Monday, June 23, 2014

Non-violence?

In the history of self determination and independence, the role of non-violent struggle has always been seen as the reason behind its success. However if we truly look at how these nations truly were able to be free you will realise that the biggest catalyst to its success was the violent struggle. Take the example of South Africa, the ANC and the Blacks began by using peaceful methods of public disobedience, but after so long it proved to account for nothing. Only when they were radicalized, and started committing acts of violence did people really start listening to them. Then only when they returned back to the idea of non-violent struggle, did the world go "hey, they used to be violent, but now they're being non-violent, so lets rally behind them". My point is the idea of non-violent struggle is always credited for helping nations achieve self-determination and independence but no one ever stops to think about the main catalyst, violence.

Even in India during its struggle for independence, Mahatma Gandhi was very adamant about keeping to non-violence, however not many people see that behind the scenes, the violence from the radicalized followers of Mahatma Gandhi, played a large part in securing the Independence. This brings me to the idea of how this is similar to how we celebrate ex-drug addicts who managed to rehabilitate themselves. For those of us who have never taken drugs, when we say we have never taken drugs society is like okay whatever, but suddenly a ex-drug addict says he has been off the pipe and clean for three months we celebrate him and congratulate him.

We humans as a society are a complicated bunch, when a group that deviates chooses to return to the norms we celebrate them, but when we ourselves have stuck to the norm for most of our lives it is seen as "oh okay, thats normal". The moral of the story is nonviolent struggle will only succeed if there is a period of violence that predates it.

Assalamualaikum, Heshalom Aleichem, Namaste, and Peace be upon you my readers.

Sincerely,
Ashli Burton Bin Amir

Saturday, June 7, 2014

Faith?

This may not be a popular opinion amongst many of my fellow muslims but i feel i must rant about it. When it comes to practicing your faith i believe that each person has their own special way of doing so, even so i agree that there are certain observances that all of us follow particularly when it comes to the Salat. However recently i have seen on facebook that there are certain parties that wish to correct how a female performs the Salat, because apparently if they don't follow it their submissions are not going to be accepted by the almighty. Now Islam claims to be a religion that eases its followers but yet now their are parties that wish to say that if you do not pray in a certain way suddenly your prayer is not going to be accepted. Now i believe that regardless of your faith, belief as well as Mazhab that if you submit yourself before the Almighty, how you do so is none of other peoples business. What matters is that you do it with the pure intention of submitting before the Almighty. Intentions are what legitimises your submissions not how you submit.

Thats all from me,
Assalamualaikum, Shalom Aleichem, Namaste

Ashli Burton Bin Amir