The Prophet's Personality

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

love for the Prophet (saws)

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!

RasulAllah

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.

Selective listening

Black Iris presents 2 contrasting letters, one from the Prophet Muhammad (saws) to the monks at St. Catherines, and another from his purported followers to a christian community in Pakistan.

*insert little pukey smiley here*

Why am I a muslim?

I'm a horrible blogger *hangs head in shame* I went away to visit my grandma this weekend, got stuck in the snow, learned how to knit, went coat shopping and completely neglected my blog.

Prior to this blog, I kept a livejournal where I would occasionally dabble in religious topics. One of my favorites was an entry I wrote while slacking off in my computerized legal research class nearly a year ago. Why am I dragging up my ancient online journalling past? I would like to do a series of entries on the reasons I am a muslim. This entry explains one of the major reasons:

It is recorded that the blessed prophet of God, Muhammad (saws) said:

"Kindness is a mark of faith, and whoever is not kind has no faith." (recorded in the hadith collection of Muslim)

"Whoever is kind, Allah will be kind to him; therefore be kind to man on the earth. He Who is in heaven will show mercy on you." (recorded in Abu Dawud and Tirmidhi)

"Allah will not give mercy to anyone, except those who give mercy to other creatures." (Abu Dawud and Tirmidhi)

People often wonder why I converted to Islam. For most, it's difficult to grasp why a semi radical feminist, lover of the environment and all around liberal would embrace a faith that is characterized by bearded foreign terrorists and mullahs who foam at the mouth while threatening everyone with death.

It's difficult to explain, and oft times, I'm left rambling on, stammering something or other that leaves the person completely unsatisfied and possibly thinking that I'm brainwashed. I wish I had the words to express what it is that has drawn me to this faith.

Part of the reason I can't explain it well is that there are some rather complex theology issues that don't lend themselves well to a simple explanation. But, another reason is that it is hard to explain to someone who is only familiar with the negatives of muslims (and oh, do we have a lot of negatives) that I am, as a 21st century midwestern american woman, truly, deeply, madly love a man who lived and died 1400 years ago.

When I sit down and read the seerah (biography) of the Prophet (saws), something inside me feels a true connection to him, and although I never will know him in this life (perhaps in the hereafter inshaAllah!), he has had a profound impact on how I live my life. Hadith like those at the start of the post get me through each day.

I was going to go into some deep thoughts on the Prophet (saws), but alas, I'm in my computerized legal research and need to pay some attention to what the prof is saying. So, I'll say this:

If one wants to know about muslims, read a biography of the Prophet (saws). Don't just read about the battles he fought, or the typical things polemicists will trot out to "prove" muslims are violent because the Prophet (saws) was. Read his life from the beginning until the end.

Part of the reason I am posting is that we are now in the Islamic month Rabi ‘Awwal. In this month, the Prophet Muhammad (saws) was born. Across the muslim world, we celebrate his birth in the Mawlid an-Nabi. CAIR (aka Council on American Islamic Relations) has a website dedicated towards education about the Prophet Muhammad (saws). On it, you can order (for free!) a copy of the PBS documentary about the Prophet (saws). Unfortunately, they're really slow about sending them out.

Muslims in print

Ooo, my future library continues to grow. On my lunch time walk today, I wandered into the religion section of Barnes and Noble and came upon several books to add to my to read list.

One of the reasons I am a muslim is because I love the Prophet Muhammad (saws). When I picked up my first biography of the Prophet (saws), I felt an instant attachment to this man. His life is full of poweful examples of how a good person should live, full of compassion, mercy and justice. Tariq Ramadan's new book In the Footsteps of the Prophet: Lessons from the Life of Muhammad highlights these moments in the Prophet's life. inshaAllah non muslims will pick up this book, as opposed to say, ones by islamophobes, and will be introduced to this fantastic man and to Islam.

Freelance monotheist and scholar Karen Armstrong is out with another book about the Prophet (saws), that I think I blogged about earlier.

In addition to these books about the Prophet (saws), American Muslims are getting some literary attention as well.

Dr. Umar Abd-Allah of the Nawawi foundation has written a book about the Life of Alexander Webb, an convert to Islam in Victorian America. From the description, it seems that Webb's life can provide insight into the formation of an American Muslim identity:

In every aspect of his life except his adopted faith, Abd-Allah shows, Webb was quintessentially a man of his place and time. It was because he was so typically American that he was able to serve as Islams ambassador to America (and vice versa). As Americas Muslim community grows and becomes more visible, Webbs lifeand the virtues he championed pluralism, liberalism, universal humanity, and a sense of civic and political responsibility exemplify what it means to be an American Muslim.

The Amazon reviews of Mecca and Mainstreet: Muslim Life in America after 9/11 are mixed, but I'd still like to look through it.

NPR did a book review that I'll be listening to soon inshaAllah.

American Islam: The Struggle for the Soul of a Religion was on display in the new book section of Barnes and Noble. It has chapters on the Imam (Siraj Wahhaj,), the Publisher (Osama Siblani), the Scholar (Khaled Abou El Fadl) and the Femenist (urg) among others. Since I haven't read the book yet, I wonder how much it goes into the diversity within each of these categories. Khaled Abou El Fadl is vastly different from Sheikh Hamza Yusuf, and yet both are American Muslims scholars. There are hundreds of muslim femenists out there, as demonstrated by the WISE conference held last year. Why did Mr. Barrnet chose Asra Nomani? Hmmm...

Which leads me on another tangent. My husband and I were talking the other day about what we would do if we had an unending source of income. One of the things that I'd like to do is go back to school, either to study law or to get a masters. If I get a masters, I'm thinking I'd like to study Muslims in America. I wrote a paper on the development of Muslim participation in American politics for an undergrad course. I really enjoyed the research, and I spend plenty of time ruminating on the development of a distinct american muslim culture and identity. Now, if only I didn't hate actually writing papers so much. Bah.

Standing at Arafat

Sadly, there aren't a lot of news pictures of the pilgrims at Arafat today.

According to a hadith in At-Tirmithi, the Prophet (saws) recommended this dua for the day of Arafat

Laa 'ilaaha 'illallaahu wahdahu laa shareeka lahu, lahul-mulku wa lahul-hamdu wa Huwa 'alaa kulli shay'in Qadeer.

None has the right to be worshipped but Allah alone, Who has no partner. His is the dominion and His is the praise, and He is Able to do all things.

Today would also be a good day to re read the Prophet's last sermon, which was delivered today at Arafat in the year 10 A.H., or 632 A.D.

"O People, listen well to my words, for I do not know whether, after this year, I shall ever be amongst you again. Therefore listen to what I am saying to you very carefully and take these words to those who could not be present today.

O People, just as you regard this month, this day, this city as Sacred, so regard the life and property of every Muslim as a sacred trust. Return the goods entrusted to you to their rightful owners. Treat others justly so that no one would be unjust to you. Remember that you will indeed meet your LORD, and that HE will indeed reckon your deeds. God has forbidden you to take usury (riba), therefore all riba obligation shall henceforth be waived. Your capital , however, is yours to keep. You will neither inflict nor suffer inequity. God has judged that there shall be no riba and that all the riba due to `Abbas ibn `Abd al Muttalib shall henceforth be waived.
Every right arising out of homicide in pre-Islamic days is henceforth waived and the first such right that I waive is that arising from the murder of Rabi`ah ibn al Harith
ibn `Abd al Muttalib.

O Men, the Unbelievers indulge in tampering with the calendar in order to make permissible that which God forbade, and to forbid that which God has made permissible. With God the months are twelve in number. Four of them are sacred, three of these are successive and one occurs singly between the months of Jumada and Sha`ban. Beware of the devil, for the safety of your religion. He has lost all hope that he will ever be able to lead you astray in big things, so beware of following him in small things.

O People, it is true that you have certain rights over your women, but they also have rights over you. Remember that you have taken them as your wives only under God's trust and with His permission. If they abide by your right then to them belongs the right to be fed and clothed in kindness. Treat your women well and be kind to them, for they are your partners and committed helpers. It is your right and they do not make friends with anyone of whom you do not approve, as well as never to be unchaste...

O People, listen to me in earnest, worship God (The One Creator of the Universe), perform your five daily prayers (Salah), fast during the month of Ramadan, and give your financial obligation (zakah) of your wealth. Perform Hajj if you can afford to.

All mankind is from Adam and Eve, an Arab has no superiority over a non-Arab nor a non-Arab has any superiority over an Arab; also a white has no superiority over a black nor a black has any superiority over white except by piety and good action. Learn that every Muslim is a brother to every Muslim and that the Muslims constitute one brotherhood. Nothing shall be legitimate to a Muslim which belongs to a fellow Muslim unless it was given freely and willingly. Do not, therefore, do injustice to yourselves. Remember, one day you will appear before God (The Creator) and you will answer for your deeds. So beware, do not stray from the path of righteousness after I am gone.

O People, no prophet or messenger will come after me and no new faith will be born. Reason well, therefore, O People, and understand words which I convey to you. I am leaving you with the Book of God (the Quraan) and my Sunnah (the life style and the behavioral mode of the Prophet), if you follow them you will never go astray.
All those who listen to me shall pass on my words to others and those to others again; and may the last ones understand my words better than those who listen to me directly. Be my witness O God, that I have conveyed your message to your people.

Karen Armstrong on NPR

One of the first books I picked up on Islam (asside from the Qur'an) was Karen Armstrong's A History of God - The 4,000-Year Quest of Judaism, Christianity and Islam. Ms. Armstrong is a strong ally of muslims in the west, and has written a number of books that are excellent introductions to Islam for the non muslim, including Islam: A Short History, and Muhammad: A Biography of the Prophet.

This past October, she published a new book on the Prophet, Muhammad: A Prophet for our Times. You can read an excerpt from the book and listen to an interview with Ms. Armstrong at NPR.