A DISCOURSE WITH BASSAM OBEID:

AT THE TABLE:
Sheikh Bassma Obeid,
Dr. Masood N. Khan,
Taimur Tareen,
Shaban Abusamak,
Dr. Yasin Raja,
Waleed Zoabi,
Aslam Kukda

Who should be called Kafir?
The word Kufr linguistically means to cover or to deny. In Quran Kufr has, in some verses been used in liguistical sense, for example the farmers who cover the seeds with soil are called kuffar and Muslims who deny the evil influences of materialism are mentioned as those who do kufr against thaghut. But in its implied meaning the word Kafir is applied to the non-Muslims who have rejected or have failed to accept Islam. However when this label is applied in such a generalized scope, it gives rise to a flawed understanding and consequently to narrow-mindedness, prejudice and hate. So what should be the right understanding of the word Kafir. As we read the verses in Quran about Kufr and Kafir, it does not take much effort to understand that these words are used in a very specific sense meaning an act of denial or a person who commits such act only after having convincingly known that the prophet and the message he brought are true beyond any doubt. So for Kufr to be committed, just knowing about Islam as a religion and the prophet as somebody who presented the mes-sage and claimed to be a prophet is not enough. In the present age of information anybody will be knowledgeable about Islam and the Prophet. But if he or she knew it to be true and then simply with arrogance rejected it, only then Kufr will take place is what needs to be first determined to call anybody Kafir. A corollary to such understanding is the fact, as to how Islam was presented this. This becomes a very important requirement to an individual.

For anybody to be convinced of the truth, it is absolutely necessary that those who bear the truth should present it in a manner which is very convincing. This requires character of the presenter and the wisdom with which it is presented. So before calling somebody a Kafir keep in mind all the prerequisite which go into it.

2. Allah is the light of heavens and earth…….
This is considered one of the most mystical verses of Qur’an. No doubt Allah’s example is presented allegorically and in meaning that allegory makes perfect sense, yet the description and choice of simulations given are in themselves remarkable. A lamp, placed in a nitch, within a vessel made up of glass that shines like a star with the splendor of a pearl in which the oil of a blessed tree of olive that is neither from west nor from east has been burning with combustibility that lights it up without being touched by any fire. Further adding to its mysticism is the fact that this verse presents a description in words of God. At the same time if one tries to decipher the allegory, the meaning will become quite clear in spite of the mystical sense the verse generates. God is the source of light, the light of the belief in Him. It dispels ignorance as the light dispels darkness. This source of light is so beautiful that it could not be missed except by self-imposed blindness. Further this source of light (God) is self-sustained without the need of any other means to hold. The combination of its meaningfulness and the mysticism of God’s description in words makes this verse very unique.

3. Was ISIS a conspiracy?