Islam is not religious mumbo-jumbo. In fact, Islam is the perfect antidote for all Mumbo-Jumbo, religious and otherwise, and for all kinds of Snake Oil.
But Muslims, due partly to their ignorance of Islam, and due also to the lackadaisical attitude that many Muslims have toward Islam, have not hesitated to reduce the Grand Operating System of the Universe called Islam to a simple set of "religious rituals" and appoint whole armies of professional clerics with different names and titles such as Mowlanas, Muftis, and His Eminence, and whatnot, to preside over those rituals.
And Muslims are paying a huge price for playing these games with God Almighty's System of Islam. As is the entire world for what the Muslims are doing to and with Islam -- and with the world.
Everybody is paying a price.
And this Novel CoronaVirus 19 Plague of the 21st Century is a part of a picture of Allah's Punishment or Adhaab descending on Muslims and enveloping the entire world at the same time.
Both Muslim and non-Muslim world alike.
If it is so, then what is it that I do? Meaning, if I am not part of pedaling all kinds of so-called "religious" stuff in the name of Islam, then what is it that I do?
Simple!
I happen to be a fellow who has spent a lifetime trying to learn and understand Islam. From the original sources, and using, at the same time, every other conceivable resource and body of knowledge that I can lay my hands on and that Allah has given me the ability to decipher and understand, whether it is from the East or from the West.
And, at the same time, Allah has blessed me with a certain ability to think with a certain degree of clarity about complex issues. And of course I trained myself at the highest university level to become a clear and effective thinker and theorist and model builder and methodologist.
And also among Allah's blessings on me, I can count a certain gift for clear and effective communication, whether it is written or spoken or audiovisual communication.
And I am consumed by a burning passion to share what knowledge and understanding of Islam and the world Allah has given me with Allah's creation, regardless of whether they are Muslim or non-Muslim.
So, I try to speak to whoever will listen, and pay attention, and reflect about what I am saying and respond to it in some way.
And I write whatever I can, whenever and however we can, and hope someone somewhere will read what I write and, again, reflect about the points I am making -- and react.
So, far from "Pious Reminders," my writings are meant to clarify ideas, and in a very gentle way, shake up people from their slumber and make them think and react to what I am saying.
And it does not really matter whether they react positively or negatively.
And if folks are not paying attention to what I am saying, or if they do not bother to formulate a clear response in their minds, and in their lives, to the points I am raising, then they are wasting their time.
And I march on, in search of greener pastures.
The idea is if Makkah does not work, head out to Taif. And if they beat you up in Taif, return to Makkah.
Or move to Madinah and start life over.
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