Salaam ‘Alaikum
If there is a young man in your life (or you are the young man) who needs to soak up some knowledge, diyn, and brotherhood, I recommend the Imam Ghazali Institute Dawrah for 2008: Quench Your Thirst for Knowledge and Guidance. Brothers under 15 may attend with a parent (presumably a father, uncle, etc).
The brothers will start with ‘Umrah, and ziyara in Saudi Arabia, before heading to Damascus for 20 days of intense study in partnership with the Abu Nour Institute with some of the shining stars of the Ummah today, including our beloved Sheikh Muhammad al Ya’qubi, our dear Sheikh Faisal Abdur Razack, our highly esteemed Sheikh Abul Khayr al Shukri, and many others (Sheikh Sayid Ramadan al Buti has not been confirmed).
Can you imagine how the attendees will be able to answer the question, “What did you do on your summer vacation?”
May 18th, 2008
Salaam ‘Alaikum
These people just can’t get Debbie Almontaster out of their system, can they?
Ex-principal accused of defamation
Sort of ironic, isn’t it? But God Knows. God Knows.
May 17th, 2008
Salaam ‘Alaikum
Ask yourself, right now, “What am I doing to make the world a better place? What am I doing to improve the Muslim community?” Ask yourself right now. Can you list five things you’re doing? Three? One? Quantity is not as important as quality.
What is something that you can do to make the world, and our Muslim community a better place?
Without knocking the important part that upper / middle class first and second generation professionals play in our community — the people that all those studies about American Muslims tout — what are you doing to improve the lives of the people who … aren’t part of that group? (And I say that even if you count yourself in that group)
I once wrote about how a non-profit fundraising sister told me that wealthy Muslims often do want to donate their money to Muslim causes, but that Muslims do not show up with solid business plans on how their money will be spent, so they end up often giving to good non-Muslim causes that do (environment, the poor, whatever). A few people got very angry at me for this — saying that I was a bougie shill for the rich — but again — what are you doing? Being mad at rich people for the sin of being rich? Muslim Moneybags can’t do his part in confidence if you just go with your hand outstretched and say “Gimme da money, it’s for da’wah.” Show him you can be trusted with his wealth and that it will truly benefit people. Then you are *both* doing something to make the world a better place.
What can you do to make the world a better place? Think of all the different issues that our community faces, that our country faces, that our world faces… and tell me what you can do to make something better. Anything from using fluorescent light bulbs to establishing a free medical clinic in the earthquake stricken zone of Pakistan. Let’s talk about something concrete, something real. It can be big or small. The point isn’t to brag about your sadaqa and good works — it’s to inspire someone else who doesn’t know where to begin, or to show someone else that it *can* be done. Let’s share examples and ideas.
May 17th, 2008
Salaam ‘Alaikum
The Catastrophe (\kə-ˈtas-trə-(ˌ)fē\ )
Function: Noun used to define a disastrous moment in the history of a people
Etymology: Greek katastrophē, from katastrephein, kata + strephein, to turn downwards.
Date: 1948
1: the final event of a drama, especially a tragedy
2: a momentous tragic event ranging from extreme misfortune to utter overthrow or ruin
(In 1948…)
(… and again 55 years later… this could be her granddaughter…)
3: a violent and sudden change in a feature of the earth
In 1948, the triumph of one group became the catastrophe of a people. Al Nakbah, the catastrophe. Extreme misfortune and utter ruin.
Some of our community leaders push an agenda that places the issue of Palestine at the top of things we should focus on — sometimes to the detriment of our communities and our people right in front of their faces.
Others in our community react negatively to this agenda by saying that Palestine does not matter and that it is not a Muslim issue. Some go further and say things about the Palestinian people themselves — weak in faith and corrupt, responsible for their own misfortune, and so on.
Palestine is a human rights issue. Palestine is an American issue — you should know where your tax dollars go and what they support. That is your duty. Palestine is a Muslim issue for a number of obvious reasons. It does not mean we support this party or that party, or approve of this action or that. But it means that our hearts hurt when we hear about little babies starving. Today, as people mark the occasion with rallies, even parties of defiance, there are reports of parents in Gaza begging for food for their children, going door to door. Even people who don’t care for Arabs must have their hearts stirred by this.
It means we care about justice. We should care as much about the rights and well being of Palestinian Christians as we do about the Muslims there. As we do for any human beings.
It doesn’t mean hating Jewish people — at least, to me it doesn’t. We have to be able to separate between the sins of the state of Isra’il and every individual Jewish person the way we demand they do it between us and terrorists. We have to be fair — because being fair is often quite difficult and suluk and tazkiya are a part of our diyn, a part of our life path. Being fair to those who resemble your oppressors or those who have wronged you is hard on your nafs. But do you follow your nafs?
Unlike the propaganda machine for the state, we should not engage in the practice of assigning collective guilt. I cannot show my care for the people of Palestine or for my Ummah or my diyn by hating other people. I cannot say that every Jewish person has the blood of every dead Palestinian child on their hands anymore than they can say that I have the blood of everyone that bin Ladin has killed on mine. Education, humanization, and being constant — to me these are the keys.
The Jewish people do not give us tawfiq. Changing the minds of Christian Z-ists does not give us tawfiq. Enlightening kindly moderately liberal people does not give us tawfiq. Allah subhannahu wa ta’ala does, and we, as a people, would do well to remember where our victory and defeat truly comes from. He changes the condition of a people who change the condition of their own selves. Have we done this? It will be tawfiq from Him if or when those minds are changed — but we should not rely upon those minds for our victory. Only Him.
To exist is to resist. Existence is resistance. The Palestinian people continue to live and breathe in defiance of Golda Meir and everyone like her. Each heartbeat says, “I exist, I exist, I exist.” This is a reality that cannot be wiped away. After every snow job and all the spin, truth will out. There is a Palestine, there was a Palestine, there are Palestinians.
We should move beyond the slogans, the propaganda, the demagogues. Real people on the ground. Real messy issues. We can start simply. Donating so that families can eat. Demanding greater Red Crescent intervention, so that no more Palestinian babies die for lack of medical care because Isra’il hides behind the “security” claim. The very fact that the Palestinian people continue to exist and proliferate, within the borders, in the occupied lands, and in the diaspora is resistance. The fact is that the right to resist oppression and occupation must be extended to these people as it is to anyone else. East Timor is not better than Palestine. How often would you let yourself be slapped around? It is a message that no matter how many bullets are fired or walls built, these people will not simply go away and become Jordanians or Syrians or something else-ians. They will become Palestinian-Americans, Palestinian-Jordanians, Palestinian-Brazilians. Always, they remain part of the Palestinian diaspora, the Palestinians in exile, the growing, un-eraseable reality of Palestine.
Sabr (صْبِرْ)
Function: Noun used to describe a virtue
Etymology: From the root ṣ-b-r, meaning to bind or restrain
Date: Eternal
1. Resignation of the ego to the will of God in times of calamity
2. Steadfastness in the face of challenges
You who shall undoubtedly return,
It has been said that this was a land without a people for a people without a land; but what was the reality? Our people have inscribed their presence on the history of this land, deeply engraving their national identity as people struggling for liberty, dignity and freedom on every stone. Now these stones fly in the face of the oppressor’s lies that deny our existence and our rights.
It has been said that by dispersing us to the far corners of the earth, we will disappear or melt away; but what was the reality? A people with roots reaching far into the depths of Haifa, Akka, of al-Majdal and Um Rasrash; a people whose history, civilization and culture has sprouted on every inch of this earth with the roots extending back to the land of Palestine.
It has been said that with the passage of time, our elderly will die and our youth will forget; but what was the reality? From the memory of our people have emerged generations that paint the history of Palestine, its villages, houses, its sage and its oranges, a painting to which all compasses point, for despite the distances and directions that separate us; Palestine will always be the compass. — National Committee to Commemorate the Nakba at 60
Al Nakba
Nakba Archive
Palestine Remembered
Electronic Intifada
May 15th, 2008
Salaam ‘Alaikum
News… some of it tragic, some of it stupid.
‘No Hope’ For Children Buried in Rubble As you know, an estimated 10,000 people died in yesterday’s 7.9 earthquake in central China. Among them are children who were in school at the time. Inna lillahi wa inna ilayhi raji’un. The area, much of which is already underdeveloped, is a disaster zone, with rescuers unable to reach people by vehicle… in some places, they have been walking in to villages and towns one man at a time, single file, on foot. This on the heels of the Myanmar cyclone… subhan’Allah.
Obama Surges With Super Delegates Not that I was ever a fan of the woman, but I don’t understand how pretty much anyone can be on the heels of her “I’ve got the uneducated White person” votes comments. (The one where she said, “working Americans, hard-working Americans, white Americans.”) It shows how low she has sunk and how desperate she is to hold on to the race that she would say these things publicly (privately — I believe that pretty much all politicians think this way… but part of being politic is not to say it).
President Apostate? And now for the stupid news. Raising the specter (unfounded, IMObsv) that the “Mozlem World” will not see Obama as a potential dialogue maker, but an apostate. Never mind what people over here are actually saying. People here, generally speaking, seem far more interested in the fact that he’s Black than that his dad was born to a Muslim family. That and his comments about Pakistan and Isra’il. I’ve personally never heard anyone saying anything about him being an apostate or being a once-Muslim or anything of that nature. The author of this ridiculous piece, a fellow at CSIS, is able to speak for Mozlems, telling American people what we think of his “conversion” to Christianity, and how enraged we are by it (”Mozlem RAGE!”) The Grey Lady knows better, because, as you know, the NYT is an expert in Islamic law and how Mozlems think. They learned it all from Patai.
Speaking of the ‘Arab Mind,’ here’s yet another article from the Times influenced by that dubious school of thought, part of their ongoing series on young (Arab) Muslims… this time, it’s about the rigid Wahabee Saudi youth. Vexed and Entranced by Love’s Rules, as if this is not the case for teens everywhere! But they have veils and funny tablecloths on their heads. The thing I’m not quite sure I get is the continued assertion that it is how the next generations of Saudis live Islam that will affect how the rest of us do. I personally seem to see that there is a growing movement both within and outside of gov’t to curtail the influence that petro-dollars had on Islam in other countries (including the US). I’m not sure that I would ever want to live in KSA, but I’m not sure why it’s a bad thing for extended families to be close, esp. when we come from a society where cousins rarely even know one another. It’s “insular” when Arabs / Muslims do it, but if they were (White) Amish people, it’d be an example of their “close knit” culture. Or even Italian. But when Arabs find their friends and spend their time with their extended families — this veddy bad.
One admitted fault exposed here, one that even I cannot cover or explain away, however, is the inexplicable fondness of young men for Celine Dion. The women suffer from it too, but it’s more pardonable in a woman. It is very… interesting to go to a cafe in the richest area of town, and the young Arab kids (Jordanians, Gulfies) go “Oooh” and smile and mouth the words when the world’s favorite Canadian chanteuse comes on the track. Or when you walk past a store tended by a young pointy haired, pointy shoe’d guy (ie, the epitome of cool style here) and he’s blasting Celine. I’m not kidding.
On another tack, I wonder what sort of risks this “brave” expose placed the young men — and one young lady in — by printing things that the authors and editors certainly know could cause a lot of problems. I mean, they just spent four pages going on and on about the honor and shame element of Saudi society. They talked about how the two young people (Islamically and legally married) are not, at this stage, allowed to talk. And then they write all about how they’re talking. Assuming, I guess, that those Ayrabs don’t speak English or read the Times? That no one in Riyadh will read this and feel obligated to report back to the fam?
PS: Here’s the newly uploaded “Girls’ Side” of the Saudi love story. But the creepy Bluetooth flirting is not restricted to a “repressive,” closed, uber conservative culture like Saudi. First of all, it does happen in the US. Second of all, I get these things all the time and literally just got a series of phone calls from a guy who’s been harassing me, and am reporting him to the mobile company. And in Jordan, one can basically get what one wants if one works hard enough for it…
May 13th, 2008
Salaam ‘Alaikum
The link above that says “Archyves” is supposed to take you to a monthly listing of my posts (whee!). However, the page is empty. Does anyone know what I need to put there? Do I put it on the page itself, or do I do something with the “archives” php? Thanks.
May 12th, 2008
Salaam ‘Alaikum
Check out this photo I saw on Flickr of Hutterite girls playing hockey — skirts, head covers, and all. And they look like they’re serious about the game too. Here’s the winning team. I think it proves that hockey unites (or is it infects) Canadians of all stripes. So, where’s the Muslima hockey team? In Canada, of all places, there should be one, right?
May 11th, 2008
Salaam ‘Alaikum
So my friend txt’d me the other day, and said to be at such and such place by such and such time. I made arrangements.
When I got to the place, there was a big white car. Inside were two men in white turbans, beaming. A lot of nur.
“Hurry, hurry!” she waved me on to the elevator. The smell of ‘attar.
We stood in her doorway, watching dudes with big grins stand in the hallway, some with cameras.
Finally, here he came: Habib Umar ibn Hafiz. He is slighter in stature than I would have thought a giant would be. He has a beard with henna at the ends. He smiles. We just stood in the doorway, the men in the other doorway, while he waited for the elevator.
Oh man, can you imagine if we came a few moments later? We’d have been waiting for the elevator when he got off? I think that would have been a little embarrassing.
So as you can see, spring is pretty much over here in Jordan. But oddly, it’s still not *hot* here.
You know, not much happens. I have way more photos (many I didn’t even process yet) than I do stories. I saw the American Embassy the other day for the first time. It’s massive. It’s like a fortress. I thought it would be like a large mansion, like you see on TV. No, this thing is … strangely fascinating. I hope I never have a reason to go there.
Zaid marked the posts on our balcony with x’s. The ones with x’s are the ones his head can fit through. The ones without x’s are too small. Naturally… nothing is standard here.
You know what’s the most fun thing in the world? To take stuff from the house and throw it over the balcony. Whee! Like the time we threw the cordless phone over? That rocked. Or the time we threw the broom over. That was so cool. But usually we throw over shoes and laundry pins. Except the time we threw Mommy’s headphones and microphone for the computer over. Which she was probably thankful for since they were cruddy. Yeah is so much fun until the day someone actually moves in down there. Then we’ll be in big trouble. Oh, Mommy… why do you now hide the key to the balcony?
These are the last two photos I took before my camera died last fall. I found them when I started using my old memory card again. You see, my new 4 GB memory card has *issues.* Such as suddenly “not being formatted” even though you’ve already taken 200 photos with it. Or not recording images. Or saying, “This image is corrupt.” You never had that with your old SanDisk card. Which is only 512 MB. I am so giving this Kingston 4 GB HD memory card a bad, bad, bad review. Nothing but heartache.
Nothing but heartache.
More later.
May 11th, 2008
Salaam ‘Alaikum
See how the posts are wide now? Thanks to the coolness of Tim. 
Mash’Allah.
May 10th, 2008
Salaam ‘Alaikum
I think the Hijab Shop is great; they’ve got nice products, great pins, and I like how they branch out into other things. And the pin designer is fun.
But I personally wonder if they are laughing themselves silly when they photograph some of their pics. Like this one and this one. I mean… really.
Also, the mannequins scare me a little with the silver lipstick. Just a little. But I like this hijab. A lot.
May 10th, 2008
Salaam ‘Alaikum
Have you heard about FreeBlood.com? It is an initiative started by young Saudis in 2003 to increase education and awareness about blood donation, and has now expanded to other countries.
FreeBlood.com allows patients to find donors within their cities, and also allows donors to find patients in need of blood, with a special emphasis on children. Recently, a man’s father experienced a medical emergency and needed blood in the last few days of Ramadan. Using FreeBlood.com, the young man was able to find 20 donors to help his father within a few hours.
Although the site makes a special appeal for Muslims, the services are for anyone — Arabs, non-Arabs, Muslims, and non-Muslims, and the donors of FreeBlood.com will help anyone who needs it.
June 14 is World Blood Donor Day. Why not get a head start now?
Please do consider signing up with FreeBlood.com if you are able to donate, and let others in your circle know about this. It’s important for a country to have a large domestic blood supply and decrease its dependence on imported blood.
May 10th, 2008
Salaam ‘Alaikum
Islamic Divorce Ruled Not Valid in Maryland
I don’t know about the whole diplomatic issue with regards to this, but I hope that this serves as a notice for some men that they can’t use talaq or Islam in the States to get out of certain obligations. If that sister agreed to something in her contract, she agreed to it, but the children *didn’t* agree to that and have the right to the full support they would get had their parents remained married. I am tired of brothers punishing their ex-wives by refusing to support the kids.
I don’t agree, however, with everything in this article. Where, after all, is the husband’s “equal right” to a mahr? There isn’t one, yet most of us won’t complain about that. We’ll just keep reminding the men that there is no limit on the mahr. And too, I do not argue with what Allah subhannahu wa ta’ala put down for us. It is what it is, and He is not governed by our fallible, ever-changing notions of what is fair and unfair.
A lot of times, people (and I mean “men” here for the most part) will do not-very-nice things and justify it by Islam. They cheat on their taxes so that it “won’t go to the Zionist state for the oppression of Muslims.” They’ll go on welfare and unemployment so that they can “take money from the koofaar.” (Just like how the FLDS “bleeds the beast.”) They justify selling liquor by saying “It’s the only way we can make money to support our Muslim communities and familes, akhee.” They’ll shake hands with women by saying, “Islam says we need to be kind to non-Muslims.” And so on and so forth.
And a lot of men — of any ethnicity — justify their bad behavior towards Muslim and non-Muslim women by saying that what they are doing is “halal.” Like the whole bullying women into marrying men they’ve never met before, telling them they have a duty to protect his honor and chastity from the scantily clad non-Muslim women, and complete half his diyn, or that this is the Sunnah or whatever.
Or worse, they take a cultural practice specific to a context back home, call it Islam, and use it to justify mistreating women here (in the States, I mean). Like all of those masajid that refuse to allow women in b/c it isn’t done in (insert name of country here).
If ever anything indicated that triflingness knows no race or ethnicity, it’s stories like this one.
May 10th, 2008
Salaam ‘Alaikum
Big ups to Tim, who fixed the code for me. I wish the posts were wider, but at least now the sidebar won’t intrude on the photos.
Why ack? Because (a) I posted this last night and it’s now nowhere to be found and (b) I spent a good deal of time fixing up that title image and now it’s back to looking like it did before and I’m wondering if I just dreamed about doing all that work or if there is a gremlin in my blog. never mind…
May 10th, 2008
Salaam ‘Alaikum
Can someone please take Neil Mac Farquhar off of the Muslim beat at the NYT? Please? Pretty please? I mean, I know the NYT is going the way of many other newspapers, but that’s no excuse. Even the title is annoying. (The article is not as bad as the ambush job on the home schooling article, but it’s still annoying).
Young Video Makers Try to Alter Islam’s Face
May 9th, 2008
Salaam ‘Alaikum
Even though I go online every day, I’m not really “up” on my domestic American news most of the time. So Brother Tariq linked me to his latest post about a masjid in Philly (the Germantown one) that is refusing to bury a brother who killed a cop before being shot himself. The story quotes an unnamed person at another Philly masjid who also says they will not perform the janaza. The other two suspects have been captured. This is the first I had heard about this story, and I began reading the story he linked, and then the next one and the next one.
[rant]
(more…)
May 8th, 2008
Previous Posts
