Thank you for being a part of this event, one in a series of five events planned for next year. Since our independence in 1776, we have been tested time and again by various political, economic and religious forces to divide us, however, at the end we have come out strong as one nation. The Civil War, the Great Depression, the World Wars, Pearl Harbor, Women’s rights, Abortion, the Vietnam War, Civil Rights, Budget Deficits, Unemployment, 9/11, the Iraq and Afghanistan War have all been difficult, but we will make it through and sanity will prevail.
The controversy over the Muslim Community Center in New York has unraveled the difficulties Catholics, Jews, Mormons, Wicca and others have endured.
Religion has been “abused” and “misused” to someone’s advantage, as Americans, are we going to let that happen? No, we can pull ourselves together and not fall for the tempters who have a gain in dividing us.
The Verses that have been marketed as “Evil Verses” by those who have an interest in creating chaos and having a gain. There is always a gain for some one.
Changes will come if we take the initiatives; the World Muslim Congress and the Foundation for Pluralism have embarked on an educational program for 2011 to deal with issues that divide us; Anti-Semitism, Gay and Lesbian acceptance, Gender issues, Woman President, Women Clergy, Racial Profiling, Islamophobia and other issues – the idea is to understand them and make a small effort in building cohesive societies. Whether this will cause a change or not, I believe that without doing anything, no change can be expected. While the forces continue to produces negatives, we have to produce good things as well
IN CO-OPERATION WITH:
1. American Clergy Leadership Conference
Verses of Quraan falsely marketed as “Evil Verses”.
Finding the truth is one’s own responsibility, as it frees one from suspicion, doubt, ill-will and malice, that is the secret of living a normal healthier life and building cohesive societies for all of us to live without fear of each other.
Prophet Muhammad in essence shared this wisdom, before you believe in malicious comments about others; you must verify them, lest you regret it when the truth emerges. Living a regret free life is one of the peaceful things to do.
The following Verses are in circulation and many a times without verification if it is indeed the verse from Quraan or not.
The following group of 14 verses was the basis for the short documentary called Fitna produced by Dutch parliamentarian Geert Wilders and sold to a few of our Senators and congress persons – A full response was given to this and is at: http://quraan-today.blogspot.com/2008/01/muslim-response-to-wilders.html
1. Give tidings (O Muhammad) of a painful doom to those who disbelieve. 9:3
2. Slay the idolaters wherever you find them. 9:5
3. Don't let idolaters tend the sanctuaries. Their works are in vain and they will be burned in the Fire. 9:17
4. Give tiding of a painful doom to Christians and Jews. 9:34
5. If you refuse to fight, Allah will afflict you with a painful doom. 9:39
6. Disbelievers go to hell. 9:49
7. Those who vex the Prophet, for them there is a painful doom. 9:60
8. Those who oppose Allah and His messenger will burn in the fire of hell. 9:63
9. Allah promises hypocrites and disbelievers the fire of hell. Allah curses them. They will have a lasting torment. 9:68
10. Fight the disbelievers and hypocrites. Be harsh with them. 9:73
11. Allah will afflict disbelievers with painful doom in this world and the Hereafter 9:74
12. For disbelievers there will be a painful doom. 9:90
13. Don't pray for idolaters (not even for your family) after it is clear they are people of hell-fire. 9:113
14. Fight disbelievers who are near you, and let them see the harshness in you. 9:123
The other verses in circulation:
- Qur'an 2:65 mentions that Jews who broke the Sabbath were turned into Apes.
- 3:151 We will put terror into the hearts of the unbelievers. I shall cast terror into the hearts of the infidels. Strike off their heads; strike off the their tongue
- Believers, take neither the Jews nor the Christians for your friends. (5:51)
- The unbelievers are your inveterate enemy. (4:101)
- Surely the vilest of animals in Allah’s sight are those who disbelieve. (8.55)
- The unbelievers among the people of the book and the pagans shall burn forever in the fire of Hell. They are the vilest of all creatures. (98.6)"
- Beat your wife if she does not listen to you 4:34
- If anyone leaves Islam, kill him (4:89)
List of 40 + Verses listed at:
Here is a note from a Sikh leader who is doing the right thing by verifying. He writes, “Dear Mike, you had mentioned that correct translation is available for Surah 15:26-30. However, a Sabd by Guru Nanak Ji had been misinterpreted by the Clerks in the court of Aurangzeb, and the same interpretation has been copied in Sikh literature for the last 350 years.” My response is at - http://quraan-today.blogspot.com/2010/08/quraan-surah-hijr-1526-30.html
God wants his creation to co-exist in harmony and the Qur’aan is God’s guidance to live in peace with oneself and what surrounds one; life and matter. The human weakness manufactures imaginary enemies and spins the wheels of evil in establishing such manufacture. Of the 22 translations of Quraan available on the market today, 2 of them have been deliberately mistranslated for political gains; one was in 1042 by The European kings labeling themselves as Christians and the other one was in 1922 by a Muslim after the fall of the Ottoman Empire. The holy Quraan has remained intact, and not a dot, comma or a period has changed in it.
About Us
The Foundation for Pluralism: Our mission is to encourage individuals to develop an open mind and an open heart toward their follow beings.
If we can learn to respect the otherness of other and accept the God given uniqueness of each one of the 7 billion of us, then conflicts fade and solutions emerge.
We believe that knowledge leads to understanding and understanding to acceptance and appreciation of a different point of view.
World Muslim Congress
To be a Muslim is to be a peace maker, one who seeks to mitigate conflicts and nurtures goodwill for peaceful co-existence of humanity. God wills for us to live in peace and harmony with his creation .
Our Mission is to work for a world of co-existence through inclusiveness and participation. Indeed we aspire to promote goodwill amongst people of different affiliations, regardless of their faith, gender, race, nationality, culture or any other uniqueness blessed by the creator.
OUR ANNUAL EVENTS:
- Unityday USA, since 2005
- Reflections on Holocaust & Genocides, since 2006
- Thanksgiving Celebrations, since 1993
Mike Ghouse runs the Foundation for Pluralism championing the idea of co-existence through respecting and accepting the otherness of other and has dedicated his life to nurturing the pluralistic ideals embedded in Islam through the World Muslim Congress. He is a regular commentator on the TV, Radio and Print media offering pluralistic solutions to the issues of the day. He is a speaker, thinker, writer and a peace activist. Mike's work is reflected at three websites & twenty two Blogs listed at http://www.mikeghouse.net/
Mike is available to speak on Pluralism, Islam, Civil Societies, Peace & Justice Saturday, December 04, 2010at your school, work place, seminars or place of worship.
