ISIS does not represent Islam

This morning while  watching some random videos on Youtube I came across a disturbing video called "A Message To America" with duration of 2.29 minutes. In that video there was a man who dressed in an orange jumpsuit, kneeling in front of the camera, with a masked man standing beside him. I went on watching the video for the first minute and a half, and right after the masked man revealed his knife, I stopped the video and closed the entire tab right away.

That man is recognized to be Mr James Foley, the American photojournalist who was reported to be abducted by unidentified gunmen in Syria back in 2012. The footage are reported to be posted on Youtube on behalf of ISIS on Tuesday, August 19th, 2014 (as recently as two days ago).

Before he was killed, Mr Foley, 40, was forced to read a statement that blamed America for his death. The journalist said: “I call on my friends, family and loved ones to rise up against my real killers – the US government. For what will happen to me is only a result of their complacency and criminality.”

Minutes later he was beheaded by the masked man.

I scrolled down a little to read some comments made by the viewers. And I tell you what, I wasn't disappointed to read those comments. I was actually expecting those outraged comments condemning Islam and blaming Muslims as a whole to flood the whole section.

Good job ISIS. Thank you for committing terrorism in the name of Islam, and makes us all look bad in the eyes of the world, once again. Thank you for bringing the hate upon us again, and thank you for bringing back the Islamophobia back on the rise once again.

I know there are also conspiracy theories claiming that this ISIS is actually a creation of the USA itself to put the disgrace on Islam and shift the world's attention away form the middle east's conflicts.

You can choose which of these versions to believe; I personally don't give a damn about it. Coz either way, it does not makes a difference at all. This ISIS truly does not represent Islam. I am a Muslim and I am outraged with what has happened. And I am literally angered with these people who claimed to be Muslims but does not act like one.

Associating Islam with terrorism is not a new thing, I know. If you are viewing things objectively, and you what Islam is, you know it is not true. But I am not exactly gonna put the whole blame on the people for all the stereotypes they throw at us Muslims. The blame is on these small groups of people, ISIS or any other groups who claimed to be representing Islam but commit unnecessary violence like this. You guys, if you truly are Muslims, are the disgrace of Islam.

To the whole world out there who are angered with the actions and violence committed by these groups and starts to point fingers to Islam, please understand that this is the act of a small minority group and does not speaks for us as a whole. Don't judge us Muslims based on the actions of some small minority lunatics. The majority of us are not like that. The majority of us are actually against that. 






Sincerely, a Muslim.

Closer Than Vein

 
Have you ever experienced a moment in your life when death is so close you can actually feel its presence? Ever had a feelings of hopelessness so great, all you had in mind was families and friends thinking that you will never see them again?
 
Though death is so imminent, yet it is so subtle. It looms around you, hides behind your back, and tries to communicate with you. Tries to remind you how fragile life is. And sometimes, it even touches you.

Three months ago (6th of May to be exact) I experienced a rather serious accident at the gym, while doing my daily routine workout. My left lung suddenly collapsed, and I could hardly breathe. I was literally gasping for air like a dying fish; totally helpless, for almost 15 minutes before I could get to the hospital. That ride to hospital was the longest ride in my life. And I was literally dying.

I can vaguely recall how desperate I was as I begged my friend who was driving the car to drive faster. That man was a hero, and I owe him a life. He got me to hospital just before the oxygen in my lung are all used up. "Five more minutes, and you'll be gone.." said the doctor.  It was totally a close call. Seriously man, real close.

As I woke up at my bed in the hospital the next morning, I couldn't actually believe that I actually survived the night. All praise to Him The All-Merciful, I was still alive the next day. I couldn't describe how grateful I am to survive the night. It is beyond words. 

For the next three consecutive days I was placed at the critical ward, heavily supervised. Some of the beds in the ward were the deathbeds for a lot of patients there. I have witnessed several deaths on the bed around me, for almost everyday. Again, death loomed just around me.

There are many things that I have learned from the tragic event but these two are golden; that death are never too far from you, and that there are always people who care for you even when you're not noticing. 

This piece of paper keeps me strong. Thank you guys.

Thank you Allah, for this event. Though its tragic, it taught me a lot.

"And We have already created man and know what his soul whispers to him, and We are closer to him than [his] jugular vein." (Quran 50:16)