Al-Bayan Fall 2014 by Al-Bayan

al-bayan Fall 2014

THE MUSLIM STUDENT PUBLICATION AT UC BERKELEY VOLUME 17: ISSUE 1

This is the first time we’ve met, and I have something personal to tell you – I am afraid of silence. Not the silence that follows after you enter a room or the comfortable silence between friends, but the deafening silence that stems from fear, self-deprecation, and apathy and lingers. It is the silence we create for ourselves because we think we are not worthy of speaking our minds or that no one will listen. Overcoming this silence requires bravery, and that is why I am so proud of this magazine. The contributors of this issue have chosen to break the silence and tell their own stories in their own words. From a personal reflection to a commentary on social construction to a discussion of Muslim sectarianism, the topics of this magazine are intimate, and most importantly – self-critical. I believe very strongly that publications serve as forums for open-minded discussion as well as self-reflection. Al-Bayan is unique in that it showcases perspectives of Muslim students by Muslim students. I choose to think of it as more than an exploration of Muslim issues but rather as an exploration of issues by Muslims. I sincerely hope the conversations started in these pages do not end here. I sincerely hope that you, the reader, will reflect and join us in constructive dialogue. Alhamdullillah (All praise is to God), I am so blessed to be able to work with such a talented and dedicated staff – a team of writers, photographers, designers, thinkers, innovators – who have chosen to make noise with vibrancy, resilience, and poise. To my staff and to the supportive family, friends, and community – thank you from the bottom of my heart. And with that, I proudly present to you the Fall 2014 issue of Al-Bayan Magazine. I hope you enjoy the noise that we’ve made. Assalamu Alaikum (peace and blessings be upon you), Uzma Amin Editor-in-Chief

Editor-in-Chief: Uzma Amin Managing Editor: Hana Ghanim Layout Editor: Sarah Alsamman Layout Designer: Alaa Alshahawi Photography Editor: Husna Hadi Photographers: Alia Anwar Tian S.

al - bayan contents

fall 2014

Finance Manager: Basma Memon External Affairs: Deena Abdelhalim Web Editors: Kulsum Abdali Ammar Uz-Zaman Web Manager: Aman Sufi Fall Writers: Salam Awwad Haroon Dean Nura Kawa Hafsa Khalid Aamna Khan Ali Palla

g e: Colle Marriag Perspective s’

Student

Guest Contributors: Khwaja Ahmed, Manal Ahmed. Muriam Choudhery, Omar El-Qoulaq, Irtaza Haider, Abdul-Rahman Ali Hamud, Furyal Mahmood 09

Al-Bayan means “The Clarification” in contemporary Arabic and “Eloquent Speech” in classical Arabic. The goal of this magazine is a convergence of both, to clarify issues pertinent to the Muslim community in the most eloquent of speech. Befitting the dynamic Muslim community in one of the world’s premiere intellectual hotspots that Berkeley is, Al-Bayan continues to grow and expand.

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We a sk for your duas and your feedback! Insha’allah, we serve our purpose to the best of our ability with the help of the Almighty. Published with support from the ASUC CONTACT AL-BAYAN: albayanmag@gmail.com VISIT OUR WEBSITE: albayanmag.org

Palestine On Hope in

AL-BAYAN

Article by Hafsa Khalid Photos by Manal Ahmed and Husna Hadi

“B

ing to know that a perspective solely cultivated for economic and social strata (the farmers who worked in the sun vs. the rich who owned the heta, habibi, honey, Eh-deul- land) still exists so prominently today. ah (Korean), don’t stay out in the sun too much. If you’re desi (or South Asian) you’ve gone We don’t want you to get darker, now do we?” through bottles of Fair and Lovely because you Whether you are Black, Asian, Arab, or Latino, you may have dealt with shadeism in one shape were told by your elders to do so. If you’re Korean, almost all your makeup has some sort or form. But what is shadeism? It is a form of skin tone bias, expectation, and stereotype that of skin lightening agent. If you’re black, “home remedies” or bleaching your skin may even be one’s skin color brings them: a discrimination that taints the world’s definition of “beauty.” In a practice. These days, whitening ranges are my Pakistani culture, being “dark” or “khali” has even made for light-skinned people; Clean and Clear just came out with their “fairness” range. a negative connotation and is considered very unattractive. After constantly being told to stay Rather than a progression from such thinking, we have fallen deeper and deeper into the out of the sun, I finally began to question such restricting instruction. As a teenager, I saw the world of shadeism, which has clearly become an accepted and desired commodity. We often detrimental effects such a narrow perspective had on my self-esteem and confidence, so I ulti- see the word “brighten” replace “whiten” to mately changed the way I saw myself. I began to make such products more ethically acceptable speak with people of all ethnicities about their and sellable. experiences with shadeism and was surprised When it comes to “rishta” (potential husto discover that everyone’s relationship with band/wife) gossip, think about how many times their complexion is, well, complex. It is shock-

the “Ghori/Ghora hai?” (Is she/he light skinned) has been asked. In fact, on Shaadi Online, a South Asian marriage website used to find potential partners, they even have a “fairness” option. It’s not just the women who struggle with this. The male Fair and Lovely range is all the hype in Southeast Asian countries. In fact, I spoke to Omer, a senior Pakistani Berkeley student who shared, “If I had to go out, I would take whatever measures needed so I wouldn’t get as dark. It’s common among the desi culture that the image of beauty is tall, skinny, and white.” This view is also shared in Asian culture; Soo-Ji, a Korean Berkeley freshman recalls a visit to Korea where she was looking at makeup: “The makeup artists said I was too dark for that particular product, but the way they said it was very derogatory, instead of just simply telling me to use another shade.” Alaa, a freshman Tunisian student, shares “I’m darker than most of my cousins, so I’m usually the one who stands out and is considered less beautiful.” It is important to remind ourselves as a community that, “God does not look at your appearances or

SPRING 2014 your financial status, but He looks at your hearts and your actions” (Al-Bukhari). Shadeism’s greatest dilemma is that it is simply not considered a serious issue in our lives. People do not consider it morally or ethically wrong to perceive dark as ugly. Such thinking is ingrained in our upbringing, whether it be through cultural, societal, or corporational norms. If we simply recognize that our current view on skin color is distorted and embedded by an ancient value system that needs to be changed, we can possibly demolish such an unhealthy view of beauty. When I asked if Sabrina, a Pakistani Berkeley student, could see herself changing the “desi mentality,” she hesitantly responded, “I’ll probably always get a little jealous when I see other Pakistanis who are lighter.” It reminds me that changing this view will not be easy, and we may slip, but starting is what is important. It is time to unlearn this tainted and destructive perception of beauty and start questioning the ways in which it works. The next time someone says they don’t want to go outside because “it’s too sunny,” try unraveling the shadeism ideology. The next time you see a Fair and Lovely advertisement, email and complain to the company. The next time you see a

magazine cover with an exaggeratedly whitened Photoshop job, use social media to raise your voice. But most importantly, it is necessary for us to talk to ourselves. We must accept ourselves, knowing that whatever skin color we have is and always will be beautiful, despite what our culture, society, and families say. This message needs to spread to our parents, grandparents, family, and foundations back home. When my grandma advised me to use Fair and Lovely, I explained to her why I did not want to change myself and succumb to society’s definition of beauty. I showed her that I loved my skin color, and that its darkness did not relay a negative connotation. It was the first time she heard such a perspective, but she accepted my reasons and has never mentioned those products since. These mentalities are usually passed down generations, and it is important for us to dismantle them. Rather than accepting them, we must take the time to research, challenge, understand, self-evaluate, and redefine social constructions in order to overcome shadeism.

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and uncles” of the community. Tian, a second year college student, reveals, “I used to get a lot arriage. The word is all around of pressure [about marriage] from aunties and us: overheard at Julie’s, whispered in the CCR, family members.” Upon graduating from colopenly discussed during halaqas. More imlege, or even before then, questions about our portant than the word, however, is the idea of marital status begin popping up during every finding someone, getting married, and settling conversation we have with our relatives and down that consumes our thoughts. The Prophet parents’ friends. And the pressure only intensiMuhammad (S.A.W.) said, “When a man marfies the older we get. ries, he has fulfilled half of his religion” (Sahih al Bukhari). Finding a spouse, getting married and Sometimes, it is easy for members of the maintaining that marriage means that you em- older generation to forget about the barriers body half the things that make you a Muslim. that stand in the way of getting married. Rawan As college students, we are quickly approachAbushaban, a third year UC Berkeley student, ing what many of our parents, relatives, and says, “I think that completing a four-year college community members deem the “appropriate education and being financially stable are two marriage age.” In addition to the societal and extremely pertinent factors in determining a social stresses surrounding Muslim students at person’s marriageability. They also go hand-intheir universities, the pressure of marriage can hand. What recent college graduate is able to make the entire college experience more taxing prove his or her ability to support a spouse or than it is perhaps meant to be. The pressures family? Do current students like that even excan come from family members, but more com- ist?” In this way, many Muslim men are under a monly, they come from the infamous “aunties great deal of pressure. Many women’s parents

will reject proposals from men if they are not engineering majors or on the pre-med track. This non-engineering/pre-med stigma is so powerful that several male Berkeley students have expressed that they are pursuing a certain degree or career path simply because of future financial prospects, despite hating what they are studying. Tian elaborates on his personal views on marriage: “The reason why I got out of the navy was because I wanted to start a family, but my barriers were the typical career and degree.” However, it is important to note that

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Article by Aamna Khan Photo by Husna Hadi

during the Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W.)’s time, none of this was necessary. In fact, as Tian put it, “He just did his thing, and Khadijah (RA), a very well-renowned woman, noticed him and asked him to marry her.” The example of Khadijah (RA) and the Prophet (S.A.W.) reveals that while being financially stable is a factor people generally consider significant, the importance placed on specific types of degrees and careers is regarded as more significant than it should be.

“One positive thing about finding someone to marry through being in a college setting is that you can be comfortable with the person. You know how he acts around other people and around you; you see for yourself if he goes to the masjid and keeps good friends, and how he presents himself to the public. You get to learn about his hopes and dreams, find out about his personality outside of the marriage context, instead of meeting someone in that context who just tries to impress you.”

Apart from sorting through career barriers, one must choose the way to go about finding someone to marry. Traditionally, there have been two options: finding someone through a school, work, or other social setting, and bringing him or her home to meet the family (known traditionally as a “love marriage”), or being set up with someone by a family member (known traditionally as an “arranged marriage”). There are proponents of each path, and each has its own successes and failures. Tian is positive about the prospect of an arranged marriage: “When I think of an arranged marriage, I think of my friends, family, and loved ones setting me up with someone. We get to know each other, and if we both like each other, we can continue our relationship.” On the other hand, Rawan appreciates the freedom of meeting someone through a college setting:

Both approaches also have their own challenges. Tian discusses the difficulties associated with a meeting someone through a school or work setting: “I would say it is hard to stay away temptations and separate yourself from that person.” In addition, Rawan comments on the potential hardship of gaining approval from one’s parents: “It might be hard to convince your parents of whichever guy you try to bring home. You might be happy with what you know about him, but what about your parents? They probably won’t know him or his family, and it might be more difficult to get engaged that way.” Arranged marriage has its hardships as well. The process can be incredibly long and tedious, and can involve meeting with many, many potential suitors before finding the right one.

Although the idea of getting married can seem daunting, we should not let these pressures or difficulties negatively affect us. We should stay positive through it all, because Allah (SWT) promises us, “He created spouses for you from yourselves that you may find rest in them” (30:21).

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S A B R B Y S A L A M A W W A D P H O TO S BY T I A N S O E PA N G AT

ands in my lap, I stared down at my feet as I uncomfortably shuffled around on the doctor’s chair that was covered in rough can-be-heard-in-the-next-room-over parchmentlike paper. I glanced up at the inside of my elbow, a mesmerizing blend of green and purple, tender with the freshness of a needle prick from just days before, where I had watched in amazement as my velvet colored blood drained out of me and filled up 9 testing tubes. I checked the time on my phone; 30 minutes ago I had been told just 15 more minutes. Yet, here I was, still alone in the too-brightly-lit room, all by myself, waiting. I lifted my clammy hands from my lap and suddenly the anxiousness I had been trying to drown in the artificial sea of cool, calm, and collectedness came crashing down on me. The truth is, I didn’t know if I could handle anymore. Summer 2013 had already cast a relentless storm cloud right over my head. I was already drenched in its rainwater, and I was undoubtedly sure I would drown if any more came pouring down on me. My father’s Leukemia had been getting worse. Nodules were discovered on my mother’s thyroid and had to be surgically removed to prevent the possible risk of cancer developing. My great aunt fell ill and passed away, and my grandmother was diagnosed with stomach cancer and was put on chemotherapy. I was caught between trying to balance everyone’s needs, soothing their sorrows, taking care of my four younger siblings, attempting to fulfill my commitment to my summer class, and working 13 hour shifts, 5 days a week to pay for my education. Here I was, with my head just above the water, waiting for my doctor to come in. A tap on the

door brought me out from my thoughts. My doctor walked in and began to go through my test results, her words drowning me in one sweep. Lupus. I went numb except for the burning sensation in the pit of my stomach that flamed with a mixture of anger and confusion. How could my entire life be altered so drastically, so quickly? How could so many things go so horribly wrong in just the short time span of a couple of months? I left her office with a bottle of pills--medication that I will be on for the rest of my life. I stopped fighting the current and just let myself be swept in it. I threw my dreams out the window. I shredded each and every one of my ambitions and cast them away in the wind that was fueled by the milles of my fury.

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I shredded each AND every one of my ambitionS AND cast them away In the wind that was fueled by the mills of my fury.

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How could I achieve anything in life anymore if my own body was literally fighting against me, killing me, weakening me, slamming the break down on my drive? I had tried so hard to be a good person, to be there for everyone, to provide for everyone, to provide my own needs without relying on anyone, and in response I was being punished? Life was adding weight upon weight upon weight onto my shoulders, and just when I was ready to stop fighting and wallow in my hardships, a good friend of mine reminded me of the beauty that exists in pain. We pray and constantly ask God for guidance, for strength, for courage--our weakness is that when we

FALL 2014 get what we pray for, we don’t realize it. We don’t realize that the pain we are going through, the hardships we are facing, and the obstacles that stand in our way are all blessings. They are answers to our prayers, they are the means through which God builds our strength and courage, and guides us back towards Him. We are ignorant and weak in that we constantly forget God’s promise to us: “Fa inna ma’a il oosree yoora (for indeed, with hardship will be ease). Inna ma’a il oosree yoosra (indeed, with hardship will be ease). (Qur’an 95:5-95:6)” God assures us that experiencing hardship is part of a normal pattern and that ease will soon follow it. He repeats the verse, word for word, to stress His divine promise and to emphasize its certainty, to set the hearts of His believers at rest by reassuring us more than once that the pain, hurt, and difficulty we are troubled with is not permanent; it will pass and be replaced with ease. It is nothing more than a test, and He would never give you a test that you cannot pass: “Allah does not burden a soul with more than it can bear,” (Quran 2:286). As a reminder, to myself first, and to all my brothers and sisters in faith: have sabr . Have patience. Surely He tests those that He loves, so remind yourself to be patient in moments where you feel like you cannot handle anymore, in moments where the world seems as though it is crashing down on you and your life has no direction. The times where it seems like one bad thing after another after another after another keeps happening to you, those days where you can’t seem to catch a glimpse of light and you’re captured in an infinite darkness, remind yourself that you are amongst the beloved of Allah, that He deemed you worthy of testing. He chose

to build your strength, your courage, your resilience, your faith, and to wipe away your sins through pain. He chose you from amongst all His creation to be put in a situation where you cry and beg to Him through duaa to bring you closer to Him, because He loves to hear your voice crying out to Him, because He loves to hear you seeking ease through Him.

“It is difficult to be patient, but to waste the rewards for patience is worse,” (Abu Bakr RA). Summer 2013 has left its mark on me, and I would be lying if I said everything is okay now; I am still fighting my battles and I still do fall in these pits of darkness. But I remind myself, over and over again--sabr. Only through the means of perseverance and patience, with the unshakable belief in Allah’s promise that ease is soon to follow, will I find a way through any and all difficulty. This is my test from Allah, and I intend to pass. As believers we cannot quit; we cannot give up when times get tough. We stick to the right path and we embrace every struggle until Allah provides us with a way out. None of us can ever give up, despite how difficult things may appear, because Allah’s help and mercy is waiting for us just around the corner. Alhamdullilah , for all the cards we are dealt in life.

Patient perseverance Invocation, an act of supplication and worship, to call-out to one’s Lord Radi Allahu Anhoo - ‘Allah’s blessings be upon him’ 4 All Praise and thanks to God 1 2 3

AL-BAYAN

WHY ZABIHA? B Y

K H W A J A

A H M E D

IETARY RESTRICTIONS EXIST IN JUST about every religion out there; from Judaism to Hinduism, adherents have to follow some sort of guidelines in order to please their deity. In Islam this concept exists as well and brings with it a good deal of debate and controversy. The layers of what is seen as edible varies with categories ranging from halal (lawful) to haraam (forbidden) and a variety in the middle. This sandwich of variance has always left me on the outskirts in the desi (Pakistani-Indian) community, who mostly lean toward making sure their meat is slaughtered in a certain way, known as Zabiha. This shares similarities with the Jewish tradition of making meat kosher, emphasising the method of slaughter along with invoking God’s blessing. This discludes eating out at most restaurants--yes, that means no In-N-Out. While the greater desi community places great importance on this, my family does not. We seldom eat out--Mama’s food was always better-but when we do, we aren’t restricted to Muslim restaurants. Whenever I was around those who are more stringent, I always felt myself a little lacking in my faith, especially due to them elevating themselves for only eating Zabiha. I felt guilty eating at non-Muslim restaurants out, as if I was eating from the forbidden fruit. Out of this guilt arose a question: why

is it that some follow this restriction? I heard that sacrificing the animal in the designated manner would purify the animal of blood and give it a quick and painless death. The second part caught my intrigue - if the purpose was to give the animal a painless death, what about its life? How well was the animal treated as it was raised to be food for us; where is the mercy in its upbringing? Islam isn’t a self-serving faith that pats us on the back for doing the easiest part right, but challenges us to improve by making us go through trials like this. After looking into how farms are run in this country and how meat is mass produced like cars, with the complete lack of care about the animal, I was shocked that this treatment was condoned by the USDA. Cramped living conditions along with being fed hormones and corn instead of grass severely hurts the quality of life these animals have. Looking at the lives of these poor creatures, I felt appalled that there was so little concern for the livelihood of these animals. Being raised and fed for the sole purpose of being used as profit, farmers have resorted to industrial farming, which carries zero concern for the livestock’s health. The practice of raising animals solely for money has taken away any connection that have existed between the farmers and animals. This disconnect normalizes the mistreatment of animals who are raised in order to feed us. Our community so many times gets lost in details of how the animal was sacrificed but fail to remember the the spirit of making something zabiha isn’t just how the animal leaves this world but how it is cared for and raised. I’m not saying we should give up eating zabiha, but we should have a greater awareness for why rules exist in Islam and how to implement them in a more meaningful way. As for myself, there’s a lot of zabiha food in the Bay, and this might just be my turning point.

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ow many of us come from a place that is currently going through a crisis? How many of us come from a place where despotism, chaos, and suffering are constant and central themes? It’s difficult to have hope these days, especially if you have been following the unfolding of events in the Muslim world over the past few years. From Egypt to Syria to Pakistan, the future has never looked more bleak and uncertain. The constant turmoil in many of our home countries sometimes makes us feel helpless, as if no matter how many teach-ins we organize and protests we attend, the conditions afflicting our brothers and sisters back home are beyond repair.

results of my research in this particular environment were beyond disturbing. The so-called “justice system” in the West Bank and Jerusalem is deliberately designed to keep Palestinians off the streets, where they are perceived to be demographic threats to security and public order, and into Israeli prisons where they can be tortured and abused for the most petty of crimes. Racism and inequality are But hope is vital. deeply embedded in the military courts, and This past summer, I was granted the oppor- practically every person charged with committunity through a summer research fellowship to ting a crime will be convicted and serve time. Nearly everyone in Palestine has a family visit my homeland of Palestine for two months and conduct a study on the Israeli-administered member in prison. Whether it’s a cousin, a brother, a son: every Palestinian knows the feelmilitary court system in the West Bank. The

in P Article and Photos by Omar El-Qoulaq

SPRING 2014 ing of losing a loved one to the court system. A few weeks into my trip, I got a taste of that feeling myself; my cousin’s home was raided at three o’clock in the morning by IDF soldiers, leaving his wife and two-year-old child behind to cope with the loss of their sole provider. Just like that, a father and husband was ripped away from his family to spend six months locked in a cage. Over the course of my trip I learned one thing for certain: to whatever degree we perceive the oppression and suffering of the people living back home to be, their reality is much worse. This is true in regards to suffering in general; it is often a lot more severe than can be properly conveyed in a newspaper article or a YouTube video. In spite of all this, I can confidently say that I am more hopeful and optimistic today about the crisis in Palestine than I was prior to my trip. It took a renewed understanding of the Islamic perspective regarding this issue, coupled with the daily experiences and interactions I had throughout the course of my research to come to the conclusion that hopelessness is futile; that there is no good reason to abandon faith in the possibility of a brighter future. “And never give up hope of Allah’s soothing mercy: truly no one despairs of Allah’s soothing mercy except those who have no faith” (Quran 12:87). The Muslim world is riddled with despotic regimes and hijacked revolutions. There is no region in the world more volatile and unstable, and sometimes reflecting on this can make us want to question the wisdom of it all. Reflecting on this can make us wonder if the Bashar al-Assads of the world will ever be brought to justice for their crimes against humanity. It can make us wonder if we’ll live long enough to see a dignified end for our people. But we cannot reflect on this while at the same time ignoring Allah’s promise of mercy for the righteous, and of retribution for the crimes of the evildoers and oppressors. Our sole respo-

“Regardless of the seemingly insurmountable circumstances and perpetual turmoil, faith is the one and only constant.” nsibility as Muslims is to ensure in our daily actions that we are those doers of righteousness, and that we never aid or promote the oppressor, that we never stand on the side of the tyrants. If we can safeguard this responsibility, who is to tell us what we can and cannot accomplish? A form of resistance that I often observed being employed in Palestine is the practice of idraab, or strikes, in which each and every business in all of the major cities across the West Bank closes for the entire day in response to an act of aggression by the Israeli Occupying Forces, such as a child being murdered in a house raid, or a village being destroyed for settlement building. This is just one of the many acts of resistance I witnessed on a daily basis. This practice, whether you agree with it’s effectiveness or not, demonstrates something beautiful; the Palestinians in the West Bank refuse to accept their conditions as normal. Every act of coercion and intimidation by the occupiers is met with a response. After 47 years of occupation, the will to resist has not wavered, and I can definitively say that it never will. Those very Palestinians who are living their daily lives under occupation and repression haven’t lost hope; they haven’t accepted their fate. How can we?

those who are slain in Allah’s way as dead; nay, (they are) alive, but you do not perceive. And We will most certainly try you with somewhat of fear and hunger and loss of property and lives and fruits; and give good news to the patient. Who, when a misfortune befalls them, say: Surely we are Allah’s and to Him we shall surely return. Those are they on whom are blessings and mercy from their Lord, and those are the followers of the right course” (Quran 2:153-157). In Palestine--and across the Muslim world--hope is alive and well in the hearts of the believing men and women who heed Allah’s divine promise. Regardless of the seemingly insurmountable circumstances and perpetual turmoil, faith is the one and only constant. Hopelessness is easy; it’s believing in something and taking action daily to preserve that belief, regardless of how unlikely it seems or how much must be overcome to achieve it, that is difficult and rewarding. You cannot believe in God and simultaneously believe that evil will prevail over good. To believe in God is to believe in His mercy and in His urging of hope. To believe in God is to be a forever optimist.

Allah tells us, “O you who believe! Seek assistance through patience and prayer; surely Allah is with the patient. And do not speak of

Palestine

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AN UMMAHU N I T E D

W E

S T A N D

BY IRTAZA HAIDER

E LIVE IN A WORLD CONtrolled by media that manipulates fear. The average American is terrified of Iran’s nuclear program, the threat of the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS), and Ebola. Fear profits, and fear can turn doves into war hawks. Using fear as a tool, our mainstream media dehumanizes Muslims worldwide over the actions of a small minority. As a result, the United States has qualms about going to war with several Muslim countries for the benefit of “The 1%”. Fear is a powerful tool, and one would hope that after being victims of such fear mongering, the Ummah would have awoken to the dangers of such irresponsible actions and denounced them. Unfortunately, this is not the case; just like other communities and societies, our Ummah suffers from established structures of power and privilege; in particular, this article seeks to shed some light on what has been called “Sunni Privilege.” Current global events such as the uprising in Syria and the founding of the so-called “Islamic State” by the extremist group ISIS have brought the Shi’a-Sunni divide into the public light. A few years ago, many Muslims didn’t know that such a sectarian divide even existed, whereas today, there is no escaping this split. Unfortunately, instead of approaching this sensitive topic with the care it deserves, many so-called “scholars” on the pulpits of mosques and Muslim Student Association (MSA) events in America today spew out sectarian, hateful, and patently inaccurate antiShi’a rhetoric--much of which are the same words we hear from groups like ISIS. This rhetoric has at best, caused discrimination and at its worst, violence, against the Shi’a community, not only in Muslim majority countries, but anywhere from the streets of London, to the boroughs of New York. As a Shi’a Muslim, this

is the context I find myself in across MSAs and mosques in America today: a marginalized minority within a marginalized minority. To illustrate, take the recent comments of Bill Maher. When Maher and his ilk make statements that misrepresent our religion by citing things out of context or elevating certain extremist groups as being representative of the entire faith, Muslims in America are outraged and write response after response condemning those actions. Now imagine not only being bombarded by people outside your religion, but also having to hear this sort of gross misrepresentation of your beliefs from your brothers and sisters in faith. From our perspective, we see a double standard when Sunnis bravely stand up to instances of Islamophobia in the West, but on the other hand engage in “Shi’aphobia” within their own communities. So what’s the point in bringing this up? As the adage goes, “United we stand, divided we fall.” A united Ummah is a strong Ummah, and I share this belief with many others in our MSA. Unity between different schools of thought is important, especially when we face Islamophobia in the United States and sectarian groups plague many Muslim-majority countries. The questions that need to be tackled are: what is unity, and what can we do to work towards this unity? “Unity” doesn’t have to mean uniformity; for us to be united we do not all have to believe in the same things. I may have one opinion on a theological issue, while my brother in faith may disagree. It doesn’t mean we can’t agree to disagree on this issue while uniting on others. We need to realize that there is a corrosive divide between Sunnis and Shi’as in not just this MSA but Muslim organizations all across the country. Most Shi’as do not feel the sense of inclusivity, representation, or

personal investment that Sunni members often take for granted in these organizations. So, why is this divide an issue for us today in this country? The reality is, anti-Shi’a rhetoric and sentiments are becoming increasingly mainstream in the Sunni community. This is not only the case in Muslim countries, but in America as well. It is not uncommon to hear of instances where Shi’as have been discriminated against, harassed or called kuffar (disbelievers) by other Muslims, merely for being Shi’a. As an example: a friend was once told by a very popular Sunni sheikh in New York that Shi’as are “wajib al-qatul,” meaning it is obligatory to kill them, outside of the U.S. Even UC Berkeley, a bastion of intellectual pursuit and tolerance, has been affected by this global trend. Throughout the years, Shi’as in this very school, including myself, have received discrimination and been marginalized by members of the MSA. The marginalization of Shi’as through this inherent bias is a problem many Sunnis unknowingly perpetuate by suffering from Sunni Privilege (based off of “White Privilege” and “male Privilege”). In order to progress as an Ummah, we need to critique our attitudes from a different perspective. Checking Sunni Privilege is to acknowledge that by being part of the majority sect, one is given a societal advantage within the Muslim community, and an immunity from violence in some cases, whether one is conscious of this or not. For example, any time a discussion about the different schools of thought comes up, one will frequently hear phrases such as “There is no Sunni and Shi’a, we are all Muslim” or “Brother/Sister, don’t talk about these issues, we are Muslim.” A great analogy would be when white people say “I don’t see race” or “only racists talk about race.” For those who are not white, the

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DIVIDED A ND

DIVI D E D

consequence of their race is a daily, inescapable reality. In the same way, Shi’as don’t have the luxury of turning a blind eye to sectarian divides when we are attacked and marginalized for holding the beliefs we hold. For my brothers and sisters that are sincere in working towards unity, it is important to understand the privilege they have as Sunnis by examining the fundamental difference between the Shi’a narrative and the Sunni narrative. Since the time of our Holy Prophet (Peace be upon him and his family), Shi’as have been oppressed and silenced in every corner of the globe. Today, in many parts of United States, we finally have the ability to talk about these issues without fear of losing our lives, a privilege we don’t have in much of the Muslim world. Despite this fact, we are discouraged from discussing our beliefs in gatherings because “it causes fitnah” Sunni Privilege is when we are able to call for unity between Muslims in protest of injustice so long as that injustice does not specifically affect Shi’as, such as when it comes to the liberation of Palestine, in which Shi’as have been some of the most vocal supporters. However, when Shi’as are being systematically massacred in places like Pakistan (over 850 killed according to Shi’a Rights Watch) or Bahrain, it is labeled as a “sectarian issue” and there is little to no outcry from the community at large for fear of “causing fitnah” in the community. Are Shi’as any less Muslim that their deaths are not worthy of moral outrage? If we are able to understand and deconstruct these attitudes, we can work towards establishing true unity between Shi’as and Sunnis. The first thing I want to emphasize is how not to solve the problem, which is the solution that most MSAs have traditionally opted for, and that is to completely avoid discussing sectarian issues. The imperative here is that in order to have unity, both sides must

W E

understand the true differences and similarities between each other; it is an old adage that we fear that which we do not understand. This understanding can only be attained through sincere and open dialogue. That can happen in the form of a public lecture by a Shi’a, or a respectful, private conversation between a Sunni and a Shi’a friend. The unfortunate (and all toofrequent) alternative that we find is that since there is a fear of discussing these issues openly, our Sunni brothers and sisters must resort to asking their sheikhs and respected elders questions about what Shi’as believe. The problem is, most of the time these individuals (while knowledgeable in their own traditions) are limited to mere hearsay or historical misrepresentations. Just as we would expect a Christian friend not to go to his pastor to learn about Islam but instead to ask a knowledgeable sheikh, we should also apply the same standard to other schools of thought; if you have a question about what Shi’as believe then feel free ask a Shi’a who is eager to dispel misconceptions and perhaps even gain a new ally. Fear can only thrive in an environment of ignorance, and the best way to counter ignorance to educate. Here is an example: the month of Muharram is the most mournful and passionate month of the year for many Shi’as. During the first 10 days of this month, Shi’as, as well as many groups of Sunnis and Sufis, commemorate the brutal massacre of the grandson of our Prophet (pbuhahf), Hussain ibn Ali (pbuh), and Hussain’s family. Many Sunnis wish us a happy new year and ask us to fast in celebration of the 10th of Muharram, when Shi’as are active in remembrance of this tragic event. This is deeply offensive, and to be frank, comes across as indifference, especially considering that there are prominent Sunni scholars who also commemorate this event and do not engage in such celebrations. Unless

F A L L someone has engaged in dialogue with a Shi’a, despite having sincere intentions, the aforementioned actions are but painful reminders of the indifference to our exclusion. It also doesn’t sit too well for unity if I walk into an MSA event and see a speaker who is regularly seen on YouTube calling those in my school of thought a kafir (disbeliever). Such incidents alienate the Shi’a community; how unpleasant would it be to sit through a lecture on Islam coming from individuals who do not even consider us to be Muslim? I urge my fellow Muslims who are sincere in their desire for unity to defy sectarian attitudes and rhetoric no matter who it comes from. Sectarianism built through fear and propaganda is not something we should be worrying about in any time or place, let alone in 21st century America; it only serves the interests of those that seek to divide and conquer. It is also important to remember that a change in attitude does not come overnight; this problem has existed for 1400 years. It is a daunting task, yet change is possible. We are UC Berkeley students; people look to us as community leaders and trendsetters. In Berkeley, we are members of a greater community that has a long history of tackling important issues and leading the path of progress. If each person left our MSA with a message of unity and took it to their communities back home, it could start a chain reaction that revolutionizes Sunni-Shi’a relations in our country. Let us not allow gestures of unity such as the yearly joint SunniShi’a mawlid in Oakland, or Zaytuna’s passion plays in honor of the events of Karbala go to waste. Imagine a world where we are able to engage in open dialogue without causing offense, coming to agreement on certain issues and agreeing to disagree on others, all while remaining civil. This world shouldn’t just be a pipedream; it is a necessity if Muslims are to progress and thrive in this country.

AL-BAYAN AL-BAYAN

POETRY CENTRAL.

A TRILINGUAL DOG WITHOUT A LEASH FURYAL MAHMOOD I remember that day.

I remember that day.

And I remember being five years old, thinking that I had really screwed up, that I had made a huge mistake that I had unhinged the stubborn door to my true identity that I had exposed that there was more to me than just one language or one culture.

And I remember uttering words in English, only to ensure that I would never speak my mother tongues my primary discourses the words of my ancestors ever again.

The secret was out. My home-life was on the table but I wasn’t the one eating, nor was I the one serving, rather, I was being served their judgmental stares and I was being surveyed as a foreign scare from too far off a land too far and too different for their minds to contend to contend to understand to understand that I was indeed different.

The secret was out. Like a dog without a leash, my identity ran from me Or rather, Or maybe, I had let it run away.

I remember that day. And I remember as I let those words escape the sweet, soft toned words of Urdu, I had let my identity escape Or rather, Or maybe, I had let it run away. I bid my identity adieu as I accepted my embarrassment’s taunting “hello” and all of a sudden, I had never felt so alone. The secret was out. I was stumbling to spit out some English terminology and I searched and thought and searched and instead, I spit out Punjabi. I had never felt more trilingual. as if it were a true feeling as if my identity had just given birth to an ever-fleeting life

And I wasn’t sure whether I would ever go chasing after it. I remember that day.

MY BEAUTIFUL WIFE ABDUL-Rahman ali HAMMUD

You’re somewhere out there, thinking of someone like me, Trying to fix your cerulean hijab, but you can’t control the sea, I’m just sitting here thinking, of what can and will be, Fate will make the proposal, forget getting down on one knee, I tell everyone about you, although we’ve never met, I’m all in for your heart, I don’t care if it’s haram to bet, I heard you want a man who’s goo….okay at playing the guitar, So I’ll strum these same 4 chords, till you hear my love from afar, I yearn for the day our hands meet, like fingers on a guitar fret, Agree to be my lovely wife, and we’ll be life’s sweetest duet

FALL FALL 2014 2014

A MESSAGE TO YOU MURIAM CHOUDHERY You have eyes but yet you choose to be blind to see my struggle You have ears but yet you choose to be deaf to hear my screams You have a voice but yet you choose to keep it shut so you can’t speak for me You have a heart but yet you choose to keep it cold so you can’t feel for me Why are you this way so deaf, dumb and blind What you see on FOX news is not true What you see on CNN is not true Did you ever wonder why your people are really killing mine It is not to protect you from terrorism or communism It is for greed, power, and money It is to protect the rich white man and their corporations that run this country What you think is giving you protection is giving me destruction The war on terror is a bunch of BULLSHIT A distraction made to cover up the injustice that is happening in my world And you have fallen prey to this distraction This is the reason why you remain so deaf, dumb and blind This is the reason why you don’t stand up to my injustice because you see me as the terrorist the destroyer of your peace but I assure you I am not the oppressor I am the OPPRESSED I am PALESTINE, a punching bag for the terrorists that come straight out of Israel, who thrive off with the kind help of U.S aid I am SYRIA, hidden from the public’s eyes as my own dictator Bashar drowns me in my people’s blood I am PAKISTAN, whose children are killed by your president’s drone attacks I am Afghanistan, I am Iran, I am Iraq, I am a MUSLIM Who is facing terrorism not only from the U.S government, not from Al-Qaeda, but from you You who choose to remain so deaf, dumb, and blind As I am terrorized in my own land As I am striped away from all my HUMAN RIGHTS But today, Today I call out to you I call out to you to use your senses To see, hear, speak and feel To help me stop this injustice from creating more destruction But I am afraid that you will remain the same So deaf dumb and blind

al-bayan Fall 2014

THE MUSLIM STUDENT PUBLICATION AT UC BERKELEY VOLUME 17: ISSUE 1