Cell-Phones: The Ignored Etiquettes

 I got my first cell-phone in college mainly out of peer pressure and the heartfelt desire to be in the ‘in’ crowd. All popular kids had cell-phones with flashy charms and high-strung ringtones. It was fascinating to see them lost in the growing frenzy of text messaging or dejected in the wait of an expected call. But, with time, the situation has gotten alarmingly out of control: conversations are being constantly interrupted by ringtones, lectures are being ignored amidst jokes being sent across the classrooms, drivers are losing control of their vehicles and indecent content and images are corrupting minds.
However, the responsibility for the use of a cell-phone – whether good or bad – is on the person owning it. We wake up in the morning to the sound of our cell-phone’s inbuilt alarm, our loved ones can easily access us when we are away from them, we make important business correspondence, we check our emails, we conduct banking transactions, we pay bills – in short, we just cannot imagine our lives without our cell-phones.
Fortunately for us, Muslims, the Quran and Sunnah have laid down the basics of social conduct and self-control that can help derive etiquettes to allow Muslims to embrace advanced technology, without harming either their Dunya or Akhirah. Some of them are as follows.

Know when to switch off:
How many times has it happened that you were absorbed in your prayers and were harshly pulled away from Allah (swt) by the cacophonic warble of your cell-phone? Your mind lost all its peace, and you were torn between concentrating on your prayers and considering, who could it be on the phone. Allah (swt) urges Muslims to pray with complete concentration. Allah (swt) says: “… And stand before Allah with obedience [and do not speak to others during the Salah (prayers)].” (Al-Baqarah 2:238) Men should switch off their cell-phones, especially when they go to the Masjid to offer their prayers, as ringtones distract not only them but others as well. In case they have forgotten to do so, and their cell phone rings in the middle of the congregation, they must switch it off immediately rather than waiting for the caller to abort the call himself.
Know when to attend calls:
Attending calls or texting while conversing with a family member or having lunch with your close friend can be extremely rude and annoying.Prophet Muhammad (sa) said: “If you are three, two should not converse secretly to the exclusion of your companion, for that hurts his feelings.” (Muslim)
Moreover, people should not attend calls while driving, as such an action puts in danger not only their lives but also those of pedestrians and other commuters. Being Muslims, we are obligated to refrain from any action which can harm other Muslims, as Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) said: “A Muslim is one from whose tongue and hands other Muslims are safe.” (Bukhari)

Mind your voice:
Loud talkers are often poor listeners and come out to be rude and imposing. It can be jarring to converse with such people, and they are often labeled as attention seekers. People should keep their tone such that they are audible only to the person they are talking to. Allah says: “And be moderate (or show no insolence) in your walking, and lower your voice. Verily, the harshest of all voices is the voice (braying) of the ass.” (Luqman 31:19)

Know where to attend calls:
People who talk loudly on their cell-phones in elevators, public transport or other public places should refrain from doing so, as they can incite people near them to eavesdrop on their private conversations. Allah (swt) says: “O you who believe! Avoid much suspicion, indeed some suspicions are sins. And spy not, neither backbite one another.” (Al-Hujurat 49:12) Here, spying refers to eavesdropping.

Use your gadgets wisely:
Cell-phones are laced with gadgetry, such as high resolution cameras and video recorders. We see people casually taking pictures of their friends and colleagues via cell-phones, without prior consent, and sending them across via MMS. Some scholars maintain that taking pictures is impermissible in Islam, and such actions may offend people, who are strict in their religious values.

Lastly, one must be considerate and courteous whenever he/she uses his/her cell phone. The point is to refrain from creating nuisances for others in any way. As Muslims, we are expected to carry ourselves responsibly and wisely in every capacity.





Credit to Laila Ansari and picture credit to DarussalamPublishers  

Dear Eric Pickles – why single out Islam for this patronising treatment?

You question our loyalty for no reason other than our spiritual beliefs. Will you ever sit down with the diverse peoples who make up Britain and really listen to us?
Eric Pickles, the communities secretary, wrote a letter to Muslim leaders in which he asked them to ‘explain and demonstrate how faith in Islam can be part of British identity’

Dear Eric,
Walaikum salam warahmatullahi wabarakatuhu.
Serious question. Will you be sending a letter any time soon to members of the Roman Catholic church following the child-abuse scandals in Catholic institutions? Or a letter to the Board of Deputies of British Jews on the subject of illegal Israeli settlements in the West Bank?
No?
Thought as much.
Ten years on from 9/11 and you’re still asking the same questions, questions that have proved worse than useless in the intervening years. Still wondering aloud about the loyalty of British citizens based on their spiritual beliefs. Still demanding that these people prove themselves compatible with the “British way of life”, as defined by you.
In your letter this week, you say that you “know acts of extremism are not representative of Islam”. You mention that “British values are Muslim values”. Yet you insist on asking us to speak to our young people, telling them that “extremists have nothing to offer them”. Do you really think that little of our young people? That they can’t tell the difference between right and wrong? Do you imagine that they are already that different, that set apart from British society, simply because they’re Muslim? Do you think that little of our ability to bring them up to know that taking life is a sin?
To accept the terms of your argument for a moment, we already know that 83% of Muslims living in the UK say they identify with British values. Others are as free not to identify with them as any non-Muslim might be – the right to be disaffected isn’t limited to Christians. That a tiny number of Muslims are also lost to violent extremism says as much about other members of our faith as the conduct of abusers in the Catholic church does about theirs. But still you require our religious leaders do more in “demonstrating how faith in Islam can be part of British identity”.
Rather than send a patronising letter telling Muslim leaders what to do, maybe you should actually sit down with Muslim leaders and listen to them, really listen. You’ve been in the job for nearly five years. They would tell you that since 9/11 we have condemned, apologised and worked tirelessly to expose the incompatibility of the terrorists’ ideology with Islam. We have done what you have asked us to do. But we are like any other citizens of the UK today. We are anxious. Anxious about an increase in intolerance towards minorities, including but not limited to our own. Anxious about the economy. Anxious about whether the NHS can continue to meet our needs. Anxious about whether our children will be able to afford higher education. In general, it seems our fears are not listened to.
You are communities secretary. You have a duty of care to the diverse peoples who make up Britain and define British values. Sadly, it seems the only time you engage with us is under the rubric of counter-terrorism. With attacks against Muslims taking place across the country, more than ever before we need your reassurance and protection.
Instead we get a letter suggesting we’re not doing enough.
I would say it’s you, communities secretary, who hasn’t done nearly enough. I’m afraid your letter will be received respectfully, but with disappointment, up and down the country.
Yours sincerely,
Areeb Ullah

 

Ex-MI6 Boss Warns West Not To Insult Islam

Those who insult Islam should expect to be attacked, suggests ex-MI6 boss as he agrees with the Pope's Charlie Hebdo comments.

The former chief of MI6 has warned that anyone insulting Islam can expect to provoke a reaction and that "there will be another terrorist attack in this country."

Sir John Sawers was delivering his first speech since leaving office. He stepped down as 'C' in November 2014 after five years at the helm of the Secret Intelligence Service.
Sir John picked up on comments made by the Pope in reference to the provocative cartoons published in the French satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo, where 12 were killed in a terror attack. Al Qaeda said the attacks were revenge for the depiction of Mohammed.
Pope Francis told crowds in The Philippines that a friend who had cursed his mother could "expect a punch" in return.
Sir John said: "There is a requirement for restraint from those of us in the West.

"I rather agree with the Pope that, of course, the attacks in Paris were completely unacceptable and cannot be justified on any basis whatsoever, but I think respect for other people's religion is also an important part of this.
"If you show disrespect for others' core values then you are going to provoke an angry response. That doesn't justify anything, but I think we just need to bear it in mind."
Sir John praised the work of the intelligence and security agencies but reiterated the threat to the UK from terrorists: "If I was to sit here and say will the goalkeepers of the security services and the police keep every single attempt to get the ball into the net, out? No. At some point these threats will get through and there will be another terrorist attack in this country."
Sir John said there cannot be any "no-go areas" either in the physical or virtual world and said there cannot be a trade-off between security and privacy.
"If the technology companies allow to be developed, areas that are simply impenetrable, you're inviting problems," he warned.







Credit to Alistair Bunkall,