Most Beautiful Mosques in the World

Most Beautiful Mosques in the World

A Powerful Documentary!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lxZzcdadv6A&feature=related

The Most Evil Women in History

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zHHpr0UEfxc

Mercan Dede - Istanbul

“American Terrorism”,

Terroism Defined: the calculated use of violence or the threat of violence against civilians in order to attain goals that are either political, religious or ideological in nature; this is done through intimidation, coercion or instilling fear!

As American As Apple Pie

WHITE RIOTS 

 ABy Dr. Gregory E. Brown, Director, BHS Inc.

Between 1824 and 1951 there were over 300 events classified as “White Race R

Between 1824 and 1951 there were over 300 events classified as “White Race Riots” in which entire white communities turned on and destroyed entire Black communities and  murdered Blacks in mass. There were 26 such major events and hundreds of smaller ones in major cities and towns across the US during the summer of 1919 alone. This period has been tagged by historians as “The Red Summer of 1919”,  because many of the events happened from May to October of that year and the blood of their victims literally painted the streets of America. 

That year, tens of thousands of Black Americans were killed, maimed and 375,000  were made refugees, though never being given refugee status, all for economic, social, political and other reasons both real and imaginary. They even killed Blacks for recreation activities in rural areas in events called "Friday Night Boot Burnings" (the burning of a Black man at a stake or bonfire) or " Picnic" (a slang term for pick a nigger for lynching} Lynching became a common weekly event to kill the monotony of rural life. It was not uncommon for whites to eat, drink, dance and sing church songs as they created a sadistic festive atmosphere, while their victims suffered from torture. White men, men women and children all participated in what was best described by Ida B. Wells-Barnett as  " An orgy of murder and mayhem."

Many times whites massacred based purely on perceived notions and paranoia, such as in Helena and Phillips, Arkansas in 1919. The white landowners envisioned a Black union meetings was an organized uprising and Negros were planning to kill whites in mass at some future date. The reality was the Black farmers, sharecroppers' and farm workers held a meeting after forming a union to demand a fair accounting from the whites on their sharecropper accounts, after being cheated for years. They were armed and had no intention of disarming because of what happened in East St. Louis in 1917. When the sheriff attempted to serve a warrant as a pretext to investigating the union meeting, a gun fight ensued and the sheriff was killed and other whites were wounded.

The white landowners feeling depraved, feared a great financial loss and with bloodlust in their hearts over their dead friends, they hunted Blacks like dogs through the woods and killed 25 to 125 Blacks early in the manhunt. The best official death count came to 854. No on knows the actual number because of how the bodies were treated and disposed of. They wounded many hundreds more and caused every Black citizen in every surrounding county to flee for their lives too. Today, Blacks in Helena and Phillips County are now planning to seek reparations for their ordeal. They mage it perfectly clear, If you had a Black skin, you had two choices. You were either dead, or moving. Floaters (dead bodies in the river) were popping up daily for weeks after the riot was over. Again the national guard was called and again they joined the white rioters.

During the Red Summer Riots of 1919, a common characteristic in every case was the Black American was alone and helpless when it came to protecting or defending himself and his community. Many had assumed then, as we do now, that our government is supposed to protect us from invaders from within our borders and from foreign nations. THEY WERE DEAD WRONG!

After studying White Race Riots, collecting relics', investigating reports, reading hundreds of newspaper reports and first hand testimonials, I have determined based on the circumstances that Black Americans must protect and defend themselves from their countrymen. This assumption is based on the following findings:

1.    No government military branches where there to protect them. The National Guardsmen would join the rioters and shoot Blacks too. Many just looked the other way  because they hated "niggers" too. Or they came in time to put out fires, mostly in the white sections of town, or white owned rental properties in the Black neighborhood only.

 2.    The Police joined or aided the white rioters. Deputized white Policemen burned out women and children and used them for target practice, for sport and wager, as they threw them back into the flames that they attempted to escape. Police disarmed Blacks and stud back to let the white rioters do what they wanted without fear of justice or the law.

In the Tulsa Race Riot of 1921, police flew airplanes and dropped nitroglycerin and dynamite on 600 Black businesses, burned 1500 homes and destroyed a 35 square block area of the Black community of  Tulsa also known as the Greenwood District. It was so prosperous it was nationally known as Black Wall Street. The riot was intended to put Blacks back in their place.

 3.    The American Legion and the KKK and white military veterans and fraternal organizations offered their services in tracking down and killing Blacks. They often lead in mobs and initiated the riddling of many of their Black victims. ROTC cadets assisted in hunting, dragging, burning, killing and maiming during post war times.

 4.    In all cases not one white person was ever convicted of murdering a Black person regardless of how horrible their crimes. Hate was part of the fabric of white American society. They protected their "Supreme" status at all cost. Blacks had no value and no souls. Blacks had no rights. Blacks weren't people and in political discussions Blacks existence was  referred to as the "negro question". To the average whites ALL Blacks were niggers. In 1920 2 out of 10 whites in America were members of the KKK. Blacks were de-humanized so whites could commit any heinous act without guilt and with impunity. It's hard to kill one of Gods human beings, but easy to kill a thousand niggers.

 5.    In Detroit 1943, 4300 Federal Troops wounded 2500 Blacks after the last of the great white race riots. Police, local whites, National Guard and Federal troops turned on Black Detroit. Blacks were beaten openly in public by literally thousands of whites chasing and beating them while police searched and disarmed them to make them easy prey. The Detroit Police Department participated in many murders and freely participated in mayhem towards Blacks.

Every Black person in sight was searched and even their pocket knives were removed. Then they were left to the white rioters who in turn, maimed or murdered a totally defenseless victim.  Police were rerouting Blacks in motor vehicles to dead ends where white rioters where waiting to beat and murder them. Many Blacks had placed their faith in the hands of Police for protection, only to have that trust betrayed, and their lives exterminated.

 6.    The methods of murders in white race riots were similar in each case, which included but not limited to: Lynching, burning, castration, stoning, bullet riddling, just plain shot, dragged in the street, drowned, beat, punched, hit with assorted objects, heads split with an axe and more than can be imagined by any ungodly person. It was common for a single Black victim to incur all of the above forms of punishment from his fellow American. Bodies have been subjected to this type of treatment with as many as 100 plus individual whites to 1 Black victim. Many bodies were reported to be punished for hours after the victim was already dead.

 7.    They became merchants of the macabre as they cut up the victims bodies into parts for resale as, souvenirs, mementos, and mantle pieces. Black victims had hearts, lips, ears, fingers, spleen, liver, lungs, intestines, penis, hands, heads, scrotum and all other body parts and even the Black fetus was not spared.

A poor Black pregnant woman Mary Turner in Georgia, had her unborn child cut from her womb as she burned at the stake. While she was inflamed a white man stepped from the crowd, slit her stomach with his pocket knife, and when the fetus fell to the ground, he stomped it and said "One less nigger". Thousands of curbside spectators slapped their knees as they laughed in amusement.

Mary's crime: She had disputed the word of a white man that falsely accused her husband of murdering a white man in a dispute over money owed him by the white man. A shoot out ensued. The white man died in what otherwise was a fair fight. For her protest after they lynched her husband before her eyes, they tied her to a tree, poured gas on her, oil and set her on fire. After she writhed silently in the flames in defiance of the "mad and hungry dogs", she was doused a second time as white children danced and chanted in song and rhyme.

 In the terms of property damage. Whole city blocks in Black communities have been burned to the ground and many Black property owners had to abandon their homes while running for dear life, with only the cloths on their backs, if they were lucky enough to live through home invasions, hails of bullets, and fire bombs during the initial attack. Many of the aftermaths resemble ground zero of a nuclear blast. In the Tulsa riot, you could see from one end of the Black business district, and see clear to the opposite side without the obstruction of your view by any physical objects. The land was totally  leveled for 3 miles through Black Tulsa.

The Seventy Major Sins in Islam – Al-Kaba’ir

- reprinted from TheModernReligion.com

The major sins are those acts which have been forbidden by Allah in the Quran and by His Messenger (SAW) in the Sunnah (practise of the Prophet), and which have been made clear by the actions of of the first righteous generation of Muslims, the Companions of the Prophet (SAW).
Allah Most High says in His Glorious Book:

If you avoid the major (part) of what you have been forbidden (to do), We will cancel out for you your (other) evil deeds and will admit you (to Paradise) with a noble entry. (al-Nisa 4:31)

Thus by this verse, Allah Most High has guaranteed the Garden of Paradise to those who avoid the major sins.
And Allah Most High also says:

Those who avoid the greatest of sins and indecencies, and forgive when they are angry (al-Shra 42:37) Those who avoid the greatest sins and indecencies, except for oversights, (will find that) surely your Lord is ample in forgiveness. (Al-Najm 53:32)

The Messenger of Allah (SAW) said: “The five [daily] prayers, Friday to Friday, and Ramadan to Ramadan make atonement for what has happenned since the previous one when major sins have been avoided.”

 It is therefore very important to determine exactly what the greatest vices, technically called “the major sins” (Kaba’ir), are, in order that Muslims should avoid them.
There is some difference of opinion among scholars in this regard.

Some say these major sins are seven, and in support of their position they quote the tradition: “Avoid the seven noxious things”- and after having said this, the prophet (SAW) mentioned them: “associating anything with Allah; magic; killing one whom Allah has declared inviolate without a just case, consuming the property of an orphan, devouring usury, turning back when the army advances, and slandering chaste women who are believers but indiscreet.” (Bukhari and Muslim)

‘Abdullah ibn ‘Abbas said: “Seventy is closer to their number than seven,” and indeed that is correct. The above tradition does not limit the major sins to those mentioned in it. Rather, it points to the type of sins which fall into the category of “major.”

These include those crimes which call for a prescribed punishment (HADD; plural, HUDUD), such as theft, fornication or adultery (ZINA), and murder; those prohibited acts for which a warning of a severe punishment in the Next is given in the Qur’an or the tradition; and also those deeds which are cursed by our Prophet (SAW). These are all major sins.

Of course, there is a gradation among them, since some are more serious than others. We see that the Prophet (SAW) has included SHIRK (associating someone or something with Allah) among them, and from the text of the Qur’an we know that a person who commits SHIRK will not his sin be forgiven and will remain in Hell forever.

Allah Most High says: Surely, Allah does not forgive associating anything with Him, and He forgives whatever is other than that to whomever He wills. (al-Nisa 4:48 and 116)

01. Associating anything with Allah
02. Murder
03. Practising magic
04. Abandoning prayer
05. Not paying Zakat
06. Not fasting on a Day of Ramadan without excuse
07. Not performing Hajj, while being able to do so
08. Disrespect to parents
09. Abandoning relatives
10. Fornication and Adultery
11. Homosexuality (sodomy)
12. Consuming usury (Ribaa)
13. Wrongfully consuming the property of an orphan
14. Lying about Allah and His Messenger
15. Running away from the battlefield
16. A leader’s deceiving his people and being unjust to them
17. Pride and arrogance
18. Bearing false witness
19. Consuming Khamr (intoxicants)
20. Gambling
21. Slandering chaste women
22. Stealing from the spoils of war
23. Theft
24. Highway Robbery
25. Taking false oath
26. Oppression
27. Illegal gain
28. Consuming wealth acquired unlawfully
29. Committing suicide
30. Frequent lying
31. Judging unjustly
32. Giving and Accepting bribes
33. Woman’s imitating man and man’s imitating woman (in dress, etc)
34. Being cuckold
35. Marrying a divorced woman in order to make her lawful for the husband
36. Not protecting oneself from urine (being unclean, wearing soiled clothing)
37. Showing-off (boasting of charity or good works)
38. Learning knowledge of the religion for the sake of this world and concealing that knowledge
39. Bertrayal of trust
40. Recounting favours
41. Denying Allah’s Decree
42. Listening (to) people’s private conversations
43. Carrying false tales and rumors
44. Cursing
45. Breaking contracts
46. Believing in fortune-tellers and astrologers
47. A woman’s bad conduct towards her husband
48. Making statues and paintings of human beings and animals
49. Lamenting, wailing, tearing the clothing, and doing other things of this sort when an affliction befalls
50. Treating others unjustly
51. Overbearing conduct toward the wife, the servant, the weak, and animals
52. Offending one’s neighbour
53. Offending and abusing Muslims
54. Offending people and having an arrogant attitude toward them
55. Trailing one’s garment in pride
56. Men’s wearing silk and gold
57. A servant’s running away from his employer, violating a contract
58. Slaughtering an animal in dedication to anyone other than Allah
59. To knowingly ascribe one’s paternity to a father other than one’s own
60. Arguing and disputing violently
61. Witholding excess water (hoarding, withholding vital goods from the public)
62. Giving short weight or measure
63. Feeling secure from Allah’s Plan
64. Offending Allah’s righteous friends (disrespecting the scholars and saintly people)
65. Not praying in congregation, missing congregational prayers consistently without an excuse
66. Persistently missing Friday Prayers without any excuse
67. Unsurping the rights of the heir through bequests
68. Deceiving and plotting evil
69. Spying for the enemy of the Muslims
70. Cursing or insulting any of the Companions of Allah’s Messenger

Assurance of Salvation in Islam

 
 

 
 
 
From the manifestation of divine love in history, let us move to consider its manifestation in the hereafter: forgiveness and final salvation. Some people often contrast the Islamic position on this subject with that of Christianity by pointing to the following two differences:

• In Islam salvation comes by the efforts of the Muslim in observing a code of law, whereas in Christianity it is given as a free gift to Christians; and
• During his life a Muslim has no assurance of salvation, whereas a Christian already has the certainty that they will have salvation.

In Islam, man's own effort is not at all decisive for his salvation in the sense that the salvation is not regarded as the sole result of that effort. This point is emphasized in the famous hadith in which 'Ayesha is told by the Prophet that none can enter paradise except by God's grace and when she asked him if this applied to him as well, he answered that it did. For a Muslim this one fact that even the Prophet Muhammad, the best of all beings after God, is dependent on God's grace emphasizes the significance of that grace for salvation as forcefully and effectively as the entire theology of the Cross may do for a Christian.
 
 

 
The tradition just alluded to emphasizes the role of divine grace after a person has attained faith and done his best, but as we noted above, the Qur'an also teaches that the establishment of a relationship with God, acquisition of faith and of good qualities and conduct are themselves gifts of divine grace that people who are to be saved receive.
 
Thus in Islam man is saved by two acts of divine grace:

• one by which he acquires faith and the type of qualities and conduct which God loves,
• and the other by which any shortcomings, misjudgments or sins are forgiven and he is rewarded with paradise.

The effort that the Muslim exerts in the way of doing good and obeying the Islamic Shari'ah or law is not, according to the Qur'an, an act of sheer will on the part of the Muslim but is a natural result of his character, the type of heart and mind that he acquires as a result of the first act of divine grace. That is why much of what the Qur'an expects the faithful to do or not to do is stated not as commandments -- you shall or shall not do this -- but as descriptions of the characteristics of the faithful - believers are those who do or do not do such and such. Moreover, in the Qur'an a code of law and adherence to it is not in the forefront.
 
 

 
 It is rather faith, a relationship with God, and doing of good deeds ('aml saleh) that are generally mentioned in Qur'anic promises of salvation (see the passages quoted below). But clearly a code of law is a necessary element in every religion like Islam which organizes a community.
 
The view that divine grace is decisive for salvation and that man's efforts in the way of good and the acquisition by him of good qualities is part of the workings of that grace, inevitably leads to the idea of predestination, as expounded in many traditions such as the following:

"Verily God created Adam and then rubbed his back with His right hand and took out a progeny from him and said: I created these for Paradise and with the actions of the inmates of Paradise which they will do. Afterwards He rubbed his back with His hand and took out a progeny from him and said: I created these for Hell and with the actions of the inmates of Hell which they will do." (Bukhari)

This, of course, raises the question of why God's grace and salvation is given to some but not to others. This question is related to the problem of evil. It arises in every religion, since there is found in every religion [which are basically remnants of a prophetic teachings, who brought earlier versions of Islam - commitment to God to live in peace, or being in a harmonious submission to God's will and natural moral laws] the idea, in one form or the other, that God does not treat all people in the same way and that it ultimately depends on God how He treats His creatures.
 
There is really no answer to the question. It relates to the deepest mysteries of existence which we cannot solve, at least not in our present existence. One phenomenon we can reflect upon is that every person has been given a free will to choose between right and wrong, evil and good, but nevertheless it's a deep and difficult subject and since we cannot answer the question, hadith advises us not to enter into any arguments about it.
 
We now discuss the question of what kind of assurance of divine forgiveness and salvation Islam brings to humankind. In this regard we can state from the outset that the Qur'an rejects the idea of salvation - popular in all religions but given a more official position in some brands of Christianity and Judaism -- which begins by defining a group of people in some mechanical way -- e.g. as all those who undergo a ritual trip in the water, or agree to profess a system of dogmas or adhere to a code of law -- and then promises salvation to all members of that group while declaring the rest of humankind to be doomed.
 
 

 
The Qur'an rather indicates, and attempts to inculcate, certain attitudes, qualities and a stage of spiritual development and promises salvation to all those who have attained those attitudes, qualities etc; at the same time it indicates certain other attitudes, qualities etc. and warns those who possess them of divine punishment. The following passages give a fair idea of the basic attitudes and qualities of those who are assured of salvation:

"Verily those who say our Lord and Supporter (Rabb) is God and thereafter stand firm (in their faith in God) - no fear need they have, and neither shall they grieve. They are destined for paradise, therein to abide permanently as a reward for what they did." (46:13-14) "And they (the Jews and the Christians) claim, none shall enter paradise unless he be a Jew or a Christian. Such are their vain thoughts. Say, produce your proof, if you are truthful. Nay, but whosoever surrenders his self to God and is a doer of good, shall have his reward with his Lord; and all such need have no fear nor shall they grieve." (2: 111-112)

[Note that the Qur'an first mentions "whosoever surrenders his self to God" then "and is a doer of good". Doing good deeds is a natural consequence of "surrendering one's self to God" since as the 'self' (nafs; soul). As it journeys through this life (a maturation ground for it), by surrendering to the Reality, it not only becomes in harmony with the Divine Laws, it also becomes aware of those deeds that are harmful to its development and those that are good. As it continues onwards in its journey to reach higher levels of consciousness, it also becomes natural for it to do good deeds as they provide the boundaries within which it has the maximum chance of developing.]

"Behold, surely, those who have close relationship with God (lit. are friends of God) - no fear need they have, nor shall they grieve - those who have attained faith and have been mindful of God. For them there is the good news (of peace and contentment) in the life of this world and in the life to come - nothing can alter the promises of God - this is the triumph that is supreme I." (10:62-64) "Surely those who have believed (in the Prophet Muhammad) and the Jew, the Sabians and the Christians - any who have faith in God and the Last Day and do good - on them shall be no fear, nor shall they grieve." (5:69)

[this verse universalizes the promise of salvation. What this verse is suggesting is that God does not go by the 'religious labels' that we have put on ourselves and gives salvation only to those people who identify themselves with the group carrying a particular label. Rather, anyone, no matter which group they belong to, is being offered God's mercy and promise of salvation, and is capable of accepting it.
The Qur'an states in another ayât that every soul that is born is born in it natural predisposition. Since every soul has come from God, it must have first met Him and knows it.
 
 

 
As a matter of fact, another ayât in the Qur'an states that God once recalled all souls and asked them who their Lord was and everyone responded by saying that it was Him. This suggests that the awareness of the Reality is already built into our consciousness. However, after a person has been born into this existence which is also of a physical nature that provides another dimension for the development of the 'self' (soul), as he grows, he is influenced by external factors: parents, society, books he reads, etc. And, they all have an influence on his thinking and shaping of his beliefs.
 
Through this period of development, his beliefs about God may get corrupted. Hence a divine revelation is needed to remedy that situation. Now, what if, the true revelation of God does not reach a person, who has developed a corrupted awareness of the Reality, in a meaningful and comprehensible form? Well, that's precisely why we should not judge anyone in this life, and should leave this matter to God Alone. Only He knows the secrets of one's heart. We don't know how the revelation of God has reached a person and what his level of intelligence and ability to comprehend is.]

"And to God belongs all that is in the heavens and on earth, so that He rewards those who do evil according to what they did and rewards those who do good with what is best - those who avoid great sins and shameful deeds (falling may be into) only small faults; verily your Supporter and Lord is generous in forgiving. He knows you when He brings you out of the earth and when you are hidden in your mother's wombs. Therefore justify yourselves not. He knows best who it is who guards against evil."' (53:32) "Verily God does not forgive if one associates others with God (in his allegiance, love and devotion to Him) but He forgives whom He pleases for sins other than that, for, one who associates other gods with God has indeed strayed far, far away." (4:116; cf. 4:48)

['He forgives who He pleases', when examined within the context of the Qur'an does not mean that He is 'random' about it. Rather, it is done through specific divine laws, and He is all-Wise, all-Knowing, and Merciful.
 
Punishment of some souls does not mean that He is not Merciful. He has a global view of all existence in all dimensions and phases -- including the Hereafter, which is in a non-time zone and is, therefore, eternal and permanent.
 
Our view is extremely local and narrow. Compare to His view, our view is simply negligible. It's like when we mow our lawn, trim grass, get rid of weeds, we have the benefit and the health of the over-all existence of our little garden in our mind. We know what plants (weeds) are dangerous to the existence of other plants and grass. We know if we didn't mow and trim our lawn and get rid of the weeds, it would not only look ugly, but the neighbors are sure to complain about it and will consider us a very sloppy and unkind (to the plants and grass) person.
 
However, one small piece of grass that has been cut does not have the view of the garden we do. It only knows of its own existence or the grass blades around it, and is only concerned with its own existence and interests. It's very selfish. If it were to given consciousness and ability to speak, it would surely complain why it was trimmed or cut. If it were a weed, it would complain why it was denied the opportunity for further growth. It would surely consider us a very cruel person who has no mercy and love for it. Even its neighboring plants would consider us very evil that we got rid of their 'friend' weed.
 
They don't know it could have harmed them as well. But, since our view of our garden is much more global and its overall health and beauty is our concern -- and we certainly love our garden and its plants, we can not allow a weed to grow wildly and not trim the grass.
 
Similarly, punishment of some people in the Hereafter does not mean that God is not all-Merciful, since our view is like the view of a blade of grass, in reality, even smaller.]
The last verse talks of forgiveness after a person dies without due repentance and reform. During one's life, however, every sin can be completely washed away after a person duly turns to his Lord in sincere repentance:

Say, "O My servants who have transgressed against your souls! Despair not of the grace of God, for God forgives sins, all of them, for He is much forgiving, most merciful." (39:53)

[Muhammad Asad comments on this verse: "Sc. 'whenever the sinner repents and turns to Him': Cf. for instance, 6:54 -- 'Your Sustainer has willed upon Himself the law of grace and mercy -- so that if any of you does a bad deed out of ignorance, and thereafter repents and lives righteously, He shall be [found] much-forgiving, a dispenser of grace'; or 4:110 -- 'he who does evil or (otherwise) sins against himself, and thereafter prays to God to forgive him, shall find God much-forgiving, a dispenser of grace'. "]
 
From the passages quoted above we see that the Qur'an does not see membership in any particular group as either essential or enough for salvation. In fact it criticizes the Jews and Christians for such a view of salvation. It makes its promise of salvation not for those who bear certain labels but for those who have certain type of attitudes, qualities and conduct, e.g. make God the sole object of their deepest devotion, allegiance and trust, have a submissive attitude toward His signs [in order to be in equilibrium with the Divine law], believe in the hereafter, do good and avoid doing things that are generally recognized to be sinful and shameful.
 
While the guarantee of salvation is given in the Qur'an only to such people, the possibility of salvation is open to all those who do not commit shirk. [i.e. do not elevate anyone to the level of the Reality in their devotions to Him, for this is the height of one's arrogance and conscious deviation from the path of Unity.]
 
Since total assurance of salvation is only for those who have firm faith in God and the Hereafter [i.e., conviction that one came from God and one is returning to Him in the eternal non-time, non-space dimension, where one will face reckoning and final destination of one's 'self' will be decided, which will be based upon the 'state' the self is at when leaving this existence that is within the confines of the physical body given as a vehicle for the 'self' to grow in consciousness], have an inner relationship of love and obedience with God [i.e., the self is in alignment with the natural laws created by the Reality that brings peace and harmony to the self as it is in equilibrium with God's will], and possess good qualities of heart and conduct, it is difficult in general for us mortals to say of any particular individual whether he is saved or not.

For the state of a person's heart and his whole worth cannot be known to us with certainty. [only God has that knowledge with utmost certainty, and He is Merciful and oft-Forgiving] There is also the unknown future: a person judged to be bad now may turn out to be very good later on and vice versa. Moreover, the relative value of a person's deeds cannot be determined by us a single deed of love performed by a man in private, with only God watching him, may outweigh all the bad things that we may have seen him doing, and conversely, private conduct of another man may make worthless many of his public virtues.

For these reasons a Muslim is very cautious about making any categorical statement about the ultimate fate of specific individuals, including himself. He never presumes himself to be a soul already saved but humbly leads his entire life in a state of mind that lies between hope and fear. To abandon either hope or fear is considered a sin by him.

Thus the assumption made by some people that during this life a Muslim does not feel completely assured of salvation is valid but this neither because the Muslim believes in an arbitrary despotic God, nor because Islam is unclear about what is needed for salvation. Rather a Muslim's hopeful uncertainty about his final salvation arises out of the difficulty on the part of human beings of judging with complete certainty whether a man has what is needed to be saved