سبحن الرّزّاق

Bismillah. The following is from natural farmer Masanobu Fukuoka, in his book The One-Straw Revolution. Although this was written in the mid-seventies and referring to Japanese issues, I think this is the global issue right now for real independence and contentment:

Until now the line of thought among modern economists has been that small scale, self-sufficient farming is wrong—that this is a primitive kind of agriculture—one that should be eliminated as quickly as possible….

The goal is to have only a few people in farming. The agricultural authorities  say that fewer people, using large, modern machinery can get greater yields from the same acreage. This is considered agricultural progress. After the War, between 70% and 80% of the people in Japan were farmers. This quickly changed to 50%, then 30%, 20%, and now the figure stands at around 14%. It is the intention of the MInistry of Agriculture to achieve the same level as in Europe and America, keeping less than 10% of the people as farmers and discouraging the rest.

In my opinion, if 100% of the people were farming it would be ideal. There is just a quarter-acre of arable land for each person in Japan. If each single person were given on quarter-acre, that is 1-1/4 acres to a family of five, that would be more than enough land to support the family for the whole year. If natural farming were practiced, a farmer would also have plenty of time for leisure and social activities within the village community. I think this is the most direct path toward making this country a happy, pleasant land.

Bismillah. I just went to an interfaith lecture (5th Annual Sharing Ramadan Iftar Dinner) held by the CAIR Cleveland chapter where the speaker read the Declaration of Independence (well a bit of it), Constitution Preamble, and Muhammad’s final sermon back to back, sallalahu alayhi wa salaam. He made an interesting comparison to address those (both Muslims and nonMuslims) who say Islam’s and America’s  core values are directly opposed. Obviously, the ever-changing cultures have big differences (and the many cultures within the cultures differ on all sides), but the core values on which these entities have been founded on point to the same goals.

Declaration of Independence 
We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. 

Constitution Preamble
We the people of the United States, in order to form a more perfect union, establish justice, insure domestic tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general welfare, and secure the blessings of liberty to ourselves and our posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.

The last sermon of the Prophet-peace be upon him. After praising, and thanking God he said:
“O People, lend me an attentive ear, for I know not whether after this year, I shall ever be amongst you again. Therefore listen to what I am saying to you very carefully and take these words to those who could not be present here today.

O People, just as you regard this month, this day, this city as Sacred, so regard the life and property of every Muslim as a sacred trust. Return the goods entrusted to you to their rightful owners. Hurt no one so that no one may hurt you. Remember that you will indeed meet your Lord, and that He will indeed reckon your deeds. God has forbidden you to take usury (interest), therefore all interest obligation shall henceforth be waived. Your capital, however, is yours to keep. You will neither inflict nor suffer any inequity. God has judged that there shall be no interest and that all the interest due to Abbas ibn ‘Abd’al Muttalib (Prophet’s uncle) shall henceforth be waived…

Beware of Satan, for the safety of your religion. He has lost all hope that he will ever be able to lead you astray in big things, so beware of following him in small things.

O People, it is true that you have certain rights with regard to your women, but they also have rights over you. Remember that you have taken them as your wives only under God’s trust and with His permission. If they abide by your right then to them belongs the right to be fed and clothed in kindness. Do treat your women well and be kind to them for they are your partners and committed helpers. And it is your right that they do not make friends with any one of whom you do not approve, as well as never to be unchaste.

O People, listen to me in earnest, worship God, say your five daily prayers (Salah), fast during the month of Ramadan, and give your wealth in Zakat (charity). Perform Hajj (pilgrimage) if you can afford to.

All mankind is from Adam and Eve, an Arab has no superiority over a non-Arab nor a non-Arab has any superiority over an Arab; also a white has no superiority over black nor a black has any superiority over white except by piety and good action. Learn that every Muslim is a brother to every Muslim and that the Muslims constitute one brotherhood. Nothing shall be legitimate to a Muslim which belongs to a fellow Muslim unless it was given freely and willingly. Do not, therefore, do injustice to yourselves.

Remember, one day you will appear before God and answer your deeds. So beware, do not stray from the path of righteousness after I am gone.

O People, no prophet or apostle will come after me and no new faith will be born.  Reason well, therefore, O People, and understand words which I convey to you. I leave behind me two things, the Quran and my example, the Sunnah and if you follow these you will never go astray.

All those who listen to me shall pass on my words to others and those to others again; and may the last ones understand my words better than those who listen to me directly. Be my witness, O God, that I have conveyed your message to your people”.

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Thanks for reading. May the One and Only God Our Creator and Sustainer purify our intentions in this life and lead us to the greatest success.

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The blog is here: http://subhanarazaaq.wordpress.com

Bismillah. Here’s some quick ramblings spurred by some questions about Islam and pork, which I guess was a topic on the Rover show recently. Something about Obama, pigs, Muslim, etc. etc. etc. and other mass media trifles. Any which way, I invite Obama back into Islam or to come out of his “Islamic” hiding, if that is the case.*

Old Testament: Leviticus 11:7-8
“And the swine, though he divide the hoof, and be cloven-footed, yet he cheweth not the cud; he is unclean to you. Of their flesh shall ye not eat, and their carcass shall ye not touch; they are unclean to you.”

Says the same in Deut. 14: 8. And then in Old and New Testament the pig is mentioned as dirty or evil.

But on the Holiest Christian days, Christmas and Easter, pork is usually served around here. ?? Why is that? Is that just a European-American Christian thing?

A Catholic guy I met, though, explained that Christians believe Jesus alayhi salaam did away with a lot of Israel’s laws, and that’s why Christians don’t have to follow them. I don’t know where the laws are recorded that Jesus did away with. Maybe they are written in the New Testament somewhere? I wonder if he ate pork (my view is that he didn’t because he was a prophet from The Tribe of Israel [one who submits to God—a Muslim]).

Islam says (and I think Jesus says so to this effect in the Gospels) Jesus came to renew the law Moses alayhi salaam brought to the Children of Israel (Children of Jacob alayhi salaam) because it had been corrupted over time. In the Gospels, Jesus is always up against the Jewish scholars, who had by that time strayed from the straight path, making up their own laws or being strict on details of the Law but not seeing the “plank in their own eye”. But now that Muhammad sallalahu alayhi wa salaam has come, he has brought God’s law for the Children of Adam alayhi salaam (i.e. for all humankind until The End), and he invites the Jews and Christians to “re-up”, so to say, into Islam.

In English translation: Quran, The Bee: 115-116

{{He has only forbidden you what dies of itself and blood and flesh of swine and that over which any other name than that of Allah [God The Supreme, Creator, etc.] has been invoked, but whoever is driven to necessity, not desiring nor exceeding the limit, then surely Allah is Forgiving, Merciful.

But say not – for any false thing that your tongues may put forth,- “This is lawful, and this is forbidden,” so as to ascribe false things to Allah. For those who ascribe false things to Allah, will never prosper.}}

Following another law other than God’s is a subtle form of “shirk”–associating others or things with God–paganism, but in a small way, according to the scholars of Islam whom I have heard in lectures. So leaving out something from the Law or trying to remove it is placing one’s own desires or reasoning above God’s, while God is All-Knowing.

There’s many ways we can explain the reasoning behind laws and customs that God has given humans, but to take our own conclusions as the sole relevance of a law or way is a subtle form of shirk. Maybe science in the future can remove the unhealthy substance from pork, but that won’t change God’s law. And that law should still be followed, because we do not know the unseen and the ultimate reason why pork is forbidden for those who believe in One God The Creator and all The Prophets.

*By the way, why are so many upset about the possibility of a Muslim president, but no one cares or knows that most of the U.S. Presidents were Freemasons? Which is fine with me under the paradigm of America’s secular government setup…I’m just sayin, what’s up with that?

Anything wrong or evil in this is from me. Anything pure and good in this is from The Supreme All-Knowing Creator, the one with the most beautiful names.