Ask Us Have you ever tried searching for proofs on issues concerning Mindanao?

Why was there a need for an autonomous government and more importantly, what makes the people of Mindanao ask for the island to be separated from the Philippine territory? Did you ever ask someone whom you think can give you reliable answers or did you just swallow everything that was prepared for you to know and filled your hearts with contempt and with prejudices? We live in a democratic country, wonderful right? We have freedom; we can do what we want. But do we all take full responsibilities of our actions because of the thing we call democracy? Turn your head in a 360 degree-measure, what do see? Prostitution, drug addiction, gambling, corruption, HIV AIDS STD, street children, crime, poverty, illness, name it and we have it. Endless complain of the increasing number of street children and families suffering from malnutrition and poverty. Why not take a firm stand of not allowing business establishments that would lead to actions that we all know is the root cause of having teenage pregnancies that corrupt these innocent minds to focus on heir studies and thus taking away from them too the chance of having a brighter future. Isnt it ironic that we hear and see too many programs to face the issue but not how to solve it? Why let the bars, clubs, and motels be open out and public? Because they pay the necessary amount that the government has set for them. Why do have a rapid growth of cases concerning prostitution and pornography? The answer is the same, as long as they abide on getting medical clearance and are not minors, they can continue on their job. Cigarette smoking is dangerous for your health. Drink moderately. Sounds familiar? Of course, who doesnt hear or read this friendly reminder every time a brand of cigarette or liquor is advertised. How many illness from smoking do we still need, how many lives do we still like to be lost from drunk driving incidents, how many kinds of crime must still take place? Why not stop businesses that manufacture, import, export these harmful products? Isnt it obvious that the government is so afraid of loosing its income but not threatened in loosing its peoples lives? Manila was once a Muslim city, does everyone know about this? No, because when we speak about Muslims others automatically dislike it. When the Spaniards came to conquer our country, Lapu-Lapu (a Muslim) was the very first man who faught foreign invasion and aggression, named a hero but forgotten by many. How did the Spaniards treat our ancestors if we may recall? How did they oppress the Filipinos, categorizing them as individuals of a lower value? How did they take away womens right to education and voting? How did they use their power for corruption, consuming everything out of our mens effort? Have we forgotten all these? Many might say no, but actually yes. Now lets take a closer look on what we call Insurgency fund. A fund that is useless without war. How can this be utilized? There must be war. Didnt it ever come across most peoples mind that there werent cases of bombing and war in Mindanao long time before

the occupation of the soldiers? Muslims have long lived peacefully contented in their simple and religious way of life. What happened next? Soldiers came, burned their houses, took their properties, attack them during harvest season, rape their women, and kill their men, left the children orphaned. Homes wrecked, lives lost, people oppressed. If you were the children of those victims, how would you react? Would you just allow them do it over and over again? Benefiting from innocent peoples lives? Using the media to cover up the real situation? Calling the people who defend their right for survival as terrorists? Making them look like as if they were the ones who did it first? Let us take a closer look on this. Who has the fund for amours? Who has the control over media? Who would gain profit out of war? The Muslims simply want to protect their culture, their tradition, and most importantly their religion. Enjoining what is good and forbidding what is bad. Islam is a religion of peace and complete submission to the will of God Almighty. Muslims do not care for worldly pleasures of this life but for the sublime happiness in the hereafter. Its a painful reality that we are misunderstood, judged wrongly, and looked up to as strange people. Is it strange to believe in only one God and in His messenger (pbuh)? Is it strange to wash five times a day not because you are dirty but because you are going to face your Lord on prayer? Is it ridiculous that they pray bumps up and heads down prostrating before the one true God as the prophets did? Is it unusual that most Muslim countries offer a tax free salary? Is it not nice that they fast for 29-30 days to empathize with the poor, where during the blessed month of Ramadan both rich and poor feel the same hunger? Giving them a deeper understanding of how the less fortunate feel and increasing their desire to give charity. Is it strange that their eyes are filled with tear on their performance of hajj meeting people around the world from all walks of like, doing same ritual humbly regardless of their status in the society? Is it a big deal to let them live that way? Why is there a need to exaggerate the news identifying the suspect immediately as Muslims without due process? Did you happen to encounter a news report saying that a Christian was responsible for a rape case, or a Jehovahs witness for gambling, or a Catholic for prostitution? You never did, dont you. That is because only us suffer from discrimination, only us are subject to contempt, only us are to be judged directly. WHY??? Because people are afraid of Islam. They are afraid that if Islam will enter their heart, all of the things that they love committing will be stopped: illegal sexual intercourse, vices, gambling, drug addiction, prostitution, killings, and most especially corruption. They cant live without following their desires. They cant live following the commandments of God. They cant control themselves in enjoying the worldly pleasures. They will loose their profit on the illegal things that they sell for surely they will not be allowed. These are the reasons why you call us so and so, because you are afraid of living simply and piously. So when you want to find out something, ASK US. Ask someone who has a real experience on the matter, not someone who simply gives opinion based and biased ideas. Ask us and we will give you reasonable answers based on facts and figures. This is Islam.