Dr. Pasha)
QUOTE OF THE DAY – 24
Be Nice to the Females in Your Family! That Is Islam!
“Islam is all about being nice to the females in your family: your mother, your wife, your daughter and everyone else. Go read the Hadith of Prophet Muhammad, Sallahu Alaihi wa Sallam.” (Dr. Pasha)
QUOTE OF THE DAY – 23
Islam Is about Anger Management
“Islam is all about Anger Management. If you don’t know your Hadith, or your Qur’an for that matter, that is not my problem, is it?” (Dr. Pasha)
QUOTE OF THE DAY – 22
In Islam, Education Is Worship
“The Lab to a Muslim Is Mosque! So also, to a Muslim, a school, a college or a university is also a place of worship. So, time spent in a lab or in a classroom is time spent with Allah. So long as the work you do is done for Allah and with the betterment of humanity in mind!” (Dr. Pasha)
QUOTE OF THE DAY – 21
Work with People, You Will Be Closer to Allah
“Try as much as you can to work with people and not against them. Be a peacemaker and not a troublemaker. Always remember that it is Allah that opens doors and not your own personal cleverness or the help of other people. And Allah facilitates things with a gentle and softer touch faster than things that have a rough edge to them.” (Dr. Pasha)
QUOTE OF THE DAY – 20
You Can’t Lie and Cheat to Make the World Muslim
“If we can make the whole world Muslim by lying or misrepresenting things, we do not want to do that. For, that is not Islam. For, more than anything else, Islam is about truth. Islam is Haqq — Truth – from Al-Haqq — the God of Truth!” (Dr. Pasha)
QUOTE OF THE DAY – 19
What You Get Out of the Qur’an Is Really Up to You
“What we get out of this infinite ocean of light, glory and blessing that the Qur’an is, is not a function of the ocean now lapping at our faces and at our souls, it is a function, rather, of the container we bring to it. Buckets and teacups will haul away only what they can hold. And those that have holes in them will leak and lose what they are given.” (Dr. Pasha)
QUOTE OF THE DAY – 18
Muslim Oil Is the Life-Blood of Modern Civilization
“Muslim Oil is the Lifeblood of Modern Civilization. You pull it out and civilization as we know it will come to a screeching halt!” (Dr. Pasha)
Taken from article: Muslim Oil
QUOTE OF THE DAY – 17
March with Allah’s Caravan, and Don’t Get Left Behind
“Alhamdulillah, Allah’s caravan is on the march. Don’t get left behind. And don’t run off to join some other band. Don’t stop to rest either. You never know if you can ever catch up!” (Dr. Pasha)
QUOTE OF THE DAY – 16
Don’t Just Be an Errand-Boy for Others,
Work to Become the Embodiment of God’s Message on Earth
“Our work is not about ‘Helping Out’ or ‘Running Errands’ for the big boys, even though help is always needed and most welcome. Our work is really about ‘Taking Charge’ of Allah’s Deen, Islam, and ‘Working Day and Night’ to Become Its Vibrant Voice and Living Image.” (Dr. Pasha)
QUOTE OF THE DAY – 15
Building a Better World
“Want to build a better world? Here is what we need to do — every single one of us:
And bear in mind that Islam is not — and cannot be — defeated from outside, it is always eaten up from inside — by common mercenaries; by seekers of power, position, wealth, name and fame; and by sundry traitors and fools.
I am also tempted to say, Islam is not for idiots, but I will save it for another day!” (Dr. Pasha)
QUOTE OF THE DAY – 14
Islam Means All that Is Good
“Islam = Everything Good! If it is good, it is Islam, period!” (Dr. Pasha)
QUOTE OF THE DAY – 13
Islam Means the Very Best Way of Doing Things — Anything
“Islam simply means the very best way of doing things,… whatever it is that you do! Whether you develop it through daily practice and experience; or discover it through science; or take it directly from Divine Revelation (Wahy)! Just do everything the very best way you possibly can and you will be knocking at the door of Islam. And of God.” (Dr. Pasha)
Related article: Payaam-e-Maghrib = Payaam-e-Mashriq = Payaam-e-Qur’an?
QUOTE OF THE DAY – 12
Always Do the Right Thing – and Appear to Be Doing So
“IN ALL THINGS, we must not only DO THINGS RIGHT, but also APPEAR to do things right.
Our way of doing things must be public, open, transparent and REPLICABLE.
That means it should not be beholden to our personal magic or charm or whim or fancy. But anyone anywhere should be to able to see, understand and follow our method to produce the kind of results we produced.
How is that for SUNNAH?” (Dr. Pasha)
Related Article: Conferences and Speakers: A Partial Primer
QUOTE OF THE DAY – 11
Clean Living Is a Gift from God
“Clean living is a basic right that human beings have been given by God. It is also an important duty imposed upon them by God Almighty. Those of us who have been given more and know better have an obligation to reach out to those who may have been given less and don’t seem to know any better” (Dr. Pasha)
Taken from: Dr. Pasha’s International Islamic Community Clean-up Oldham 2005
QUOTE OF THE DAY – 10
Fighting Windmills, that Is What Their Enemies Want Muslims to Do
“Keep Muslims fighting windmills! And keep tossing them some sweet placebos. That has been a standard strategy to keep Muslims from learning Islam and working for it.” (Dr. Pasha)
Related article: Islam Gave the World the Gift of Liberty
QUOTE OF THE DAY – 09
Don’t Sell Out Now Muslims! Better Days Are Coming!
“‘Better Days’ are coming for Islam, Inshallah. And I expect things to get better, Inshallah. Let us not sell out now, what we did not sell out then, when things were really tough.” (Dr. Pasha)
Related article: Whither American Muslims?
QUOTE OF THE DAY – 08
Muslim or Not, Read the Qur’an and Share It with Others
“If you are a Muslim, it is your duty to take the Qur’an to every home and heart that needs it — and which one does not.
But if you are not a Muslim, shouldn’t you try to find out what the Qur’an is all about and why there is so much fuss about it in the world today?
Pick up a copy of the Qur’an translation, read it and find out for yourself!” (Dr. Pasha)
Related article: You Must Read That Book!
QUOTE OF THE DAY – 07
Oh Miracle! Reciprocity of Islam and Science
“For those who understand, that is how it is: science done right must result in Islam; and Islam properly understood and applied must translate into science.” (Dr. Pasha)
QUOTE OF THE DAY – 06
Reach Out Muslims!
“The question – and the choice – before Muslims in the West, and everywhere else, today, is quite clear: It is to reach out or not to reach out. It is that simple!” (Dr. Pasha)
QUOTE OF THE DAY – 05
Service to Humanity Is at the Core of Loving God
“Love and fear of Allah must translate in service to humanity, regardless of race or religion. That is a central part of the message of Islam and of the model of the Prophet, Sallallahu Alaihi wa Sallam!” (Dr. Pasha)
QUOTE OF THE DAY – 04
Muslims Must Learn to Use the Opportunities Life Brings Their Way
“Life is like a window on your computer screen. It will not remain open forever. If nothing else, the computer will crash and the window will close. So read and write all you can while the window is still open.” (Dr. Pasha)
QUOTE OF THE DAY – 03
Muslims Must Play to Win – and to Make Peace
“A Muslim is not a loser. Nor is a Muslim a trouble-maker.” (Dr. Pasha)
QUOTE OF THE DAY – 02
Islam Is to Carry Humanity’s Burdens on Your Shoulders
“Be responsible for everyone and everything – from the nearest to the farthest neighbour. And all humanity is your neighbours. From the closest relative to the one who is a total stranger and only related to you through the common drop of Adam’s blood. For, that is what humanity is: your blood family.
Learn to care for them; learn to be accountable for them and to them; work for them; sacrifice and suffer for them. Learn to treat all universe as one integrated unit. You will then know what it is to be a Muslim. For, that is what Islam is all about! And you will then be on the verge of knowing God, your creator.” (Dr. Pasha)
Taken from: Dr. Pasha’s All-Day Islamic Camp and Community Clean-up at Oldham 2003
QUOTE OF THE DAY – 01
The Real Islam
“See Islam for all that Islam really is: Peaceable! Positive! Simple! Sensible! Elegant! Civilized! Constructive! Hopeful! Contemporary! Pragmatic! Problem-Solving! Moderate! Modern! Balanced! Just! Fair! Compassionate! Truthful! Nice! Easy! Fun! Global! Divine! Authentic! Original! Free!” (Dr. Pasha)