TRUTH WILLS OUT

TRUTH WILLS OUT

                                                                By: Kassim Ahmad

                                                                    22June, 2017

                                                 

   English poet John Keats said, "Beauty is Truth/Truth Beauty/That is all I know/That is all there is to know/.

In my experience, this came several times. In a dialogue organized by ABIM. a Muslim youth organization on my book Hadis - Satu Penilian Semula (translated Hadith - A Re-evaluation).

   When the Malay original came out,in 1986 the Malaysian skies fell on me like a ton of bricks. Our cartoonist Lat depicted this event very well with me carrying a beg with dark skies and  storms brewing on the right.. The book was discussed in the print media for two months, half supporting me and half opposing. After the two months of wide discussions, the reactionary religious authorities banned it. It was a primitive act inherited from the European Middle Ages. Soon it was translated into English and Arabic and read throughout the world, bringing positive consequences in Turkey, Saudi Arabia and Malaysia. In Malaysia six rejoinders soon appeared, repeating their tired old arguments, which I had already demolished in the book in the first place.

   I was not the first to be critical of hadith. Several writers before me had done so. But, without wanting to boat, mine was the first all round and scientific treatment of the matter.

   The book originated from a five-part article that I wrote for my weekly column in a weekly magazine.The editor, fearful of negative repercussions in a fanatically Shafi'e-influenced Malaysia, refused to publish it. I learned later that the matter was discussed in the Cabinet and even raised in the Malay Rulers' Council. The education minister then, Abdullah Badawi, acting for the Cabinet, I guessed, rightly argued for freedom of academic discourse. My friends in the a department of sociology and anthropology in Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia was ready to sponsor the seminar I called for. However, it was cancelled by Pusat Islam/Islamic Centre. Lastly, I had to resort to publishing it through my friend-publisher Azran Abd. Rahman, bringing the skied down on my head, as I said.

   My Arab philosopy professor-friend Dr Hassan Hanafi chided me for raising an abstract matter, arguing I should focuss my attention to bread-and-butter issues..I replied that I wanted those things as well, but these can only be had through a philosophical outlook.

   Coming back to my story about the ABIM dialogue: several scholars in attendance yelled at me accusing me of arrogance. In fact one prayer leader denounced me in a Friday prayer sermon when I was in front of him.

After the prayer I looked at the village youths who attended the prayer. They simply smiled! I thought if I were in Pakistan or Bangladesh. I would have been beaten to death!

   Two three years later all of them -- those religious scholars who opposed me -- realized their error and apologized to me. God be praised!

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KASSIM AHMAD is a Malaysian author. His website is  

ULASAN BUKU

                                                                                ULASAN BUKU

                                                                            Oleh: Kassim Ahmad

                                                                                 17 Jun, 2017

                                Buku: Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Hassan, Ide-ide Reformasi Islam Malaya Kini, 2017,Strategic Information Centre, Petaling Jaya, Malaysia.

                                                        ------------------------------------------------------

   Ini sebuah buku yang penting dengan tajuk yang relevan, ditulis oleh seorang tokoh Malaysia (Melayu). Rjujukan-rujukannya banyak dari segi buku atau temubual.Kebanyakan rujukan buku oleh ulama tradisional. Ada satu bab bertajuk "Seminar Pemikiran Kassim Ahmad ..."

   Malangnya, penulis tidak mengenakan analisis kritikal. Beliau berat sebelah nama-nama tokoh-tokoh yang besar. Sementara beliau tidak kritikal terhadap tokoh-tokoh ini (malah beliau amat kagum terhadap mereka),beliau amat kritikal terhadap pemikiran saya. Saya mengalu-alukan kritikan terhadap karya-karya saya. Saya mendukung kuat pemikiran bahawa yang salah harus dilawan dengan yang benar di medan perbahasan yang sihat dan bebas. Saya menjemput perbahasan dari adat primitif mengharamkan buku (dua buku saya dan dua risalah saya telah diharamkan melalui fatwa). Demikianlah saya akan melawan buku ini dengan hujah-hujah yang lebih baik.

   Di lokasi lain, saya telah menulis eses-esei tentang "The Mistakes Man Makes", "Dua Jenis Islam, "The Rise and Fall of Islam", "Misi Besar Dunia Melayu", dan lain-lain (semuanya telah disiarkan dalam blog saya

   Saya akan sebut beberapa kesalahan besar dalam buku ini. Pertama, beliau mengulangi jenayah Imam Shafi'e yang buat pertama kali membuka pintu kepada konsep DUA SUMBER UTAMA (iaitu Quran dan Hadis). Nabi Muhammad membawa sebuah buku saja, iaitu Quran. Ada banyak bukti yang boleh diberi dari Quran. Salah satu aduan Nabi Muhammad yang agung kepada Tuannya, yang berbunyi, "Ya Tuanku,umatku telah membelakangkan Quran ini. Demikian Kami wujudkan musuh bagi setiap nabi dari kalangan penjenayah. Tuanmu cukup sebagai pemberi hidayah dan penolong. " (Surah Al-Furqan (25), ayat 30-31.)

   Kesalahan besar dua kalimah syahadah. Syahadah hanya satu.Syahadah ini terdapat dalam Surah Ali-Imran (3), ayat 18. Apa yang kita warisi dari nenek-moyang (Islam baka), apa yang didakwa syahadah kedua dibatalkan dalam Quran Surah Al-Munafiqun (63), ayat 1.

   Ini semua amat jelas. Mengapa pengarang ini bersama dengan kebanyakaan orang Islam baka lain tidak mahu mengerti? Saya amat dukacita. Lihat akibat kesilapan kita. Orang Islam duduk di mana hari ini dalam dunia? Number tujuh atau lapan. Tiga puluh tahun selepas Nabi Muhammad wafat umat Islam melonjak naik menjadi kuasa nombor satu dalam dunia. Kita kekal di situ selama lapan abad. Eropah zaman pertengahan datang belajar di Baghdad selama tiga ratus tahun sebelum kebangkitan Eropah.

   Adakah deen Islam sekarang ritual semata-mata? Cerdik pandai Islam harus jawab soalan ini.

   Penulis juga menyentuh perkara apa yang dipanggil hukum hudud. Ia merjujuk kepada frasa Quran tilka hududul'Lah yang disebut beberapa kali. Maknanya "sempadan Allah" Jangan kita langgar sempadan Allah.

   Apakah makna sempadan Allah di sini? Dalam tiap-tiap perbuatan manusia ada satu sempadan yang tidak boleh kita langgar. Kita kena makan, tidur, bersenam, dan lain-lain, tetapi kita tidak boleh melakukan aktiviti ini berlebihan. Itulah makna sempadan. Ia bukan hukuman, apalagi yang tetap. Dalam zaman Nabi, Muhammad wujud hamba-abdi, tetapi Quran mengarahkan kita membebaskan mereka. Dalam zaman Nabi kaum wanita kelas dua yang harus dipimpin oleh kaum lelaki, tetapi pada tahap universalnya, lelaki dan wanita sama.

   Hanya wujud dua jenis hukuman. Pertama hukuman setimpal, yakni seberat mana kesalahan, seberat itulah hukuman. Kedua hukuman rahim, yakni dimaafkan.

   Ada orang bertanya, khasnya tentang syahadah, kita melawan arus seluruh dunia Islam. Kita akan menghadapi kemarahan seluruh dunia Islam. Saya jawab, "Dalam hal ini, (kebenaran, iman) bukan jumlah tangan yang diangkat yang dikira. Tuhan, yakni Kebenaran dengan T besar, yang menentukan. Dan hanya ada satu Kebenaran, sepertimana Tuhan itu Satu, Tidak boleh ada dua Tuhan. Dua tuhan bermakna satu lebih. Tidak boleh. Tuhan telah memberi amaran kepada kita dalam Quran, "Jangan sembah dua tuhan, Tuhan hanya satu."

   Tuhan juga mengingatkan kita supaya jangan ikut nenek-moyang buta-tuli. Bagaimana kalau nenek-moyang kita tidak mendapat petunjuk? Kita harus semak apa yang kita warisi daripada nenek-moyang. Jangan ikut buta-tuli. Di Hari Pembalasan, kita akan ditanya. Video akan menunjukkan apa yang telah kita lakukan di dunia. Kita tidak boleh lari. Inilah yang disifatkan dalam Quran kita akan hukum diri kita sendiri. 

   Saya ingin mengulang. Jangan ikut nenek-moyang kita buta-tuli, walau bagaimana besar nama mereka. Tidak ada manusia yang sempurna. Yang sempurna itu Tuhan saja.

   Saya juga mengagumi falsafah Shah Waliyullah. Tetapi saya tidak fanatik kepada dia. Ilmu falsafah berkembang dari satu tahap ke tahap yang lebih tinggi. Kita kena ingat dan beri perhatian kepada perkara ini.

   

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KASSIM AHMAD seorang penulis bebas Malaysia. Laman webnya

                               

ALAM RAYA YANG AMAT LUAS

                                              ALAM RAYA YANG AMAT LUAS,

                                   TERDIRI DARI PELBAGAI JENIS KEJADIAN

                                                     Oleh: Kassim Ahmad

                                                            13 Jun, 2017

                                          darul_hikmah333@yahoo.com.my

   Biasanya tiap-pagi selepas aku mandi pukul 6.0 aku akan duduk di depan di bawah berenda rumahku mendengar keroncong atau musik klasik Barat selama kira-kira sejam sebelum aku membaca akhbar.

   Adatku dari aku muda dulu, aku akan bangun pukul 2.00 pagi dan sembahyang sunat tahajjud. Kemudian aku akan masuk ke dalam pejabat/perpustakaanku serta menulis sajak atau artikel yang akan aku siarkan dalam majalah dan akhbar tempatan. Oleh kerana sekarang aku dianggap penulis kontroversi, aku siarkan artikel-artikelku dalam blogku.

   Dua tiga hari dulu, sedang aku duduk begitu, aku melihat burung cak rumah dan burung tekukur liar terbang ke sana kemari. Aku terfikir mengapa Tuhan menciptakan burung cak rumah yang kecil itu.

   Mengikut Quran, Tuhan jadikan seluruh alam raya ini untuk berkhidmat kepada manusia. Aku tanya diriku, "Apa guna burang cak kecil itu kepadaku?" Mungkin sebagai satu perhiasan bagi mataku. Tetapi bagaimana dengan alam yang amat besar dan luas itu dengan pokok dan binatang, termasuk binatang buas, seperti singa dan harmaus? ? Untuk membuktikan kekayaan dan kekuatan-Nya? Boleh jadi.

   Alam raya ini begitu luas. Ia tidak bertepi. Tetapi bagaimana pula dengan Tuhan?  Apakah yang ada sebelum Dia? Atau para ateis betul. Mula-mula hanya ada gas, kemudian gas ini meletup dalam satu kejadian yang dahsat yang dikenal dengan bunyi letupan yang besar yang berkembang menjadi alam raya dengan alam pokok, alam binatang dan kemudian alam manusia. Apabila manusia pertama zahir, Homo sapiens, dunia bertukar melalui proses evolusi. Ini berlaku sejuta tahun dulu dan, mengikut perkiraan para ahli, akan berterusan hingga berbilion tahun lagi. Apabila tenaga dalam alam raya ini habis, ia akan telungkup semuanya tanpa apa-apa pun, kecuali, mengikut Quran, Wajah Tuhan.

   Jadi yang mula-mula wujud  Wajah Tuhan; sama-sama denga Wajah Tuhan wujud bayangan-Nya, iaitu alam raya. Wajah Tuhan itu Wujud Mutlak (Neccery Being), sedangkan alam raya wujud ciptaan (Contingent Being). Bolehkah kita bayangkan masa sebelum wujudnya Tuhan, kerana Tuhan wujud dan berdiri sendiri, Sebab Tanpa Sebab. Ia Berdiri Sendiri!

   Mengapakah aku bertanya ini semua? Kerana aku ingin tahu. Mengikut penyarir Inggeris John Ketas, "Beauty is Truth/Truth Beauty/That is all I know/That is all there is to know/ Itu jawapan Keats yang didatangi inspirasi. Semua manusia ada kalanya ia didatangi inspirasi. Pada waktu ini kesedarannya meningkat naik. Kia kata dia ditadani inspirasi atau ilhan atau juga wahyu. Quran itu wahyu Tuhan kepada Nabi Muhammad. Pada masa yang sama Quran disifatkan sebagai "perkataan rasul yang mulia". Quran dalam bahasa Arab. Mengapa Tuhan pilih bahada Arab untuk Quran? Tentu ada sebabnya...

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KASSIM AHMAD seorang pengarang Malaysia. Laman webnya . , .

ELEVATING PROPHET MUHAMMAD TOA POSITION OF GODHOOD

                                               ELEVATING PROPHET MUHAMMAD

                                                       TO A POSITION OF GODHOOD

                                                                    By: Kassim Ahmad

                                                                        12 June, 2017

                                                       darul_hikmah333@yahoo.com.my

   Most Muslims everywhere are not even aware they have committed the greavious crime of associating God with Muhammad. The attestation of faith is contained in Surah Ali-Imran, (3) verse 18, "God bears witness there is no god except He, and so do the angels and those who possess knowledge, Truthfully and equitably He is the absolute god. There is no god but He, the Almighty, Most Wise."

   In Surah Al-Munafiqun (63: 1) the second testimony is rejected. This second testimony goes, "When the hypocrites come to you, they say, "We bear witness that you are the messenger of God." God knows that you are His messenger and God bears witness that you are liars."

   Twenty-five messengers of God are mentioned in the Quran. Why does this second testimony mention Muhammad alone? How did prophets Ibrahim, Moses and Jesus Christ testify?

   Religion or deen, meaning a way of life is the way of life decreed by God. Because Prophet Muhammad (note that I do not distinguish him from from other prophets) except that he was the last, and he sent to the world with the last divine scripture. This scripture is protected by an awesome mathemetically-structured code called Code 19.

   Most Muslims, when Muhammad's name is mentioned, repeat the mantra sallallahu 'alaihi wasallam . (on him be God's help and peace), blithely forgetting that a few verse before that (verse 43) states God's help to believers. The verse on God helping Muhammad is 56. See how most Muslims go against God's order. Look at the consequences. We have fallen to a very low place in the world. We were the Number One Power sixty years after the prophet's death. We occupied that place for eight centuries. Baghdad was the capital of the world. Medieval Europe sat at the feet of Baghdad for three centuries before their Renaissance 

   Amazingly Muslim scholars have not answered the question of the fall of Islam. Do they think of Islam as simply rituals? Do they not know that Islam made great contributions to world civilization? It is high time they do and pave the way for a second Muslim civilization that must come. It must come because Europe and by extension the U.S is bankrupt and finished. Genuine Islam as contained in the Quran must be creatively applied to suit modern circumstances.

   It is reported that Islam is the fastest growing religion now. This is good news, but that alone is not enough. There must be thinkers and philosophers who can think through the maze of modern life, clearly define the Muslim way of life and solve its problems. successfully.  

   In this great endeavour, we must distinguish between Arabization and Islam. An Arab is a national category; Islam is a religious category. The two are not the same.

  

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KASSIM AHMAD is a Malaysian author. His website  

GOD'S BOUNDARIES

                                                                GOD'S BOUNDARIES

                                                                    By: Kassim Ahmad

                                                                        11 June, 2017

                                                         

   The Quran mentions the phrase God's boundaries several times. Since Man first appeared in the world a million years ago, the world changed in accordance with his wishes, mistakes or no mistakes. In another location, I have written about the many mistakes man makes. When the last of the prophet-messengers was sent to the world between 610-632 A.D. -- he was called by God, "a mercy to the world", because he delivered the profound Quran to the wold. In fact, the Quran is said to be the "words of a noble messenger". When he received the Quran, he was under inspiration. Inspiration equals revelation.

   It was reported that Muhammad had 40 writers. Whenever a revelation came to him, those present of the 40 writers, including himself, would write down the Quran. The tradition the he was illiterate is false, since he was sent by a prominent and rich lady in Mecca (Khatijah) later to be married to him,  to trade. A businessman must be able to count and therefore read and write. His companions, Abu Bakr, Omar, Uthman and Ali were litertate Khatijah later proposed to him and lived a happy monogamous happy marriage of 25 years.

   The phrase "God's boundaries" does not refer to what some Muslim scholars called "fixed punishments" A crime takes place under all sorts of circumstances. A man may steel money to buy milk for his daughter. One cannot punish this man as he can a habitual robber. The phrase refers to an action that is balanced. A person must eat; but he should not overeat  He must sleep, but he cannot oversleep. He must work, but he cannot overwork, and so on. That is what it means

   It is amazing how scholars can err. Therefore never deify so-called great people. Use your critical thinking. God gives you a mind that is placed at the top of your person, and covered in a hard cover. Think!

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KASSIM AHMAD is a Malaysian author. His website is

  

GOD'S BOUNDARIES

                                                                GOD'S BOUNDARIES

                                                                    By: Kassim Ahmad

                                                                        11 June, 2017

                                                         

   The Quran mentions the phrase God's boundaries several times. Since Man first appeared in the world a million years ago, the world changed in accordance with his wishes, mistakes or no mistakes. In another location, I have written about the many mistakes man makes. When the last of the prophet-messengers was sent to the world between 610-632 A.D. -- he was called by God, "a mercy to the world", because he delivered the profound Quran to the wold. In fact, the Quran is said to be the "words of a noble messenger". When he received the Quran, he was under inspiration. Inspiration equals revelation.

   It was reported that Muhammad had 40 writers. Whenever a revelation came to him, those present of the 40 writers, including himself, would write down the Quran. The tradition the he was illiterate is false, since he was sent by a prominent and rich lady in Mecca (Khatijah) later to be married to him,  to trade. A businessman must be able to count and therefore read and write. His companions, Abu Bakr, Omar, Uthman and Ali were litertate Khatijah later proposed to him and lived a happy monogamous happy marriage of 25 years.

   The phrase "God's boundaries" does not refer to what some Muslim scholars called "fixed punishments" A crime takes place under all sorts of circumstances. A man may steel money to buy milk for his daughter. One cannot punish this man as he can a habitual robber. The phrase refers to an action that is balanced. A person must eat; but he should not overeat  He must sleep, but he cannot oversleep. He must work, but he cannot overwork, and so on. That is what it means

   It is amazing how scholars can err. Therefore never deify so-called great people. Use your critical thinking. God gives you a mind that is placed at the top of your person, and covered in a hard cover. Think!

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KASSIM AHMAD is a Malaysian author. His website is

  

IS A WOMAN'S HAIR HER 'AURAT?

                                      

                                            IS A WOMAN'S HAIR HER 'AURAT?

                                                                 By: Kassim Ahmad

                                                                    10 June, 2017

                                                     

   Most Muslim women throughout the world wear the inavitble tudung or fully-clad headscarf, wrongly thinking that her hair is her 'aurat and should be covered. 'Aurat is an Arabic word meaning "nakedness" It is not logical her hair is her nakedness.

   Let me quoted the Quran on the dress code for women, "Tell the believing women that they subdue their eyes and maintain their chastity. They shall not reveal any parts of their bodies, except that which is necessaru. They shall cover their chests and shall not relax this code in the presence of other than their husbands, their fathers ..." (24: 31)  Thus a woman's hair is not her 'aurat and need not be covered. Covering her hair is also not healthy. It smells.

   However, the origin of this is traceable to the Torah in Korintus, 11: 5. Bunyinya, "Tetapi tiap-tiap perempuan yang berdoa atau bernubuat dengan kepala yang tidak bertudung, menghina kepalanya, sebab ia sama dengan perempuan yang dicukur rambutnya. Sebab jika perempuan tidak mahu menudungi kepalanya, maka haruslah ia juga menggunting rambutnya .."

   How many of our tudung-clad women know this? I bet none. If they do, they would scurry to do away with their tudung! On the other hand, some are proud of wearing the tudung, wrongly thinking that the tudung shows their religiosity. What amazes me why their religious scholars do not tell them this. Is it they too do not know?

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KASSIM AHMAD is a Malaysian author. His website is  

  

TWO TYPES OF ISLAM

                                                             TWO TYPES OF ISLAM

                                                                  By: Kassim Ahmad

                                                                      9th June, 2017

                                                       

   Do not be mistaken. There are two types of Islam, one that we inherited from our ancestors, and the true one that is taught in God's final scripture, the protected Quran. No scripture could be protected before this -- man's  scientific,knowledge has not attained that stage as yet. Therefore all scriptures before the Quran have been tempered with.

   Even the Quran has been tempered with! See how the Devil works? Surah Al-Bara'ah (9) originally has 127 verses. During the time Uthman (third califh), a commision was set up to check the Quran, his order being that two or more witnesses must confirm each verse. One of the commission's members, Khuzaimah, suggested to credit the Prophet by adding two more verses to this Surah, i.e. 128 and 129. The original Quran ended at verse 127.

   This is confirmed by history. Hafsah's copy of the Prophet's own manuscript that he wrote himself was ordered to be burnt by later caliph, Marwan! If the revised copy was the same as the Prophet's copy, why was the order made? Note that Surah 9, does not begin with the usual basmallah . The All-knowing God knew that this chapter was going to be tempered with; He therefore withheld His stamp of approval. This was not to be known for centuries until Dr. Rashad Khalifa discovered the awesome Code 19. The discovery of this code contained in Surah 74, verse 30 so encouraged Dr. Kalifa that he claimed himself to be messenger of the covenant, which was to be Prophet Muhammad. The context of verse proves this.

   I happened to know Dr. Khalifa and I dissuaded him from making the claim, telling him over the phone. if that were true, to let God Himself show it. He failed to take my advice, leading him to be stabbed to death! I happend to see that Dr Khalifa was prone be egoistical. So in my prayers I always pray that I am protected from that weakness. 

   The other Islam is the true Islam to be found in the Quran. The Prophet was strongly warned by God not to initiate any other teaching than the Quran. (See Surah 69, verses 38-48), thus rendering the so-called hadiths as fabrications tied to the great name of the Prophet.

   Strangely, of late someone has began a movement called the Quran-hour. Although I should welcome it, I am a bit scaptical. I would rather begin a Quran academy, training hundreds of students the methodology of Quran study so that in a few years we may have many, many proficient students of the Quran. The students must of course study classical Arabic. I studied Arabic at the university as a subsidiary subject..

   It has been said that Islam is the fastest growing religion in the world. Yet all over the world, the call to prayers is made, although there is no need to now since we know the times of prayers. Worse they repeat the so-called second syahadah against the clear prohibition in the Quran (see Surah 63, verses 1-2). Prophet Muhammad, the last prophet bringing the last divine scripture to the world, was only one of 25 prophets mentioned in the Quran. The ones that are not mentioned must number thousands, since every community was sent a prophet-messenger to deliver God's teachings. .

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KASSIM AHMAD is a Malaysian author. His website is .

  

INDIVIDUAL verse STATE TERRORIM

                                            INDIVIDUAL TERRORISM VERSES STATE TERRORISM

                                                                        By: Kassim Ahmad

                                                                              8 June, 2017

                                                            

   Of late there have been outbreaks of terrorism in many places. One can date it from the famous knock down of the twin towers in the U.S known as 9/11. The latest were in Manchester in Great Britain. Incidently, note this term "Great Britain". Confessedly, Britain is the home of Shakesphere and Isaac Newton -- two great names. But who termed it great? Going back in history, when Arab-Islam was the the Number One Power in the world for eight centuries contributing brilliantly to world civilization and culture, Baghdad was called the capital of the world.

   Medieval Europe sat at the feet of Baghdad to learn for three centuries before its Renaissance. Most Western historians conspired to erase this brilliant contribution of Islam to world civilization. To refute this, read Robert Briffault The Making of Humanity  and Gordon Saturn's four-volumn History of Science.

   Most Western countries were colonialist. The first wave of colonialism was Portuguese and Spanish; the followed by the second wave of Dutch, French, German and British. Was there a good side to European colonialism, meaning to awaken sleeping peoples? No. For example, the great Malay 15th to 16th trading port of Malacca was visited by more than 80 nations -- that must comprise all the nations of the world at that time. Malay the lingua fanca. Was there any need for it to be congured by the Portuguese, except to colonize and steal its riches?

   To day the Muslim nations everywhere are the inheritors of our once great civilization. We remember how we were colonized by European powers. Should we not be angry at how we were treated by the West? Has anyone count the cost in lives and property of European colonialism? I expect the cost is beyond count. It is too large. This is their current reason for the so-called "terrorist" attacks at Western cities.

   Of course the world cannot go on in this way. But can we blame the besieged Muslim alone? What about the colonial powers? Must they not be responsible too? We have to be candid. The colonial powers must apologize openly to the colonized peoples and pay token compensation, and two sides can come to and amicable solution, and thereby usher in a truly peaceful world administered in a truly democratic deliberative way without the so-called five nuclear-armed superpowers dictating upon us all!

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KASSIM AHMAD is a Malaysia author. His website is   INDIVIDUAL

AUTHENTIC ISLAM (DEENULLAH) & CAPITALISM

                                  
                                 AUTHENTIC ISLAM (DEENULLAH) & CAPITALISM

                                                                    By: Kassim Ahmad

                                                                        June 6th, 2017

                                                       

    The main difference between authentic Islam (way of life) from capitalistic way of life is the practice of usury, toned down to become interest. Usury is strongly denounced in the Quran. God and his messenger declare war on usury. Trade is allowed, but not usury. Why? Because trade makes a community prosper , while usury deprives.

   The so-called Islamic bank goes around interest or usury by making the borrower agree to the terms. This is obviously hypocrisy of the highest order! But then without interest or usury how can the banks make money? In true usury-less banks, borrowing, is taken from the money deposited by millions of people. At any one time, there is much, much more money in the banks than loaned out. The banks use this huge sum to loan out for trade.or the banks can engage in trading too. This is how true Islamic-banking system avoids taking interest or usury, which is strongly forbidden. As I said, trade prospers while usury deprives.

   Has there been any system in the world which practiced this zero usury mode of life?

   There must have been. At the time of Prophet Muhammad and the four righteous caliphates, this usury-less system must have been practiced. The third caliph, Usman Ibni Affan, was reported to be extremely rich. It is reported that the Arab-Islamic armies of liberation swept thorough the two hegemonic powers of the then world, Persia and Rome, and went to be Power No.One in Baghdad for eight centuries. Medieval Europe sat at the feet of Baghdad for three centuries before their renaissance. 

   Now we must consider the phenomenon of colonialism. Why almost all European power become colonialist: first wave, Spain and Portugal, then the second wave Dutch and British. The great Malay port of Malacca was the trading home of more than 80 nations in the 14th and 15th centuries. In 1511 Malacca fell to the Portuguese. In the East, only Japan and Thailand became colonialist, Thailand colonized the Malay sovereignty state of Pattani. Japan colonized Malaya for a time before the return of the British.

   I have one question to ask about colonialism. Has anyone counted the costs in lives and property of colonialism? It must be countless! It occurs to me that what we are seeing today in the almost everyday occurrence of "terrorism" is an impotent retribution of once colonized sovereign states of the Third World.

  How to resolve this contradiction of historical colonialism and counter-terrorism of impotent states? Look at the nuclear-armed superpowers of United Sates, Russia, Britain, France and China - who elected them? See the hypocrisy of it all? The way out is for all the colonial powers to ask forgiveness from the colonized people and pay token compensation.

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KASSIM AHAMD is a Malaysian author. His website is