A community of Muslims in a non-Muslim country

[surfinjo]

One of the things about Islam that the non-Muslim can't fail to be impressed by is the organisation which seems so consistant and appears to work so effectively.

I would like, if I may, to ask about a community of Muslims living in a non-Muslim country.

I know that Muslims have an Imam who leads prayers in the Mosque.

I know that Muslims have scholars.

What other officials would such a community have?

Would there be an Islamic 'court' to hear and judge disputes or transgressions?

Who would constitute the officials of such a court? (Please excuse me if court is not the correct term).

How would they be appointed?

Would such a community have member charged with responsibility for social matters?

Who would take on such a role?

Would there be someone to approach to find suitable mariage partners?

Would there be someone who would welcome Muslims who have recently moved into the area into the local community?

Are there any other significant officials wroking for the benefit of the Muslim community?

[surfinjo]

I hope no body minds if I bump this post back up.

Perhaps someone who hasn't been online all weekend can provide some answers.

[AbuMubarak]

VIDEO: Darkness To Light
http://graphics.hotmail.com/greypixel.gif

A revealing film that sets out to discover through the experience of people, who from a variety of backgrounds embraced Islam; what it is about Islam that attracts them, how it changed them and what Islam ultimately has to offer mankind.



Part 1

Click here to watch (http://www.dawah.tv/broadcast/light01.ram)
Right click here to download (http://www.dawah.tv/broadcast/light01.rm)

Part 2

Click here to watch (http://www.dawah.tv/broadcast/light2.ram)
Right click here to download (http://www.dawah.tv/broadcast/light2.rm)

Part 3

Click here to watch (http://www.dawah.tv/broadcast/light3.ram)
Right click here to download (http://www.dawah.tv/broadcast/light3.rm)



Source: khilafah.com

[surfinjo]

AbuMubarak

I thank you for taking the trouble to respond to this thread. I also thank you for the link to the 3 part video presentation. I did see these link on another thread a few days ago and down loaded the files then. They were interesting, well presented and contained several thought provoking statements.

However, If I may, I wuld like to bring you back to my original questions about the organisation of a community of Muslims in a non-Muslim society.

I do hope either you or someone else can provide this information.

I look forward to reading your response.

[Stanley Stunodd]

What other officials would such a community have?
Would there be an Islamic 'court' to hear and judge disputes or transgressions?
Who would constitute the officials of such a court?
(Please excuse me if court is not the correct term).
How would they be appointed?
Would such a community have member charged with responsibility for social matters?
Who would take on such a role?
Extra-judicial matters and any actions taken by such courts would appear to sanction, findings that the Sharia supercedes the laws of the land .

[surfinjo]

This thread seems to be gradually disappearing to the 'older' pages.

I really would like someone to offer some infomation of this subject.

I confess, I am somewhat surprised that no-one has done so, since this seems to be within the spirit of this section of ummah.

I do hope that, perhaps, someone who has not been on for a while can give some answers.



What other officials would such a community have?

Would there be an Islamic 'court' to hear and judge disputes or transgressions?

Who would constitute the officials of such a court? (Please excuse me if court is not the correct term).

How would they be appointed?

Would such a community have member charged with responsibility for social matters?

Who would take on such a role?

Would there be someone to approach to find suitable mariage partners?

Would there be someone who would welcome Muslims who have recently moved into the area into the local community?

Are there any other significant officials wroking for the benefit of the Muslim community?

[Ehsanparham]

I don't know that one Imam is in charge of any group. As far as I know, the Imam is available and it's upto you to deal with him personally. He is there to do the prayers, etc...

Sharia'a should be above all laws, however, that's not the case today (unfortunately). No one is going to go out and kill a homosexual, for example.

If you're searching for something like the pope, you won't find that person. A bunch of people who judge other people? You won't find that either. If you break the law you will suffer for it, and God will judge you on The Day.

This is an interesting topic though, I hope someone with more expertise will chime in...

[AbuMubarak]

the concept of an imam just being someone who "leads the prayers" is foreign to islam

when two muslims are together, one must be chosen the leader

when the muslims made hijra to habasha, they had a leader

today, muslims dont want to hear and obey, so we dont have leaders, thus we are wandering sheep in a valley of wolves, and as you can clearly see, we are getting slaughtered

[AbuMubarak]

and sharia is much more than chopping hands and stoning


or maybe thats the only part of islam, people are afraid of, because we have many thieves and adulterers within our midst

[surfinjo]

AbuMubarak and Ehsanparham

I was aware of the equality of all Muslims, that they tend to shun the concept of rank within their religious observance. I do thank you for the clarification of the Imam. I mistakenly believed that an Imam was appointed by a Mosque committee to work.

On the subject of Sharia. I also understood this. However, for members of a Muslim community, to whom do they turn to for guidance under Sharia?

How are disputes managed within Sharia law?

How will the community hold to account a member who they believe has violated Sharia law?

and sharia is much more than chopping hands and stoning

I do appreciate this point and thank you for making it. I realise that such verdicts would be rare and this is not really what I was thinking about.

I am really more interested in the day to day normal life for a Muslim community in a non-Muslim society, such as the UK for example. Guidance and advice for Muslims under sharia law.

I'm sure that many Muslims, living within a non-Muslim society will want to maintain as much of their religious tradition as possible.

[surfinjo]

Once again I am taking the liberty to bump this thread back to the top.

I really hope that someone will take the time to answer my questions.

[surfinjo]

I really want some answers to these questions.

Or, at the very least, an explaination as to why no-one will give any answers.

[Consider]

The focal point for any Muslim community in the west is the local mosque.

It is the mosque that helps regulate the affairs of the Muslims in terms of marriage, divorce, welcoming and helping new Muslims into the faith, in matters relating to business and finance, and so forth.

It also helps educate the Muslims on different matters of their faith, and helping them increase in their knowledge.

It is essentially the base of the community (or should be!)

Imams who lead the prayers and who are responsible for the affairs and needs of the Muslims, are knowledgeable in Islam, and will have studied Islam at university and beyond. They will have a excellent knowledge of Islam and also the Arabic language.

"With regard to the imam’s role in society, there is no doubt that it is an important role. How can it be otherwise when he is leading the prayers which are the most important pillar of Islam after the Shahaadatayn (twin testimony of faith)? The imam is the leader and the worshippers behind him are his followers. The imam guides and leads his jamaa’ah (group) by giving lessons and talks. The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) and the Rightly-Guided khaleefahs used to hold gatherings in the mosques where the Muslims would gather so that they might consult with one another concerning religious and worldly matters and so that they might teach the people about Tawheed, fiqh, good manners, and also enjoin what is good and forbid what is evil.”

See Ahkaam al-Imaamah wa’l-I’timaam fi’l-Salaah by al-Muneef, p. 64

The imam should check up on those who are absent (from the prayers), and visit the sick, He should strive to meet the needs of the Muslims who pray with him, teaching the ignorant, admonishing the negligent, advising the erring, reconciling those among whom there are differences, bringing them closer to one another and striving to foster friendship and love between them. He should strive to solve social problems that arise among them such as family quarrels, disputes between neighbours and the like. To sum up, the role of the imam is very important and should be appreciated as such. The group should help him to achieve the aims of sharee’ah and ward off anything that is bad or harmful. And Allaah is the Source of strength."

Status of the imam in Islam, http://63.175.194.25/index.php?ln=eng&ds=qa&lv=browse&QR=13474&dgn=4


There will be other scholars who are specialists in their own individual fields, and so will help people know the Islamic issues surrounding that particular field. They will also form committees where they can discuss issues.


I really want some answers to these questions.

Or, at the very least, an explaination as to why no-one will give any answers.

[surfinjo]

Consider

Thank you so very much for that information. It has been most helpful.

I have raised a number of other queries. I do hope you can find the time and the information to give some information to clarify those.

[muslimdaisy]

The community that I live in is very large. We have different masjids in different zones and these different zones comprise an islamic society organization. This tent organization is needed in this non muslim country for matters such as Eid prayers (it is recommended to pray in a large gathering), social welfare programs, getting things done for Muslims in the gov., and others. This organization has a President, Secretary, Treasurer, etc. The President is voted upon and so are the zonal representatives by members of the Islamic community who have paid their membership dues. The masjid in my zone has a Director who is voted upon as well, and different committees are formed. Examples of committees are the youth, social, educational, and womens committees that promote their specific programs. The Imam is still the main person to go to in the masjid and Islamic community. These are the facts about this specific community, whether this is the best way for a muslim community in the west to thrive is yet to be seen.

[faqir]

I would like to recommend the following:


Muslims Living in Non-Muslim Lands

By Shaykh Abdullah bin Bayyah, Zaytuna Institute (http://www.zaytuna.org/)


http://www.themodernreligion.com/world/muslims-living.html

[surfinjo]

muslimdaisy and faqir

I would like to thank you both for these contributions. They are very helpful.

I did assume that most Muslim communities would have a standard system of organisation. Islam does seem to have been quite meticulous with its systems.

I will read the link kindly provided by faqir now.

Thank you both again.

[Consider]

I re-read your questions... wrt to how these imams etc are elected - I have no idea as to how this works (perhaps the brothers could give more information on this!), but I have seen some mosques (in the U.S.) advertise for vacancies for imams or other teachers in an Islaamic magazine called al Jumuah.

Would there be an Islamic 'court' to hear and judge disputes or transgressions?

I dont believe there is such a system here. I think there was something in the news about there being a possibility of a 'shariah court' set up in Canada (but they wont be able to implement capital punishment etc.), so maybe that can give you an insight.

As to the U.K., again, Muslims would probably go to the mosque to solve disputes, finance, marriage & divorce etc. Or to sheikhs you know.

However, I think there are some organisations set up that provide advice on these issues, and are advertised in a publication called the Muslim Directory, which lists a whole array of Muslim organisations like schools, businesses etc.

Would such a community have member charged with responsibility for social matters?

This is discussed in the link.

Who would take on such a role?

As above.

Would there be someone to approach to find suitable mariage partners?

Perhaps the mosque. Well, the reverts would usually use this approach more than Non-reverts.

Seeking spouses is usually done through family and friends.

Would there be someone who would welcome Muslims who have recently moved into the area into the local community?

Usually, the mosque is the first port of call for any Muslim male (the males in particular as they have to pray in congregation) so the contacts would start from there.

Muslim women would also meet others in the mosque, but also in schools etc.

wrt to what you specifically asked, It all depends on the Muslim community. Neighbours have a lot of rights in Islam, so they are important. However, many Muslims fall short in upholding them. Again, it all depends on what kind of community you are in.

Are there any other significant officials wroking for the benefit of the Muslim community?

There are many 'unofficial' people working for the community. A Muslim has obligations to all around him, non-Muslims as well as Muslims, and we have to try our best individually to help others and fulfil our obligations.

There are many organisations set up that help different sections of the community. For example, a sisters study circle, or a mum and toddler group, and so forth.

I am sure there are brothers on this board [hellooo?] who can be of more help. I live in an area where there are very little Muslims, and the only 'community' I see is the one at university!

Consider

Thank you so very much for that information. It has been most helpful.

I have raised a number of other queries. I do hope you can find the time and the information to give some information to clarify those.

[AbuMubarak]

good thread