Unity among believers comes from following God's laws, treating each other kindly, and setting aside ego, with God as first priority and the Quran as the one source. A mealtime story shows how the tongue reveals the heart. Readers' letters respond to the website and Dr. Khalifa's translation, and details follow for the 1998 United Submitters International Conference in Seattle.
Unity is a great and wonderful blessing from
God upon the believers. The unity we see in the world is artificial and
temporary. But for the believers, God promises an everlasting and true
unity.
God does not change the condition of the people unless they themselves
change. We simply cannot achieve unity by wishing it. We have to follow
God’s laws. God gives us specific methodology and formulas for achieving
unity. For example, the Quran teaches us the following:
Tell My servants to treat each other in the best possible
manner, for the devil will always try to drive a wedge among them.… (17:53)
Obviously, if we treat each other as nicely as we can, we are going to
be very close. When we lose our temper at
someone, it does not draw that person closer to us. Controlling our temper
helps promotes closeness. However, we must never compromise the Quranic
principles for the sake of unity. Compromising may lead to unity, but
only to disenchanted, temporary and artificial unity.
Unity is a trait of the believers, and God creates harmony between the
believers. The believers are one family and are humble towards each other.
They hold fast to the rope of God, and are stern against the disbelievers.
They do not break their religion into sects and are like bricks in a wall.
We learn about the unity by analyzing some of the factors that cause
disunity. Some of most
important factors causing disunity among the
people are:
Different priories
Idol worship
Differing beliefs and opinion
Failure to follow one consistent source.
All these can be summed up in one word, EGO. It is our ego that causes
us to follow our own priorities, idols and opinions. By telling us to
kill our ego, take one consistent source, the Quran, and have God as the
foremost priority in our lives, the Almighty is giving us the most powerful
ingrediends for creating unity. One God, one book, and one brotherhood.
Feroz Karmally
Page 2
A Revelation at Mealtime
Many things are opened by mistake,
but none so frequently as the mouth.
The results can be revealing.
A man sat down to supper with his family. As usual, he said grace,
thanking God for the food, for the hands that prepared it, and for
the source of all life.
As the meal proceeded, the man began to complain. The bread was
not fresh enough, he grumbled. The cheese was too sharp. And the
coffee was hotter and bitter than he preferred. After a while, his
young daughter looked at him, perplexed. “Dad,” she
asked, “do you think God heard the grace today?” He
answered confidently, “Of course.”
Then she asked, “And do you think God heard what you said
about the coffee, the cheese, and the bread?” Not so confidently,
he answered, “Why, yes, I believe so.” The little girl
concluded, “Then which do you think God believed, Dad?”
The man usually had a quick response to any question his daughter
asked. Now, he sat in stunned silence. The man realized that his
mealtime prayer had become a well-practiced habit in which he said
words that made him look and feel good. He also saw how his real
attitude, as revealed by the spontaneous words in his complaints,
was not what he wanted, or even liked.
How Does This Apply To Our Lives?
The story illustrates an interesting thing about the tongue. It
can be helpful, or destructive. The tongue can encourage, or discourage.
It can spread love, or spew forth venom.
The difference is not in the tongue itself. The difference is in
one’s heart. Many hidden diseases of the body are detected
when doctors look into the mouth. Hidden diseases of the spirit
and mind are revealed by what comes out of the mouth.
You see, people get the picture of whom you really are by the way
you use your tongue. Fortunately, you can frame the content of that
picture. As Proverbs 17:28 says, “Even a fool is thought
wise if he keeps silent, and discerning if he holds his tongue.”
Evaluate the words you use and your tone of voice. What picture
are you painting of yourself with the things that come out of your
mouth?
But don’t stop with the question of your appearance. Consider
what your words and tone of voice say about your spiritual and mental
conditions. Do the things that come out of your mouth reflect God’s
values and standards? If they don’t, why not?
For your own health and happiness, deal with the conditions these
symptoms reveal. A heart problem can be extremely dangerous if you
fail to give it proper attention.
Asiah Abdul Latif
Y.E.S.
Young Enlightened Submitters
There are reading materials available for our Young
Enlightened Submitters on the internet.
If you have access to internet, you can get to these materials at
submission.org/yes
Page 3
Readers’ Comments
on Newsletter and Internet Home Page
Al Hamdu Lillahi Rabbul ‘Alamin
Good Morning, I have been going through your webpage
site and I have found many useful information. I just wanted to
thank you and praise you on all the hard work that went into your
website. It has been very useful mentally, spirituality, and physically.
Please e-mail me on any new ideas or activities that
may be going on in Islam. I would also like to have all of your
newsletters to be sent to my working address
Salam,
M C R
* * * * *
Bismillah,
A few weeks ago I stumbled across the translation of the Quran
by Dr. Rashad Khalifa in the U of Calgary library. Some scribbling
inside the cover “don’t read this authors book; this
writer is a fraud; etc.” caught and held my attention immediately.
I am very happy to see God’s miracle in my own hand and wish
to show it to everyone I know. I failed in my search to find a
copy in bookstores and am disappointed
that the truth is not readily available around the people I know.
I ended up here in my search on the internet and am happy that there
is a community of submitters. Please send me the latest catalogue
and include me on your mailing list for the newsletter.
R P
* * * * *
Salaam......
Your site is a breath of fresh air....you embody what attracted
me to Islam in the first place....
E H
* * * * *
Asalamu-alaykum,
To whom it may concern,
You don’t know how happy I was to come across your article.
I really can’t believe it. I thought that I was the only one
that felt like that. I am referring to your anti-hadith article.
I have been recently having long discussions with fellow Muslims
about
the same subject. They all think that
I am crazy. My problem is, the more hadith that I read the more
confused I get, and the more contradictions I find. I only thing
that I can believe 100% is the Quran.
There is another issue that I have really been debating. Well my
problem is that I am the only one around that feels this way so
they kind of gang up against me. Back to the issue. I wasn’t
raised as a Hanafi or Shafii, or etc. I just can’t accept
that there are 4 correct ways that we must follow. You must pick
one and stay with it. To me this idea is absurd. Well I really don’t
have time now to tell you my view point on the matter, but if you
could kindly send me information on your point of view on the matter
I would greatly appreciate it.
Y E
* * * * *
I have printed a good deal of information from this web site and
will read it
1998 Annual Conference
September 4-6, 1998
Seattle, Washington
God willing, we are holding this year’s United Submitters
International Conference in Seattle, Washington. The cost of registration
is US$72 per person. This includes banquet lunch and dinner on Friday
and Saturday (Sep 4-5, 1998). Children under 5 are free.
This year you don’t need any registration form. Just let
us know that, God willing, you are coming to the conference. Then
send the registration fee to ICS/Masjid Tucson, PO Box 43476, Tucson,
AZ 85733. First time attendees, please let us know about yourselves.
The conference organizers have the right to accept or decline the
registration of any person that is found incompatible with the objective
of the conference.
The conference hotel is Embassy Suites at Seattle-Tacoma International
Airport. Room reservation must be done directly by calling the hotel
using the toll free number 1-800-EMBASSY. When you call the hotel
for reservation, you must state that you are coming for ICS conference
to get the special rate. The suites are $99 per night plus applicable
taxes, for up to 4 adults in the room, including full breakfast
for everybody. Children stay free with their parents. For those
who are coming alone, and want to share the room with others, please
try to make the arrangement yourselves. Advise the hotel that you
would like to share the room with another conference attendee. We
are going to ask the hotel to help us in that. The deadline for
reservations for the hotel is 17-Aug-1998 to get the special rate.
For more details, call or write to ICS/Masjid Tucson.
Page 4
Readers’ Comments
with great interest.
I am interested in studying the Quran and don’t know who to contact
in my area. Is there a method of study for a clearer understanding of
the Quran or should I purchase the text and begin on my own?
Pamela Underwood
* * * * *
Assalamu Alaikum,
I just wanted to thank you for putting this page out on the internet.
Reading the Quran was the primary reason for my conversion, but I thank
God for guiding me to the best translation, allowing me to appreciate
the miracle of the Quran, as well as finding this web site (which happened
to be the first Islamic site that I found in my search as well as the
best)...
I am writing you because I have read that the next conference is in Seattle,
and I live a ferry ride away in Victoria, British Columbia. I am very
interested in attending (God willing), and meeting other Muslims (submitters)
as I have not been fortunate enough, so far, to
have the pleasure of their company. If possible,
would you please mail me any information about the conference when you
have it so that I can plan for it.
Peace and mercy from God be on each and every one of you,
Alain Turbide
* * * * *
Hello!
I just found your extremely interesting pages on the Internet, but there
was one thing I missed: Some information about who you are, what kind
of organization, what kind of people and what your main goal is. I myself
am not a Muslim, but I just returned to Norway from a six month fieldwork
in Zanzibar, Tanzania, where I studied women and work in an Islamic context.
And what I do not know is to what degree the viewpoints in your Internet
pages represent general views in the Muslim world, I cannot know this
without knowing who you are.
With kind regards,
Ingunn Vatne
* * * * *
I would like to get hold of
Rashad Khalifa’s books and various articles about him and the mathematical
design in the Holy Quran. Could you please give me information about how
I can get them.
If it is possible for you to send me, please enclose a receipt on them
so that I can pay for them by my credit card.
Halil Toplu
* * * * *
I am very offended by your web page.. may god corrupt you.. how dare
you insult all the religions you have insulted... which stupid religion
do you practise anyways.. with your negative attitude... your religion
is lower already.. all religions are equal.. and proper how dare you
insult them.
S. H.
[Ed’s note: We don’t know how one could
reach this conclusion since we don’t insult other religions, nor
do we ridicule other people’s beliefs. There is no compulsion in
religion. We present what we believe to be the truth, it is up to people
to accept or disregard it. God commands us not to accept anything before
studying and verifying it for ourselves.]
About this work
Kind
Document
Author
International Community of Submitters
Publisher
International Community of Submitters / Masjid Tucson