Lay of the Land

I used to love to watch the show Man vs. Wild with Bear Grylls. For those who aren’t familiar this is a show about how one can increase their chances of survival if they happen to get stranded in the wilderness. In each episode, the host, Bear Grylls, will find himself in some remote, inhospitable locale and try to make his way back to civilization. In one episode he may be trying to navigate through a jungle environment, then the next episode in a desert, or a forest, or desolate snowy tundra.

One lesson that a person quickly learns from watching this show is that if one wants to survive they need to understand the situation they are dealing with and adjust accordingly. This is because the skills one would apply to a swamp is not necessarily the same as a mountainous region per se. So by understanding the environment, one finds themself in, one can better formulate a suitable strategy to survive and ultimately find the right path back to civilization.

This same principle applies in modern civilized life as well. From history, we see that societies and their views are constantly in flux. One of the challenges a person can run into is that their mental paradigm may sometimes be out of date with the current political climate and ethos of their society at large, and because of that they will apply the wrong measures in trying to restore balance. That is why it is important to occasionally recalibrate our perceptions of reality. We can do this by gauging what is happening in society to determine if views of society have shifted underneath our feet so we can adjust our approach accordingly in order to be able to make the right decisions to make sure our stances are aligned with that of the Quran.

The Two Extremes

The Quran offers examples of numerous societies that have lost their way and have fallen into extremes of disbelief. In this article, I want to focus on two societies mentioned in the Quran that can serve as a good example of what people equate today’s society with pending if you are on the left or right of the political divide. Secondly, I want to make a case that while both these societies have similarities, that today the US is more on the path of one than the other.

The first community I would be associated with the extreme traditional left of today, while the other with the extreme traditional right. These two examples are that of the people of Lot, identified as Sodom and Gomorrah in the Bible, while the other community is that of the one associated with the people in the cave, which is historically understood to be Ephesus.

These two communities are case studies for what happens to a society that goes too extreme in either the ideology of hedonism or traditional-orthodoxy and offer good case studies of what we have seen happen in modern society in the last hundred years.

People of Lot

The people of the Lot established the following laws, norms, and mores in their society.

• No fear of God
• No property rights
  • They committed highway robbery
  • The people of power felt no hesitation in taking the property or lives of others
• They took advantage of the least protected in society
  • When the angels came to Lot, the people of Lot wanted to have their way with these newcomers
• Promotion of rampant sexual immorality: including homosexuality and rape
• Public portrayals of sexual conduct without shame
  • When the people of Lot came to confront Lot about their guest it says that they came joyfully. This showed they had no shame for their actions.
• Destroying the institution of marriage
• Blinded by lust
  • No desire for women let alone marriage
  • Intoxicated by their lust (shows lack of self-control)
• No freedom of speech
• No freedom of religion
• No freedom of travel
• No freedom of assembly
• No freedom of association
• Use of oppression, fear, intimidation, and shame to keep members of society inline

[11:77] When our messengers went to Lot, they were mistreated, and he was embarrassed by their presence. He said, “This is a difficult day.” [11:78] His people came rushing; they had grown accustomed to their sinful acts. He said, “O my people, it would be purer for you, if you take my daughters instead. You shall reverence GOD; do not embarrass me with my guests. Have you not one reasonable man among you?” [11:79] They said, “You know well that we have no need for your daughters; you know exactly what we want.” [11:80] He said, “I wish I were strong enough, or had a powerful ally!” [11:81] (The angels) said, “O Lot, we are your Lord’s messengers, and these people cannot touch you. You shall leave with your family during the night, and let not anyone of you look back, except your wife; she is condemned along with those who are condemned. Their appointed time is the morning. Is not the morning soon enough?” [11:82] When our judgment came, we turned it upside down, and we showered it with hard, devastating rocks. [11:83] Such rocks were designated by your Lord to strike the transgressors.

[15:61] The messengers went to Lot’s town. [15:62] He said, “You are unknown people.” [15:63] They said, “We bring to you what they have been doubting. [15:64] “We bring to you the truth; we are truthful. [15:65] “You shall take your family during the night. Stay behind them, and make sure that none of you looks back. Go straight as commanded.” [15:66] We delivered to him this command: those people are to be annihilated in the morning. [15:67] The people of the city came joyfully. [15:68] He said, “These are my guests; do not embarrass me. [15:69] “Fear GOD, and do not shame me.” [15:70] They said, “Did we not enjoin you from contacting anyone?” [15:71] He said, “Here are my daughters, if you must.” [15:72] But, alas, they were totally blinded by their lust. [15:73] Consequently, the disaster struck them in the morning. [15:74] We turned it upside down, and showered them with devastating rocks. [15:75] This is a lesson for those who possess intelligence.

[26:160] The people of Lot disbelieved the messengers. [26:161] Their brother Lot said to them, “Would you not be righteous? [26:162] “I am an honest messenger to you. [26:163] “You shall reverence GOD, and obey me. [26:164] “I do not ask you for any wage; my wage comes only from the Lord of the universe. [26:165] “Do you have sex with the males, of all the people? [26:166] “You forsake the wives that your Lord has created for you! Indeed, you are transgressing people.” [26:167] They said, “Unless you refrain, O Lot, you will be banished.” [26:168] He said, “I deplore your actions.” [26:169] “My Lord, save me and my family from their works.” [26:170] We saved him and all his family. [26:171] But not the old woman; she was doomed. [26:172] We then destroyed the others. [26:173] We showered them with a miserable shower; what a terrible shower for those who had been warned! [26:174] This should be a lesson, but most people are not believers. [26:175] Most assuredly, your Lord is the Almighty, Most Merciful.

[29:28] Lot said to his people, “You commit such an abomination, no one in the world has ever done it before you. [29:29] “You practice sex with the men, you commit highway robbery, and you allow all kinds of vice in your society.” The only response from his people was to say, “Bring to us GOD’s retribution, if you are truthful.” [29:30] He said, “My Lord, grant me victory over these wicked people.” [29:31] When our messengers went to Abraham with good news (about Isaac’s birth), they also said, “We are on our way to annihilate the people of that town (Sodom). For its people have been wicked.” [29:32] He said, “But Lot is living there.” They said, “We are fully aware of everyone who lives in it. We will of course save him and his family, except his wife; she is doomed.” [29:33] When our messengers arrived at Lot’s place, they were mistreated, and he was embarrassed by their presence. But they said, “Have no fear, and do not worry. We will save you and your family, except your wife; she is doomed. [29:34] “We will pour upon the people of this town a disaster from the sky, as a consequence of their wickedness.” [29:35] We left standing some of their ruins, to serve as a profound lesson for people who understand.

Community of the People of the Cave

The people of the Lot established the following laws, norms, and mores in their society.

• They believe in God, but associate partners with Him
• They attribute lies to God
• They don’t tolerate freedom of speech
• No tolerance for freedom of religion
• Impure foods
• Force their beliefs on the people
• Stone people who have different religious beliefs

[18:9] Why else do you think we are telling you about the people of the cave, and the numbers connected with them? They are among our wondrous signs. [18:10] When the youths took refuge in the cave, they said, “Our Lord, shower us with Your mercy, and bless our affairs with Your guidance.” [18:11] We then sealed their ears in the cave for a predetermined number of years. [18:12] Then we resurrected them to see which of the two parties could count the duration of their stay therein. [18:13] We narrate to you their history, truthfully. They were youths who believed in their Lord, and we increased their guidance. [18:14] We strengthened their hearts when they stood up and proclaimed: “Our only Lord is the Lord of the heavens and the earth. We will never worship any other god beside Him. Otherwise, we would be far astray. [18:15] “Here are our people setting up gods beside Him. If only they could provide any proof to support their stand! Who is more evil than the one who fabricates lies and attributes them to GOD? [18:16] “Since you wish to avoid them, and their worshiping of other than GOD, let us take refuge in the cave. May your Lord shower you with His mercy and direct you to the right decision.” [18:17] You could see the sun when it rose coming from the right side of their cave, and when it set, it shone on them from the left, as they slept in the hollow thereof. This is one of GOD’s portents. Whomever GOD guides is the truly guided one, and whomever He sends astray, you will not find for him a guiding teacher. [18:18] You would think that they were awake, when they were in fact asleep. We turned them to the right side and the left side, while their dog stretched his arms in their midst. Had you looked at them, you would have fled from them, stricken with terror. [18:19] When we resurrected them, they asked each other, “How long have you been here?” “We have been here one day or part of the day,” they answered. “Your Lord knows best how long we stayed here, so let us send one of us with this money to the city. Let him fetch the cleanest food, and buy some for us. Let him keep a low profile, and attract no attention. [18:20] “If they discover you, they will stone you, or force you to revert to their religion, then you can never succeed.” [18:21] We caused them to be discovered, to let everyone know that GOD’s promise is true, and to remove all doubt concerning the end of the world. The people then disputed among themselves regarding them. Some said, “Let us build a building around them.” Their Lord is the best knower about them. Those who prevailed said, “We will build a place of worship around them.” Footnote [18:22] Some would say, “They were three; their dog being the fourth,” while others would say, “Five; the sixth being their dog,” as they guessed. Others said, “Seven,” and the eighth was their dog. Say, “My Lord is the best knower of their number.” Only a few knew the correct number. Therefore, do not argue with them; just go along with them. You need not consult anyone about this.

*18:16-20 The dwellers of the cave were young Christians who wanted to follow the teachings of Jesus, and worship God alone. They were fleeing the persecution of neo-Christians who proclaimed a corrupted Christianity three centuries after Jesus, following the Nicene Conferences, when the Trinity doctrine was announced around the year 325AD. In 1928, Franz Miltner, an Austrian archeologist discovered the tomb of the seven sleepers of Ephesus. Their history is well documented in several encyclopedias. Ephesus is located about 200 miles south of ancient Nicene, and 30 miles south of today’s Izmir in Turkey.

Two Sides of the Same Coin

Despite these two communities being opposites in certain regards, one being ultra-religious while the other ultra-hedonistic, they also have a lot of similarities, particularly of ultra authoritarian:

• No freedom of speech
• No freedom of religion
• No freedom of association
• No freedom of assembly
• Use of compulsion for conformity

[2:256] There shall be no compulsion in religion: the right way is now distinct from the wrong way. Anyone who denounces the devil and believes in GOD has grasped the strongest bond; one that never breaks. GOD is Hearer, Omniscient.

 لَا إِكْرَاهَ فِي الدِّينِ قَدْ تَبَيَّنَ الرُّشْدُ مِنَ الْغَيِّ فَمَنْ يَكْفُرْ بِالطَّاغُوتِ وَيُؤْمِنْ بِاللَّهِ فَقَدِ اسْتَمْسَكَ بِالْعُرْوَةِ الْوُثْقَىٰ لَا انْفِصَامَ لَهَا وَاللَّهُ سَمِيعٌ عَلِيمٌ

Middle Community

This is kind of being the captain of a ship. If we see the boat steering too much to one side as the captain it is time to adjust the sails to redirect it back towards the right course. Part of a believing community is that it is perfectly balanced.

[2:143] We thus made you an impartial community, that you may serve as witnesses among the people, and the messenger serves as a witness among you. We changed the direction of your original Qiblah only to distinguish those among you who readily follow the messenger from those who would turn back on their heels. It was a difficult test, but not for those who are guided by GOD. GOD never puts your worship to waste. GOD is Compassionate towards the people, Most Merciful.

 وَكَذَٰلِكَ جَعَلْنَاكُمْ أُمَّةً وَسَطًا لِتَكُونُوا شُهَدَاءَ عَلَى النَّاسِ وَيَكُونَ الرَّسُولُ عَلَيْكُمْ شَهِيدًا وَمَا جَعَلْنَا الْقِبْلَةَ الَّتِي كُنْتَ عَلَيْهَا إِلَّا لِنَعْلَمَ مَنْ يَتَّبِعُ الرَّسُولَ مِمَّنْ يَنْقَلِبُ عَلَىٰ عَقِبَيْهِ وَإِنْ كَانَتْ لَكَبِيرَةً إِلَّا عَلَى الَّذِينَ هَدَى اللَّهُ وَمَا كَانَ اللَّهُ لِيُضِيعَ إِيمَانَكُمْ إِنَّ اللَّهَ بِالنَّاسِ لَرَءُوفٌ رَحِيمٌ

[5:66] If only they would uphold the Torah and the Gospel, and what is sent down to them herein from their Lord, they would be showered with blessings from above them and from beneath their feet. Some of them are righteous, but many of them are evildoers.

 وَلَوْ أَنَّهُمْ أَقَامُوا التَّوْرَاةَ وَالْإِنْجِيلَ وَمَا أُنْزِلَ إِلَيْهِمْ مِنْ رَبِّهِمْ لَأَكَلُوا مِنْ فَوْقِهِمْ وَمِنْ تَحْتِ أَرْجُلِهِمْ مِنْهُمْ أُمَّةٌ مُقْتَصِدَةٌ وَكَثِيرٌ مِنْهُمْ سَاءَ مَا يَعْمَلُونَ

[48:29] Muhammad—the messenger of GOD—and those with him are harsh and stern against the disbelievers, but kind and compassionate amongst themselves. You see them bowing and prostrating, as they seek GOD’s blessings and approval. Their marks are on their faces, because of prostrating. This is the same example as in the Torah. Their example in the Gospel is like plants that grow taller and stronger, and please the farmers. He thus enrages the disbelievers. GOD promises those among them who believe and lead a righteous life forgiveness and a great recompense.

 مُحَمَّدٌ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ وَالَّذِينَ مَعَهُ أَشِدَّاءُ عَلَى الْكُفَّارِ رُحَمَاءُ بَيْنَهُمْ تَرَاهُمْ رُكَّعًا سُجَّدًا يَبْتَغُونَ فَضْلًا مِنَ اللَّهِ وَرِضْوَانًا سِيمَاهُمْ فِي وُجُوهِهِمْ مِنْ أَثَرِ السُّجُودِ ذَٰلِكَ مَثَلُهُمْ فِي التَّوْرَاةِ وَمَثَلُهُمْ فِي الْإِنْجِيلِ كَزَرْعٍ أَخْرَجَ شَطْأَهُ فَآزَرَهُ فَاسْتَغْلَظَ فَاسْتَوَىٰ عَلَىٰ سُوقِهِ يُعْجِبُ الزُّرَّاعَ لِيَغِيظَ بِهِمُ الْكُفَّارَ وَعَدَ اللَّهُ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَعَمِلُوا الصَّالِحَاتِ مِنْهُمْ مَغْفِرَةً وَأَجْرًا عَظِيمًا

Today

Recently Elon Musk tweeted the following meme that addressed the current left-right divide in the country.

This isn’t to deny that there are not people on the right side of the spectrum that have not gotten more extreme, but one has to ask do any of these extremists from the right have any kind of real credible power in society? Are they part of the heads of any major academic institutions, or banks, big tech, or fortune 500 companies?

Today, the vast majority of people of influence are all controlled and propagating the talking points of the left. This includes the government, shadow government, academia, media, Hollywood, corporations, corporate media, Big Tech, Big Pharma. The landscape we are currently experiencing in the United States has shifted hard towards that of the people of Sodom and Gomorrah, and not of that of the community of the people of the cave.

They promote the sexualization of children, the destruction of the nuclear family, the proliferation of sexual immorality, the celebration of the murder of children, the destruction of people’s properties and lives, the restriction in people’s ability to travel, the restriction of people to be able to trade freely, the restriction in freedom of speech and religion, and other godless hedonistic ideals.

If I was living in Afghanistan today my thoughts would be different, but in the US we are not being assaulted by traditional religious extremist, instead, we are being assaulted by those in power who promote hedonistic godless ideals and we need to adjust our stance accordingly in order to get back to balance away from the authoritarianism we are experiencing from the left.

[2:256] There shall be no compulsion in religion: the right way is now distinct from the wrong way. Anyone who denounces the devil and believes in GOD has grasped the strongest bond; one that never breaks. GOD is Hearer, Omniscient.

لَا إِكْرَاهَ فِي الدِّينِ قَدْ تَبَيَّنَ الرُّشْدُ مِنَ الْغَيِّ فَمَنْ يَكْفُرْ بِالطَّاغُوتِ وَيُؤْمِنْ بِاللَّهِ فَقَدِ اسْتَمْسَكَ بِالْعُرْوَةِ الْوُثْقَىٰ لَا انْفِصَامَ لَهَا وَاللَّهُ سَمِيعٌ عَلِيمٌ

[49:9] If two groups of believers fought with each other, you shall reconcile them. If one group aggresses against the other, you shall fight the aggressing group until they submit to GOD’s command. Once they submit, you shall reconcile the two groups equitably. You shall maintain justice; GOD loves those who are just.

 وَإِنْ طَائِفَتَانِ مِنَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ اقْتَتَلُوا فَأَصْلِحُوا بَيْنَهُمَا فَإِنْ بَغَتْ إِحْدَاهُمَا عَلَى الْأُخْرَىٰ فَقَاتِلُوا الَّتِي تَبْغِي حَتَّىٰ تَفِيءَ إِلَىٰ أَمْرِ اللَّهِ فَإِنْ فَاءَتْ فَأَصْلِحُوا بَيْنَهُمَا بِالْعَدْلِ وَأَقْسِطُوا إِنَّ اللَّهَ يُحِبُّ الْمُقْسِطِينَ

[4:76] Those who believe are fighting for the cause of GOD, while those who disbelieve are fighting for the cause of tyranny. Therefore, you shall fight the devil’s allies; the devil’s power is nil.

 الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا يُقَاتِلُونَ فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ وَالَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا يُقَاتِلُونَ فِي سَبِيلِ الطَّاغُوتِ فَقَاتِلُوا أَوْلِيَاءَ الشَّيْطَانِ إِنَّ كَيْدَ الشَّيْطَانِ كَانَ ضَعِيفًا

“If you’re not careful, the newspapers will have you hating the people who are being oppressed, and loving the people who are doing the oppressing.” Malcolm X.