Showing posts with label understanding Muslims. Show all posts
Showing posts with label understanding Muslims. Show all posts
Friday, March 7, 2008
Monday, March 3, 2008
Spring Camp 2008 at U of I, Champaign, IL
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
Thursday, January 17, 2008
Salaam Ashura
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.
Thursday, December 13, 2007
Muslim helps Jews
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
Monday, December 10, 2007
Let's Be Clear
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.
Monday, December 3, 2007
Would you like a rainbow?
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.
Sunday, September 30, 2007
Muslims still live in trees!
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)
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)
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