I saw this interesting video over at Amir Butler’s excellent site Austrolabe.
Isn’t it nice to dream about the times when as the Presenter so exquisitely puts it:
“This wasn’t the rigid, ferocious Islam of our imaginations…but this was a progressive, sensuous, intellectually curious culture, that for a number of spine-tingling years look set to sweep through the whole of Europe.”
Wow. This lady could make istinja sound romantic.
Anyway, watch it all below. Or watch it rain at Wimbledon. Whatever.
June 25, 2007 at 8:19 pm
Please see http://www.freebabarahmad.com/index.php
and remember in duas
June 25, 2007 at 8:49 pm
AE, how did you talk go at the HHUGS event?
was it a good turn out?
June 25, 2007 at 9:37 pm
May I contribute an answer to that…At first it was quiet, but Alhamdolillah, the crowds built-up as the first presentation started.
It was a poignant event Alhamdolillah.
I don’t think that there was anyone there, who wasn’t touched by it.
AE’s talk was a good summary and in there was a reflection and reminder of the event and its purpose. Although, understandably, he didn’t like some of the silly questions that were put to him at the end, and seemed reluctant to entertain them… You had to have been there to understand why.
Anyways, AE, it was good to finaly see you actually speak… It puts a personality to these blogs that you write; because up until Sunday… I didn’t actually know who you were…
As far as Yvonne Ridley is concerned, she’s a very gutsy lady… very brave indeed…I’ve rarely seen a Muslimah speak out like that.
Maashallah, a good event all-round.
June 25, 2007 at 9:42 pm
what kinda silly questions were asked?
everyone says that about yvonne ridely but its only because shes a revert, had she been a born muslim, things would be different.
however i wouldn’t advise muslimas to speak out like that.
June 25, 2007 at 9:59 pm
With regards to:
The Good Ole’ Sensuous Days
I’ve watched your 10 minute snippet. Well, the presenter seems to be the Nigela Lawson of History…
It’s a shame that Western Europe always attributes advancement to the Greeks and Romans. If the Muslims did not assume administration over Spain, then there would have been no revival, advancement and further innovations of the sciences.
How the West can create a gap in history spanning hundreds of years of advancement eludes me completely. Before they burned the Arabic sciences and literature, they re-wrote many of them into Latin.
What eludes me even further, is how ready the ‘average Joe’ on the street believes everything that they are told about the ‘Renaissance’.
Khair, no point going on and on about it I suppose… The collapse of something so great was destined to be, given the state of affairs the Muslims fell into… A lesson to us all, that we can only destroy ourselves from within. Naturally, if we stood together as an Ummah, then we would repel corruption from outside forces. ‘Corruption’ and ‘greed’ being a major cause of disunity… Hence, the philosophy of secular empires: ‘divide and conquer’, because people give in to their nafs so easily…
June 25, 2007 at 10:14 pm
“Everyone says that about yvonne ridely but its only because shes a revert, had she been a born muslim, things would be different…”
Don’t fully understand that at all. Any Muslimah, born or reverted… I admire women of strength… reminds me of the strength of Summayah (RA)…
and…
“however i wouldn’t advise muslimas to speak out like that.”
Well, look at the contemporary state of affairs within the Ummah… We see in many torn parts of the world where women take up the struggle to defend themselves… Why is that ???
Where indeed are the men to represent the women? and look after them ? This was an issue that was raised in the conference… and I’m glad, because for donkeys years I have been saying the same thing… that if men don’t take a positive, effective stance then the women will… after all, who else is going to??
What answer will we give to Allah (swt) when a women says… I was humiliated, but the Ummah of men stood watching… WE are answerable… What makes it worse, is when we don’t help them, nor do we allow them to help themselves… That’s just plain torture.
So you can’t really blame them can you… I think women taking a forward role is a good thing… it gives them a proactive role in the Ummah… and it reminds the men, that “look, because your sitting on your backside, I’m having to do this!”
June 25, 2007 at 10:20 pm
By the way… when I say defend themselves, I mean verbally through speeches… protests… meetings with officials and so forth… and to support each other in terms of shelter, food and general sustenance…In fact the emphasis of my comments is on that for both men and women.
June 26, 2007 at 10:04 am
Just in case people aren’t aware, the rest of the program is also available:
Part 2
Part 3
Part 4
Part 5
Part 6
Part 7
Part 8Part 9
Part 10
Part 11
Oh, and a complete version is here
June 27, 2007 at 12:28 am
Aslaamolaikum, hope your well
Khalid, i mean no disrespect in any way.
But i just wanted to say what seems like a silly question to you was obviously an important issue for somebody else.. hence, why they asked it.
June 27, 2007 at 8:53 am
Assalamualaikum Suleman,
Fair point brother, I see what you’re saying and I meant no disrespect to anyone…
But logic and common sense should prevail before asking a question.
June 27, 2007 at 11:59 am
Wa’Salaam,
I know that, but its not always so clear.. we all have our off moments.
June 27, 2007 at 6:17 pm
I actually agree with suleman. The person who asked that sincerely could have been really put off and offended by the response.
June 27, 2007 at 7:07 pm
Firstly,
No person stood up to ask questions. There were anonymous pieces of paper handed down to the front.
There was complete ananimity.
Secondly,
The question may have insulted alot of the audience as it implied that brothers lacked piety…
I want to tell you what the question was, but I don’t know if it would be appropriate to do so?
June 27, 2007 at 7:08 pm
anyways, this talk seems to be getting nowhere… so khalaas on the matter.
June 27, 2007 at 9:16 pm
I was there brother, I know what the question was. Yes you’re right though.
June 27, 2007 at 9:16 pm
sorry, that was me.
June 27, 2007 at 10:58 pm
Aslaamolaikum,
Brother Khalid, i just want to say the anonymous person would have felt so small.. i’m not going to pretend i didn’t find it funny, but when i thought back i knew i was wrong..
Also if you say the person lacked intelligence, i think the response would mean that the’re going to be put off from asking questions in the future, and what a great shame that would be.
and finally, i know its done with.. so theres no point in discussing it any further.
But we all have bad days and are sometimes intolerable of others.. But im 99 % sure if you asked Abu Eesa today he would probably agree with us that the response was maybe a little too harsh… but it happens..
and this isn’t meant to be any disrespect to Abu Eesa in anyway, i love Abu Eesa.. i just wanted to mention it because it kind of seemed like you thought the response wasn’t a little harsh.
Anyways brother, i don’t mean any disrespect.
Wa’Salaam
June 27, 2007 at 11:06 pm
Salams all
There were definitely some silly questions but that doesn’t help the questioner. Agreed.
I was harsh and that was not right. Agreed.
It was a long day and I wasn’t up for speaking or responding to questions without seeing the speaker or at least the question – this is totally unacceptable, i.e. just to have a question read out like that. But anyway, these are excuses of no weight to be honest.
PS: I have to admit that I’ve always been too easy in Q & A but now I’m defecting to the
Darkharsh Side and I’m starting to enjoy it more and more so those who want to hear something nicer, go to a Tariq Ramadhan talk or something equally accomodating.No offence is taken by the way. Actually, I’m pretty good at not being offended on my site – something about the colour scheme I think…
June 28, 2007 at 1:35 pm
salam
can i ask who chose the speekers and why they had some 1 from hizb tahreer i thought they dont belive in dajal, punishment of grave and say that one can look at pornography
June 28, 2007 at 3:28 pm
People from HT give talks?!?! That’s a funny one.
Oh if someone wants to hear, what they want to hear, forget T. Ramadhan, go listen to T. Swaidan, he’s really “nice”.
June 28, 2007 at 3:56 pm
‘and say that one can look at pornography’
Relating what we have heard or think can put us at the same level of those who slander/gossip/backbite.
The event went really well over all. JazakAllah Khair to all who helped regardless of any group they are associated with.
June 28, 2007 at 5:04 pm
HT were there ?
And they had a speaker ?
Was it a HT organised event or something ?
June 28, 2007 at 5:32 pm
NO, it was a HHUGS organised event.
June 28, 2007 at 5:54 pm
Yah Taji Mustafa was one of the speakers!
Hes one of the heads of HT cult…
he’s actually a pretty good speaker..
June 28, 2007 at 8:07 pm
Oh, I remember Taji now ! He ws the African brother.
Hmmm….
I couldn’t actually tell what his political bias was… he sounded quite neutral.
Jazakallah for both your clarifications.
June 29, 2007 at 1:49 am
salam
i have not just related what i have heard or think i have read this on a website
http://www.allaahuakbar.net/jamaat-e-islaami/hizb/hizb_ut-tahreer_exposing_their_beliefs.htm
here is the link its the third point
June 29, 2007 at 2:44 am
Would like to point out that i have heard Ali Khan (of HT) speaking. And, boy, he gives Muslims a bad name. So – beware.
July 1, 2007 at 4:11 am
errrrmm….. istinja? romantic? sometimes i wonder about you bro AE… sometimes i wonder….