Things to know about Muslims and Arabs

Muslim Groups Helping Haiti

2010-01-15T08:38:00.000-08:00

Due to tragedy the Haitians are facing, many groups around the world are helping in different ways, from collecting goods, supplies and monetary donations. Be careful of responding to scams. If you are not sure what to do, stick with legit organizations like the following:

Islamic Society of North America

Smaritanpurse

Partnersinhealth: pih.org

World neighbors wn.org

American Red Cross

Clinton Foundation

Doctors Without Borders

International Rescue Committee

Oxfam America

U.S. Committee for UNICEF

There are other organizations helping, but the above is to give you an idea and a place to start. I am not being compensated by any of these organizations to list them. I just want to offer some legit resources.

Remember the Haitians in your thoughts and prayers. Also remember those who face tragedies, natural and man made, every day.

It Seems that YOU my Dear "Friend" Are the Problem.

2009-05-15T09:33:00.000-07:00

With all due respect, I tolerate points of views and differences, unless you are indirectly attacking me for my beliefs. And that is what one of my, I thought friends is doing. I have known her before she started attending Bible Studies.

However, when she attends Bible Studies, she begins to have some attitude against me--but in a passive aggressive way. I have been tolerant so for, ignoring many of her indirect insults, because she is an older lady and I like to give her the benefit of the doubt. However, my patience is running thin.

The other ladies in my coffee group are great and very respectful at least in front of me. The Bible Studies student jumps on my case when we talk about pork products or other "Christian" topics. Some of the other ladies and I have made it a joke every time someone mentions pork products. We would laugh. But the Bible Studies student will arrogantly say, "So what. I had ham the other day." or "I like pork chops." etc. I don't care what a person eats, that's their business.

The irony of all this is that Bible Studies student was never like this with me until she started attending Bible Studies. I am not naive. I have had Christian friends tell me that some of the churches and Bible Studies programs promote hatred towards Muslims and other faiths. These are things that make you go hmm.

Don't be surprised if her and I get in another tiff. I say tiff because she vehemently stood against the Gazans when they were enduring a humanitarian crisis. I found out her true identity, when she wouldn't let me talk about it. We didn't talk for a few months. We mended relations, but I don't think it will go back to the way it was.

I thought when you study a religion, you become more spiritual and tolerant of diversity and those of other faiths, not the other way around. An arrogant person disrespectful of others' faiths.

It seems that YOU my dear friend are the problem.

Since We Are Starting Fresh...

2009-05-01T19:35:00.000-07:00

I thought since we are starting fresh on this blog, that I would start with a POSITIVE quote by our President Barack Obama during his inauguration speech. President Obama truly showed the true colors of United States. He acknowledged the three monthesim religions and other major ones.

"We know that our patchwork heritage is a strength, not a weakness.

We are a nation of Christians and Muslims, Jews and Hindus – and nonbelievers.”

Barack Obama
January 20, 2009

We Are BAAAAAAAAAAAAACK--Did you miss us?

2009-04-29T22:35:00.001-07:00

Starting May 1st, we will be updating this blog three-five times per week of useful information. You don't have to worry about being politically correct as long as your intention is to learn.

Stay tuned as we update this blog.

We are baaaaaaaaaaack. Did you miss us?

Eid Toy (Gift) Drive

2008-09-19T22:01:00.000-07:00

ICNA Relief is organizing a "Eid Toy Drive" for Muslim children of low income families (indigenous and refugee) living in Chicago. The goal is to distribute the toys, goody bags, and other gift items on Eid-ul-Fitr and bring joy and happiness to the faces of the children that receive them.

In order to achieve this goal, the Muslim community is requested to donate the following items:

Goody bags for children2 years to 12 years of age
New or used (in good condition) toys for children 2 to 12 years of age (i.e. stuffed animals, dolls, car models, and etc)
Scarves for young girls
Caps (Kufi) for young boys
Islamic Books
Islamic Games
And other items suitable for kids

To distribute these properly, we would like to receive all gifts no later than September 27th.

For more information, please contact us @1-800-662-ISLAM (4752) or relief@icnachicago.org.

Vote AGAINST War with Iran

2008-06-29T13:21:00.000-07:00

Click on the link below, and express your opinion to your representative in the U.S. Congress. Vote agains having war with Iran.

Is war really an answer to solving "problems"?

http://advocacy.clw.org/clw/home/

Help Iowans in Flood Disaster

2008-06-19T19:12:00.000-07:00

MAS Service Corps Announces
Iowa Flood Relief 2008 Campaign
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT:
Imam Ahmed Elkhaldy, MSC Director (319) 533-2450
Iyad Hindi, MAS Outreach Director (919) 274-0603
US Muslims Reach Out to Victims of Iowa Floods

CEDAR RAPIDS, IA (MASNET) June 13, 2008 – The Muslim American Society Service Corps (MSC), urges all chapters to donate to the victims of the Iowa Floods of 2008.
The flooding in Iowa is being considered as "a catastrophic event" and many lives will be impacted.

"An incredibly dangerous flooding situation is occurring. This is a historic event and catastrophic flooding will occur in many communities through the next week or longer. Area river levels are cresting higher than first thought because these levels have never been seen before," stated MSC Director Imam Ahmed Elkhaldy.

The city and surrounding communities is currently on "water conservation" alert with the potential to lose city water service in many areas.

Muslims in Iowa and across the country are urged to show their support.

MSC would also like to unify the efforts of Muslim volunteers for the long recovery ahead in Cedar Rapids, Iowa City, Waterloo, and surrounding areas. To participate contact MSC Director, Imam Ahmed Elkhaldy at (319) 533-2450.

Concerned community members can also contact The United Way by dialing 211 or 739-4211.
If you would like to donate to the Iowa Flood Relief 2008 Campaign, please send your check marked "FLOOD RECOVERY" to:

MAS SERVICE CORPS
PO Box 10121
Cedar Rapids, IA 52410

MAS Service Corps has been active in disaster relief efforts for the past two years in different areas; Hurricaine Katrina, California Wildfires, and Cyclone Sidr.
Defining the goals of Islamic charitable giving, the Prophet Mohammed (May the Blessings of Allah be upon him) said that we are all responsible for our neighbors: "He is not a believer who lets himself be satiated while his neighbor goes hungry."
###
-------------------------------
The Muslim American Society (MAS) is a charitable, religious, social, cultural, and educational,
not-for-profit organization. It is a pioneering Islamic organization, an Islamic revival, and reform movement
that uplift the individual, family, and society. On the web: http://www.masnet.org - http://www.masiowa.org
-------------------------------

Women in Islam

2008-03-07T16:29:00.000-08:00

Spring Camp 2008 at U of I, Champaign, IL

2008-03-03T21:09:00.000-08:00

The Muslim Students Association of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign would like to invite you to Spring Camp 2008. Insh'Allah, this year's conference will be held on Friday, April 4th - Sunday, April 6th right here in Champaign-Urbana. There will be many speakers who will address this year's theme: "Writing Our Story in American History: Defining Our Legacy"

Featured Guest Speakers:

Yasir Birjas of Al Maghrib Institute

Usama Canon of Zaytuna Institute

Dawud Wharnsby Ali of SoundVision

Jamal Badawi of St. Mary's University

Mohammed Khalil of the University of Illinois

Imam Johari Abdul Malik of MANA

Entertainment:

The Sound of Reason

Amir Sulaiman

Brothers' Basketball Tournament, Please Contact smbaig2@uiuc.edu

We would greatly appreciate it if you could post this email to your listserve and send this invitation to the members of your MSA.

For more information and to register for Spring Camp, visit our website at www.uiucspringcamp.org.
We look forward to seeing you, Insh'Allah, - MSA UIUC

Must see video: Encountering Prejudice

2008-02-29T18:19:00.000-08:00

http://abcnews.go.com/Video/playerIndex?id=4349794&affil=wls

Gazans are HUMANS too!!

2008-01-31T21:15:00.000-08:00

I am dumbfounded. I am speechless. I don't know what to say.

I can't believe the governments, especially democratic governments, still ALLOW a group of people to be "boxed" in because of their democratically elected government. This is a form of OPPRESSION against humanity.

For those who don't know exactly what I am talking about, I will give you the short version of the current conflict.

Hamas, a religious based party, was democratically elected(as stated by Jimmy Carter and other UN observers) to run the Palestinian territories. Fatah, who have been around for decades got piss*d. (Excuse my talk), protesting the elections. (Just to note, I don't publicly support Hamas or Fatah, I support the democratic process).
While Hamas and Fatah were fighting (and sometimes still are), Hamas told the Israeli government that they will not back down from their statements. Meantime, rockets hit parts of Israeli towns and area.
Israel and the Palestinian government broke off talks at least publicly off and on for now.
So to make a story short, Israeli government closed the borders of the Gaza territory in hopes the people will overthrow the Hamas government.
Gazans have stuck together for the most part. However, they have been low on supplies.
From so much pressure, some of the Palestinians blew open the border between Egypt and Gaza, and many Gazans walked over to Egypt to buy and purchase supplies and food.

So that is the current mess in short version. If you are interested in reading more about this, be sure to check out different sources of media (Arab and non Arab sources).

Gaza, stand strong, Inshallah (God-willing). You are a fighter, a role model in fighting oppression and occupation!

That Time of The Decade Again

2008-01-18T04:29:00.000-08:00

I am not that well-versed in American politics but is it just me? Every time the year marks a time for change, i.e. elections, stories about Osama always pop up. This year though, it looks like it works negatively for the Republicans. They have always "revived" Osama when elections peeped from around the corner. I wonder what America's reaction is towards the interview with his son.

Salaam Ashura

2008-01-17T23:59:00.000-08:00

Ashura is the 10th day of the New Year, where Muslims observe an optional fast. Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings upon him) came to know that people of the Jewish faith observed Ashura by fasting on the day. Upon speaking to them, they related that Prophet Moses (blessings upon him) fasted upon Ashura. The Prophet (pbuh) then made a statement saying that Prophet Moses meant more to Muslims than Jews and instructed his followers to observe the Ashura fast.

Those who do observe the fast will help their smaller sins of the past year forgiven, insha'Allah, and will be able to start afresh for the new year.

Ashura also marks the martyrdom of Prophet's grandson, Husayn bin Ali (peace upon them all). In Husayn's valiant quests to promote and defend Islam throughout his life, it is even more befitting for Muslims to observe the fast. It reminds us of Husayn in all of his piety. Though some Muslims mourn his loss, many believe that Husayn and the other righteous relatives and friends of the Prophet (pbuh) would rather be remembered through forms of worship such as fasting and charitable events.

Ashura is not a celebration but a moment to reflect on the becoming of Islam and our own personal sacrifices we have made for the religion.

Sharlinie Nashar is Missing

2008-01-12T21:21:00.000-08:00

If you have seen this five year old girl, please contact the numbers provided.

Police are suspecting that her abducter(s) is /are the same people who assualted and murdered Nurin Jazlin. You will see Sharlinie's (Nini) picture on Nurin's website. She is the little girl with short hair. The man you see next to her is the suspected perpetrator.

Please please please make du'a that Sharlinie's fate is not the same as Nurin's! Please make du'a for her family too - her elder sister has been traumatised by her abduction and her mother has not eaten in 3 days.

An Obvious Paradise

2008-01-11T18:36:00.000-08:00

Masha'Allah, it was a beautiful video clip - A Land Called Paradise. I know many American Muslims wept when they watched it for the first time. I can imagine the strain of living under a magnifying glass being maligned just for choosing Islam as a way of life. Insha'Allah the video serves as a purpose for da'wa for both Muslims and nonMuslims.

One of my favourite messages was "I do not want to drink something that kills someone every 31 minutes." So far that is my favourite response to "so, why don't you drink and be merry? Why? Why? Why?" I'll keep that response in mind. Sometimes I know it is so obvious but sometimes, even being a Muslim in a Muslim majority country, it can be tough to answer. Maybe someone should come up with a video on what Majority Muslims wish to say. That would be interesting.

Speaking of the obvious, once upon a time, before I found out I could be potential carier of Mad Cow Disease, I was on the way to a Red Cross facility to donate blood. The bank was closed for the day, of all days, but they had not taken down the signange reading the terms and conditions for donations. It said:

"In order to donate blood,

(1) You must never have experimented in drug abuse,

(2) You must never have engaged in any adulterous relations,

(3) You must never have engaged in anal intercourse,

(4) You must never have engaged in homosexual relations."

Those were just a few conditions - I am pretty sure there were more - but the bottom line is: it is obvious why all of the above are clear prohibitions in the Qur'an.

A Land Called Paradise

2008-01-10T22:52:00.001-08:00

Here is a great video that explains the dreams and wishes of Muslims in the USA, and can be really be applied worldwide.

USA Primary Elections

2008-01-09T18:17:00.000-08:00

In the last elections, Muslim voters as a bloc, hoping that they had chosen the best candidate to run the U.S.

I have been doing an Internet search to find out who has the Muslims support--and so far I only saw one recent site: http://muslimsvoteronpaul.com/. If you know of other sites, please let me know. I will be glad to look at them.

Which candidates do you want to win? Why?

Is Allah for Everyone?

2008-01-02T19:13:00.000-08:00

Recently there has been an uproar about the use of the name "Allah" by Christian missionaries in Malaysia. Here is a basic lowdown on Malaysia's religious breakdown. Malays are known to be Muslims - they are born Muslims and do not convert out of Islam (this is what is stated in the mainstream media). A fraction of non-Malays, who are mostly Chinese and Indians, are Christians. The rest are Buddhists and Hindus respectively. I would say Christinaity has be spreading widely in Malaysia. We see the church doing alot of charity and social work that allow them to be the attractive choice of "way of life."

Recently they have requested to use the name "Allah" instead of "God" in their English publications.

The government (mainly Muslim) rejected their request in order to safeguard the sanctity of Allah's name, citing that it would not befit Allah Ta'ala to have association with the Church. I can't speak for the Muslim reaction but I would guess many would be bewildered as to why Christians would want to be associated with "Allah" in the first place. "They" worship God, we worship Allah.

When I first hear about this I thought, well the Arabic Bible is written in Arabic, and God is known as Allah. That was my first reaction, which stunned many. I guess not many people know that an Arabic bible exists let alone Christian Arabs exist. At the same time, I do feel worried that such gazetted Christian publications with the reference to God as Allah and Prophet Jesus (blessings upon him) as "son of Allah" would be misleading to Muslims who lack the opportunities to pursue a fulfilling education. By reading stories or publications with such references, children especially could easily interpret that what they were reading was a Muslim message.

I don't disagree with the missionaries using the name Allah. As for as I am concerned, Allah is the work for God in Arabic, and in actual fact, Muslims worship God and God alone. Sure, I do not believe that Allah has a son - and that is why I am not a Christian - and having said that, I also do not believe that God has a son - it is exactly the same thing. I understand that Muslims revere "Allah" in a way no other religion does, I do not deny that. At the same time however, the fact that these particular group of Christians are accepting the word "Allah" as God speaks for itself.

Muslims are often represented as worshippers of Allah the God of the Moon, Allah the Arabic God, Allah the God of Something or Another - and some other extremely hurtful and atrocious names and descriptions. Na'uzubillah. I feel somehow, this change acts as silent da'wa for Muslims. Could the Christian missionaries in the long run suddenly realise that the word Allah is a word for God that can never pluralised? Allah can never represent more than one deity, let alone 3. We will see, Allah knows best.

I think it is a good thing, that after some thought, the government reversed their decision, allowing the Church to substitute God for Allah. Allah knows best, Allah knows best. He Himself preserves his religion in ways we fail to imagine.

But for Muslims, especially those who are still learning to understand Islam as the complete way of life and have not studied other religions to understand their beliefs and practices, it is a call to wake up and learn to appreciate what Islam has to offer. I speak for myself too. I believe that if I had not known about the Arabic bible I would have strongly opposed such a request by the Church.

It is not fair to blame others when brothers and sisters leave the faith. Christianity and Judaism share more similarities to Islam than differences - and we should know of both of them. There are plenty of honourable references to Christians and Jews in the Qur'an as the People of the Book.

We will see how this unravels - I am sure this has happened in other countries - the word Allah being used in other religions. If there are, let us know, it would be interesting to see how Muslims around the world react to changes like this.

My Hopes and Wishes

2007-12-31T21:14:00.000-08:00

I want to wish everyone a Happy New Year and hope that 2008 and beyond will bring a brighter future to everyone!

Remember, God helps those who help themselves!

Happy Eve of Eve

2007-12-30T05:18:00.000-08:00

I can't believe it's the eve of New Year's eve. New beginnings once more?

This year I spent a lot of time thinking about death. It is not that I have a morbid fascination with the afterlife and the grave but this year so many people I know passed away. Some young, some old - some were just babies in the womb. With Benazir Bhutto also put to rest, I thought, "so she did end up dying, after all that." Maybe it's because I also have children now (as opposed to 1 child) and I worry about them and think about them all the time.

Insha'Allah I will be sending my toddler to pre-school in a couple of days time and I worry about her even more. Maybe it is because the crime rate continues to rise and bad news overshadows happy stories in the tabloids.

I think about the older people who have fallen ill and passed on and I worry about my relatively young parents who seem to be getting older by the day. I wonder if I would be able to take care of them as they make less and less sense.

I don't want to kick the new year off with a dark cloud hanging over my head. I started 2007 on a positive, somewhat shaky note, leaving my career and all that. Alhamdulillah it turned out well despite the bumpy path it took that brings me to blog tonight.

Death is a certainty, all Muslims know that. In fact, all religions know that and no matter how many contemporary issues end up in debates and dialogues, mankind are united when it comes to agreeing that death will happen, no matter what.

What if we link hands and dance around in a circle chanting "death is certain" this new year instead of "celebrating" in the normal myriads of customs. Maybe that would be a good start for world peace. That's ironic, considering all the problems we are facing - especially those embalmed in death - killings, honour killings, murders, suicide bombers, serial slayers and not to mention natural disasters!

I don't mean to be morbid, I don't. But as good as 2007 was for me, and insha'Allah for many, many Muslims and nonMuslims around the world suffered in the bloody hands of violence. If there are any initiatives that will not end in futile struggles, I am sure that many are looking forward to changes in 2008.

So I will say a short du'a for all Muslims and nonMuslims alike to be able to live in peace, without fear and stress, apprehension and depression. I pray for everyone to achieve their dreams and work towards making our little world, a little happier each day.

Benazir Bhutto has been Assasinated

2007-12-27T07:15:00.000-08:00

This just came in.

I was about to blog on something else - something a little self-absorbed - but here we are. Something to ponder on.

A Christmas Greeting

2007-12-25T20:28:00.001-08:00

I want to wish my fellow humans, Arabs and non Arabs, who celebrate Christmas--A Merry Christmas!

Insha' Allah, you and your families may have peace and happiness!

How is the weather over there?

2007-12-23T19:12:00.000-08:00

I am not sure about you but we have been experiencing torrential rains here in Malaysia. (It was also the wrong time to start potty training my toddler). But the weather is not always cold - the day alternates between hours of pounding heat followed by a continuous downpour of rain.

Due to our drainage and general sanitation problems we face here, many states have flooded over, namely: Terrengganu, Pahang, Kelantan and Johor. Some survivors (both Muslims and nonMuslims) are still recovering from last year's floods. These natural catastrophes seem to be an annual event and help is not always available.

You can read a little more about it here. Insha'Allah once I find the donation addresses, I'll post it up here, should anyone wish to lend a hand. Du'as are always welcomed!

Studying Opportunities Available

2007-12-21T13:44:00.000-08:00

Prince Alwaleed Bin Talaal ISNA Fellowship Program

The HRH Prince Alwaleed Bin Talaal ISNA Fellowship Program offers theopportunity for Masters level courses in the study of philanthropy andnon-profit management.

We are currently searching for ten graduate students for the Fall2008 class of fellows. The fellows will be given the opportunity tostudy non-profit management, fundraising, capacity development, andother relevant fields. These courses will be taken at the IndianaUniversity Center on Philanthropy or any accredited institutions ofhigher education and centers of philanthropic studies.

The fellowship program's goal is to train effective and knowledgeableMuslim leaders who are able to advance programming, fundraising, andother essential skills needed to lead successful non-profitorganizations in North America.

Apply Today:

Deadline for application: January 15, 2008
For further information, contact Sr. Aliya Khan Chaplin at fellowship@isna.net or (317) 839-8157 x 816 (office).
-------> If you apply from Greater Chicago area for this please inform the Council at:
rachid@ciogc.org
about it as well so we can see if it is possible to help you acquire this fellowship.

Council of Islamic Organizations of Greater Chicago (CIOGC)231 S. State St. #300, Chicago, IL 60607 ( (312) 506-0070

We are Thinking of You Palestine--Sami Yusuf with Outlandish - Try Not To Cry

2007-12-18T16:38:00.001-08:00

This is dedicated as a reminder to the struggle of Palestine. I just got news more than 10 died today in Gaza, Palestine.

Palestine, we will never forget you! Stand strong...you are truly an inspiration to oppressed people everywhere!

Nasheed - The Days of Eid

2007-12-17T21:13:00.001-08:00

On December 19, 2007, billions of Muslims will be celebrating Eid Al Adha (Feast of Sacrifice).

Muslims will attend masjids, visiting family and friends, and donating meat and gifts to the less fortunate.

Muslim helps Jews

2007-12-13T18:34:00.000-08:00

Many agree that Muslims generally don't get to be portrayed in a positive light in the media. However, at CNN.com, I have to give them credit! They posted a story about a Muslim man helping Jews who were being attacked on a New York subway.

Below is an introduction to the article and click on the link to read the rest!

Muslim helps Jews attacked on New York subway

NEW YORK (CNN) -- A Muslim man jumped to the aid of three Jewish subway riders after they were attacked by a group of young people who objected to one of the Jews saying "Happy Hanukkah," a spokeswoman for the three said Wednesday. Click on the link below to read the rest of the story!

http://www.cnn.com/2007/US/12/12/subway.attack/index.html?iref=newssearch

Let's Be Clear

2007-12-10T17:54:00.000-08:00

Yesterday, I had read on CNN and Aljazeera that a chain-email was circulated by a couple of volunteers working on the Hillary Clinton's campaign. However those volunteers were forced to resign from
the campaign.

This email was a rumor about Barack Obama being a Muslim and wanting to destroy the U.S. once he gets elected.

I just groaned when I read the articles because now being a Muslims is an insult. At least that is what I get from making inferences after reading the articles and that ridiculous email.

Well, I am going to state a few brief facts about Muslims in America. Muslims:

Are men, women and children from diverse countries including Americans. Majority of Muslims are not of Arab descent.
Advocate education, often sending their children to college.
Volunteer through organizations, charities, or as individuals.
Believe in one God.

The Hajj's Qiblah

2007-12-06T17:26:00.000-08:00

Is the Hajj season ever marginalised in your country? I know in Malaysia it falls second to Eidul Fitr, which is celebrated for a month with continuous bingeing. I know that is not right. You should still obseve a healthy diet, especially after that wonderful Ramadhan de-tox - yet Malaysians are seen stuffing their faces at 3 in the morning while watching a football match live from Chelsea.

Anyway, it is also wrong to marginalise Eidul Adha. Hajj commemorates the plight of Prophet Abraham (peace and blessings upon him) and his families during difficult times. It was then when sacrifices to feed the poor was established; the Hajj rituals completed; and where zam zam water was found. All this happened through Prophet Abraham and family (peace upon them) submitting in totality to the Hands of Allah Ta'ala.

Not many of us can do that today. Submit. There are so many distractions that allow us to look away from the Ka'bah - change the Qiblah if you like. Maybe that is why Eidul Adha falls second to Eidul Fitr in some countries.

I had a run in with an old friend a few weeks back. Naturally, you would think we would be delighted to see each other after her brief disappearance. When we were studying together, she was, in my opinion, a wonderful Muslimah. I did not know her well, but I liked her alot and respected her even more.

She was always humble, and popular - everyone had something nice to say about her, especially all the lecturers! She observed hijab strictly and was ALWAYS modest around the opposite gender. She was an excellent student and frequented the prayer room. She kept good relations with everyone. She was also ambitious - and she had high prospects to be extremely successful. After all, she was intelligent, hardworking, devout and had excellent interpersonal skills.

I got to know her better after we graduated and had high hopes for her. She looked forward to a rewarding career and a wedding ring.

Then she disappeared.

I thought she had fallen off the face of the earth. But I learned of her thriving career overseas and her engagement. I was really happy for her. It seemed like everything was falling into place.

And then she returned - a few years later - a few weeks back - wealthier than ever, with one failed marriage.

Naturally I would be delighted to run into an old friend. But my old friend was gone.

It was quite saddening actually. Ok, so I am lying. I was furious! Initially, I was so mad. She was condescending, belittling, a little to inquisitive about my income and then my husband's income. And then our household income. She raised her eyebrows when she found out I had left my career. She did not think much of my children and by the fact that I was running around after them the whole day. She sniggered at the tv which was full of children's channels.

Then she dropped the bomb. She said she did not want to interact with people who were not worth her time or worth the effort for expanding her wealth.

It was horrible - that meeting - it was horrible.

And then it got worse.

I spoke to a mutual friend today and she brought my "old friend" up in our conversation. I found out she's not all that "classy" as she seemed to be after all that assessment on my "modest" lifestyle, as she put it. At least, not around the opposite gender.

I still was not sad enough to feel sad, because for some reason I was still fuming after a few too many condescending remarks about her valuation of our friendship, but our mutual friend threw me a javelin and it hit me in the eye. So I stopped my dramatic monologue about the sanctity of marriage.

"Feel sad," she urged, "she used to be such a nice person. So kind. So 'alim."

After a little chin scratching I realised there was something in my eye. It was not the pointed end of the javelin. That was sharp, and painful. This was liquidy and moist. So I pulled out the javelin and decided that I should feel sad, rather than insulted.

"Hopefully she will change."

I guess it struck me tonight with the Hajj season coming up, that my old friend had changed her Qiblah. There were other things that struck an important chord with her, in her life, in her dunya. The fancy car, men maybe (I still cringe at that thought), her money. Her career.

Hajj is a way of remembering our roots. Where Islam was born and where a pillar of the religion was formed in the barren desert of Makkah. Where a mother ran back and forth, sand sieving through her toes, with no sign of help from passer bys. She had nothing but a wailing baby and alot of faith to keep herself focused in the right direction - her Qiblah. That was the same wailing baby whose ankle struck the sandy surface of the desert, allowing water to spring forth. And when the baby grew up, his father was to obey his Lord's command to sacrifice him, with a sharp knife to his throat. And he willingly accepted his father's dream - to be sacrificed - he even shunned the devil for taunting him with distraction.

So many things happened for Eidul Adha to materialise. Yet the festival is being marginalised by some Muslims. It is a pity, because that is where the Qiblah is formed, and will never change. Like my old friend, who decided to change, just by changing her Qiblah.

Christmas for Muslim Reverts

2007-12-05T04:15:00.000-08:00

Aaaahhh Christmas - it comes up time and again.

There is alot to talk about Christmas, since it is really the hype of the year. I am not here to analyse or comment too much on the festivity, since for many many and many many years that I was living in Europe, I learned alot about Christmas - the good, the bad and the ugly. The last two I learned from people who did not practice Christianity but were all out there to have a jolly good time doing everything but good.

I think due to the bad and the ugly, not everyone finds Christmas as the time of the year to reflect and find solace.

I know another group of people who may find Christmas a little difficult. Muslim reverts who were formally followers of the Christian faith. It takes baby steps for many reverts to help their families come to terms with their reversion. It's not easy - some parents are far more accepting than others, while others shun their children away. There are those though who accept but would like to share the holiday cheer with their family, including family members who have reverted to Islam.

I suspect it is difficult "losing" a child to a different faith and I also suspect that it is difficult for new reverts to not visit their parents during Christmas. Parents hold special status in Islam, regardless of their religious beliefs: Keep their company with kindness in this world, and follow the path of him who turns to Me. Then unto Me will you return, and I shall tell you what you did. (Luqman: 15)

If you feel you are in this position and are not quite sure how to handle Christmas invitations from family, there are several fatwa found on Islam Online that will help guide you. Visit their fatwa bank.

The consensus among scholars is that you are allowed (and in fact, encouraged) to visit your parents and partake in feasts and even the exchanging of gifts. However, please steer away from any forms of worship that compromise Islamic principles. In fact you should also avoid anything else that would deter your steadfastness in faith, such as alcohol and free mingling with other guests who are not your Mahram.

Simple enough, insha'Allah. We try our best to make the best out of every situation and Allah Ta'ala provides us felxibility to live in this world - provided we do not transgress His guidelines.

And We have recommended to man his parents; his mother bore him in weakness upon weakness, and his weaning was in two years. Thank Me and your two parents. To Me is the return. But if they try to force you to associate with Me that of which you have no knowledge, then obey them not. (Luqman: 13).

Did You Do Your Part?

2007-12-03T20:53:00.000-08:00

Whether you are a Muslim or a Christian, the holidays are approaching. Did you do your part?

Make a child's holiday an enjoyable one by buying them presents when they least expected, sort of like a "Secret Santa".

So, I challenge every financially able Muslim and Christian to sponsor a child this holiday with gifts anonymously.

Would you like a rainbow?

2007-12-03T18:11:00.000-08:00

I read this on a Malay blog and I found it brilliant. I had to share it with you (translated by yours truly). Will paste the link when I find it.

"Sometimes Allah hides the sun. He brings thunder and lightning embalmed in darkness. That is when we cry in fear, and ask, where has the light disappeared to? Where is the sunshine?"

It turns out "Allah has a plan. He wanted to give us a gift - a rainbow."

"Love will not fade away if there are memories. A broken heart will not mend itself if peace is not found. A soul that strays can return if there is hope. We will recover from old scars if there is imaan in the wound."

Does this strike a chord with you?

I think every once and again we fall into uncertainty, something that was unplanned, unexpected - totally out of the blue and way beyond your comprehension. Will you survive? How will you manage? It is not possible... it cannot be possible!

La illaha illallah means so much more than "there is no god except for Allah." You can say this over and over again, throughout your prayers, but in truth, practicing it is far more difficult. Can you possibly believe in the kalimah while telling yourself that "this is not possible!"?

It has to be possible if Allah said "be!" Kun fa ya kun. It is possible, for if Allah says it will happen, it definitely will.

So if you are in difficulty now, or in darkness and in blindness. If you are lost or have lost hope, feel discourage or scared, just remember La illaha illallah.

Insha'Allah a rainbow will follow.

Send a Letter to the Sudanese Government

2007-12-01T12:51:00.000-08:00

A teacher in Sudan is being punished because she had her students pick a name for a teddy bear. They had chosen "Muhammad". However, she assumed it was fine, until she got in trouble.

Some one had sent a letter that you can amend if you like to send to the Sudanese Government to help stop her punishment.

Many Muslims do not agree with the fact she is being punished and how the whole thing is being handled.

Email sent:
Here is a quick draft letter. Please feel free to amend. Please feel free to reply if you feel you would like to sign or you would like to sign as an individual.

In the Name of Allah, The Beneficent, The Merciful

Greetings of Peace to the Sudanese Government,

We the undersigned were very concerned to hear the news of the British Teacher's plight this week in Sudan.

As Muslim Educators from around the globe, we felt deeply concerned about this teacher's treatment and condition.

It is our understanding that she consulted with her young class of students about what name they would like to give to their class bear. Understandably, they chose the name of our beloved Prophet, May the Peace and Blessings of God be Upon him.

It is clear to us that she neither meant to offend, nor to insult. Given she is not Muslim herself, she did not know that we do not give the name Mohamed to inanimate objects, or to animals in general.

In the west, the bear is regarded as symbol of endearment. Many children hug bears at night as they sleep.

We urge the Sudanese government to take this into account and use the example of the beloved Prophet in how we treat those who make mistakes without knowledge. The Prophet showered his mercy upon the man who urinated in the mosque, he bestowed his mercy upon the woman who threw garbage at him daily, and forgave those who fought in battle with him in the name of God, the All-Merciful.

As Muslim educators, we urge you to help the teacher understand what she did wrong, and help the world understand what was unacceptable to Sudan as a nation, so that healthy dialogue and understanding take place.

In Peace.

Help Needed for Muslim Daughters in New York

2007-11-29T23:39:00.000-08:00

This is a good deed for Muslims in New York.

I received this email via one of my yahoogroups. Normally, we are not allowed to disperse information beyond the circle but this is an obvious exception.

Asalamu Alaikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatu

The rewards for visiting the sick are great in both number and magnitude....

The Prophet Muhammad sallahAllahu aleyhi waSalam said:"If a man calls on his sick Muslim brother, it is as if he walks reaping the fruits of Paradise until he sits, and when he sits he is showered in mercy, and if this was in the morning, seventy thousand angels send prayers upon him until the evening, and if this was in the evening, seventy thousand angels send prayers upon him until themorning." (Al-Tirmidhi)

With that said: I don't know if people heard of the tragic gas explosion that severely burned 4 Yemeni girls October 6th. It has been almost two months and no sister has visited any of these little girls, may Allah heal them and grant them the highest Jannah for their courage and strength.

As to not overcrowd the children or overwhelm them, please go only in small groups, If you can bring gifts at all, that would be wonderful. Please see contact person below.

Here is some information about the family: The father, Rasas Alghaithi, a recent immigrant from Yemen, is the sole surviving parent of the gas explosion, which destroyed their apartment building. Four of his five daughters experienced burns over 80% of their bodies. The daughter that was spared had gone out with her father, when the explosion occurred.masha'llaah.

Since the explosion, October 6th, the recovery of the two youngest has MashaAllah been miraculous! One is up and about, paintingand playing, with the nurses. The two older daughters are still unstable on ventilators, tube feedings...etc.]

Two are on the 6th floor,and two are on the 8th floor. Although on different floors, two visitors ONLY are allowed per child at one time. And it is best, forthe two girls who are still unstable,[both in the same room], one visitor for each. This would be best to maintain the dignity of all concerned, insha'llah.

The girls names are Du'a, Tuqaa, Leena', and Afaaf. Please remember: They do not know their mother has died.

Note Well: ANY AND ALL GIFTS[ TOYS, CLOTHES, MUST BE IN THEIR ORIGINAL PACKAGING. The girls range from 3 to 9 years old. The 2 youngest girls are scheduled to be discharged within the next 10 days to temporary housing near City College, Convent House[138th Street & ConventAvenue]

They are in need of household things, especially rugs for the kids' room, bedding etc.

The girls are at Weill Medical College of Cornell University525 E 68th StNew York, NY 10021-4870, US Hospital number is 212-746-5000

There's a contact person to call: Sarah Musa 614-354-7417I recommend anyone who wants to help or visit to give her a call.

Visiting hours are over at 8pm. If you would like to donate items to furnish their new home, please call Sarah to inquire on the specifics.

Items can be dropped off in the box at the IC of NYU (until 10pm onweekdays)or directly to where they will be staying (10-4:30pm)at:

The Convent Avenue Living Centerc/o Eugena Simpson,
Case Manager34 Convent Avenue
[Manhattan, 5 blocks south of City College]
Suite#3 NY, NY 10027
phone # 866-7816 Ext:20

Once again, Cash can be given to Khalid Latif or Prof. Shair of NYU. Checks or money orders can be made out and sent to:

Accident Victims Relief Fund, Inc. [Algaithi, Rasas]
Kramer & Pollack,
Attorneys at Lawc/o Joshua Pollack,
Esq.225 Broadway Suite 613
New York, NY 10007

Vlog1: Meet me, your average Arab girl!

2007-11-27T19:56:00.001-08:00

I like to give her credit because she is embarking on an ambitious project at 17 and 1/2 years of age to educate on Arab cultures. Imagine if all Muslims and Arabs each worked on their own projects to inform society about our cultures?

Love Thine Baby!

2007-11-26T19:42:00.000-08:00

One minute you are a care free, irresponsible girl (woman) waking up at midday, eating ice cream and lounging around listening to music. Or you are that flighty career woman always on the move, with work motivating your life.

Next minute you have a baby. So it may take half and hour, it make 48 half-an-hours, but every Muslimah knows life will never be the same again. Children are so important in Islam that nearly all Muslim women rearrange their lives to suit their bundles of joy.

I read this article on Baby Center and it was brilliant!

I love the poop part. LOL.

What changes when you have a baby? A better question may be: What doesn't change? Here, writer and mom Rebecca Woolf lists her most notable post-baby observations. Then scroll down to read our favorite comments from readers about how their babies changed their lives.

1. You finally stop to smell the roses, because your baby is in your arms.
2. Where you once believed you were fearless, you now find yourself afraid.
3. The sacrifices you thought you made to have a child no longer seem like sacrifices.
4. You respect your body ... finally.
5. You respect your parents and love them in a new way.
6. You find that your baby's pain feels much worse than your own.
7. You believe once again in the things you believed in as a child.
8. You lose touch with the people in your life whom you should have banished years ago.
9. Your heart breaks much more easily.
10. You think of someone else 234,836,178,976 times a day.
11. Every day is a surprise.
12. Bodily functions are no longer repulsive. In fact, they please you. (Hooray for poop!)
13. You look at your baby in the mirror instead of yourself.
14. You become a morning person.
15. Your love becomes limitless, a superhuman power.

And from our readers...
1. "You discover how much there is to say about one tooth." — Ashley's mom
2. "You finally realize that true joy doesn't come from material wealth." — Anonymous
3. "You now know where the sun comes from." — Charlotte
4. "You'd rather buy a plastic tricycle than those shoes that you've been dying to have." — Sophie's mom
5. "You realize that although sticky, lollipops have magical powers." — Roxanne
6. "You don't mind going to bed at 9 p.m. on Friday night." — Kellye
7. "Silence? What's that?" — Anonymous
8. "You realize that the 15 pounds you can't seem to get rid of are totally worth having." — Brenda
9. "You discover an inner strength you never thought you had." — Ronin and Brookie's mom
10. "You no longer rely on a clock — your baby now sets your schedule." — Thomas' mom
11. "You give parents with a screaming child an 'I-know-the-feeling' look instead of a 'Can't-they-shut-him-up?' one." — Jaidyn's mom
12. "Your dog — who used to be your 'baby' — becomes just a dog." — Kara
13. "You take the time for one more hug and kiss even if it means you'll be late." — Tracey
14. "You learn that taking a shower is a luxury." — Jayden's mom
15. "You realize that you can love a complete stranger." — Dezarae's mom

Everyone agree?

10 Greatest Recitations of Surat Al-Fatiha

2007-11-23T15:06:00.001-08:00

I thought this video was awesome because it showed some of the best recitations of Surat Al-Fatiha from different parts of the Muslim world.

What's in Mama's Milk?

2007-11-21T00:01:00.000-08:00

An American OBGYN met with an Egyptian OBGYN. He was facing a predicament. Two mothers had given birth to two babies - one a baby girl and the other a baby boy. Both mothers were under the impression that the baby boy belonged to them.

This happened long before the exitence of DNA determination and the American doctor felt he was at a dead-end in resolving this dispute.

The Egyptian doctor recommended that he consult a wise man in Eqypt, an ulema. The two doctors described the situation to the ulema.

The ulema replied, "test both mothers' breast milk and you will find a difference in their constituents."

The American doctor upon returning home, did as what he was requested. What he found in both mothers' breastmilk was shocking.

One mother had double the nutrients of the other mother. For every unit of protein of one mother, the other had 2. For every unit of minerals in the same mother, the other had 2.

He quickly reported this findings back to his Egyptian comrade. The Egyptian OBGYN consulted the ulema once again.

The ulema then relayed, "the mother with double the nutrients in her milk, is the mother to the baby boy."

As men inherit double than women, under normal circumstances reflects that men need the extra portion. Under inheritance law, men are provided with double of his female counterparts because family, including his wife, children, parents, sisters and sometimes even aunts, are dependants on a man's earnings. A woman enjoys financial freedom over her money, property and inheritance.

Accordingly, men need more than women, when it comes to earning and inheritance. The same way, baby boys need more than baby girls when growing up. Ask any mother and she will agree that her son drinks more, eats more, is more active, than her daughters. Boys and girls are different and through our physical observation, this is apparent. Boys are generally bigger and stronger than girls - and though they mature slower and take time to catch up physically, at the end of puberty - men are still physically bigger and stronger. They just need that extra more nutrients.

My family doctor had told me that story during a sick visit to the clinic. My son was ill for the first time. She asked what he drank, and I said Mama's Milk.

She says there has been no research done on breast milk to validate the story, but through her observation and experience, many more baby boys, as compared to baby girls - who are formula-fed - fall sick. Obviously formula milk is not identical to Mama's Milk - they are deficient in several nutrients - but imagine that baby boys do not receive the constituents they would need as compared to their sisters if they are not breastfed.

This is just a thought. Allah know best. After all, He provides Mama's Milk to both baby boys and girls.

Celebrating Thanksgiving and Christmas

2007-11-20T20:10:00.000-08:00

New friends, colleagues and acquaintances ask if I celebrate Thanksgiving and Christmas. The old group of friends, colleagues and acquaintances know what I do--but the new guys don't. They are always careful when asking this question, even though I have a very casual and laid back attitude. (My theory is let people ask any question as long as their intent is to really learn about a new culture or religion.) So, I thought of YOU the reader as well.

Now, just like any other religion out there--you have extremes of everything. What I mean is you have those who don't practice just carry the title, those who do practice and are considered the "moderates", and those who go for the strictest interpretations and ideas. I want to point out that I don't represent everyone as a Muslim because you will find different ideas and theories on different subjects--just like every in every culture and religion.

So, let's talk about Thanksgiving. Although, originally it was to give thanks to God for the pilgrims' survival successes--today, it is a time for family and friends to get together for fun. Some Americans don't even cook turkey or ham on the fourth Thursday of November. My family sometimes cook and don't depending if people have time or are in the mood. But to tell you the truth, I don't know one single American who actually celebrates this day for its original purpose. Sometimes this holiday gets overlooked by Halloween and jumps right into Christmas.

Christmas isn't foreign to us Muslims. Many Muslims, in other countries, have lived with Christians side by side for centuries, so they both know each other's cultures and expectations. Everyone knows that Christmas is commercialized, and that to find the true meaning of Christmas you would have to dig between commercials, decorations and the food. Then you have some Christian Americans who point out that Christmas has pagan origins, and so it should be celebrated around late fall.

Some households put up extravagant Christmas decorations causing their electric bill to be hundreds of dollars (some actually have in the thousands--depending on how large the home is and how much decorations) in one month. Christmas music is constantly played for two months.

Most Muslim Americans, to my knowledge, do not celebrate for Christmas. However, some do tell their neighbors or colleagues "Merry Christmas" or "Happy Holidays", and exchange gifts or cards. Others may not tell their neighbors or colleagues. I know some Muslims, including myself, like the Christmas atmosphere because it is happy-like. Some Muslims even say it reminds them of the atmosphere of Ramadan (where we fast for about 29 or 30 days).

I don't go out of my way to tell people "Merry Christmas", however, if I do see them for whatever reason, I do mention it to them because I think it is the right thing to do, an etiquette thing. You remember them, and chances are they remember you.

More Americans are starting to know more about Islam and its details, yet there is a long way to go--however it is a great start! I would be interested in knowing what you do for Thanksgiving and Christmas. How do you as Muslims or non Muslims handle those who do or don't celebrate what you celebrate?

"Classroom Discipline" this weekend for those in the Philly area

2007-11-16T21:02:00.000-08:00

WHAT: Free teaching workshop on "Classroom Discipline"

WHO: Teachers of weekend schools, homeschools, and/or full-time Islamic schools in the greater Philadelphia area - ADULTS ONLY.

WHERE: Villanova Foundation for Islamic Education, 1860 Montgomery Avenue, Villanova, PA 19085

WHEN: Saturday, November 17th at 2:30 PM

WHY: Help educators further develop their teaching techniques, as well as serve as a meeting ground and encourage networking among area Islamic schools.

HOW: Registration is required for attending this meeting. ADULTS ONLY PLEASE. Register via email (preferred) or phone.

Contact information is listed at the end of this email. Contact information:

FarheenKF@gmail.com or (610) 935-0613

You're Invited to Attend the GCC House Party

2007-11-14T22:32:00.000-08:00

GCC House Party!!!

Date(s): 2007-11-16

Description: It’s Time to Caucus! Greater Chicago Caucus House Party!!!

WHEN: Friday, November 16th, 6 to 9 p.m.

LOCATION: At the Residence of Nazneen Mashoni:141 Southwicke Dr. Streamwood, IL 60107

Nazneen’s Home: 630-497-9177

COST: Suggested donation at the door: $10

It’s time to get together, meet with some elected officials, learn about candidates, and receive issue updates on immigration, education, transportation and the war! Bring a friend or two and join us for a night of food, fun and friends!!!

For more information or to RSVP:Julie Heun at julie@greaterchicago.org or 312-401-4321

Honeymooners in Peril

2007-11-12T23:07:00.000-08:00

Has anyone ever been subjected to this type of discrimination? It's really quite frightening and frustrating to know that just because Muslims dress a little differently that they should be vulnerable to personal violation.

I say "dress differently" rather than "look different" because the sister who was on honeymoon goes by the name of Katharine Klausing. Does that sound Middle Eastern you you? Or remotely Asian? Does it sound anything like our African brothers or sisters?

It is a pity the locals did not even have the courtesy to request a search from Abo Namous, even if they had no warrant to inspect the premise. It is a pity that could not respect the right of Klausing to cover as she wished before having men enter her house.

It is ironic though, in an Asian country, a white couple would be ever so welcomed to enter stores, cafes, homes. Sometimes I find it quite comical the way Asians (some Muslims) wait on hand and foot on Western guests, no matter how educated these Asians are. In fact, it seems like a recognition at times, to know Europeans, or even Americans for that matter. I don't know why. It baffles me.

But honestly, how do you combat these type of violations? True, there are some bad people out there, in the guise of Muslims, who are really and truly blind about Islam and what it stands for.

But there are also millions of innocent Muslims and Arabs around the world. I just wonder how many have fallen prey to prejudice.

Getting to Know Arabs

2007-11-09T00:04:00.000-08:00

When I was first invited to co-blog here, I was somewhat apprehensive. I love writing in all of its sense but I mostly feel comfortable if I knew what I was writing about. I guess that would mean the same for other writers.

I am thankful though that Humanist gave me this opportunity. It made me read up a little more, study a little harder and think a little deeper.

I don't know many Arabs to be honest. I know a few, but none really on a personal level.

I was once invited to a lunch at the Saudi Ambassador's residence when I was on holiday in Geneva. When I say on holiday, it means I had a study break, and when I say Geneva, it was where my dad was working at that holiday break in time.

Anyway, my mum was active with the United Nations' Women's Guild and the ladies there would rotate entertaining luncheons and other get-together activities.

The lunch was really grand, and so was the residence.

Firstly we were stopped at the entrance with all the ither invitees and were chauffered from the gate to the house, troop by troop. That was a weird experience. I am pretty sure I could have walked.

The lunch was great though. There was plenty to eat and the food was awesome masha'Allah. Never have I enjoyed food like that. The walls were lined with salads and yoghurts and all sorts of yummies with cream. There was plenty of bread and a lamb at the end of the aisle. I love lamb. I love food. Now I know I love Arab food. LOL

The hostess was a sure one of the mostest. When I first met her in public, she was dressed as her comrades were dressed - modestly - in black and observed the full hijab. Just in case there are men reading this, I will not mention what she was wearing when we were there, but she looked gorgeous and worth a million dollars.

In between stuffing my face with all the goodies, I tried not to talk to the other ladies. I was not being rude or anything, but at that age... sitting there with your mum's buddies, let's just say I would rather eat than talk about the weather.

The usual questions flew by though... where are you from? How long have you been here? How do you like it in Geneva? How old are you? That was directed to me obviously.

However, I noticed two ladies at the end of our table who were doing even less talking than I was. In fact, they were just talking to each other and barely eating. I wondered if it was because they were both blonde and white, whereas the other participants at the table were Asian, African, Middle Eastern even, and many of us were Muslim.

Then a question flew over to them from a Singaporean friend. "Where are YOU from?"

One blonde lady answered, after clearing her throat: The United States of America.

That's all she said. Then she looked back at her friend and back at her food.

Everyone else just looked at each other uncomfortably.

Maybe it was because it was the summer of 2002 and the US had just attacked Iraq. I don't know. But at that point in time, I convinced myself that I was right. They did not talk to us because they were American, unlike me, who refused to talk because I kept eating the lamb.

It must have been weird being American, lounging around in an Arab lady's residence with a load of women from different continents.

After reading Humanist's last post though, I guess I would double-guess myself. What if the 2 American ladies had actually had opposing thoughts to the war than their administration had? After all, they showed up at an Arab's family's house for a lunch. They sat at a table full of apparently foreign people who just kept asking each other where the other came from.

They sat through the lunch and were extremely discreet about themselves being there, unlike the boisterous Asians.

What if they had difficulty accepting the violence in Iraq but had to remain subdued due to their loyalty to the United States of America?

I can second-guess myself now because I'm co-blogging here. Now I'm reading a little more, studying a little harder and thinking alot more deeper.

I never really looked back at the American ladies. Yes, yes, I was too busy stuffing down a date pudding. Years later, I am pretty sure they felt uncomfortable because of the hostile environment their administration caused.

I'm pretty sure.

And I'm pretty sure I could have enjoyed a car-ride down to front gate rather than walk back to the car after all that eating.

Hmm...Are You Trying To Tell Me Something?

2007-11-08T17:43:00.000-08:00

I have been teaching at my local university for the past four years. I love it. I teach education. We discuss issues related to education today.

This semester is a bit different. Why? Because this is the first time I have assigned Baghdad Burning : Girl Blog from Iraq for my students to read, so we can discuss in class.

However, I have two students who seem to think I am being "anti-American" because to them I represent an Arab, Muslim, Arab Muslim, or the "other." They have refused to read the book. They display pencil sketches from their notebook paper of an American flag. One of the students is planning to join the military within a year, he announced to the class sometime in the semester.

One student gets all upset if we talk about a different point of view on Iraq. He thinks we are being un-American. I tell him that it is un-American when we can't discuss controversial issues in a democratic manner.

At first, I didn't even pay attention to the displaying of the flag. However, one student purposely displayed the flag standing up looking directly at me. Then I realized...hmmm, are they trying to tell me something?

Just yesterday, as one of the students turned their homework, they had dropped a small, handmade American flag on the floor.

I think they want me to react. I pretend I don't understand what they are doing. I have a feeling they want me to get riled up. I don't and I won't.

When I discuss issues, I talk and think like an American and an Arab.

What do you think I should do? Do leave ideas and opinions in the comment section.

Is Your Marriage a Bed of Roses?

2007-11-06T15:59:00.000-08:00

Marriage is highly stressed in Islam, with husbands and wives described as being garments for one another (an-Nur: 30-31). That's nice - we can say alot of nice things about clothes, especially when they are fashionable, comfortable and clean.

Marriage is one of those things that happen in batches. When one couple ties the knot, it seems like everyone else is doing it too. There were weekends where my husband and I were invited to 3-4 weddings held on the same day. Luckily, due to the traditional Malay wedding being a staggered feast that goes on for several hours, it is possible to attend 3 wedding banquets on the same day.

After the wedding however, the opening chapter of marriage begins.

It's not a bed of roses, definitely. Many enthusiastic youngsters who have found their other half tend to look forward to endless sleepovers and chit chats. Allah has other plans though, all geared to make us grow stronger.

Over the few years that I and about a million of my friends have been married, I have noticed a distinct pattern that hits the newly weds. There will always be trouble within the first 6 months of matrimonial harmony.

The most common problem are financial issues. One of the couple usually loses his or her job. This is not intentionally, in most cases but due to other factors such as economic cut backs in companies. Otherwise, it would be the great debt the couple has to bear repaying the wedding loan. That causes substantial financial strain. Suddenly, the gleeful, rather shallow life most of us lived while depending on parents or just taking care of ourselves on a single salary disappears into a nightmare of financial turmoil. I found this most common in most couples.

Secondly, I always find, many newlyweds are separated after marriage. Work, family circumstances, studies - they all amount to some sort of separation where the couple only meet during weekends or holidays. This is strange but I have seen it so many times that it can be quite comical, in a mean way.

There are other problems couples face during the first few months of marriage. Living with in-laws, literally or not, sometimes poses a problems. Especially if the in-laws are the type that have not accepted their son or daughter sharing his or her life with someone else other than them. I guess it is difficult to see a child leave the nest but I have seen couples batter with overbearing parents that cause more distress upon the marriage than harmony.

What else? Babies, oh yes. Miscarriages, difficulty to conceive - all this can happen during the first year. Complicated pregnancies, no less. I've seen them all. And although there is a work around to every problem that Allah throws upon us, many couples find they break before building up strength to overcome their obstacles.

It is probably best to remember that Allah will not place a burden upon ourselves that we are unable to shoulder. And since we are garments to our spouses, it is time to be the best garment yet.

But no matter what the work-around is, nothing can be better for you marriage than complete surrendership to Allah's will, filled with prayers and supplication.

"Verily, for all men and women who have surrendered themselves unto God, and all believing men and believing women, and all truly devout men and truly devout women, and all men and women who are true to their word, and all men and women who are true to their word, and all men and women who are patient in adversity, and all men and women who humble themselves [before God], and all men and women who give in charity, and all self-denying men and self-denying women, and all men and women who are mindful of their chastity, and all men and women who remember God unceasingly, for [all of] them has God readied forgiveness of sins and a mighty reward."
(al-Ahzab: 35)

Acceptance

2007-11-04T22:21:00.000-08:00

A non-Muslim friend once mentioned that Muslims seem to cope with death better than non-Muslims. There is an air of calmness when someone passes on in a Muslim family. Family members do not wail or scream out loud in protests of unfairness. No one condemns anyone. Nobody points fingers.

I hoped this was the case, and was glad to know this was her perception on how Muslims dealt with death as it was accurate.

I explained to her that surrendering to Allah Ta'ala and being a Muslim did only comprise of living our lives but also believing in death and the hereafter, as our deeds on earth will be reflected in the latter.

I had a harrowing weekend to say the least.

Someone I care about lost her unborn baby. It is not a loss of life like we know it. In this case, life was never given to the baby. Miscarriages happen, I know. But they usually happen to other people, friends of friends, distant relatives, women who appear on tv. It has never happened to anyone this close to me before.

Fortunately, her acceptance has helped her presevere through the loss and her surrendership to the Creator has helped her understand that sometimes life is not the best thing for everyone. Because of this, she has remained calm, strong and positive. All because she has surrendered to Allah's will.

Another person I love is battling her last days, caving in to cervical cancer. She is living on drugs and alot of reassurance and support from her family and close friends.

Many of her visitors cry when they see her. She is unwell and frail. There is nothing wrong with crying, as it is in our humanness and it shows sorrow that comes from the heart.

But death for Muslims is the natural route of inclination as we say inna lillahi wa inna lillah rajioon. From Allah we come, and to Allah we return.

I must admit that acceptance does not come easily for everyone and until we are in that position, we cannot play judge upon the feelings they are going through. However, during difficult times there is always the reassurance that we do not live in vain. We live for Allah Ta'ala and this gives us reason to remain calm during times of dire stress and uncertainty.

I guess when my friend mentioned that Muslims cope better with death than other people, she actually meant that Muslims accept death better than other people.

And what can we do for those who pass on? Remember their good deeds and at best remember them in our prayers.

Those who pray, Our Lord, forgive us and those who have gone before us in faith and do not leave in our hearts any ill-feeling or malice towards those who cherish faith. (Al-Hashr 59: 10)

My Made in China

2007-11-01T05:37:00.000-07:00

Assalamu'Alaykum,

It has happened again. Just when I thought I would be able to get my laptop sorted out, I have been hit with a double whammy. Turns out the lightning did not only hit my phone. Since the phone line was still connected to my laptop at that moment in time, the lightning destroyed my network card too.

After alot of grovelling I guess, by my husband, at the techies department, he had to venture out into the cold and cruel world of repair-smiths. Turns out Multimedia University - the pioneer educators in information technology - did not want to tamper with my run down laptop lest the inevitable happen. But anyway, the techies confirmed all I needed was a new network card.

So there was my husband, collecting my baby's identification card from the registry office when he spotted a computer shop with a counter for repairs. The Guy was so Enthusiastic and Obviously New at the job, he insisted that he wanted to CHECK the insides of my rather outdated Twinhead. Made in China, you see - that was all I could afford 5 years ago when I bought it after a few months of self-earned salary.

So the Enthusiastic and Obviously New Guy grabbed Made in China before my husband could hand it over to him and yanked it open.

The LCD screen broke. I cannot imagine how.... but I do imagine it breaking into half. I imagine it every night in my dreams, which are actually Nightmares.

Now I am pawning my jewellery to pay for the mistake Enthusiastic and Obviously New Guy made because he begged my husband to let him off the hook as the company refused to cough up a cent. He even narrated his salary versus budget figures that were so pathetic that both of us had to cave in.

Yes, I am pawning my jewellery. My husband said no. But I insist.

I am insisting because....

I do not earn a fixed salary anymore out of my choice, not his.

I quit my job because I wanted to, not him.

I left my wonderfully exciting career in investment banking because I decided to, not him.

I wanted and STILL WANT TO take care of my children and he did not force me to.

Unfortunately, due to the existence of people like Enthusiastic and Obviously New Guy, it is getting harder and harder and HARDER to remain at home.

With all the choices I have made, I do not want to rely on my husband for full financial support. Sure, he is rewarded for the money he spends on the family - on me and the babies, but at the same time, I feel it is my duty to contribute positively, especially financially, to our well-being. I mostly want to because I know I can and supporting so many people on a sole income is a tall-order.

I know alot of people think Muslim women stay at home and are chained to the kitchen stove or the children, but you would be surprised to know that it is mostly by choice and you be even MORE SURPRISED to know, that it is not a easy decision for many women to make. This is mostly due to financial reasons, as I mentioned earlier.

That is why I write. Small income but plenty of family time that sometimes drives me up the wall. But now I have found something else that has driven me to the brink of patience. Unethical service providers that are not careful with your belongings and refuse to compensate for damages. That laptop is all I have as my asset capital, non-liquid assets to keep at least a trickle of income tip toeing into my bank account!

Now it is broken. Astarghfirullah. And the only other non-liquid asset that redeemable for cash is a bit of gold jewellery.

I have borrowed my brother in law's laptop for this post and he said I could borrow it until the Enthusiastic and Obviously New Guy calls me again and lets me know Made in China is ready for the pick up. This time I am going to go and see him and let me know my budgetary figures and how my husband keeps the family afloat on one steady income.

I remember once when I was a kid living in Europe, my mum bought a carton of eggs as part of our groceries. When unpacking them at home, she found a cracked shell. We returned the carton and grocery store replaced the box with a brand new carton of glistening shell-protected eggs for breakfast.

THat type of honesty can only be seen in the West, as far as I know. When Islam stresses so much on the respect of another brother or sister's property, there are Muslims who just turn a blind eye or two.

This is especially true for Malaysia.

Nevermind that the New Guy was just being careless and snapped Made in China's screen into two right in front of my husband's eyes.

On hindsight, I know there is a blessing in disguise. After all that ranting, I do have a husband who has a steady income. He supports a family, meaning I have children. I have laptop, which is in recovery mode, meaning I do have a job. The fact that I can pay for the repair shows that I do have some jewellery, even though I will be pawning whatever I have to save a poor guy's job.

Insha'Allah, by the fact that I have helped him, I will be rewarded by that and it will is some way give me some relief in difficult times.

"Whosoever relieves from a believer some grief pertaining to this world, Allah will relieve from him some grief pertaining to the Hereafter.

Whosoever alleviates the difficulties of a needy person who cannot pay his debt, Allah will alleviate his difficulties in both this world and the Hereafter.

Whosoever conceals the faults of a Muslim, Allah will conceal his faults in this world and the Hereafter.

Allah will aid a servant (of His) so long as the servant aids his brother.

Whosoever follows a path to seek knowledge therein, Allah will make easy for him a path to Paradise.

No people gather together in one of the houses of Allah, reciting the Book of Allah and studying it among themselves, except that tranquility descends upon them, mercy covers them, the angels surround them, and Allah makes mention of them amongst those who are in His presence.

Whosoever is slowed down by his deeds will not be hastened forward by his lineage."
(Muslim)

Axis of Evil Comedy - Dean Obeidallah

2007-10-25T19:32:00.001-07:00

Dean Obeidallah a member of Axis of Evil comedy troupe in the U.S. speaks about what it is like being an Arab in the U.S. post 9-11.

Axis of Evil is a comedy performed by four Middle Easterners. Although a comedy, you will learn alot about stereotypes and cultures.

Where I have really been...

2007-10-23T23:52:00.000-07:00

Assalamu'Alaykum,

It was the eve of 'Eid when I started packing our belongings to head to the place where time stands still - my grandma's house.

The usual - packing the whole house into the carboot and leaving my laptop all alone in the house. I told my husband that when we returned to his parents' we would bring my laptop along so that I COULD BLOG throughout the holidays.

Well, time really did stand still at gran's for two whole days. By third Shawal we were back and repacking for the longer trip up North. We really see my husband's family so we always make it a point to stay a little longer than usual.

I thought I would catch up with my work and would actually have more time to myself since my kiddies' grandparents would be around to entertain them.

Unfortunately, the Malaysian torrential rains had led to thunderstorms. Lightning had hit the phoneline in my inlaw's house. They too had just returned from their hometown and looked at the gaping hole in my brother in law's room with much curiosity.

Yes, there was a hole. At first, my brother in law suspected somehad tried to break in. After making some sense and a few attempts to log on to the net, he decided that the modem had gone kaput.

By the time the contractor was over to fix the connection it was time to leave. I guess everyone was on holiday for that week!

As much as I enjoy visiting (most) of my family, I was quite pleased to return home, smelly pillows and all. I had some pending assignments too and felt so "out of it" without an internet connection! Ever feel that way? We can't live without technology.

I unpacked my laptop the night we returned and was eager to check my email. That was the least I could do at that time.

Unfortunately my phone had been hit too! Astarghfirullah!

We could not call out and neither could callers hear our voices when we received calls.

After a few days of prodding the phoneline company finally paid us a visit. I told them it was useless to call us and keep asking us "is there something wrong with your phone? Hello? Hello? IS THERE SOMETHING WRONG. WITH. YOUR. PHONE?"

Our phone was fixed immediately by connecting to the net was still proving a difficulty. The broadband guy sauntered over after endless calls to the company. Turns out he was in the neighbourhood.

He could not get us connected though. It is weird that my laptop would have been affected. It was unplugged when I had left it at home and it was with me during the rains.

I guess I will never know why.

As I blog, my husband is getting it checked at his office, while I have set up a mini station at my mum's place. Time to check out of the dark ages already! Golly.

Insha'Allah things will get back to normal. It shows that we really are not in control of our plans, no matter how efficient or effective they may seem to be! Best thing is, is not to get wound up and take it in stride.

People were probaby were less stressed out living in non-technology-reliant times. More time to focus on Allah Ta'ala alone. I wonder. I wonder. I wonder. What would it have really been like without running after time, the way we do especially when hooked up to the rest of the world.

Nevertheless, it is good to be back and enjoy the privilege of blogging for this blog. Even after an eventful 'Eid!

YAWN!

2007-10-23T23:43:00.000-07:00

Assalamu'Alaykum,

I have been away. Luckily Humanist has done a brilliant job filling in for my posts. It would be great if you could leave comments. We know there are plenty of readers that drop by and sepend time browsing our posts. But letting us know what you think of our mini-dawa action here would be great. Sorts of gives us a confidence boost to continue posting and helping out with the Muslim predicament that most of us face today

Well, honestly, it is not about the comments. Who blogs for comments? It's just nice to have a two-way communication once in a while *winks*

Anti-War Rally

2007-10-23T19:26:00.000-07:00

VOLUNTEERS NEEDED FOR OCTOBER 27, 2007, RALLY AND MARCH

Bill Barclay and Peg Strobel, Oak Park Coalition for Truth and Justice, are coordinating volunteers for October 27th. We need at least 150 volunteers to carry out the tasks listed below.

We need firm commitments from volunteers. Please use the form below so Bill and Peg can effectively coordinate the volunteers.

Or, to volunteer electronically, go to the website for the march-- http://www.oct27chicago.org/--and click on "Click Here to take survey".

QUEENS OF ISLAM

2007-10-22T19:47:00.001-07:00

This is a nice clip of Muslim women. It shows a variety of Muslim women wearing hijab while being portrayed in different roles. There is also a show of diversity.

Islam is a truly a religion of liberation for men and especially for women!

Just Because...

2007-10-19T19:33:00.000-07:00

Today over coffee, friends told me that they hadn't called me during Ramadan because they "didn't want to bother" me. I asked what do they mean?

They said "Because it was your holy month, Ramadan. We wanted to wait." I explained to them that if they had called, they wouldn't be disturbing me or my family. We don't go into our own little world during this time.

Yes, I know there are prayers and reflections, but that is not 24 hours per day, and seven days per week. We still function in this world.

That is what I had explained to my friends, but in a nice tone. In my opinion, no question or thought is too stupid unless people don't really want to learn.

So, my dear Arab and Muslim friends, I strongly encourage you to be open with your non-Arab or non-Muslim friends, so that they may learn from you on how Arabs and Muslims really are.

Careful How You Type!!

2007-10-18T19:46:00.000-07:00

Salaam and greetings everyone.

Today, as I went to type the URL for this blog, I had accidentally typed http://www.thingstoknowaboutmuslimsandarabs.blogpsot.com, it leads you to a "Mega site of Bible studies and information." I was shocked that someone or some people would actually do that.

See the different between http://www.thingstoknowaboutmuslimsandarabs.blogspot.com and http://www.thingstoknowaboutmuslimsandarabs.blogpsot.com ? The answer is blogspot (correct) and blogpsot (incorrect).

Does anyone know if there is action that I can take?

Arab population grows

2007-10-16T19:56:00.000-07:00

This is an interesting article on Arab population growth.

By Mike Wilkinson
Detroit News
Posted on Wednesday September 26, 2007
2006 U.S. Census data estimate 123,400 in region but community leaders say number is 300,000.
Michigan became the second-largest state in terms of Arab population—passing New York but remaining behind California, according to the profiles released today.
In the state, the population is at about 147,000. New census data show the Arab community in Metro Detroit has grown substantially since 2000, but community leaders continue to question whether the numbers should be higher and the details are valid.

click on the link to read the rest of it: http://www.aaiusa.org/press-room/3317/arab-population-grows.

What's the Difference between Al Aqsa Mosque and Dome of the Rock?

2007-10-15T20:44:00.000-07:00

Lately it is in the news again. Israelis are digging underneath Al Aqsa Mosque. Many people around the world assume it is the Dome of The Rock the Israelis are digging underneath. That is not true. Jerusalem is the third holiest city after Mecca and Medinah, Saudi Arabia. Jerusalem has two important mosques: The Dome of the Rock and the other one is Al Aqsa Mosque.

It is unfortunate, many get the two mixed up. Many believe the Dome of the Rock is Al Aqsa Mosque. I have posted pictures of what the Dome of the Rock and Al Aqsa Mosque looks like.

This is the Dome of the Rock, Jerusalem.

This is Alqsa Mosque, Jerusalem.

Al Aqsa Mosque is actually mentioned in the Qu'ran, Surah Al Israa. It is one of the oldest mosques in the world. Both mosques: the Dome of the Rock and Al Aqsa Mosque are important mosques for the Muslim world.

It is vital to know the difference because a lot of time the media does a poor job showing what Al Aqsa Mosque looks like. Know the difference, so that you may be an informed reader and critical thinker.

Eid al Fitr (Holiday Feast)

2007-10-12T16:06:00.000-07:00

Depending on where Muslims are located throughout the world, they may have celebrated Eid today, while some tomorrow, and the rest may even be on Sunday. Yup, you are not seeing a typo. For some reason, Muslims could never agree to celebrate the Eid on the same day around the world.

Declaring it an Eid, takes work. It is based on traditions (called Hadiths) that our prophet Muhammed did.

However, declaring Eid on different days is a controversial topic amongst Muslims, especially in the U.S. In one large city, you will find some Muslims celebrating today, the set of Muslims fasting today and will celebrate tomorrow. I guess it depends on the interpretation you take or follow.

Don't get me wrong, there were times when the entire Muslim population celebrated Eid on the same day.

Anyways, I want to shout out Eid Mubarek to all the Muslims around the world.

With Knowledge Comes Power

2007-10-11T06:15:00.000-07:00

Now, who said that? Was it Uncle Ben in Spiderman? Or one of Kent's parents in Superman. I'm pretty sure Stan Lee used this line in one or more of his many lengedary comic books.

I am also pretty sure it is somewhere in the Qur'an and / or the Hadith. There are plenty of sayings by Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) to seek knowledge, and to even seek it to the depths of China (Bukhari). So, there is power in knowledge, and the opposite of knowledge is pure ignorance through and through.

Alot of misconceptions of Islam and Arabs in the non-Muslim world, is pretty much due to the mainstream media that easily lines up the "good guys" against the "bad guys." Not everyone is given the opportunity or makes that extra effort to read up on the other side of the story.

However, there is a fair segment of the Muslim and Arab society who sometimes encourage negative perceptions of the religion to be formed.

Personally I have found that many misuderstandings about Islam are due to cultural interferences in Islamic practice that give rise to the perception that the religion is tedious and embalmed in ritual practices without the sense of logic.

Some examples are such as wedding celebrations, funeral proceedings and even simple things like the 'Eid festival. While Islam makes everything really simple, without much weight on obligations, many cultures practice this differently and often forget that Islam frowns upon many of their superstitious traditions that usually translate into a waste of money, valuable time and energy. Some practices can even turn into shirk - associating partners with Allah. Astargfirullah....

Coupled with the fact that all of this done without knowledge, stress and anger quickly settle in. For example, dealing with debt after and elaborate wedding, not having to hold "follow up" ceremonies after a funeral, or wasting time on the night of 'Eid baking cookies until 4 in the morning and missing the 'Eid prayer.

If you are a Muslim and you reading this, you would probably know what I'm talking about. Islam outlines the complete way of life without any hardship upon us, but we always manage to find ways to complicate matters.

When in doubt of traditions, it is probably best to consult the Qur'an and / or the Hadith, to ensure what we are doing does not violate Islamic teaching. :)

The last thing a Muslim wants to do is to displease Allah Ta'ala and it is obligatory for every Muslim to make that extra effort to read His side of the story.

A Friend Told Me...

2007-10-10T18:22:00.000-07:00

Photobucket Album

Today, I went walking with my friend as part of our daily exercises. She was telling me excitedly that anthropologists were going to be sent to Iraq to teach soldiers about cultural issues and sensitivities. She was very excited, "That should make things easier in Iraq."

Really? I'll believe it when I see it. Readers, what do you think?

Kids Still Teach Us

2007-10-09T18:56:00.000-07:00

Today, I took my four-year-old son to the park to play. There another four-year-old child came up to him and said that she would play with him. They played Tag. They played Hide-N-Seek. They played Follow the Leader. They played like they had known each other for ages. As I was watching them play, I looked over to see the child's mother standing far away from us.

As I observed the children playing, I realized that they did not discriminate between each other. So what if my child had a "different" name than his park buddy. She didn't care. My son even corrected her on how to pronounce his name. She tried and came close until he accepted her pronunciation.

These children have no clue about diversity, race, ethnicity. I found it interesting. Why is it harder for adults to make friends with people other than their own culture? I think we have a lot to learn by watching how children interact with each other.

By observing these innocent children playing, I realized that hatred and discrimination are learned traits.

So, I dare you my friend, to go make friends with other people than your own culture, race and religion. Do it.

Taqabbal Allahu minnaa wa minkum!

2007-10-08T04:46:00.000-07:00

Something I love about Islam.

After a month's fast and worship worship worship... we finally skip along happily to the Masjid for the congregation we have all been waiting for. Though, during Prophet Muhammad's (SAW) time, he would hold the prayer in the outdoors, many Muslim communities pray within the compounds of the MAsjid or Islamic centre.

That's fine, as long as your heart is there. I mean, baring your soul to Allah for a sturdy month is enough to bring tears to your eyes and swell up your heart. Not only did your body undergo changes (for the better), you are also reminded of so many less fortunate Muslims who may not even be able to perform 'Eid prayers without the echoes of gun fire. May we all pray for them.

But like I said, something I so love about Islam is about how, in the end, it comes down to the ummah.... building a strong ummah.

Turns out your fasting, dzikr, Tarawih, Qur'an-reading and charity that you had done during the month is to be celebrated by all of whom you meet during the 'Eid prayer. "Taqabbal Allahu minnaa wa minkum," you say to each other, imploring that Allah accepts all good deeds from you and your comrad in faith.

There is no merriment in celebration unless it is to please Allah. There are no cheers unless a good deed is done. There is no happiness unless a fellow brother or sister is standing next to you in line for prayer.

So to you My Dear Reader, since we are on the home-stretch, Taqabbal Allahu minnaa wa minkum, I hope this Ramadhan was the most meaningful Ramadhan you had ever had!

Ramadan routine change?

2007-10-05T08:13:00.000-07:00

During the month of Ramadan, do you stick to your same schedule, or do you adapt your schedule to be a little lenient?

I tend to stick to my same schedule because I incorporate Ramadan in my lifestyle. I may not hold to that theory once fasting takes place in the summer (check back with me in a few years from now). I do think fasting in Ramadan also has to have a mental discipline to it, so that you may continue doing the same tasks and activities you were doing before Ramadan.

For example, a non-Muslim friend asked me if I could exercise three times a week, and if I wanted to wait till Ramadan over, my friend would wait as well. I told my friend, "I exercise during Ramadan. It's not a big deal." My friend was encouraged to begin exercising because exercise buddies are an important task for many people.

I exercised this morning, and I feel fine--a bit thirsty, but I tell myself "I am not thirsty" works for me.

I am curious what you do during Ramadan. Do you have no energy? Do you keep your same routine? Post your comments.

The Midi Market of the Future

2007-10-04T05:06:00.000-07:00

In a general 3-stage guide, Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings upon him) advised his followers on how to treat their children in accordance to their age group.

"From birth to the age of seven, play with them; to teach them thereafter, until the age of 14; and to be their friend throughout the teenage years, until they reach 21."

To any parent, these guidelines are extremely wide and have many dimensions of interpretation, yet they come with undeniable wisdom and allow us to develop our parenting skills with relentless care and sensitivity.

Zooming in on the second age-group of children, the one he (peace upon him) relates to as the "learning age group" of 7-14, any parent would know that children this age learn quickly, absorb new lessons effectively and are able to rationalise on what they have learned.

Children this age look up intently for role models and tend to find comfort in the parent that shares the same gender. Parents in turn should pay alot of attention to these eager minds and nosy parkers because this is the right age to start teaching children right from wrong.

From age 14 onwards, children tend to grow into the wonky hormonal stage of puberty and teenage years and from then on, communicating with your child takes on a whole new meaning.

When Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings upon him) talked about teaching children, he did not only mean sitting down and looking over homework. Learning at this stage can stand is a daily activity for a child.

Bare in mind then, however conscientious we are at "teaching" our children, there is also the danger of them learning lessons subconsciously from our own carelessness.

Once upon a time, when I was in that age bracket of 7-14, (it was not that long ago really, lol), we had an opportunity to live in Brussles, Belgium. My siblings and I attended an International School, comprising mostly of European students, mainly British.

Being a Muslim family living in the West, the hunt for halal food was inevitable, and the one place in Brussels that Islamically slaughtered chicken and meat was available was in a place called Midi Market.

Midi Market was represented the home for the Morrocan community in Brussels. You would really feel different upon entering the marketplace. It was like standing on the border of Morroco, if you like, though I have never had the pleasure of visiting that country. There were no Belgian people there, just Morrocans and more Morrocans.

Unfortunately, there was a general sentiment amongst the locals, as well as other inhabitants in Belgium that these Moroccan people were really not that nice. Many Malaysians had encounters with them, the youth mostly, asking for money and mostly causing problems on public transportations. Many were also known to pick-pocket. One of my dad's friends had his coat spat on when he refused their requests for loose change.

No, Morrocans were not nice. This was what I was told, over and over again, through a series of many stories.

After a while, my siblings and I never ventured out to Midi market with my parents for their weekly groceries. Too many Morrocans, they would warn, as they drove across the city to the only place halal meat was available.

I would lie if I said I did not agree with them at the time. A few years later during my wonky teenage years I was waiting for a friend during a shopping spree and a Morrocan teenager came up to me. He asked for money, so I said "no." Then he asked again, and I persisted "no." Then he said I had a nice winter jacket and he had nothing to eat. I plonked in some coins into his cup but before I heard them jingle against the plastic, three other guys were advancing towards me, palms outstretch for change. I fled the scene.

After I nearly killed my friend for making me wait for so long I saw my Morrocan buddy chain-smoking at the corner of the street. I concluded he was an idiot.

That incident just fortified my dislike for the Morrocan community living in Brussles. To me, they were all trouble makers.

A couple of wonky years later, in an undisputed peculiar twist of fate and faith, I decided to wear the hijab. That is a different story all together. I was not living in Belgium, but had moved back to my home-country to study.

My family remained in Brussles and I would visit them during my study breaks.

Things were definitely different the moment I entered the country dressed as I was. I now looked like a Muslim.

Walking down the street malls a few years before, I would have never attracted attention - so I was Asian and short, no big deal. With my headscarf however, it was very differnt.

Women would hang on to their handbags and pull them around acorss their chests. Their husbands / boyfriends / friends would tell them to, yelling "hang on to your bag! Hang on to your purse!" And so they did. I would also notice how their pupils would make an indefinite turn to keep me in the corner of their sight, and no matter much shorter I was compared to them, it was actually possible.

Mothers would pull their kids out of the way... or in fact pull them out of my way... and then pull their bags out of my reach.

People would definitely stare and then pretend not to stare, and then stare again, palms around their valuables.

For many moments thereon, I felt like how it would have to felt to be a Morrocan from Midi market. The ones who were marginalised by everyone, except Muslims when their freezers ran dry of halal meat. But even that did not stop them from spreading the nasty stories about the one or two not very nice teenagers on the local tram.

I also realised that I had been taught during my years of learning that anyone who looked vaguely Morrocan was either a loose-change beggar or a pick-pocketer. I had been taught that Morrocans were just not very nice people. Now I was one of them.

The final embellishment came from someone still dawdling in the learning age group - my little brother. He said to me, "Maria, you look like an Islamic terrorist." Did I conclude that he was an idiot. Maybe, at that time, but now, years later I realise that he had been taught to think that way too.

"All mankind is from Adam and Eve. An Arab has no superiority over a non-Arab, nor does a non-Arab have any superiority over an Arab; also a white has no superiority over a black, nor does a black have any superiority over a white except by piety and good action."
(Prophet Muhammad's (pbuh) farewell sermon).

You can't help to reflect that Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings upon him) warned us against racism during his time as Prophet - he even reminded his followers to eradicate racial discrimination during his farewell sermon.

Unfortunately, as much as Muslims are being discriminated against by non-Muslims who are educated by mainstream media, this hate crime exists within Muslim societies of our own. To make matters worse, children, young children, have their ears peeled open and listen to our laments of "other Muslims" of "other ethnicities" with such distaste.

You can't get enough of a certain hierarchy within the Muslim world. Purple Muslims are better than Blue Muslims. Blue Muslims are smarter than Orange Muslims. Orange Muslims are more beautiful than Pink Muslims. Pink Muslims build better Masjids than Green Muslims. The lists goes on, and we are passing on that very same list to the next Muslim generation - that eager mind and nosy parker listening intently as you and your spouse complain about the Brown Muslim family living down the street.

I'm sure there were sour apples in one of the million baskets in Midi market. I had a run in with one of them, a memory that will stick with me forever. What I do not want forever though, is the lesson I learned of Morrocan people so horridly stereotyped that every Muslim would be known as thief or a scoundrel... let alone an Islamic terrorist.

Now that I am way above the age of consent in any country and addicted to the Internet - mostly for work - I find Midi markets everywhere, in every nook and cranny. In fact, I visit them all the time. I interact with them and I learn from them every single day.

I have met Muslim sisters who have reverted to the beautiful faith through their wonderful Morrocan husbands. I have learned how these families manage themselves and live in accordance to Islamic creed. I have met Morrocan brothers and sisters so steadfast in their faith, that any Muslim - Blue, Yellor or Magenta - would pause in awe, and say Masha'Allah.

Maybe that is something we would like to pass on to our eager minds and nosy parkers.

I feel horrible for the Morrocans who live in Brussels mostly because I had such a negative perception on all of them, even though there were many sweet apples in the baskets at Midi market.

With enough problems on our plates, Muslims need to hold steadfast together. This will not only stengthen the present ummah that is grappling dangerously with diversity and constant change with different Muslim societal infrastructures - it is also necessary for our children.

They learn from us every day and it is their right to be taught right from wrong - whether consciously or carelessly.

And hold fast, all together, by the rope which Allah (stretches out for you), and be not divided among yourselves; and remember with gratitude Allah's favour on you; for ye were enemies and He joined your hearts in love, so that by His Grace, ye became brethren; and ye were on the brink of the pit of Fire, and He saved you from it. Thus doth Allah make His Signs clear to you: That ye may be guided. (Al `Imran 3: 103)

Muslim Women Speak Series

2007-10-02T20:29:00.000-07:00

This is the first event in the 2007 Muslim Women Speak series sponsored by the Women & Gender Studies and Religious Studies programs and the Office of the Academic Dean.

For more information, contact: Dr. Debra Majeed, at (608) 363-2318; mubashsh@beloit.edu.

Oct. 2, 2007
Richardson Auditorium 7 P.M.
“Equality & The Inalienable Rights of Muslim Women”
Farzana Hassan, President of the Muslim Canadian Congress

Oct. 6: “The Nature of Dress,” a panel of local Muslim women,
1-2 P.M., WAC, South Lounge

Oct. 9: “The Cultures of Muslims in America,”
Dr. Aminah McCloud, Director of the Islamic
World Studies Program, DePaul University,
7 P.M., Richard Auditorium

Oct 23: “The Activist Call of Muslim Women,”
Laila Muhammad, Executive Director,
Ash-Shamsiyyah, The Umbrella Domestic Family Service;
and Sahirah Muhammad, International President,
International League of Muslim Women,
7 P.M., Richardson Auditorium

I should introduce myself...

2007-10-01T01:05:00.000-07:00

Assalamu'Alaykum,
Dear Reader,

Humanist invited me to blog on in into Things to know about Muslims and Arabs.

Honestly, it sounded really intimidating at first. Firstly, I am not Arab, and have not even known 10 Arab people in my twenty something years of life. At the same time though, I am pro the embelishment of stereotypes. However, the more I entertained the idea of providing fair light to my Arab brothers and sisters, who are mostly also my brothers and sisters of faith, I decided that blogging here would expand my horizon and allow me to learn new things everyday.

Growing up as a Muslim with a Malay father, Chinese mother, with Indian "godparents" in Western Europe, attending a British School, I know more than enough I know about racism and discrimination to last me four and a half lifetimes.

I am glad you are reading this blog and would like to ask you to support this campaign to give Muslims and Arabs alike a rightful representation that they deserve, as opposed to general mainstream media.

As I blog though, I will make mistakes, so please do not hesitate to correct me, as I am also here to learn about different cultural upbringing and Muslims around the world.

Humanist has done a good job in setting this blog up and rolling out ideas already, masha'Allah, may we all partake in making it work for the sake of Allah.

All truth and beauty come from Allah and any mistakes are mine.

Muslims still live in trees!

2007-09-30T06:35:00.000-07:00

The common insult of a civilisation still leaving in trees probably stems from the belief of evolution, whereby man evolved from the ape. Muslims do not believe in Darwin's theory, which is full of loopholes, on the becoming of man. However, when faced with the comment or insult that Muslims still live in trees... Muslims can respond that the statement is in fact true. There are Muslims living in trees!

As much as Muslims do not believe that Man are ancestors of the money, they do believe that the many species that make up the ape-kindgom are, in fact, Muslims.

Besides monkeys that "still" live in trees, birds, bugs, bees, sloths (are the part of the ape kingdom?), koala bears and other animals that inhabituate trees are also Muslim.

"There is no animal that lives on the Earth, but forms part of communities like you. Nothing have We omitted from the Book, and they shall all be gathered to their Lord in the end."
(Al-An'am: 38)

Obviously we have left out all the other non-tree bound animals that live in the different climates and environments that have been uniquely created to suit their multiple needs and requirements.

In fact, there are plenty of special mention of animals in the Qur'an and the Prophetic Sunnah that give animals the recognition of their natural inclination to worship Allah, and Allah alone.

Prophet Sulayman (may Allah bless him) was gifted with the knowledge to decipher the speech of birds and beast alike.

"He (Sulaiman) said: O' People! We have been taught the language of the birds and have been given (abundance) of all things; this is indeed grace manifest (from Allah)." (Al-Naml: 15)

In fact, on one of his da'wa missions, Prophet Sulayman heard ants clamouring for safety in fear of being trampled upon: "At length when they came to a valley of ants, one of the ants said: 0' ants! Get into your holes lest Sulaiman and his hosts crush you without knowing it." (Al-Naml: 18)

In the story of Prophet Yusuf, Prophet Yakob (Yusuf's father) (peace and blessings upon them both), questioned his sons on Yusuf's disappearance. The boys quickly framed a wolf for devouring their younger brother. Prophet Yakob however, was enlightened by Allah that their story was false and there was no incidence of Yusuf's death, let alone had he perished in the jaws of a wolf.

In another story, the chapter Al-Kahf in the Holy Qur'an, narrates the story of a group of young men who hid in a cave away from persecutors of the Islamic faith. It is narrated that a dog stood guard for a great number of years, protecting the righteous young men from enemies.

"Thou wouldst have deemed them awake, whilst they were asleep, and We turned them on their right and on their left sides: their dog stretching forth his two fore-legs on the threshold: if thou hadst come up on to them, thou wouldst have certainly turned back from them in flight, and wouldst certainly have been filled with terror of them." (Al-Kahf: 18)

Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) too, in all of his kindness, always reminded his Muslim followers to treat animals the way they would treat one another. He forbade striking animals in their faces, humiliating them, or killing them in a way that would cause horrific pain.

Prophet Muhammad's acknowledgement of the Muslim status of animals was fortified during his flee from hostile Makkah to welcoming Madinah. For fear of their lives, he and comrad, Abu Bakr (peace and blessings upon them both), hid in a cave in the vast desert as men of the Quraysh hounded them down to put a stop to Islam.

A spider sensing the Prophet's (peace and blessings be upon him), strive for survival, wove a web, cordoning off the opening of the cave. Upon seeing a magnificently woven web across the shelter that hid the two Muslim men, the hunters, tipped off by the Quraysh, left the mouth of the cave, deceived by the spider's flimsy piece of protection - a delicate layer of nature hiding the truth.

There is an abundance of Hadith relaying the importance of caretaking of animals. A popular one is the story of a prostitute being granted Heaven after sighting a thirst-mongered dog. She removed a shoe, collected water from a well and watered and fed the dog, saving it from an untimely death. (Bukhari)

Human Muslims are therefore required to bestow only kindness upon animals regardless of their species, regardless of their habitats. Apparently now for Muslims, "living in trees" no longer poses as an insult.

It may be distasteful for a person's home to be associated with a tree branch, but in fact, there are probably human civilisations still living in trees and who are Muslim.

Nonetheless it is important to remember that all animals too are in fact Muslim and many of them live in trees designed to suit their ecosystem.

Practicing Muslims believe that Allah Ta'ala the Creator of the Worlds has perfected the environment we live in, so much so, that all elements of nature lament in His Glory, each with their own ways of worship.

"In the creation of the heavens and earth, and the alternation of the night and day, and the ships which sail the seas to people's benefit, and the water which Allah sends down from the sky - by which He brings the earth to life when it was dead and scatters about in it creatures of every kind - and the varying direction of the winds, and the clouds subservient between heaven and earth, there are Signs for people who use their intellect." (al-Baqara: 164)

New and Improved Blog

2007-09-28T18:24:00.000-07:00

Salaam and greetings to all of you. We have made a comeback at Things to know about Muslims and Arabs. I have added a co-blogger, named Maria. She will be blogging twice a week, occasionally one or two posts extra.

Our intention is to blog Monday through Friday with occasional Saturdays and Sundays. If you have topics that we should cover, feel free to leave a comment on our blog.

A Happy Ramadan to Muslims around the world!

A multitude of talents required, please!

2007-09-27T05:33:00.000-07:00

"If you do not feel ashamed of doing something, do whatever you like." (Bukhari)

Arabs are Muslims. Muslims are Arab. Sound familiar? That is just one of the popular misconceptions related to the Islamic faith.

Another popular illustration of Muslims, or Arabs, for the matter, is that they sit around all day, probably in a mosque, or a home, chanting melodic verses from a large book, sometimes in unison, sometimes not. These people who chant comprise mostly of men - no women in sight at all - and boys.

The man, or boy, in focus does not differ a great deal from the man, or boy, sitting next to him. They dress the same, their hair is combed the same way, they both wear a skull-cap and both grow a beard to the best of their ability. Where are the women? Probably sitting in a room down the hall, with the lights dimmed, all wearing black, chanting the same verses too.

Many believe that this picture denotes the only way one can be a firm follower of the Islamic faith.

Scholars though, along with the multi-cultural Muslim society scattered around the globe, beg to differ. With the saying of Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings upon him) to do "whatever you like," directly reminds Muslims of the infinite amount of knowledge, also scattered around the globe, and the importance of attaining as much knowledge as possible to build a progressive, developing society, known as the Muslim umma. A progressive nation requires a multitude of talents.

Though it is true that there are Muslims who devote their lives in becoming experts in the realm of Islamic creed, it is not mandatory on every Muslim to study Islamic fiqh as their main career in life.

A Muslim, is allowed and encouraged to delve into studies of his or her interests and choose the field that allows him or her to flourish by capitalising on his or her strengths.

Like followers of other faiths, Muslims are doctors specialising in different disciplines; engineers, with sometimes more than one degree to their name; writers and journalists; accountants and bankers; lecturers and historians; politicians and economists; architects and artists.

What Muslims have to observe however, is that whichever field of knowledge they specialise in, they are required to hold steadfast to the Islamic principles that govern their expertise.

For example, Muslim bankers can only enter into banking contracts that are enacted without the element of interest. Architects are allowed to express their creativity provided their architectural designs do not violate Islamic beliefs. For example, they may not incorporate human images in their designs.

These practices are in conjuction with the Muslim way of worship, whereby each follower loves and hates for the sake of Allah, demonstrating that Islam is indeed a complete way of life with Muslims holding steadfast to the truth - together.

By adhering to this Islamic conduct with regards to the various strands of knowledge, Muslims also acknowledge hat infinite wisdom belongs to Allah and to Allah alone. The knowledge acquired by one person throughout his or her lifetime is but a speckle of dust caught in a drop of water resting on a grain of sand on a vast beach stretching a cross a tiny country.

A Muslim, or an Arab for that matter, is not only a lawyer, realtor, warden, police officer, or construction worker - he or she is encouraged to be whatever he or she wants to the best of his or her ability and interest.

The uniqueness of one Muslim to the next is important in order to complement another person's field of speciality. A society would not survive if every member of the community shared the same profession, even if it were a whole society devoted to Islamic creed.

Diversity is the key of a progressive nation. This goes to show that no one person, regardless of faith would ever be able to survive in this world all alone. There is no such thing as living as an island as far as Islamic belief is concern.

This principle is further strengthened by the opening chapter in the Qur'an, which Muslims recite at least 17 times a day during prayers: "Thee do we worship and thine aid do we seek," (Al-Fatiha: 5). The verse clearly reflects the humility of a Muslim towards Allah Ta'ala through his or her invocations and his or her humility towards the Muslim praying next to him or her.

A Muslim worships with his or her brothers and sisters of the Islamic faith, portraying that Muslims need the unique strengths of his brothers and sisters in order to successfully worship his of her Creator.

Therefore the next time a newsclip on Muslims is aired on television, understand that worship in the traditional sense is not the only activity Muslims partake in, 24 hours a day.

Every Muslim is different from the next in what he or she does during the day. At the same time however, it is so important for Muslims to sit down together whether in prayer, reading of the Qur'an , rememberance of Allah (dzikr), or the breaking of the fast (iftar), to remind each other of the greatness of Allah Ta'ala.

Stereotypes of Muslims and Arabs

2007-07-16T12:54:00.000-07:00

Stereotypes of Muslims and Arabs need to be corrected. I had some friends tell me, if they didn't know me they would have believed t hose stereotypes. Yes, they are non Arab and Non Muslim. I thanked them for their honesty, yet I realize that many Muslims and Arabs have to work hard to correct those stereotypes.

We need to be doing our effort in "volunteering" correct information. Socialize. Get to know your neighbor and vice versa. Volunteer at your child's school. Join a local organization that does volunteer work for the community. Share your food. I am telling you food is a the key. Born and raised in the good ol' US, I have seen food do wonders to many people.

So, I am telling you my fellow Muslims and Arabs and supporters, do something to help correct those stereotypes.

Arabic restaurants

2007-07-15T08:55:00.000-07:00

I just found out in my area, we are going to have three Arabic restaurants opening up within the next few months. How cool is that! With careful planning and marketing, Arabic food could be as common as other ethnic foods in the area.

Hopefully, Arabic restaurants will not only have Arab customers. Arabic food needs to be introduced to many because this the key to learning about other cultures. People like to eat. With eating comes comfort and trust.

I will keep you posted when I hear things about the Arabic restaurants.

Back from Hiatus

2007-07-14T15:43:00.001-07:00

Hi everyone,

I am back from hiatus.

I will be posting this week (and plan to keep it a regular thing).

Any of my old readers still around? If so, send me comment to sure that you are ok!

The people are one thing...

2007-05-25T08:52:00.000-07:00

Despite the embarrassment of this, I assure curious seekers and learners that this DOES NOT represent the general Arab or Muslim population--just the institutions unfortunately. We have brilliant Arabs and Muslims, but unfortunately they are hardly recognized in the Arab or Muslim world. So, many come to the West and are greatly appreciated for their knowledge and skill. What do they call this? Um...Brain Drain???? This hurts the Arab and Muslim worlds.

Arab Universities Not On List Of 300 Best
The Jordanian daily Al-Dustour has reported that not a single Arab or Muslim university is included among the 300 best universities worldwide.
The paper also reported that none of the Muslim countries, some of which are extremely wealthy, are among the 20 countries that spend the most on research and development.
By contrast, India and China had 1.2 million students graduating last year with science and engineering degrees.
Source: Al-Dustour, Jordan, May 23, 2007

Stop the wars

2007-05-24T20:14:00.001-07:00

I am a humanist. I am against wars, torture, and conflicts. I do believe that all humans have a right to live anywhere they please. I do believe that all humans have a right to fulfill their dreams.

So, stop the wars in Iraq, Gaza, Lebanon, and Afghanistan. People wake up. You and I are human. We have families and dreams. How would you want your child to live? To live in fear? Remember, people are taught to hate and fear...it doesn't come naturally.

So, I ask of you, to remember tragedy of humans. My heart is with those who suffer due to oppression and occupation.

Food...An Icebreaker...

2007-05-05T19:44:00.000-07:00

I just thought of something the other day. If you ever need to work with new people, a good way to break the ice is to bring them ethnic food. I have done that recently. It is a good method for them to see and taste your food. It allows that person to think, "interesting, their food is pretty good."

Food, especially that is good, tends to change a person's point of view of other cultures. I gave one of my non Arab coworkers some Baklawa. They loved it. This Baklawa was from Shatilla, a place in Michigan. I am not promoting this in any way. I don't even live in Michigan, but somewhere else in the U.S. :) My coworker was surprised. I said, why? Dearborn is the Middle East capital of USA. When they get a chance, my coworker is planning to visit Dearborn.

A little bit about myself...I live no where near Arabs, although I am one. I am surrounded by mostly non Arab and non Muslim people. Yes, my family and I have to be excellent role models. However, we do our best to help improve Muslims and Arabs reputation.

Computer troubles

2007-05-03T13:26:00.000-07:00

Hi everyone,

I know that I had written that I will try to blog more often, believe it or not I had computer troubles...AGH. This is the first time since my last post that I am able to get on a computer. So please be patient as I try to come up with other solutions, so that I could do my best to update my blog.

Thanks.

The Humanist

I Am Baaaaaaaack!!

2007-04-23T14:12:00.000-07:00

Salaam, hello, and greetings to all.

After being away from this blog, I decided to come back, and continue with this blog to learn more about myself and to help others learn about Muslims and Arabs, and eventually themselves.

My goal is to blog everyday, if not definitely every other day. So keep checking and reading.

Take care.

The Humanist

Debating...if I should continue this blog

2007-03-15T21:03:00.000-07:00

I have been debating if I should continue this blog. I was hoping to see more comments between myself and the readers, but unfortunately, that did not happen.

What do you think, should I call it quits?

Arab Americans contributions

2007-02-23T12:22:00.000-08:00

Many Arabs have contributed to the daily living in the good ol' USA. Below is a website of famous Arab Americans contributions, from politics to actors. Check it out.

http://www.aaiusa.org/arab-americans/23/famous-arab-americans

Pour the cofee, pour the tea

2007-02-19T19:06:00.000-08:00

After I was done working out, a gym buddy of mine, would consider going to Palestine and Jordan with my family and I next year, if advance notice was given because of the preference for the local and not tourist culture. "I think it is very important to experience the culture at the local level of the country. That is how you know people who are of different backgrounds," my gym buddy told me. I had this big grin on my face, and I told my buddy that I will give advance notice of when we travel.

I was touched that a partial stranger (we only converse at the gym) was comfortable to tell me this. I told my buddy that my house is open, so there is no need for a hotel.

Have any of you had a similar incident, where your colleague or some body wanted to know about your culture? If so, let me know by commenting...

So when next year comes, as a song goes in Arabic, "Subil Qahwa, subil shay..." "Pour the coffee, pour the tea..."

I feel sorry for your women (talking about hijab)

2007-02-15T09:14:00.000-08:00

"Why do you have to wear that thing on your head?" "Do you speak English?" These are some questions that some Muslim women receive when they are seen wearing their Hijabs, a head cover with loose fitted clothing. You should see their faces when the Muslim females converse with the curious seekers, their eyes open wide, and their mouths hang. Some of the Muslim females have no foreign accent.

So, why do women wear that hijab? Many would say Allah commanded them to do so; and then to serve modesty purposes.

Hijab is actually a liberation for many women. They don't follow the pressures of media and a superficial society. Women are confident that their minds speak louder than their bodies.

Are you from Jerusalem, Pakistan?

2007-02-14T11:00:00.000-08:00

Many people tend to ask me or other Palestinians, "Are you Pakistanian?" We would explain to them, no, we are Palestinians. They would look at us confused. So, here are the basics, there are two names Palestinians and Pakistanis.

Palestinians are Arabs who are from the Middle East. They come from a country called Palestine/Israel/Occupied Palestinian territories/The West Bank and Gaza Strip. All Arabs, pro Palestinian supporters, and Muslims prefer the name Palestine, thank you.

Pakistan is not part of the Middle East. They are neighbors with India. Pakistanis speak Urdu.

So to answer your question, am I from Jerusalem, Pakistan? No, I am from Jerusalem, Palestine.

An example of getting along?

2007-02-12T08:25:00.000-08:00

The Jewish school where half the pupils are Muslim
King David, in Birmingham, is a state primary where the children learn Hebrew, recite Jewish prayers, eat kosher food and wave Israeli flags. So how come the majority of pupils are followers of Islam? Jonathan Margolis investigates
Published: 01 February 2007

http://education.independent.co.uk/schools/article2201860.ece

I am curious to see if anyone leave comments. Is this an example of getting along? Is this a good idea?

Map of The Arab World

2007-02-11T10:02:00.000-08:00

Here is a map of the Arab world. The 22 Arab states include the northern part of Africa, as well as a small part of Asia.

Just like USA, there are differences and similarities that can be found across the Arab world. It is safe to say there are dialectic and cultural differences, yet there are shared cultures like Arabic food and music.

Who are we?

2007-02-10T14:03:00.000-08:00

Many people think Muslims and Arabs are the same. If you are Arab, then you are a Muslim. If you are a Muslim, then you must be Arab. Well, that is not the case.

Arabs are Muslims, Christians, Jews, even atheists. Muslims are comprised of different nationalities from around the world. Majority of Muslims are not Arabs. However, Muslims read and perform prayers in Arabic.

Arabs are of Palestinian, Egyptian, Iraqi, Jordanian, Saudi Arabian, Syrian descent, and many more. There are about 22 Arab states in the Middle East, with a population of more than 300 million--the population of USA.

We are just like you. We have families, jobs, dreams and wishes. We are educated people who volunteer, and participate in sports and other social activities.

Things to know...

2007-02-09T11:09:00.000-08:00

A few weeks ago, friends and I had a discussion of why weren't Muslims and Arabs portrayed positively as living life in the media. An example of what I mean is that a bunch of Muslim college students--males and females, attended a Chicago Bulls game about one month ago; the ones who didn't attend were watching the game that night at home.

Although the cameras scanned parts of the audience, not once did they bring any Muslim on television. See some of the Muslim females were wearing the hijab, a head cover with loose clothing.

So my friends we discussed that. They said that the media would love to record a Muslim at the game, however due to lack of knowledge they avoid all together because they want to be sensitive towards Muslims and Arabs.

If that is the case, then I will give you and anyone else who is interested in getting a short course on things you wanted to know about Muslims and Arabs, but are too afraid to ask or you never had the chance to.

What I ask of you is this, keep an open mind as you visit my blog, feel free to post constructive criticism, and I don't mind engaging in professional dialogue.

OK, be ready for many fabulous things about Muslims and Arabs on this blog. Be sure to check daily!