Bismillah, alhamdulillah, wa salat wa salam ala Rasulullah

“O Allah, make contentment my desire, make fasting my sustenance, and make my tongue my friend. Replace my awareness of this world with awareness of the Hereafter and my doubt in You replaced by certainty and trust in You. I ask that you strengthen my belief in You and that You strengthen Your belief in me.”

Allahumma salli ala Muhammad wa ala alihi wa sahbihi wa sallim.
Alhamdulillahi rabbil Alameen. Ameen.
–
My own writing…

Bismillah, alhamdulillah wa salat wa salam ala rasulullah

As I hinted earlier, I am starting a little project to deal with the the alienation Muslims have from the human condition. Its simple artwork but with a blurb of emotional thinking attached. Its representative of the daily Muslim experience, those little gaps and spaces in thinking you have, those small thoughts and reflections, maybe even words of wisdom from great people and sometimes even cathartic rants. The goal is to re-acquaint contemporary Islam, whether it be you and I, or the shaykhs who I will show this off too, with the human condition- the average joe, the innocent child in all of us. Let the Nur of Allah shine on the tiny sparks in all of us.

Feel free to email me your artwork at muslimology@gmail.com. Let me know if you want your name on there or if you want to remain anonymous- its better if you write your name on the image actually.

Hopefully, its not too blurrry…I’ll try to fix it for the future. I plan on either displaying this artwork here, or starting a separate website for this.
Let’s get this party started..

I am going to be discontinuing my Thoughts of a Muslimologist Blog and centralizing everything to this blog. So henceforth, that blog will be discontinued (it will still remain online) but posts will be occurring on this blog.

I will if anything, review everything I posted there and try to formulate it into something more solid for dawah, since a lot of that blog was just ideas here and there. I may then delete that blog. My own views about dawah to non-Muslims are changing- I don’t think its realistic to try and just WHAM! convert someone, but rather when we imbibe Islam with our soul, we don’t need to put forth ideas or methods or books for dawah. Although, pamphlets and booklets are helpful implements they are supplementary and not a replacement for true dawah.

The key is to return to the Prophet salallahu alayhi wasalam’s method of dawah.

Bismillah, alhamdulillah, wa salat wa salam ala Rasulullah

It’s sad but the real religion many Islamic movements aren’t achieving what they set out to achieve is because they are out of touch, not with modern society- but they are out of touch with the human condition. Sh. Abu Eesa Nimatullah commented on this in regards to the uproar in the Muslim community, especially among converts, regarding Michael Jackson’s death. He made a key point in saying how Muslims could learn a lot from the lyrics of these songs. Its not related to issues of halal and haram, but rather the humanity you see in those lyrics- the struggles, the day to day battles, the heartbreak, love, compassion and frustration. I commented on that blog and I wanted to continue from those ideas: 

What I appreciate even more, however, is how you have linked this topic with a whole host of issues, especially the lack of emotion Muslims display. Its saddening but the reality, I believe, is this is why our tazkya and tarbiya is not succeeding- many of us are fundamentally out of touch with the human condition. Tupac and MJ are more human to us- and Islam feels rigid, textbookish, strict and for emotionless angels. This is why Muslims get girlfriends and boyfriends! This is why brothers will reject sisters because they see amazing religiosity- but yet no compassion, mercy and caring in them. How do we expect to come close to Allah when we don’t connect Islam with our very SOUL? What value is a soul-less religion?

I understand now, more than ever, why the shuyookh of the past would not accept students if those same students had never fallen in love before.

The Prophet salallahu alayhi wasalam said, “The deen is SINCERITY.” He also rejected a marriage proposal because the women did not experience any hardships in her life. He knew people’s hearts and knew how to get to them. Why don’t we?

This understanding of the human condition has somehow, vanished from contemporary Islam. The merciful nature of the Prophet salallahu alayhi wasalam, the wisdom and understanding of Islamic poetry is disappearing. Muslims aren’t merciful to each other, nor do they understand each other. In fact, I’ve noticed “religious” Muslims are socially awkward, have psychological problems due to the repressive nature of the Islamic interpretations that are being forced upon us. So naturally, Muslim youth will listen to Tupac and find themselves with girlfriends and boyfriends because Islam arenas don’t offer them a psychological release nor relief. Few of us put ourselves in each other’s shoes and Islam is being anasthetized via dry theological discussion of its very SOUL and emotional nature. How will it then appeal to the hearts of peoples? How will dawah speakers succeed when they opt to use reductionist thinking, logical reasoning and argumentation in faith? Islam is inheriting the dead nature of scientism and reductionist thinking. We’re not robots! Already, you see two duplicitous schizophrenic personalities in a single Muslim- one person who tries to rigidly maintain Islam, giving endless motivational talks, forcibly trying to drag others to Jannah and another personality of the human nature, desiring comfort, security, love, happiness and dealing with frustrations and difficulties. In fact, if we continue this way, you shouldn’t be surprised to see Islam turn into a non-feasible or practicable religion- one which is too difficult to make into a reality. This gap is becoming wider, even though Islam was designed to be an easy, livable religion for the average person. 

We are above all humans, and Islam came to mankind to address our concerns as human beings. The Prophet salallahu alayhi wasalam was patient with people, he understood them not just at a psychological level but at a level of the human condition. It’s important for us to embody a merciful nature in our social relations- giving each other benefit of the doubt, having realistic expectations of each other and recognizing when compromises need to be made in our expectations. This is key if we are to revive the Sunnah- especially, the Prophetic ideal of resolving conflicts and healing those who are psychologically broken. 

Insha Allah, I want to start a new project to deal with this disjunction between reality and Islam. I will try to post it here later. 

Subhana kallahumma wa bihamdika ash-haduana la illaha illa ant astaghfiruka wa atubu ilayk, Ameen.

An email I received from the Director of this unique program…

CISD

Nazareth College

CENTER FOR INTERFAITH STUDIES AND DIALOGUE

Presents: 

The Next Generation:  
Living Together in a Multi-Religious Society

Interfaith Encounter

August 17-21, 2009, Nazareth College, Golisano Building, Room 233

 

(Co-sponsored by the Rochester Community Foundation, Civic Engagement

and the

International Institute on Islamic Thought)

 

Visit the CISD Website 

 or HERE for more Information on this program

Recently some of the folks at Asia Society contacted me about an upcoming panel discussion on US-Iran relations. I would encourage you all to at least tune into the discussion or if you are in New York to attend and to submit some questions as well.

Although, this blog was originally geared towards explaining Islam to non-Muslims, I think along the way, its taken more of a turn towards intellectual discussions and commentary on the Muslim lifestyle and ideas surrounding potential Islamisization.

Very few blog in the Muslim blogosphere engage in this sort of stuff. So this is a chance to reach out to mainstream society rather than stay isolated and also to have your voice heard a little. It all starts with a little step. Iran, historically, as Persia, represents something special from Islamic history. If you are familiar with the Prophet salallahu alayhi wasalam’s saying on Persia and how many scholars, thinkers, intellectuals, scientists, ulema and Sufis historically have come from Persia–you know what it symbolizes. Any discussion on Iran is by default a discussion on not Muslims, but Islamic civilization past, present and future.

Bismillah, alhamdulillah, wa salat wa salam ala Rasulullah

This is a big realization I had a day or two ago while making dhikr. Its a massive paradigm shift I feel I should share. This isn’t another motivational article, rather its something I try to live and practice, so what you read here in sha Allah you can start working towards immediately applying. It is hard to fully express and put into words, so my apologies in that shortcoming.

Take a close look at these Hadith:

Aisha radiallahu anha narrates that they sacrificed a goat. The Prophet salallahu alayhi wasalam asked, “How much is left of it?” She told him that only the shoulder remained. He remarked, “The whole of it is left except the shoulder.” (Tirmidhi)
(commentary: meaning all of the hasanat from it is now in the Akhirah, except the shoulder)

Burayda radiallahu anhu narrates that Bilal radiallahu anhu went to visit the Messenger of Allah salallahu alayhi wasalam while he was having his afternoon meal. The Messenger of Allah salallahu alayhi wasalam asked, “Food, Bilal?” He replied, “I am fasting, O Messenger of Allah.” The Messenger of Allah salallahu alayhi wasalam said, “We are eating our food and Bilal’s food is being reserved in Paradise. Are you aware, Bilal, that the bones of a fasting person glorify Allah and the angels seek forgiveness for him as long as food is being eaten in his presence?” (Ibn Majja, Bayhaqi, Shu’ab al-Iman)

Narrated Abdullah: The Prophet said, “Paradise is nearer to any of you than the Shirak (leather strap) of his shoe, and so is the (Hell) Fire.” Sahih Al-Bukhari Vol 8 No. 495.

Everything should be understood in relation to the Akhirah

These hadith imply something important: nothing in this dunya is really is substantial enough to warrant our acknowledgment of its existence, except those things done for Allah. The first hadith is moving and illustrative of this- it implies, what we really have is what we have sent for the akhirah and what we don’t have is anything we haven’t sent yet. In this sense, we have to live for akhirah which is present now here- not just because Jannah and Jahannam are already created but because just as we are given countless blessings from Allah SWT every moment- in the next moment we could die and meet our Lord. So when Allah sends us mercies, we send them back by doing good deeds using those means, and thus partake in an experience that crosses two worlds. If however, we use those means and squander them, as in squandering wealth, we commit a sin because we have taken the nature of Allah’s bounties (coming from Him) and we have wasted them on something unworthy of their divine origin.

“The Day that every soul shall find what it has done of good brought forward, and what it has done of evil, it will wish if there were only a far space between it and that (Day).” (Quran, Chapter 3 verse 30)

I think the above two hadith demonstrate something further, and that is, we should try our utmost to take everything in this dunya and send it to the akhirah, which also means to perform those good deeds as quickly as possible (fastabaqat al-khayrat- hasten to good!) simply because we would be sending all our seconds, minutes, hours and days to the akhirah. Sacrificing our efforts, time, wealth, food, our anger, our ego, our frustrations, our laziness, emotions, intellect and everything else- we should try and send to the akhirah. I like this notion as well, for one other reason- everything we experience now, we will experience in Jannah as well (in sha Allah) but in a more heightened intensity. So that food Bilal will eat in Jannah will be even more delicious, but he knows now the food he avoids on this day of fasting- is ready and waiting for him in Jannah in sha Allah…so in that sense, Jannah will re-live everything (on this day, you fasted so here is the food, and you also gave sadaqa so heres that money, etc. but multiplied to be much more). We should think to ourselves, when we’re lazy to pray, “I should send this laziness to the akhirah and go and pray right now,” and always keep asking ourselves, “What else in this dunya can I send to the akhirah?” I think this line of thinking combines imagination and creativity with worship- you hear of how the Salaf and Awliya find new ways of doing good, being kind and merciful to others or giving nasiha in new ways. I believe the motivation for this is sincerity (ikhlas) because if a person truly desires to do good, they will find a way to do so and use their minds. The wise create more opportunities to perform good deeds, than they find.

The Akhirah is more real and present than the Dunya

Even more than that, if we are pious and have taqwa, the akhirah is felt more acutely in the present, than the dunya is felt, but the reverse is also true: feeling the akhirah more acutely leads to piety and taqwa. Just as the past with its conflict (think Israel-Palestine conflict) and joys (think of a happy elderly couple) is felt today in the present, through memories- so do we have something which is the opposite of “memories”- through our good deeds, we have a way of looking into the future and recalling that future while simultaneously creating and working for that future.

Abu Dhar al-Ghifari got 4 pieces of advice from our Prophet salallahu alayhi wasalam that he deemed to be the most precious things he had:
1-be straight and do not swerve in your journey towards the akhirah because if you do it is far (or deep) and you will end up keep going (Arabic: like a boat crossing the ocean, if you swerve or mistake a little you will drown and akhira is a deep ocean)
2-take plenty of previsions for this journey because its long and you are going to be there a long time
3-travel light on this journey and do not burden your shoulders with too much to carry for it is a great length to go
4-and be sincere in all your deeds for Allah, because Allah only accepts those deeds which are sincere only for Him

We are in a different type of reality- because, now the desire to do a certain good deed (like fasting) is more real to you, than a human worldly need, (to have your breakfast). This is how the Akhirah becomes part of this dunya and takes it over, and the distinction between the this world and the hereafter is blurred. But based on our degree of taqwa, the weight we give the Akhirah (the glory of Jannah, the torment of Jahannam) in our lives and what we know about the deen, we will either feel the Akhirah as more present or less present.

How its Done

Its a three-way, triangle inter-relationship between: our taqwa, how conscious or aware we are of the Akhirah now, and our understanding of the deen now, which will result in us acting on khayr successfully, and unhesitatingly. Taqwa has the Arabic meaning of the word, “to put something in between,” so taqwa means to put something between you and the sin. People sometimes say, “do not sin” but rather we should say, “leave sin” or “left sin” because this latter phrase implies, in a much more explicit way, we have left the sin and will/can not go back to it; whereas “do not” implies possible capability, “leave” implies inability. When you have taqwa, you have room in your mind and life for being cognizant and conscious of Allah SWT. Being conscious of the Akhirah is related to being conscious of Allah and being conscious of Allah is related to being conscious of the fact that Allah is also conscious of you. This means, when you think of Allah, you also consider the fact Allah created that thought in your mind, the thought of Allah. And thus, you will also be conscious of what else Allah gave you or hasn’t given you (good or bad things) and what He has commanded of you, which connects with your depth in understanding the deen and the good you can do. Our very thought process and thinking should be active for spiritual good. Its all about constant sacrifice. I think this hadith subtly illustrates the above.

Abu Dharr al-Ghifari radiallahu anhu said that the Prophet of Allah salallahu alayhi wasalam said:
“Indifference towards this world does not mean forbidding what is permitted, or squandering wealth, rather indifference towards this world means not thinking that what you have in your hand is more reliable than what is in Allah’s Hand, and it means feeling that the reward for a calamity that befalls you is greater than that which the calamity made you miss out on.” (daif)
Sunan Ibn Majah, Vol. 5, Chapters on Zuhd (37), Ch. 1, 4100.
Hisham said: Abu Idris al-Khawlani said: “The likeness of this Hadith compared to other Ahadith is like that of pure gold compared to ordinary gold.”

Helpful Reminders and Strategies:

“Verily those who are al-Muttaqoon [the pious], when an evil thought comes to them from Shaytan, they remember [Allah], and [indeed] they then see [aright].” (Qur’an 7: 201)

1) To remember you are only here for a very short time, when you do this, you contrast your temporary desires with the temporariness of this world and you quickly realize both are little more than balloons which are slowly deflating…while the Akhirah is a balloon that is constantly growing to infinity.
2) To realize your life and everything you experience, really doesn’t belong to you- in reality, you have no claim over it since you aren’t the creator nor ultimate controller over your body, but remember Who is and whatever He sent to you (your sleepiness, your breathing, your silence, your dreams, your sight, even your passing thoughts of slacking a little). He sent all that to you, but your goal is to prefer Allah to everything, and you can do this by averting from everything and turning to Allah constantly.
3) And to remember to be eternal with your good (works and piety and your piety) and it will bring you to eternal good (ease in doing good works and eventually, Jannah).
4) That their is no guarantee as to your good deeds being accepted, so you should perform as many good deeds as possible in the hopes some of them are accepted.
5) Dhikr on your tongue to help you use everything in your day to remind you of your Lord.

Conclusion:

This discussion I have just touched on above, is an overarching theme of the Quran and Sunnah. In essence, we take every nook and cranny of our life, and send it to the akhirah, so that we live not now for this dunya, but we live for the akhirah (and in a sense, right now, we live in the akhirah because we understand everything in this world only in relation with the Akhirah). This is what I refer to as the Divine Context.

The following clearly illustrate and clarify this theme of those small occurrences, struggles and aspects of our life and show how this theme of maximizing khayr by maximizing the areas of our life where we can apply our ikhlas (sincerity). There are MANY hadith I could use to support this with, but these few will suffice for now.

“Whoever controls his anger at the time when he has the means to act upon it, Allaah will call him before all of mankind on the Day of Resurrection, and will let him choose of the Hur al-’Iyn whoever he wants.”
(Reported by Abu Dawud, 4777, and others. It is classified as hasan in Saheeh al-Jaami, 6518).

“. . . when they are angry, they forgive.” [al-Shuraa 42:47]

Abu Hurayrah radiallahu anhu narrates the Messenger of Allah salallahu alayhi wasalam said:
“Should I not point to you to that which Allah wipes away sin through and by which He raises one numerous ranks?” They said: “Do tell us Messenger of Allah.” He said: “Making wudhu completely when its disliked (commentary: such as when its cold), and much walking (taking many steps) to mosques, and waiting from one prayer to the next. And that is fortitude, that indeed is fortitude.”
(Muslim)

The one who initiates the salam is free of pride (Bayhaqi, Shu’ab al-Iman)
(commentary: meaning the first person to say salam is free of pride simply because proud people expect others to give them salams and not the reverse)

Love of this world is the origin of all sin (Bayhaqi, Shu’ab al-Iman)

The first to be called to Paradise on the Day of Judgment will be those who praised Allah during times of prosperity and adversity. (Bayhaqi, Shu’ab al-Iman)

Imam Malik narrates: Eesa alayhi salam walked by a stall full of pigs and said, “As salam alaykum” to the pigs. And his disciples said to him, “How can you say salam to a bunch of pigs?” He said: “So I can train my tongue to always say good.”

Lan tanalu al-birru hat-ta tunfiqu mim-ma tuhibun
By no means shall you attain to righteousness until you spend (benevolently) out of what you love; and whatever thing you spend, Allah surely knows it. (Quran 3:92)

In-na salati wa nusooki, wa mahya wa mammati, lillah
Ibrahim alayhi salam: My prayer, my ritual, my life and my death are solely for Allah
(Quran 6:162)

It is important to understand much of what has been said must be internalized. Writing this down was difficult because it is hard to convey this attitude. This is because in a sense, it represents underlying goal (you could use the word, “maqasid”) and thinking of tazkya- its very broad and I have only touched on a small bit of it; To get an understanding that most of these Hadith and Ayahs, represent the same line of thinking and approach to constantly take notice of ignored aspects of our lives where we can perform khayr, to sacrifice in ways we haven’t before, and to do so sincerely for Allah. It is absolutely tantamount to understand this does not represent fancy rhetoric or a motivational speech, but a very mentality, spirit and frame of mind- it requires one to constantly be thinking about the above. The Helpful Reminders and Strategies mentioned above will help with this greatly, but its important to keep learning about Hadith and Ayahs which follow a similar pattern as mentioned above.

Subhana kallahumma wa bihamdika ash-haduana la illaha illa ant astaghfiruka wa atubu ilayk, ameen.

Bismillah, alhamdulillah, wa salat wa salam ala Rasulullah

I wanted to re-visit this old post here. This is by no means a complete discussion and it should be understood this is not to demean the beliefs of Muslims, but merely to illuminate how and why we come to interact the way we do and how we can misconstrue our beliefs. Certain cognitive processes can cause harm and obscure the truth of our deen so it is important to be aware of these or else we end up short-changing our Islam. I’ve used a few examples but in reality, most of our interaction can be summarized and explained by these psychological phenomena. Feel free to google or research more since these are documented phenomena.

Primacy Effect: The tendency to believe and recall the first thing learned. For example: people will remember the first part of a lecture, the first impression you have of a Muslim. This is difficult to undo and it is problematic in that it dominates over everything else.

Perseverance Effect: When a person believes in something even after it has been proven to be completely false; the pattern where a false beliefs perseveres over a true belief. This means, even if you understand something is patently false and accept the fact it is false, you will still cling onto that initial false belief. In a Muslim context, even though we have had certain beliefs of ideas proven to us to be otherwise, we still cling to them. Combined with the Primacy Effect, then it makes things harder to remove.

Example: Doritos is haram, but even after someone shows you Doritos is halal, they say, “Oh well, you know, we shouldn’t eat them anyways!” (Ask yourself, what was the benefit of the fatwa?) or “There is no basis in Islam for Quran Khanis, but we’ll still do them since they are good.”

Peer Pressure (Social pressure): People disapproval as basis of believing or following haram or halal or forming a “religious opinion” (may lead to actually believing halal to be haram or vice versa).

Example: Someone shouts at you in the masjid that you are praying wrong or you are cornered by some MSA brothers asking why you don’t attend their halaqa and force you to attend (which might make you want to avoid these brothers all together!)

Enthymeme: Implicit means of persuasion where no argument is stated, but a bias statement is made and the listener has to justify it—very common, very effective and partially ties into social pressure. Used heavily in advertising, especially by placing women as sexual objects side-by-side with products such as cars, toothpaste, etc to imply one will gain sexual appeal by using these products.

Example: A great deal of hatred and prejudice is spread in our communities via this method. Someone says, “Sufis love to do bid’ah.” And the person around them, therefore, unconsciously think to themselves, ‘What do I have to believe in order for this comment to make sense?’ and then they reply saying, “Yeah, Sufis are goofy!” rather than protesting the bias judgment.

Ideology: System of ideas misrepresenting reality. It consists of three factors: 1) conceals some things, 2) glorifies others and 3) makes what it cannot explain seem unusual or attributable to chance; often in the interest of a powerful elite. Most commonly, you see this in certain bookstores or publishers for certain Islamic interpretations. Muslims are held back from reading books from other interpretations, as potentially dangerous, but in the end results in limiting Islamic Tarbiya (consider how many Muslims even read in the first place!).

Example: Saying, “Study all the evidence and decide for yourself,” but only showing selective parts so as to bias one’s judgment. Combine this with Primacy Effect and Perseverance Effect and people become heavily entrenched in their original views, thus strengthening their ideological views. When a Muslim discovers certain things which were censored or omitted, they either go deeper into their interpretation of Islam or revoke it and switch to a differing interpretation because they feel they were deceived and scholars were dishonest with them. Interpretations, although valid, become problematic when they become dogmatically ideological, because a believer feels confident they have the full picture of Islam, when they only have part of it. This leads to fragmentation of the community, resentment and fragmented understanding of the religion and in some cases, people leaving Islam all together because they feel its incomplete or not fulfilling certain needs (it does fulfill those needs, but they haven’t discovered it yet) similar to why Christians leave their religion.

Overconfidence barrier: When a person’s accuracy is low they are overconfident, but when their accuracy is high they are more likely to doubt themselves; the more you know the less confident you are.

Ex: Often you see a brother who has just taken his first Islamic class behave as if he knows everything, similarly with a person who knows very little with Islam. This arrogance is common among extreme Muslims. But with a scholar you see he is hesitant, careful and cautious. One can see how this can lead to increasing argumentation creating a sitution difficult to control.

Conclusion

I would introduce the possibility that by solely using the above, one could effectively control and destroy Islam. One can manipulate even the most well-intentioned of believers to commit these mistakes, and if this believer is in the circumstance of a leader many others can be misled, unknowlingly. We should not outrule the possibility Islam can be manipulated by humans but understand that ultimately Shaytan is the ones who is doing the manipulating to divide and undermine Islam and the Ummah by exploiting the psychological factors mentioned above. Thus, one solution is to seek Islamic knowledge, but also to ensure one cultivates and diversifies the sources of Islamic knowledge as well as, increased focus on akhlaaq.

Subhana kallahumma wa bihamdika ash-haduana la illaha illa ant astaghfiruka wa atubu ilayk, Ameen.

“Well Toronto has more mosques than New Delhi. There were 1 or 2 in 1980s and now, there are 90+.” And then the joke went further, “Londonistan” and how Princess Diana fell madly in love with a Pakistani doctor. And then the discussion moves to Dubai, and how the ratio of immigrant workers to natives of UAE is 8 to 1.

Why Pakistan?

Pakistan as a metaphor for the rest of the Ummah. Whatever happens in Pakistan…the other Muslim nations will inevitably follow that same pattern if what is happening in the world continues to happen. The same struggles Pakistanis face are similar to those Muslim countries face: struggle between tradition and modernity, militancy and war with the West, preserving identity and the sacred, the advancement of technology and self-sufficiency. The second reason is people look for what is apparent. Arabs can hide their Islam by posing as Caucasians (Lebanese especially) but Pakistanis can’t hide it. The more obvious distinctions can be noticed- the food, clothes, the more likely one’s identity is to survive and remain intact because the less likely they can successfully assimilate and please the kuffar therefore.

What is Pakistanification?

Pakistanification, then is the idea of Muslims leaving their homeland to immigrate for a better life in the West. It may be as refugees or as capable students, but largely it is to avoid poverty. In doing so, they are asserting a new type of colonialism, a colonization fueled not by conquest, but motivated by survival. In doing so, they have left behind and given up on the idea of Pakistan- a united, multi-ethnic, multicultural Muslim nation and as they settle and expand in the West, they are faced with establishing themselves and maintaining their identity and Islam and hence, they re-embrace the idea of Pakistan. This is the Power of Poverty. The difference here is, they are forced to work with other Muslim groups and the milieu has expanded to not just include Indo-Pak people but Arabs, Somalis, Malays, etc.

With all this in the backdrop, as the idea of Pakistan dies in the land of its birth- a land (idealized) to represent Islam and the rights of Muslims…the idea of Pakistan could spread overseas. A continuing surge in Indo-Pak numbers in London and Dubai could signal the creation of  ’satellite’ states of Pakistan. The trend seems to speak to the phenomenon of the Pakistanification of major cities. This reminds me of a quote, by a shaykh:

“If they want to turn Mecca and Madinah into Paris and London, we’ll turn Paris and London into Mecca and Madinah!”

The idea of being a minority imposes certain mental stress. It is like being in a mental prison to some extent. The sociologist Bauman discusses the idea of how “space wars” (a separate discussion) results in people becoming either “tourists” or “vagabonds”- the tourist travels recreationally, but the vagabond is displaced from his home and either wanders or if in the same location is still somewhat displaced. While, Muslims traveling around the world could be classified as either, most people are said to be in between these two extremes and because they aren’t quite at home (in a Muslim environment) they are said to be at constant unease. Muslims as minorities may have money and freedom, but still never feel at home. You always get the feeling they plan on moving back to Pakistan any day now…and are just kind of on an extended vacation, since they don’t firmly establish their roots into the country. Now, if they don’t feel comfortable and even though they may have money, they don’t feel they are in an “ideal” situation, even though they may have their own ethnic and cultural enclaves, they still feel they lack something. It is the spirit of their tradition that is suffering and the ultimate expression of this is in Islam. So while the body is free, you have food and security, but because of our society’s taboo against religion- a person cannot give Islam the full space it demands in one’s life. Sooner or later, the tension between the “Islamic desires” and the societal desires…and so this is where the faceoff happens.

The pressing question then is if this “power of poverty” and the ensuing Pakistanification…could poverty exert a power, more powerful then colonialism? Is it achievable for this to manifest in an assertion of Islamic identity?

Bismillah alhamdulillah wa salat wa salam ala rasulullah

A very important discussion a friend sent me that is LONG forgotten!
–

“Imam Nawawi says:

Having summarily mentioned that talebearing (namima) is unlawful, with the evidence for this and a description of its nature, we now want to add a fuller explanation of it. Imam Abu Hamid Ghazali says, “Talebearing is a term that is usually applied only to someone who conveys to a person what another has said about him, such as by saying, ‘So-and-so says such and such about you.’ In fact, talebearing is not limited to that, but rather consists of revealing anything whose disclosure is resented, whether resented by the person who originally said it, the person to whom it is disclosed, or by a third party. It makes no difference whether the disclosure is in word, writing, a sign, nodding, or other; whether it concerns word or deed; or whether it concerns something bad or otherwise. The reality of talebearing lies in divulging a secret, in revealing something confidential whose disclosure is resented. A person should not speak of anything he notices about people besides that which benefits a Muslim to relate or prevents disobedience. Anyone approached with a story, who is told, ‘So-and-so says such and such about you,’ must do six things:

(1) disbelieve it, for talebearers are corrupt, and their information is unacceptable,

(2) tell the talebearer to stop, admonish him about it, and condemn the shamefulness of what he has done;

(3) hate him for the sake of Allah Most High, for he is detestable in Allah’s sight, and hating for the sake of Allah Most High is obligatory;

(4) not think badly of the person whom the words are supposedly from, for Allah Most High says, ‘Shun much of surmise’ (Koran 49:12);

(5) not let what has been said prompt him to spy or investigate whether it is true, for Allah Most High says ‘Do not spy’ (Koran 49:12);

(6) and not to do himself what he has forbidden the talebearer to do, by relating it to others.”

(ibid 471-72)

[Taken from “The Reliance of the Traveler”]

Subhana kallahumma wa bihamdika ash-haduana la illaha illa ant astaghfiruka wa atubu ilayk, ameen.

Bismillah, alhamdulillah, wa salat wa salam ala Rasulullah

Now that the summer is upon us, every once in a while our dear sisters will be asked about their hijab or niqaab: Aren’t you Hot in That?

While, this little piece of dawah literature is meant to turn this simple question into a full-blown opportunity for dawah. Its pretty, flashy and succinct in its delivery and I know a few sisters reading this will be thinking, “Finally someone has addressed this! Alhamdulillah!”

But of course, I’m not a sister so the idea wasn’t mine. I’d like to thank Sr. H. Omar, Sr. Naila and Br. Shaikr for their efforts, in writing it and designing it.

You can download it below:

Aren’t you Hot in That?

There aren’t any real restrictions or anything like that on how this is supposed to be used. So the easiest thing to do is to simply print this out on double-sided sheet. You are best visiting Staples or a print shop and getting this done in high quality. You also have other options, like you can shrink it down to a small card size easy to carry around. Or turn it into a big poster for an event. It’s really up to you, and I know sisters are creative so they will think of a better way to make use of this. 

Subhana kallahumma wa bihamdika ash-haduana la illaha illa ant astaghfiruka wa atubu ilayk, Ameen.

Bismillah, alhamdulillah wa salat wa salam ala rasulullah

Islamism replaces Islam with the idea of it

-Shaykh Abdul Hakim Murad on Islamism or militant Islam

But, this applies to a great deal of our ummah, not just the violent among us.

You find we are becoming like the kuffar, fighting for the idea of Islam, but not living it. We are like those who fight for communist or Marxist ideas, for an idea, not for an achievable reality. Islamists then aren’t fighting jihad but using Islam as the ultimate justification to do anything and everything, even if it violates Islam, in order to establish Islam (when they are ready to accept it fully?). In a sense, its the jihad for hypocrisy- you fight for a cause you don’t understand, nor do you really have any understanding of real Islam, but rather have an idea of it. Its a recipe for confusion and chaos.

What this means, is we are the donkey which someone rides by dangling a carrot in front of it. We will always be running after this fantasy and in doing so, become more and more distanced from Islam. How? We will do everything in our power to come and get it and so our frustration will increase, we will feel justified in doing things we shouldn’t. And it will worsen even more, the more we can’t eat the carrot dangling in front of us, the more we’ll speed up- the more hostile and violent we’ll get.

The Map is not the Territory

Perhaps a better way of understanding this is the map vs. territory analogy. The map is not the territory and land it represents. The map is not to be taken as the territory. But what we have in our communities is the map of Islam is taken to be the land of Islam, so to speak. I don’t know if this is an accurate comparison but it should give you a better idea and make this less abstract. The point is some of us will get suckered into buying the map for the price of the land without ever knowing we got ripped off.

Here in the West, you see this phenomenon of replacing Islam with the idea of it as obsessions over religiosity. Some will spend more time warning others about shirk than in actually worshiping Allah SWT. We are hungry for Islam and hungry people will eat anything they can to survive on, but in doing so we are poisoning ourselves. There are a lot of wannabes who aren’t the real deal, but pose as if they are. This is why in circles of non-Muslims or not-so-practicing Muslims all the “religious” people are seen as jerks…because few of the religious actually LIVE Islam, but instead talk about it. The Shariah is meant to exist in peoples hearts but instead it is made external- something we have to strive for, like a physical goal. Yet we all know we can cling to the Shariah, in our hearts, and resist sins and do good deeds- that its as much internal as external. If you make it only external, where a state needs to apply Shariah Law then you are searching for Atlantis, a place that doesn’t exist because the Shariah was built in the hearts of the Sahabas before it became tangible and societal law. Islam will lead to an Islamic State, not Islamists striving for the idea of Islam (which therefore, will never be achieved).

60% Islam?

The very idea of replacing something with the idea of it, is unnecessary because we already have Islam- why do we need to strive for something we already possess? Although not all of us practice Islam fully, Muslims in some parts of the world DO live Islam through and through, and so rather than strive for the idea of Islam we should strive no further than following them. But we would end up becoming deluded by our own ideas perhaps thinking these men who live the real Sunnah are following strange ideas. I think due to globalization we have become as confused as the kuffaar and they have shipped confusion into our communities. If you see how kaafirs deal with racism- always raving on about it, and talking about the ideal eliminating prejudice, but nowhere do they have living role models exemplifying their ideals- the ideas of racial equality are everywhere, but no where do they actually exist! Do we want Islam to be like that? All talk but you never actually see it existing? There is a word for this in the Quran: munafiqeen. Hypocrites, worse than the kuffaar. Do we want to become munafiqeen?

Many sincere people I know will tell me in all honesty they know how society is set up to go against their deen, because its the nature of the dunya. They KNOW its shaytaan who has driven them to have girlfriends and do drugs, but they feel weak and powerless because they can’t leave this stuff- all their family and friends are a part of the system. If you try to live Islam 20%, there is only so far you can go. Even the practicing Muslims are living Islam maybe 60%, and if you want to go further, you have to travel far and search hard. In places like Saudi Arabia, there you will see Shariah law isn’t fully applied and Islam is at that same 60%- the idea of Islam permeates the area, but its not a Khilafah- just the Saudi-spin on an Islamic state. And so the best virtue and redeeming quality my friend has is clinging to the idea of Islam, his understanding of what needs to be done even if he can’t do it, and this might count for something, especially if you love Allah and His Rasul (salallahu alayhi wasalam).

Fueled by Fantasies

In fact, I think its very common for the ideas and dreams of Muslims to be nothing more than fantasies. They are fantasies and dreams because they will never be achieved simply because we envision the idea of something, not it itself. One psychologist mentioned something once about pornography, how watching it creates an idea of sexual intercourse in a persons mind, one which is so out there and unrealistic for spouses to fulfill, or perhaps any human being, and so it drives a person further into pornography and damages their relationship with their spouses. Similarly, the image of Islam is what we conceive Islam should be is becoming unrealistic because we are driven by ideas of what we think it should look like. We are driven by a distortion or exaggeration of the Sunnah, not the Sunnah itself. Its to the point, if the Sahabas were alive today, I think many people wouldn’t believe these men are Sahabas. We imagine the Sahabas to be on spiritual steroids and don’t understand they simply relied solely on Allah and struggled, just like we have to. One shaykh commented in a talk, how Muslims act as if they expect as soon as a person converts to Islam, that their beard will start growing faster and faster by the second until its fist-length. If  you actually monitor what we say to each other- the assertions, points and problems we say to each other (even in what I say), you quickly will pick up we give people unrealistic expectations to achieve. What do you expect people to say in response? I often ask myself this question and if I’m not being realistic, then I know I am still not quite in “the world of Islam,” but rather I am still in “the world of what I imagine Islam to be.” The idea of what you think Islam should be, and Islam itself are almost NEVER the same in our part of the world.

Ilm or Illusions of Ilm?

In short its a delusion. This is why it is important to learn Islam from someone who embodies the spirit of Islam. This is one reasons why I prefer a Traditionalist Islamic knowledge, ones following the ijazah system, who are alims, so they know Islam as comprehensively as possible and understand the reality of Islam, not an imagined Islam. They carry with them not just Islamic knowledge, but their adab, their mentality, their thinking process and their attitude are real- those are things you cannot get out of a book. But, if you go to someone who teaches the “idea of Islam” they may do enough for you to get you acquainted with the basics of Islam and so they are good enough for simple dawah, but beyond that, they will make things unrealistic, unpractical and hard to follow. This is why Progressives and non-Muslims have attacked Islam as archaic and backwards, because they are looking at men who do not show the pragmatic nature of Islam and show its practical examples- they don’t live Islam, but rather preach the idea of it. So when people say, “search for Ilm,” it is important to see if you have found someone who is all about an “imagined Islam” or a “living” Islam. You will know when you find the real deal, because they will exceed your expectations and your heart will feel it, just as it feels it when you read the Quran or recite the kalimah.

As the saying of Imam ash-Shafi’i goes (in Punjabi):

Neem Hakeem khatrey jaan, neem mullah khatrey iman–

A half-doctor is a threat to your life, a half-shaykh is a threat to your faith.

So its important we try and strive to learn real Islam, and not ideas of it. In order to do so, we must get as intimate with the deen as possible or else we risk censoring the Sunnah. If we keep following this path of obsessing over the idea of Islam and thus pushing real Islam out of the picture, we will end up growing further from the deen.

Subhana kallahumma wa bihamdika ash-haduana la illaha illa anta astaghfiruka wa atubu ilayk, ameen.

Bismillah, alhamdulillah, wa salat wa salam ala rasulullah
The following Hadith are more than enough to consider when it comes to politics here in the West.

Abu Darda (Radiallahu anhu) reports that Rasulullah (Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam) said: “Allah says: I am Allah besides whom there is no Deity, the Master of Kings, King of Kings. Verily the hearts of kings are under the control of My Hands. When My servants obey me, I turn the hearts of kings and rulers towards them so that they rule over them with mercy and kindness and when My servants disobey Me, I turn the hearts of kings and rulers to treat them harshly, with anger and vengeance. Thereby they mete out torture and oppression. Hence do not occupy yourselves with praying for curses upon kings and instead turn to Me in remembrance and with humility. And I will preserve you against the tyranny of the kings.”

Truth be told- our concern should not be with voting or not voting. I don’t even waste my time with the voting debate nor do I have a stance. People will go back and discuss how the Prophet salallahu alayhi wasalam dealt with Najashi, and there are many lessons from this interaction- but truth be told, we forget how Muslims later on dealt with corrupt leaders in situations very similar to ours. If you read stories of Hasan al-Basri or Imam Abu Hanifa (rahimullah), you will realize they didn’t have to deal with the garbage and games of politicians, because Allah had blessed them. They dealt with leaders and didn’t avoid them, but it was Islam and closeness to Allah that gave them a rank higher than that of political office- something even the corrupt recognize, be they Firawn or a corrupt Muslim dictator. We need not fall in line with being like regular people, only voting but need to assert the Islam values of obeying Allah, which leads into the next Hadith.

Corrupt government as punishment for failing to Enjoin good and forbid evil

Rasulullah (Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam) said: “You people should continue to enjoin people towards the doing of righteous deeds and you should continue to prohibit them from evil; otherwise Allah will put into authority over you the worst of people to rule over you. At such time the best from among you will pray to Allah (for deliverance) and your prayers will go unanswered.’

Explains a lot doesn’t it? We have in our time, slackened in our enjoining good and forbidding evil. I’ve noticed the only people we do so, are the Muslims who are already practicing! And usually its a matter of different fiqh or a different shaykh! It has become an act of cowardice, meant more to demean people than to guide them. The pious of us fear we are alone when we speak for Allah. We forget Musa alayhi salam and his harshness. And Bani Israel was cursed and destroyed because the pious among them failed to guide the rest. Apathy is not an option. We should address issues in our society relating to haram and halal and call them out. We shouldn’t be so wishy-washy and “accept people.” I’ve come across Muslims who have homosexual tendencies (but are practicing Islam and persevering) and they have said, they want us to be harsh with them. Any slackness whether it be saying, “hate the sin and not the sinner” is a compromise in disguise. We should say we hate homosexuality in all forms. Period. Otherwise, we end up allowing them more room to sin, at least at an unconscious level and get the wrong message across and show we are vulnerable and weak in our stance.

How we messed up in enjoining good and forbidding evil

Think of 20 things wrong with this picture and how to fix them

Our firmness in enjoining good and forbidding evil should not be like that of a brainwashed Muslim, hating and attacking, but should be aimed precisely, thought out meticulously, and addressed civilly without any compromise.  Our enjoining good and also forbidding evil, should work together in tandem so we give people something to replace their sinful habits. Remember enjoining good comes first and then comes forbidding the evil! In order to do so successfully we need to get rid of the distractions we have faced: attacking each other for differences, interrogating each others religiosity, gossiping (what everyone else does at the mosque besides pray), not taking everything someone says personally, and holding hands with someone who may have a different understanding of Islam- but is ruthless in pursuing the same goals stated in the Quran. Instead, we should focus on the real core issues: drugs in our community, the high incidence of Muslim involvement in gangs (which in the long-run extends its reach into terrorism and corrupt governments), alcohol and clubbing, absence of tazkiya, building up the resources of the community, communicating and building brotherhood, family dynamics (parent-child interaction), setting Islam as priority and eliminating the “I have no time excuse” and lastly, manifesting our words into realities. In doing so, we need to remember we are not marketing agents- the MSA does not need to rely on fliers, but character and people. Nor do we need to be obsessed with fund raising the instant we want to do something- the best events I’ve seen done we’re on minimal resources (or the money came from the people who ran it and money was never an issue to them) and high effort. The preoccupation with guest speakers and events, obscures and detracts the evolution of our communities- we are distracted by a personality from elsewhere as a solution, but don’t realize the presence of a visiting shaykh is an illusion of having achieved something. The reality is we focus more on superficialities. We do not give as much attention to the batin (inner reality) and focus on zahir (outer appearance). Their is an importance on you growing a beard and wearing a hijab, but we forget if we don’t build a strong emaan those beard and hijab will disappear as some have observed in the news. We need to focus on the inner realities of our community, the soul of our community and what is really going on in peoples lives, not what they show on the surface.

Enjoining good and forbidding evil as an evolution

Thus, enjoining good and forbidding evil is not a static process, nor a form of ritualism. It is a living evolution, not a dead picture where all a person does is yell at the top of their lungs. Its like a child growing up, and I use this analogy because most people, in there essence and when it comes down to analyzing all their behavior, act no different than children do. They bicker, are greedy, aren’t attached to higher ideals nor do they see things fully. Few mature to the point where they can stand for Islam as real men and women, as true representatives of Islam, not overgrown teens with wannabe mentalities. But even if we are still immature, we are still on the road to reaching full maturity, completing our evolution and fulfilling our full Islam potentials so we can eventually not back down when it comes to enjoining good and forbidding evil.

Who has the courage to enjoin good and forbid evil? And ultimately, why would they?

It requires a firm and true patron of the truth adhering to truth in their zahir and batin (inner self and outer appearance) blessed with a rare evolved intellect (no, not an illiterate or ex-con, but at least holding an upper level education) understanding the reality of the situation. When the apostates refused to pay zakah after the death of Rasulullah salallahu alayhi wasalam, Abu Bakr proclaimed, “Is there anyone who can take away from the religion of Allah?” He would not allow it. He knew for certain and acted with audacious certainty. Precision: It was as simple as that. Instead, in our time, we obscure and talk away the matter and slowly legitimize an issue- and don’t see a manifest sin for what it is. This is why it requires a person who can clearly recognize what is going wrong, cut away all the crap (so to speak!) and carry out the appropriate actions; a person who recognizes the truth of the situation and is clear about it so all recognize- think of Malcolm X. But one thing needs to be said- it cannot be carried out successfully on the Internet because it will be misconstrued or the efficacy of the message is dismissed. Even if it’s a video- it will lack punch. It has to be a social, real-world phenomenon; in-person, felt, experienced not as sound bites or a video recording but as a reality to shake us spiritually awake. And this is the clincher- enjoining good and forbidding evil is a unique, special spiritual experience, both for the admonisher and the admonished- they will feel you saying a verse of the Quran at that appropriate time, it with greater acuteness than they would have had they heard a qari. It’s this blessing of a sincere person of faith, the words of faith and the right place and time, a matter preordained by Allah, which creates a spiritual experience to guide men and women to the truth.

How Muslims Activists are different from other Activists

Lastly, we are not activists- and this is something I struggle with since it is a word I use often. We may call ourselves “Muslim activists” to highlight our concern with enculculating Islam into the lives of others, but it should not go beyond this to something else. An activist is a person who signs petitions, carries out protests, gives out flyers, fundraise at big events, holds concerts (halal or haram music, definitions as you please!), give riveting talks as if we are MLK, talks politics as if they are the UN (refer back to the first Hadith in this post!), creating “institutes” of Islamic learning, launch Islamic magazines, write for their newspapers and journals, and liason with relief agencies…and this is all good and beneficial BUT it is NOT ENOUGH! As you can see, we haven’t sufficiently differentiated ourselves in the good deeds we do- we are in essence, just following in the footsteps of the activists that preceded us, we are not contributing anything new to it. Yes, their is khayr in this work, but aside from building masjids, Tableeghi Jamat, Feed the Steets, we are actors in somebody elses film. We need our own plot. Otherwise, we will end up like the churches, the hundreds of churches lining major cities, all doing the same social services, soup kitchens, shelters, and even then…the church pews remain empty. Religion, then, is nothing more than slavish social work- not spiritual salvation. The last thing people go to Salvation Army for is salvation, but grudgingly accept the Bibles they hand out to the poor alongside the food they give. We do not want to follow in the footsteps of the Christian establishment. We need to create a social tradition of our own different, more powerful and life-changing. Refer back to the first Hadith in this post to see

Searching for a Breakthrough

We need to be creative in our khayr. This is the hard part and I will tell you it only comes from Allah. Much of what you see on this blog, the pamphlets and whatnot, are meant to be tools, not as ends. But in creating them, I had a hope it would lead me to an even greater breakthrough with the help of Allah. Much of my posts are me struggling for words and having a thought or idea on the edge of my lips…just as much my ibadah and dua are for the same end: struggling to make a bigger breakthrough. And I think most Muslim personalities feel the same way about their work.

The question I always ask myself and meditate upon is: What do we inevitably have to do? What will have to do… sooner or later… to spread Islam and pursue the Islamic dream- the dream the days of the Prophet showed us? When we can answer this question of inevitability with utmost, brutal honesty…then we will see our destiny and not be afraid to pursue it come life, or death.

Subhana kallahumma wa bihmadika ash-haduana la illaha illa ant astaghfiruka wa atubu ilayk, Ameen.

Bismillah, alhamdulillah, wa salat wa salam ala rasulullah

This is something I wrote on the Translators blog (THE best blog out there, ma sha Allah la quwatta illah billah!) in the comments section which Sh. Abul-Hussein then turned into a post there a while back. I have more thoughts on this topic and I am posting this now simply out of sincere yearning my own akhlaq was better.

This is interconnected with a number of other patterns and problems in our community so this isn’t a complete discussion, just thought this post would be a good way to start out…

Islamization Of Internet Interaction

“…the internet is a very fragmented place…we are robbed of knowing each other as brothers in Islam…but as brothers in passing by, visiting a web-page or not. I see a post on this topic and I speak about it, but would I really comment on it in reality today had I not read it here? Maybe if I considered it. The internet imparts more importance on certain issues and therefore, distorts the reality of their place. It become inevitable for words to be misconstrued. When people actually tell you their thoughts, their words take on the ‘unrealistic’ qualities of being more vivid, literal and absolute then they intended them to be. The internet then, projects our words back onto us, after amplifying or distorting them and so any criticism, is felt more acutely and we become further entrenched in ideas we would have initially rejected, but through a gradual process of distortion, amplification and defense, we come to accept it. Shaytan maybe the one quoting our words, but we’ll still believe it since its our own words. The development of ‘digital akhlaaq’ is needed…but has been limited because the internet is a fluid place, so non-Muslims play just as big a part in our akhlaaq as do Muslims.”

Subhana kallahumma wa bihamdika ash-haduana la illaha illa ant astaghfiruka wa atubu ilayk, ameen.

Everyday Activist: 365 Ways to Change the World

By Michael Norton

Its been a while since I’ve discussed some good books. Here is a book you should definitely take a look at. Its not exactly Dawah Literature but, it is all about Dawah in terms of being practical, creative and utilizing new methods to spread the word about Islam.

In this small, snappy and detailed book you can find loads of ideas to implement and use in your own community. Its one of the very first books that inspired me and its not even too difficult to wrap your head around.  Some of the ideas aren’t quite Islamic (like prostitutes stagging nude protests demanding rights for sex workers) but they are definitely creative and provocative. If anything you can use this to help you brainstorm new ideas for projects and initiatives.

Here are some cool ideas:

October 2- Conservation Holidays: You go on vacation to a really beautiful place that needs help in some way or another. You help them out part of the time and the rest your on vacation. Visit: EcoVolunteer for more info.

August 5- Compost your Waste: Instructions and information on composting so you can get busy at it. Visit this website to get started.

July 6- Chemical Soup: Talks about chemicals are polluting our environment. There is a section that details how to make your home toxin-free by using more natural alternatives. Try this one for an All-Purpose cleaner: 3tsp. liquid soap, 1/4 cup vinegar, 1/4 cup lemon juice, 1/4 cup borax (per gallon of water). Here is another one for a Stain Remover: soak fabrics in water mixed with borax, lemon juice, hydrogen peroxide or white vinegar.

There is even a section dedicated to Muslims and how to learn about Islam! Each page mentions Internet links for more information and ways to get started helping others instantly. Overall, this is a book you should have on your shelf so you can open your mind to new opportunities and actively come to engage with society positively as a Muslim.

You want to become a Muslim Activist? Well, here’s where you start.

Subhana kallahumma wa bihamdika ash-haduana la illaha illa ant astaghfiruka wa atubu ilayk, ameen.

Bismillah, alhamdulillah wa salat wa salam ala Rasulullah

After coming across so many stupid MSA videos, many of which made me laugh and many of which disgusted me and hearing the same stupid jokes about a certain brother Muhammad telling non-Muslim to call him “Moe” and after reading this article I can’t help but think why don’t we have a Fiqh for Humor?

There are few discussions out there on this (see here) pointing out the facts Sahabas pulled pranks here and there, but there is little detailing a concrete fiqh with all the dynamics it would include. I don’t know for a fact if the madhabs have discussed this, but generally, I don’t see much discussion of it. There are sensitivities and bitter arguments that have flared up in the past and I think it is because this is a very ambiguous area.

Key questions:

-Does the fact it makes me laugh make it permissible?

-If I laughed at something offensive is there something wrong with me?

-If comedy is so open to interpretation where can I draw the line?

-Does the fact I am poking fun at a shaykh and yet love him, make it OK for me to do so? Or should this be avoided at all costs? Is the fact he found it funny

-What constitutes unacceptable jokes? Racist jokes, Sexist jokes are clear enough as unfair to me, but what about in the domain of jokes relating to “Muslim” jokes?

-What are the boundaries of acceptable and unacceptable humor?

-At what point does cultural boundaries and sensibilities of humor come into play? In the age of globalization, can rulings on humor be seen as more culturally influenced than fiqh? Does fiqh even apply then?

-If a joke is offensive or could be interpreted as offensive should we forego it completely?

-Where does humor fit in on Internet interactions?

-Should you stop a shaykh when he is making too many jokes? What about in dawah to non-Muslims? Is it really warranted and wise to make jokes?

-What role of hikmah and discretion should be applied to jokes?

-Is there a limit to how much humor we should have in our community? Where should it figure in our priorities?

-At what point is it just a waste of time?

-What would you call beneficial humor in building bridges? What would you call harmful humor? Do such distinctions exist?

-Is commentary needed with a comic act?

-Should considerations of the effect on the ego and nafs be included in any discussion on humor? For example, if I were to make this joke in a video would someone watching it then take it a step further and cross a line?

So perhaps, what we need are guidelines and not do’s and don’ts.

What would you think of this video? What could be potential benefits and drawbacks of this style of comedy? What about this video? Is Baba Ali getting a good message across make his jokes OK? Would you find it funny if say, an American soldier made this joke?

In the past, I’ve gotten into arguments with Hamzah Moin, of Maniac Muslim and called him “progressive” on some of the things he’s produced. We’re definitely not the best of pals, but he has good intentions even though some things are definitely offensive. In one clip, there is some homosexual stuff happening and this brother who himself has some homosexual problems and tendencies (although he is chaste and away from sinful habits) found it extremely and profoundly offensive. How much does that say for perspective and what can’t be interpreted as offensive?

Lastly, Sh. YQ’s article (or should I say Sh. iYQ -wink-) crossed some lines and I shared my thoughts in the comments. I should re-iterate, he is a happening, cool and cuddly shaykh, so this isn’t your classic soul-less refutation I’m spieling, just some analysis and nasiha because this is the first time I have encountered a devoted student of knowledge producing a comic work. So naturally, one must wonder, what it means for Muslims. You can read that here.

Context and awareness of ones role, considerations of what effect a joke or comment could have are vital. There is, clearly, a psychological component to the practice of humor. Perhaps, a symptom of our being so distant from the era of the Sahabas is our preoccupation with humor? So then perhaps the real question is not, why isn”t there a fiqh of humor…but why do we need it in the first place!? Why has humor occupied such a place in our community…what are we not doing that such a phenomenon has resulted?

Subhana kallahumma wa bihamdika ash-haduana la illaha illa ant astaghfiruka wa atubu ilayk, Ameen.

Bismillah, alhamdulillah, wa salat wa salam ala Rasulullah

“Brother you need to come out to this event!”

“Check out DiscoverU coaching for only $2000! Did we mention Shaykh Muhammad Shareef approves? -winks-”

“Buy this CD or that book- you should really check this out”

“Visit muslima.com to find a Persian wives”

And before you know it, you’ve found yourself on this circuit, making laps again and again around these events. The day should focus around your five daily prayers…but sometimes it focuses around the next big community event, the next big RIS conference or the next big Islamic studies class.

What is problematic here are a number of things:

-We can dispense ilm more freely and thus don’t value it much, hence people believe we can charge people for it to increase its value, but this actually doesn’t change much. I’ve seen people sleep through classes they’ve paid for.

-Example: Few actually read the entire Quran, just bits here and there, and because they are so bombarded with lectures and the same verses, think they know the Quran pretty well. But they don’t. The Quran is not for consumption, its for reflection- a slow digestion

-You are stuck deciding whether the money you should spend for “life coaching” OR for this fundraiser…the problem with life coaching is, well, they target activists (I wish they targeted non-Muslims and did dawah) and so they have to make this difficult choice.

-Islam is supposed to make it easy to abandon the dunya…not come running back to it.

-There is a point where consumption of Islam, becomes nothing more than someone shoving forcing something down your throat…do we want to be that forceful? Even if we feel we need to be?

When you are constantly being bombarded with this sort of stuff, whether its Facebook for an event 2 months in advance…your going to stop caring for ALL events. Such a high consumption of Islamic “goods”– even advertising makes you turn off, not necessarily spiritually, but it threatens your feelings of brotherhood towards your fellow Muslims. You have had your fair share of “dawah” (aka spam) for the weekend and really, now you feel burdened to even want to visit the masjid for fear of having the floodgates of flier hell unleashed upon you after prayer. It becomes another barrier to overcome in remembering Allah, and we won’t realize its a barrier because on the surface it is for a good cause.

Now, lets pause and think for a moment: aren’t we supposed to make dhikr after prayer? Not rush out to hand out flyers or get people to donate ? Its almost become…a replacement for dhikr. And so ibadah (worship) is crowded out of our lives.

Conclusions:

Due to the high level of marketing Islam (the new dawah) you have a situation where sooner or later, some people will start to shut out Islam because of all this. Its not because of one person but rather the collective patter and Muslims will accept it, simply because they feel it has some religious weight.

Additionally, there may be some sort of “recycling” program set up for Islamic resources. I can imagine systems emerging where people will trade their Islamic notes and books or share the knowledge they learned. This could bring into conflict some of these schools who may have copyrights to their “brands of Ilm” because it would threaten their source of income.

This would mean, people would tire of the “old” Islamic schools or old Islamic articles or old Muslim businesses…and new ones would appear. The pattern thus becomes cyclical. One dies and another replaces it…whether or not this means any real changes happen or if its more of the same, isn’t clear…often you come across a new teacher who thinks you need to learn how to pray properly…all over again.

Lastly, it could, I hope,  culminate in new more novel and creative initiatives in order to break this pattern. To see all this advertising, Islamic initiatives and projects collectively and rather than just start their own new thing, have a real holistic vision that isn’t offset by the fragmentation of multiple groups doing their own thing, usually competing on the same thing, simulatenously, deceving themselves into thinking they are doing something unique, special and different.

Subhana kallahumma wa bihamdika ash-haduana la illaha illa ant astaghfiruka wa atubu ilayk, Ameen.

Bismillah, alhamdulillah, wa salat wa salam ala Rasulullah

I often hear many people request me to make dua for them. And I often try to include them in my duas. But in the age of globalization, cellphone texting, Instant messaging, Facebook, Islamic web forums, halaqas, masjid visits and even in our diverse by chance encounters with others…it is hard. This is the age of hyper-communication, and the amount of communication and interaction is heightened to such a high degree it is hard to comprehend, recall and give everything its due place. It may just be me, but when someone comments at the end of an article (out of the ten other articles I may read thereafter) I quickly glanced at for a minute and at the end of it, asks for duas…you can’t help but forget them. Its customary to request duas, but I wonder how appropriate it is in our time, simply because it becomes over-used. So we must give special care and attention to these subtleties, or else we may disrespect them.

So when someone I barely know only asks, “Request your duas” and when someone you are close to also asks the same, you are in a hard position. I remember the first few times I made serious dua for everyone who requested it…I exhausted my memory and even then missed some people and it took me almost half an hour. And I wonder if I was able to give everyone the dua concentration and sincerity in dua as I should.

So, globalization forces us into a place where we can’t fulfill the rights and requests others have on us. The material has managed to hurt the spiritual in a dangerous way.

Dua Making Tips

-in a sense, its better to make dua for yourself than request others to do so…it may just be a big challenge for them to recall your request and fulfill it

-the people you are closer to and understand their situation more is more likely to be an answered dua because the dua is more sincere and heartfelt

-you know each other’s names and use it in the dua

-making a dua list…it would be helpful to use a program like for online dua requests like Remember the Milk or Gmail To Do lists

-remember that dua is beloved to Allah, in one hadith, it states we are supposed to make dua for everything, even for something as small as a broken strap on our sandals

-some brothers suggest making dua the instant someone requests it so you do not forget…one brother merely says, “Jazaka Allahu khayr”- May Allah reward you with good, ameen.

-other I know make specific requests, like make dua for my exam or my marriage or recite Surah al-Fatiha for me…these are easier to recall

-lastly, not forgetting to make dua for yourself- when you make duas for others, the angels make dua for you to be granted the same you wish for others…but even then, it is good to make dua for yourself

CONCLUSION

Now here is the inevitable harm: the more and more we communicate with each other…the less we communicate with Allah! We have less time to not just our salaah, but for our duas…we make dua faster and give it less thought and importance than we would have perhaps 10-15 years ago. Therefore, we must take every opportunity to make dua to Allah, as often as possible, for anything- big or small.

Subhana kallahumma wa bihamdika ash-haduana la illaha illa ant astaghfiruka wa atubu ilayk, Ameen.

Bismillah, alhamdulillah wa salat wa salam ala Rasulullah.

The little that I know, I have picked up on certain problems within Sufism. These problems have to do with the system and the Sufi tradition over time and are interesting to consider because they are obstacles we encounter in our journey to Allah. So overcoming and approaching them is important, even for a Muslim who isn’t a Sufi or a murid since they are problems all Muslims face in one form or another.

1) There has always been the classical problem: what should a murshid (Sufi shaykh) do with a murid (disciple) who isn’t progressing or is inept? If the disciple cannot and does not progress, what can be done?

2) Related to the above is that Sufi shuyookh, would be burdened with a lot of disciples to keep track of. In fact, from what I have heard is many murids are simply children of rich families, are spoiled or failed at everything else, or are disabled in some way or another so were sent towards the religious path. This is seen as a “last resort” and not a first option unfortunately. I hope I am not the only one who has noticed this, not just among Sufis but religious folk in general.

3) Fame is such a problematic temptation to the nafs (lower soul) and yet, most of these shuyookh would become famous at one point or another. There are massive personality cults surrounding these shuyookh now and it’s compounded now with the Internet and technology. And so here it the problem: Are they still awliya if they are famous or have they succumbed to fame?

4) And from the above, it’s the obvious question: How do you know who is a real wali of Allah and who isn’t? Really, any Muslim could be. There is a saying, “Every stranger is Khidr” and this is really true. On the same token there are always fake Sufis or individuals who aren’t genuine perfect awliya…so from what can you judge a person’s faith? It may be a murid surpasses his shaykh and thinks himself to be better than the shaykh, but in the end the shaykh is better and knows how to hide his spiritual strength. In cases where the shaykh is a total and complete fraud, I have read from one Sufi, since Allah is the One Who Guides, He will take this fake shaykh and transform him and make him genuine so he is able to guide people. I am apt to think, consider Allah’s Power and Majesty this is extremely possible.

These “problems” can be dealt with in many different ways. What is important to realize is despite these problems, Sufism has continued. Perhaps then, “obstacles” is a better word…only meant for those ready to overcome them.

I would end on a story my father told me. He was a train somewhere in India and the other person he shared his train carriage with looked like a mullah to him with his big beard. So my father and him started talking and eventually the man told my father he was a Sufi shaykh and was traveling to a village where he would meet with his murids. He visited them a few times throughout the year for guidance. The one thing this shaykh said was he does enjoy the fact they respect him and treat him well, and this made me think this man was a fake…but my father continued. He would go and renew their baiyah (pledge) and make sure his murids were upon the deen- the basic 5 prayers and a few dhikrs. The man may not be one of Allah’s bonafide Walis but he most certainly was doing the work of Allah. If these villagers were going to be coming closer to Allah then what is the harm?

This is important to understand, because Sufism is more closely associated with lore of men flying through the air, and performing all sorts of miraculous feats, but Sufism now does not always require all this. In fact, people may call it Sufism, but its really just Islam- the shaykh and the murids share a unique relationship, but the Islamic tarbiyah (purification) isn’t anything uniquely Sufi. This Indian shaykh is just touching the basics. This is why it is important to understand to be content with one’s shaykh- just as we are content with Allah blessing us with food and water, we should be content with the guidance we are getting from Him and give it the due value it deserve. Remember the kuffar were not content with the Prophets but demanded angels come down to speak to them and this is why they were destroyed! Instead, of going wild searching for only the best awliya (how would we deduce this anyways? on what basis?) and not working on our nafs until we meet a bonafide miracle-worker, we should be content with the guidance Allah sends to us…because then perhaps He may lead us to men who are closer to Him. Just as we follow the example of the Sahabas in order to reach the example of the Prophet salallahu alayhi wasalam, we should work with what Allah sends us, as a manifestation of His Will, so we can achieve what He ultimately desires of us.

Trusting in Allah (tawakkul) seems to be the best answer to all of these problems.

Subhana kallahumma wa bihamdika ash-haduana la illaha illa ant astaghfiruka wa atubu ilayk, Ameen.

Bismillah

This is one of the more hotly discussed “male” topics out there. I personally think it would be helpful if sisters got perspective on this. If a guy comes to the point of saying, “She isn’t wife material,” then its usually the final verdict on him not being interested in marriage. This is, at least in my own experience.

It is related by Abu Hurayra that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “The best of women are the riders of camels, the righteous women of Quraysh. They are the most compassionate to their children when they are young and most prudent with the property of their husbands.” (Bukhari, 4794)

There is another Hadith I wanted to find but I couldn’t but it mentions the virtue of caring women. If you want to know the secret to being an awesome wife or getting lots of proposals sisters, its all in the compassion and caring you have for others. Most Muslim are familiar with the Hadith of marrying a person who is “religious,” but I think the problem with quoting this hadith so much, is we don’t really understand what religious is!

Religiosity in a spouse means…

Its difficult to judge and I think one reason why Islamic marriage classes fail is because they don’t go into in depth discussion on what they mean.

The Prophet (s.a.w) loved his wives because of their religious qualities. Aisha once related the fine qualities of Zainab: “(Zainab) was the one who was somewhat equal in rank with me in the eyes of Allah’s Messenger (s.a.w), and I have never seen a woman more advanced in religious piety than Zainab, more God-conscious, more truthful, more alive to the ties of blood, more generous and having more sense of self-sacrifice in practical life and having more charitable disposition and thus more closer to Allah, the Exalted, than her.”  (READ IT AGAIN!)

The Prophet (s.a.w) once sent Zainab a proposal of marriage. She refused to accept the proposal straight away, expressing her intention to refer the matter to Allah: “I do not do anything until I solicit the will of my Lord.” Allah, the Responsive, answered her plea for help and revealed an ayah approving of the marriage. We may seem shocked at her refusal to accept a proposal from what is the best husband any woman can have, yet she was just recognising that it is Allah who knows how successful such a marriage will be, and as a sign of appreciation, that reply is now preserved in our Holy Book: al Qur’an.

Choosing the Desired Wife

This, is what religious means…it does not mean, what religion you “show off” or that she just wears hijab. It comes closer to meaning she prays Tahajjud regularly than to mean she memorized the Quran (but not the meaning of it!). But even then, so what? If she learned tajweed, great, but you can send your children to learn tajweed elsewhere…wouldn’t you prefer to have a wife who prays tahajjud and can teach your children how to pray it as well? How to make dua to Allah with sincerity? The caring goes beyond then “give and take,” but cares for people in ways they can’t easily repay.

It is important than to discern, religious is not what is zahir (outward) but rather batin (inwards). We focus on the superficial stuff like hijab and beard and therefore come across as more dead…but ignore the spirtual stuff, that is closer to our ruh (soul) which gives us life. Spiritual purification, mercy, akhlaaq (manners) and overall respect for others. Its best understood not as just what is inwards or what is outer, because if you have those two- one is hidden, the other is totally material. Rather, it should be understood as the “linking” of those two concepts, the connection of something going from the inner to the outer, the interrelationship, communication and process of it coming from the heart and ending up on the lips or the hand carrying out a good deed. When a person sees the coming out of those inner qualities of love and care and then carry all the way to completion of a beautiful good deed. This is really an essential definition of witnessing something that raises your emaan, a sort of miracle…because miracles occur to change and transform our hearts for the better. This applies to all Muslims, male and female, but if you can see it in a (potential) spouse, then you’ll understand the Hadith, “There is nothing more precious in this world than a pious wife,” in a way very few actually do. This also applies to sisters considering brothers for marriage, because the reality of miracles is the one who witnesses them is open and must allow themselves to accept what they are seeing- otherwise, they are like the disbelievers.

What is wife material…?

Religiosity for women is best expressed in her being caring, compassionate, merciful for others because this is a clear sign of a soft sincere heart. A guy doesn’t want the feeling he has married a mullah (an Islam of the books, not of heart and soul) with the sister following rigid rules, nor does he want her to be “dead” of emotion. One thing among our sisters is how they make an effort to frown so as to look modest…I think this is a little too much and depressing. She need not be all smiles, but she need not be all frowns neither…

By far, this caring and compassion will put any sister in first place for the running in any marriage offers or proposals. Remember how when our Prophet salallahu alayhi wasalam came down from the Cave of Hira frightened by Jibreel alayhi salam and Khadijah radiallahu anha, didn’t say anything or argue, but just held him and comforted him. This is why the Prophet salallahu alayhi wasalam would mention to Aisha radiallahu anha how much he loved Khadija, even after she died.

In our community as well, you hear stories of “aunties” hunting and talking to sisters as potential wives for their sons or relatives. What these aunties are looking for is the same caring and compassion. They want to see how she talks to her elders, with love and respect, and making sure they are comfortable. This rockets her into first place running for marriage proposals. Not only this, but the families are pleased by the wife and so they won’t be disappointed or have any reason to complain. If you think of the stories of women in Islam, it has always been this characteristic of caring and self-sacrifice that extolled their virtue and showed how religious and pious they were. Remember Maryam enduring all the ridicule from others and the hardships to bear Isa alayhi salam? Remember the mother of Musa alayhi salam worrying about Musa when he was placed into the basket and then coming back to see him and nurse him? Remember how Aasiyah, the wife of Firawn would patiently endure her Islamic belief even though her husbands delusions?

Wife material is best understood as this quality of showing caring, compassion and having a soft-heart. Think of nurses in a hospital or nuns caring for the disabled and poor. And it goes with it to say, its not easy to “fake” this, although one can learn how to be caring, detecting in people when things might not be going so well for them, asking them or cheering them up, and not complaining or asking for anything in return for this. Remember: with all this, you are impressing Allah- not others, because it is Allah Who will open the door to a successful marriage. Those qualities are important for a successful marriage. Read the hadith about Zainab radiallahu anha again. This is crucial because, it means to aunties, guys and the extended family, even if this sister has secrets she isn’t telling or has done something wrong or has a troubled past- they can still maintain confidence in her, trust her and see her virtues outweigh and displace any faults she has. It means, she is going to be more beneficial than harmful/uncontributing to the family structure.

Read this thread from the AlMaghrib forums. It talks how a sister was insulting AlMaghrib, and ways of how to respond to it. The sister who posted the question didn’t consider perhaps this person was insulting AlMaghrib as a way of shouting out for help and trying to tell her things aren’t going so well in her life right now and she needs a friend. Others in the thread suggested perhaps all she needs to do is ask this sister, “Is everything ok? Do you need anything?” This is something all Muslims should be conscious of, clueing into what is really going on with people, not wasting time judging but jumping ahead without hesitation to try and help a person.

A word about Sisters in Islamic Work

Another obstacle in sisters developing this caring and compassion is sisters need to learn how to say “no” to Islamic work. Its a great thing sisters do so much Islamic work, and they are my heroes for this. They’re so busy organizing events and running the show, really. But, they can’t always be yes-men (women) doing everything and agreeing to take on everything. They need to push the guys to step up to the plate. They should focus on that. What happens because of them being so active is sisters become leaders and are more assertive in Islamic work and so when marriage time comes around…they come off as more “manly” then most men and in a sense, aren’t as feminine. They expect there should be guys just like them, just as Islamically active, but ignore the reality that their weren’t very many in their MSA or local community. My advice again, is for sisters to push brothers to get Islamically active earlier so when marriage time comes around their are some brothers with a similar mentality and more compatible with these sisters.

When all goes wrong…

Lastly, even after all this a guy should remember he is not the final judge when it comes to sisters. Even if she lacks in desirable traits he shouldn’t abandon her and there is even a Hadith where Allah rewards a man who stays with his wife in old age, knowing he may not like her so much but because if he left her no one would care for her. The other key thing is, just because a sister isn’t super-caring doesn’t mean you should not be caring. In fact, I think its a two-way street: the sisters in our times aren’t so caring (at least in Canada/USA) and can come across as emotionally dead to others feelings, but actually, our men are no different. Its seen as more “real” for women, because they are supposed to embody those caring traits, but men, especially in some circumstances like polygyny, the MUST embody those traits. I’ve heard of stories where the guy just all of a sudden gets up and leaves, abandons the family and thinks he has justification for this because of what he perceives as the woman’s shortcomings. This is also wrong and this is why a lot of marriages just fall apart. If a man cannot tolerate a woman, this is his test from Allah to be patient with. Otherwise, he is not husband material.

A great deal of divorces happen simply because people do not know how to tolerate someone they disagree with or learn to overlook peoples faults. I think it begins in our community, where we focus on each others faults, how this person prayed wrong or how this person wronged me. But then instead of forgiving, we hold a grudge. The Quran says, “khud af’u,” which means, “and overlook their faults.” This is important! At times, I can’t stand certain people but don’t try to cast the impression I am avoiding them or hating them, no matter how much they hurt me. Look at the Seerah for examples, how they mocked our Prophet salallahu alayhi wasalam when he described Isra wa’l Miraaj- they asked him what Isa alayhi salam looked like and what Musa alayhi salam looked like, and although the Prophet salallahu alayhi wasalam knew they were mocking him, he STILL described the appearance of these Prophets! I’ve noticed in events, some brothers and sister will not show up simply because one or two people they had an argument with or don’t like are there. It seems small then, but fast-forward to a marriage where they cannot tolerate it and it will end in divorce. Learning to tolerate people you may dislike is important. In Tafsir ibn Kathir one Sahabi says, “We would greet (or smile at) people even though we secretly hated them in our hearts.” This is called Tuqya- and it is permissible until the Day of Judgment. Learning to put up with this is important in developing sabr (patience) and caring for a person when it is hard to do so is where Allah will really take notice and really reward you. Think of family members, a father cannot abandon his daughter, because they are bound by the bonds of family and have to come to deal with each other and love each other, even if there is tension. Similarly, a guy should approach his wife in the same manner, understanding he has to learn how to care for her and love her, despite all that may happen. He should not consider divorce so quickly, just as a father does not consider abandoning his daughter, nor a mother considers abandon her daughter. This is why parents are so protective of their daughters- they love them more than any suitor loves her, because the suitor may already have considered divorce whereas the father and mother will never abandon their daughter. In short, if a guy cannot overlook her faults, forgive her, be patient with her and do these caring and merciful things, he is NOT husband material!

One shaykh commented, “Religion begins where empathy ends.” And this is very important to consider, especially in light of recent marital problems among Muslims in the West.

Subhana kallahumma wa bihamdika ash-haduana la illaha illa ant astaghfiruka wa atubu ilayk, Ameen.

Can I tell my five year old daughter that Allah is her best friend?

Bismillah

I was googling an ayah to find where it was in the Quran and by sheer chance (actually, Allah’s pre-ordained Qadr (destiny) in my view!) I came across this emotionally moving fatwa.

Its such a simple question and response…but just look! Just how “masum” (pure and innocent) and valuable this is! How many thousands of Muslims could benefit from thinking like this child! How beautiful is it to see such a strong relationship with Allah subhana wa ta’ala at such a young age. There is a hadith qudsi where Allah says, “I am to My servant what he THINKS of me.”  Why can’t others realize their problems and bad relationships are an echo of their relationship with Allah?

—–

Answered by Ustadha Zaynab Ansari, SunniPath Academy Teacher

Question:

Can I tell my five year old daughter that Allah is her best friend? My daughter was having trouble sleeping. At first I thought that I would reassure her that I was her best friend. This did not work and so I thought that Allah would be the best of friends for her. This worked and my child was very happy at having such a friend. I think I have done the right thing but would value your opinion.

Answer:

In the Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful

Dear Questioner,

Assalamu alaikum,

I pray that you and your family are in good health and strong iman.

There is certainly nothing wrong with telling your daughter that Allah Most High is her best friend.

Some of the 99 Names of Allah include:

1. Al-Waliyy (Protecting Friend)
2. Al-Wadud (The Loving)
3. Al-Muhaymin (The Guardian)

Allah the Exalted tells us in the Qur’an, “Allah is the Protecting Friend of those who have faith: from the depths of darkness He will lead them forth into light..” (2:257).

As parents, we should emphasize the loving attributes of Allah Most High. This will inculcate the love of Allah in our children’s hearts and sow the seeds for lives of obedience and righteousness, insha’Allah.

And Allah knows best.

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http://qa.sunnipath.com/issue_view.asp?HD=7&ID=17409&CATE=24

I just came back from the masjid and one of the blessings of going there is you encounter a number of people who deal with the same issues you do and you can hear their nasiha. I spoke to two uncles about the topic of whether they want to remain here in Canada or go back to Pakistan/Saudi Arabia. I should mention my general feeling was to remain here in Canada, and I realize it is a consequence of being born and raised Canadian but being lucky enough to maintain my identity…but after this discussion, I have second thoughts and consider going elsewhere.

Here is the basic discussion…starting with the first gentleman I spoke to:

This is why you should go back…

-the “mahal” (this is an important Urdu word in terms of sociology, it means not just the environment and surroundings, but also the atmosphere, attitudes, psychology and overall experience) there is more Islamic and closer to maintain identities

-it is easy to visit a masjid and learn Islam for just about anyone…for free!

-when you are there, you can almost be care-free, you don’t have to worry about mortages, insurance, the Imam in the masjid, marriage issues etc. In short, you have to be ready to wage a bit of a struggle just to hold onto these things

-we are losing our identities here and will not survive the forthcoming generations

This is why you shouldn’t…

-you will deal with the same problems you deal with here…back home and in many respects non-Muslims here and better than Muslims over there

-it is too early to say whether we are winning or losing since we’ve only been here for a short time…there are pockets of Muslim communities where our identity is being maintained

-we will have to stand, because what about the converts…where will they go?

-sooner or later we will have to confront the “kufr of modernity”, with its alcohol, hedonism, materialism and mini-skirts…whether it is here now, or back in Pakistan where you wouldn’t expect it

This uncle said, if you have it in you, stay but some of us don’t have it in us and should go back, especially if we have spent a great deal of our lives back home we will want to go back. I understood his sentiments. The second friend I spoke to really shook up any argument I had:

Why you definitely would consider going back..

He said he always wanted to stay here in Canada…he was dead-set on it. But he got married and then had kids and saw the things that were happening in the community. Children were rebelling against their parents, leaving their Islam and family roots. They would go off, marry non-Muslims and settle here in Canada. Now, lets say the parents accept this…this puts them in a strange position. If they want to go back to Saudi Arabia, they can’t because a part of them- their children- have already planted themselves here in Canada so they are torn between their past and their future. Furthermore, the other case this brother made was, “What if someone in my family died here and I wanted to move back?” Their is emotional attachment and it isn’t easy to leave behind a family member, even if they be dead- it feels like a betrayal to their memory. So, the option of going back if limited by the choices of one’s loved ones until often, you have no choice to stay here in Canada.

This is important because we consider staying here to be a selfish issue- I only think of it in terms of me. But he made me think as to how it would have reprecussions on our loved ones and where our heart is.

This alone is a lot to think of…so chew on it!

Subhana kallahumma wa bihamdika ash-haduana la illaha illa anta astaghfiruka wa atubu ilayk, Ameen.

I found this really interesting video…the whole discussion is about love and the ideas of love in our time and place, why divorce and cheating is so common, etc. Its an important rare discussion because I think if you watched this (with your spouse if you have one) you could make thing much better. It seemed secular (a minister and a rabbi were in it though) but the parallels are common with our Muslim community as well.

Its not a Love in Islam course- so don’t get the wrong idea. And there are scenes of cuddling, kissing and one nasty scene so if you watch it I suggest you look elsewhere whenever, or just listen to the whole thing as audio, which is probably the safest route. It is meant for a mature audience (20+). There is some music as well so if you hear music, go back and watch the video because a quote or fact will pop-up.

Its well researched, and has a range of speakers. It was pretty emotional too…and very sentimental. I found a lot of gems in here so will probably watch it again…enjoy!

Bismillah, alhamdulillah, wa salat wa salam ala Rasulullah

EDIT: In the poster I mentioned about taking a nap in the day. The Sunnah is to take the nap between Dhuhr and Asr, and some discourage taking a nap after Asr since it can make one miss the prayer.

This post has been a while in coming…but here it is. The following are tried and tested methods for waking up for Fajr…I promise you, now you have no excuse for missing Fajr- these methods are tried-and-tested and are guaranteed to work.

All you need is firm intention and these methods will make it all the easier in sha Allah.

DOWNLOAD:

Fajr Wakeup Tips Poster
Print this off, put it on your fridge, give it to friends, put it up on your masjid bulletinboard and spread this around in your community

Fajr Wakeup Tips Poster and more…
Along with the poster this include more information on Fajr…if you want to get the MAXIMUM benefit, then I suggest you download this and print it off!

Subhana kallahumma wa bihamdika ash-haduana la illaha illa ant astaghfiruka wa atubu ilayk, Ameen.

Bismillah, alhamdulillah, wa salat wa salam ala Rasulullah

“O Allah, when I lose hope because my plans have come to nothing, help me to remember that YOUR Love is always always greater than my disappointment and Your plans for my life are better than my dreams.”

Allahumma salli ala Muhammad wa ala alihi wa sahbihi wa sallim.
Alhamdulillahi rabbil Alameen. Ameen.
–
A sister from Facebook…