online rihla

I've moved again!

2010-01-15T15:13:00.001-06:00

If for some reason you come across this blog, visit me at wordpress

http://umms.wordpress.com/

I've moved!

2007-09-03T11:10:00.000-06:00

Buh Bye Blogger! You can now find me over at Hadithuna - our speech - a muslim blogging community based on the wordpress template.

http://rahma.hadithuna.com/

Blogger ugh!

2007-08-31T14:23:00.001-06:00

I hate how I try my darndest to format a post, but it turns out looking like crud. inshaAllah I'm going to be moving to hadithuna, as soon as I can figure out how to export my posts from here to there.

The Prophet's Personality

2007-08-31T14:21:00.000-06:00

"You have indeed in the Messenger of Allah a Beautiful Pattern (of Conduct)..." [Surah al-Ahzab; 33:21]
read about it here.

In Love...

2007-08-31T11:01:00.000-06:00

...with an abaya. Seriously here, I'm practically panting at my desk over this. I emailed the website to see if they ship to the US.

Please please please let my parents give me money for my birthday. Pleaaaaase!

SubhanAllah, in the middle of writing this post, I talked to my mom on the phone and she asked what I wanted for my birthday. She seemed less than enamored with the idea of giving me money for online shopping, but we'll see :)

Smile

2007-08-31T07:08:00.000-06:00

250. Jarir said, "Since the time I became Muslim, the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, never saw me without smiling at me." The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, "A man from the best of Dhu Yaman will enter by this door whose face has been touched by an angel." Then Jarir came in.

Al-Adab al-Mufrad Al-Bukhari

Photo from flickr

Nafsi nafsi

2007-08-30T12:08:00.000-06:00

Nafsi nafsi - it's a phrase from one of the podcasts I was listening to last week. Sheikh Hamza was talking about the nafsi nafsi, me me culture that we live in. Everything is about me and my self gratification. Lately my nafs has been getting the better of me. I'm sleeping in later and later, cutting down on my Allah (swt) time in the morning.

It's time to get on the jihad...jihad al nafs that is.

d) The Prophet (s) said: al-mujahidu man jahada nafsahu fi ta`at Allah `azza wa jall [The fighter against unbelief is he who fights against his ego in obeying God; Tirmidhi, Ibn Majah, Ibn Hibban, Tabarani, Hakim, etc.]... Sufyan al-Thawri said: "I never dealt with anything stronger against me than my own ego; it was one time with me, and one time against me"... Yahya ibn Mu`adh al-Razi said: "Fight against your ego with the four swords of training: eat little, sleep little, speak little, and be patient when people harm you... Then the ego will walk the paths of obedience, like a fleeing horseman in the field of battle."

Expiation

2007-08-30T09:51:00.000-06:00

from flickr

1045. Abu Hurayra reported that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, "The five prayers, and Jumu'a to Jumu'a is expiation for what is between them as long as a man has committed no major sins." [Muslim]

Sounds like...

2007-08-29T11:39:00.001-06:00

Riyad, jihad, hmm, they sound alike, so therefore!

Apparently, if you have a copy of the Riyad as-Salihin, you're a "jihadist." Google "m a p p i n g s h a r i a" to read about the "immediate threat" Sheikh Yusuf Estes posses to America *rolls eyes* Read some past blog entries about this group from Tariq Nelson and Umar Lee.

My copy of the Riyad is staying on my bookshelf, right next to al-Maqasid, thank you very much.

*please do not post a direct link to the website mentioned above. I'd rather not have them backtrack to my blog - been there, done that, never ever again*

Remember

2007-08-29T09:15:00.001-06:00

On my IPod - pre ramadan edition

2007-08-29T08:15:00.000-06:00

Ramadan Resolutions // With Imam Suhaib Webb & Special Guests Chacha Saab & Imam Patrick Robertson

Ramadan Preparation // with Imam Zaid Shakir

Ramadan: A Time for Change // With Imam Suhaib Webb

Are You Ready For The Month Of Ramadan? // With Imam Suhaib Webb

Qur'an with English translation - can't find the specific one I have - the english recitations here are kind of hockey sounding. The one I have is more conversational in tone.

Takbir!

Slandering her good name

2007-08-29T07:31:00.000-06:00

Via Umar Lee, Critics Ignored Record of a Muslim Principal

For anyone who bothered to look for it, Ms. Almontaser left a clear, public record of interfaith activism and outreach across the boundaries of race, ethnicity and religion. Her efforts, especially after the Sept. 11 attacks, earned her honors, grants and fellowships. She has collaborated so often with Jewish organizations that an Arab-American newspaper, Aramica, castigated her earlier this summer for being too close to a “Zionist organization,” meaning the Anti-Defmatin League.

Inhaler confusion

2007-08-28T15:26:00.000-06:00

Dur, I know I should not be fatwa shopping.

Shafi'is say that an inhaler breaks one's fast. Howeva, there' s an alternate opinion that it doesn't.

Logically, it makes sense to me that an inhaler should not break the fast, as it's not aimed for my stomach, but rather for my lungs. This is my first Ramadan as an asthmatic, and although I don't need to use my emergency inhaler too much, I'd rather not have to break my fast 30 minutes before iftar for an asthma attack.

Definitely something to talk with the husband about and get a third zahari opinion.

2007-08-28T11:37:00.000-06:00

I should probably just create a seperate blog for my window shopping, lol. Muslimgear - uber cool.

OOoo

2007-08-27T16:58:00.000-06:00

Check out this wicked Ramadan planning spreadsheet. I can't decide if I'm anal retentive enough to actually fill it out though - I'm not known a really organized person.

And now for something completely different...

2007-08-27T13:39:00.000-06:00

...online course window shopping.

This is it - the point of no return. From here on out, I'm going to become a serious student of Islam. Ok, well, as serious as I can be with the internet as my guide and my arabic sorely lacking. First things first - enroll in an arabic course at a local masjid and sign up for more SunniPath courses.

What course should I take during the Fall semester. It's my goal, inshaAllah, to take one a semester.

Fiqh-i? Essentials of Islam - Shafi'i, Introduction to Islamic Worship - Shafi'i

Iman-y? Tahawi's Manual of Belief Explained

History-ish? Women and Men around the Messenger

Qur'an focused? Introduction to the Qur'an

Adab (my favorite!)? Attaining Good Character

Or something that would be good for everything overall? Journey to Allah - Part 1

I'm drawn towards the last two courses, but my more rational self thinks I should follow the Foundations Curriculumn Sunnipath has laid out. So, this means either Foundations of Islamic Law or Essentials of Islam (Shafi'i).

Pre Ramadan Pic

2007-08-27T11:54:00.000-06:00

Yaay, it's time to start one of my favorite Ramadan rituals - Ramadan picture gathering. Started years ago when I was a solo muslim, lonely and longing for some connection to the rest of the ummah, I would search yahoo news photos of pictures of Ramadan around the world. These pictures would then end up on my yearly Ramadan pictures thread on whatever islam-oriented forum I happened to be frequenting at the time.

Since I have a blog this year, inshaAllah I'll post these pictures here.

Egyptians walk past displays of traditional tin lanterns known as Fawanis Ramadan in old Cairo, 16 August 2007 as preparations begin for the fasting month of Ramadan. (AFP/File/Cris Bouroncle)

10 great goals to set for this Ramadan

2007-08-26T08:40:00.000-06:00

I've come across this list quite a few times in the blogosphere, but it bears repeating here. Only a few more weeks, huzzah!

1. Eat, drink and be moderate
Almost all of us do it - once Iftar time hits, we just keep plowing food and drink into our mouths till it's hard to move afterwards. And those of us who do it know this is totally contrary to the spirit of Ramadan, through which we're supposed to learn self-control not self-indulgence. Let's try to stick to the Prophetic rule on eating: fill our stomachs with one-third food, one-third water and one-third breathing space, even in Ramadan.

2. Give a dollar a day in charity...or five or ten
The Prophet Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him, was always generous but even more so in Ramadan. Let's open our hearts and dig a little deeper in our wallets this year. Even less than a dollar a day adds up. Whatever you can give, it's the intention that counts.

3. Memorize 4 new Surahs
Memorizing the Quran often seems like a daunting task. But the key is doing it in small bites. Since there are four weeks in Ramadan, try to memorize one new Surah a week. Start off with a short, easy one. Once you've started, you'll build momentum and may even want to memorize a longer one the following week.

4. Go to Tarawih prayers
Post-Iftar, the first urge is to sleep after an exhausting day. But try your best to head out to the mosque for Tarawih prayers. Praying alone is wonderful, but doing it in congregation is fantastic. The community spirit is part of Ramadan's blessings. Don't miss it this year. If going every day is not possible, try going at least one week.

5. Attend the Tarawih prayer in which the recitation of the Quran will be finished
Call the local mosque and find out which day the Imam will be finishing the recitation of the Quran in prayer. Attend to not only hear part of the Quran's recitation in prayer, but also participate in the heart-rending Duas that follow it.

6. Stop swearing and/or backbiting – with a special box
It's hard not to shoot our mouths off when someone's upset us. Whether we utter those four-letter words or backbite about someone to our family and friends, we know this isn't the God-approved way of letting off steam. In Ramadan, when we want to build our spirituality, we've got to wage Jihad against our bad habits.
Try this: get a box and every time you catch yourself swearing or backbiting put some money in it. It could be a buck or less. The point is to choose an amount that makes it feel like punishment.
At the end of the month send the money to a charity or buy a gift for the person whom you've backbitten the most against.

7. Call/email your relatives
You'd think that given the easy access to email, competitive long-distance calling rates, phone cards, etc. these days, we'd keep in touch with family and friends more often. But the opposite seems to be the case, as we get caught up in life's "busyness."
Strengthening ties with family members and keeping in touch with friends is part of our way of life and an act Allah is very pleased with. This Ramadan, call family and friends or at least email them a Ramadan card and ask them how their fasting is going.

8. Go on a technology diet
Even if you work in the IT industry, you can do this. Avoid checking personal email and surfing the web during your fast. After Iftar, instead of plopping yourself in front of the screen, go to Tarawih. The same goes for the television. The point is to try to give our full attention to spiritual elevation this month.

9. Read 5 minutes of Quran a day...just five, not more, not less
Even if you feel you've got absolutely no time, set a timer or the alarm on your cell phone and find a relatively quiet place. You can read the first page of the Quran you open or follow a sequence. The choice is yours. The point is simply to connect with God through His revelation in the month of the Quran.

10. Forgive everyone who has hurt you
Still got a festering wound from the fight with your friend last year? Still upset about something your spouse said during a heated argument? Or are you still bitter about the way your parents sometimes treated you as a kid? Let go of the anger and pain this Ramadan and forgive those who have hurt you. Forgiving someone is not only good for the body, but it's also great for the soul. And in Ramadan, ten days of which are devoted to Allah's forgiveness, shouldn't we lesser beings forgive too?
If you find it very difficult to forgive everyone, forgive at least three people.

Three fingers pointing back at you

2007-08-26T08:29:00.000-06:00

Wake up oh ummah and quit the blame game.

2007-08-25T08:29:00.000-06:00

Ah, more online window shopping. Click the picture to get to the store. I really wish I could wear abayas to work.

Muslim Video

2007-08-24T17:51:00.000-06:00

Totally awesome site - Muslim Video - streams a variety of islam oriented television and radio stations, as well as playing back taraweeh prayers from Mecca. The husband was very happy to find Qur'an Radio - Egypt on the site.

Definately a good site to have handy to play during iftars, throughout the month of Ramadan and beyond, inshaAllah.

La Alcohol

2007-08-24T12:01:00.000-06:00

One of the reasons Allah (swt) forbade alcohol. Not saying that things like this don't happen without it, but it may have made the whole thing worse.

Narrated Anas: Allah's Apostle said, "Help your brother, whether he is an oppressor or he is an oppressed one. People asked, "O Allah's Apostle! It is all right to help him if he is oppressed, but how should we help him if he is an oppressor?" The Prophet said, "By preventing him from oppressing others." [Bukhari]

Gee, you think that would include stopping him from raping someone?

Tahiyatul Masjid

2007-08-24T11:37:00.000-06:00

On the authority of Abu Qatada (ra) he said, "The Messenger of Allah (saws) said: 'If any of you enters the Mosque, let him not sit until he prays two rakats.'" [Bukhari & Muslim]

Jummah jummah jummah!

2007-08-24T11:08:00.000-06:00

I'm doing my happy jummah dance, which is kind of like a conga line - jummah, jummah, jummah (kick), jummah, jummah, jummah (kick). It's all in my head off course, since I think the folks at the office might think I've finally lost it if I did a conga line of one around my cubical.

Whilst browsing through flickr looking for jummah appropriate pictures, I happened upon this baby. Now tell me, isn't this just the happiest lookin baby you've ever seen? MashAllah. Babies smiling must be a sign of Allah (swt).

Other jummah pics (click for their sources)

After Jummah in Cairo

Jummah in Maldives

Jummah in Hyderabad

Jummah at the Islamic Cultures Expo

Friday Prayer at the Hussein Mosque, Cairo

Jummah in Turkey

Two Places

2007-08-23T12:59:00.000-06:00

Two places I long to be:

click on the picture, it's much better full sized.

Ya Allah, I long to visit Your House. Ya Allah, I long to give my salaams to the Prophet (saws).

More books

2007-08-23T10:32:00.000-06:00

Ah, my poor wishlist, it just keeps expanding

Justice and Remembrance: Introduction to the Spirituality of Imam Ali
The Prophet's Night Journey & Heavenly Ascent
Qur'an Manuscripts : Calligraphy, Illumination, Design
The Prayer : Its Effect in Increasing Eemaan & Purifying Soul

Iftar Organization

2007-08-22T12:21:00.000-06:00

Despite my best effort not to, I often spend a lot of time during Ramadan obsessing over iftar, especially with what I'm going to make. Well, this year, no more! I'm making up an iftar calendar, planning out all my meals ahead of time, and then inshaAllah, iftars will be less rushing around, and less obsessing, which leave me more time for ibadah.

The set up is simple - 8 rows, 3 columns. The top row is labeled Day/Menu/What is Needed. The first column is labeled down with the days of the week. Here I can type out what I'd like to make each day, what ingredients are needed, and then print it out. Once it's printed out, I can cross out the ingredients I already have at home and wa'la, it's an instant shopping list for the week.

Other Ramadan iftar plans include making stuff on Sunday that is easy to reheat during the week, and making a lot of stir fry - it's easy, has lots of veggies and is filling. Make enough for iftars so that there are leftovers for suhoor, or if your family likes to snack through the night. I also always make gorp/trailmix to leave around for snacking. It also makes a great iftar on the go if you have night classes or won't be home for iftar. My mix includes cheerios, raisons, craisons, honey roasted peanuts, mixed nuts and chocolate chips.

Supplications of the Daily Prayer

2007-08-22T11:59:00.000-06:00

I'm signed up, woOt! And from here on out, I'm dedicated to taking at least one course per semester inshaAllah.

my daily blog stroll - the sisters

2007-08-22T09:09:00.000-06:00

The ritual of my daily blogstroll continues gets longer and longer as the list of blogs I frequent expands. Occasionally I can trim it when a blog goes defunct, but I'm so attached, it's hard to get rid of someone I've been reading for a long time, so my list just continues to grow. Even if someone hasn't updated for months and months, I still keep them on the list and visit them once a week, hoping for something new.

So, here is a list of the sisters' blogs I visit, minus the ones that haven't been updated for awhile. I'm pretty sure these blogs are written by sisters, although there are one or two that I guessed when I categoriesed them. Order isn't indicative of anything except for the order I added them to my favorites menu.

Sunni Sister
Izzy Mo
SufiStication
JiLbAbBLe
Raising Yousuf, Unplugged
Islamic Fashion
Dervish
Dictator Princess
Hijabi Apprentice
Nzinghas' Soapbox
Organic Muslimah
Muslim Apple
Travelers on the Path of Knowledge
The Egyptian's Wife
Southern Muslimah
Warped Galaxies
ALMISKEENAH
Achelois
The Imam's Daughter
Soliloquies of A Stranger
Inner Reflections Transcribed
All About Marriage and the Search
Through a Muslimah’s Veil
Writeous Sister Speaks
Ginny’s Thoughts & Things
Saudi Stepford Wife
The Muslimah
Koonj: the crane
Tradicionalista
Honorary Arab
Safa
PM's World

Translation of the Qur'an by Mufti Taqi Usmani

2007-08-22T09:02:00.000-06:00

Download it here. His biography is here.

Muslim Jesus

2007-08-21T14:33:00.000-06:00

Man oh man, the muslim youtube imitators are multiplying like bunnies, I can't keep up! Could some of these industrious brothers and sisters maybe collaborate and consolidate, pretty please?

On one such site that I stumbled upon today, I found the recent ITV1's Muslim Jesus program. It's decent, and although anyone with a basic understanding of Islam's view of Jesus (as) won't learn much, it's worth watching. Sheikh Hamza is excellent as always.

Part One
Part Two
Part Three
Part Four
Part Five

The Face of Islam in America...

2007-08-21T08:45:00.000-06:00

...is Ingrid Mattson, according to USA Today, which is all right. I suppose if I had to vote for someone to be our face, it would be either Ingrid, Sheikh Hamza or Imam Zaid. Perhaps I'm bias towards muslims born in North America, but if we're not the majority of NA muslims now, we will be very soon.

She talks of nurturing a genuine American Islam, rooted in the classical faith, which dates back before the theological, political and legal schisms fractured the Ummah, the Muslim world, centuries ago.

Also, on a personal note, a friend of mine is her assistant, lucky duck! *waves to Amera*

Ramadan Activities

2007-08-21T07:32:00.000-06:00

If you have kids (or if you're a big kid yourself like me), check out these websites:

TJ Ramadan Resources Ramadan Lesson Ideas

I really like the ibadah club idea, and may make myself a club of one (or 2 if I can convince the husband to join), and the Ramadan bulletin board would be an excellent way of decorating for the month. Plus, the mother's organizational guide has some fantastic things as well - a place to list all the books and lectures you intend to listen to, as well as a place to write notes and reflect on the stuff you've learned.

The Book of Remembrance

2007-08-20T08:45:00.000-06:00

Today appears to be the day of online book windowshopping

Coming soon, a translation of Imam Nawawi's The Book of Remembrance.

Also added to the wishlist:

Yeah, ok I went a little overboard. What can I say, I loooove books.

Dang!

2007-08-20T07:14:00.000-06:00

Last night in my internet surfage, I happened upon a new online store that was geared towards the active muslimah. It didn't have much yet - 2 shirts and a swimsuit - but it was only a few weeks old, and will probably put more up later. It looks like the stuff is from Indonesia, which is uber cool. The hijabi fashions there are awesome, but up until now, I hadn't found any place online that sold them.

Only problem? I didn't save the link, and my googling isn't turning anything up. Dang!

However, in related news, it looks like the hijabi swimwear industry is taking off. I still *heart* my splashgear, and will most likely buy from them again once I loose enough weight (inshaAllah) to get need a smaller size. 10 pounds down, 25 to go!

no attention span whatsoever

2007-08-17T14:40:00.001-06:00

I think I have ADHD. Alhamdulilah, I got a chance to attend jummah today, but I found it so hard to pay attention to the khatib. I kept on fidgeting with my bag and fading in and out of attentiveness. It didn't help that the khutbah was 40 minutes long and I was worried aobut being late to work, but still, if I have a chance ot make it to jummah, I want to get the most out of it.

I wonder if I would be able to pay attention better if I had something in my hands to play with. Hmmm, got dhikr beads. Is it ok to make dhikr during jummah?

I did that when I went to see the Dalai Lama a few months back. The chairs were so dang uncomfortable and his microphone was so soft, I couldn't concentrate. I whipped out the beads and that helped me focus, at least a little. Didn't help with the mike problems though, lol.

Also, tried to sign up for the supplications sunnipath course, but it's not letting me log in or register for some reason. Gah!

Ah Salah

2007-08-17T14:34:00.000-06:00

Abu Bakr bin Abdullah al Muzani said: "Who is like you, O son of Adam? Whenever you wish, you use water to make Ablution, go to the place for worship and thus enter the presence of your Lord (i.e. start praying) without a translator/barrier or a barrier between you and Him!" [Al Bidayah wa an Nihayah 9/256]

Mu`adh bin Jabal advised his son, "My son! Pray the prayer of he who is just about to leave and imagine that you might not be able to pray ever again. Know that the believer dies between two good deeds, one that he performed and one that he intended to perform later on."[Sifat as Safwah 1/496]

Bakr al Muzani said, "If you want your prayer to be of benefit to you, say to yourself, 'I might not have a chance to perform another prayer.'[Jami` al `Ulum wal Hikam, p 466.]

Interactive Tajwedi Qur'an Reader

2007-08-17T08:51:00.000-06:00

Hmmm, looks promising. InshaAllah going to test it out over the weekend.

http://itajweed.org/

Sunnipath short courses

2007-08-16T09:23:00.000-06:00

Saturday, September 8th, Sunnipath will be holding their first online conference for women. Check it out. Best part is, it's only $25!

And during the month of Ramadan, they're offering a course on the Supplications of the Daily Prayer.

*Increase your presence of heart in prayer
*Reflect on the meanings and movements of the daily prayer which Allah Most High has commanded of all of us
*Study commentaries and explanations of the spiritual significance and wisdoms embedded in the various supplications of the prayer, so that you can say them with conviction
*Begin the path towards more connected prayers during the blessed month of Ramadan, and use this month as a springboard into the rest of the year

More online window shopping

2007-08-15T14:37:00.000-06:00

Eastern Vogue abayas are sooo cute, but alas, one must order 5 abayas at a time. Would that be ok honey ;-) ? It would be one thing if I could wear these to work, but I'm thinking that they wouldn't quite fit in in a large law firm. My 5 choices:

Maulana Yunus Patel

2007-08-15T10:35:00.000-06:00

Came across this website today, which looks to contain a lot of interesting tidbits, lectures and ebooks. It contains the teachings of a Maulana Yunus Patel, who as best I can tell, traces his teachers back to the Prophet (saws) through Rumi (ra). His biography is quite flowery, but I can't tell much about him from it, unfortunately. Not much comes up in a google search either. There is a contact us option on the website, so inshaAllah I'll do that to find out more about him and his teachings. His website is just put together so darn well, it draws a person in.

I've downloaded his booklet on ikhlas and tafweez for reading inshaAllah.

love for the Prophet (saws)

2007-08-15T10:02:00.000-06:00

Muhammad (saws)

Tala'albadru 'alayna
Min thaniyyati'l
WadaWajaba ash-shukru 'alayna
Ma da'a lillahi da
Ma da'a lillahi da

The White Moon (track numbers 2 and 5, although 2 is the one that has been stuck in my head for the last half an hour)

Allahumma salli 'ala Muhammadin 'abdika wa rasulika wa salli
'ala l'mu'mina wa'l-mu'minat wa'l-muslimina wa'l-muslimat

Oh Allah send Your mercy on Muhammad, Your servant, Your Messenger and send mercy on all believing men and women and all Muslim men and women (Ibn Hibban)

There's a lot of Muhammad (saws) bashing online. When used to read slander of the beloved messenger of God (saws), I would get sad. I know this man, and I love him. How could anyone who knew him not love him? I would feel frustrated at my inability to express my love in a coherent manner, in a way that could convince these people of the greatness and nobility of our Prophet (saws). All I got was a lotta heartache.

Now, when I see someone slander the Messenger (saws), I smile and turn my heart towards praise of him. I send blessings on our beloved. I pray for the guidance of the slanderers, that their heart may be open to the truth of the beautiful message he brought. Little do these slanderers know the good they are doing, increasing the praise of Allah (swt) and of the Messenger (saws) in the heart of this believer. Alhamdulilah, they've managed to increase my love for him more!

Ebay window shopping.

2007-08-14T14:09:00.000-06:00

Ooooo, me likey this store. Look at the sleeves on this caftan *faints*

and this one

And the embroidery here

Sami Yusuf on CNN

2007-08-14T13:08:00.000-06:00

Meh, a not very articulate piece on music's place in muslim culture.

Also, on NPR's Morning Edition last year, and a good piece from PRI's The World.

My very own quran for taraweeh

2007-08-14T10:38:00.000-06:00

Alhamdulilah, the long copy and paste nightmare is over! Courtesy of transliteration.org, I now have a word document that consists just of the Qur'an as translated by Yusuf Ali and a transliteration of the arabic into roman letters.

A common site at taraweeh prayers (at least at the masjids I go to) is for the congregants to hold little booklets containing one juz (1/30th) of the Qur'an, so that they may follow along with the imam during the prayer. Unfortunately, all the ones I've come across are simply in arabic, and since my arabic reading and comprehension skills are sorely lacking (one day inshaAllah!), I decided to make my own quran for taraweeh this year.

I copied and pasted the transliteration and translation from the website listed above into a word document. I plan to print it out, 3 hole punch and put it all in a large binder. Then, each night during Ramadan, I can take out one juz, stick it in a smaller binder and read from that during taraweeh. I think if I stick my backpack in front of me, during sujood I can stick the book on it so that the quran is not on the floor.

If anyone would like a copy, please leave me your email address, and I'll email you a copy inshaAllah. It's kind of long at 600+ pages, and not very pretty format wise, but it's functional.

Alhamdulilah, only a month until Ramadan!

ps - It's valid to read from a quran in the shafi'i school, so long as you don't fidget with it too much I believe. inshaAllah will look in my fiqh books when i get home to post the specifics

Salaam 100

2007-08-14T07:20:00.000-06:00

‘Salam 100’ to promote Muslim dialogue with world

AMMAN: Jordan has formed a committee of 100 Muslim scholars to address through dialogue “critical issues” affecting Muslims around the world, a statement said on Saturday.

The committee, called “Salam (peace) 100”, aims to “enable peaceful debate and discussion, using the power of ideas as a means of calming conflict and finding a resolution to problems of the gravest importance.” The statement said controversies such as the 2005 Danish cartoons of the Prophet Mohammed (PBUH), have “exposed the lack of intellectual leadership” in the Muslim world. This “must be addressed with the utmost urgency to prevent further rifts in human understanding. The committee proposes to conquer immediate and future fears and misapprehensions, which are so easily exploited by extremists of every kind.” The committee is headed by the uncle of King Abdullah II, former crown prince Hassan. It groups Muslim figures from around the world, including the director general of the Islamic Organization of Education, Science and Culture, Abdulaziz Othman Altwaijri, and former Yemeni prime ministers Abdul Karim al-Eryani and Haider Abu Bakr al-Attas.

It pledged to promote “a rational and equitable understanding of hearts and minds”. “We actively seek to address core disputes of international concern, to assuage anger, and to prevent unacceptable provocations”, the statement said. In 2004, Jordan launched an initiative known as the “Amman Message” in a bid to encourage fellow Muslims to reject extremism and embrace tolerance and acceptance.

Sounds promising, but it would appear this group has been around since last May. Why are they taking so dang long to do anything? Urgency? Phhhhh. Where is the flurry of papers, iniatives and plans? Googling "Salam 100" turns up close to nothing.

Special Fasting

2007-08-13T08:27:00.000-06:00

What is fasting? Abstaining from food and drinks, and sexual satisfaction? This is but the basic level a muslim should seek to keep when they intend to fast.

In his Ihya' Ulom ud Din, Imam al-Ghazali writes about 3 grades of fasting - ordinary, where one abstains from food, drink and sexual satisfaction, special fasting, where one keeps their organs from sin, and extra special fasting, a level where one's only concern is with God, and not with anything in this dunya.

While I aspire to the extra special fast, I know I first need to get the basis of my deen in order. What good is it to strive to be one of the true friends of God (awliya) if I don't do my best to follow the guidelines He has set down for us? So I'm on a fast from backbiting.

Prophet Muhammad (saws) said :"Do you know what backbiting is?" They said, "God and His Messenger know best." He then said, "It is to say something about your brother that he would dislike." Someone asked him, "But what if what I say is true?" The Messenger of God (saws) said, "If what you say about him is true, you are backbiting him, but if it is not true then you have slandered him." (Muslim)

Favorite

2007-08-09T11:23:00.000-06:00

Want to know my favorite part of Ramadan? No, well, too bad I'm telling you anyways so tough cookies. It's not the auntie food, taraweeh or the increased time spent at the masjid. Nope, it's the takbir. That hour before eid prayer spent praising Allah (swt) and sending blessings on the Prophet (saws) and the ummah is the closest I feel to the Divine all year. Can't wait for it to come.

Text of the takbir.

insert pukey smilie here

2007-08-09T07:29:00.000-06:00

From Tariq Nelson - out of control dogma

RIYADH, 6 August 2007 — A new convert to Islam, fired with zeal to do a righteous act, had no idea that he would pay a heavy price for helping a sick woman, one that has landed him 50 days and counting behind bars.

Abu Hurairah, radiyallahu 'anhu, reported that the Messenger of Allah, sallallahu 'alayhi wasallam, said:

"Let whosoever believes in Allah and in the Last Day either speak good or be silent. Let whosoever believes in Allah and in the Last Day honour his neighbour. Let whosoever believes in Allah and in the Last Day honour his guest."
[Al-Bukhari & Muslim]

some commentary on this hadith:

The second part of this hadith stresses on being courteous and generous to our neighbours and guests. This is stated in the Qur'an - Surah An-Nisa'(4): ayat 36: "…do good to parents, relatives, orphans, the poor, the neighbour who is near of kin, the neighbour who is a stranger, the companion by your side, the wayfarer (you meet), and those (slaves) whom your right hand possess."

In one hadith, the Prophet, sallallahu 'alayhi wasallam, said: "Jibril kept advising me concerning the neighbour to the point that I thought that he would inherit from his neighbour." [Al-Bukhari and Muslim].
In another hadith [also recorded by Al-Bukhari and Muslim], it is stated: "Whoever believes in Allah and the Last Day should not harm his neighbour."

Another hadith records the Prophet, sallallahu 'alayhi wasallam, as saying that the person who does not have complete faith (iman) is the one from whose affairs the neighbour is not safe. Al-Bukhari and Muslim also records another hadith which states that when you cook stew, you should add a little bit more water and give some to your neighbours. This sharing of food between neighbours can strengthen the relationships between them. We should be nice to our neighbours and share our food even if they are not Muslims.

Does anyone else want to cry when they read stories about the sorry state our ummah is in? My mind keeps wondering why doesn't somebody do something? Then I remember - I am somebody. Guess that means I should be the one to do something.

The husband and I were talking last night about our future plans inshaAllah. He'd like to be a da'ee and write a best selling book about muslims. He then wondered about how to get on tv shows and I told him that writers do that for free to promote their books, but if Jon Stewart invited him to be on the Daily Show, he should say that he would only come on if his wife could meet Jon, ha. My husband responded - of course, he'll be happy to meet you. Why, I ask. Because you're going to be a famous moderate muslim of course, and he'll want you to be on to talk about Islam. We'll be a team, like Madam Curie and her husband.

Now, all my issues about the term moderate muslim aside, his faith in me and what I could do with my life is increadibly uplifting. Alhamdulilah for my husband. Now I just have to figure out how I can go about being somebody and change the ummah.

Isra wa Miraj

2007-08-08T08:03:00.000-06:00

Glory to (Allah) Who did take His servant for a Journey by night from the Sacred Mosque to the farthest Mosque, whose precincts We did bless,- in order that We might show him some of Our Signs: for He is the One Who heareth and seeth (all things).

Subhana allathee asrabiAAabdihi laylan mina almasjidi alharami ilaalmasjidi al-aqsa allathee barakna hawlahulinuriyahu min ayatina innahu huwa alssameeAAualbaseeru (17:1)

We're currently in the month of Rajab, the 7th month in the Islamic year. Friday is the 27th of Rajab, aka Isra wa Miraj. This is the night that our beloved Prophet (saws) traveled from Mecca to Jerusalem and then rose through the heavens with Gabriel (as). There, he met a variety of Prophets (may peace be on all of them), and received the command from Allah (swt) for muslims to make salat 5 times a day.

Readings on the subject:

Muhammad Asad's discussion on the physical vs. spiritual nature of the journey.
Reflections on the Farthest Mosque: Isra’ wa’l Mi’raj by Sunni Sister
Parts I, II and III relating the story by Sunni Sister

To listen to on the subetc:

In the Shade of Ramadan

2007-08-07T12:48:00.000-06:00

Looks like a brother has put up a 30 part series of short videos titled In the Shade of Ramadan. Could be something to watch each night at Iftar time, or watch one a day as we enter the month before Ramadan.

Great Minnesota Get Together

2007-08-07T07:57:00.000-06:00

I have a very schizophrenic relationship with the state of Minnesota. On one hand - it feels like home (aka Wisconsin). We also have awesome public radio. But, there are some things lacking that make me long to move elsewhere - a tightknit muslim community where I can feel at home, a place where I don't need to drive everywhere to get stuff done.

Well, chalk another one up in the yaay Minnesota category. Every year, the State Fair is the Great Minnesota Get Together - people from all walks of life, socio economic strata, ethnic groups, rural, urban, everyone, meets in Saint Paul to celebrate what makes this state Great - mainly food on a stick. This year, it gets even better.

In the past, we've had to leave early because there's really no place to make salat. This year however, we're staying the whole day, because there's a meditation room that will be open for salat! Alhamdulilah! Look for it between the Education and 4-H buildings. I think CAIR Minnesota had something to do with it, so thanks guys!

Usul al-Fiqh

2007-08-03T13:02:00.000-06:00

Via Imam Suihab's website, we have a weblog that looks like it will provide simple lesson outlines on Usul al-Fiqh. Literally "the roots of law," usul al-fiqh is the sources of Islamic jurisprudence (fiqh), such as the Qur'an and Sunnah, as well as ijma and qiyas, and the methods that are used to perform ijtihad to formulate sharia.

Misleading CNN Headlines

2007-08-03T11:00:00.000-06:00

CNN.com links to a local SF news source saying "19 detained in raid on muslim bakery." The actual news story itself carries the title Predawn Raids Target Troubled Oakland Bakery.

From what I remember reading in the past and from this bakery's own website, it's a Nation of Islam (aka NOI) operation or affiliation. Reviews of the place mention murals of Elijah Muhammad. According to the founder's obituary:

"I practice Islam as taught by Elijah Muhammad," Bey said in an interview in February. "His religion is a way of life. He has taught how to resurrect us from the dead state -- the so-called American Negro men. We're white people with black skin. It's all a mentality."

But, there's no mention of NOI anywhere in the article, just the ubiquitous term muslim.

So now unsuspecting islamophobes will link the story and muslims (aka the non NOI kind) will be blamed for some wackos we have nothing to do with. I mean, come on, do we not have enough wackos in our midst that we need to take the blame for NOI wackos as well?

Humph.

Disaster

2007-08-02T07:55:00.000-06:00

While there are so many disasters in the world, it rarely seems to hit close to home. Yesterday, it did. Alhamdulilah, I wasn't anywhere near the bridge, but still, I've driven over it tons of times and I work close by.

I'm still somewhat disjointed. It's hard putting together coherent thoughts. Good thing I'm not a reporter who has to produce pieces under stress and pressure.

It's weird to log onto the BBC, CNN and other international news sites and see your city up in red.

I was flipping through the channels last night when I came upon the local news. It was a shot from a new chopper of the bridge. SubhanAllah I said. Glory be to God. I paused - SubhanAllah what? SubhanAllah is my favorite dhikr, so it roles naturally off my tongue. Usually I use it to praise God. But what am I praising in this situation?

SubhanAllah for Minnesota nice. So many stories of civilians risking their lives to jump up and help people out of their cars and off the bridge. SubhanAllah for our emergency systems, which responded brilliantly. SubhanAllah for Bani Minnesota. We rock.

SubhanAllah I am alive. It's amazing that I am alive. Everything could be taken away in just one minute, but subhanAllah, here I am.

SubhanAllah.

Shiney!

2007-08-01T12:02:00.000-06:00

Fluffy post alert!

Dang, this is so pretty and it's on sale! My very first, and near all time favorite abaya is black, with a faux jacket and white embroidery down the front. It's well worn and loved, as I wear it often, paired with an obscenely bright scarf. Unfortunately, the love is beginning to show, as it's all pilled up almost everywhere. But, I still wear it, despite it's flaws, because it's so darn cool looking.

Now this new abaya almost has it all - It's black, and it's already got bight shiney stuff on it. If only it had a faux coat, but nothing is perfect.

Which will now lead me down memory lane - ahhh, fond memories of my trusty black faux coat abaya. I remember the first time I wore it, for eid in 02 I think. It was my take on saying "screw you society, I'm going to dress how I like, and if it shocks you, so be it!" Kinda like goths, except no freaky makeup. I loved how it was like a cloak and floated around me as I walked. Which now of course leads me to fondly remember college, where I could flip between abayas and a wisconsin shirt and jeans day to day. Haven't worked up the courage to wear abayas to work yet. It just doesn't seem like it would fit in a law office setting.

I haven't gotten a new abaya in like 2 years. I'm strongly leaning towards getting this for eid, cuz dude, it's black and shiney!

Ok, continuing to browse through their gulf abaya section. This one looks like it's faux coat, and it's got shiney stuff too!

I also like this one, although it's not shiney. It's very drapy, which I like, and has a funky circle thing on the back.

Their thobes are very pretty, although I feel like I should invest in one that's handmade my a little old Palestinian woman instead of getting one that's machine made.

Also, kaftans are excellent, but waaay too expensive. But, they have hoods, and hoods are just uber cool. I guess that's my inner Lord of the Rings dork talking. Maybe I should just invest in a good cloak instead.

Ok, enough fluffiness for the day, back to work I go.

Oppression

2007-08-01T06:54:00.000-06:00

From the book Reflection of Pearls.

When leaving the house:

Bismi'Llahi tawakkaltu 'ala 'Llah, Allahumma inni a'udhu bika an udilla aw udall, aw uzilla aw uzall, aw azlima aw uzlam, aw aj-hala aw yuj-hala 'alayy

In the name of Allah, I trust in Allah. O Allah I seek your protectoin from misleading and being mislead, from causing someone to slip or slipping, from oppressing and oppression, and from promoting folly and being foolish (Abu Dawud, Tirmidhi)

I think there are some muslim leaders around the world who need to start making this dua when they leave the house. I wonder how many people who make this dua when they leave the house actually think about the meaning of the words they are reciting, and strive to do what they are praying for?

Two great minds, two great articles

2007-07-31T15:11:00.000-06:00

Both Tariq Ramadan and Sheikh Hamza Yusuf have recently written pieces on the sad maladies that is anti semetism that infects the muslim ummah.

From Br. Tariq:

The situation is far too serious for one to be satisfied by simple explanations based on current frustrations. In the name of their faith and their conscience, Muslims must take a clear position so that a pernicious atmosphere does not take hold in the Western countries. Nothing in Islam can legitimize xenophobia or the rejection of a human being due to his/her religious creed or ethnicity. One must say unequivocally, with force, that anti-Semitism is unacceptable and indefensible. The message of Islam requires respect of Jewish faith and spirituality as noble expressions of "The People of the Book".

And Sheikh Hamza:

In our inherent contradictions as humans, and in order to validate our own pain, we deny the pain of others. But it is in acknowledging the pain of others that we achieve fully our humanity. A close friend of mine, a professor of religion in a Muslim country for many years, recently told me that his wife, an English teacher in that country, had wanted to use Anne Frank: The Diary of a Young Girl as a text for her Muslim pupils. But the school administrators repeatedly denied her request because they deemed it inappropriate reading for young Muslims. It is sad that the current political morass in the Middle East has led to this intolerable refusal to confront a people’s collective suffering. Perhaps in acknowledging that immense past of Jewish suffering, in which the Holocaust is only the most heinous chapter, Muslims can better help the Jewish community to understand the current Muslim pain in Palestine, Iraq and other places. In finding out about others, we encourage others to find out about us. It would greatly help our Jewish brethren to know the historical facts of Jewish experience in the Muslim world, which are often heartening and humanizing and very different from their European experience. In our mutual edification, we grow together.

inshaAllah ta'ala one day voices like these will be loudly and publically embraced by the majority of the ummah.

Free our Talib

2007-07-30T12:01:00.000-06:00

From the LA Times, who apparently know a bit about arabic noun declension.

Some will object that Lindh pleaded guilty knowing he could receive this sentence. His plea was entered, however, under what one can only call extreme duress. A poll of potential jurors in the Eastern District of Virginia at that time found that more than a third were ready to sentence him to death without even hearing the case against him. His lawyers cut the best deal they could, but Lindh has spent nearly a quarter of his life in custody for his foolish decision to pursue his religious convictions by aiding another country in its civil war. Without relief, he will spend another dozen years, at least, behind bars.

The concept of mercy spans testaments and faiths, and any system of justice requires the embrace of mercy for leavening and legitimacy. In this case, justice has been served by Lindh's time in prison. Now Bush is uniquely positioned to grant mercy, for while many will long argue over the effectiveness if his war on terror, none question his commitment to it. By giving Lindh a commutation, Bush could prove that his war is, as he often and properly asserts, not against Islam but against those who seek to harm America. Lindh never sought to harm his country; he has served long enough. Bush should send him home.

Esquire magazine wrote an excellent piece last year that explores Lindh's background, his conversion to Islam, his zealousness that drove him to Afghanistan, and his life at present in jail. Reading things like this, it makes me take a step back to examine my life. Lindh and I are almost the same age. We come from similar family backgrounds, and sought to escape the white mundaity that was suburbia, although his path to a turn mine didn't before returning to Islam. Malcolm X peaked both our interests in Islam. And yet, he ended up in prison, not allowed to speak arabic, at the same time I was safely attending classes at University and flirting with the idea of putting on hijab, my big jihad. Granted, our similarities are probably only superficial, but it does make me ponder the choices I've made and where I've ended up.

I hope the brother has found some stability at last and that he can grown and mature in his deen. It'll be interesting to see if anything becomes of his case.

The Demise of Imam Faustus

2007-07-30T10:31:00.000-06:00

Brother Neurocentric wrote the drama the Demise of Imam Faustus for a group of british muslim secondary students. You can buy the book, and now, you can see parts of it online. Haven't done either yet, but the book is on my to read list, and I'll watch the videos when I get home inshaAllah.

The story of ‘Faust’ has become an important part of modern European mythology as the tale of a man who sold his soul to the devil in return for unlimited power and wealth. Here Faustus rears his head once more at a moment of religious controversy when the role of religion—and of Islam in particular—in society is the subject of fierce debate. The Demise of Imam Faustus, a drama by Matthew Wilkinson deals unashamedly with religious themes: the relationship of man with God and the impact of his conduct in this life on the eternal destination of his soul.

It's been a long time since I've written any scripts, or much of anything of substance asside from college papers. In junior high and high school, I enjoyed writing for the sake of writing, and wrote several short plays to be performed by my church's youth group. But since college, I haven't had that same spark. Br. Neurocentric has written some about his struggles and embrace of writing as a muslim. Definately something to reflect on as I contemplate picking up the pen (or keyboard as it were) again.

Coming soon to the US of A?

2007-07-26T12:47:00.000-06:00

According to the Silk Route stocklist, it looks like they've got a distributer in the US. Oooo, now if only he would hurry up and start selling online! You can view their stuff at the new islamicdesignhouse website, where it looks like they're also going to be selling shirts with Aerosol Arabic and VisualDhikr designs on them. Weee!

Dave Chappelle finally coming out?

2007-07-26T10:11:00.000-06:00

Via MR:

The comedian Dave Chappelle has been shy about broadcasting his muslim faith. Rumors abounded when he absconded to South Africa and dissed his highly rated comedy central show. Had he finally cracked, or was he seeking spiritual solas with fellow muslims.

Now, it looks like he's finally embracing his muslim identity and producing a full length video of the Allah Made me Funny Comedy Tour. Br. MR has a press release on his blog, although I can't seem to find it on the tour website. I hope he talks about his faith more often.

Tariq Ramadan speaking out

2007-07-25T14:20:00.000-06:00

From the Washington Post's Muslims Speak Out section, Tariq Ramadan answers two questions about jihad and apostacy, as well as the the omni present "treatment of women in Islam" schtick. Can't say enough good things about this guy. I'm saving his jihad response for future reference in debates against those who insist that it is nothing more than terrorism. Also, I need to find the work of Jalal ad-Dîn as-Suyutî he mentions. That's one of the things I love about Islam. This deen has such a rich and deep intellectual history, you're always finding something new to explore

The concept of “jihad” has different meanings and a scholar such as Jalal ad-Dîn as-Suyutî (15th century), while studying its scope, highlighted 80 different dimensions, uses and objectives related to its place in Islamic teachings. Its root “ja-ha-da” means “making an effort”, “exerting oneself” in order to promote good or to resist wrongdoing, evil or oppression. Every individual trying to resist her/his own negative temptations is engaged in “jihad” and the first time the word is used in the Qur’an (25:52), it refers to an intellectual and spiritual resistance by the means of the Qur’an itself.

In all its dimensions, the essence of “jihad” is “to resist” in the name of justice and dignity. When there is an armed aggression, Muslims have the right to protect themselves and to defend their rights. Here “jihâd” means “qitâl” (armed struggle). The use of violence and weapons must be adjusted to the nature of the aggression itself: an armed aggression may justify an armed resistance if there is no other way to come to a peaceful agreement. But the use of violence and weapons must be proportionate and never target innocent people, women, children, the elderly, and even fruit trees as Abû Bakr, the first successor of the Prophet, stated following Muhammad’s teachings. Jihad never means “holy war” in order “to impose” or “to propagate” Islam everywhere. In fact jihâd and qitâl mean exactly the opposite of what we commonly think: rather than being the justifying instruments of war, they are the imposed measures to achieve peace by resisting an unjust aggression.

In specific situations – when one faces an army and has no weapons or other means to resist – it may be understandable and justifiable to consider sacrificing one’s life in attempts to reach the armed soldiers. Here we are not far from a kind of suicide but it is related to three specific conditions: 1. It must be in a time of declared war; 2. when no other means of resisting are available; 3. the targets must be exclusively the army of the enemies and its armed soldiers. Today’s suicide bombers who are killing innocent people are not only not respecting the Islamic teachings as to the ethics of war but are in fact indulging in anti-Islamic actions.

Polygany blogs hit the mainstream

2007-07-25T13:35:00.000-06:00

Ok, I admit it, I'm an avid reader of polygany blogs. Although I don't have time to watch soap operas, I'm thoroughly addicted to these online, real life muslim mini soaps that have unfolded in front of my very eyes over the past few years. I'll recount the tales to the husband, flaburgasted by what I read - OMG, guess what happened to HA this time?

The husband then takes the opportunity to make polygany jokes, to which I remind him that he's certainly allowed to have more than one wife - I just won't be one of them. And, as always, he smiles, hugs me and tells me that one wife is headache enough. It's a long running joke between us, although I do have a clause in my marriage contract that gives me the right to an excellent settlement and divorce if he decides down the road to become polyganous. We continue to have serious, deen-y talks about the subject, exploring hypotheticals, but at this point in my life and most likely in the future, I'll stick to monogamy.

Now, polygany blogs have lept from the shadows and landed in the mainstream media, or at least at Slate.com. Polyganous Blessings is on my CW (cowife) blog roll, although she rarely updates it anymore. There have been several CW bloggers, but unfortunately, most don't write for very long. HA and Safa update much more regularly, and I've laughed and cried along with them on their journeys down the bumpy road of polygany. There are other CW (and ex CW) blogs out there that are accessable through the spiderweb of blogrolls, but HA and Safa are definately the cream of the crop.

Muslims in the media

2007-07-24T07:24:00.000-06:00

Wow, Newsweek is all over Islam this week.

Newsweek and MSNBC has a section on Islam in America. Heck, it looks like their upcoming issue is a whole special on Islam in America. Too bad my parents don't subscribe to this publication anymore. I'll just have to buy it from the local Barnes and Noble, check to make sure the content is decent, and accidentally leave it behind next time I go to visit them.

And, Newsweek and the Washington Post have subsection in their On Faith Series on Muslims Speak Out. Haven't gotten a chance to read much from either of these two sections yet, but I am hoping that they are knowledgable and go beyond the "Islam means peace" that american muslims have been reduced to parroting these last few years.

Australia is oh so far away...

2007-07-23T11:36:00.000-06:00

...and everything in Australia seems to be a wee bit on the expensive side, but dang, this site has some great hijab ideas!

This underscarf/shirt would make clothes shopping so much easier! Unfortunately it seems that most cute shirts have a wide/deep neck, and my scarves never seem to stay when I try to cover up the gaping maw. The scarves are also cute (but waaay too expensive), and the styling going on with the undershirts and scarves looks fabulous.

Umm Yasmin purchased some and has a review.

*daydreams* Maybe someone will sell these in the US someday.

Tajweed podcasts

2007-07-23T10:55:00.000-06:00

This tajweed podcast looks interesting, and hopefully, promising. I did tell the husband recently that I'd like to learn at least the basics of tajweed, so inshaAllah with his help and with this podcast, I'll be on my way.

From his blog, here's some info about the creator of the podcast:

khaled Bouchafaa
has been teaching Quran and Tajweed for the last 20 years in various Islamic colleges and masjids. He has been authorised by the Qurra to teach this sacred knowledge of tajweed and Quran. He began his studies of Qiraat in Algeria (from Sheikh Sharati rhm who was the student of the famous Sheikh Abdul-Aziz abul Uyun as Sud and from Sheikh Ahmed Ma'but who was the student of Bakri at Tarabishi) and acquired further knowledge from eminent Scholars of Qiraat in Damascus (Sheikh Abu Sulayman az Zabibi, Sheikh Abdur Razaq al Halabi and the Imam of Jamia al Qitat Sheikh Abu Usamah Basha). In addition, he has studied with Egyptian qarris (Sheikh Hassan Marzug al Jizzi). Sheikh Khaled recites Quran with riwayat Hafs by the Shatibiyah tariq and riwayat Warsh by the Al-Azraq tariq. Currently, he is a teacher of Quran in the largest Islamic School of Australia, is a volunteer Imam and provides tajweed lessons in English and Arabic in his local area.

These are some other tajweed related sites I'm planning on looking into when I have more time:

Harry Potter squee!

2007-07-16T18:52:00.000-06:00

Ok, so I didn't get the skirt I had my eye on, but I did get a sweeeeet Dumbledore's Army bag. inshaAllah I'll get it this week before the big book release at midnight on Friday. I'm trying to convince the husband that it would be fun to go to a bookstore at 11 pm to eat pizza, drink butterbeer and play Harry Potter charades until the book release at midnight. For some reason, he's just not convinced. So inshaAllah I'll pick my reserved copy up bright and early Saturday morning and dig in - gotta finish it before our 4:00 meeting with the Jehovahs' Witnesses -the husband is becoming quite a little Ahmed Deedat and I'm his official "translator."

Now, Islam in Harry Potter ~ not much has been written on it, aside from the "don't let your kids read it" type of thing. There is the humerous piece about the Hogwarts MSA, but that's just about it. Oh, and it looks like Muslim Girl Magazine readers are Harry Potter fan girls. I've only noticed two possible muslim characters in my recent rereading of books one through 6

Hassan Moustafa - appears on page 106 of book 4. Quiddich World Cup Referee. Gets enchanted by the velas, and then attempts to throw them off the field.
A wizard I who's name I can't remember - wanted to import flying carpets, but couldn't as they are muggle artifacts.

Yeah, so that's pretty much it - Harry Potter and Islam. Not much to say. Just wanted an excuse to write about my new bag. It's so puuuurty!

4 days, 3 hours and 49 minutes until Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows!

Judge orders man to leave Irvine mosque alone

2007-07-16T15:03:00.000-06:00

Worshipers say they reported him to authorities after he asked to become a convert and began talking about jihad.

At the beginning, worshipers at the Islamic Center of Irvine said, they thought
Craig Monteilh was just an overzealous convert when he criticized U.S. foreign policy in the Middle East. But when he started talking about jihad and dropped oblique references to violence, congregants contacted authorities.

Can't find much else on it, although I'll keep my eyes peeled. Can't say I've come across any of these crazed converts or similarly thinking born muslims in real life, but I've run across them online.

Before Ramadan there is...

2007-07-13T07:44:00.000-06:00

...Rajab and Sha'ban. Looks like Rajab will start this weekend.

It has been mentioned by Abu’ Nu’aim in ‘Hilya’ from Anas Ibn Malik (Allah be pleased with him) he said, that the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and give him peace) used to make the following dua, when the month of Rajab came in:

‘Allahuma Barik lana fi Rajaba wa Sha’bana wa ballighna Ramadhan’
Oh Allah, bless us in Rajab and Shaban, and allow us to reach Ramadan

2007-07-12T14:25:00.000-06:00

Oh man, I so want this skirt. And it's only on sale through this weekend. Maybe my husband will read this blog entry and get it for me as a present *whistles*

Ghazzali wishlist

2007-07-10T11:34:00.000-06:00

One of my favorite books that occupies a permenant place on my nightstand is "Inner Dimensions of Islamic Worship," taken from the Ihya ‘Ulum al-Din by Imam al Ghazzali.

Aside from wanting to read/own all his works, there are a few Imam al Ghazzali related things that are also on my wishlist:

Al-Ghazali: Alchemist of Happiness dvd
Alchemy of Happiness Hamza Yusuf cd set

I've seen a lot of excellent reviews for both around the net.

Scholars of Peace

2007-07-10T11:26:00.000-06:00

via Deenport

The Islamic Tradition and Historic Conflict Resolution in Timbuktu

Fascinating, I hope I can find more on these practices. I took an African History class freshman year, but can't remember much. Guess I'll have to dig around to find my old books and re read about Timbuktu, and browse the Libraries of Timbuktu website.

Affordable art

2007-07-10T09:08:00.000-06:00

Prints are available for some artwork at Deviant Art. It's an affordable way to support muslim artists. Check these out.

most wonderful time of the year!

2007-07-09T12:45:00.000-06:00

*skips along singing* ...it's the most wonderful time of the year...it's the hap -happiest season of all...with those holiday greetings and gay happy meetings...when friends come to call It's the hap - happiest season of all!

Yup, the most wonderful time of year is coming in 2 months, and I've already got the fever. No, not santa claus time, silly, it's Ramadan, baby, yeah! Gotta get my goals sorted out and my stuff in order so I can make the best of the month inshaAllah.

Before Ramadan:

1. Pray all 5 fard with at least 5 minutes of dua and dhikr after.

2. Read through the Qur'an. I have an excellent arabic/english quran podcast on my ipod. The translation is the saheeh international version, which just so happens to be the same translation as my little travel zippy quran (which they apparently don't sell anymore, much to my dismay after I've recommended it to several people who've been unable to find it). So, I can sit on the bus, listen to the arabic, and then read along with the english translation. inshaAllah my goal is to get through the end of the podcast, which is now at surah 66.

During Ramadan:

1. Pray witr every day.

2. Pray at least one taraweeh at the masjid a week. This is something I loved to do in college, but have slacked on since graduating and getting married. The husband holds the opinion that praying taraweeh at home is better than at the masjid, so he hasn't been too enthusiastic about going. But, inshaAllah this year I'm going to make the effort to go, even if it is on my own.

3. Go to the iftar potlucks. So far, I've only been a moocher at the community iftars, coming on Saturday and Sunday when people volunteer to make food. But inshaAllah this year I'm going to go to the potlucks that are on Friday night. I've been cooking more, and I think I have a few recipes that will satisfy the diverse community at the masjid.

4. Read the entire Qur'an in arabic and english. Since my ability to read the arabic script still sucks, I will rely on my most excellent Muhammad Asad translation, that has the arabic script, roman transliteration, english translation and extensive footnotes. I figure I'll pick out a recitation I really like, recite along with it for a page (using the transliteration), then go back, read the english translation and go over the footnotes. I figure this will take up a huge chunk of time, so I'll have to set aside blocks and commit to it. Unfortunately, the book is too large to take on the bus, but maybe I can find just a smaller transliteration, and do the arabic listening/reciting quietly on my hour long commutes to and from work.

I've always had reading the entire quran as a goal, but after an initial burst of energy, I peter off. Anyone want to be my quran reading buddy? We can hold each other accountable. Since my available time varies day to day, I thought rather than say a juz a day, the goal could be 7 juz in a week, so that it would be possible to catch up/work ahead on the weekends when there is more time available.

*note, all pictures in this post are from deviantart. Click on the pics to find more from these talented artists*

After Salat

2007-07-09T08:28:00.000-06:00

What do you do after salat? Usually, I make my salaams to my recording angels (kiraman katibeen) and pop up right away to go about my dunya business. My husband, on the other hand, usually remains seated and makes dhikr and dua. He's been nagging me for awhile to try it, and subhanAllah, I didn't know what I was missing. Think about it, if you sit an extra 5 minutes after each prayer in remembrance and praise of God, that's an extra 25 minutes each day you spend in worship.

If you have trouble concentrating in salat, this is a chance to refocus on God and worship in the way that helps you connect best. Heck, it could even help if you've apt to rush through salat so that you can get to the other stuff on your mind. Rather than having those nagging thoughts about dunya at the back of your mind urging you to hurry up, you know that you have a set amount of time after the salat to dedicate to God. So, there's no sense in rushing the salat if you will be sitting afterwards in dhikr and dua.

Why not pick a dua and commit to making it after every prayer? Make it a part of your routine.

2007-07-04T18:35:00.000-06:00

Allahu Akbar...

...God is greater than...

...all my troubles.

SubhanAllah, Glory be to Him!

Myspace

2007-06-29T13:49:00.000-06:00

I think I have a myspace profile. I'm pretty sure that I signed up long ago, but found the whole thing to be too cluttered and not very user friendly. Now I feel that if I start a page, I'll be just another groupy, so I guess I'll stick to blogging.

Howeva, Sheikh Hamza and Imam Zaid have hopped on the myspace train, and mashaAllah, some excellent videos on both pages. Heck, even IslamicRelief has a page. Now I feel like I'm missing out on some ummah wide technology leap.

Maybe this would be a project the husband and I could do together for some couples bounding. Hmm...

When an intercultural marriage goes horribly wrong

2007-06-28T09:23:00.000-06:00

Why Molly ran

When 12-year-old Molly Campbell disappeared from her Scottish home last year, it was feared she had been kidnapped by her father to be married against her will in Pakistan. But, like her name, the truth wasn't quite as it seemed. Cathy Scott-Clark and Adrian Levy report

I've been following the Misbah/Molly story on and off for quite some time now, and this article definately provides a lot of much needed background.

But even more than being the sad story of a broken family, it speaks of the difficulties that intercultural/interfaith couples face. This marriage started out between a nominal christian/secular young white british girl, and a nominal muslim/secular young pakistani british man. Where as the usual m.o. is that the husband will practice more and become more conservative as he grows older, in this case the wife feels drawn to Islam. Maybe it was a way to feel connected to and accepted by her husband's family and culture, but for whatever reason, her embrace of Islam draws her husband back to practicing the faith. While I can't tell for sure what was going on in her mind from the article, it seemed like she longed for acceptance, but didn't really have Islam in her heart. Islam can seem oppresive if you don't embrace it with all your heart, and from the article, it looks like Louise was crushed by it.

Women who embrace Islam through their relationship/marriage with a muslim man are often subjects of suspicion. Did they convert because their husbands influenced them? How will their faith hold up if things go south with their husbands? Heck, even those who were muslim before marriage are still viewed under a cloud of suspicion. Alhamdulilah, I've seen women become increadbly devout in their practices, content with Islam as a way of life. And unfortunately, I've seen women be crushed far too often for my liking.

When an american woman marries a muslim man, she will inevitably be told to watch Not Without my Daughter. We roll our eyes, sigh and try to change the subject. We're intellegent, independent, and think we know what we're getting ourselves into. Unfortunately, we often times don't.

So, I propose that american women who want to marry muslim men read this article. We've all heard the nasty things muslim men can do to western women. But how often do we examine ourselves and ponder on the problems our issues may create? Here now is an (extreme) example of what western women can do to themselves if they're not prepared for an intercultural/interfaith relationship. inshaAllah ta'ala, nothing like this will befall myself or any of my friends in similar situations, but one never knows

Also, on a random side note, either Louise or the article messed up a wee bit on the hajj thing. Hajj isn't during Ramadan. You don't (have to) fast during hajj. Maybe they made umrah during Ramadan, but umrah ain't hajj.

clothing rambling

2007-06-27T13:11:00.000-06:00

Fluffy post for the day, cuz work has taxed my poor mental skills to their limited.

So, I had a doctors appointment on Friday to check on my high blood pressure (which is not improving, booo). However, I'm down 9 pounds from where I was in December, and inshaAllah if I keep it up, I'll be a wee bit thinner for Eid (yaay). As such, I'm not going to do any eid shopping now, but Artizara just emailed out about their new clothes, many of which look eid worthy. Maybe I should make a deal with myself if I hit x pounds by September, I'll buy something new.

I would still love to get my hands on a silk route jelbab, especially with new designs coming out soon, but a friend had horrible luck with the hijab shop, so I'm wary.

And in other sad news to report, my sporty orange faux track suit abaya has bit the dust. It served me well over the years, so rest in peace my friend. *sniffles* I don't have a picture, but it is similar to the pinkish colored one in the lower left hand corner of this photo essay, minus the side slits. There was an online shop selling more of these, but I can't seem to find it now, and I fear that they're horribly out of style in Cairo, so I won't be able to get one when I go (a few years from now).

Small breakthrough

2007-06-26T09:47:00.000-06:00

"Oh you who believe! Seek help with patient perseverance and prayer, for God is with those who patiently persevere." (2:153)

When I embraced Islam, I didn't tell my parents. I didn't know how I could explain to them my choice, especially in the post 9/11 world where the general perception of Islam was negative. I wish I could have told them on my own terms, at a time of my choosing, but Allah (swt) is the best of planners. While visiting my parents during a school break, I logged into my email and forgot to log out. My parents were worried, as they suspected I was getting serious with someone I had met online (my future husband), so they snooped in my email, and found out both about the future husband and my conversion to Islam. They confronted me about both, and unfortunately, I could do little more than stutter.

Since then, their attitude has been to pretend it never happened. When I visited, I wore my hijab up, hippy style, so as to not draw attention to myself as a muslim in public. I hid my salat from them, never letting on when I prayed, and often skipping prayers when I couldn't get away (astaghfirullah). I left some articles and a book with them, but that book sat next on the nightstand for years, never moving, getting covered in dust until it disapeared. I don't know if they ever read it.

At family holiday gatherings, I argued with my uncles about civil liberties and the war in Iraq, which would inevitably lead to discussions on Islam. My parents said I embaressed them, and that I shouldn't talk that way.

Every once in awhile, my mom would point out a cource offering or a book on native american spirituality, hinduism, buddhism, etc. "Wouldn't you be interested in that?" They would be happy if I was anything other than a muslim. It didn't matter that as a religious studies major, I had already gotten a decent introduction to most world faiths and that I was content in my choice. All the open mindedness they had raised me with disapeared once the aarabs and muzzie terrorists got involved.

So, I remained an undercover muslim when my parents were around. They knew I was muslim, but prefered to pretend otherwise. With patience and prayer, I continued, praying that one day my parents would accept my choice. I tried to remain on good terms with them, per the advice of the Prophet (saws):

Asmaa’ bint Abu Bakr was the Prophet’s sister-in-law. She was the daughter of his closest companion and the sister of Aisha, his wife. Her mother, however, did not become a Muslim for quite a long time.Asmaa’ states: “My mother came to me during the time of the Prophet (saws), hoping to get something from me. I asked the Prophet (saws) whether I should be kind to her. He answered: “Yes,” (Related by Al-Bukhari, Muslim and others).

And now, alhamdulilah, a small break through! Truely Allah (swt) is the best planner. My mother is a teacher, and was given an opportunity to travel around her state with other educators on a summer trip. She was originally not going to go, but decided at the last minute to take the trip. One of the stops was a (benedictine?) monastary, where 3 speakers - a jew, a christian and a muslim - gave a presentation on the similarities between the faiths. Alhamdulilah! I think this was the first time my mother had ever heard about Islam from a muslim source. The muslim speaker apparently impressed her, because she sought out his wife after the presentation for a chat. She mentioned her daughter was married to an Egyptian immigrant. The woman, herself an immigrant from Egypt who had been in the US for 37 years, immediately invited my husband and I to visit her home and said that they could be like a family for us. I am not sure what else they talked about, but I got the distinct impression that my mother liked this woman.

Alhamduilah, I had been unable to reach my parents and Allah (swt) found another way to reach them. Make dua for my family.

Covering of the Kabba

2007-06-25T11:13:00.000-06:00

To watch later. *sniff* I miss my online videos.

The quest to get a grasp on arabic

2007-06-22T08:51:00.000-06:00

Last night, I began, once again, my attempts to learn arabic. I've had several fits of starting and stopping over the years, starting with a semester of independent study at college, all of which I have forgotten. More recently, I went on a spree and labeled everything in our apartment in arabic. Well, it's been a year, and I still don't know the word for cupboard.

Thursday is deen night in our household, where the husband and I turn off the television and computer, and attempt to spend the evening doing something deen related. The husband prepared a little khutbah on sustinance from Allah (swt), but that didn't fill the whole night. So got out the Easy Dictionary of the Qur'an I downloaded from the Sunnipath Library and one of my teach yourself arabic books that I've aquire over the years and got to work.

One of the sections contains an almost word for word translation of several shorter surahs. Since my ability to actually decifer the arabic script is long forgotten, I decided that the first thing I would do is attempt to deconstruct every word, figure out which letter was which, and from there, work on pronunciation. It was actually kinda fun, if unstructured. I figure I get a two for one deal here - get better at pronouncing arabic from the script, and I may memorize some additional surahs while I'm at it.

So, inshaAllah, that's going to be my Thursday evenings from now on.

In other arabic related webcontent, while I'm not fond of the content on the rest of the site, this selection of arabic books available for download looks pretty spiffy. It's the stuff from the Islamic University in Medina. I've downloaded the arabic writing practice book, because if there's one thing i remembered last night, it's that my arabic writing sucks big time.

Bloody Juneteenth

2007-06-21T14:18:00.000-06:00

Hmm, guy gets beat to death in Texas, and kids smash up cars in Milwaukee. Little mention of race, no mention of religion. And it looks like lynch mobs are quite popular in Guatemala. It's all the fault of damn muzzie terrorists...or not...

The part you didn't see

2007-06-20T13:12:00.000-06:00

To watch later, only so that I am fully informed about the whole issue. I have only read about the infamous debate between Wafa Sultan and the "radical, fundamentalist cleric," but from the looks of it, the widely viewed MEMRI clip was only part of the story.

One comment I've read often after this is posted is how stupid the cleric looked, and that he didn't respond. Well, looks like he did respond, but that his responses were edited out. Will post more after I view it.

RasulAllah

2007-06-20T08:47:00.000-06:00

Via Deenport, I found a beautiful turkish site dedicated to the Prophet Muhammad (saws). There is a lot to read, explore and see on this site, so take your time. Also beautiful Prophet related calligraphy.

This I believe

2007-06-19T12:19:00.000-06:00

I was recently asked to join a forum founded by some people who I interacted with during my days on ChristianForums. It's definately different from most other boards I've been on, seeing as how they ask you what your superhero name would be when you sign up, among other interesting questions. One of the subsections is titled "This I believe - Non-confrontational discussion of what matters to you." After my introductory post, this was the first place I went. Although I am fairly firm in my beliefs, I've never actually sat down and written them out. It was a very useful exercise, and one I enjoyed. I think it's a little too religious for the NPR "This I believe" series, but I'm pretty proud of it.

At the very base of my belief is la ilaha il Allah, Muhammadur rasul Allah – there is nothing worthy of worship except God, and Muhammad is the messenger of God. But what does it mean to worship only God, and to believe that Muhammad (saws) is His messenger? It means to practice Islam, have Iman (faith) and to strive of Ihsan (excellence).

This is explained in the hadith (saying) of the Prophet Muhammad (saws) that is recorded as saheeh (authentic) in the hadith collection of Muslim:

Also on the authority of 'Umar, (ra), who said:
"While we were one day sitting with the Messenger of Allah (saws) there appeared before us a man dressed in extremely white clothes and with very black hair. No traces of journeying were visible on him, and none of us knew him.

He sat down close by the Prophet (saws) rested his knee against his thighs, and said, O Muhammad! Inform me about Islam." Said the Messenger of Allah (saws), "Islam is that you should testify that there is no deity save Allah and that Muhammad is His Messenger, that you should perform salah (ritual prayer), pay the zakah, fast during Ramadan, and perform Hajj (pilgrimage) to the House (the Ka'bah at Makkah), if you can find a way to it (or find the means for making the journey to it)." Said he (the man), "You have spoken truly."

We were astonished at his thus questioning him and telling him that he was right, but he went on to say, "Inform me about iman (faith)." He (the Messenger of Allah) answered, "It is that you believe in Allah and His angels and His Books and His Messengers and in the Last Day, and in fate (qadar), both in its good and in its evil aspects." He said, "You have spoken truly."

Then he (the man) said, "Inform me about Ihsan." He (the Messenger of Allah) answered, "It is that you should serve Allah as though you could see Him, for though you cannot see Him yet He sees you." He said, "Inform me about the Hour." He (the Messenger of Allah) said, "About that the one questioned knows no more than the questioner." So he said, "Well, inform me about the signs thereof (i.e. of its coming)." Said he, "They are that the slave-girl will give birth to her mistress, that you will see the barefooted ones, the naked, the destitute, the herdsmen of the sheep (competing with each other) in raising lofty buildings." Thereupon the man went off.

I waited a while, and then he (the Messenger of Allah) said, "O 'Umar, do you know who that questioner was?" I replied, "Allah and His Messenger know better." He said, "That was Jibril (Gabriel). He came to teach you your religion."

This hadith relates the basics of Islam, and if you asked just about any muslim in the world about the contents of this hadith, they would say that they believe what is discussed in it, even if they don’t practice it.

Islam and Iman are rather straight foward. One does the practices, and studies the beliefs. But Ihsan is a bit more tricky. How does one strive for excellence, and remind themselves to always be aware of Allah (swt). On a personal level, I strive for ihsan through adab. Adab is superficially translated as manners, but as with many words in Arabic, a single English word cannot encompass all its meaning. Adab is courtesy, respect, kindness and appropriateness. It is the etiquette and moral code muslims should live their lives by. I am dedicated to adab as a way to live my beliefs in my everyday life, and I hope one day inshaAllah (God willing) to become a scholar in adab and teach it to others. I believe that the muslim community lacks adab, does not understand how to interact with their fellow human beings, and that the root cause of social problems lies in ignorance or just plain ignoring adab.

I believe in the essential goodness and kindness of the Prophet’s message. I also believe that this goodness and kindness is something all muslims should strive to emulate in their daily life. Some people selectively read the Prophet’s biography and see him only as a murdering pedophilic warlord. inshaAllah at a later date, I may write about what I believe about the Prophet (saws), but for this entry, it should suffice that I say that I believe when one reads his whole life story, they will come away with a framework for how to live a good, decent, fulfilling life, in service to God, and with kindness towards fellow man.

There is a hadith that reports that God is beautiful, and that He loves beauty. There is a further hadith that states that “Kindness is not to be found in anything but that it adds to its beauty and it is not withdrawn from anything but it makes it defective.”

I believe every action in our life should be imbued with kindness, thus making us beautiful, and loved by God. If you try to put kindness in every action, it will profoundly affect the way humans interact with each other, from the bottom, all the way up to the top.

So, in conclusion, I believe that la ilaha il Allah, Muhammadur rasul Allah leads me to put kindness in every action, and to treat my fellow man with kindness. This is adab, this is ihsan, this is worship of the Divine.

Free books

2007-06-19T08:00:00.000-06:00

fisabilillah.org has a number of free books that are available to read online. And, if you right click, copy and paste each page image into a word document, the books become portable. Imagine that, knowledge you can take with you anywhere ;-) There is no copy right to any of the material in the books, so copy and paste away.

I've only looked through the Qur'an related books, but thus far, everything looks peachy keen. According to their about us section, they're decidedly no partisan, but not anti anything. Oftentimes I've found that sites that claim to follow ahul al sunnah wa jamaah are virulently anti madhab, but that doesn't seem to be the case here.

The books on Qur'an are fantastic. Each contains the verse in arabic, a transliteration, and then an easy to read translation. The translation looks to be the Dr. Muhammad Taqi-ud-Din Al-Hilali and Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan version I'm not fond of, but with most of the commentary taken out, which is great. The main problem I have with this translation is the insertion of commentary into the text of the translation, which confuses many of the new muslims who receive this Qur'an for free. I can't count how many times I've come across a newbie who believes that the words in brackets are words from the Qur'an, and not mearly the commentary added to explain.

Ah, but I digress. Go, copy and paste, read!

Your salat on the Day of Judgment

2007-06-15T12:15:00.000-06:00

Riyad as-Salihin (The Meadows of the Righteous) - 193. Chapter: On the command to persevere in the prescribed prayers and the strongest prohibition against abandoning them

1081. Abu Hurayra reported that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, "The first action which the slave will be called to account for on the Day of Rising is his prayer. If it is in order, he will have success and win through. If it is not in order, he will be disappointed and lose out. If any of his obligatory prayers are lacking, the Lord, the Mighty and Exalted, will say, 'See if My slave has any supererogatory actions and use them to complete his obligatory prayer.' Then the rest of his actions will be assessed in the same way." [at-Tirmidhi]

Masjid Smear Campaign

2007-06-15T07:10:00.000-06:00

Scary scary shit happening these days. Read about how an islamophobe goes undercover at Dar al Hijrah in Virginia, and makes shahada (!) to "expose" their "true intentions." Both Tariq Nelson's and Umar Lee's blogs has eye witness, first hand accounts of the incident.

Washed away

2007-06-14T14:29:00.000-06:00

Abu Hurairahu (ra) reported: I heard the Messenger of Allah (saws) saying, "Say, if there were a river at the door of one of you in which he takes a bath five times a day, would any soiling remain on him?'' They replied, "No soiling would left on him.'' He (saws) said, '' That is the five Salat. Allah obliterates all sins as a result of performing them.''

[Al-Bukhari and Muslim].

Shafi'i salat video

2007-06-14T14:23:00.000-06:00

To watch for later. Work is cracking down on watching videos.

Kindness

2007-06-13T13:43:00.000-06:00

'A'isha (ra) reported Allah's Apostle (saws) as saying: Kindness is not to be found in anything but that it adds to its beauty and it is not withdrawn from anything but it makes it defective.

Muslim

Common Ground

2007-06-13T10:29:00.000-06:00

I tried to avoid the commotion surrounding the cartoons of the beloved Prophet Muhammad (saws) last year. I refused to talk about it on message boards, tried to avoid reading or listening to it in the news, and ducked every time my husband tried to bring it up in conversation.

I've become less tolerant to conflict and debate as I've aged, and now (at the ripe ol age of 25), I would rather just have a friendly exchange of ideas, and not a knock down drag out fight. Unfortunately online, most friendly exchanges quickly become nasty, and I knew that this event certainly lent itself to incivility, so as such, I avoided it.

Now, with some distance from the whole affair, I've made an exception. From Sidi Mas'ud's blog:

About the video: The film is a window into the efforts of various communities as they struggle to overcome the challenges brought about by the Danish Cartoon Crisis. It brings to screen a rare glimpse into a multi-cultural approach to conflict resolution. Common Ground reveals that when faced with international challenges and conflict, diversity of origin and differences in cosmology are unique tools to discover our prospects of human potential and cooperation.

Please help us promote the film by checking out the website and passing it on to your friends and family. The film is scheduled for an international TV broadcast and a DVD release. Before the DVD launch there will be special screenings of the film in several countries (apart from the festivals), so stay tuned to the website for local screening info., the international TV broadcast schedule, and DVD release dates.

We appreciate your support!
The Common Ground film crew, Mustafa Davis, Ilyas Curtis, Tashi (Abu Bakr) Gellek
http://www.commongroundfilm.com/

Tariq Ramadan on Public Radio

2007-06-13T07:17:00.000-06:00

PRI's the World had Tariq Ramadan on last night in response to a segment they had with Paul Berman, who had apparently criticized Mr. Ramadan. It's an ok interview, but without a lot of substance. However, the very end is the most telling. He says something to the effect that when people interview him, they're constantly asking him to condemn this, condemn that, to say what Islam is not, but that it would be better if we spend time talking about what Islam IS. Oh how I wish that could be the case.

In a previous post, I linked to an excellent lecture by Mr. Ramadan, with a lot more substance, and taking a positive, not a "is not" approach to Islam. If you haven't listened to it, make time and listen.

More for my ipod

2007-06-11T12:12:00.000-06:00

Svend at Akram's Razor posted a link to the MAS Mediacast site. It looks like they have dozens of excellent lectures just waiting to be downloaded to my ipod. This should be a welcome change to my steady diet of NPR I've been on for weeks.

Remembrance in Green

2007-06-06T08:13:00.000-06:00

Yesterday, I ran along a nature path by my house. There are trees on either side, growing up, shading the path, creating a tunnel of soft green shade. There was something almost mystical about it that tugged at my heart as I trotted underneath the crown of leaves.

Then, today, I stumbled upon this - the green prayer. SubhanAllah, imagine that! inshaAllah I'll try it in the future. I already try to listen to the Qur'an once a week while on a run. Now, I can pause my music for a bit and remember Allah (swt).

Remembrance of God is a living method of perpetual prayer. It is not necessary to lock yourself away from the world, rather the world of God's creations is an arena of meditation that serves to remind us of Him at every turn. He is the creator of all.

One of the best methods of cultivating remembrance of God (dhikr) is to associate His Name with the colour green. Green is the traditional colour of the Holy Prophet Muhammad - may Allah be pleased with him and grant him peace. In the practise of remembrance we can connect this colour - the colour of nature - with the gentle, internal invocation of the Creator.

1. Establish the invocation of the Divine Name (Allah) in your heart. Allah... Allah... Allah...
2. Go for a walk every day. Maintain the invocation in the heart as you walk.
3. Associate the invocation with the colour green. Associate it with the green foliage of trees and grass and the green of nature as you go for your daily walk.

Eventually, the colour green will remind you of the Divine Name. Whenever you encounter the colour green your heart will automatically begin to cry out "Allah! Allah! Allah! Allah!..."

The Dhikr is a prayer of nature. It celebrates nature as the creation of Allah. When you are strolling through a park, when walking in a forest or enjoying the peace of a garden, the verdant vegetation of nature will remind you of God.

This is one of the best ways to practise Dhikr (remembrance). Establish Dhikr as the best of habits. Establish Dhikr as the habit of your heart. Whenever you see the colour green have your heart return to God.

And all the [beauty of] many hues which He has created for you on earth: in this, behold, there is a message for people who [are willing to] take it to heart! (Quran 16:13)

Not the path by my house, but a pretty forest path never the less. inshaAllah I'll bring a camera on a run sometime and take a picture

Scarves for the active hijabi

2007-06-04T08:15:00.000-06:00

Ok, I'm trying hard not to get tooooo excited here. As I've blogged about in the past, it's a constant struggle to find modest clothes to run in. Finding a scarf that doesn't overheat my head has been the hardest. I'm currently using a light cotton scarf that breathes, but it keeps all the sweat in, rather than wicking it away like specialty fabrics do. So at the end of a run, my head is soaking, yuck!

I even tried to make my own al amirah out of an old running shirt, but alas, after I cut the fabric, I remember I couldn't sew.

But, those days of worrying may be behind me. I came across a website from Canada this morning called Queendom Hijabs. According to their website:

We cater to the active woman, the one who runs the marathons, hits the gym, goes to school, holds her job, all while still looking modest and stylish. The focus is on function. We want each hijab to move with you without having to re-adjust and restyle.

Oooo, it's almost too good to be true! The only thing I'm worried about is that they look kinda short, and I need a scarf that provides funner coverage in the collar bone area. Since I wear larger men's shirts for modesty reasons, the neck hole is usually larger, and I have a hard time finding scarves that stay put and cover. But, I suppose I could always sew the neck hole smaller. Even someone who can't sew couldn't screw that up right?

*updated* I ordered this one:

Runner's fit

Fits all
Modern crisp and clean
Light
Absorbant layer undeneath crown
Complements your sports clothing

Well, I'm not sure about the last once, since my pants are gray and my shirt is black, but it will definately lighten things up a bit.

I may also get this one that's advertised as highly breathable later on.

I asked the site owner about the length of the scarves, and she said that they're longer than they appear in the picture. It should be long enough to cover the top of the chest down to the top of the boosoms area, so inshaAllah that will be good enough to cover the large neck holes of my running shirts.

*happy dance*

2007-05-31T15:02:00.000-06:00

*cries* No jummah for me tomorrow. inshaAllah the masjid will open on June 8th. I still have the afternoon off, so I suppose I can go to the masjid by my apartment with the husband. *sigh*

Free lessons on Sunnipath

2007-05-30T13:54:00.000-06:00

Via Seeker's Digest

On occasion, Sunnipath will hold free live sessions for all to attend. These sessions have covered a wide range of topics, from the Qur'an to extremism in our community. Now, some of these courses (and a mawlid event) have been recorded and are available to view anytime on their website. Definately check them out when you have a chance! I hope they put some of their earlier ones online as well.

Mawlid - with Shaykh Anas Khalifah
Pride & Humility - by Shaykh Abdul-Kareem Yahya
Reality of the Spiritual Path - by Shaykh Nuh Keller
The Opening: An Explanation of Surat al-Fatiha - by Shaykh Sohail Hanif