Sometimes you need a reminder

Every time I talk to my mother I need a reminder as to why I got so excited about Islam.  My mother has started doing "research" on Islam and Pakistan.  Somehow, she has managed to not find one good thing about Islam even though she insists she is avoiding slander sites.  Her choice to research Pakistan is only harmful since their government is a mess and abuses the religion.  She even brought up how its against the law in Pakistan to be Christian because a Christian is indirectly saying something negitive about Muhammad (PBUH) by being Christian.  It is true, they do arrest Christians but I was trying to tell her that is not Islam.  She doesn't want to hear me.

I also told her I will be meeting his parents soon.  Her exact words were "Well, don't be disappointed when they don't like you.  Pakistan people don't like people from other countries and Muslims don't like people of other religions.  They are very unaccepting.  Christianity is so much more accepting of others."

She doesn't realize his family left BECAUSE Pakistan has problems.  BECAUSE it abuses Islam.  She also doesn't realize that most of what she is quoting is culture.  She even went on to say that the charity from the first Ramadan went to fund a bloody jihad lead by the prophet across the middle east to force people into Islam.  I don't remember hearing that the prophet lead something of that nature, but yes something like that happened was my response.  all religions have had their version of the Crusades, Islam is no different.  

Of course, I had to speak to My Love after this.  And he told me to watch this speech:

Hassanain Rajabali is the name of this wonderful speaker.  He has origins in philosophy and science, totally speaks my language.  He reminded me why the Islamic view of God makes so much more sense to me.  How original sin cannot work with a merciful God.  And how Adam and Eve were not punished with knowledge but gifted knowledge when they were ready to have it.

So my heart feels better now that I am reminded of why I believe what I believe.  I still think  Imam Moosa al-Kazim (PBUH) said it best in regards to the mercy of God:

"The acts of man are limited to three possibilities.  First, that God alone does them while man is quite helpless, second, that both God and man equally share the commitment; and third, that man does them alone.  Now if the first assumption is true, that obviously proves the unjustness of God, punishes His creatures for sins which they have not committed.  If the second assumption be accepted, even then God becomes unjust if He punishes man for crimes in which he is equally a partner.  because of the impossibility of either of these conditions, the third alternative to the problem is that men are absolutely responsible or their own deeds."

Salaam