Israeli firefighters help extinguish a fire engulfing homes in the Israeli port city of Haifa. Picture: AFP/Jack Guez
Noor Dahri – Burning Intifada, The Arab Israelis & The Islamic Ruling
re-posted @ Noor Dahri’s request.
Several days ago, there was a disaster in the city of Haifa in Israel when heavy fires flared and spread across and covered neighbouring cities as well. The state of Israel sought help from the western countries, including Turkey and Russia.
The fires were under investigation and it was confirmed later that the fires were not caused from natural disaster, but from an act of arson which was committed by some extremist Arab Israelis. The Palestinian Salafist organisation claimed its responsibility. In these past few days, Muslims, especially in the Arab world, rejoiced on social media and celebrated immensely due to the cause of fire in Haifa. They showed their great happiness and joy.
They were chanting and saying, “Israel banned Adhaan so Allah sent fire to Israel” and, “it was Allah’s punishment for Jews.” “Israel is burning. Israel is in hell fire,” they chanted while displaying a joyful atmosphere everywhere.
The accusation of banning Adhaan by the Israeli cabinet was a blame, nothing else. The bill only restricts the excess of Mosques external loudspeakers on certain timings and yet it needs to be approved by the Israeli Parliament (Knesset). I have already explained the entire situation in my previous article, Is Muezzin Bill a Religious Discrimination in Israel. It was very devastating that this act of terrorism was committed by some Israeli Muslims (Extremist Arabs) who enjoy their full and equal rights in the Jewish state of Israel. They have every enjoyment of life in Israel as Israeli Jews have. They have no excuse to play with the lives of Jews and other Muslims of Israel.
People are calling this act a Burning Intifada or Burning Jihad against the state of Israel and peaceful Muslims must condemn this because this terror attempt damaged innocent peoples’ quality of life and property. Thousands of people (Muslims and Jews) were dispersed from their homes. These acts are not permitted according to the teaching of Islam. Islam never allows their people to harm any human without a certain legal procedure (punishment) of the law of the country.
There were many critical situations in the history of the state of Israel, including the Palestinian Intifada, Al-Aqsa Intifada, Stabbing Intifada and now, recently, the Burning Intifada. All of these acts of terrorism are forbidden according the teachings of the Quran and the Hadith (Sayings of the Prophet of Islam PBUH).
There is no religious justification to carry out these types of terror activities in the name of Allah Almighty and Islam forbids the killing of an innocent human.
Peace is the main motto of Islam and the religion of Islam stands with the pillar of Peace. The Arabic word “Imaan” which means, “Belief” in English, has a very important role in a Muslim’s faith. We cannot be Muslims if we do not have a belief (Imaan) in certain Islamic pillars. The word “Imaan” came from the Arabic word, “Aman” which means, “Peace” the other Arabic related word is “Amanah” which means, “Trust or Honesty.” The word, “Ameen” means the one who is honest and trustworthy in English. So, all these other words such as “Aman” (Peace), “Amanah” (Trust, Honest) and “Ameen” (trustworthy) are directly related with the word “Imaan” (Belief). If any of the word is missing in Muslim’s practical life, he/she has no “Imaan” belief or faith anymore.
Muslims must be peaceful and “Ameen” (Honest and trustworthy) towards others and we must provide an “Aman” (safety and security) to other religions and nations. Without these basic principles of “Imaan” (belief), we no longer are able to call ourselves Muslims.
A Muslim must have to be honest with everyone, speak truth, even if truth goes against him anyway. Muslims should not lie even about enemies and must not spread lies based on propaganda.
In the teaching of Islam and according to the Quran, “if a non-believer brings news, which is based on true content, Muslims must accept it.” Muslims cannot reject the most accurate news for the reason that it belongs to non-Muslims. This is not a teaching of Islam. How can Muslims spread lies and propaganda against the people (Jews) who believe in one true God and even can eat their Halal/Kosher food?
The neighbour holds a special status in Islam. Islam encourages Muslims to treat their neighbours in a gentle way that reflects the true and genuine spirit of Islam as exemplified in its tolerant aspect–especially with people of other faiths (Jews and Christians). According to the teachings of Islam, our neighbour is not who lives next door to our home only. Neighbour is inclusive of those we work with, shop, eat, do business with, those we walk through the streets with, including anyone who lives in our town.
Good Muslim should not wrong his neighbour with regard to his physical wellbeing, his wealth or his honour. A true Muslim should not transgress against neighbours’ wealth by stealing, betraying or deceiving, and he should not harm him physically by striking or killing him.
The Prophet of Islam (PBUH) instructed that individuals will not enter into Jannah (Paradise) if the neighbour is not happy with him through his actions. In another saying of the Prophet (PBUH) is that the person is not a Muslim if he harms his neighbour by any means. The Prophet of Islam said: “He will not enter Paradise whose neighbour is not secure from his evil.” These instructions are for everyone regardless of his religion (people of books and Pagans).
I would like to ask those that do harm, how they call themselves Muslims, even though they kill innocent people, harm their neighbours and create mischievousness on the land where they live and were born? The Jewish people living in Israel are neighbours of those Muslims (Palestinian Arabs) who are Israeli citizens or of those living in the West Bank or in Gaza. They have absolutely no right to harm innocent people in any way. If they do so, according to the instructions of the Prophet of Islam (PBUH), “they are no more Muslims.”
Palestinian Muslims cannot raise their arms against the state of Israel due to a few reasons.
- Israel is a Jewish state (people of the book)
- Muslims in the state are not under religious persecution
- The religion of Islam and the places of worship (Mosques) are legally protected by the state
- The state of Israel provides safety and security to them and their places of worship
Those Israeli Arabs who aren’t following the democratic laws of the state are not peaceful Muslims but oppressors. If they create mischief in the holy land of Israel, they are no more believers according the teachings of Islam. There is no difference between Muslims living under the rules of Christians in the UK or under the rules of Jews in Israel because both countries have democratic governments and have been given full legal rights as their citizens, including freedom of speech, freedom of movement, freedom to exercise their religion, freedom of living equally and the basic human rights without a fear of persecution.
Those Muslims who burned the forest and burnt thousands of living trees are lawfully accountable to the justice of the state of Israel as well as to Allah the Almighty hereafter. The crime of burning living trees is as equivalent as burning humans alive because it is a great punishment in Islam for burning living trees.
The Prophet of Islam (PBUH) said:
A Muslims is, who stays in one of the mountain paths worshipping Allah and leaving the people secure from his mischief.
Fear Allah, as you will be judged according to your actions, not according to your belief. If you aren’t a good human, you cannot be a good Muslim. You cannot seek Jannah (paradise) until you are a good neighbour, peaceful, trustworthy, harmless and law abiding citizen and until the people around you are safe from your evil.
Noor Dahri is a director of Pakistan Israel Alliance (PIA). He is an independent researcher based in London, UK. He has studied Counter Terrorism from International Institute for Counter Terrorism ICT- Herzliya – Israel. He is a honorary member of the ZF-UK
