Scores of miners said to be trapped as rescue work continues in Heilongjiang province.
Muslim
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AL JAZEERA ENGLISH (AJE)
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China coal-mine blast claims lives
21 Nov 2009 | 8:45 am -
Albanians stage election protests
21 Nov 2009 | 8:15 amThousands of Albanians protest election results and demand fraud investigation. -
Afghanistan announces army upgrade
21 Nov 2009 | 6:47 amPlan to boost force size to 240,000 unveiled as attacks in Afghan capital continue. -
Kenya evicts Mau forest residents
21 Nov 2009 | 6:24 amKenya evicts squatters from Mau forest due to country's endangered water supply. -
Migrant workers at risk in S Africa
21 Nov 2009 | 6:16 amAt least 2,000 Zimbabweans seek refuge in rugby stadium after their shacks are levelled.
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IslamCrunch
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Imam Benjamin Perez – Native American Muslim Convert Pioneer
19 Nov 2009 | 2:40 amImam Benjamin Perez is one of the great treasures of the American Muslim community. He became Muslim in Oakland over 50 years ago. Some say he was the first Hispanic convert in the San Francisco Bay Area. He has dedicated much of his life to dawah and connecting Islam with Hispanic and Native American peoples. He has recently been diagnosed with terminal cancer in the brain and stomach and has been told he has only a few weeks left before he returns to his Creator. Please make du’a for him and his family, and make a contribution to help his family cover their expenses in this… -
Usul al-Fiqh Session 2 Live Webcast Today – Quran: History and Importance
14 Nov 2009 | 10:30 amExpress Yourself LIVE The Qur’an: History & Importance (Session 2) Saturday, November 14, 2009 from 1:00 PM – 3:00 PM (PST) Venue: Fremont, CA Ta’leef Collective Lamppost Webcast: Instructions (PDF) For more info: http://bit.ly/usulfiqh A series of classes that will focus on the origins and sources of Islamic law over a course of 12 sessions. By understanding the rationale and procedures by which we can apply the different elements of jurisprudence, it is hoped that students can see the various levels of diversity and increase the respect for the broad legal rulings… -
RT: Twitter releases retweet beta feature
9 Nov 2009 | 12:22 pm“What is RT?” is a common question asked by friends and family who have not seen the social media light. RT = retweet. Retweet = reposting a tweet (Twitter message) you found on Twitter. Recently, Twitter released a new beta feature for retweeting from their web interface. Initially, retweeting had to be done manually. Adding the “RT” then copying the username (not forgetting the @ symbol) and then copying the tweet. Soon after, third party applications like CoTweet and HootSuite integrated the retweet feature into their platforms. Interestingly, one of our lesser… -
LIVE Webcast NOW – Intro to Usul al-Fiqh – Shaykh Abdullah Ali
7 Nov 2009 | 2:06 pmLIVE Webcast NOW – Intro to Usul al-Fiqh with Shaykh Abdullah Ali – http://www.stickam.com/zaytuna_college Express Yourself LIVE UPDATE: For those who missed the first session, here is the recorded video of session 1. Includes testimonials from the students. -
Shaykh Abdullah Ali – Fatalism, Free Will or Something In Between
9 Oct 2009 | 10:25 amWhile Imam Tahawi’s Creed covers a number of important topics, this course will focus mainly on those passages from the work that are related specifically to the issue of the divine decree (al-qada’ wa al-qadar). The lectures will aim to elucidate the proper understanding of this doctrine as evinced by the verses of the Qur’an and the reports from the prophetic tradition. It will also venture into questions of fatalism and absolute free-will in an attempt to elucidate the basis for these two tendencies in the Abrahamic traditions. The course also aims to magnify the importance of a…
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altmuslim
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Women's rights: Arab women on the move
20 Nov 2009 | 10:00 amWomen in the Middle East are on the move, but in decidedly different directions, depending on where you look. In less than 40 years, Cairo has gone from a city of Western fashion to a city in which the majority of women wear the hijab, or headscarf, and even niqab, an outfit that covers the female body, face and hands. Many attribute this trend to mounting Islamic radicalism, influenced by the brand of Salafism imported from Saudi Arabia. Yet, in Saudi Arabia King Abdullah has just inaugurated a new university in which women will study alongside their male counterparts without being forced to… -
Tunku Varadarajan's "Going Muslim": Normalizing hate speech
18 Nov 2009 | 9:00 amLet’s begin with this disconcerting premise: that we live in a world where anti-Islamic sentiments are becoming increasingly less recognizable as hate speech: that is, as speech that attempts to injure through essentializations produced as ‘facts’. The most recent example of this ‘phenomena,’ emerges in “Going Muslim,” the article written for Forbes Magazine by NYU Stern Professor of Business and Hoover Institute Fellow, Tunku Varadarajan. In search of answers for why and how this widening space of acceptability is being produced, let’s turn to the rhetorical form and content… -
Race, class, and religion: Remembering Imam Luqman Abdullah
16 Nov 2009 | 8:45 amOn Wednesday, October 28, 2009, Imam Luqman Abdullah, a humble servant of America’s underclass, was killed by a fusillade of bullets fired by government agents, some of whom had played an integral role in helping to stage the crimes he was accused of committing. His story, like that of all humans is a complicated one. Unfortunately, most people in this country will never learn of Imam Luqman Abdullah, the complicated man. The complexity of his life will be drowned out by the simplistic images of the homegrown Muslim extremist – a caricature. The nuances of his story, his dedication to… -
Diplomacy: A monumental task for American Muslims
13 Nov 2009 | 6:00 amAs a Muslim, I condemn the horrific tragedy that occurred at Fort Hood last Thursday. My heart goes out to the families of American service members who were killed and wounded in the shooting. I am afraid that this incident will disrupt the collective interests of all human beings due to a new wave of distrust and cynicism. Islam does not condone such killings. The Qur'an clearly states that deliberate killing of an innocent human being constitutes crimes against humanity. Incidents like this can shatter the composure of hundreds of millions of Muslims who want peace and work every day for… -
Journalism: When does a gunman become a terrorist?
11 Nov 2009 | 8:30 amHours after a gunman killed 13 and wounded 30 at a U.S. Army base in Fort Hood, Texas on Thursday, reporters and news anchors were still piecing together information about what appeared to be a mass murder. But as journalists got word of the identity of the suspected shooter, Army Maj. Nidal Malik Hasan, terrorism became a topic of discussion. With little more confirmed than the suspect's name and Muslim faith, broadcasters and reporters explained that it was not clear whether the event was an act of terrorism. As more details emerged, journalists confirmed that there were stronger links…
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Confessions of a Funky Ghetto Hijabi
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New Blog: The Woyingi Blog on Wordpress
9 Nov 2009 | 6:20 amPlease visit my new blog on Wordpress, The Woyingi BlogMy Blackness-I got it from my papa!The Woyingi blog is about being Black…but what do I mean by Black?This takes some explanation as Black doesn’t mean the same thing to everyone. In Britain and South Africa, for example, Black is a political term refering to pretty much everyone who isn’t purely European or “White” (Chinese South Africans recently won the right to be considered “Black” by the government). But in the U.S. Black usually refers to people who are descended from slaves brought from West and Central Africa during… -
This blog will remain up indefinitely
22 Mar 2009 | 5:39 pmI was originally planning to delete this blog in February but it seems people are still commenting on these posts and as I haven't had much time to work on my new blog, The Woyingi Blogger, it isn't really ready to launch yet. So you might as well keep enjoying this one.In order to distinguish my new blog from this one I have returned to the original title of this blog, Confessions of a Funky Ghetto Hijabi.Thanks for reading,Formerly The Funky Ghetto Hijabi -
AQSA Zine Deadline Extended to Dec. 6th 2008
1 Dec 2008 | 11:00 amAttention Muslim Young Women & Trans People!!Call for Submissions for AQSA Zine Issue #1 This Issue's Theme: Resistance and Self-Defense:Because you spend your life fighting back with a smile or fist Deadline: December 6, 2008 About Us: AQSA Zine is a grassroots print zine, as well as an on-line community(aqsazine.blogspot.com) that is open to all women and trans people who self-identify as Muslim (13 to 35 years old). It is a creative avenue for us to express ourselves, share our own experiences, and connect with others. In Arabic, “aqsa” implies the furthermost, as in reaching out to… -
Muslim Moments: Twilight Arabian Style
29 Nov 2008 | 7:01 amTwilight: The Movie has finally arrived.I am so annoyed.What is with Muslim women and Twilight? Why are they so obsessed with the lovers Bella Swan (human) and Edward Cullen (vampire)? Are that few Muslim women having healthy happy human sex that they need to read about vampire sex? Are we so sexually repressed that our only outlets are stories about teenage vampire love? Are we really that Victorian?Poster for Twilight. Bella Swan and Edward Cullen. True Love Waits Forever!It was the Victorians, sexually repressed people who they were, who made vampires sexy. Vampires were gross and putrid… -
OBAMA-RAMA: Barack the Magnificent by Mighty Sparrow
19 Nov 2008 | 7:04 pmOBAMA-RAMA: Because something changed on Nov 4th...but I'm not sure what.The following are the lyrics to the song "Barack The Magnificent" by legendary singer and self-proclaimed King of the Calypso World, Mighty Sparrow. Originally from Trinidad (born in Grenada), Mighty Sparrow's career in Calypso spans over 40 years. He is a naturalized US Citizen who lives in New York. Sparrow endorsed Obama back in 2007 during an exclusive meeting at the Marriott Hotel in Brooklyn.MIGHTY SPARROW AND BARACK OBAMASparrow's music has always been socially conscious and political. He was a supporter of Eric…
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Rickshaw Diaries
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Brass Crescents and Influential Muslims
16 Nov 2009 | 5:40 pmThe polls for the 6th annual Brass Crescent Awards are open till the 27th! The excellent blog Muslimah Media Watch received three well-deserved nominations. Their editor-in-chief Fatemeh Fakhraie, whom I had the pleasure of meeting at Muslim Leaders of Tomorrow earlier this year, was also interviewed by elan today. The Royal Islamic Strategic Studies Center (of [...] -
The Becoming
15 Nov 2009 | 1:09 pmMy dear friend Rachel at Velveteen Rabbi has written a trio of extraordinary posts (1, 2, 3) on her pregnancy, for which I am grateful as she so beautifully articulates what I cannot. Most often these days I find myself struck speechless by this experience that is both mundane by virtue of being one of the [...] -
Thoughts on Parenthood
13 Nov 2009 | 4:20 pmI slipped on the stairs yesterday around 11 am & hurt my lower back. Initially I felt fine and the baby was be-bopping around so the nurse I called said not to worry, but to hydrate & rest. But later that evening, for six hours I felt almost no movement at all. I rubbed oil on [...] -
6th Annual Brass Crescent Awards
27 Sep 2009 | 1:00 pmApparently nominations opened a week ago so please nominate your favorite blogs, posts & writers. So many great blogs have stopped publishing in the last year that I’d be interested to know what people are reading these days. -
Peace
26 Sep 2009 | 12:43 amI often think about those who say that “Islam means peace” and expect that to be the end of the story. And yet each year it seems that anger grows everywhere and in everyone, regardless of religion or a lack thereof. Peace is one of those words that is bandied about but the reality of [...]
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Mr Moo
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Halal-Meatarians
9 Nov 2009 | 10:31 pmThere is a BBC article “The rise of the non-veggie vegetarian” that discusses the more nuanced classification of almost-vegetarians Classic vegetarian: Eats no part of any dead animal Vegan: Eats no animal product Meat-avoider: Tries not to to eat meat but has occasional lapses Meat-reducer: Is trying to eat less meat, probably for health reasons Green eater: Avoids meat because of environmental impact We at Mooslim.com realised this was not enough for our Muslim brethren and sistren*. What follows are further definitions, for your education and entertainment. -
[26/32] A Spoonful of Sugar Makes the Medicine Go Down
2 Nov 2009 | 9:49 amThis post is about medicine folk. As I child I was a short and skinny, and my parents thought there was something indeterminably wrong with me. Various experts were consulted. A Hakeem was visiting Loughborough Road Mosque, and we dutifully went to see him. The Hakeem diagnosed a generic liver ailment, and gave some kind of sweet fig-based paste. On comparing my medicine with that of my cousin, we concluded the Hakeem dispensed this same medicine regardless of the ailment before him. (These childhood visits to medical experts continued until a gentle paediatrician, with the aid of… -
Muslim lolcats VIII: A Design For Life
15 Oct 2009 | 8:53 pm* * * * * Just heard the a certain leader has made his son in charge of everything. Such a shock, I may have to lie down. * * * * * Brethren, and sistren, but mainly brethren: Mona Eltahawy calls Palestine ‘“the opium of the Arabs”: an intoxicating way for them to forget their own failings, or at least blame them on someone else.’ I liked this article by Abdul Hakim Murad: A warning we should heed * * * * * I saw this article on Cif, on how the ritual slaughter of animals without stunning is cruel. A reasonable and well written position is put here. The obsession with HMC is… -
The reinvented eco-fridge
14 Oct 2009 | 6:53 amThe BBC have featured the following article: Prize for electricity-free fridge A 22-year-old Leeds student has been named one of the Women of the Year after inventing a “sustainable” fridge. However, I have seen similair inventions before. Shaykh Google revels: A fridge that needs no electricity – The Times of India A Low-cost Clay Fridge Inventor of no-electricity refrigerator wins Rolex award – Boing Boing Pot-in-pot refrigerator – Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Treehugger has the best article describing this ‘reinvention’ Solar Fridge Invented… -
Legal and official
13 Oct 2009 | 3:56 pmThe only advantage to having my name misspelled on my passport was I never got stopped at immigration. Like most things, I blame my parents. Unlike most things, it really was down to them. Actually, it was down to them, and the Tabligh Jamaat.* See, when I was born, and they were deciding names, my dad asked a chap from the Tabligh what should I be called? “Musab is a good name, after a companion of the Prophet” Yes, agreed my Father, except the fathead at the agency where they registered my birth misspelled it. Today, it has been rectified, and a nice lawyer has made me…
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Unique Muslimah
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30 Days of Gratitude: Day 10
12 Nov 2009 | 3:32 pm30 Days of Gratitude: Day 10, originally uploaded by Unique-Muslimah. I’m grateful for the time I had with my father today. In this increasingly fast-paced life it is sometimes hard to have some quality time with your loved ones. But today among the hustle and bustle of people in the city rushing here and there we [...] -
30 Days of Gratitude: Day 9
12 Nov 2009 | 3:24 pm30 Days of Gratitude: Day 9, originally uploaded by Unique-Muslimah. Today I’m grateful for my “don’t give up” attitude. The last time I made cupcakes, some of them had caved in, although I was not sure why. I was adamant to get a perfect tray of cupcakes, so I tried again today and all is well [...]
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Islam in China
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“First Muslim Minority” Thinking considered harmful
21 Nov 2009 | 9:25 amSometimes I get the impression that all this discussion about fiqh of minority and Muslims living in non-Muslim lands is extremely short sighted especially in USA. It seems to be predicated on the unstated premise that Muslims living as minorities in non-Muslim majority countries is an unprecedented and new phenomenon and thus we have to address questions related to this phenomenon afresh as if there are no precedents. Nothing could be farther from the truth. While it is true that Muslims voluntarily leaving Muslim majority countries en masse and settling non-Muslim majority countries is a… -
Blog of a Chinese American Muslim
14 Nov 2009 | 6:20 amAmir Khalid or Anke Jiang (蒋安可) is a Chinese American Muslim who blogs at “Allah is in China” (http://allahisinchina.wordpress.com). Here is an excerpt from one of his blog posts on Ramadan. I fasted today, tightening the notches of my belt from sunrise to sunset, abstaining from any food throughout the entire day. Unlike most Muslims I admit I did consume water, but only because my health obliged me to. Nonetheless, I did get a feeling of what Ramadan is supposed to be. The holy month is a time of reflection, remembrance, and charity. As my belly ached for long hours, I… -
The Chinese Islamic Root Islamic in Arabic!
24 Oct 2009 | 9:23 pmTianfang Xingli is considered to be a classic islamic text in the Chinese language. It is divided into three parts and one of the parts is known as the Root classic. Recently I was surprised to find out that the Root Classic was translated into Arabic in 1898 by a Chinese Muslim scholar Ma Lianyuan also known as Abd al Hakim al Hajj al-Sayyid Muhammad Nur al-Haqq ibn al-Sayyid Luqman al-Sini. It was published in the Yunnan province as Al’Lataif (The subtleties). What is even more fascinating is that an Arabic commentary on the Root classic by the same author was published in Kanpur in… -
Brass Cresent Awards 2009
21 Oct 2009 | 10:47 pmAlright folks, its that time of the year. Brass Crescent awards are upon us. You have until this Friday to cast your vote for your faviorite Muslim blogs. Here is the URL: http://www.brasscrescent.org/ -
Change in Beijing’s Muslim Population Over Time (1959-2000)
20 Oct 2009 | 11:07 amAs I mentioned in one of my previous posts that I would be posting quantiative data about Muslims in Beijing. (This of it as a Razib style post.) The table below shows changes in Hui Muslim population over time. The source of information is the same as before (Beijing’s Hui Muslim Community). One can definitely see some general trends e.g., while the Muslim population has increased by 75,000 in terms of absolute numbers but its percentage of the overall population has declined. Many districts show a decline in Muslim population, Chaoyang, Haidian and Fengtai are exceptions though.
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Irshad Manji blog and official website
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Afghanistan: What Obama is doing right
18 Nov 2009 | 4:00 amPresident Obama faces one helluva decision as he returns from China, a decision made even more wrenching by the Fort Hood shooting and the U.S. justice department’s move to put suspected terrorist mastermind Khalid Sheikh Mohammed on trial in a transparent, civilian court near 9/11’s epicenter. Under such circumstances, the specter of bungling national security has to haunt any president — all the more so when we grasp what’s actually going down in Afghanistan. Recently, I spent a few days in Europe at a human rights gathering. As we discussed, debated and plotted… -
On “Morning Joe,” Irshad pillories political correctness in Ft Hood story
11 Nov 2009 | 9:13 pmVisit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy -
“Hardball” on MSNBC engages Irshad about Ft Hood shooting
11 Nov 2009 | 6:10 pmVisit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy -
Fort Hood: Analyze it, don’t sanitize it
10 Nov 2009 | 6:23 amEditorial cartoon by Anthony Jenkins, Globe & Mail In my latest column for the Toronto Globe & Mail, I argue that we shouldn’t whitewash the words “Islam” and “Muslim” when publicly discussing the Fort Hood shooting. Here’s an extract: Let’s be clear: If an alleged criminal merely happens to be a Muslim, then religion may well be immaterial. But if his crime is committed in the name of Islam, then religion serves to motivate. In that case, the suspect’s Muslim identity absolutely matters. Words, gestures and images should be analyzed –… -
A Catholic and his conscience
29 Oct 2009 | 11:52 amJon O’Brien of Catholics for Choice Friends and foes: What do you do when you’re knee-deep in book-writing deadlines, you want to keep your blog fresh and dynamic, and you believe that new voices deserve to be heard on the very themes for which your audience turns to you in the first place? Hell, you share your platform with guest boggers! With that in mind, let me intro you to Janice Formichella. An activist for Afghan women, among others, Janice stood out the moment I came to know of her. Propelled by struggles with her own religion, she read of my book, The Trouble with Islam…
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An Indian Muslim
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A veteran poet's immortal couplet
13 Nov 2009 | 9:27 amThis is a couplet that is recited by heads of states and is heard in speeches in parliaments but the poet is not as widely known. yeh jabr bhi dekha hai taarikh ki nazroN ne lamhoN ne khataa kii thii, sadiyoN ne sazaa paayii Translation is impossible as the beauty of the couplet can't be translated in another language though it means that 'History has been a witness to this tragedy that mistakes of moments have brought sufferings to mankind for millennia'. Like several other popular and oft-repeated couplets, it has also acquired a unique status and is used to describe decisions [like… -
Remembering 'Daar ji' and the Anti-Sikh riots of 1984: Twenty five years after Operation Blue Star
3 Nov 2009 | 9:06 pmA quarter century has elapsed since the horrific anti-Sikh riots had engulfed parts of North India including Delhi. Though it seems ages ago, but to my mind, it's still fresh. I was eight when the anti-Sikh pogrom shook the nation due to the Congress' disastrous policies and its mishandling of the Punjab issue. [A couple of months later I was witness to the biggest industrial disaster of the world--the gas tragedy in Bhopal.] Circa 1984: The All India Radio blared news about skirmishes between militants and police in Punjab on a regular basis. Just two years ago the grand Asiad had excited… -
Indian Shias: Poor political representation despite substantial population
28 Oct 2009 | 10:09 amThe recent conclave of the All India Shia Personal Law Board [AISPLB] has brought to fore several issues, which are often overlooked. The fact that Shias comprise anything between 10-17% of Indian Muslim population, which is around 2-3 crore and are numerically equal to the size of Sikh and Christian minority, can't be ignored. However, they don't have any political representation and there is probably no Shia Member of Parliament (MP). This was the main issue, which came up for discussion. The participants said that while the voice of mainstream Sunni Muslim is heard in the echelons of… -
Congress-NCP win Maharashtra Assembly election, Shiv Sena-BJP lose
21 Oct 2009 | 8:56 pmThe Congress-NCP are all set to form the next government once again in Maharashtra. In the important yet tasteless election that hardly offered any other choice to the voters, the Congress-led coalition was heading for a third straight victory. The trends from the morning were clear. Not just Raj Thackeray's MNS had made an impact and divided the Shiv Sena-BJP's vote, the Congress-NCP had also managed to hold its traditional base of Marathas, Muslims, Dalits and Tribals apart from the North Indian voter. Despite its less than impressive record, the Congress-NCP combine have managed to retain… -
Terror Trail: From Maharashtra to Goa
18 Oct 2009 | 11:54 amThe recent blast in Goa's Margao and the recovery of more explosive devices (IEDs) in Sancaole has once again brought spotlight on the fringe organisations that are involved in terror attacks in the country. The name of Sanatan Sanstha that has come up in the course of investigations, has been linked to blasts man times in the past also. This includes blast at a theatre in Thane and explosions Vashi and Panvel. Besides, the group is linked to another hardliner group--Abhinav Bharat that was responsible for the Malegaon blasts. Any fundamentalist group belonging to any religion can have some…
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Popular islam Bookmarks on Delicious
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Islam’s Darwin problem
25 Oct 2009 | 12:06 am -
Column: Just say no to blasphemy laws - Opinion - USATODAY.com
19 Oct 2009 | 4:40 am -
Hamas patrols beaches in Gaza to enforce conservative dress code
18 Oct 2009 | 1:29 pm
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Inquisitive Muslimah
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Things on my mind... Mosques, hadiths, life and death
10 Nov 2009 | 12:41 pmAssalam alaikum & Peace to allI have so many things on my mind lately...and a few blogger posts out there have made me think about things too. Firstly I am well Alhamduillah, and baby is Mashallah doing well from last scan and testing...inshallah everything will stay well!Secondly my Aunt is very sick and close to death...please keep her and her family in your dua's that she passes easily and that the family is comforted during this time...ameen. So now on to the blog post that got me to thinking... one of them is about the state of Mosques(this is the link to the post-… -
The charter for compassion
29 Oct 2009 | 12:15 pmAssalam alaikum & Peace to allI like Karen Armstrong's books and just found this video...it is long but quite worth it to watch! -
The Omnivore's Hundred
27 Oct 2009 | 7:58 amAssalam alaikum & Peace to allI wanted to post something fun for a blog...been to emotional lately (all I'll say is that Alhamduillah things are getting better and I pray they will continue that way!)I saw this food game on Simplicity by the Sea blog and thought I would post mine answers as well! Feel free to join in!** Note any pork or alcohol on the list, I've tried 'before' I was Muslim - just in case someone was wondering** Here’s a chance for a little interactivity for all the bloggers out there. Below is a list of 100 things that I think every good omnivore should… -
Things getting worse before they are better?
19 Oct 2009 | 10:24 amAssalam alaikum & Peace to all Thank you to everyone who commented on my previous post - all of your words really helped. Unfortunately things have gotten worse ...not better, yes I did blow up a bit but it was for something different, I admit I reacted a bit quick and abrupt but it just happened and I have been 'paying' for that ever since. Not to seem like I'm back-biting (maybe I have already - may God forgive me if I have) but I over-heard my Mother talking badly about me and my husband to a friend of her's. After that I have not been the same, it's just too many… -
Am I being insensitive?
16 Oct 2009 | 7:44 amAssalam alaikum & Peace to allFor a few days now I've been irritated with my mom and I can't figure out if I am being rational about it or just emotional? So why not ask all of you out there? Here is the story.My mom is living with us now for a few months, we are going to be moving into our new home in about a month (inshallah) and we have so many things to do in the apartment before it can be put on sale - massive cleaning and some structural work too (ie. finishing the flooring off and painting) So for these few months it has been a real struggle with my mom in terms that I find…
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Muslim Torrents
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Audio Quran_Saheeh Intl English Translation_ Abdul Basit Abdul Samad with Ibrahim Walk
Category: Quran Size: 758.75 MB Status: 1 seeders and 1 leechers Added: 2009-10-31 17:10:13 -
The Divine Book
Category: Movies Size: 302.87 MB Status: no seeders and no leecher Added: 2009-10-28 06:54:39 -
Inside the Koran
Category: Movies Size: 698.85 MB Status: no seeders and no leecher Added: 2009-10-20 22:24:04 -
Economic System of Islam
Category: e-Books / Docs Size: 1.70 MB Status: no seeders and no leecher Added: 2009-10-19 05:26:42 -
Best
Category: Lectures Size: 4.66 MB Status: no seeders and 1 leechers Added: 2009-10-18 08:04:38
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UNIVERSAL REALIZATION
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GRAVES OF FATIMA ('A)
12 Nov 2009 | 1:35 pmIn one of my visits to al-Madina al-Munawwara, when I was honored to visit the graves of the Ahl al-Bayt (peace be upon them) in the well-known cemetery of Jannat al-Baqi, an old woman happen to meet me and asked in the Urdu language: Qubure Fatima kaha hai? (Where are the graves of Fatima?) I immediately thought that her sentence was wrong, and what she meant was qabre Fatima kaha hai (Where is the grave of Fatima?).Obviously there is a difference of opinion on where she actually has been buried. Is it near the Prophet’s house in the Rawdha (the Aromatic and Paradisal Garden) as some… -
Quality is the Criterion
5 Nov 2009 | 8:40 amOne of the most remarkable events of Islamic history where the peak ofsincerity is revealed is the incident of Bibi Shutayta, a spiritually effulgent woman, who lived during the time of Imam Ja’far al-Sadiq (‘a) and Imam al-Kazim (‘A) in the Nishapur area of Iran. A group of people led by Abu Ja’far Muhammad bin Ibrahim al-Naishapuri left Naishapur for Medina to deliver people’s money to Imam Al-Sadiq (‘a). He was entrusted with 30,000 dinars, 50,000 dirhams, and 3,000 pieces of clothes to take to the Imam of the time. An old woman called Shutayta gives a dirham and a piece of raw… -
THE SACRED EFFUSION
16 Oct 2009 | 10:31 amThe Sacred Effusion is a commentary on Ziyarat ‘Ashura, one of the well-known ziyaaraat (recitals of salutation) that many of us frequently recite with great zeal and devotion. Most of the Shi’a Muslims express their veneration and sorrow when they recite this sublime ziyara on the day of Ashura. The Infallible Imams of the Ahl al-Bayt (peace be upon them), however, have taught us to recite it very often. Besides its ample merits, it is a program of revolution for the sleeping masses. The crux of the ziyarais al-tabarri and al-tawalli, which can correctly be translated as ‘fleeing from… -
COVERER OF DEFECTS
30 Aug 2009 | 10:15 amOne of the beautiful Names of Allah is Sattar al-‘Uyub (One who frequently covers defects). This Name is revealed so brilliantly when our actions are hidden even from the two angels who record our deeds. In the supplication of Kumayl we speak of sins which Almighty Allah hides even from the Kiraaman Kaatibin (the Noble Writers). The exalted saint, Mawla Faydh al-Kashani in his ethical masterpiece al-Mahajjat al-Baydhaa' narrates the following thought provoking sacred tradition: The Holy Prophet (s) is reported to have asked his Lord about the sins of his nation saying: O Lord, place the… -
Sinners are Most Welcome
27 Aug 2009 | 4:58 pmSix days of the Holy Month of Ramadhan have elapsed like a flash of light. Have we begun our self-purification or has the habit of procrastination overwhelmed us? Twelve days are left to embrace or be embraced by the mercy of the nights of Qadr. Have we thought of transformation, change, and emancipation? Or has despair overcome us, and we have no hope to turn to the All-Forgiving? Some traditions serve as sparks that penetrate into the heart so deep, that they shake the human being and transform him completely. Perhaps the following sacred tradition (hadith qudsi) can serve as such a spark…
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Spirit21
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Muslim men, this one's for you...
5 Nov 2009 | 6:42 amThis article has just been published in EMEL MagazineMuslim women are changing the world. Fed up with voices on all sides telling us how we should dress, what is 'right' for Muslim women, and how we should be defending Islam or in other cases dismantling it, Muslim women are getting themselves together and initiating change. But what does this mean if you are a Muslim man?I should make two statements here: first, that I am an advocate for Muslim women and the changes that they want to make to traditional structures within Muslim communities, from within the faith. I believe Islam has a… -
From Gaza with Love
4 Nov 2009 | 11:40 amIn December last year, I travelled to Darfur as part of a multi-disciplinary group to visit the war-torn region and the camps that are home to hundreds and thousands of displaced people. The group I was part of visited the camp that is run by Islamic Relief, a British Muslim charity which celebrated its 25th anniversary this year. Their longevity and influence as one of the world’s leading Muslim charities was recognised by the British Foreign and Commonwealth Office who hosted the quarter century celebrations. The UK Director of Islamic Relief was part of the group, and along with the… -
Submissions open for Muslim Writers Awards 2010
30 Oct 2009 | 11:25 amFor the fourth year running the Muslim Writers Awards is calling out for creative, interesting and exciting submissions from writers across the country. So get your entries in before May 14th 2010.The Muslim Writers Awards was set up to encourage more writers, and readers, from British Muslims. There is an untapped reservoir of talent waiting to be encouraged and nurtured to write, not to mention readers who are to be encouraged to spend their pennies (and they have plenty of them!) on books.Read more about the Muslim Writers Awards here: www.muslimwritersawards.co.ukAnd the submission… -
BBC Radio 4 this Friday, discussing "Questioning the veil" by Marnia Lazreg
7 Oct 2009 | 2:18 pmI've been invited onto Radio 4's Woman's Hour this friday to discuss Marnia Lazreg's recent publication "Questioning the Veil."The book's description says:Across much of the world today, Muslim women of all ages are increasingly turning to wearing the veil. Is this trend a sign of rising piety or a way of asserting Muslim pride? And does the veil really provide women freedom from sexual harassment? Written in the form of letters addressing all those interested in this issue, Questioning the Veil examines the inconsistent and inadequate reasons given for the veil, and points to the dangers and… -
21st century spiritual literacy
5 Oct 2009 | 4:36 amThis article was recently published in EMEL Magazine"Bring up your children differently to how you were brought up, because they live in different times to you."This is a famous saying of Ali ibn Abi Talib, the son-in-law of Prophet Muhammad. I grew up as part of a British-born Asian Muslim generation where trying to make sense of these competing identities was our primary concern. One of our main goals was to 'fit in' with mainstream society around us. Observing Asian customs and abiding by religious rules was something to be downplayed and hidden. Today's young Muslims see their priorities…
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islam « WordPress.com Tag Feed
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Le halal envahit notre environnement...
21 Nov 2009 | 9:51 amAprès l’invasion “physique”… Lire: http://www.easydroit.fr/codes-et-lois/Paragraphe-1-Dispositions-generales-du-Code-rural-nouveau/S77238/ -
Save Children Now: Nations Continue to Deny Children’s Universal Human Rights Based on Islamic Supremacism
21 Nov 2009 | 9:50 amSave Children Now: Nations Continue to Deny Children’s Universal Human Rights Based on Islamic Supremacism By R.E.A.L. Organization • Twenty Years Ago – November 20, 1989 – the United Nations adopted the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC), based on the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. But nations that reject religious freedom and defend Islamic supremacism, by viewing that human rights exist only as granted by Sharia, also continue to defy universal human rights for children, including many nations that are signatories to 1989 Convention on the Rights of the Child. -
Bu kadar alim,hoca var;onlar bilmiyorlar mı bunu ?
21 Nov 2009 | 9:47 amAllah (cc) şöyle bildirdi:“Eğer sabreder ve Allah’tan korkarsanız, onların hilesi size hiç bir zarar vermez. şüphesiz Allah onların yaptıklarını çepeçevre kuşatmıştır.” (Âl-i imran:120) Demek ki; “şer’î hükümlere göre davranırsak kafirler bizi yok ederler” düşüncesi bu ayeti kerimenin mefhumuna tamamen ters düşer. İlmiyle her şeyi çepeçevre kuşatan Allah’tan daha iyi kim bilebilir ki. O,siz şeriata bağlanıp sabırlı olun,onların hile ve tuzakları size bir zarar veremez,diyorsa Müslüman’a düşen,Rabb’isinin bu sözüne güvenip… -
Realitätsferner Säkularismus in Berliner Schulen
21 Nov 2009 | 9:44 amKommentar – Der Berliner Senat geht in Berufung, weil vor Gericht bestätigt wurde, dass ein mu -
Sert olmayalım , particilere karşı yumuşak davranalım .
21 Nov 2009 | 9:40 amParticiler Diyorlar ki. “Bizim öyle sert,katı,uzlaşmaz bir görünüm ortaya koymamıza gerek yok.Çünkü
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walls come tumbling down
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The Blair Presidency Facade
21 Nov 2009 | 3:17 amMuch has been made in recent days about the ’snubbing’ of Tony Blair as European President in favour of the relatively unknown Belgian, Herman Van Rompuy. The reasons for the apparent snub depend largely on the newspaper of preference with the Guardian this morning favouring the story that as Blair had apparently recommended Gordon Brown [...] -
Why oh why…? “Muslims must combat hate speech” take two
12 Nov 2009 | 2:20 pmFurther to yesterday’s post and my observation that “Since 9/11, Muslim after Muslim after Muslim organisation have fell over themselves to apologise and distance themselves from a whole raft of incidents that have been perpetrated by other Muslims with whom they have no association with whatsoever except that they hold the same yet differently interpreted [...] -
In memory of Harry, Henry & Bill and the Lost Generation
11 Nov 2009 | 6:46 amEarlier this year, the three remaining World War I veterans living in the UK sadly died: Bill Stone at the age of 108 in January followed by Henry Allingham, 113, and Harry Patch (photo), 111, in July. Today, special Armistice Day services have been held around the country in memory of them and the ‘Lost Generation’, [...] -
“Muslims must combat hate speech”: Why…?
11 Nov 2009 | 5:00 amIt is sometimes far more interesting to read the comments posted in response to articles on the Guardian’s, Comment is Free than it is reading the articles themselves. This is not to say that the articles are poor, but rarely do they pose really challenging questions. Instead, they typically say what might be expected and [...] -
Why do we need Islam Awareness Week? Keynote Speech in Sandwell 16th November 2009
9 Nov 2009 | 6:31 amNext Monday – 16th November – sees the launch of the 15th Islam Awareness Week (IAW). The theme for this year’s IAW is “Walk the Talk” and is all about recognising our common humanity, celebrating our diversity and respecting each other. As part of this, I have been invited to present the keynote address at the [...]
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Islamophobia Watch
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BNP signs its first non-white member... but he's only joined because he hates Muslims
20 Nov 2009 | 10:00 amAn elderly Sikh who describes Islam as a "beast" and once provided a character reference for Nick Griffin during his racial hatred trial is set to become the British National Party's first non-white member. Rajinder Singh has been sympathetic towards Britain's far-right party for much of the past decade even though he currently remains barred from becoming a member because of the colour of his skin. But last weekend the BNP's leadership took their first steps towards dropping its membership ban on non-whites after the Human Rights Commission threatened the party with legal action. The move… -
Detention of Shaikh Asif Farooqui condemned
19 Nov 2009 | 11:00 pmAs the police are granted more time to question the five individuals apprehended on suspicion of inciting terrorism overseas, the family of Shaikh Asif Farooqui has released a statement expressing their shock and dismay at the arrest of the 62 year old preacher. The family's statement reads: "It is simply incredible to those that know him and his work to imagine he could be involved in the promotion or incitement of any kind of violence. It is particularly shocking that, having influenced so many, young and old, male and female, to live as law-abiding, trustworthy citizens, he is now being… -
'Just say no to Sharia law' urges Tatchell
19 Nov 2009 | 9:22 pmPeter Tatchell is given space at Comment is Free to promote the "Universal Children's Day and International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women" demonstration on Saturday – which, despite its grandiose title, is just another stupid stunt by One Law for All, a front organisation for Mariam Namazie and the Worker Communist Party of Iran. Tatchell writes plaintively that "the turn out in Hyde Park will probably be quite small" – which, based on previous experience, is a realistic prediction. The explanation is that anyone with a shred of political judgement baulks at… -
Family's anger as attackers go free
19 Nov 2009 | 1:19 pmThe family of a student left with a pendant embedded in her face after a sickening racist assault have expressed their anger after her attackers escaped jail. The two girls and one boy, all aged 16, were given referral orders or community sentences at Rochdale Magistrates Court on Monday morning, following the incident, which took place in June in the children's playground in Springfield Park. The uncle of the victim, who has asked not to be named, said his family would be disappointed with the sentences. He added: "This was an horrific attack so it is disappointing that the perpetrators have… -
Witch-hunt against UK Muslim organisations over Fort Hood
18 Nov 2009 | 11:56 pmWriting at Islam Online, Inayat Bunglawala examines how Anwar Al-Awlaki's support for the Fort Hood killings has been used to promote "a modern version of a McCarthyite witch-hunt against leading UK Islamic organizations and Muslim individuals".
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Comments for Abdur Rahman's Corner
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Comment on Who is Abdur Rahman? by maryam
12 Nov 2009 | 5:25 amasalaam o alykum. this is the first time that i’m visiting your blog, and i must say, i really like it mashaAALalh. you are so honest and down to earth mashaALlah i’ll keep visiting, reading and commenting inshaALlah for now i’ll just add this to my favs and one more thing brother Abdu rehman, i pray that ALlah swt gives you all good both in this world and the next and that He makes you successful in whatever good you do ameen. your sister in Islam, Maryam -
Comment on Mevlana and Me: Poetry, the Moment and Suhbah by unknown
12 Nov 2009 | 3:59 amtthey aren’t mevlana’s poems -
Comment on Mevlana and Me: Poetry, the Moment and Suhbah by Abdur Rahman
12 Nov 2009 | 2:13 amPeace Devin, I too am humbled when I think of the great minds and spirits who have blazed a trail before us. You express that beautifully – thank you – we do indeed all have a part to play in life’s grand conversation. Jacob (alaihi al-salam) and his wrestling with the angel is a profound metaphor. Thank you for sharing it. May Allah bless you always -
Comment on Mevlana and Me: Poetry, the Moment and Suhbah by Devin
11 Nov 2009 | 7:04 pmThis is really great. I read it twice and I still do not think that I have any comments that do it justice. One of the most penetrating metaphors for entering fully into the “Grand Conversation” is that of Jacob wrestling with the angel (or maybe not an angel, but that is not important). Those who came before gave us what they had to give, but it is up to wrestle with it and find its meaning and add to it our own. And as you wrote, how we do that is dependent on how we are and how we prepare ourselves to enter this sacred space. It fills me with awe to think of the great… -
Comment on Mevlana and Me: Poetry, the Moment and Suhbah by Abdur Rahman
11 Nov 2009 | 2:18 amSalams Irving bhai Thank you for your kind words. Insha Allah, it should automatically appear on Facebook too. Allah bless you always
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Indian Muslims
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Sir Syed Day – A Retrospection
15 Nov 2009 | 1:37 amSir Syed Ahmed Khan - Founder of Aligarh Muslim University I feel sad to say that my first attendance at ‘Sir Syed Day’ (in UAE) after leaving AMU was an utter disappointment. For me it’s a day to remember the great soul and find ways to fulfill his dream of Muslim upliftment. I absolutely adore Azharuddin for what he achieved on the cricket pitch, but why do we need to invite him when there are some very senior and highly influential Aligs already working in UAE. We desperately need to change this image of ‘Sir Syed Day’ as a ‘Sir Syed Dinner.’ Also,… -
Namaz At India Islamic Cultural Centre
29 Oct 2009 | 11:21 amPhoto & text by Kashif-ul-Huda, TwoCircles.net The building of the India Islamic Cultural Center (IICC) takes your breath away. The beautiful dome, intricate calligraphy and delicate design in beautiful Persian tiles make you spellbound. The administration of IICC can be forgiven for taking 22 years to complete its construction. Between Indira Gandhi laying the foundation stone of the Centre on August 24, 1984 and her daughter-in-law inaugurating it on June 12, 2006, it took many people and much money to see to its completion. It is a beautiful example of Muslim’s and the Indian… -
Guzishta Lucknow
8 Oct 2009 | 4:17 amTHE first name that comes up whenever a book reference is needed on the city of Lucknow is “Guzishta Lucknow.” The book is a detailed historical account of the Lucknow society during the Nawabi rule by Maulana Abdul Halim Sharar. Maulana Sharar took out several magazines during his lifetime, his most famous being ‘Dilgudaaz Lucknow’ [ENG: Beloved Lucknow.] In that magazine Sharar wrote a series on Lucknow by the name of “Hindostan me mashriqi tamaddun ka akhri namoona” [Lucknow : The Last Phase Of An Oriental Culture]. It ran for years and was warmly… -
Basera-e-Tabassum (Kashmir)
23 Sep 2009 | 2:44 amThe love affair started tenderly: a warm hug, a lightless night, a dim lantern, the resonating trickle of streams and whispers of footfalls. I had reached Peth-Bugh tired, after two long and extremely hot journeys. The cool still air was a respite. As I stepped out of the car, a strange good feeling set in. Someone hugged me. My bags were taken. Four or five hands gently caught my wrist- some strongly holding me, responsibly; others, shyly, just touching. Some more hands slowly joined in. Someone ahead held the lantern, so I could see my feet and some more feet. There wasn’t any electricity… -
Destiny’s Night
19 Sep 2009 | 4:20 amWhile the entire period of Ramzan is a time of fasting and praying, there is one night that is special for Muslims. For, it is believed that there is one night when Allah first revealed the first verses of the Quran to Muhammad through the angel Gabriel. Muhammad was then 40 years old and unlettered. This most blessed of all nights falls on a night that no one can pinpoint with any certainty. Yet the faithful who have prayed through the night say that the heart always knows when communion has been reached. Shab-e-Qadr or Lailat ul-Qadr, understood variously to mean the Night of Honour and…
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Planet Grenada
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pray for obama
20 Nov 2009 | 5:37 pmApparently, in some Christian circles, a popular design on bumper stickers, t-shirt, mugs etc. has the words "Pray for Obama" followed by "Psalm 109:8". If you bother to look up the passage, you'd find the verse is: Let his days be few; and let another take his office. Ha. Ha. Very clever. Although if you look at the next verse, the passage becomes much more sinister: Let his children be fatherless, and his wife a widow.I hope the FBI is watching these people. -
imam zaid shakir on the fort hood tragedy
16 Nov 2009 | 6:50 amImam Zaid: Responding to the Fort Hood Tragedy -
post 9/11 interview with anwar al-awlaki
14 Nov 2009 | 11:28 amRay Suarez: My Post-9/11 Interview With Anwar al-Awlaki -
a collection of articles on ft. hood massacre
14 Nov 2009 | 7:11 amAmerican Muslims To Fort Hood Shooter: 'Thanks A Lot, Asshole'Focusing on Fort Hood Killer's Beliefs Is an Easy Out to Avoid the Deeper Reasons for the MassacreBlaming Muslims For the Fort Hood Massacre Will Only Create More VictimsFt. Hood Suspect Nidal Hasan Gets Flowers in Hospital; Sender Gets Visit from FBIHospital: Ft. Hood shooting suspect awake, talkingReport: Hasan Snapped Under Weight of Bullying, Anxiety Over DeploymentAt Army Base, Some Violence Is Too Familiar10 Suicides This Year at Ft. Hood -- War Stress Is Taking Soldiers to the BrinkU.S. Army Base Violence Has Bloody… -
us deports lou dobs
13 Nov 2009 | 2:41 pmThis makes enough sense for me to half believe it.The Onion: U.S. Deports Lou Dobbs: CNN Host Had Been Living Illegally In Country Since 1961WANTAGE, NJ—Acting on anonymous tips from within the Hispanic-American community, U.S. Customs and Border Protection officials on Wednesday deported Luis Miguel Salvador Aguila Dominguez, who for the last 48 years had been living illegally in the United States under the name Lou Dobbs.According to the Department of Homeland Security, federal agents stormed the undocumented immigrant's home in an evening raid just hours after the 64-year-old newscaster…
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a wayfarer's journey...
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about last night
1 Nov 2009 | 7:04 amThat was not fun. My poor baby was so miserable and just begging me to feed her. To turn her away like that..... ugh. All night long she asked for milk. I would offer her a bottle in various forms but she won't take it. Nor this morning. While i pump and dump milk. And now this morning she's mad at me. Ignoring me, won't look at me, going to my husband instead. I feel like crying. I'm miserable. Bad headache, arthritic bones and nauseas. My poor baby. Please say some duas/prayers for us. -
2 needle mittens
31 Oct 2009 | 9:09 amI love this pattern. Mostly because i don't like double pointed needles. I just lose track of where i am etc with two kids and a husband that need me all the time. I can knit for about 3 minutes before i have to put it down to do something else. I really wanted to knit mittens though so i was very happy when i found Bev's two needle mitten pattern and have used it twice now with good results.The first time i was a new knitter so i just did one mitten at a time but this time i did both (until the last part) and really loved it because i find you get a little bored after that first one. I'm… -
Happy happy joy joy
30 Oct 2009 | 12:35 pmNOT. I went to the doctor a week ago because i felt funky. Old. Like my knees were aching. Feet too. I chalked it up to one of three things 1) colder weather 2) getting older 3) residual from meningitus i got from West Nile Virus years ago in Colorado. I hadn't been to the doctor forever. Funny once you have kids, you only go for them and forget about yourself. But i figured after years of this knee pain increasing I better go. They drew my blood and i just got the results. I have Lyme's Disease. Not a surprise living in NJ, deer outnumber people here it seems BUT what is really really… -
sleep
28 Oct 2009 | 5:31 amWill i ever sleep again? My God I'm tired. I'm a person that can go without sleep for a long time. I normally sleep from 12-6 and that's considered good sleep. I'm sleeping an hour here, an hour there these days. I pray to God her teeth finish coming in soon and this goes away. I feel like a zombie. -
Stick bug!
23 Oct 2009 | 9:18 amWe've seen stick bugs in our bug books and in nature centers but never on one of nature walks and yesterday we were lucky enough to find one. Really cool to watch and really hard to see. I just happened to see a twig walking and thought it was strange. It was about 4 inches long. So cool!Image is from funkman.org/animal/insect/stickinsect.html and you can read more about them here. They really are hard to find because they blend in so well.
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Afrocentric Muslimah
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more please mum
16 Nov 2009 | 12:36 pmOkay, so I've ignored chronological order with all of this. But I think you get the picture. But this has to be the last excerpt for some time now. Can't go giving it all away for nothing :)Dear DiaryI give him this much. He’s persistent. I mean, this guy just does not let up. Yesterday he insisted on walking me to the ward. Even though he had a lecture to attend. Plus, he embarrassed me by wanting to carry my books. Must be watching too many movies from the sixties. Though it was sweet. And very flattering to be treated like some princess.As for the lectures he keeps missing on my account,… -
accusation...
14 Nov 2009 | 12:40 pmSo Farzana reckons I go from phases where I post often enough to those where I all but vanish. She's right. So to thank her for the observation. And for taking the time to voice her irritation with the state of affairs, another little taste.“Wow! Your mother is a very charming woman.”“Ya, I know.”“Ya, and she’s also very pretty.”“Oh, so you wish you’d married her instead?”“What? You jealous? Tell me you’re jealous. It would make this night all the more memorable, ’Cos I sometimes wonder whether I’ve just married the Ice Queen. You haven’t given me a single kiss… -
writing...
28 Oct 2009 | 12:09 pmIn honour of Nanowrimo Month, I'm posting this here excerpt of a work I've dug out from the archives. It's been posted in bits and pieces, sporadically over the last few years.I've started work on it again. And have set a goal of December for completion. I approach the 20 000 word mark.Here goes:A week later my mother gave me an address. It was for a house in Fordsburg. I set out early that Saturday morning.The drive there had passed with me replaying images of my father’s face in my mind. And having imagined conversations with the both of them. Conversations that ended with them getting… -
Celebrities and celebrations
21 Oct 2009 | 5:58 amI'm sure you can tell that I'be been invited to a good few parties lately:P I attended all dressed as a cake.The Mad Hatter was thrilled with this one. I did it especially for his party. We finished it with a tea-set precariously perched on it's lopsided topmost tier.Yes, I've been hobnobbing too. Just some of the celebrities I've met lately -
dead??
19 Oct 2009 | 1:37 pmNah, contrary to what the absence of posts may hint at, it's not true. I'm not dead. But I have been run over by words. I was in the ICU after reading Barbara KIngsolver'sThe Poisonwood Bible, since I had never even imagined writing as stunning as all that.Pity none of the words that floored me were my own.I've also just read three of the Twilight books in a space of three days. I plan on buying the fourth. Not because the writing dazzles or anything though, but simply because I'm chachie to know what happens next.I read J.M. Coetzee's Disgrace. Food for thought there. Maybe, contrary to the…
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أندلس
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La Fuente Tambien Importa
10 Nov 2009 | 12:38 pmThis particular knowledge is a matter of religion. Be careful in choosing whom to learn from. I have met more than 70 people who often quoted the Prophet’s statements accurately, close to those pillars of his mosque. You could trust any one of them with the state treasury and you would be sure that he would discharge his trust most meticulously. But I did not take anything from them because they were not of the scholarly type. -Imam Malik ibn Anas, RadhiAllahu anhu
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Bin Gregory Productions
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Kekabu
17 Nov 2009 | 9:10 pmAmong the more dramatic trees in the settled landscapes of Malaysia is the Kekabu or Kapok Tree (Ceiba pentandra), a gargantuan tropical version of the common large-for-Michigan Cottonwood Tree... [More Inside...] -
Hidup Segan Mati Tak Mau
17 Nov 2009 | 7:51 pmAt first, you do it every day, sometimes even twice a day. As time goes by, it is less and less frequent until after many years, once or twice a month feels like a big accomplishment. Blogging! ... [More Inside...] -
Muhammad Imran
9 Nov 2009 | 5:46 pmI got the best birthday present ever yesterday: my wife delivered a healthy baby boy on the 9th of November, my birthday and my uncle’s birthday. His name is Muhammad Imran, born 1.30pm, 3.9kg... [More Inside...] -
Selamat Hari Raya 2009
1 Oct 2009 | 9:05 amid Mubarak and Selamat Hari Raya one and all. It was a very busy, very difficult Ramadan for me. I worked three weeks straight without a day off until the Friday before Eid, barely stepping into my... [More Inside...] -
Kuih-muih
1 Sep 2009 | 8:41 amThe fasting month is proceeding apace. This year, I have three children fasting from dawn to dusk, Munirah is fasting from dawn till when she returns from school, and Najihah is fasting from... [More Inside...]
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Lantern Torch
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Expressions Magazine Released
9 Nov 2009 | 8:07 amExpressions Magazine, the official literary magazine of the Muslim Writers Society, has been released. Download it now in PDF format. -
The Year of the Linux Desktop Mobile Phone
17 Sep 2009 | 10:05 amSince its creation, over fifteen years ago, free software and open source advocates have longed for the day when masses of people around the world would adopt GNU/Linux or Linux (depending on who you ask). There is little doubt that the past five years have seen tremendous strides in Linux desktop adoption. Some hardware vendors, [...] -
How to Use Digikam to Export Photos to Flickr, PicasaWeb, and Facebook
16 Sep 2009 | 2:24 pmDigikam is a free and open source photo management software package for KDE. Many KDE-based Linux distributions either come with Digikam installed or have it available in their repositories. With Digikam, you can import photos from your digital camera or flash memory, organize and tag them, rate them, edit them, and export them to various [...] -
On the death of Imam Ali
10 Sep 2009 | 6:00 amOn the night of the 21st of Ramadan, after Imam Ali (peace be upon him) died, Imam al-Hasan (peace be upon him) rose and gave a sermon: “Tonight you have killed a man on a night in which the Qur’an came down, a night in which Jesus son of Mary (peace be upon him) was [...] -
Birth of Imam Hasan ibn Ali
5 Sep 2009 | 7:19 amIt is reported that Imam Hasan ibn ‘Ali (peace be upon him) said: “Be obedient to Allah and have faith in Him. The loftiness of those who know the greatness of Allah is expressed in their modesty. The safety of those who know the power of Allah is expressed in their surrender to Him. Do not [...]
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From Clay
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Doha Tribeca Film Festival
3 Nov 2009 | 5:58 amThe film festival came and went. For many of my friends and colleagues, it was a big deal, which I truly understand and respect. They teach film and film making, so they're happy that something like Tribeca would come here. I thought months ago that I should see a few of the flicks and perhaps run into Bob (that's Robert De Niro to the rest of you). But when it finally came, I couldn't find the enthusiasm to fight the traffic, ignore the pretense that often accompanies these things, and watch premiers of blockbusters and independents alike. In fact, I couldn't even reference the enthusiasm I… -
Woodstock, Group Think, and Neil Young
21 Oct 2009 | 7:29 amWithin 48 hours, “Woodstock” (the original) came up twice in conversations with two colleagues and friends, one here in Doha and one in Santa Barbara. They both were at Woodstock. I was alive when it happened but too young to do anything about it, and “getting high” still meant to me something that kites and clouds do. I make no secret about it, the music of that era moves me. The lyrics were raw (sometimes raunchy) and honest. They were bold and resistant to group think. Neil Young (of Crosby, Stills, Nash, and Young) a couple of years ago was on the "Charlie Rose… -
Snowball Prize and Changing Subjects
11 Oct 2009 | 9:24 amWhat does a person have to "do" to win a Nobel Prize? I didn't realize how many people knew the answer to that question, especially news blog authors and radio sycophants, left and right. The reactions ranged crazy: some with apoplexy and others with those oversize foam hands with the index finger raised on high, waving, "We're number one." A new media obsession begins. Can we live on earth for a couple of weeks without a loss of news composure? Folks I work with are very happy about Norway's decision. Maybe I should be too. I mean, the Pres. is from Chicago. So am I. He taught at University… -
Violence in Chicago: What Does It Mean?
8 Oct 2009 | 10:33 amViolent deaths are a scourge in Chicago among school-age children, especially on the South Side, where I had once lived in my childhood (Walcott Avenue to be exact). It’s become a statistic to keep track of: the number of school-age children who are murdered, sometimes on school grounds, during a school year, which means the academic year is properly hyphenated. The punctuation gives bone to the unholy facts, but it also creates another set of suburban record-keeping to conjure with. In other words, it makes the reality more abstract, a bit easier to study as citizens.This is an excerpt of… -
Expanded Comment about Polanski and Burqa
7 Oct 2009 | 7:53 amI don't know if it's new and improved or simply longer, but I have a fuller comment about the Polanski flap and the burqa. It's an indictment of a widening culture of duplicity that knows no borders. If you're interested, you may go here to the Altmuslim site. Otherwise, thanks for dropping by just the same.
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Ginny's Thoughts & Things
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I Still Can’t Say Their Wrong
18 Nov 2009 | 4:07 pmAssalamu alaikum, OK “beating a dead horse warning” is now in effect for the remainder of this post! But you know how sometimes lightbulbs kinda go off in your head? Well, I think that just happened to me. See, I was reading IslamicMoon.com’s “Eid Report”, which pretty much says the same thing they’ve always been saying, which is OK, and the thing is… They’re just as confusing to me as the people they’re rebutting! I mean, the report isn’t well written, or perhaps I should say, I can hardly understand it! And we wonder why we just… -
My Brother
17 Nov 2009 | 7:01 pmThis is the beginning of a probable series on posts written to and about my family, just to let them know that I’ve not forgotten then *smile*, that I’m thinking about them. Hello, all, was thinking about writing this post last night, almost couldn’t sleep for trying to construct the post in my head. But I was already tired from Chloe waking me up so early yesterday morning, and I’d already written so much yesterday. I seem to have a burst of creativity going on Mashallah. So anyway… I love my brother, I’ll just start by saying that. I love my family, in… -
Moon Bits for Dhul Hijja
17 Nov 2009 | 4:46 amAssalamu alaikum all, From MoonSighting.com’s Dhul Hijja page: The Astronomical New Moon is on November 16, 2009 (Monday) at 19:14 UT. This moon cannot be seen anywhere in the world. On November 17, it still cannot be seen in Asia, Europe and Canada. It can be seen in South Africa, Central America, and South America. In USA, there is a small chance to see it on November 17. Fiqh Council of North America Announces EID UL-ADHA According to astronomical calculations, the month of Zul Hijjah will begin on November 18 and thus the expected date of Eid ul Adha is Friday, November 27. The… -
Chloe the Early Riser, or Why I’m So Darn Tired This Evening!
16 Nov 2009 | 8:03 pmOK, so I’m tired. But that’s probably because Chloe decided to wake me up at like 4:40 in the morning! I don’t think she’s realized that Daylight Saving Time ended like uh, two weeks ago! But usually when she gets up in the morning, she has this thing where she’ll get up, shake off, and then, (I’m hoping) lay back down and go back to sleep. But sometimes she doesn’t. She’ll get up, shake off, pace around a bit, start whining, then I feel her paws up on the bed, and then I know I have to do something, before she wakes my husband up. Sometimes I… -
New realities for ancient Timbuktu
16 Nov 2009 | 6:31 pmThe general view here is that the extremists, apparently now signed-up members of the al-Qaeda franchise, are a minor, containable threat However, the tweet I got which linked to this article was entitled “Timbuktu Terror”. Huh!? Sounds a lot worse than it really is, it seems. via BBC NEWS | Programmes | From Our Own Correspondent | New realities for ancient Timbuktu. Posted in Mali, West Africa Tagged: Mali, Terrorism, Timbuktu, West Africa
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Inspirations and Creative Thoughts
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On attainment of nearness of God | Discourse from Futuh ul-Ghayb
19 Nov 2009 | 11:52 amBismillah1.When you are united with God, you attain to His nearness by His attraction and help; and the meaning of union with God is your going out of the creation and desire and purpose and becoming established in His action and His purpose without there being any movement in you or through you, in His creation unless it be with His order and action and command. This is the state of fana ( -
Jodi Morome Lukaye Robay | Song of Atulprasad
16 Nov 2009 | 8:41 pmJodi Morome lukaye robay,hridoye shukaye jabaykeno praano vora aasha dile go?Tobo chorono shorno toreeto bekulota vorekeno thai jodi nahi mile go?If You're to remain.. ever elusive within.. the innermost heart chamber,.... if You're to wither away.... from the heart sanctuary,.............. - why then You've given such................ soul-saturating longing for You?Remembrance of Your blessed -
Heart of Compassion | Way of the Bodhisattvas
15 Nov 2009 | 5:36 am1.~ Nama Lokeshvaraya ~Praise be to Lord (Eeshvara) of the Worlds (Lok)First of all I should make an effortTo meditate upon the equality between self and others:I should protect all beings as I do myselfBecause we are all equal in wanting pleasure and not wanting pain.Although there are many different parts and aspects such as the hands; As a body that is to be protected they are one, likewise -
Charter for Compassion Unveiled | Affirming from a Muslim's Perspective
12 Nov 2009 | 8:58 am1.Ethical AlchemyReligion isn’t about believing things.It’s about what you do.It’s ethical alchemy.It’s about behaving in a way that changes you,that gives you intimations of holiness and sacredness.~ Karen Armstrong2.Background12th November 2009 will be marked in history as a red letter day for this generation and generations to come, for today the Charter for Compassion was unveiled. Charter -
God of Power, God of Might, God of Love, Burning Bright
10 Nov 2009 | 3:04 pmO God of all Creation!Creator of the heart and soul,the body and mind,and the Indwelling Spiritwithin us!Creator of all lifeand giver of every gift,eyes of every vision,ears of all hearing,breath of every momentfilling the earthwith the fragrance of flowersand the sweet tastesof milk and honeyYou pour out upon the earth.You create the seas and skiesand set the rivers flowing,and yet You appearin
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islamicate
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Josh Marshall on Khalid Shaykh Mohammed's Trial in NY
21 Nov 2009 | 5:56 amNo Josh, you are not alone. I too have that confidence. But what do we have to fear? We're going to lose this argument? Really? Why am I so alone in having confidence in this country and what it stands for? [From Don't Get It] -
Plug: America's Next Great Pundit, Round 4
19 Nov 2009 | 7:46 amCome on, you've invested so much in Zeba's success already, you know you just have to see her win now. Hello Friends and Colleagues, I am thrilled to inform you that thanks to your support, I am a semifinalist in the Washington Post’s “America’s Next Great Pundit” competition. It’s a long way from being one of the initial ten contestants selected out of nearly 5000 entries to being in the Top Three and I could not have done it without your support. Now it’s crunch time. The two people with the highest number of online votes between Thursday, Nov 19th 8 am – 5 pm EST (That’s… -
Patheos is Launching a Video Contest: Faith on Campus
18 Nov 2009 | 10:21 amFrom Patheos: Patheos invites you to submit a video entry about your faith. Videos must fall into one of these three categories: "Why I Am A _______ " (Christian, Jew, Muslim, Atheist, etc.) "How I Live My Faith On Campus" "Rituals & Practices Of My Faith." PatheosVideoPoster.pdf -
Fort Hood and the invisibility of Arab Americans
18 Nov 2009 | 5:47 amThe role Arab-Americans play in the military: Consider Navy SEAL Mike Monsoor who threw himself on a grenade in Iraq on September 29, 2006. The device had landed among SEALs and Iraqi soldiers, and Monsoor absorbed the blast with his body, saving everyone's life but his own. For his act of self sacrifice, he was posthumously awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor last year. Then there's Lance Corporal Abraham al-Thaibani of New York who enlisted with the Marines after his city was attacked on 9/11. On the day the World Trade Center towers fell, al-Thaibani ran through the streets of… -
Boldly Modest Declaration of Faith
18 Nov 2009 | 5:45 amFrom the Washington Post: Last year when she made this walk to the bus stop on the first day of school, she was wearing black skinny jeans and a short-sleeved T-shirt; her hair was in braids. But this year she's a different Smar. In addition to looser, more modest clothing, her hair is completely hidden under a head scarf. It is a look that not only sets her apart from most girls at her Reston middle school but also proclaims her as a Muslim, a religious minority in a country that sometimes associates her faith with terrorism and acts of violence. Most of Smar's friends and classmates have…
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Jamerican Muslimah's Veranda
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Coping with slander and backbiting
21 Nov 2009 | 9:06 amCharacter assassination is an attempt to tarnish a person’s reputation. It may involve exaggeration or manipulation of facts to present an untrue picture of the targeted person. It is a form of defamation and can be a form of ad hominem argument. For living individuals targeted by character assassination attempts, this may result in being rejected by his community, family, or members of his or her living or work environment. Such acts are often difficult to reverse or rectify, and the process is likened to a literal assassination of a human life. The damage sustained can last a lifetime… -
Epiphany #…
29 Oct 2009 | 9:31 amEverything I have: my skills, my abilities, my intelligence, my strength, my beauty, my love, my knowledge, my relationships, and my material possessions are from Allah. If a person despises me, is jealous of me or works to undermine any of that then they should know they are fighting Allah (s.w.t.) and not me. I can only be successful by Allah’s leave. I can only fail because of some inadequacy on my part or because it is part of Allah’s divine decree. When facing adversity (especially in regards to other human beings) or even striving for something better, I remind myself:… -
Moving Forward
17 Sep 2009 | 7:29 pmAlhamdulillah, I am doing better. Things have been CRAZY but Allah is always merciful. If I told you what I have been experiencing your jaws might drop. One of the things that happened to me is when I contacted various people in the community about my ex’s death they came in and completely took over, thereby excluding me. Their actions were hurtful to me on so many levels. One person actually tried to exclude me from viewing my ex’s body on the grounds that he is not Islamically “lawful” to me. WTH? I snapped on him telling him that I have seen more of my ex’s… -
Two Lessons I’m Learning
4 Sep 2009 | 3:54 pmAfter my crazy week- crying, stressing, phoning, writing, and ripping and running I have finally settled down enough to think. I am have been reflecting on the lesson(s) my ex’s sudden death has taught me. Allah knows best but maybe I will learn more as I sort through my grief and make sense of this whole thing in my head. The first lesson I’ve learned, which probably will sound cliche to most people, is you never know which day will be your last day. In fact, you never know which day will be someone else’s last day. I need to be mindful of how interact with people; how I… -
Inna lillahi wa inna ilayhi raji’un
26 Aug 2009 | 2:14 pmAs saalam alaikum everyone, These last few days have been unreal. My ex-husband was recently killed in a car accident while on his way home from Taraweeh. (May Allah grant him the highest place in Jannah. Ameen.) Though he was my ex-husband we were still very good friends. His death has reminded me that none of us are promised tomorrow. To be honest with you, I carry some guilt which I know is irrational. Just a couple weeks ago we had spoken and he was telling me he thought we should remarry. I told him it wasn’t a good idea. I keep thinking about how lonely he was living in his…
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Muslim Thought
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Latest Auctions
21 Nov 2009 | 9:17 amRelated posts:Latest AuctionsLatest AuctionsLatest Auctions -
Imam Abu Hanifa’s Al-Fiqh Al-Akbar Explained
21 Nov 2009 | 7:27 amRelated posts:The Rays: An Intellectual Journey in Islamic Belief, Thought, and LifeA Guide to Conclusive Proofs for the Principles of BeliefInside Islam DVD -
Key-Books EBook Collection & Nautilus Digital Magazine Of New Thought.
21 Nov 2009 | 12:23 amRelated posts:The Rays: An Intellectual Journey in Islamic Belief, Thought, and LifeThe Words: The Reconstruction of Islamic Belief and ThoughtA Thought That Brokes the Bars -
Everyone Must be in Unity Against Terror
20 Nov 2009 | 1:18 pmRelated posts:Brotherhood of TerrorWho is the Last Prophet Muhammad? [1] - IntroductionThe True Islamic Morals -
Religion Islam & Conspiracies
20 Nov 2009 | 11:48 amRelated posts:Religion Islam & ConspiraciesCan Anyone Explain Islam And The Thought Of It Being The Supreme Religion & What Islamic Law Really Means?The path to the revival of Islam
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Between Hope & Fear
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Jibril
29 Oct 2009 | 10:34 pmMy son Jibril was born on October 12, 2009, 7:34 PST. The delivery was quite difficult, and according to my doctor, one of the most complicated she’s dealt with. After about 12 hours of labor, I had an emergency c-section and the baby was in the NICU for a few days. But, all’s well that ends well. We’re both doing fine now with the grace of God. And he’s one of the most objectively cute babies I’ve seen, if I do say so myself. Its been about three weeks at this point and I’m perpetually tired. No surprise there. What is surprising is how much I still feel… -
The Waiting Game
7 Oct 2009 | 1:24 pmToday’s my due date. Baby’s still not here yet. Not sure how much longer I have to wait. Come on baby. -
The Still Undanced Cadence
20 Jul 2009 | 10:56 pmI saw this poem written on a wall, and I stopped dead in my tracks to jot it down. I think it hits home with me because in the middle of content moments, I can’t help but think about how fleeing they are. This poem reminds me to be still, to remember that the moment I am in is real, and that moment comprises the world. If one day it happens you find yourself with someone you love in a café at one end of the Pont Mirabeau, at the zinc bar where white wine stands in upward opening glasses, and if you commit then, as we did, the error of thinking, one day all this will only be memory,… -
Don’t call it a comeback
10 Jul 2009 | 11:55 pmIt is a strange thing, I think, that I should fall silent when I’m undergoing one of the most radical changes in my life so far – my first pregnancy. Its something I’ve dreamed about, worried over, and even dreaded at times, and now that its here I’m afraid to talk about it. Not really afraid, but maybe just unable to put in words the changes I’m undergoing physically, spiritually, emotionally. By putting it all into words, I’m afraid to find out what I already know – that my feelings are maudlin and pedestrian, because most women who become mothers… -
So
12 Jun 2009 | 9:48 pmI haven’t been blogging lately. I think I’ve stopped seeing the point. Nobody wants to read my emo musings on how I feel, least of all me. I’m done with navel-gazing, at least for now. I’ve noticed how I have no patience for it in others, and I hold myself to the same standard. Other than that, what’s there to talk about? Politics – things I have no control over, therefore I let the bad news (and oh boy, isn’t there always a lot of that?) affect me for a certain time, and move on with my life. No point in dwelling. Religion – I got nothing.
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MR's Blog
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FIFA, France and Germany build Soccer stadium in Palestine, Israel wants to Demolish it
20 Nov 2009 | 6:31 pmKicking footballs is a threat to the national security of Israel. A friendly game between an Arab soccer team and a Palestinian team was supposed to inaugurate the new stadium being built in the eastern part of Al-Bireh, near Ramallah, at the end of the year. “Supposed to” because the Civil Administration, an arm of the Defense Ministry, has ordered that the work be halted and is threatening demolition. FIFA, the international soccer federation, financed the stadium as part of a larger program to promote Palestinian soccer. The stadium covers 11 dunams (2.75 acres) and will hold… -
Abraj al Bait of Mecca: 2nd Largest Tower in the World
19 Nov 2009 | 10:00 pmClick here to view the embedded video. A video of the Zamzam Tower (one of the buidlings part of the Abraj al Bait) Click here to view the embedded video. Related posts:The photos of Mecca you don’t see on wallsAndre Carson might be the 2nd Muslim in Congress!Islam is Officially the World’s Largest Religion! -
I’m a Orthodox Traditional Fundamentalist Sunni according to “Top 500 Most Influential Muslims”
18 Nov 2009 | 9:13 amThe Royal Islamic Strategies Studies Centre in Jordan and the Prince Alwaleed bin Talal Center for Muslim-Christian Understanding in America recently released a publication entitled “The 500 Most Influential Muslims”. I started reading it then stopped after I realized it wasn’t a short read and began browsing. From what I read it’s clear there is a clear bias of anti-Salafism. They said that “Traditional Islam” makes up about 96% of the world Muslims. “Islamic Modernism” makes up about 1% and “Islamic Fundamentalism” makes up about… -
Message from Tarek Mehanna’s Brother
17 Nov 2009 | 8:43 pmClick here to view the embedded video. May Allah reveal the truth and free all those innocent in prison. Ameen! FreeTarek.com Related posts:How the FBI tricked Tarek Mehanna with a Conspirator (or at least how it is reported)Malik Obama, the Half Brother of Barack Obama: “I don’t think that my being a Muslim has got anything to do with my brother being the President of the United States.”My Brother Has A Girlfriend -
The first ten days of Dhu’l-Hijjah: Days of virtue and righteous deeds
17 Nov 2009 | 10:50 amBy Sheikh Muhammed Salih Al-Munajjid Praise be to Allah Who has created Time and has made some times better than others, some months and days and nights better than others, when rewards are multiplied many times, as a mercy towards His slaves. This encourages them to do more righteous deeds and makes them more eager to worship Him, so that the Muslim renews his efforts to gain a greater share of reward, prepare himself for death and supply himself in readiness for the Day of Judgement. This season of worship brings many benefits, such as the opportunity to correct one’s faults and make up…
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Sol Power Network
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Path
18 Nov 2009 | 10:12 amFrom any study or way of enlightenment there is always a point of transition where you have to get ready to transform. In the martial arts the master observes you and sees if you can follow simple instructions. Sometimes it isn't about the task that he gives you. Most times it is just to see if you are going to do the damn thing. When I first got this I ran 200 mph to everyone and if you showed a glimmer of interest I was forcing you to learn 120. Um..that sh*t didn't go too well. The vessel has to be prepared. It has to be cleaned out. It isn't just about physically fasting it is about… -
Nation News Aggregation
17 Nov 2009 | 10:43 amA news aggregator basically takes news from various sites (blogs, vlogs, video sites, etc) and streams them through one site. This means you don't have to check to see the updates on your 20+ sites every minute. You can just check the aggregator and it iwll update you as to when sites are updated. I have constructed on for the Gods and Earths that I will be streaming on this site. You can see it along the right tool bar. If you have a site that uses an RSS feed just port me the site and I will add it to the stream. If you're not sure send me the link anyway and I will add it on. If you are on… -
The author(ity)
16 Nov 2009 | 10:38 amMy righteous sister Serenity commented yesterday that she missed my longer blog post. I remember connecting with Serenity, who went on to become the Earth of my alike Precise, due to the fact that she had "The Headbanger" from EPMD playing on her page. That's my sh*t!! Also my first Earth's name was Serene Oasis so that's another reason why she's always been cool people's with me. What's funny is I have not stopped writing. If anything I am writing more. I couldn't stop writing if I wanted to. I think the only person online who has expressed my sentiments has been Emblem in regards to the… -
Step
15 Nov 2009 | 10:38 amJust peeling an onion and listening to Foreign Exchange. Getting ready for a great week. Take seven steps. A step a day. If a year is to a mile than a foot is as to a week. The work that will get done this week will be equivalent to seven days. And for those who know the Christian parable there was always only one set of footprints. They were mine's all along.Take Off The Blues - The Foreign Exchange -
Heaven and Earth (Virtual Mxtp I)
6 Nov 2009 | 4:03 pmHeaven and Earth
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Margari Aziza
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Brass Crescent Awards
19 Nov 2009 | 4:40 pmThe 6th Annual Brass Crescent Awards are open for voting. There are some really impressive writers that are on the list. I was actually surprised to see my blog nominated, especially since I haven’t been posting much. But I am not surprised to see my husband’s blog nominated for Best Design and Best Writing. He has done some great work for the Philadelphia community and his writing, masha’Allah, reflects his intellectual and community endeavors. I think some of his finest work is on the Ma’rifah blog. This year is also bittersweet because we now have a category for… -
Muslim Conditions in Philly
8 Nov 2009 | 8:40 pmThis is because Allah has never changed a favor which He has conferred upon a people until they change their own condition; and because Allah is Hearing, Knowing Quran 8:53 Maybe it is a reflection of the times, but our community has become self destructive, in other words the Muslims, as a community, is its own worst oppressor. This is especially the case in Philly where there are only a few small pockets where a thinking Muslim can have some semblance of individuality. With so many Muslims, you’d think there would be more opportunities to develop some sense of fellowship. Philadelphia… -
NPR article: Blacks still drawn to Islam despite FBI raids
31 Oct 2009 | 1:29 pmJessie Washington of the Associated Press recently wrote an article addressing the challenges that Black American Muslims face despite negative stereotypes. Despite the prejudice we experience in a predominantly white Christian society, many of us are still drawn to Islam. By now, Sekou Jackson is used to the questions: Why does he need to leave a work meeting to pray? Don’t black Muslims convert to Islam in jail? Why would you even want to be Muslim? “It’s kind of a double whammy to be African-American and Muslim,” said Jackson, who studies the Navy at the National… -
Not qualified to teach?
24 Oct 2009 | 1:28 pmMy husband Marc informed me that on a Salafi forum a local Philly Muslim warned people about attending any of lectures at the Islamic Literacy Series. The brother basically said that we were a bunch of latte drinking*, homosexual loving, elitist, Obama loving Muslims. In another email, someone criticized us by saying that we were not scholars of Islam, have never lived in Saudi Arabia (although I have lived in Kuwait and Egypt), there was no such thing as tasawwuf, and were going to commit shirk in these lectures. These are some major accusations meant to discredit each one of us with a… -
The Islamic Literacy Series – Fall 2009
12 Oct 2009 | 11:21 amHere’s some info on a lecture series I’m participating in: The Islamic Literacy Series is a new program at the University of Pennsylvania aimed at increasing the level of understanding among Muslims about their own faith. Each week, a 50 minute class will be held on a different topic pertaining to Islam. A faculty of 5 instructors will introduce, explore and examine the richness and diversity of the Muslim past and present. The goal is that over the course of this series, students find answers, discover new questions, challenge conventions, appreciate tradition and gain a better…
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Kelly Izdihar's Blog
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Adieu, Goodbye, Ma’salaama :-)
1 Nov 2009 | 1:24 amSome of you have probably noticed that my old posts are gone. That’s because I’m cleaning house and moving on. I’m retiring from blogging. It’s time and I realized it after months of avoiding it. I saved then removed my old posts in the hopes of finding some gem in the muck. Maybe there’s some good book idea or article buried in there. Plus, I’m working on redirecting my time and energy in some religious and business matters. (Tajweed classes are rockin’ as usual. It really adds sweetness to the prayer and I recommend everyone to take them.) …
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kameelahwrites
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321/2009: elevate love, waxing/waning poem, friends.
15 Nov 2009 | 10:30 am1. spectacle: this word has been on my mind for a while--the public spectacle of execution, films like 'precious,' tv shows like 'lockdown: raw,' homelessness (and documentaries about such living), photography, teaching, relationships, etc. how much of what is done daily is done for the sake of entertainment and satiation of an audience we don't even know? so much of life is performative. we perform and this cannot be authentic living, at least it needn't be.2. changes: i do not know where i will be in september 2010. i was very apprehensive and still am. however, i am also very excited about… -
320/2009: 'precious' little of value in ghetto lit/juan williams.
15 Nov 2009 | 9:06 ami am writing my next column on PRECIOUS and am interested in hearing everyone's take on the film. i read 'PUSH' a few months back because when i went to see the film, i wanted to have a source of comparison and analysis. there have been some unfriendly reviews and some raving commentary. i am looking forward to finding a new entry point to understand this film. i enjoyed the colorlines article 'the black matriarch as villain' in which juell stewart notes,But beneath the film was something that I found to be problematic: a reliance on the villainization of Black matriarch—rather than a… -
319/2009: new york trains and nostalgia.
15 Nov 2009 | 6:38 amthis is another photo by spaceship george/kwesi abbensetts. his work is absolutely amazing. i've talked about him before and his work continues to move me. -
318/2009: black.
15 Nov 2009 | 6:23 amalan gastel, nyc -
317/2009: life is like a box of crayon--john mayer on love.
14 Nov 2009 | 6:48 pmi feel like this all the time...Life is like a box of crayons. Most people are the 8-color boxes, but what you're really looking for are the 64-color boxes with the sharpeners on the back. I fancy myself to be a 64-color box, though I've got a few missing. It's ok though, because I've got some more vibrant colors like periwinkle at my disposal. I have a bit of a problem though in that I can only meet the 8-color boxes. Does anyone else have that problem? I mean there are so many different colors of life, of feeling, of articulation.. so when I meet someone who's an 8-color type.. I'm like,…
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Laila Lalami
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New Darwish Translation
17 Nov 2009 | 3:00 amA few weeks ago, when I heard that Farrar, Straus and Giroux was publishing a new volume of Mahmoud Darwish’s poetry, I was thrilled. But I was also a little disappointed that such recognition would come after his passing. (Darwish has been published in the United States before, of course, though never by a major commercial press.) The book is called If I Were Another, and it is translated by Fady Joudah. “If I Were Another” (Farrar, Straus and Giroux) presents long poems from the latter part of Mr. Darwish’s career—the only part that the poet, persistently self-critical,… -
On The Road
16 Nov 2009 | 3:00 amI am in Indiana today, giving a talk at Notre Dame University. I don’t know if there are any readers of the blog in the area, but here are the details in case any of you are interested. My trip over here was pleasantly uneventful, until the very end. A soldier who was returning home from Iraq was on the plane to South Bend. When we arrived, her little boy, no more than five or six, ran to greet her and wouldn’t let go. Everyone was staring. There wasn’t a dry eye in sight. I was happy to see her reunited with her family, but angered once again that she and so many others are… -
Quotable: Toni Morrison
13 Nov 2009 | 3:00 amFrom Toni Morrison’s second novel, Sula: Still, it was lovely up in the Bottom. After the town grew and the farm land turned into a village and the village into a town and the streets of Medalion were hot and dusty with progress, those heavy trees that sheltered the shacks up in the Bottom were wonderful to see. And the hunters who went there sometimes wondered in private if maybe the white farmer was right after all. Maybe it was the bottom of heaven. The black people would have disagreed, but they had no time to think about it. They were mightily preoccupied with earthly… -
Quotable: Tim O’Brien
11 Nov 2009 | 3:00 amFrom the title story in Tim O’Brien’s The Things They Carried: First Lieutenant Jimmy Cross carried letters from a girl named Martha, a junior at Mount Sebastian College in New Jersey. They were not love letters, but Lieutenant Cross was hoping, so he kept them folded in plastic at the bottom of his rucksack. In the late afternoon, after a day’s march, he would dig his foxhole, wash his hands under a canteen, unwrap the letters, hold them with the tips of his fingers, and spend the last hour of fight pretending. He would imagine romantic camping trips into the White… -
Caricatures and Representations
9 Nov 2009 | 11:00 pmLast month, the scholar Jytte Klausen published a book on the controversy surrounding the Jyllands-Posten caricatures of the Prophet Muhammad. But, despite its title, The Cartoons That Shook The World didn’t include any images. Yale University Press, Klausen’s publisher, decided to censor the cartoons out of fear that they could lead to trouble here in the United States. Of course, that only led to more controversy. (For the record, I happen to think Yale should have included the images, because they are crucial for any full understanding of the situation. To exclude them makes a…
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The Manrilla Blog | Exploring Islam In America Through the Social Sciences
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2009 Brass Crescent Awards
19 Nov 2009 | 3:55 amI am honored that my blog has been picked again for the 2009 Brass Crescent Awards. I am up for Best Design again as well as Best Writer. My wife is also nominated again for Best Female Blog. My thanks for those who voted last year and I look forward to seeing this year’s winners. [...] -
Thanksgiving Survival Manual
14 Nov 2009 | 7:17 pmBeing Muslim in a non-Muslim environment can present a number of challenges. From time to time, we are called upon to negotiate a space in which we are not the defining power. This happens with great frequency here in America, a non-Muslim majority environment. So when it comes to the holidays, many Muslims feel torn [...] -
House Keeping
5 Nov 2009 | 10:30 amI have decided to update the style of the site here to match my other site. In doing so, comments have temporarily been turned off – I will be fixing this shortly. Update! – Commenting has resumed. Behave yourselves. -
NPR Asks How & Why Blackamericans Are Drawn To Islam
31 Oct 2009 | 3:01 pmNational Public Radio recently did an interview of Imam Anwar Muhaimin of Masjid Quba here in Philadelphia [ma sha'Allah, nice picture Imam Anwar!], my wife, as well as yours truly, asking how and why Blackamericans, despite the phenomenons of 9/11 and more recently, the FBI raid in Detroit, are drawn to Islam. I spoke at [...] -
Don’t Mind the Trolls
27 Oct 2009 | 3:00 pmSister Heather wrote a very thoughtful article entitled, Don’t Mind the Trolls for Examiner.com . It is an account and analysis on the practice of certain pseudo-ananymous people who leave asinine and offensive comments on blogs and web sites. Read the article here.
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Umar Lee
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Educating Muslims on the Military and Questions for the Institutes
19 Nov 2009 | 9:47 pmIn light of the recent discussion on Muslim service in a kaafir army dedicated to killing Muslims and occupying Muslims lands I think that it would be fitting to start a counter-recruitment and education project at American masjids and college campuses to educate Muslims on why they should not join the military. This could be a good project [...] -
Is It Permissible To Join A Kaafir Army?
18 Nov 2009 | 5:06 pmIn the years since 9/11, we have seen a serious re-defining and whitewashing of what our deen is and is not. Since the Ft Hood shootings, and even before that, we have seen many Muslim organizations refer to US troops which are occupying Muslim lands, as “our troops”. They have celebrated Muslims that have gone [...] -
Ft. Hood, Muslim Mafia and MQ
17 Nov 2009 | 4:20 pmBeen very busy. Lots of stuff to talk about and so little time to write. Inshaallah look for my two pieces in the upcoming MQ Magazine. “Why the Fort Got Hood” addressing the Ft. Hood situation and my take on the David and Chris Gaubatz book Muslim Mafia. -
My Take on the Fort Hood Shooting
11 Nov 2009 | 5:55 pmLook for my take on the Fort Hood Shooting and Brother Nidal in the essay ”Why the Fort Got Hood” in the next edition of MQ Magazine. As a reminder subscriptions are only $15. I would also encourage all readers to support Brother Abu Sinan in his efforts to help his son get medical treatment. May Allah reward [...] -
The Obama Dilemna For Muslims
8 Oct 2009 | 1:01 amIt is well-known that President Barack Obama received an overwhelming majority of the American-Muslims vote and along with that a lot of enthusiasm from Muslims in America who were excited about the prospects of turning a new leaf after a disastrous eight years of the Bush Administration. I was one of those Muslims who voted for [...]
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askMuslims.com
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Anonymous to tell the truth I am still "obfuscator...
20 Nov 2009 | 5:35 pmAnonymous to tell the truth I am still "obfuscatory" about Trinity and to tell you truth I will understand 1+1+1= 1 but go ahead Robert answer Anonymous question. By the way Anonymous good question and analyzing. By the way I encourage you to read few article on Islamic view about God. -
My question is obfuscatory? You are talking like A...
20 Nov 2009 | 3:03 pmMy question is obfuscatory? You are talking like Abdullah where he doesn't understand Trinity and tells us that he is obfuscatory.Deutercanonical books were not originally written in Hebrew and that makes you pause to consider if it is reliable or not and when Abdullah says Exodus has an unknown author that make me pause to consider but it's strange that you don't feel like that. Do you know you are acting like a hypocrite. Like I said I have been following you and Abdullah for a long time and he gave some good points to consider regarding unknown authors but i noticed that you… -
anonymous, As a Catholic, you too, are born again...
20 Nov 2009 | 10:25 amanonymous,As a Catholic, you too, are born again, so I don't understand why you refer to me as a born again Christian when you are one as well. Anyway, the question is who gave me the right to "take out" books of the Bible, as you say. Your question is obfuscatory because it isn't about me; it's about God. You aren't asking a meaningful question, but I will do my best to answer you anyway. First, St. Paul defends the Masoretic text over the Septuagint in Romans 3:2, which we both know is inspired. "2 Great in every respect. First of all, that they were entrusted… -
I am kind of learning few things hear, go Anonymou...
20 Nov 2009 | 8:51 amI am kind of learning few things hear, go Anonymous. One quick info for Anonymous you will never get answers from Robert. If you don't get the answer from him that means he has no clue and his plan is to change the topic. -
Robert who has all the manuscript, you or the cath...
20 Nov 2009 | 8:35 amRobert who has all the manuscript, you or the catholic chruch.You still didn't answer my simple question that is"Tell me who gave you so called "Born again Christians" the right to take out 6 books from the Bible from when did you become God?" If did take it out then are you telling me all the onces who followed in before you took them out were following lie.
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Bradford Muslim
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Four Stages of Prevent
1 Nov 2009 | 3:24 amThe Guardian's recent reporting of examples of bad practice in the implementation of prevent are currently being investigated by the Home Office. Before I write about what I consider to be the core problems at present, I'd like to provide some context. There are four stages in the development of the prevent strategy as it is currently in place. The first stage was pre-prevent, if you like. If we take 9/11 as the beginning (this could be disputed, because there was some activity in this area in the 90s), then there was a period which I find most astonishing upto July 7 2005 in which there was… -
J'Accuse le BBC
20 Oct 2009 | 1:26 amNick Griffin, if you haven't noticed already, is due to appear on this week's BBC's flagship political programme 'Question Time'. There is much concern and commentary across the media about this as a key moment in the growing acceptability of the BNP. It is their moment of arrival. The first point that I'd make is that the narrative of the steady upward climb of the far-right is (like the fear of the Muslim take-over) exaggerated and complicated. Many places have seen the rise and fall of the BNP vote already. Other places are still experiencing a rise, but for different reasons - mostly to… -
Regenerating the Heart of Bradford
14 Oct 2009 | 4:38 pmVisitors from outside of town when driving through Bradford may have noticed a huge hole in the centre of the city. This is because several buildings were knocked down a few years ago to make way for a new shopping centre which is to be built by Westfield - a leading construction company in this area. Bradford is basically looking to develop a mini-shopping centre like Meadowhall just outside Sheffield or Trafford Centre just outside Manchester, only smaller. There have been difficulties getting enough tenants for the centre and the recession managed to slow things down before they had got… -
Farewell to the Bush years - Part 8
11 Jul 2009 | 3:01 amWhat did you find shocking and unbelievable? Like I have hinted at earlier, the Bush years were one long surreal moment in which it seemed that anything could happen. This moment began with a terrorist attack that could have never been imagined and ended with the election of a young African-American President which was also previously unbelievable. The attacks in Madrid were unbelievable. The anti-war March in London on 15th February 2003 in which 1 million people marched was unbelievable. The invasion of Iraq was unbelievable. It was as if we were in some world or realm in which the… -
Farewell to the Bush Years - Part 7
4 Jul 2009 | 12:43 pmWho did badly in the Bush years within a British context?When one begins to think about who did badly in the Bush years and who did well, then it is clear that of those on the national scene it was those who were able to provide some kind of persistent leadership through example which represented good judgment and political nous that came out as winners in the Bush years. Lord Nazir Ahmad was for example the de facto Minister for Muslim affairs in the first Blair administration but his influence declined in the second administration. This was because he was perhaps a bit too vociferous…
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City of Brass
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146 years after Gettysburg
19 Nov 2009 | 8:45 amToday is the 146th anniversary of the Gettysburg Address - November 19th, 1963. Readers may be interested in this word cloud I generated of the text of the Address: Here's the full transcript of the Gettysburg Address (the "Nicolay" copy). Read this post » -
Hajj: The Opening
19 Nov 2009 | 8:10 am[22:27-8] And proclaim the Pilgrimage among men: they will come to thee on foot and (mounted) on every kind of camel, lean on account of journeys through deep and distant mountain highways; That they may witness the benefits (provided) for them, and celebrate the name of Allah, through the Days appointed, over the cattle which He has provided for them (for sacrifice): then eat ye thereof and feed the distressed ones in want." The pilgrims are arriving in Saudi Arabia and the kingdom is gearing up in preparation. The official start of the month, Zilhajj (or Dul Hujjah) was yesterday according… -
Voting open for the Brass Crescent Awards!
18 Nov 2009 | 7:08 amIt's time to once again cast your vote for the Islamsphere's best and brightest - the polls are now open in the 6th Anual Brass Crescent Awards for the Islamic Blogsphere! This year we were a little delayed with the voting phase, partly because I had an unexpected trip in October and then partly because of the tragedy at Fort Hood, which rightly dominated the attention of the blogsphere as a whole, but the Islamsphere in particular. However, we are now ready to go, and you can vote until Nov. 27th at the official site, BrassCrescent.org, so what are you waiting for? The categories this year… -
the muslim vote
13 Nov 2009 | 8:34 amThere's a great ongoing series at Open Left which makes a data-driven analysis of voting patterns for all sorts of demographic groups to argue that overall, the GOP is in serious trouble over the long term. The ethnic demographic trends are pretty devastating by themselves, though a demographic trend is like the climate, not the weather - it's a long term global aggregate, but short-term local fluctuations can (and will) appear. As the authors note, "If Obama loses the White House in 2012 with 49% of the vote, this would still be consistent with the trends of the last 30 years." What… -
doing business with Iran
13 Nov 2009 | 6:31 amThe seizure of mosques and a skyscraper yesterday was ostensibly because the rental income from the skyscraper was being sent to a bank in Iran which is allegedly used by the Iranian government to fund its covert (and denied) nuclear program. This is illegal by federal law, but it's interesting to see a double standard at work with respect to other US companies that run afoul of that law: (19 July 2004) The U.S. Treasury Department's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) has been investigating Halliburton since 2001 to determine whether it violated the ban on U.S. companies doing business…
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Darvish
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Thanks Giving 2009
20 Nov 2009 | 9:00 amSalaam and Greetings of Peace: Thanksgiving is almost here in the US, and with Eid al-Adha the next day it will soon be a time of giving thanks, of gratitude to the Creator. Before every meal, Sufis say “Bismillah!” This is their way of saying Grace, of being grateful. Yet every human being who follows a spiritual path has their own way of being gracious, whose origin is Grace; the giving of thanks to God. Thanksgiving is sweeter than bounty itself. One who cherishes gratitude does not cling to the gift! Thanksgiving is the true meat of God’s bounty; The bounty is its shell, For… -
Everywhere I Look, You Are
13 Nov 2009 | 10:38 amO Beloved, everywhere I look, You are! Every sound I hear is You! Every touch, taste, scent, all You! Every child’s face is You, Every stranger, every friend Of every nation, end to end. Every sound echoes Your voice! The wind stirs the trees and The leaves sway to La Illaha ill Allah! The sea waves Your name to the shore The earth grows Your name in its bounty The sky colors Your name in aching blue. In all the worlds, everywhere Without end, there is only You The Merciful and Everlasting Friend. - Irving Karchmar, July 2007 Ya Haqq! Note: This poem was originally part of a longer post… -
Free Master of the Jinn Ebook for Eid al-Adha
10 Nov 2009 | 12:22 pmSalaam and Greetings of Peace: In honor of Eid al-Adha, The Ebook of Master of the Jinn: A Sufi Novel will be gifted to all that want one, through November 27th, in either English or Spanish. Just email me at: Irvingk1945 at gmail dot com, and write gift ebook or Spanish gift ebook in the subject line. Inshallah, it will be of some benefit :) Eid al-Adha, the Festival of Sacrifice: One of the two main Islamic festivals (the other is ‘Id al-Fitr), this festival falls on the 10th day of the lunar month of Zul-Hijja and is the concluding act of pilgrimage to Mecca. In commemoration of… -
Loving Quietly
26 Oct 2009 | 10:14 pmSalaam and Greetings of Peace: How do you love quietly? A dear sister wrote me recently and asked that question. Since she has a spiritual inclination, I answered her this way: To love quietly is to do the work that is meant for you in this life, and to serve all whom you come in contact with, even in small ways. That is quiet love – for others and for God, who is in all His creation. To love a particular person quietly, is to pray for him, to help him when you can, and to listen. Her question also reminded me of this post about the old woman washing the steps of a Buddhist temple, which… -
Five Year Anniversary of Master of the Jinn!
19 Oct 2009 | 10:51 amSalaam and Greetings of Peace: Master of the Jinn is celebrating its Five Year Anniversary this month :) And in commemoration of that, for anyone that buys a copy of the book, in either the paperback edition or as an ebook (from Mobipocket, or the Amazon Kindle book reader), I will send them a jpg of the original beautiful cover art of Master of the Jinn. It makes lovely wallpaper or a great screensaver for your computer :) Just go to this link, all the info is there: http://masterofthejinn.com/order.html Then email me and I will email you back the cover art. Irvingk1945@gmail.com Just put…
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Dunner's
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US Unemployment Rates - October 2009
20 Nov 2009 | 9:14 amThe October US regional and state unemployment figures were released today. The figures continue to show an overall increase in the unemployment rates. A total of 30 states had their unemployment rates increase, while the numbers for 14 states decreased; eight states had no change. The number of states with double-digit unemployment rates remains at fifteen (not including Puerto Rico). Here are some of the highlights: Overall, the "official" national unemployment rate (U-3) increased by 0.4%, from 9.8% to 10.2% over September's number. For the past twelve months, the national rate has… -
Oops!
20 Nov 2009 | 4:20 am"Oops!" by Le Nede -
Vegetarian Woman
12 Nov 2009 | 8:25 amYou are what you eat, apparently. ;)HT: The Design Inspiration -
Pomplamoose - Beat It
11 Nov 2009 | 10:53 pmHere's an interesting cover of Michael Jackson's Beat It by a Bay Area indie jazz-pop band called Pomplamoose ("grapefruit" in French). Nataly Dawn does vocals and Jack Conte is the jack-of-all-trades instrumentalist. It's a rather cool video, in the line of Fabio Valdemarin's work. Check it out! -
Elmira, New York
11 Nov 2009 | 7:01 amThis little video is of my hometown, Elmira, New York, where I was born and raised. Unfortunately, I haven't been back there since Christmas 1986. The video starts by heading north before doing a quick turn to the west toward the downtown area, roughly following the course of the Chemung River. The viewer then heads southwest, back over the river and above Southside, the neighborhood I lived in. The hill at the end of the video is called Mount Zoar.
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The Egyptian's Wife
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I am sooooo EXCITED!!!
28 Oct 2009 | 3:43 pmHow psyched am I to know that for a week I will get to go to a Waldorf childcare seminar with the author of the above book, which I read when Layla was a baby! It's part of a program called Lifeways... And if you are interested in Waldorf for young children you should check them out. http://www.lifewaysnorthamerica.org/ I got the curriculum for the Lifeways course I am enrolling in and I am just so excited to learn more and hear ideas from people doing what I hope to do with my program! I can't wait! The big debate right now is how staying in Boulder during the program is going to look. I… -
Writing and other stuff...
26 Oct 2009 | 1:08 pmIf you follow me on Twitter or friend me on facebook you already know that my current obsession is Nanowrimo. I have started outlining my plot and am chomping at the bit to get writing. The daycare is coming along and in prep for going back to work I am trying to get the house under control. I said trying, not succeeding. One of my brainstorms was to have the kids each have only one dish (a big shallow bowl) and they are to was it and eat out of it all day. I got the dishes and wrote names on the sides and showed the kids to wash them. Only to find my sink clogged with cereal since the 6yo… -
I still love my blog...
12 Oct 2009 | 3:11 pmI have been neglecting the whole blogging scene due to lack of time. I try to read the blogs I love and comment... But sometimes I just don't have time! WAHHH! So I am neglecting my poor little blog it seems. What's going on with me and mine lately... All 6 of us apparently have Type A influenza, which means most likely the dreaded H1N1 virus. It hasn't been that bad really, masha'Allah. It does mean that the kids are taking a week off school and we are all under voluntary house arrest. I did some online shopping, we made chicken soup and beef broth and ate it with rice and boiled potatoes… -
Internet Narcs, here's something new for you...
16 Sep 2009 | 8:44 pmAnyone who is a veteran internet user has been found by some relative, acquaintance, co-worker, whatever that feels they now have the "dirt" on you. Of course this type of person is not usually motivated by good. They are looking for the things to say about you to your spouse, the community, your employer... And they will stretch and fabricate to suit their purpose. To me they are like a real life internet troll. They have the same goal, to stat a conflict and get attention.I imagine that it is partly because of this that blogs go private, stay general, and basically avoid inflammatory… -
Ramadan blessings...
25 Aug 2009 | 5:33 pmRamadan is full of mixed feelings for me, and I have been trying to write a post about that for a few days now. It just doesn't seem to be coming together. Maybe I'm just clouded by low blood sugar or something. If you are wondering about the picture... That is what I am focusing on this Ramadan. Trusting Allah. Trusting that all the things I am experiencing are part of my fate, Trusting that I have to do what is right and everything else will come, trusting that if He handed me a challenge I can meet it. Anyway, Ramadan and me...The good part, is pretty simple. I feel closer to the religion,…
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iMuslim (Wordpress.com)
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19 Nov 2009 | 2:17 am
19 Nov 2009 | 2:17 amOMG.. Just caught the weather report. HUGE arrows flying up the Western half of the country. A shocking sight! Glad I live in the S.East! -
18 Nov 2009 | 12:55 pm
18 Nov 2009 | 12:55 pmAttended my 1st ULU ISoc dinner tonight. UCL won CW contest. Imperial came 3rd! Sisters were going CRAZY. Total raised nationwide >£350K mA! -
18 Nov 2009 | 6:37 am
18 Nov 2009 | 6:37 amMehzabeen is inspired by Emily Roebling. She helped her ill husband to complete the Brooklyn Bridge, by teaching herself higher maths & engineering. -
18 Nov 2009 | 6:31 am
18 Nov 2009 | 6:31 amIt took me five mins to realise why 10^-3 is 0.001 and not 0.01. Sigh. -
17 Nov 2009 | 8:38 am
17 Nov 2009 | 8:38 amMehzabeen feels like a sheep amongst wolves. And twice as stupid.
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Indigo Jo Blogs
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Tim Bowes on Maajid Nawaz
16 Nov 2009 | 2:42 pmfolio » Blog Archive » Chasing wild geese I wanted to fillet Johann Hari’s article in which he interviews three leading members of the Quilliam clique plus Anjem “Andy” Choudhary, but never having known them and always being far from the centre of all things HT — Newham and then SOAS (I was at Coulsdon College and then went on to Aberystwyth, and HT/Muhajiroun had no presence in either place) — I don’t really know enough to rebut it except to say that their version of, say, the murder of that Nigerian student differs with the version that many… -
What if we’d lost the Falklands?
14 Nov 2009 | 2:41 pmNew Statesman - What if… Britain had lost the Falklands war Dominic Sandbrook writes a series of “what if …” articles which imagine history as it might have been had one thing about history changed; I guess a kind of “sliding doors” theory of history. In this case, he imagines that in the capital of the Falklands, or Malvinas, there is a big mural showing the Argentinian soldiers who lost their lives in the invasion, a huge flag covering the old Anglican cathedral and talk of a garden of reconciliation. In the UK, Thatcher was kicked out of the leadership… -
“Connection with Allah” overrides Shari’ah, says columnist
14 Nov 2009 | 10:22 amKevin Myers: ‘Fear of Islamophobia stopped Hasan’s superiors from disciplining him for his jihadist outpourings’ - Kevin Myers, Columnists - Independent.ie Kevin Myers, a columnist on the Irish Independent (a paper whose website is suspiciously similar to the Independent in London) who has also written for the Telegraph in the UK, raises a fairly common Islamophobic cliché in his assessment of why an apparently peaceful Muslim can suddenly become violent: because apparently, the perception of the need for jihad can simply override the normal laws of Islam any time it… -
Iraq police suckered by fake bomb detector
14 Nov 2009 | 4:23 amBen Goldacre on a hilarious, but tragic, example of obvious bogus science and how the Iraqi police were taken in, to the tune of £19m ($32m): A British company called ATSC is selling a device which can detect guns, ammunition, bombs, drugs, contraband ivory – and truffles. The ADE651 uses “electrostatic magnetic ion attraction” and can detect these things from a kilometre away, through walls, under the ground, under water or even from an aeroplane three miles overhead. ATSC’s device is handheld. You simply take a piece of plastic-coated cardboard for your chosen target,… -
Haunting dreams
12 Nov 2009 | 4:09 pmWheelchair Dancer: Dreaming on Wheels Last night, I had my “first” dream about me as a disabled person. It was scarily vivid. Law and Order style, I shouted to, well, whomever — faceless dream person; the police?? — that I would take care of this “dirtbag.” The next sensation I remember was the power and the support of my chair — so sweet, so responsive — as I hurled the dirtbag to the floor. They somehow got up again and, apparently, without resistance, because the next thing I remember was that I was hurling them to the ground again. It was a…
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The Laughing Muslim
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28 Oct 2009 | 6:06 am
28 Oct 2009 | 6:06 amhttp://www.linktv.org/onenation/winnersArab In America is Hilarious. -
EID MUBARAK
19 Sep 2009 | 6:07 pmEID MUBARAK -
9 Aug 2009 | 7:02 pm
9 Aug 2009 | 7:02 pm -
4 Jul 2009 | 7:44 am
4 Jul 2009 | 7:44 am -
3 Jul 2009 | 7:49 pm
3 Jul 2009 | 7:49 pm
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Muslim Apple
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Imam Zaid Shakir: Responding to the Fort Hood Tragedy
21 Nov 2009 | 6:31 amThe best and most eloquent and well-researched reponse from a Muslim that I have seen surrounding the events at Fort Hood. Imam Zaid Shakir: Responding to the Fort Hood Tragedy -
Hijabi Monologues: This Sunday at the Kennedy Center
20 Nov 2009 | 3:43 amI missed the last performance of the Hijabi Monologues in DC, this past January, due to obligations at work but in sha Allah, intend to be there this Sunday. I know two of the sisters performing and hope to write up a review afterward, in sha Allah. Hijabi Monologues When: Sunday, November 22, 2009, 6-7 PM Where: John [...] -
Update: What’s up with Anwar al-Awlaki?
10 Nov 2009 | 3:50 amHe says, “Nidal Hassan is a hero. He is a man of conscience who could not bear living the contradiction of being a Muslim and serving in an army that is fighting against his own people.“ What? That’s absolute nonsense. Anwar al-Awlaki explains his comment in the Washington Post: Aulaqi said: “I blessed the act because [...] -
Muslim Apple & AlMaghrib’s Ilmfest in the News
4 Oct 2009 | 6:29 amI was interviewed last by a reporter from the Baltimore Sun newspaper about this weekend’s IlmFest conference hosted by AlMaghrib Institute in the Baltimore Convention Center. The article appeared on the front page of Saturday’s paper and inside on page 10. Check it out here: Muslims gather for a weekend of learning about their faith and also Baltimore [...] -
Animals are in Little People in Fur Coats
12 Sep 2009 | 2:09 pmI saw the above statement on bumper sticker on a Toyota Prius, the other day, as I was heading to school. See if you can find it on this car: Picture courtesy of San Francisco Citizen
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The Muslimah
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When We Refuse
17 Nov 2009 | 11:05 pmBismillah We can easily forgive a child who is afraid of the dark; the real tragedy of life is when men are afraid of the light. (Plato) When I first read this quote, I imagined myself in front of a mirror looking straight at my sins and then turning away heedless. It’s easy to ignore, to live in our ignorance, to refuse to see the proof that proves we are wrong. We can fight the Hijab and claim there is no proof in the Shari’ah but it is us that don’t care to look deeper and with an open mind, for x and x reasons that we refuse to acknowledge. We backbite and don’t… -
Just Being Honest…
17 Nov 2009 | 10:46 pmBismillah I’m cautious around people because as a child I was hurt too much by the people around me. I’m cautious because people are mean, cruel, deceitful, and negative. I have enough negativity of my own and not enough patience to deal with more. I’m trying to build a life for myself that is more positive, full of simplicity and tranquility. I like to be encouraged to do things that will aid me in my journey. Talk to me about Allah. Encourage me to leave a bad habit. Teach me a hadeeth or remind me of one I already know. If you see me yell at my kids unjustly, please let… -
If
17 Nov 2009 | 11:44 amBismillah If By Rudyard Kipling If you can keep your head when all about you Are losing theirs and blaming it on you; If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you, But make allowance for their doubting too; If you can wait and not be tired by waiting, Or being lied about, don’t deal in lies, Or being hated, don’t give way to hating, And yet don’t look too good, nor talk too wise: If you can dream — and not make dreams your master; If you can think — and not make thoughts your aim; If you can meet with Triumph and Disaster And treat those two imposters just… -
Can I Be Honest?
14 Nov 2009 | 9:02 pmBismillah Can I be honest with you? This life is too modern for me. It’s too fast paced and empty. Mothers are not mothers. Fathers are not fathers. Children are not children. What has happened is a story too long to talk about. Easy to see, however, are the consequences of the mistakes of the past and present. The home is no longer a place of joy. It is now a place of arguments and anger. Our meals are no longer homemade. They are quick and easy. We love quick fixes. There is no patience. What is patience anymore? Men are mocked and looked down on. Respect is gone for fathers. Women… -
Expert Pediatrician Exposes Vaccine Myths
14 Nov 2009 | 4:02 amBismillah Read the article here. “When I went through medical school, I was taught that vaccines were completely safe and completely effective, and I had no reason to believe otherwise. All the information that I was taught was pretty standard in all the medical schools and the teachings and scientific literature throughout the country. I had no reason to disbelieve it. Over the years, I kept practicing medicine and using vaccines and thinking that my approach to vaccines was completely onboard with everything else I was taught. But more and more, I kept seeing that my experience of the…
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Naeem's Blog
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A Reminder
17 Nov 2009 | 8:36 pmthat the 10 most blessed days of the year are upon us. Try and take advantage of them. While so many of us are keen to perform extra acts of worship in the last 10 nights of Ramadan, we are too lax when it comes to these 10 days of Dhul-Hijja.Let us make this year different.You can start by reading this and this. -
Ever Wonder
13 Nov 2009 | 9:31 pmwhat an agent provocateur looks like? Well, dear reader, wonder no more!Yours truly has uncovered rare footage of not one, but TWO of these elusive creatures in the wild:Seriously, these guys can't seriously expect us to take them seriously. Seriously??I don't even know where to begin. I could take the more serious route and present the Islamic argument on where they have strayed. Or I could simply treat them like Larry, Mo, and Curly and expose them for the stooges they really are.Hmmmmm....that's a tough one.I'll choose Entrapment Stooges for $300, Alex.First off, the poor saps are trying… -
American Muslims: The Battered Wife
9 Nov 2009 | 8:36 pmStuck in a crumbling marriage with Billy Bob, poor Mary Lou is constantly wavering between the lows of physical violence and the highs of sweet love - abundantly showered on her by a suddenly remorseful husband.While she knows that Billy Bob loves her to death, a fact unrealized by her friends and family, she fears those moments when his inner demons incite him to let loose on her petite frame. Like that evening last weekend, when little Johnny broke daddy's favorite beer mug. Mary Lou pleaded in vain, begging her high school sweetheart to simply buy another mug. But the backlash was swift… -
The State of True Believers
6 Nov 2009 | 11:30 pmA beautiful exchange between two special lovers of Allah (swt):Imam Jafar as-Sadiq asked the famous saint Shaqiq al-Balkhi about the affairs of his people. Shaqiq al-Balkhi replied, 'They are well. When they receive from the blessings of Allah (swt), they are thankful. And when they are tested with difficulty, they bear patiently.'Imam Jafar frowned, replying 'Such is the state of dogs.'And he continued, 'The state of true believers is that when they are showered with Allah's blessings, they give. And when they are tested, they are thankful.' -
Criminalize War?
3 Nov 2009 | 12:13 amI scoff at the mere suggestion, reminding myself of the various injunctions of Allah (swt) and His messenger (saw) that not only make certain forms of combat necessary, but commendable. How can any sane Muslim ever consider all forms of war to be criminal, especially when our Creator has stated, "Fighting is prescribed upon you and you dislike it. However, it may be that you dislike a thing which is good for you..."(2:216)?The Prophet took part in many battles and he surely was no criminal! So who are we to suggest that war become a criminal act, worthy of universal condemnation?Of course,…
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Children Make Life Normal
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And The School Year Just Started
8 Nov 2009 | 2:50 amThere I was sitting in the car with Mariam and Umar on a Saturday waiting for the other three to get out of school. They had their first Saturday class to make up for some of the days missed due to the closure by the ministry. The phone rings and I am told I need to see the Principle of Jihad's school tomorrow morning. I breath deeply and think "this can't be good" and set a time for 9am.I meet the kids after school and I spot Jihad from a distance walking slowly. He has a note in his hand and walk towards me and I ask "What happened?""I got in a fight. ""What?""Ok look I was going in the… -
Helping Sinan
6 Nov 2009 | 7:17 amI was actually going to make a long post detailing some of the costs that parents of children with specific needs tend to have. How things work in Saudi in regards to finding the help, than having the help that is there available to you when you a. aren't covered by insurance and b. can't afford private care.But I'm tired and unmotivated to really do such a writing at this point. And each day I put it off is one more day I put off telling you about how you can help Sinan get the care he needs in the US. So stop by Abu Sinan's blog and check out his post and plea for assistance to get his son… -
Umar Update
2 Nov 2009 | 9:43 pmSo I know that some of you read just because of Umar. Forget about me and what I blog about it is all about the boy. Don't worry my feelings aren't hurt he is my favorite too. So without further delay I'll give you an update on how my boy is doing.Yup that is right my boy is walking and doing it very well I might add. He tends to keep his legs spread wide apart to keep his balance and at times reminds me of a little robot walking about. But the fact is he is walking everywhere at 19 months. He has been working hard on this for the past month and he has a ways to go, he isn't running yet, but… -
Where Am I?
2 Nov 2009 | 7:14 amWell in the car most of the time from three to four hours a day as a matter of fact. Yes I'm now the family driver and I'm annoyed with it. Mariam started school this week which means my driving schedule has become totally insane6:30-6:45 am we leave the house usually on the latter end of that because I have to remind kiddos to brush their teeth, their hair, and tuck in shirts. Did you know that a boy tucking in his shirt means he is a nerd in their school? So what looking like a slob is the new cool look? Brat kids I tell ya.Back at the house around 7:45-8:00 depending on traffic and I can't… -
And This Is Why!
19 Oct 2009 | 11:17 pmI just posted on children not running errands alone and that in Saudi it is not uncommon to see young children running around a neighborhood unsupervised. And just so I am clear on how dangerous this is.Man who raped 9 children arrested Arab News JEDDAH: Jeddah police arrested an African national who allegedly kidnapped and raped nine Asian children in two Jeddah districts, a local daily reported. The rapist threatened his victims with harm if they reported the rape. Police received a large number of reports from families complaining their children had been raped. The rapist targeted children…
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Organica
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For Me? When Men Open Doors
19 Nov 2009 | 4:19 pmI was in a hurry to catch the subway home after a long day at work. I was dragging my feet to the platform with no desire to run. "I will just wait for the next one"I decided.From afar I see a tall, dark, handsome Arab looking man holding the door wide open. I keep my pace to avoid embarrassment. What if the gesture isn't meant for me? But it was.As I approached the doors to the subway platform he looked at me with a smile, "Bess la2inik 3arabyah baftahlik hay il baab!" (Only because you're Arab I open the door for you)Me: "Oh, Shukran. Merci!"{Which sounded Arabish, shocking and surprising… -
A Moment of Peace
14 Nov 2009 | 10:55 amA friend and I left campus to pick up dinner in the midst of Friday night madness. The highway was packed and to make matters worse, one of the lanes was blocked by a stalled vehicle. Cars angrily maneuvered around. Couldn't the man's car find a better place to break down? Perhaps on a better night?We sympathized with the man and decided to help if we could. I rolled down my window and asked, "Do you need help, sir?" He looked surprised for a moment and responded, "I am out of gas. I need gas. My friend is coming to help me from a nearby state. I've been stuck here for 30 minutes and no one… -
My Suggestions to all Mosques
4 Nov 2009 | 11:38 amHire a person to answer phone calls from 9-5.Pay Imams hourly so they can stay put in their offices and answer important calls and visits from the community.24 hour return calls/messages policy.Hire Imams with good English skills who can communicate and are aware of our needs as Muslim Americans.Clean bathrooms hourly with a schedule kept behind the door.It won't hurt to visit a Church or Synagogue every once and a while to learn a few tips.Keep the kids contained. Enuff said!That's all. -
Boys Allowed Hookah While Girls Do Dishes
26 Oct 2009 | 9:39 am"It's not fair" I shouted on a bustling Brooklyn street.My response was produced after a small discussion with 6 brilliant young Egyptian American girls about gender roles and equality. One of the girls, let's call her Hanna, mentioned that her extremely religious parents allowed her brother to visit a famous Hookah cafe with friends. Their rationale was simple: exposure to such instances will make him a better man, ill-deprived of experiences of the outside, unsheltered world.(of course the parents assume the best of their son where he will stay smoke-free and never get hooked on hookahs,… -
The Arab Man Dictatorship
17 Oct 2009 | 5:15 amI worked for a weekend school program for over 3 years. I enjoyed learning new teaching skills, learning Quran with my students and delving into topics traditionally not discussed in this setting.The administration of the school is composed of ONE person. He is an Arab man with absolute authority. A big chunk of the staff are his family members, too. So when it is time to vote on anything, he had an advantage! Of course, like all good Arab men, he flaunted his title which was "doctor."I was appalled by the treatment of this man towards his staff which were mostly women. He would conduct…
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Outlines
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Calling Moon and Moon
31 Oct 2009 | 9:46 pmIs anyone still there? Anyway, after an unintended break , I shall be taking another one.Alhamdulilah for planes, as insha Allah, I’ll be in Syria later today. So no internetry until I get back. *shakes*. A summary of things I could have written about before, but didn’t: Nick Griffin on Question Time: Tosser. And No Platform for Fascists. People voting for the BNP despite not being racist. If you vote for a party that believes that one race, namely the white race is superior and seeks to discriminate on those ground, then you are racist and Jerry Dammers would be… -
A Summary of Recent Stoniness
28 Sep 2009 | 5:16 pmA belated Ramadan and Eid Mubarak to you all. I have recently moved and had no internet, hence my delay in moderating and blogging. Two recent posts here have discussed spiritual abuse within Islam, particularly the abuse meted out to women. The most recent post provoked a detailed discussion. Here is a summary of my thoughts as a conclusion. 1)Despite it being the blessed month of Ramadan, several people that I linked to have been receiving death threats and other harassment both on and offline. Yes, really. So when people wonder why more people have not spoken out, please bear this in… -
Stone Hearts Don’t Bleed
6 Aug 2009 | 2:43 amSo Salafi Burnout’s website has been taken down. While the comments were full of trollery, there were a lot of people able to finally talk about the abuse they had suffered at the hands of so called ’scholars’. Naively, I had hoped that from revelations there and elsewhere, there would be a movement towards eliminating such cults. But no, because power protects power and when most of the people hurt are women and children, who cares? It’s the truly pious MEN and the knowledgeable MEN who are far more important. Seriously, don’t pretend to be all pious and… -
Scribbles Not Outlines 7: Better out than in
3 Aug 2009 | 3:29 amSalaam Alaikum to anyone left reading this. It has indeed been far too long. Oreo is now six months old. The title refers to her, as I’m enjoying being a mother about a million times more then I enjoyed being pregnant. People say about mothers loving their babies, but I don’t love Oreo, I’m in love with her. It’s a real tangible joy, I get stomach flips and butterflies looking at her. Just looking with wonder at this little person, that by Allah’s will, I managed to bring into the world. Our favourite game is ‘A Hundred Kisses’, where I cover her… -
How Do You Soak Yours: Burka Apparently Soaked in Blood
8 Jul 2009 | 6:49 pmA lot of the discourse of Muslim women both here and elsewhere concerns the battle to speak for ourselves. To define our religion, our beliefs on our terms, without the headpatting and correcting of outsiders. Fatemeh’s post at Altmuslimah gives a thorough outline of the usual mistakes made by those who seek to defend Muslim women, without actually listening to them. How disappointing to view an article on the Guardian website, Rahila Gupta headed, ‘The Burka is a cloth soaked in blood’. I have to admit, that my initial response to such a statement was to think, “Only…
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Peace Through Understanding
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Tyrannosaurus Rex
15 Nov 2009 | 2:53 amTyrannosaurus Rex Beneath dark spathes and fantail fronds Love was a hard striving In those most delicate of times When suspicions and lusts were easily aroused, Volcanic eruptions were as common as parasites, And patience was sought from old stories. Under the oversized crescent moon hung sky Hunting was hard and meat was scarce. What scant prey there was would scamper away, As a black marble eye scanned the horizon, And reflected the luster of the lune lit firmament, But love was ever yet stronger than the trial. Below globular clusters of heavenly bodies The horrible horny claw removed… -
Dwight D. Eisenhower
12 Oct 2009 | 5:38 amAfter searching and trying to find the source of my own personal motto, one I learned at the 1964 World's Fair in Flushing Meadows, Queens, New York, and after going learning that the motto of the Fair was adopted in meetings with various lawyers and Robert Moses, I have finally come across what might have been the direct inspiration, the motto of Dwight D. Eisenhower. President Eisenhower needed a coat of arms due to his being awarded the Order of the Elephant from the Danish royalty after the war, 1945. The coat of arms was not finished until after 1954 as indicated in the following… -
Yusef Lateef
12 Oct 2009 | 12:19 amA SYLOGISMBy Yusef LateefFlowers, beautiful flowers, children, humanity, lovely, love, life, embrace all – please! Don’t let evil subdue us. Take from our minds the thornlike thoughts that torture us like bloodsucking leeches and demons of disenchantment. Free us of withering, despairing thoughts that inhabit our minds like the dull buzzing of dragonflies. Take from our hearts the veils of ignorance that we may walk in peace. Come soon – please!Love opens the gates of truth and justice and the lips of flowers – yes, love while there is time, while the heart still struggles within, to… -
Lester B. Pearson
11 Oct 2009 | 10:52 pmThere is a college prep high school in Canada with the motto, "Peace through Understanding": Lester B. ("Mike") Pearson was a winner of the Nobel Peace Prize in 1957. Here is the Nobel Foundation's bio: Lester Bowles Pearson The Nobel Peace Prize 1957 Biography For four decades Lester Bowles Pearson (April 23, 1897-1972) has been noted for his diplomatic sensitivity, his political acumen, and his personal popularity. He is affectionately called «Mike», a nickname given to him by his flying instructor in World War I, who discarded «Lester» as being insufficiently bellicose. Born in Toronto… -
11 Oct 2009 | 5:29 am
11 Oct 2009 | 5:29 am
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Rolled-up Trousers
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Times run with Centre for Social Cohesion briefing
12 Nov 2009 | 3:37 amI'm the subject of an article in the Times today about Anwar Al-Awlaki who has praised the Fort Hood shooter. Al-Awlaki's opinions have swung dramatically since I blogged about him following his incarceration in Yemen back in 2006. Before that he was middle of the road and had a significant following. Some still harbour hopes his internet postings are by an impostor. I think this is unlikely. I heard him on Radio Ramadhan Glasgow articulating his view that Muslims should not live in the West and should instead migrate to 'Muslim lands'. He has changed. Compare this interview… -
BNP - taking us back to the ice age
25 Oct 2009 | 10:43 amNick Griffin has provided us all a villain to unite against. On Question Time his racism was exposed, but this will find resonance in parts of the country, aided by weak opposition from other political parties. Griffin compared ‘indigenous Brits’ to Aborigines. A people under threat from ‘genocide’ caused by the immigration policies of successive governments. London, he says, is no longer a British city. Seems to be doing all right all the same. You would think then in mentioning the Native Australians and Native Americans that he would have sympathy with their cause. It was truly… -
SNP conference dispatch - the economy
21 Oct 2009 | 5:16 amThe economy naturally was discussed at SNP conference through a number of motions. One speaker criticised Jim Murphy’s ‘Arc of Insolvency’ line, pointing to an 'Arc of Recovery' where Iceland is now faring better arguably than the UK is on growth and unemployment. Norway has hardly been touched at all. Gordon Wilson, SNP leader from 1979 to 1990, delivered the Donaldson lecture this year, and suggested the SNP should adopt negative campaigning, pointing out that it has worked for Labour over the years. His concrete suggestion was to highlight ‘Bankrupt Britain’, and in the… -
SNP Conference 2009 twittering
21 Oct 2009 | 4:15 am"When Labour fight poverty, poverty usually wins" - David Kerr, SNP's Glasgow NE candidate. Line of the conference for me #snpconf "Gordon Brown: What a sorry excuse for a Scotsman" barnstorming fraternal address from Plaid Cymru #snpconf Salmond - taking Scotland's voice and Scotland's values to the heart of Westminster #snpconf Salmond - on Brown's signalling of reduction of nuke subs from 4 to 3. "Correct number on the Clyde is zero" #snpconf Compassion signified by Megrahi's release could be that #snpconf Salmond - Gandhi's… -
Novo Scotia
16 Oct 2009 | 4:24 amThe nationality debate started last year by the possibility of Spanish-born Nacho Novo playing football for Scotland reared its head again this week with discussion this time centred on English-born but Scottish-educated Andrew Driver. I’ve been alarmed and uncomfortable at the tenor of the discussion in football circles on this issue, and has once again demonstrated how the sport sometimes thinks itself above normal life. Some of the talk has ruled these men out of because of their “bloodline”, and radio phone-ins even questioned whether the players would be “loyal” to Scotland.
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ReflectOnThis
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Signing on Behalf of the Lord of the Worlds
15 Nov 2009 | 10:30 pmIbn Qayyim al-Jawziyyah al-Hanbalī (d. 751 A.H./1350 C.E.), may Allāh have mercy on him, said something very telling for us all to reflect on in this crazy (and interesting) age that we live in. He said the follow in his famous book entitled Notifying Those Who Sign on Behalf of the Lord of the Worlds (إعلام الموقِّعِين عن رب العالمين),... -
"The Monthly Word" of Habib Umar bin Hafiz for Dhul-Qa'dah 1430
13 Nov 2009 | 11:09 pmBismillah. As-salamu alaykum wa rahmatullah wa barakatuh . . . The Monthly Word for Dhul-Qaʾdah 1430 By the Erudite Spiritual Master: Ḥabīb ʿUmar bin Ḥafīẓ (may Allah be pleased with him) Translated by: Khalil Abu Asmaa (Christopher J. Moore) Praise be to Allāh, Lord of the Worlds, and may blessings and peace be upon the one sent as a mercy... -
Letters of a Sufi Master
3 Nov 2009 | 9:56 pmLetters of a Sufi Master, from the words of Shaykh al-'Arabi al-Darqawi (may Allah have mercy on him)... Ah yes, this is one of those great little books that you always come back to from time to time for inspiration and reflection. It is chock-full-of-wisdom, and sometimes you just want to burst with joy in that you have found the... -
Two Khutbahs on September 18th, 2009 (Ramadan 1430)
3 Oct 2009 | 1:45 pmBismillah. As-salamu alaykum wa rahmatullah wa barakatuh . . . Al-hamdu lillah, our visit to Cincinnati, Ohio, during the last few days of Ramadan 1430/2009 was a truly enriching experienced. We benefited greatly from the presence of the wonderful brothers and sisters that make up the great communities there and we pray that they will continue to flourish and grow... -
Fasting and the Month of Ramadan
29 Aug 2009 | 1:24 pmThe following is a piece that I wrote about the month of Ramadan (especially useful for non-Muslims who are eager to learn more about this blessed and sacred month): Fasting and the Month of Ramadan Prepared by: Khalil Abu Asmaa (Christopher J. Moore) Fasting is a tradition known to many of the world’s religions. In its essence it is to...
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Sister Aishah's Islamic Journey
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Pondering the Best Deeds of the First 10 Days of Dhul-Hijjah
18 Nov 2009 | 5:00 amBy Aishah Schwartz November 18, 2009 January 8, 2006 (original publication date) TINY URL: http://tinyurl.com/yankuf9 It's here! The first 10 days of Dhul-Hijjah! And, subhan'Allah, as i sit... [[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]] -
Obama Addresses Black Caucus on Health Care
26 Sep 2009 | 11:44 pm[[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]] -
Obama speaks at the UN Security Council Sept. 24, 2009
24 Sep 2009 | 3:39 pm[[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]] -
How the Grinch Stole Ramadan - the Rest of the Story...
22 Sep 2009 | 1:35 amBy Aishah Schwartz Sept. 21, 2009 In my days of reflection this Ramadan I experienced and felt many things, one of which, of course, was hunger! While feeling hungry may have caused some to think... [[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]] -
Story of Compassion: Ibrahim Ramey, USA
21 Sep 2009 | 11:44 pm[[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]]
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Southern Muslimah
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Not writing, posting
21 Nov 2009 | 7:05 amI am wasting some time until dinner is ready. I messed up a "curry spice pack" meal by not reading the directions, which call for an additional "coconut powder pack" that I do not have. We'll see what happens. My mind was not in the kitchen. Farouq is a Curry Kid, so he probably won't care.I just read this article on yahoo about new findings regarding the Shroud of Turin. It has been a long time since I read anything about the famed shroud, and I wonder what the mainstream Christian community thinks about it. Is it just a Catholic relic, preserved in the archives? Is it really from the 14th,… -
How about that?
16 Nov 2009 | 7:40 amSo, it seems it is really time to vote on those Brass Crescent Awards now. This blog, I humbly report, was nominated again in the Best MidEast blog category, along with last year's winner, (does he need an intro?) The Black Iris; my friend Al Miskeenah (I just got that beautiful shawl out you sent me for winter wear); and two new ones (to me), Saudi Jeans and A Saudiwoman's Weblog. Thank you, Um Omar, my yearly notifier of blog nominations and awards.Thank you to my 46 regular readers for sticking around. I know this year I have not posted as much as I did in, say, 2007, but 2009 threw me… -
One more second of procrastination won't hurt
9 Nov 2009 | 4:13 amI almost forgot--voting is supposed to begin today. Buena suerte, friends.Brass monkey, that funky monkey (come on, I know you know that song) -
Wruh Wroh, Wraggy!
8 Nov 2009 | 10:34 amJust a quick nanowrimo update.The writing is slow-going.So far I've remained on target two days only. Two days straight (a.k.a. "the weekend") I wrote nothing. Laundry and dust won.Today I finally reached around 11,000 words, or 20 A-4 sized, 12 font typed pages.Then I made a mistake, and went back and read everything, thus allowing that little voice of self-doubt to creep in. Self-doubt is still taking up shop in my head.After reading and1. being pleasantly surprised by some of the things I had written but already forgotten, and2. criticizing about 80% of what I'd read,I prepared snacks. Too… -
Getting Wready to Wrumble
29 Oct 2009 | 11:41 pmI'm not sure how much posting I will do during the coming month. November is National Novel Writing Month, and I've decided to sign on. Hop aboard the word train. Take the wrist-aching plunge.I may pop in now again just to let you know how I'm doing.Thanks for your support.
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tabsir.net
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We Are All Moors
19 Nov 2009 | 10:11 pm[Note: The latest book by Anouar Majid, We Are All Moors: Ending Centuries of Crusades against Muslims and Other Minorities (University of Minnesota Press, 2009) provides a provocative thesis, suggesting that we examine the issue of Muslim minorities in contemporary Europe through the prism of history, specifically the treatment of the Moors (los Moros) in Spain. Here is a sample of his argument (from pp. 3-4).] Indeed, anyone watching the events unfolding in Europe and the United States in recent years cannot help but be struck by the confluence of the two overriding concerns of these two… -
Going (after) Muslim
18 Nov 2009 | 10:13 amA picture making the news rounds of Major Hasan on the day of the shootings. [Note: I have just published a commentary on a commentary in Forbes Magazine in which Major Nidal Hasan is said to have “gone postal” in his frenzy. This is published on Religion Dispatches. I excerpt the first couple of paragraphs here, but please go to the Religion Dispatches site, where you can post comments as well.] If the media frenzy over the Fort Hood killings is any gauge, the ugly specter of 9/11 has again taken its psychological toll. This time, instead of the “bad Muslim” being a bearded… -
Amir Hussain at Fordham
16 Nov 2009 | 10:38 pmLoyola Marymount Professor Amir Hussain will be responding to the inaugural lecture of Rev. Patrick J. Ryan at Fordham this coming Thursday. Details below for all those in the New York Metropolitan area. Annual Fall McGinley Lecture: “Faith and the Possibility of Jewish-Christian-Muslim Trialogue” Inaugural lecture of Rev. Patrick J. Ryan, S.J., as Fordham’s Laurence J. McGinley Professor of Religion and Society. Thursday, 19 November 2009 | 8 p.m. Keating First Auditorium | Rose Hill Campus The inaugural lecture of Rev. Patrick J. Ryan, S.J., as Fordham’s Laurence J. McGinley… -
Contesting Islamism
14 Nov 2009 | 9:49 pmStanford University Press has just published Islamism: Contested Perspectives on Political Islam, edited by Richard C. Martin and Abbas Barzegar. In this book Political Scientist Donald Emmerson argues for an inclusive use of the term “Islamism” in order to rescue the term from its misappropriation in the media. This is followed by my essay, in which I argue that the term “Islamism” is as tainted as “Mohammedanism” and should be avoided as a replacement for fundamentalist and political Islam. Our two essays are followed by twelve short responses from a… -
The Sixth War
13 Nov 2009 | 1:08 amby Gregory D Johnsen, The National, November 12, 2009 Last week, the sporadic five-year long war between the Yemeni government and Houthi fighters in the country’s north finally spilled over the border into Saudi Arabia. The conflict has been steadily escalating since the Yemeni government resumed fighting in August after more than a year of fragile calm. Leaving no doubt as to its intentions, the government calls the present campaign “Operation Scorched Earth”: the fighting has already produced thousands of internal refugees and spread outward from the northern governorate of Sadaa,…
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Twenny-Two
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5 Things I love
27 Oct 2009 | 8:57 amassalamu alaikum wa rahmatullah bismillah Who can't take time to think about just five things they love? Well, I got the flu, so now I really WANT to. Priorities...! So, in no order at all... 1. Sunshine. This year I feel as if I'm almost caught up on my sunshine quota. Just sitting in sunlight makes me happy, and I have always been so. These days the light right after Asr time (late -
Halal, Organic, Pasture-fed TURKEY for Eid
18 Oct 2009 | 12:15 pmAssalamu Alaikum, Long time no see, I know. Believe it or not, I posted several times in September... and took them down. Who needs to show their not-so-hot side all the time? I do it enough here. I did want to pass on a link, in time for the Eid holidays: Halal Zabiha Organic Turkey. I know I've got plenty of friends who only eat zabiha, or are trying to increase their animal-friendly -
Then
1 Oct 2009 | 8:03 pmAssalamu Alaikum It's hard to imagine having a non-disastrous but still hellish day that'd be tougher than today. Eid Mubarak, btw. I did it to myself, though. Today was the day that caused me to look at all my failures and just... just... Not even face them. More like look at them, examine the tiny crazes and flaws of the useless facades I use in my life, and then see the giant gaps -
Ramadhan 1430/2009
22 Aug 2009 | 4:24 pmAlhamdulillah! We made it! A generous, blessed Ramadhan to you and yours, amin! Make dua'a for me; make requests of me. You know I'll be praying for you. peace -
Oh man
10 Aug 2009 | 3:35 amassalamu alaikum I have a meeting at 10 for the first time in a month and a half. I have a curriculum to write and a 40 minute commute in that time. Hold me. Good news is, it's the last time I'll be looking at curriculum for that grade, iA. Then I'm off to the big bad world of the older students. And, hey, at least I have a job. Alhamdulillah alhamdulillah alhamdulillah. ... make
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. that darn mozlem .
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Protected: damn.it.
7 Nov 2009 | 7:23 pmThis post is password protected. To view it please enter your password below: Password: Posted in Uncategorized -
Protected: and again…
9 Oct 2009 | 9:22 amThis post is password protected. To view it please enter your password below: Password: Posted in Uncategorized -
FYI
23 Sep 2009 | 11:32 pmIt’s been a while since I’ve visited this blog. I miss you, dear blog, I do. But I’ve started a new one, one in which I am going to take seriously and be more accountable for. Although this one will still be active, it will go on a long hibernation. The new one is my new home, but you will always be my first, dear blog. the new one is: www.definemature.com I will see you there! Posted in Uncategorized -
scrambled…and a little fried
22 Jan 2009 | 12:07 amGreeting Internet. wow, so it looks like i’ll be posting every few weeks to months. things have been so hectic. so, so hectic. but i really want to start writing again…inshaAllah atleast once a week. i just have a load to get off my chest and a series of random updates to document. you know, it’s funny that i even have this blog of mine. i want and need it for expressive and documention purposes, yet chose -chhhoooossee- to disclose personal (as personal as i’ll a web of strangers in on) information in such a public arena. the other day i was thinking about how much i… -
NEW: quite possibly the longest post -ever
1 Sep 2008 | 8:40 pmhello internet. extremely long time no see. infact i honestly forgot about you for a while so now i’ll make up for the months of neglect with EVERYTHING thats been going on. i got back from lubbock -it was intense there. seriously, nothing short of boot camp for pre-meds. we were all sleep deprived the entire month so like many of us, when i got home i slept, i think, for maybr three days straight. i was up for about 28 hours the night before i got home and slept two hours before i had to get up to catch my flight. we did a lot of things that i hoenstly dont feel like talking…
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ummSanaa :: a journey
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lemon, vinegar, cayenne and honey
16 Nov 2009 | 7:38 amin the last four months i’ve been witness to the break down of two marriages. one, an older couple who’d been together around 7 years. the other, a young couple with a child as old as their marriage, less 9 months. it wasn’t the first time around for the older couple. they were both working on their second or third marriage. they were like roommates in a bad situation, most times ignoring each other when in each other’s presence. but when they did have to interact, the tension — let alone the actual altercations — was like steel slashing though steel. even… -
unveiled
12 Nov 2009 | 10:42 amscene 3, take 99: you see a sister without her hijab. you: asSalaamu alaikum, sis. you forgot your scarf today! ha-ha-ha. her: no i didn’t. i’ve decided not to wear it anymore. you: do you still believe in la-ilaha-ilAllah? her: of course. you: well alHamdullilah. that’s it. don’t start berating her, or judging her because of it. let it be. too many sisters have left islam – or in the best outcomes, left and come back – because some other sister, or gaggle of em, start gettin on her case about some form of covering, especially hijab. – let her wear… -
lazy shopper? eShakti
3 Nov 2009 | 6:54 ameShakti is one of my favorite places to shop online. as a muslim woman – and a lazy one, at that, when it comes to clothes and shopping – i don’t like to work to make a style “muslimah-compliant”. eShakti makes it SO easy and affordable for me. they have fashionable clothing in colorful, beautiful, easy-to-maintain fabrics that can be tailor-made to my size and requirements. when the style is HOT, but the sleeves and hemline are too short, i can lengthen them. if the fit is too body-hugging, i can increase tweak the measurements. a man once told me… -
a new dementia
25 Oct 2009 | 5:37 pmi have always loved my grandmother. when my mom went though basic training in search of a better life for us, i stayed with her. she was strict and even harsh at times, but i saw it all through a lens of love. my sentiment deemed her spicy. with a switch and a scathing, quick-whipped tongue, she demanded obedience. she was probably also lighter on me because of the duration of my stay whereas the other children of her children – my cousins – lived with her for years. she was my favorite grandmother. still is. i think. but she is changing for the worse. now she is nice to me… -
rain, rain, go away, let me get in the house first
29 Sep 2009 | 3:04 amwe had taken the girls to lowe’s build and grow workshop that morning and then went downtown to centennial olympic park for family fun day. all six of us got caught in a downpour on the way home from the train station. i reminded sanaa how she always says she wanted to get wet in the rain. well, there you go, girl. rahmah cried the whole way and after because of the coldness the rain brought as well as in grief over her painted princess crown that got washed off her forehead. duaa didn’t make a peep in the sling, even though the rain soaked through that and the scarf i covered her…
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With Passion...
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Le Vin De La Vie, Syrie.
5 Nov 2009 | 6:14 amThe wine of Life, Syria.Like fine wine; the more she ages, the more elegant and spiritual she becomes. That wine that puts me out of my misery. The single moment of forgetfulness surrounded in endless memories. That silent and meaningful love deep in my heart.I time-travel in the old streets of Damascus. I live the moment as part of many others. Ones I've missed on and ones I'm living momentarily.In the most ancient city, where one detects it's special meaning, colour, and distinguished voice, I sat on the veranda sipping unsweetened thick coffee. Pondering about a country with culture… -
Happiness is....
22 Sep 2009 | 8:27 pmThe secret of happiness is to make others believe they are the cause of it.Define your happiness. -
The Drunk Hobos in the ER
17 Sep 2009 | 7:18 amThe hospital is a public facility so that said ANYONE of the public is welcome to enter it. Therefore, the homeless find the Emergency Room a nice cozy place to sleep. They all have the same characteristics of being dirty, stupid, drunk and perhaps high.I rarely am exposed to the emergency waiting room. My patients are usually transported to me. But I use the ER room exit when I work night shift because walking around the hospital (bad area) at such an ungodly hour, I could be risking myself being ERd into the hospital myself.Although drunk people are obnoxious and sometimes dangerous… -
The terminally ill and end-of-life
12 Sep 2009 | 9:03 pmOnly until I began to work at a hospital that I have realized how many fighters there are. I don't particularly like to call my patients unfortunate anymore. Because with every case, you see the patient before was doing a bit better. Was getting by a little luckier!They're all fighters and believe me when I say it is the biggest war of all when you're fighting to keep a soul.This June I fought with my grand mother for her life. I was determined to help her make it. I lived my days with her in the hospital being the medical literate of the family. Nothing was left unquestioned. I knew every… -
Taraweeh Trends 2009
10 Sep 2009 | 6:35 pmAll the sudden I look tall, extra slender, and extremely white in a black Abaya. I enter the mosque with little supplication whispers upon my entrance. Its weekend and I'm excited I actually have the time to go to Taraweeh! As I walk up the stairs I begin to hear whispers growing louder. They weren't supplications this time. They were ones of rumors coming out a large group of teenage girls accompanied with ridiculous giggles and faces highlighted in thick blue eyeliners and pink lipstick.Not that it hasn't happened in 2008 but it keeps getting worse! Taraweeh is the new hangout. Girls like…
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Knocking From Inside
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The Only Label
20 Nov 2009 | 9:39 amMy body's not a billboard. I will wearno logos, brands, or corporate IDs.This is the only label I will bear.I'm owned by no-one's party policiesor economic interests. I'll displayno logos, brands, or corporate IDsupon this flesh. I was not made to saythese empty things about what you should buyfor economic interest. I'll displaythis label only: Owned by the Most High,concern myself with Love's concerns, and notthese empty things. About what you should buy,I'm standing silent ever since I gotthis badge with honor and humility,concerned myself with Love. For I am notan item that's for sale: I… -
Blustery
17 Nov 2009 | 9:18 amRain swirled under the awnings in blusterygusts of unseasonably warm November windson Broadway where the wheels of the morning rushhissed through puddles and a diesel-scented windannounced the arrival of the number-nine bussplashing a bow-wave over the kerb like a windon a pond that sends ripples among bulrushesgushing over the banks. It hardly feels like winter,the warmth of the storm like arms embracing us,passion renewed in a season turning toward winter.Collection available! Knocking from Inside -
Closer to True
10 Nov 2009 | 10:29 amI was restless in grieving the last of the leaves with their banners of scarlet and goldAll faded to brown in the gutters and drowning, awaiting the silence and cold.Walked out in a dawn that was roofed with an awning of clouds that were stained by the sunAnd bare branches raised up to worship the shades that recalled all the leaves that were gone.We wrestle for clearer sight, souls to be mirror-bright, skies that are sunny and blueBut heavy clouds hover and sometimes uncover a color that's closer to true.While leaves that are turning remember the burning of summer in autumnal hueAnd limbs… -
I Call the Weather
10 Nov 2009 | 8:22 ambut not on the phone—I call it "pissing-down forty-mile-jetstream-gust standing-under-firehose two-trees-running-from-a-dog duck-drowning gully-washing Pineapple-Express fish-in-a-lifeboatrain"that's what I call it.Collection available! Knocking from Inside -
The Wind Stole My Shadow
5 Nov 2009 | 6:58 pmToday the wind was so strongthat it tore away my shadow. Come back, thief!My heels are still bleedingwhile she dances with the leavesthat she will follow into the dark earth.I won't see her again until spring.Who would have thought my shadowwould be so unfaithful? Rapacious wind,I will hold you responsibleif my husband should fail to recognize meif mirrors take my image and refuse to return itif the sidewalk rejects my footprintsfor want of my shadow!Collection available! Knocking from Inside
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My Inner Side
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2 Nov 2009 | 7:54 am
2 Nov 2009 | 7:54 amHi everyone. Here's 2 samples of something new i've learned...doing kaleidescopes digitally. Fun. enlightening.If u like it, go to this link to learn more.http://www.krazydad.com/fungames.phpHave fun...and hope u enjoy my results as well.The first one I call "Entrance way for the Masjid" and the second one I call "Paracheuters in fall formation".The original picture was...guess what...some dead trees. Fantastic, eh?balqees. -
Islamic Blog Directory: If you'd like to join us...
20 Apr 2008 | 9:17 pmIslamic Blog Directory: If you'd like to join us... -
FROM VIETNAM TO ARABIA
7 Apr 2008 | 9:19 pmFROM VIETNAM TO ARABIAIt was the time of my youthYet I was becoming awareOf what was going on about meHere, there-everywhere.Oh, I've never been a wizardAt global civil issuesBut the Vietnam war awoke in meA sense-on which I used many tissues.But like to many teenagersOf my day and ageI was more concerned about myselfAnd those around me in such a rage.And like so many I was affectedBy our own country's propagandaSo that I believed what they presented usOf the Red Indians, the rag-heads, even of Uganda!So, then, why shouldn't I be taken inBy the stories they professedOf how those dirty evil… -
Dad's Eyes
7 Apr 2008 | 9:09 pmDAD'S EYESAuthor's note: We were each literally dragging our feet on our writing assignment from the minister. He had given us the opportunity to talk at Dad's funeral or write our thoughts to have him incorporate into his speech, if we couldn't talk. We all opted for the second. But even then, we were dragging our feet collectively on this assignment. It seemed like to put down our memories in writing made the whole thing so much more real. Seemed to put a seal on his death. Dead is dead. No denying that. But to put our thoughts down in writing seemed to make it ever so much more real, and… -
DAD AND HIS CAT
7 Apr 2008 | 9:03 pm**In 2005, I and all three of my adult children and my 2 grandsons (had only 2 at that time) traveled to the US to visit my family. It was the last time that I saw my father. Strange intuition-when we parted at the airport as I was preparing to board the plane back to Saudi Arabia, could hardly look my father in his eyes. And he had similar reaction. Seemed to be that we were on the same brain wavelength-had this terribly strong intuition that I would never see him again. And it turned out to be true.During our visit, I was terribly struck with my father's newly adopted pet...or the cat that…
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ooohshiny
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Dhul-Hijjah: First Ten Days. Take Advantage
18 Nov 2009 | 10:23 amDid you know that the first 10 days of Dhul-Hijjah are even more special than the last 10 days of Ramadan?? I did not. Until yesterday…watch this video by Shaykh Yasir Qadhi and find out how you can gain many many rewards in these few days! I am gonna try to fast…and do extra dhikr…and read more Qur’an..inshaAllah in these days. Remember you can’t fast on the 10th day as that is the day of Eid! :) So I leave you with this. Posted in Must-Read Articles, Reminders Tagged: Allah, Dhul-Hijjah, Islam, Yasir Qadhi -
Film on the Life of the Prophet Muhammad (sallAllahu alayhi wasallam)
7 Nov 2009 | 6:35 amI wonder what the reaction of the Muslim world will be to this.Personally, I’m a bit apprehensive about this…even though they say they will not portray the Prophet (sallAllahu alayhi wasallam), I’m still afraid of how they will portray some incidents in his life, or his wives, etc. Check out these links for more info: Gulf News The Guardian Posted in Random Tagged: biography, biopic, film, Islam, Muhammad, Muslims -
happy today
5 Nov 2009 | 2:47 amAssalamu Alaykum Today is a happpy day =) My wordpress is working again yay. No more yucky email posts which do nothing to motivate me to write. I hope this lasts. InshaAllah. So the past few days I have been listening to some new nasheeds by Zain Bhikha…from his new album The Beginning 1415. I really love this one: That was his turning point in life. What was yours? Really made me think…mine wasn’t as dramatic or emotional but it was a wonderful time in my life, the point where you realize what your reason for living is..what is your ultimate goal. The other nasheeds are… -
what’s there to smile about…
20 Oct 2009 | 9:59 amNo matter how low you feel, no matter how much your thoughts and feelings are leading you further into the deepest wells of depression, you know deep down inside that this won’t last and you smile…because you see the breathtaking shapes of fleeting white clouds in the blue blue sky, because you see the deep calming hues of green all around you, because you see the happy shades of pink scattered among the green, because you hear the bubbly laughter of a small child, because you sense the ephemeral scent of something you can’t place but you know you have smelled it before and… -
My Intention?
18 Oct 2009 | 8:01 amAt the end of the 10th juz [Surah Tawbah: 92], Allah talks about the Sahabas who wanted to go for the battle of Tabuk but didn’t have rides…they turned away with tears streaming down their faces because they were so desperate to go for the pleasure of Allah. Allah said they get the same reward as the ones who actually went. We can apply this to ourselves today, in any situation. Everything depends on our intention…if we are willing and eager to do something for Allah but for some reason that thing is not in our control and we are not able to, we will inshaAllah still get the…
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boxafella.com/blog
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Written With You in Mind
11 Nov 2009 | 1:11 amTo whom it may concern, Thank you. Through the days that have passed, you’ve listened to every bit of my troubles. You’ve not once complained. You’ve not made me feel as though I have burdened you with my problems. Rather, you’ve taken them as your own. For this, I cannot thank you enough. I write you in hopes of showing just a fraction of my appreciation for all that you’ve done. Your modesty and humble style may provoke you to think that you haven’t done anything at all. That’s just a small part of what makes you so wonderful. Again, for this, I… -
#102
20 Oct 2009 | 10:59 pmI didn’t even notice this until now, but I’ve got 101 posts, not counting this one! That’s a bit surprising, and I don’t know why.. But it’s nice. My life has never been an easy one to live. I have seen and done many things in what years I’ve been alive.. Through all the challenges I’ve faced, I can only wish that I’d have come on top every time. I’ve never allowed failure to discourage me completely. I’d be lying if I said that it didn’t discourage me at all, but then it’s only natural to be disappointed. Instead of… -
To: You.
19 Oct 2009 | 10:48 pm-double k -
Dragging On
13 Oct 2009 | 1:23 pmAs would only be expected living a life like mine, the damage to the engine of my vehicle is at an irreparable point. The only option I have is to swap the motor. After much thinking, I’ve decided that essentially, it isn’t worth the time or money that will be spent to make it drivable again. As most of you are aware, I’ve been heavily playing with the thought of moving back to Texas… for more, click ‘continue reading’… After more thinking than I’d care to have done, I’ve decided that moving South would probably benefit me the most. My… -
Tough Luck
7 Oct 2009 | 10:31 pmAs fate would have it, my car has broken down. Oh, how the world turns. More things for me to take into consideration. Different decisions to be made. I suppose I can handle the additional load. More planning is in order. I suspect I’m to spend a bit more time in Ottawa. It doesn’t matter. I’m still pretty happy.
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UmmAli's Site
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A good reason not to drink and try to be a ninja
18 Nov 2009 | 11:58 amPolice: Would-be Seattle ninja impaled on fence SEATTLE - Seattle police say a man who thought he was ninja was impaled on a metal fence when he tried to leap over it. An officer who was looking for an assault victim nearby Monday night heard the man screaming for help. Police supported him to prevent further injuries until medics arrived and took him to a hospital, where he was in serious condition in intensive care on Tuesday. Police spokeswoman Renee Witt wrote in a department Web site posting that officers thought the man might have been involved in the reported assault, but he insisted… -
Resco Packer-Viking Week
28 Oct 2009 | 8:21 pmAsalam Alaikum, Hello All I am not really a Viking fan, in fact not much of a football fan, I only watch it with hubby does. But I saw this on the news and it cracked me up. This is a spoof and no one was really fighting, but still pretty funny. The news said it was made to help the company boost business and to have a little fun with the Packer-Viking rivalry -
Baby Survives As Stroller Falls Off Train Platform
21 Oct 2009 | 7:10 pmSubhanAllah can you imagine this?! Truly shows Allah is in -
Haram Police
21 Oct 2009 | 2:42 pmAsalam Alaikum, Hello All Ok I will try and be nice in this post as I don't want to be rude or offensive, but I am just a little sick of the haram police. For those who don't know what the haram police are, it is those who go around telling everyone of all the things they are doing that is "haram"(notice the " "), forgetting about all the good things the person is doing. You can't do this, that is haram, you can't do that that is haram, etc.... Now don't get me wrong, there are times when we need to correct each other, actually that is a duty upon all Muslims. But there is a time, place and a… -
The snow has arrived, like yippy(NOT)!!!
10 Oct 2009 | 1:34 am
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The Indian Muslims
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Vande indeed!
19 Nov 2009 | 12:49 pm-Firoz Bakht Ahmed I am a devout Indian Muslim who loves singing ‘Vande Mataram’. The obsolete controversy over the song has been resurrected by a fatwa from the Jamiat-e-Ulema-e-Hind at its annual conference in Deoband that forbade Muslims from singing it. I remember as I child how we used to sing ‘Vande Mataram’ with gusto. If I had not sung it, would I have been a better Muslim? The song is, frankly, a non-issue with Muslims. Only a few myopic rabble-rousing clerics who misguide the media into believing that they represent the Muslim community are bothered. The truth is that these… -
In Search of Delhi's Woman Sufis
14 Nov 2009 | 9:58 pmALOKPARNA DAS goes in search of Delhi's women saints NEGOTIATING my way for the EGOTIATING my way for the first time through the lanes of Nizamuddin, I didn't know I was Nizamuddin, I didn't know I was in for some disappointment. I didn't know women are not allowed inside the inner chamber of the Nizamuddin dargah. Perhaps my disappointment showed. A peerzada advised: Why don't you visit the dargah of Mai Saheb at Adhchini, women are allowed there. It took me some years before I actually made that trip to the dargah of Bibi Zulaikha Sahiba or Mai Saheb, mother of Hazrat Nizamuddin Auliya,… -
Gujarat DGP tells Muslims: Sing Vande Mataram, I do it, not un-Islamic
14 Nov 2009 | 9:52 pmGUJARAT's first Muslim Director General of Police, SS Khandwawala, has urged Muslims to sing Vande Mataram, saying it's not un-Islamic to do so. He cited his personal example to make his point. I give a salaam to my mother everyday before I leave home and also to my motherland, he told The Sunday Express. When we offer namaaz, we bow down and kiss the ground, which itself is a salute to the motherland. Religion never prevents a man from respecting his motherland. In a statement to the press, Khandwawala said: If Hindus consider land as mata (mother), then giving respect to the land is the… -
Hajj: A journey of faith
14 Nov 2009 | 9:43 pmMUSHIRUL HASAN AND RAKHSHANDA JALIL Amir Ahmad Alawi set out on the hajj pilgrimage from Lucknow exactly 80 years ago and maintained a personal account of all that he witnessed on the journey. As another hajj season comes around, his narrative takes on both a topical and timeless appeal… affiliate program</a> PHOTOS: AP FOCAL POINT: The Kaaba at the the Grand Mosque in Mecca is a powerful symbol of unity; pilgrims at the Holy Mountain Arafat (below). In late winter of the year 1929, a gentleman from Kakori, a qasbah near Lucknow, decided to set out on the long hajj pilgrimage. -
About theIndianMuslims.com
4 Oct 2009 | 3:30 amWelcome to theIndianMuslims.com. The site aims to be a credible one-stop reference on Muslims of India, Muslim Achievers and eminent Indian Muslims from the historical times to the present. You can see updated news of interest for Indian Muslims, including features, articles and editorials. A complete data-bank on Muslim achievers, Muslim organisations and institutions would also be available on the site. TheIndianMuslims.Com would also illustrate the contribution of Indian Muslims towards India's Freedom Struggle, besides in various other fields like Art Culture, Architecture, Cinema,…
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AMEinfo.com Latest News
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Abu Dhabi International Airport records 7% growth for year to date
21 Nov 2009 | 5:00 amAbu Dhabi Airports Company (ADAC) today released the October 2009 traffic figures for Abu Dhabi International Airport showing strong growth throughout 2009. ADAC recorded a 7.0% increase in passengers over the course of 2009, to date, and during the month of October saw a 2.8% increase in Passengers and 24.3% increase in Cargo against the month of October last year. -
CGC opens Nokia showroom and service center at Lulu Hyper on D Ring Road in Doha
21 Nov 2009 | 4:58 amConsolidated Gulf Company (CGC), Nokia partner for Qatar, has opened a new Nokia showroom and Nokia Care service center at Lulu Hypermarket on D Ring Road in Doha. Anil Mahajan, Chief Operating Officer of CGC, and Shaijan M. O., Regional Manager, Lulu Hypermarket group, jointly inaugurated the new Nokia outlet at one of the most popular malls in the country. -
Aastra offers integrated voip and unified communications with HP ProCurve
21 Nov 2009 | 4:39 amAastra has bolstered its role in the HP ProCurve Open Network Ecosystem alliance (HP ProCurve One) with the certification of two of its products with the HP ProCurve Services zl module, delivering a best-in-class integrated IP unified communications solution. -
Netjets and National Air Services commenorates their tenth year for the NetJets Middle East program
21 Nov 2009 | 4:15 amIn commemorating the tenth anniversary on the NetJets Middle East Programme, NetJets and National Air Services look forward to the continuing relationship and the further development of the programme. -
New policy in compulsory motor insurance and cooperative health insurance stimulates market growth
21 Nov 2009 | 3:33 amSaudi Arabia's increasing insurance density is poised to be sustained this year with the introduction of a new policy in compulsory motor insurance and cooperative health insurance, according to Buruj Cooperative Insurance Co.
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Jahane Rumi
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SOUTH ASIA: The Ties that Bind: Artists, Writers Forge Peace
21 Nov 2009 | 12:32 amBy Irfan Ahmed CHANDIGARH, India, Nov 18 (IPS) – Imagine writers, scholars and folk performers from eight South Asian countries coming together to share their common heritage and culture while promoting peace and harmony at the same time. That is precisely what 200 members of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) did early this month, [...] -
The Alchemy of Identities
20 Nov 2009 | 10:39 am“Both my identities are significant to me,” I replied, explaining how a person is capable of belonging to multiple communities at the same time. For example, my identities as a Bihari and as an Indian were not contradictory. Even in my personal life, I could simultaneously be a father, a son. -
Iqbal – The Universal Reformer
18 Nov 2009 | 2:05 amI am grateful to Syed Naveed Abbas to write this post for Jahane Rumi It takes thousands of year for a genious of the highest class to be born. Iqbal believed in habitual vision of greatness. He had a kind of head and heart that stood out in millions. Iqbal alone stands in the post classical [...] -
Blogging without borders
16 Nov 2009 | 10:46 amMillions of deaths and three wars later, the bitterness refuses to go away and the interaction of the two countries’ populations has been very limited over 60 years. As a result, not all Pakistanis have the privilege of visiting India. I happen to be one of those who, by sheer coincidence, have been visiting India primarily for work or cultural exchange. -
Borderless world: Musing on South Asian folklore
16 Nov 2009 | 6:12 amJaskiran Kapoor’s report on the recent folklore festival that I attended in Chandigarh It’s a borderless world, veins and arteries connected to one heart, one soul; scholars at the Saarc Folklore Festival seminars bring down the walls & spearhead a cellular movement Nepal’s struggling with a change in power. Bangladesh is coming to terms with hunger and [...]
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MuslimMatters.org
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Misconceptions by Non-Muslims – Nouman Ali Khan
19 Nov 2009 | 10:15 pmA talk discussing the attack on Islam from the People of the Book and agnostics. (Download file) -
The Supplication Series: Beneficial Knowledge
18 Nov 2009 | 9:49 pmBismillah Abu Barzah al-Aslami radi Allahu anhu reported that Allah's Messenger sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam said, "The two feet of the servant will not cease (from standing before Allah) on the Day of Judgment until he is asked about four things: on his life and how he spent it; on his knowledge and what he did with it; on his wealth and where he earned it and how he spent it; and on his body and in what way he utilized it." [Saheeh, reported by At-Tirmidhi] We are constantly bombarded nowadays to seek knowledge and learn, yet many times this knowledge does not benefit the student. What is… -
UPDATE: Letters to Dr. Seuss: Umm Yousuf | Random House Consents!
17 Nov 2009 | 10:15 pmUPDATE: Alhamdulilah, Sr. Umm Yousuf's persistence paid off and Random House sent a very gracious letter that they will change the boy's "rumpled grimace" to a "nice bright smile". This is a reflection on character of Americans (as opposed to the character of its government). No argument... just a simple, "you are right, and we'll change it, and here is a gift too". Forever Umm Yousuf's effort will be memorialized in the smile of this bald boy in this book: for many more kids to enjoy, even the ones who don't have hair for no fault of theirs. Please take a moment to send a short note of… -
Brass Crescent Awards 2009: Voting Now Open!
17 Nov 2009 | 4:00 pmWe are pleased to announce that MuslimMatters.org has once again been nominated for a Brass Crescent Award - however this year we are up for both "Best Blog" and "Best Group Blog", masha'Allah! JazakumAllah khair to all those who put the site forward during the nomination round. Please now visit the site to submit your votes. Polls close end of day Friday, November 27, 2009 - 9 pm (Fri) PST, 12 am (Sat) EST, 5 am (Sat) GMT. -
Retread: The 10 Best Days – Yasir Qadhi video
17 Nov 2009 | 3:57 amGreat news! The best ten days of the year are nearly here. It is expected that the month of Dhul-Hijjah may start tomorrow (18th November, 2009), insha'Allah. Here are some resources we have posted in the past that should help you to make the most of this blessed time. First, a video from Huda TV, in which Yasir Qadhi gives more on these 10 days and what we should be doing on them: Click here to view the embedded video. Click here for the transcript of the video. Second, a post titled: "On The First Day of Dhul-Hijjah, My True Love Gave To Me…" Indeed, our true Love has given us the most…
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Talk Islam
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“First Muslim Minority” Thinking considered harmful
21 Nov 2009 | 9:27 amI sometimes feel as if fiqh related debates about Muslim minority issues in America are framed as if the American Muslims are the first Muslim minority in history. The recent discussion on TalkIslam about al wala wal bara reminded me of this issue. Here is my two Rimnibi on the issue. a -
The people power is with Zeba. Zeba Kha…
20 Nov 2009 | 10:02 amThe people power is with Zeba. Zeba Khan has blown the competition out of the water in the latest round of the Washington Post’s ‘America’s Next Great Pundit Contest’ beating the nearest competitor by over a thousand votes. See Zeba’s powerhouse performance here in the video competition. The competition now comes down to Zeba and one other contestant, who have been tasked to write one final column for the contest that will be published on Monday, which will be your opportunity to participate in the FINAL VOTE in the contest. Watch here on Monday for your… -
Elan magazine profiles Muslimah Media Wa…
20 Nov 2009 | 9:38 amElan magazine profiles Muslimah Media Watch founder Fatemeh Fakraie. a -
sterilized stones for the pilgrims doing…
20 Nov 2009 | 8:16 amsterilized stones for the pilgrims doing Jamrah! The Saudis are taking the swine flu very seriously indeed. a -
Inayat Bunglawala says the Nidal Hasan a…
20 Nov 2009 | 8:16 amInayat Bunglawala says the Nidal Hasan attack and Hasan’s relationship with Anwar al-Awlaki are being used to press a new ‘witch-hunt’ against UK Islamic organizations and Muslim leaders. …it should be made clear that those same Muslim organizations that had in the past invited Al-Awlaki to the UK are horrified by his more recent extremism and are well aware of the damaging impact his views could now have on British Muslims. Following Al-Awlaki’s praise for the Fort Hood suspect, some of these UK Muslim organizations (including the Islamic Society of Britain and…
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Inside Islam
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Music and Islam
20 Nov 2009 | 6:46 amThe complicated relationship between music and Islam has been something which has interested Inside Islam from the very beginning. Even though religious chanting is allowed–even encouraged–in Islam, there is an ongoing debate whether other music is permitted. Some Muslim communities ban non-chanting music all together, while others allow it as long as it doesn’t contain [...] -
The Hajj
18 Nov 2009 | 12:03 pmThis Thursday, November, 19th, on the next Inside Islam radio broadcast, the topic will be the hajj. Between November 25-30, one of the longest-lived religious rites in the world will take place. Every year, for well over 1400 years, millions of Muslims from around the world have flocked to Mecca, Saudi Arabia, to fulfill the pilgrimage. [...] -
Sadness Leading to Fear
16 Nov 2009 | 11:44 amOn Thursday, November 5th, Major Nidal Hasan opened fire at Fort Hood and killed 13 and injured 30. My initial reaction was like everyone else: extreme sadness over the loss of life, especially since it was not in a war zone and the victims were killed by another soldier. It is troubling. However, what I [...] -
Art and Islam: Interview with Ken George
10 Nov 2009 | 12:36 pmMany of the world’s greatest art works are inspired by religion (for example, Leonarda da Vinci’s The Last Supper) and arouse an almost religious sense of awe (think of Michelangelo’s Sistine Chapel paintings). This close relationship between art and religion is very much alive in contemporary Indonesia, home of the largest Muslim population in the [...] -
Depicting the Prophet
9 Nov 2009 | 12:06 pmIn 2005, the Danish newspaper Jylland-Posten first published 12 offensive cartoons depicting the Prophet Muhammad. These cartoons triggered protests, some violent, around the Muslim world. For many Muslims, the cartoons were not a matter of free speech, but were perceived to be hate speech against Muslims. Moreover, the lack of respect in these depictions was [...]
