Islamic Retreat (Day Five)

October 14, 6:21 AMSF Muslim ExaminerDavi Barker

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The Haji Ralph Khan's Islamic Center
in Jordan Hill, San Fernando.

Before I begin with today's summary I want to be clear the hypothesis described by Imran Hosein is a lot to swallow. I'm still chewing on it myself. Even he says that people should not accept what he's saying, but examine the evidence and come to their own conclusion. He also says that he's open to correction and civil disagreement. I am in 100% agreement with his assessment of paper money and the International Monetary Fund, which is what lead me to this retreat. I also agree with his condemnations of the Saudi government and the hidden shirk of state sovereignty. I am intrigued by his call for the establishment of micro Islam in Muslim villages. But when it comes to his analysis of the modern world and the Signs of the End Times I'm not yet endorsing his thesis. I am only presenting it faithfully for you to assess for yourself. And even if you don't accept that the Signs are as eminent as he suggests, certainly we can agree that this is a subject worth studying which is often overlooked by our scholars. If you need clarification about these subjects please don't come to me. His videos are prolific on the Internet and he's very accessible by Email.
 

Today we went to an all day forum presenting Imran Hosein's views to the general public of Trinidad, both Non-Muslim and Muslim. This event was held at the Haji Ralph Khan's Islamic Center in Jordan Hill, San Fernando. It's interesting to note that Shaikh Imran's ideas are not widely accepted by Muslims in Trinidad, and the vast majority of his support and praise comes from overseas. Still, many locals were eager to attend an event with so many international guests. The Shaikh was first introduced by another top student of Shaikh Muhammad Ansari, Maulana Siddiq Ahmed Nasir and Shaikh. Then a short introduction by Imran's top student Hesbullah visiting from Singapore. In this presentation, which was essentially a motivational speech, Shaikh Imran calls for an internal revolution, a spiritual revolution.
 

An Islamic Response to the Political and Economic Challenges of the Modern Age
 

The Shaikh opens by making a distinction between those who "see with only one eye," meaning those who see only the material world, and those who "see with two eyes," meaning those who possess that inner vision which allows them to see the spiritual reality. To the one eyed, like the Dajjal, this appears to be the best of all worlds, with its technological and medical breakthroughs and its ever expanding global communication network. But for the two eyed, who have Basira, that internal sight, this is the worst of all worlds. A world which is essentially godless and abominably decadent, where the religious way of life is being reduced to mental postures, not a complete way of life. It's Starbucks here, Starbucks in China and Starbucks in Mecca. He predicts this godless society will become a complete global society where faith is squeezed out of people leaving only a husk of religious paraphernalia and religion will be forced into the museum of history.
 

Shaikh Imran insists that political and economic oppression are greater today than any period in history, and it will only get worse. Though the one eyed cannot see it. To those who judge progress by the height of their buildings this is the best of worlds, but to those who measure progress by the depth of our faith, the stability of our families, the charity and the justice of our societies this is the worst of all worlds. We are demanded by our prophet to resist oppression with our hand, our tongue and in our heart. So Shaikh Imran is calling for an internal revolution, a spiritual revolution. First, he says, we must change our hearts to achieve that sight that lets us see that we live in a world where appearance is the opposite of reality. He invokes Malcolm X, who could not speak Arabic and never went to Al-Azhar, but who could see with two eyes. Before we can be externally free we must be internally free as Malcolm X was. Free to stand up with out fear. Free to at least challenge our oppressors with our tongues.
 

Shaikh Imran describes an uncanny parallel between the modern world and ancient Egypt. Pharaoh proclaimed himself the highest law, even above God, just as all secular constitutions do today. Today's elite spend billions of dollars on sky scrapers and stadiums, just as Pharaoh built pyramids and coliseums, while the poor live in destitution right outside. Like Pharaoh they use violence and intimidation to secure their rule. Shaikh Imran equates the killing of the first born of Israel with the War on Terror. Anti terrorism Laws infringe on the civil rights of all, and any who dare to resist, or even speak in opposition are thrown into dungeons and rape rooms like Guantanamo and Abu Ghraib.
 

The Shaikh then made a bold claim, that the Israeli Mossad, and the CIA jointly planned and executed the attacks of 9-11. And he challenged any who support the official story of the American Government to come forward with their evidence. He asserts that the attack was a monstrous lie used to pursue a political and economic agenda already in motion. I want to pause here for a moment. I know the 9-11 Truth movement has considerable steam in America, but it remains a fringe opinion. If the local and international visitors to this retreat are any indication, this belief is much more prevalent around the world. I personally take no position. Like most conspiracy theories I see enough evidence to doubt the official story, but not enough evidence to know what actually happened. Further, I believe that the evil they do openly is sufficient to condemn them without knowing what they do secretly. What is interesting to me is that in Trinidad Imran Hosein says this publicly, at an event broadcast on radio and television. I know of no Islamic leader, no investigative journalist, and no political figure of any weight who even discusses 9-11 critically. Regardless of what you believe, that fact alone says volumes about internal freedom in America.
 

He continues describing the parallel between the modern world and ancient Egypt. In the Quran, in Surah Yunus, after Moses has lead the Israelites across the sea and the waters have plunged upon Pharaoh and his army, as Pharaoh drowns the veils come off and he finally sees with two eyes. As he is dying he realizes that he is not God, and professes belief in the God of Israel. And Allah responds, "Indeed you were of the disobedient and of the oppressors! This day We will preserve your physical body so that when it is discovered you will serve as a Sign for those who come after you. But most people are heedless of Our Signs."
 

Interestingly the body of Pharaoh was discovered preserved in the early 20th century. It was identified by Dr. Maurice Bucaille, a French Medical Doctor, member of the French Society of Egyptology and author. Shaikh Imran has interpreted this as one of many Signs that the countdown toward the Last Age has begun. That, as Prophet Muhammad told us, a strange alliance between some Jews and some Christians will give birth to a global dictatorship in the Holy Land and when it becomes the ruling state in the world a leader will appear declaring himself the Messiah and ruling the world from Jerusalem. Muhammad told us that this man would be the Dajjal, the Anti Christ, and many from among every religion will follow him. So the Shaikh sees no coincidence in the fact that Pharaoh's body was discovered at about the same time that the Zionist movement was beginning, or that Britain and America, secular states, collaborated to establish Israel, a religious state, in the Holy Land. These are just steps down this road, just as all the economic and political oppression in the modern world, and the cotinued trend toward global goverment are steps down this road. The Dajjal will rule as Pharaoh ruled, drunk on power and secular hubris. Shaikh Imran warns that the body of Pharaoh is also a Sign to those who live as Pharaoh lived that they will die as Pharaoh died, confronted once again by the forces of Truth, this time with the return of Jesus.