In Anbar Province…
Mani (Mainstream): Modi, I am glad that we were able to help this village with al-Qaeda, but I still do not understand what was going on. It was quite a fight!
Modi (Moderate): Al-Qaeda had abducted three Christians who were working with the construction crew and were planning to decapitate them.
Mani: Were they proselytizing among us here?
Modi: Oh, no. They were not. They were wearing Christian symbols. I understand that a few people here gave them some friendly advice about that, but they were hardheaded about advertising who they were.
Mani: They had every right to wear their religious symbols.
Modi: Of course they did. To be sure, we have every right to go swimming in the ocean. But tell me, Mani, would you push that right by jumping in among sharks?
Mani: That is a silly question. I would consider that stupid.
Modi: Al-Qaeda prides itself on being strict within the confines of the Qur’an, but in this case they have departed considerably. If you are familiar with Sura 5, Ayat 2 (5:2), it says in part, “And do not let your hatred of a people for having obstructed you from Al-Masjid al-Haram (the Grand Mosque at Mecca) lead you to transgress. And cooperate in righteousness and piety, but do not cooperate in sin and aggression.”
Mani: That is very powerful, Modi. It tells AQ that not only must they not let their hatred for Christians or others lead Believers to abduct and kill them, but if the Christians were helping our people create something helpful, Believers are obliged to join in and help. Allah help us. If that ayat becomes widely known, AQ will go crazy.
Modi: Allah had followed up with His 5:8, which says in part, “…Do not let the hatred of a people prevent you from being just. Be just; that is nearer to righteousness. And fear Allah; indeed Allah is acquainted with what you do.”
Mani: You are right about that. Allah is telling them not only are they not to transgress against those Christians, but also He is ordering them to be just with them. He also reminds them that He is watching. I believe those AQ fighters are in trouble.
Modi: Can you think of something else it means?
Mani: (thinks, then snaps his fingers) Yes! It means no martyrdom for them if they are fighting Christians out of hatred and not out of necessity. I love this, Mani; however, I am not going to be the one to spread that news.
Modi: We should not have to do this. The imams are obliged to call the people’s attention to these commands from Allah.
Mani: You can bet your boots that many will not do so. We may be obliged to remind them somehow.
The next day, in Baghdad…
Radi (Radical): I did not see you yesterday. What happened?
Mani: We visited my relatives again.
Radi: The ones in Anbar? Did you join the militia there?
Modi: Bite your tongue, Radi! We were the militia.
Radi: Yeah, right. That will be the day, when you two pick up AKs and go plowing into the al-Qaeda fighters like the one who made our Most Beloved laugh.[1] (Radi grins)
Mani: If you want to discuss Anbar, Radi, my relatives have told us quite a bit about who is fighting al-Qaeda. It is not only Hamas-Iraqi, but also every man who can find a weapon.
Modi: Mani is telling the truth. The people in that province and in Baghdad are tired of AQ’s anti-Islamic policies!
Radi: What? You cannot be serious! Al-Qaeda is the epitome of the Believer. I wish I could be as fervent a Salafist as they are. They are my heroes.
Modi: Do not ever wish you could be stricter than they in their faith, Radi. Indeed, you are strict enough now. It is not the strictness in their religion that pleases Allah about people. It is the love in their hearts.
Mani: Yes, Radi, it is not only love of Allah, but also love of one’s fellow man.
Radi: You two must stay away from Anbar. You are learning the wrong stuff. Allah is going to remember you on judgment day. He may even strike you now with a mighty punishment.
Mani: I believe that Allah is looking at us with a gleam in His eye because we will not abandon a friend to the errors of fanaticism.
Radi: I should bare my knife now and reduce the heads on the street by two. Allah would see my righteous deed and provide me with a great reward.
Modi: You might be in for a great reward whenever you are married. You must remember that Allah knows what is in your heart. Until you are married, I am certain that what is in your mind every day is not pleasant to him.
Radi: That is between Allah and me.
Mani: Radi, you have turned people in, perhaps helped get them killed, because you believed that they committed some kind of sin.
Radi: That is what we are supposed to do to sinners.
Mani: In that case, Modi and I must turn you in for all of those impure thoughts you have because you are not married.
Modi: Yes, Radi, we saw you ogling that poor woman in the brown abaya at the market last week.
Radi: Aha! You are making fun of our religion again. Allah may punish me for not acting in His stead to punish you.
Mani: You are a real piece of work, Radi.
Radi: You be very careful. Allah may inflict a very, very nasty punishment on you both.
(Modi and Mani look up in the sky, act as if they found nothing, and shrug their shoulders. Suddenly, Mani’s eyes and mouth open wide as if he thought of something.)
Mani: Radi is right! I see the punishment now.
Modi: What is it?
Mani: (laughs, then points to Radi) (Mani and Modi begin running.)
Radi: Wait a minute! What is the punish… (he catches on and starts after them, faking rage)
HJS
The theme of “Justice” was adapted from Islam 101 http://www.islam101.com/rights/hrM2.htm
The verse translations were quoted from the Saudi’s Noble Qur’an.
[1] Ishaq’s Sira margin note 445 (I445) is a reference to the Battle of Badr.
Mani (Mainstream): Modi, I am glad that we were able to help this village with al-Qaeda, but I still do not understand what was going on. It was quite a fight!
Modi (Moderate): Al-Qaeda had abducted three Christians who were working with the construction crew and were planning to decapitate them.
Mani: Were they proselytizing among us here?
Modi: Oh, no. They were not. They were wearing Christian symbols. I understand that a few people here gave them some friendly advice about that, but they were hardheaded about advertising who they were.
Mani: They had every right to wear their religious symbols.
Modi: Of course they did. To be sure, we have every right to go swimming in the ocean. But tell me, Mani, would you push that right by jumping in among sharks?
Mani: That is a silly question. I would consider that stupid.
Modi: Al-Qaeda prides itself on being strict within the confines of the Qur’an, but in this case they have departed considerably. If you are familiar with Sura 5, Ayat 2 (5:2), it says in part, “And do not let your hatred of a people for having obstructed you from Al-Masjid al-Haram (the Grand Mosque at Mecca) lead you to transgress. And cooperate in righteousness and piety, but do not cooperate in sin and aggression.”
Mani: That is very powerful, Modi. It tells AQ that not only must they not let their hatred for Christians or others lead Believers to abduct and kill them, but if the Christians were helping our people create something helpful, Believers are obliged to join in and help. Allah help us. If that ayat becomes widely known, AQ will go crazy.
Modi: Allah had followed up with His 5:8, which says in part, “…Do not let the hatred of a people prevent you from being just. Be just; that is nearer to righteousness. And fear Allah; indeed Allah is acquainted with what you do.”
Mani: You are right about that. Allah is telling them not only are they not to transgress against those Christians, but also He is ordering them to be just with them. He also reminds them that He is watching. I believe those AQ fighters are in trouble.
Modi: Can you think of something else it means?
Mani: (thinks, then snaps his fingers) Yes! It means no martyrdom for them if they are fighting Christians out of hatred and not out of necessity. I love this, Mani; however, I am not going to be the one to spread that news.
Modi: We should not have to do this. The imams are obliged to call the people’s attention to these commands from Allah.
Mani: You can bet your boots that many will not do so. We may be obliged to remind them somehow.
The next day, in Baghdad…
Radi (Radical): I did not see you yesterday. What happened?
Mani: We visited my relatives again.
Radi: The ones in Anbar? Did you join the militia there?
Modi: Bite your tongue, Radi! We were the militia.
Radi: Yeah, right. That will be the day, when you two pick up AKs and go plowing into the al-Qaeda fighters like the one who made our Most Beloved laugh.[1] (Radi grins)
Mani: If you want to discuss Anbar, Radi, my relatives have told us quite a bit about who is fighting al-Qaeda. It is not only Hamas-Iraqi, but also every man who can find a weapon.
Modi: Mani is telling the truth. The people in that province and in Baghdad are tired of AQ’s anti-Islamic policies!
Radi: What? You cannot be serious! Al-Qaeda is the epitome of the Believer. I wish I could be as fervent a Salafist as they are. They are my heroes.
Modi: Do not ever wish you could be stricter than they in their faith, Radi. Indeed, you are strict enough now. It is not the strictness in their religion that pleases Allah about people. It is the love in their hearts.
Mani: Yes, Radi, it is not only love of Allah, but also love of one’s fellow man.
Radi: You two must stay away from Anbar. You are learning the wrong stuff. Allah is going to remember you on judgment day. He may even strike you now with a mighty punishment.
Mani: I believe that Allah is looking at us with a gleam in His eye because we will not abandon a friend to the errors of fanaticism.
Radi: I should bare my knife now and reduce the heads on the street by two. Allah would see my righteous deed and provide me with a great reward.
Modi: You might be in for a great reward whenever you are married. You must remember that Allah knows what is in your heart. Until you are married, I am certain that what is in your mind every day is not pleasant to him.
Radi: That is between Allah and me.
Mani: Radi, you have turned people in, perhaps helped get them killed, because you believed that they committed some kind of sin.
Radi: That is what we are supposed to do to sinners.
Mani: In that case, Modi and I must turn you in for all of those impure thoughts you have because you are not married.
Modi: Yes, Radi, we saw you ogling that poor woman in the brown abaya at the market last week.
Radi: Aha! You are making fun of our religion again. Allah may punish me for not acting in His stead to punish you.
Mani: You are a real piece of work, Radi.
Radi: You be very careful. Allah may inflict a very, very nasty punishment on you both.
(Modi and Mani look up in the sky, act as if they found nothing, and shrug their shoulders. Suddenly, Mani’s eyes and mouth open wide as if he thought of something.)
Mani: Radi is right! I see the punishment now.
Modi: What is it?
Mani: (laughs, then points to Radi) (Mani and Modi begin running.)
Radi: Wait a minute! What is the punish… (he catches on and starts after them, faking rage)
HJS
The theme of “Justice” was adapted from Islam 101 http://www.islam101.com/rights/hrM2.htm
The verse translations were quoted from the Saudi’s Noble Qur’an.
[1] Ishaq’s Sira margin note 445 (I445) is a reference to the Battle of Badr.
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