To understand this, you need to understand my background as a Muslim, what my sources of education were and what experiences I went through. Mere arguments are not what brought me to this change.
I grew up knowing very little about Islam. My understanding was essentially that I was not supposed to drink, eat pork, or have girlfriends. I knew there were 5 daily prayers, but could not mention their number of rakahs, much less their names. I was ignorant of my ignorance.
When I entered college, I envisioned myself engaging in sins just like the people around me. But something happened, and my mother’s lessons from childhood really made me reconsider. Mind you, the skinny ignorant 18 year old version of myself was offered drugs, alcohol and zinnah on a daily basis – literally. On the weekends, my hallmates would go out and live that typical freshman college lifestyle. They would come back at 4am and talking about who was “so wasted” and how hot some girl was. All the while, I sat in my dorm and did nothing. TV was boring, no one was on AIM, sites like Facebook did not exist. Every week I looked forward to the weekend so that I could have time off school, and every weekend I looked forward to the week to rescue me from loneliness. You might find this crazy, but I watched all three of the Godfather movies around 9 times each, just to pacify myself.
I discovered the MSA around the same time. They were a beacon of hope. Here are Muslims who are funny, smart, educated, good looking…and yet religious. Just what I needed. They were the alternative to the corruption I was around. One day, I attended a halaqa, which they would have once a week or so, and the speaker talked about the dhikr (remembrances done as a chant) after prayer. I had been taught them as a child, but forgot what they were, so I asked. One of the guys there, an Afghan, told me them, wrote it down on a paper, and gave it to me. I used that paper for a few months to come.
It just so happened that a few days later I was going to meet this girl I was semi-interested in for lunch, when I ran into that same Afghan guy again. He said he had been thinking of me and wanted to teach me some more. Instead of meeting that girl, I went to his place where I met his roommates. He made food for everyone and we spent a few hours talking. I said I was interested in learning about Islam more, and he was much obliged. I remember, he re-taught me how to read Arabic, some basic fiqh, other aspects that I simply did not learn as a child.
During those lessons, he would gradually slip in a few Salafi talking points. I still recall the very first one, that Allah has a hand, how? We don’t know. The book of graciously provided was Nasir al-Deen al-Albani’s book. I was told that the Asharis were bad and corrupt, though I cannot recall the word ‘deviant’ ever used. I accepted then without question. What else did I know?
Around the same time, I started asking slightly more detailed questions about the Deen, mostly revolving around practice (fiqh). From the MSA, I was introduced to the concept of the madhhabs. This notion seemed entirely alien to me. So now there are four versions of Islam? I was taught since childhood that there was only one Islam. This particular dispute caused some arguments, but nothing serious. Even my immediate roommate and I would argue, but it never caused any serious problems.
After two years, I later transferred to another university. Most of the MSA were Salafi, but I did not think much of it. In retrospect, I realized that they were slowly unintentionally influencing me. I also started taking Al-Maghrib classes for the first time. Honestly, I benefited a lot. I started praying Fajr on a consistent basis for the first time, I started to appreciate the Qur’an more, started to expand my understanding of the Deen, lots more. When I graduated, I started taking Islam more seriously than I ever had before. I read more books, took more classes, attended the masjid on a nightly basis, and so on. I used to go to a local Islamic book store, purchase a book or two, and read it within the week. For a short time, I cut Facebook and AIM. Once, my mom walked into my room to find me memorizing the Qur’an. It was a great time and I think Allah for it.
Around this time, I completely accepted the ideas of Salafiyya. I perceived it as a pure Islam, not invaded by cultural innovations. Keep in mind, I was somewhat critical of Pakistani culture throughout this, so kind of “Pakistani Islam” was wrong, while I perceived all Arab culture as 100% pure Islam.
Then the break…there were two main breaks in my acceptance of Salafiyya, one was a sudden loss based on emotion, and the other was gradual and intellectual.
The emotional break took place over the course of a few days. I found myself very depressed. Deeply depressed. But, reading the same books, the same articles, all the intellectualism that Salafiyya offered did not help me. I would get upset or find ways to argue against the answers it provided me. The worst betrayal was how the Salafis would treat me. When I would speak to them or ask probing questions in my desperation, I would get yelled at or talked down to. In one particular case, it was especially offensive and rude from someone who had studied for a long time. I thought to myself, how can someone who studied so much behave this way? Hasn’t Islam tempered his emotions and made his character like that of the Prophet صلى الله عليه و سلم? This was not the first time I had seen this kind of behavior, but it was a major turning point.
The intellectual change was different. It started with fiqh. The argument I was taught was that we follow the Qur’an and Sunnah say, not what an Imam from 1400 years ago said. I liked the idea of following the Qur’an and Sunnah overly blindly following some mere interpretation. But what I started to realize was that I was doing exactly that – I was blindly following the interpretations of the likes of Al-Albani. What different did it make whether I was following a Salafi Shaykh’s opinion? It was blind following both ways. But at least the madhhabs were from the period of the Salaf, while these people were from contemporary times. I was already on my way out of it, and it was an Al-Maghrib teacher who ultimately solidified my resolve, and I chose the Shafi’i madhhab. With regards the ‘aqidah, I found them placing a lot of emphasis on things that really had no importance to me in my day to day life, like where is Allah and what kind of hand he has. With regards to spirituality, I felt that the Salafi approach was empty. It was about actions, but when push came to shove, it offered no solution to finding a way out. What helped me out where the long talks I had with my friend of the Shadhili Sufi tariqa.
For a short while I fell in line with the Naqshbandi-Haqqani Tariqa. But to be honest, they were constantly rude, insulting, and condescending to me. Their local leader would use extremely hurtful comments to me, sometimes for fun as if it was a sport. Their Shaykh once started calling me “Pepsi” because I was wearing a shirt that had a Pepsi logo on it. I found that rude. I heard him curse on two separate occasions, very unbecoming. Their Shaykh barely knows Arabic and mispronounces tons of words. They pray faster than anyone can, even faster than I can recite Surah al-Fatiha even if I rush it. I know on at least one occasion the constant rude comments almost resulted in a fight breaking out between a mureed and a former Shi’a. They overate and talked down about women and many times directly to women. They all but completely reject learning Islamic knowledge So that Tariqa turned me off. However, I also saw many good things in them. So I was confused.
While I liked the Shadhili order, their Shaykh is about a 2 hour drive away from me. I needed something a bit more consistent. I found the Naqshbandi-Mujaddidi tariqa. I like them a lot, they married Islamic knowledge with spirituality. I wish I could be half of what their mureeds are like.
I could go on…but that’s enough for now.
The Critically Cognitive 
The Bad Reason for the Second Amendment
October 7, 2013 Leave a comment
I’m very pro-2nd amendment, I personally own a .22LR rifle, used to own a 9mm, and plan to buy a Mosin-Nagant sometime in the future. However, I completely fail to understand the rationale of some, not all, gun-rights activists. Specifically, those who argue that guns are a necessary tool to over-throw or push back a tyrannical government in the impending future dystopia.
First off, the following reasons in support of the second amendment are unquestionably legitimate:
Now that that’s out of the way, lets talk about the one majorly invalid reason: Fighting back against an out of control government. This almost always take the form of the US federal government restricting freedoms, putting people in camps, devaluing the currently, and what they call “Shit Hits the Fan” scenarios. If this is your primary reason for owning a firearm, your reason is not only irrational, it is absurd and going to get you, your family and potentially your neighbors killed. Turn back while you have time and support peace!
The inferiority of militia groups
If you ever spend time looking up militia groups online, you cannot help but not take them seriously. They’re mostly immature, army-wanna young guys looking for a fight. At best, they have small arms, camouflage clothing, and spirit. At worst, they’re overweight, boast minimal training, mostly consisting of running around with their gun, and are highly irresponsible with their rhetoric. Its as if they want a conflict to break out!
Realistically speaking, if the government wanted to stop your and your cell, short of going into hiding, they would kill you in a heart-beat. If you were ever found to be a serious threat, they would send a drone to bomb you and your entire group. They could do this from 100 miles away, without you having the slightest idea it was coming. And not, your militia group would be relegated to the mountains and die of starvation or exposure, far away from the areas they want to control. I don’t care if you have 10,000 rounds per soul, you would not stand a chance.
In open conflict, a well-trained, well-equipped, well-funded, well-established National Guard would make short-work of these militia-types. It will not be a Second American Revolution, it would be an entirely asymmetric conflict with the Federal Troops winning.
The Eventuality of Conflicts
Even if you could eventually defeat a tyrannical government, its not always worth it. Put down your romanticism and look at the human cost of civil wars.
The past fifty years have seen countless conflicts against national governments. Two examples that immediately come to mind are the Chechen separatist movement of the ’90s and Syrian Rebels in the on-going civil war. In both cases, smaller, less-equipped irregular troops were able to deal a serious blow to the national military. But, at what cost?
I have no defined views on who to support in the Syrian conflict, its one big SHTF scenario. But what I can say is that millions of people have had their lives destroyed, lost limbs, been traumatized, had their wealth and fortunes destroyed, lost family members, and seen their proud country reduced to rubble. An estimated 1.7 Million people have left to neighboring Lebanon, Jordan and Turkey. And even when this damn war ends, the country will be left with open-wounds along sectarian and political divides that never existed in the past — at least not like this.
In the case of Chechnya, the capital city Grozny was reduced to a heap of rubble. I once read that 1/4th of the entire ethnic group was killed in the two wars. Watch the following video. If you eyes are dry after watching this, your heart is dead.
That poor boy looking for his sister…
That is war! Even if you are fine, suited up in your battle-dress uniform, armed to the teeth, the civilian populations who even ostensibly support your cause are subject to the brutal wrath of a faceless state — all in the name of security.
In the past, wars were localized. It was possible for populations to remain isolated from conflict in their own cities. If their walls were high enough and strong enough, they could resist even a six month-long siege. But in modern times, wars are more bloody, more violent, and cost more than they have ever in the history of history.
Conclusion
Finally, I want to close with a final point. In ‘Aqidah al-Tahawiyya, a classical book of theology, the author says
We do not recognize rebellion against our authority or those in charge of our affairs even if they are unjust, nor do we wish evil on them, nor do we withdraw from following them. We hold that obedience to them is part of obedience to God, The Glorified, and therefore obligatory as long as they do not order to commit sins. We pray for their right guidance and pardon from their wrongs.
Though this is a bitter pill to swallow, but the reasons are clear: Fighting creates chaos and bloodshed which is worse than oppression. In these difficult times, forgive each other, have forbearance over the mistakes of others, support peace, put down your weapons and run away from the fight!
Having said all that…I can’t wait to go hunting some rabbits 🙂
Filed under Life Experiences, Societal Commentary, Theology Tagged with militia, Second American Revolution, tyranny