Jerry Falwell's October 2002 claim that Muhammad was a terrorist draws a reply through Badshah Khan's nonviolent army and Quranic verses on patience, pardon, and overcoming the inner fears that block submission to God. A second essay compares the Lord's Prayer taught by Jesus with Al‑Fatehah, the Key, and the warnings against hypocrites at the contact prayer.
“I think Mohammed was a terrorist…he was a violent man,
a man of war.”
(Jerry Falwell interview on 60 Minutes, October 6, 2002)
I’m not sure what’s worse,
this statement or the fact that a reputable prime time program would broadcast
such views. It’s a disturbing commentary at a time when our world
is crying to heal, understand and reconcile.
Five days after this interview, I turn to the internet, surfing religious
web sites for enlightenment. The Power that be leads me to the following
site which has daily devotionals and thoughts.
I hope we can all draw comfort from the words of wisdom I found that
day:
Today's Devotional
October 11th 2002
Old Testament Reading: Jeremiah
7:1-8:22, Psalm 118:1-4, Proverbs 27:5-6
New Testament Reading:
Colossians 2:1-23
There are few if any sins more loathsome in God's sight
than hypocrisy. To disregard the King of the universe in one's heart is
a great evil, but to outwardly disguise it with religious cosmetics is
intolerable…Just why is religious hypocrisy so abominable? …it
dares to presume that the all-knowing and all-seeing God of the universe
can be deceived by mere formal piety…it utterly blinds its victims
so that they not only are incapable of rightly judging themselves, but
also become vicious accusers of others.
Flee to God for deliverance
from every evil that would threaten to separate you from Him. Particularly
pray for deliverance from the blindness of hypocrisy which has its roots
in pride.
Today's Thought
October 11th 2002
Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He will
lift you up. (James 4:10)
This web site I happened to visit was www.falwell.com – yes, Jerry
Falwell, who belongs to a denomination of 70 million members and who graces
his own ministry with the following Mission Statement:
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Muhammad
“To act as both salt and light... reaching the world with
the gospel, teaching and training believers, reviving the hearts
of God's people and healing the wounds of immorality and godlessness
in our nation.”
I then turn to the Quran for inspiration and read:
“Subsequent to them, we sent our messengers.
We sent Jesus the son of Mary, and we gave him the Gospel, and we
placed in the hearts of his followers kindness and mercy…but
they did not uphold the message as they should have.” (57:27)
This verse is not meant to denigrate Christians but rather to
remind us that the message of Jesus can lead each one of us to God
as long as we truly understand and practice it.
About 70 years earlier, a prominent Muslim leader made a similar
remark as Falwell, claiming that Muhammad used a weapon against
which no army could fight. I guess Falwell does have a point then.
You be the judge as you read the words of this leader addressing
his followers:
“I am going to give you such a weapon
that the police and the army will not be able to stand against it.
It is the weapon of the Prophet, but you are not aware of it. That
weapon is patience and righteousness. No power on earth can stand
against it…Endure all hardships. If you exercise patience,
victory will be yours.” (Badshah Khan from the book
Nonviolent Soldier of Islam by Eknath Easwaran)
Badshah Khan was known as the Frontier Gandhi and lived in the
North West Frontier Province of India. At the same time Ghandi
was leading one of the most inspirational
movements in modern history, Badshah Khan was raising the first
and only non-violent army in history. Khan awakened 100,000 of the
most violent and vengeful people – the Pathans of the Khyber
Pass – to resist British rule through non-violence.
Astounded by this non-violent movement, Ghandi visited Khan in
1938. There, Ghandi was asked by a villager, “what does it
mean to remove violence from one’s heart?” To which
he replied, “It is not just the ability to control one’s
anger…it is the complete eradication of anger from the heart.
To realize non-violence means to feel within you its strength –
soul force – to know God. A person who has known God will
be incapable of harboring anger or fear within, no matter how overpowering
the cause may be.”
Thousands of non-violent soldiers were killed by the British who
were stunned that such strong and resolute warriors did not resist.
Badshah Khan exposes the myth that nonviolence has no place in Islam,
that only the gentle are capable of it, and that it is useless against
powerful oppressors.
This weapon of Muhammad, Badshah Khan, and Ghandi is found in
the Quran:
You shall resort to pardon, advocate tolerance… (7:199)
…if you resort to patience (instead of revenge),
it would be better for the patient ones. You shall resort to patience
- and your patience is attainable only with GOD's help. Do not grieve
over them, and do not be annoyed by their schemes. GOD is with those
who lead a righteous
They avoid wrongdoing and vice, and when angered
they forgive. (42:37)
…those who pardon and maintain righteousness
are rewarded by GOD. He does not love the unjust. (42:40)
Resorting to patience and forgiveness reflects a
true strength of character. (42:43)
Therefore, be patient like the messengers before
you who possessed strength and resorted to patience… (46:35)
O people, we created you from the same male and female,
and rendered you distinct peoples and tribes, that you may recognize
one another. The best among you in the sight of GOD is the most
righteous. GOD is Omniscient, Cognizant. (49:13)
In 1947, Pakistan and India were granted independence by the British.
In 1985, Bashah Khan was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize. Proving
to us today that, “if you resort to patience (instead of revenge),
it would be better for the patient ones. (16:126)
The word terrorist and terrorism is fresh on our minds. We are
terrified as we remember ruthless aggression and remain in fear
as we anticipate the unknown. In fact, the word terror means to
fill with fear; a sense of uneasiness we feel from possible danger.
Danger from what? Clearly, we face external dangers over which
we have no control. But, there is another danger that we often overlook.
A danger to which “terrorists” like Muhammad, Jesus,
Moses and all great prophets expose us.
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THE LORD’S PRAYER
“Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your
name.”
“In the name of God, Most Gracious, Most
Merciful.”
There is a prayer which is part of the service in almost every
Christian denomination. It is called “the Lord’s prayer.”
It is one of very few Christian prayers which does not either begin
or end with “in Jesus’ name” or “in the
name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost.”
I believe that this is because this is one prayer, perhaps the
only one, which has survived intact from Jesus. It’s the prayer
Jesus taught to his disciples when they asked him specifically what
to say in prayer (Luke 11:1-4).
What I find most interesting about the Lord’s prayer is its
similarity to the prayer submitters are taught to pray in the Quran
—Al-Fatehah (The Key). This should not come as a
surprise to submitters. We know that Jesus was a true messenger
who preached to his people the worship of God alone. We know that
Jesus delivered the very same message as all messengers before and
after him.
In the New Testament book of Matthew, Jesus is teaching his disciples
how to pray correctly. “When you are
praying, do not behave like the hypocrites who love to stand and
pray in synagogues or on street corners in order to be noticed.”
(6:5)
Compare that to the Quran: “The hypocrites think that they
are deceiving God, but He is the One who leads them on. When they
get up for the Contact Prayer (Salat), they get up lazily. This
is because they only show off in front of the people, and rarely
do they think of God.” 4:142. “And woe to those who
observe the contact prayers (Salat), who are totally heedless of
their prayers. They only show off.” 107:4-6
When a Christian recites the Lord’s Prayer, he is truly
obeying Jesus the messenger. In the church service I grew up attending,
the Lord’s Prayer was preceded with the phrase: “...as
Jesus taught us to pray.” This is acknowledging Jesus as teacher,
as scholar, as messenger of God.
The Lord’s Prayer, as I memorized it from the King James
version [Matthew 6:9-13]:
Our Father who art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.
Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done on earth as
it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those
who trespass against us.
And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us
from evil.
For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the
glory, for ever and ever. Amen.
In the newer, more accurate New American Bible, the words have
been simplified and are easier to understand. And interestingly,
the last line is not there at all. But in either version, this is
clearly a prayer to God alone. And it’s easy to compare it
to Al-Fatehah, the Key.
The first part of both prayers is naming God, acknowledging His
power, and praising Him. We say, “Praise be to God.”
We name Him “Lord of the universe,” and “Master
of the Day of Judgment.” Christians recognize that God’s
name is “hallowed,” and His will is done both on earth
and in heaven.
Then both prayers ask for God’s help. We say, “You
alone we worship. You alone we ask for help.” And then, “Guide
us in the right path.” Christians ask for provisions: “Give
us this day our daily bread,” and they ask for forgiveness:
“forgive us the wrong we have done,” and they ask for
guidance: “deliver us from the evil one.”
Clearly then, the Lord’s Prayer is a true prayer to God alone,
taught to the disciples by Jesus, messenger of God. I wonder if
the prayer which Jesus taught his disciples was, in fact, Al-Fatehah.
Through time and translation perhaps the words were altered, but
its meaning remains intact for Christians, for all submitters, of
today.
Lydia
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Muhammad
This fear or sense of uneasiness surfaces when we are challenged by such
prophets and their scriptures to cleanse our inner prejudice, ego, resentment,
anger, insecurities, and pride. It is this purification of the soul that
brings us closer to God and, in the words of Ghandi, leads us to truly
know God.
You are what you feel. When you feel resentment towards another human
being, your fear and anxiety will come from practicing compassion and
kindness. If you are angry or upset, the danger in your life will be to
experience quiet patience and peace. If you are intolerant of others,
your “terror” will be to open yourself to the tension, difference,
and diversity in your life. When you find yourself being judgmental and
impatient, you will sense danger and uneasiness from having to practice
tolerance.
Hatred, bitterness, revenge, and having the final word will put you against
the frightening demons of love and forgiveness. Just when you think you
have
figured someone out, are fully aware of their
intentions, have labeled them, cut them away, and begin your fight, you
just may hear the knock of understanding and patience at your door. Don’t
be surprised if you feel uncomfortable and edgy. Don’t be surprised
if you prefer to ignore the call. But, before you do, realize that this
knock is coming from God. Your soul is being called to trust God and open
the door. Your soul is being invited to overcome these fears that limit
a wholehearted submission to God. Perhaps, this is why Muslim in English
means one who submits fully to God alone; be it a Christian Muslim, Jewish
Muslim, Buddhist Muslim or a Muslim Muslim.
We need more “terrorists” today—compassionate leaders
with “soul force” who are in love with God and passionate
in their service to others. We need their passion and openness to light
fires inside us. Such fires shed light and lead us to confront the fears
that define our character and the way we engage with others. Only then
can our heart fully experience God everyday. Only then can we change from
being pretenders, for which the
Greeks invented the word hypocrite, to leaders.
And, only then can ordinary people like you, me, and Badshah Khan reach
millions of people with our extraordinary message.
I leave you with the words of another great “terrorist”
who changed the world 2000 years ago:
You have heard that it hath been said, “Thou
shalt love thy neighbour and hate thine enemy.” But I say unto you,
“Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that
hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute
you.” (Matthew 5:43-44)
Amir K.
About this work
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Author
International Community of Submitters
Publisher
International Community of Submitters / Masjid Tucson