An addendum to:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/MuktoChinta/message/12973
-------------------------------------------------------

On post #12960 Dr Farooq concluded I did not do my "due diligence",
when questioning the effectiveness of CAIR's call on US Muslims for
prayer for the tsunami victims.

In that context Dr. Farooq clarified: "CAIR's call for prayer was
inclusive of funeral prayer in absentia for the Muslim victims as
well as of prayer for all those human beings who have been killed
or affected by this psunami." [Ibid.]

Here the issue is with "all those human beings." Was CAIR making
a MUSLIM call, then, or was it a humanitarian call that rose above
the "Islamic" dunes where provision for such inclusion seems resoun-
dingly sparse?

Just so that I won't lard any due diligence endeavors with selective,
interpretive lies from any charlatans, I thought the following
references from the Holy Book might lend reasonable doubt as to
whether CAIR's gregarious call was "Islamic" in scope.

Let us consider, for instance, the following Quranic verses, from
"Al-Tawba". I included all three respected translations thereof, which
arguably will stand taller for credibility than what any modern Muslim
may argue to be the interpretive meaning of those in currency today.

009.084

"YUSUFALI: Nor do thou ever pray for any of them that dies, nor stand
at his grave; for they rejected Allah and His Messenger, and died in
a state of perverse rebellion.

PICKTHAL: And never (O Muhammad) pray for one of them who dieth, nor
stand by his grave. Lo! they disbelieved in Allah and His messenger,
and they died while they were evil-doers.

SHAKIR: And never offer prayer for any one of them who dies and do not
stand by his grave; surely they disbelieve in Allah and His Messenger
and they shall die in transgression."

Could we contend non-Muslims do not believe in "Allah and His
Messenger" the way do Muslims? Might "never offer prayer for any one
of them" directive straight from the horse's mouth seem more Islamic
or was it the interpretation of CAIR's call for prayer, as per Dr. Farooq?

Was this a Quranic fluke, an exception? Perhaps not. Let's check
another verse:

009.113

"YUSUFALI: It is not fitting, for the Prophet and those who believe,
that they should pray for forgiveness for Pagans, even though they
be of kin, after it is clear to them that they are companions of the Fire.

PICKTHAL: It is not for the Prophet, and those who believe, to pray
for the forgiveness of idolaters even though they may be near of kin
(to them) after it hath become clear that they are people of hell-fire.

SHAKIR: It is not (fit) for the Prophet and those who believe that
they should ask forgiveness for the polytheists, even though they
should be near relatives, after it has become clear to them that they
are inmates of the flaming fire."

[Link: http://www.usc.edu/dept/MSA/quran/009.qmt.html]

Do we have any disagreement the non-Muslims that died in the Tsunami
are "pagans" according to this, because they may not "believe" just
as do Muslims?

Could CAIR override Allah's direct command and pray for non-Muslims
as well? Regardless of what anyone might claim, let us learn from
Islamic history:

Volume 6, Book 60, Number 295:

Narrated Al-Musaiyab:

When Abu Talib was on his death bed, Allah's Apostle came to him
and found with him, Abu Jahl and Abdullah bin Abi Umaiya bin
Al-Mughira. Allah's Apostle said, "O uncle! Say: None has the right
to be worshipped except Allah, a sentence with which I will defend
you before Allah." On that Abu Jahl and 'Abdullah bin Abi Umaiya said
to Abu Talib, "Will you now leave the religion of 'Abdul Muttalib?"
Allah's Apostle kept on inviting him to say that sentence while the
other two kept on repeating their sentence before him till Abu Talib
said as the last thing he said to them, "I am on the religion of
'Abdul Muttalib," and refused to say: None has the right to be
worshipped except Allah. On that Allah's Apostle said, "By Allah,
I will keep on asking Allah's forgiveness for you unless I am
forbidden (by Allah) to do so." So Allah revealed:--

'It is not fitting for the Prophet and those who believe that they
should invoke (Allah) for forgiveness for pagans.' (9.113) And then
Allah revealed especially about Abu Talib:--'Verily! You (O, Muhammad)
guide not whom you like, but Allah guides whom He will.' (28.56)

[Link:
http://www.usc.edu/dept/MSA/fundamentals/hadithsunnah/bukhari/060.sbt.html]

If it was NOT fitting for the Prophet himself to invoke (Allah)
for forgiveness of pagans, by what "due diligence" and reliance on
nothing but "facts" did Dr. Farooq conclude CAIR's call for prayer
included non-Muslims, while it was still an "Islamic" prayer?

These are my findings via some due diligence, rationally caring for
facts and preferring Quran's authentic translation over anyone's
interpretive non-facts.

The enormous and still-rising death toll from the Tsunami is deeply
saddening. In post #12960 Dr. Farooq asked "...did Mr. Islam also
know that the vast majority of the victims in Indonesia are Muslims?"

My response is, I am not sure what point Dr. Farooq was trying to
make. In this context I find a particular verse from the Quran quite
troubling. In "Younus" (Jonah) I read the following in verse 103:

"PICKTHAL: Then shall We save Our messengers and the believers, in
like manner (as of old). It is incumbent upon Us to save believers."

[Link: http://www.usc.edu/dept/MSA/quran/010.qmt.html]

Does anyone see a gap between Allah's own clarification and Dr.
Farooq's confirmation that the majority of Indonesian victims were
Muslims? Could anyone's due diligence and factual, rational deduction
therefrom suggest the dead Muslims were presumed to be UN-believers
by Allah, who saw to their getting killed along with non-Muslims?

Given the FACTS, those from both the verse from Younus and the
reality of Muslim deaths in Indonesia, might it be rational to
suggest: [1] Allah broke His assurance ["incumbent"]; or, [2] Those
Muslims were seen as non-believers, hence death-worthy, as Allah
carried out His killing spree; or [3] Somebody simply made up the
attributes of God???

Indeed 'due diligence' when duly and diligently done on this ungodly
disaster can reveal the potentially UN-Islamic attribute of CAIR's
call for prayer for Muslims and non-Muslims, both, as per the
clarification shot in by Dr Farooq, on post #12960.

Now, for everyone--believers and/or non-believers, please continue
to do your own due diligence before feeling sanguine you have when
you just might have not, as you question the same of your fellow
arguer.

Best regards,

Syed M. Islam

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Part I of my response:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/MuktoChinta/message/12973


A personal note:

I always, thought it is okay to pray for non-muslims. Munir
raised a fair question.

As a believer and as a muslim, whenever I pary, I pary for all.
That is my teaching from my parents and from religious teachers.
Even the Imam from local mosque once related that only
God can decide about the ultimate fate of all humn beings -
irrespective of their religious affiliations.

I hope Farooq Bhai shall provide some insihgts.

MZ