Wasabbi

I am a non-conformist by nature, an anti-establishment when I was a lot younger. In the UK back in the 1980s, I was very much anti-Thatcher and initially supported the cause of the socialist Arthur Scargill and the National Union of Mineworkers during the Miners’ Strike of 1984-85. All that until one day, someone senior woke me up with these words:

A democratically-elected government will not do something unpopular without reasons that would benefit the people

Whether you want to believe in the above or not, is not for me to say, nor do I want you to debate over that particular quote. You either take it, or you leave it.

During my Officer Cadet days I was taught to question orders, not blindly, but by analyzing the logic of an order. I carry this with me until now, I question everything I find illogical. This has put me at odds with some people, especially when it comes to questions on religion.

I find the approach taken by Muslims towards Islam as rigid and totally unfriendly. The problem arises when people who do not fully understand the concept of the religion take it upon them to become the guardian of the religion, guardian of God, so on and so forth. They do things without full comprehension of the dalil (reason or argument) behind things, and what is the history behind the ayats (verses) inside the Quran. They hold books written by Imams and ‘Alims as God’s words inscribed in stone, rather than as mere interpretations by fellow mortals.

Most of all, they fail to use the one thing that God asked us to use which is the ‘Aqli (power of thinking):

And We gave him (back) his people and doubled their number― as a Grace from Ourselves, and a thing for commemoration, for all who have Understanding (al-Quran 38:43)

My approach to Islam is simple. God did not give us this religion and the Quran to trouble us, give us problems etc:

We have not sent down the Qur’an to thee to be (an occasion) for thy distress (al-Quran 20:2)

Therefore, there are lots of things which I deemed as bid’ah (inventions) that are unnecessary and confusing, especially to the non-Muslims. So, I go back to basics. I follow what is inside the Quran as my guide, and the aHadith as-Sahih (sayings and traditions of Muhammad) where the Quran is silent. What I do or don’t do of what is obliged of me is purely between God and I, and not for anyone else to judge – unless if I have plans to lead the country. And because of the above, I have, on occasions been labeled as a Wahabbi.

I’m sorry to disappoint those who label me; but I do not subscribe to one sect as the rest do. Each sect says theirs is the best: so whose Islam is the best? I would rather leave it up to God to deal with that. So, while I would hold on to Islam as my belief, do not expect me to run around burning Israeli flag or demonstrate against those who ridicule Allah because I am just a mortal and Allah is the Supreme Being. I doubt if He needs any help if He can wipe out this whole world just by “breathing.”

But I will continue to whack those who use religion to serve their self-interest; and those who continue to make Islam ridiculous in the eyes of non-believers.

So, I’ll create my own sect that reflects my pungent and fiery attacks towards ragheads: WASABBI