Brief analysis of the human relationship network

See this article on the following (external) link: linkedin.com/pulse/brief-analysis-human-relationship-network-ties-kinship-a-ashraf

The family name

The family name, also called surname or last name, can be defined as a name that is passed from one generation to the next. Most surnames fall into four broad categories:

1. Surnames derived from given names, most often patronymic, referring to a male ancestor. E.g. Johnson, Williams, and Thompson. Arabic examples are Bin-Bâz and Ibn-Uthaymeen.

2. Occupational surnames refer to the occupation of the bearer. E.g. Smith, Clark, and Wright. Arabic example is Al-Qayyim.

3. Locational or topographic surnames are derived from the place that the bearer lived. E.g. Hill, Woods, and Ford. Arabic example is Al-Bukhârî.

4. Surnames derived from nicknames. E.g. White, Young, and Long. Arabic examples are Sayf-ul-lâh, Salah-ud-deen and Al-Siddeeq.

According to behindthename.com, surnames began to be used in Europe in the 12th century, but it took several centuries before the majority of Europeans had one. The primary purpose of the surname was to further distinguish people from one another. In the 13th century about a third of the male population had a given name of William, Richard or John. To uniquely identify them, people began referring to different Williams as William the son of Andrew (leading to Anderson), William the cook (leading to Cook), William from the brook (leading to Brooks), William the brown-haired (leading to Brown), and so on. Eventually, these surnames became inherited, being passed from parents to children.

We see from the history books of the Muslims that maintaining the family name was an established practice by the Arabs, which precedes the seventh century. So the custom was established in the Arab lands before it reached Europe. When Islām blessed the Arab lands, its teachings encouraged preservation of lineage and having knowledge of one's family line. Consequently a common naming system could be established across the Muslim community. Sadly, many Islâmic traditions and practices, including the Islâmic naming system, had not become widespread knowledge among the Muslims outside of Arabia (until quite recently). Therefore, naming differed in different areas and in different families.

A question to ponder is: at what point did individuals within our own families start to adopt the practice of formally appending the family name when giving names to their children? Thus, at the point when this is initiated, if a man passes on his name as the formal 'surname' to his offspring, then his brother’s children would have different surnames to his, although they share the same lineage. This ‘point of initiation’ varies widely for families outside of Europe and Arabia, to the extent that some families have only reached that point in this century.

Another consideration to note is that if there is little movement in the residency of family members, then after six or seven generations, a significant population of an area would have the same surname. This could be confusing and also people may not feel at all close (in blood relation) to someone who is only related to them by looking back several generations. Consequently, there may arise some aspiration for regrouping and a new ‘point of initiation’.

The ISIS calamity

ISIS (also known as ISIL, Daesh and IS) is a violent rebellious movement that is spreading falsehood, corruption and harm throughout the middle-east (and beyond). ISIS rebels are frequently in the news – they call themselves “Islamic State” and sadly this is how the media also reports them – thus, they have spread a false impression of Islām to non-Muslims over the globe. Consequently, Muslims living in non-Muslim societies are facing hostility, aggression and even violent attacks from people who are displacing their hatred of ISIS on to any nearby Muslim. The Muslims, in turn, find themselves frustratingly asking, "How can anyone hate Muslims because of ISIS? ISIS is the enemy of Muslims and Islâm." Some people may not realise this fact because the media does not really take the time to explain. Each media outlet’s aim is to make the news exciting or interesting (to boost its own circulation and audience) and does not invest time in educating the people.

Nonetheless, the reality of the people who attack Muslims because they see reports of ISIS in the media and think their neighbouring Muslims are like that – their reality is that they are fiery, hate-filled individuals who just need fuel for their fire. Before ISIS emerged, it is likely that these types of people were not hate-free or gripe-free. Let us consider 20 years ago – there was no ISIS then, but Muslims were still attacked in the same societies even then. Of course in those days, they were attacked because they were Asian, or Black or some other ethnic minority. These incidents are few, because these types of people are few (though worryingly rising in numbers). On some occasions in recent times, non-Muslims have been 'mistakenly' attacked by thugs who hate Muslims and thought their victims were Muslim. Should these victims blame ISIS? Or should they blame all Muslims? If so, what description should the victims give to the authorities of their attackers – would they say, “Don’t bother chasing my actual attackers because it was a case of mistaken identity; they meant to senselessly beat someone else?” Of course not, any act of violence by one group of individuals can never justify a further act of violence against other individuals who had nothing to do with the initial violence. The enemy to peace and civilised existence is any form of violence, intolerance, persecution or misconception – all this is injustice. Please read the article on the following link (url) to see what Islâm says about peace, tolerance, justice and sanctity of human life:

• www.innatereligion.co.uk/brief-articles/peace

Prophet Muhammad (صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم - peace be upon him) provided comprehensive guidance to humankind and, thus, he did not leave off warning us against the emergence of groups such as ISIS or Al-Qaeda. These types of rebellious groups are referred to as the Kharijite. Their goal is to seize power and to establish a regime of merciless brutality. Muhammad (peace be upon him) described the Kharijite, explaining that they have no real understanding of Islâm. He said: “They will recite the Qur'ân but it will not go beyond their throats. They will exit the Religion [i.e. Islâm] just as an arrow passes swiftly through its target.” The Muslim scholar and historian, Ibn Katheer, who died over seven centuries ago penned the following words that resonate strongly in our times. He said, regarding the Kharijite, “If they ever gained strength, they would surely corrupt the whole of the earth, including Iraq and Syria.” (Al-Bidâyah, 10/584-585)

ISIS started out as a group of thugs (offshoot from Al-Qaeda) who took advantage of the political turmoil in Syria and Iraq. In Syria, from around 2011, there was a national uprising giving rise to a legitimate struggle against the tyrannical Assad government. By the end of 2012, the opposition National Coalition had become internationally recognised as the legitimate representative of the Syrian people (see bbc.co.uk). ISIS sabotaged the effort by attacking those who were resisting the oppressive Assad regime. So there was no respite for Syria: parts of it downtrodden by the Assad regime, other parts by ISIS. The situation in Iraq was even more complex and the history of the current turmoil in Iraq goes back at least a couple of decades. The Iraqi people had been subjugated by the government, led by Saddam Hussein, due to whom they became victims of international sanctions and bombings by the US and Britain. Then in March 2003, Iraq was invaded. The US-led invasion toppled the government, captured and executed Saddam (after having put him through trial for crimes against humanity). Most of the foreign troops were withdrawn by mid-2009 and the US pulled out its remaining troops by the end of 2011, but there was still political unrest and internal conflict in Iraq. ISIS capitalised on this and, in June 2014, seized Iraq's second city of Mosul and other key towns. Before the end of 2014, they had declared themselves as "Islamic State", despite the fact that their actions harmed the Muslims and gave a false image of Islâm (and they continue astray in their wayward, destructive path).

How I started 'my memoirs'

The below excerpt is from my memoirs (a work in progress), which I try to update once a year. It is written as a retrospective, as opposed to a journal.

How it started

I had read somewhere that "The palest ink is better than the best memory," and thought that I should write down what I remember of moments in my life so that the writing is there should the time come when my memory needs a nudge. I began writing this in the year 2003, on the 29th of May. I was having difficulty sleeping that night and my mind was travelling through one thought after another. Eventually, around 2 am, I reached a thought that led me to get out of bed, switch on my computer (which was in my bedroom) and start writing.

...

How it developed

My initial intention was to write up key memories from my past until I reached the present. Then I could periodically add to it so that it was no more than a year out of date. So this was never intended to be a journal, rather a retrospective look at events and thoughts related to them.

I wanted this writing to represent real life and abstained from including any information about which I am unsure. I am aware that where there are gaps in memory, the mind may have a natural tendency to fill in these gaps by deduction, or create vague false memories in an attempt to provide closure on a story. Therefore, I have tried to be careful not to speculate. I have preferred instead to omit certain stories altogether due to uncertainty in some parts, or to leave gaps in some stories. In some instances, I have noted my observations and opinions where there was a sound basis behind them. These are of course identifiable in the context of the writing and are not passed off as fact.

The chapters are generally chronological, unless the content is dealing with a subject that spans different time periods. In some chapters, I tackle ideas or concepts relevant to my experience and provide preamble, research and supporting background information.

...

Universal celebration? But do I have to participate?

In current times, Christmas refers to a set of customs and symbols that appear in a recurring pattern at a certain part of the year (typically from late November through to December). These symbols and customs have been aggressively marketed all over the globe. In the true marketing style of 'think global, act local', the promoters of Christmas have been able to morph it into a celebration that can be adopted by people of varying backgrounds and beliefs. It does not have to be about religion at all; as the key mottoes are "fun" and "togetherness", which are fronts to cover the underlying consumerism.

Few people, nowadays, care about where the symbols of Christmas came from, such as Santa, the Christmas tree, and so on. These symbols now have a more dominant association with Christmas than even Jesus (peace be upon him). This is largely because, in current times, to celebrate Christmas you do not need to believe in Christ. As Bart Simpson (a popular cartoon character) remarked: "Let's not forget the true meaning of Christmas, the birth of Santa!"

In the UK, where there is an overwhelming population of atheists and agnostics, you still cannot avoid the symbols of Christmas. To express even a minor dislike for Christmas is probably 'politically incorrect' and definitely unpopular. However, if it is a celebration and a time of “fun”, then should people be dictated how to celebrate and how to have fun? Do we have to take part? Is it okay to say, “No thanks, it's not for me,” and polititely decline? Of course that's fine; “Bah, humbug,” to anyone that says otherwise! ;-)

Origin of Christmas

It is a universally accepted fact that Jesus (peace be upon him) was NOT born on December 25. No person knows the exact date of his birth.

The early Christians did NOT celebrate Jesus' birth. Christmas celebration was not initiated based on any religious evidence; rather a widespread explanation is that it is based on a pagan feast. Saturnalia was a tradition inherited by the Roman pagans from an earlier Babylonian priesthood and December 25 was used as a celebration of the birthday of the sun god. It was observed near the winter solstice.

In any case, this was an innovation into the religion of Christianity and definitely NOT from the teachings and examples of Jesus (peace be upon him). However, the majority of Christians felt that there is some good in this innovation and chose to accept this innovation and have made it part of their religion.

Sources and further reading

Encyclopedia Britannica, online: www.britannica.com

Excerpt from Encyclopedia Britannica: Christmas – origin and development

The early Christian community distinguished between the identification of the date of Jesus’ birth and the liturgical celebration of that event. The actual observance of the day of Jesus’ birth was long in coming. In particular, during the first two centuries of Christianity there was strong opposition to recognizing birthdays of martyrs or, for that matter, of Jesus. Numerous Church Fathers offered sarcastic comments about the pagan custom of celebrating birthdays when, in fact, saints and martyrs should be honoured on the days of their martyrdom—their true “birthdays,” from the church’s perspective.

The precise origin of assigning December 25 as the birth date of Jesus is unclear. The New Testament provides no clues in this regard. December 25 was first identified as the date of Jesus’ birth by Sextus Julius Africanus in 221 and later became the universally accepted date. One widespread explanation of the origin of this date is that December 25 was the Christianizing of the dies solis invicti nati (“day of the birth of the unconquered sun”), a popular holiday in the Roman Empire that celebrated the winter solstice as a symbol of the resurgence of the sun, the casting away of winter and the heralding of the rebirth of spring and summer. Indeed, after December 25 had become widely accepted as the date of Jesus’ birth, Christian writers frequently made the connection between the rebirth of the sun and the birth of the Son. One of the difficulties with this view is that it suggests a nonchalant willingness on the part of the Christian church to appropriate a pagan festival when the early church was so intent on distinguishing itself categorically from pagan beliefs and practices.

A second view suggests that December 25 became the date of Jesus’ birth by a priori reasoning that identified the spring equinox as the date of the creation of the world and the fourth day of creation, when the light was created, as the day of Jesus’ conception (i.e., March 25). December 25, nine months later, then became the date of Jesus’ birth. For a long time the celebration of Jesus’ birth was observed in conjunction with his baptism, celebrated January 6.

Christmas began to be widely celebrated with a specific liturgy in the 9th century but did not attain the liturgical importance of either Good Friday or Easter, the other two major Christian holidays. Roman Catholic churches celebrate the first Christmas mass at midnight, and Protestant churches have increasingly held Christmas candlelight services late on the evening of December 24. A special service of “lessons and carols” intertwines Christmas carols with Scripture readings narrating salvation history from the Fall in the Garden of Eden to the coming of Christ. The service, inaugurated by E.W. Benson and adopted at the University of Cambridge, has become widely popular.

Contemporary customs in the West

None of the contemporary Christmas customs have their origin in theological or liturgical affirmations, and most are of fairly recent date. The Renaissance humanist Sebastian Brant recorded, in Das Narrenschiff (1494; The Ship of Fools), the custom of placing branches of fir trees in houses. Even though there is some uncertainty about the precise date and origin of the tradition of the Christmas tree, it appears that fir trees decorated with apples were first known in Strasbourg in 1605. The first use of candles on such trees is recorded by a Silesian duchess in 1611. The Advent wreath—made of fir branches, with four candles denoting the four Sundays of the Advent season—is of even more recent origin, especially in North America. The custom, which began in the 19th century but had roots in the 16th, originally involved a fir wreath with 24 candles (the 24 days before Christmas, starting December 1), but the awkwardness of having so many candles on the wreath reduced the number to four. An analogous custom is the Advent calendar, which provides 24 openings, one to be opened each day beginning December 1. According to tradition, the calendar was created in the 19th century by a Munich housewife who tired of having to answer endlessly when Christmas would come. The first commercial calendars were printed in Germany in 1851. The intense preparation for Christmas that is part of the commercialization of the holiday has blurred the traditional liturgical distinction between Advent and the Christmas season, as can be seen by the placement of Christmas trees in sanctuaries well before December 25.

Toward the end of the 18th century the practice of giving gifts to family members became well established. Theologically, the feast day reminded Christians of God’s gift of Jesus to humankind even as the coming of the Wise Men, or Magi, to Bethlehem suggested that Christmas was somehow related to giving gifts. The practice of giving gifts, which goes back to the 15th century, contributed to the view that Christmas was a secular holiday focused on family and friends. This was one reason why Puritans in Old and New England opposed the celebration of Christmas and in both England and America succeeded in banning its observance.

Children in Islâm

Please see this link (to islamreligion.com) for a very nice article on what Islâm says about children. Here are some points of reflection on it:

• Children are a blessing and, as with all blessings in this life, Allâh (God), in His infinite wisdom, has given to some and restricted to others...

• Those that are bestowed with this blessing should show their gratitude to Allâh and not display pride and arrogance to people...

• Anyone bestowed with this blessing should not become insensitive to the feeling of others - for those who want children but do not have them, the last thing they need is people bringing up this subject. They have chosen to endure with patience this test from their Lord, so they should not be made to feel incomplete or inferior; it may be that they gain a high status with Allāh due to their patience.

Below is a brief excerpt of the article: What Islâm says about children.

Muslims believe all children are born submitting to Allâh, this means they are born innately [fitrah] inclined to love and worship Allâh alone. In his traditions, the Prophet (صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم - peace be upon him) made this very clear. He said that no child is born except on his true nature (Islām) and that his parents may choose to give him/her a different religion other than submission to One Allâh. (Saheeh Al-Bukhâri, Saheeh Muslim)

When a child is born, it is a cause for much happiness and celebration. In Islām there is no preference for either a male or female child. The Qur'ân says that both the male and the female were created from a single person (Âdâm, 'alayhis-salâm) and that they are equal except in terms of piety and righteousness.

“And Allâh said, ‘Oh humankind! Be dutiful to your Lord, Who created you from a single person (Âdâm) and from him, He created his wife, and from them both He created many men and women.” (Qur'ān, 4:1)

Islâm was revealed at a time when the Arabs practiced infanticide and would often bury their female babies alive. This was an ignorant practice and the Prophet (peace be upon him) stated categorically that female children are a blessing and that raising them to be righteous believers is a source of great reward.

“And when the news of the birth of a female child is brought to any of them, his face becomes dark, and he is filled with inward grief! He hides himself from the people because of the evil of that whereof he has been informed. Shall he keep her with dishonour or bury her in the earth? Certainly, evil is their decision!” (Qur'ân, 16:58-59)

We have also learned much about the Islâmic view of children from the Prophet’s (peace be upon him) wife `Âishah. Traditions narrated by her show clearly that male children should not be preferred over female children and that raising daughters is a source of great reward:

"A lady along with her two daughters came to me (`Âishah) asking for some alms, but she found nothing with me except one date which I gave to her and she divided it between her two daughters and did not eat anything herself; then she got up and went away. Then the Prophet (peace be upon him) came in and I informed him about this story. He said, 'Whoever is put to trial by having to raise daughters and he treats them generously (with benevolence) then these daughters will act as a shield for him from Hell-Fire'." (Saheeh Al-Bukhârî)

Whenever a child was born among them, `Āishah would not ask if it were a boy or a girl. Instead she would ask, "Is the child healthy (and without defect)?" If she was told, "Yes," she would say, "All praise is for Allâh, Lord of All the Worlds."

When the great day arrives, a new life joins the imperfect world. Islām sets out very clearly that there are ways of welcoming and dealing with infants and children. They are entitled to have their physical and emotional needs met and they are entitled to being taught how to worship, love and maintain a connection to Allâh.

Parents, extended families, guardians and the Muslim community at large have been given a trust, a tiny life completely dependent upon its caregivers for protection and care. For many children the world is immersed in terror. Hunger, pain, suffering, torture, abuse, and other horrors are the realities of life. When their small attempts to reach for comfort are rejected or their cries are silenced Allâh is watching, and angels are recording.

Truth - brief points of reflection

The below summary points are translated and paraphrased from a lecture titled 'Enjoining Good and Forbidding Evil' by Shaykh Ahmad As Subay’ee (a prominent scholar from Kuwait).

Indeed from the greatest of issues that a person of knowledge, understanding and righteousness should keep in mind is that:

• • no one is greater than the truth,

  • the truth is greater than everyone;

  • people are known due to the truth that is with them,

  • but the truth is not dependent upon the people.