My Upcoming Lectures in the Toronto Area
Well since both SAFSpace and Barefoot Sunni have let the proverbial cat out of the bag, I guess I'll go ahead and post the details of my upcoming -- insha'llah -- trip to Toronto, Canada. Yes, I've agreed to give two lectures in the Toronto area the weekend of April 30th - May 1st. This is the second time that I've been invited north of the border by my friend Shabir Ally so that I could give a public lecture (or two) and appear on his television show Let The Quran Speak. Although the pre-recorded television shows will air later at a still undetermined time, the details of the public lectures are as follows:
"Progressing, Regressing & Confusing Islams"
6 p.m. on Saturday, April 30th
River Grove Community Centre
5800 River Grove Avenue
(Britannia Road & Creditview Road)
Mississauga, Ontario
"The Quran: A Miracle of Prophesy"
6 p.m. on Sunday, May 1th
Burlington Seniors' Centre
2285 New Street
Burlington, Ontario
In the first lecture, I plan to address some of the challenges facing the Ummah today and express my ideas on some of the house-cleaning that needs to take place in the Dar al-Islam. The heart of this lecture, as I now perceive it, will be loosely based on my "Monkey See, Monkey Do" - Not An Islamic Ideal rant. The other lecture, entitled The Quran: A Miracle of Prophesy, will be a discussion of various Qur'anic verses (ayat) and how these offer tangible proof that it's not only a revelation from Almighty God, but that it has been preserved as well. Depending on how much time I'm given, I'll also try to discuss some alleged New Testament prophecy fulfullments and why they, once some scrutiny is applied, aren't very credible and don't carry much weight.
I'm more of a writer than a public speaker, which is why I didn't publicize these lectures here, but hopefully what I have to say will be of some benefit, insha'llah. If you attend the lecture(s) and know me from this blog, please come up and say "Salam", since it's always nice when CyperSpace and reality meet. I'm looking forward to it...
posted by @ 8:38 AM
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Assalamu'alaykum,
Do let us know when your appearance on Let the Quran Speak is going to air once you find out yourself.
May Allah give you tawfiq in moving hearts and minds through your talk. Ameen.
Wassalam,
Salikah
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A comment from above has been removed since someone, possibly a self-avowed Muslim apostate, posted some slanderous assertions about the Prophet -- salla Allahu 'alayhi wa salam -- that were factually incorrect. In conjunction with that, they invited me to debate an issue which they, rather conveniently, consider "a self evident fact that needs no proof". However, I see no value in debating anyone who seemingly doesn't recognize that one of the most recognized and basic principles of logical debate is: "He who asserts must prove". Thus if such a person is convinced that they've proven something, although they've actually only made assertions, the first thing that would need to happen prior to any debate would be for them to prove their claims -- not challenge someone to refute their mere assertions before they've even been objectively proven.
Unfortunately for them, simply claiming things as “proven” just because they think they are just doesn’t cut it. Thus what they need to do is select something from the life of the Prophet, salla Allahu ‘alayhi wa salam, and prove that it is objectively wrong or immoral. Indeed, in a logical world where the principle of "He who asserts must prove" is given some value, this is what they must do.
Such an approach would stand in sharp contrast to their current methodology, which is to simply assert that something is “wrong”, conveniently consider that to be “proof”, and then challenge people to “prove” that it’s not. Ah, it must be comforting to live in such a world. However, I don't and the clock is ticking, thus to avoid a debate made up of personal assertions that could go on ad infinitum, if not cut short by one of the premature claims to victory that they seem fond of, I'll remain on the sidelines until they actually objectively prove something about Islam is morally wrong (and again, this shouldn't be confused with simply asserting that it is or appealing to the whimsical values of the postmodern 21st Century West).
The reason for the flawed approach of these atheist apostates is that they subscribe to a morally relativistic worldview in which there is no objective right or wrong. Therefore, in an attempt to gain the high ground from the start and establish something of an objective moral standard (which rather conveniently ends up being their own personal opinions), they essentially claim: "We've declared ourselves right, so now prove us wrong". This can be manifestly seen in a statement from their website which claims that "Firstly none of those charges are or can be proven wrong". Gee, whatever happened to proving your own assertions right in the first place instead of just assuming that they are? As a wise man once said: "Assumption -- the Mother of All Screw Ups". Due to the above, please consider the cowardly attempt of FaithFreedom.org to establish a debate on their own slanted terms, and thus put their opponents on the defensive, to be hereby exposed for what it is.
It seems that these self-proclaimed intellectuals still need to enroll in a Logic 101 course, since they consistently confuse assertions made from within a moral vacuum with "proof" -- and the question of how one proves something as right or wrong from with the confines of their morally benign and godless world is still begging to be answered. As I see it, all of this is just a ploy to appeal to the postmodern nihilistic fancies of their like-minded readers in order to make them feel intellectually superior -- all the while hoping that no one ever notices the logical flaws undermining their entire approach.
One would think that before entering into debates and making vacuous claims about "right" and "wrong" one would at least have the intellectual veracity to establish what they believe the basis for right and wrong actually is -- but don't hold your breath. On the website in question, the definition of "right" seems to be what some nihilistic atheists feel is right, and "wrong" is whatever they assert is wrong (which happens to be just about everything Islamic).
I just wanted to spend a few minutes to expose the flawed methodology of a website which seems to be a trap deceitfully setup to cast doubts in the minds of unwary Muslims and just another forum for making Muslim apostates feel good about themselves.
Now that the proverbial ball is in their court...we're anxiously awaiting to see their objective proof that something in Islam is morally wrong. In the mean time, readers are encouraged to read a couple of books (1, 2) and articles (1, 2, 3) dealing with the subject of moral relativism -- not necessarily from the point of view that I agree with -- in order to establish a sound intellectual foundation for what is really at the heart of this "right" and "wrong" issue.
Assalamualaikum Bro
i want to know why is it that you are endorsing the sunnipath website on your blog when it was you who said " Praying to someone else, whether they be prophet, angel, saint or an alleged "manifestation of God", is tantamount to worshipping other than Almighty God - because all prayer is due to God alone. Additionally, praying to a "manifestation of God" which lacks the necessary qualities of Almighty God (i.e. All-Knowing, Un-Changing, Transcendent, etc.), even if one claims that it is "God", is also idolatry."
but sunni path argue to the contrary "If by seeking help from the Prophets and pious means making them an intermediary between the seeker and Allah, then there is nothing wrong in seeking their help. Tawassul (using intermediaries in supplication to Allah) through the Prophet (Allah bless him & give him peace), Awliya and righteous believers is permitted, rather recommended according to the four schools of Sunni Islam.
It is quite perfectly permissible for one to seek the help of a Prophet or a righteous person by asking him to pray to Allah on one’s behalf, or to use him as an intermediary when praying directly to Allah. Explicit narrations and implicit indications of the Qur’an fully justify this practice, and it would be wrong to condemn it as being forbidden or to include it among the various forms of polytheism (shirk). (See below for details and evidences; and http://www.daruliftaa.org/tawassul1.htm)."
http://www.sunnipath.com/resources/Questions/qa00002164.aspx
Praying through the prophets or saints is something alien to al-qur'aan becuase when i read this verse Do they not know that God accepts the repentance of His servants and takes their alms, and that God is the Forgiving One, the Merciful? (Al Tawbah 9:104)
i can tell you honestly that there is nothing left for the saint or prophet (pbut) to do...
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