Al-Bayan Fall '11 by Al-Bayan

Al-Bayan

Fall 2011 Volume 14, Issue 1

The Muslim Student Publication at The University of California, Berkeley

Muslims in a Multicultural Community Unjustly Veiled by Misperception The Essence of Activism A World of Spectacle

Editor-in-Chief Maliha Ahmed Managing Editor Sarah Mohamed

letter

from the

Layout Editor Lameese Eldesouky Layout Designers Somaya Abdelgany Mohamed Saad Ansari Mashail Arif Iman Rai Photography Editor Farhana Jahan Photographers Awista Ayuby Mustafa Eisa Sajid Nasir Finance Manager Mohamed Haimoud External Affairs Minhaj Khan Web Editor Marjon Momand Advisors Yusuf Chao Amani Jadallah Asnavy Sari Photo Cover by Mustafa Eisa Visit our website www.albayanmag.com

“T

editor

hat which does not kill you only makes you stronger.”

Perseverance in the face of hardship may not come easily but its direct impact on individuals and communities at large is unprecedented. From the difficulties in life that shape our character to the steady adaptation of Muslim American communities ten years after 9/11, growth is rooted in struggle. The struggles themselves are significant as they shed light on the intricacies of constructing identity and comprise an integral part of people’s lives, thus making an appropriate theme for Al-Bayan’s Fall 2011 Issue—“Trials and Tribulations.” What does it mean to be on trial? Being held accountable to Allah SWT, one’s community (both Muslim and non-Muslim), or oneself are just few of the wide array of interpretations featured in the issue. Our theme flows within these social, political, and religious parameters, allowing you to further explore the topics at hand — to see how trusting in Allah SWT is essential for political activism, how the manipulation of image plays a role in effectiveness, or how we as Muslims must become socially relevant before we can be theologically relevant. In particular, as we continue to persevere in the face of prejudice and Islamophobia, we can relate to the “trials and tribulations” of other minorities. Understanding that we are not an anomaly and that many before us have endured even greater trials leads us to evaluate ourselves in a less isolated manner, while carrying on the legacies of those who struggled before us. As you flip through the pages of the magazine, please feel free to contact us at al-bayan@msa.berkeley.edu if you have any questions, comments, or concerns and visit us at albayanmag.com for more information. Alhamdulilah, we were able to complete this issue and I would like to acknowledge our writers, editors, layout designers, and photographers for all of their hard work. Thank you! On behalf of the Editorial Board of 2011-12, I proudly present to you Al-Bayan’s latest issue! Enjoy! As-salamu ‘alaykum, Maliha Ahmed Editor-in-Chief

The Small Things

A World of Spectacle

by Jinan Yousef

Tawakkul

by Omar Rashid

17 Unjustly Veiled by Misperception

by Zienab Abdelgany

The MCC

by Autefeh Sajjadi

Spiritual Activism

by Taqwa Elhindi

The Mother of the Revolution

by Waseem Salahi

by Bushra Samimi

fall 2011

content

AL-BAYAN

Unjustly Veiled by Misperception CAGED BY PREJUDICE by Bushra Samimi PHOTO BY MUSTAFA EISA

n the western world,

hijab (the headscarf worn by Muslim women) is seen through a narrow lens, already clouded by prejudice and judgment. Thus, the majority misconstrues the meaning of the hijab and tends to brand it as unjust. Muslim women nowadays struggle against this perception and have to counter it by attempting to repair the damaged lens so as to give a transparent view of the hijab. Worldwide, the hijab is being looked down upon as a symbol of cruelty and

terrorism. France has already taken the initiative in igniting hatred and prejudice. The French government banned the headscarf at public schools and also banned the full veil in public places. There is a fine of 130 Euros ($217) and an instruction in citizenship for anyone who dons the veil. Furthermore, if a person is caught forcing someone to wear the veil, they will be fined 30,000 Euros. Countries such as Belgium and Turkey, in addition to select places in Spain have banned the veil in public places and oth-

er countries like the Netherlands, Britain and Italy are considering banning it. Unfortunately, the banning of the hijab and veil was neither criticized nor scrutinized for infringing upon the rights of citizens. It has actually been portrayed as a progression to safety and security! The secular nature of France largely played a role in why such a ban was even passed. The entire European institution, including France, fears religion and views the rise of Muslim communities as a threat to power. Because America is en-

grossed in a culture which supports the free expression of one’s religion, it is doubtful that the extremism in France would affect America. That is not to say that it is impossible, but that it is unlikely to happen in the United States. According to a research poll taken by Pew Forum Survey, when asked whether people would approve banning the veil, only 28% of Americans approved, compared to the 82% approval rate of the French.

simply representative of our beliefs and respect for ourselves, not of our identities. News circulates everyday about tragic stories concerning veiled women, but the media neglects to portray women who are content with the veil. The media further argues that Muslim women have no choice at all, and that they are compelled to wear the scarf by male figures or a merciless, restrictive community. On the contrary, it is in many cases a matter

have to mobilize at the grassroots. Start by transforming their own communities and showing people that the hijab is not something to fear or balk at. If Muslim women around the world work to improve their community’s perception, then gradually people and institutions will recognize the hijab as a legitimate and valid form of expressing religion. As a collective unit, Muslims need to raise awareness not only about what the hi-

“Just as a home functions to shelter us, the hijab functions to house a Muslim woman’s purity and modesty. It is an outward symbol, simply representative of our beliefs and respect for ourselves, not of our identities.” One by one, the European bloc is isolating Islam and its followers. They have begun a crusade against the hijab. The root cause of this misperception is ignorance that is mainly fueled by circulation of skewed information by all forms of media. Ever since 9/11, the media has been unjustly targeting Muslims, identifying them through its capricious whims and then perforating these ideas through the ideology of Western thought. For instance, in a blog published by the New York Times, journalist Alissa J. Rubins described her journey to Afghanistan and her experience wearing the burqa. In her blog she exclaims that she “felt rejected by her burqa gown” as if she “was not good enough to be seen in public.” This negative perspective of the hijab is narrow and biased and serves to manipulate people into thinking that the hijab is a form of negative submission. The hijab itself is not an identity; it does not define Muslim women. It is simply a tool for cultivating purity. Just as a home functions to shelter us, the hijab functions to house a Muslim woman’s purity and modesty. It is an outward symbol,

of choice. Due to the proliferation of such misconceptions, Muslim women face many challenges. They are up against a massive conformist group who are content in their judgments. Muslim women have to constantly prove themselves as autonomous and independent individuals. Furthermore, they face discrimination at school, in the workplace and in social settings. Regardless of whether Muslim women wear the hijab or not, they are all grouped into a certain stereotype that cages them and discourages them from seeking opportunities. The word hijab or veil is almost always associated with violence, abuse, oppression, compulsion and restrictiveness. But one never hears the hijab being discussed as beautiful, pious, modest or protective. Muslim women in the Western world face the intimidating task of overcoming the prejudice of the masses and grounding themselves in their faith. All around them, the hijab is being objectified and repeatedly badmouthed. They face the daunting task of overcoming religious discrimination. Muslim women

jab actually constitutes, but also about Islam in general. Therein lies the greatest predicament in achieving recognition and respect for religious expression: an overactive imagination of the majority and a clash of beliefs. Once the directions of the channels of information and knowledge become synonymous with the truth, then gradually this tirade against hijab will die down. The best that Muslim women can do in the face of this issue is look to God for guidance, be fortified in their beliefs and not let what’s happening externally affect the confidence in themselves and in God.

Sources 1 http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/worldeurope-13038095 2 http://atwar.blogs.nytimes. com/2011/05/05/my-first-afghanburqa/?ref=muslimveiling 3 http://www.usatoday.com/news/ opinion/forum/2010-08-02-column02_ ST_N.htm

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AL-BAYAN

C C M e h

a n e i Z by

ny a g l e d b Ab

n any given day, you can walk through the main entrance of the MLK Student Union Building and enter what is known as ‘the Multicultural Community Center.’ There, you’ll find at least a dozen Muslims either chatting it up or quietly typing at their laptops. Murals and “And how have we reciprocated that away photographs line the walls — telling trust and extension of empathy and the stories of communities of color resources from communities of color? in the US and the stories of Third World peoples across the world — The fact is that we haven’t.” the stories of their struggles against systems of oppression. Many images pay special tribute to the Third World Liberation Front — a movement in the 60s which celebrated the histories of people of color in the US and pushed the University to establish an Ethnic Studies Department, which offered coursework and funded programs to address the problem of underrepresented narratives and voices within academia. The mobilization of communities of color has created an entirely new culture in the US — one which celebrates solidarity, struggle, and the stories of those who were otherwise marginalized, violated, or overlooked by society — it was and it remains a space for selflove and community love; a space for healing, remembering, learning, politicization, and self-realization. And if you’ve ever talked to an MCC intern, you’ll feel all of that good stuff quite literally gushing towards you. We sit in the MCC everyday with the opportunity to ask and learn from those around us but usually we just keep to ourselves. In some cases, we’re not only disengaged but

disrespectful — wandering behind the front desk, violating the center’s procedures, speaking loudly, leaving trash, and walking in like we own the place. At times, I’ve heard Muslims make insensitive and even racist, sexist, and homophobic remarks in the MCC, clearly violating the principles upon which the space was created and demonstrating bad adab (behavior) which is clearly not reflective of our sunnah (teaching of the Prophet pbuh). But this isn’t about the center itself or how we should conduct ourselves therein. This is about our relationship with other communities and communities of color in particular. This disrespect reflects a larger pattern of privilege, neglect, and ingratitude towards the people who have our backs. If you think it’s a coincidence that the MCC has become the ‘kick-it spot’ of the Muslim community, think again. If you think that the reason so many Muslims work there is because we constituted a lot of applicants, think again. If you think you have no relation to the murals on the wall and the people and the spirit of this place, think again. You are part of the multicultural, thirdworld struggle of this campus and this country. As Dr. Bazian likes to put it, “Muslims are the latest recruits in the American hazing ceremony.” Islamophobia and its institutional manifestations are not a new phenomenon. Communities of color were the first to recognize this and stand in solidarity with the emerging obstacles facing Muslim Americans in civil society. They were the first to see the smoke signals for the Muslim American community. For if anyone in this country has experienced police and FBI surveillance, xenophobia, racial and ethnic profiling, and the unjust manipulation of security and immigration laws it is the Native American, Black, Latino, and the API communities in this country. And it is for this very reason that

communities of color have reached out to Muslims with their support, sharing the scant resources allocated to them by the university. It is no wonder then that the Asian/Pacific Island Student Development Office is developing resources to support programming and organizing for the AMEMSA (Arab, Middle Eastern, Muslim, and South Asian) communities. The Center for Race and Gender has allocated significant funding towards an entire branch of Islamophobia research while BRIDGES offers guidance, support, and funding to an emerging Arab Recruitment Retention Center as well as the MSA’s youth outreach program. The MCC — in an effort to fill the gap in Muslim representation in other campus institutions — has hired a number of Muslims, actively providing a space for the politicization, training, and activism of our people within the broader multicultural community. And how have we reciprocated that trust and extension of empathy and resources from communities of color? The fact is that we haven’t. And as a community, we are indeed oblivious to the part that we play within the multicultural community in this country and on this campus. We are unaware of our newcomer status or worse, we’re so arrogantly consumed with our own sense of justice that we’ve forgotten, neglected, and denied the justice of others and the longer, more painful legacy from which we have sprung. Imagine that a friend you’ve recently met is sustaining an injury at the hospital. Though he’s only just met you, he invites you inside the recovery room along with his family members where you can witness the gentle murmuring exchanges between loved ones as your new friend undergoes the healing process. Do you barge inside, clamoring loudly and talking incessantly about how you scraped your knee earlier that morning? Of course not. Rather, you ask the people in front of you how they’re doing

and how they got to where they are. You offer encouragement and empathy. You do everything in your capacity to aid them in their healing process. You stand with your friend and you are humbled and honored that he should even allow you into this intimate and deeply personal gathering. If the injury sustained is centuries of marginalization and institutionalized racism in this country and the multicultural space is the recovery room for people of color on this campus, then we must enter with humility, grace, and empathy — not with a sense of entitlement, blubbering insensitivity and apathy. The Native American, Black, Latino and API communities are like OG’s on this campus — they’ve been around long enough such that they have developed institutions and community building methods from which we can learn and benefit if we would only attempt to engage with people outside the Muslim community and with our closest allies and friends in this country. But let’s not understand this relationship as: “I scratch your back if you scratch mine.” We save those sentiments for corporate lobbying in congressional elections... Rather, what we’re talking about here is an unwavering and universal commitment to social justice — because justice is not about “just us,” and you cannot be about your own justice if you’re not about the justice of other people.

Photos by Mustafa Eisa & Farhana Jahan

fall 2011 2011 fall

AL-BAYAN Malcolm X famously stated, “the only way we will get freedom for ourselves is to identify ourselves with every oppressed people in the world,” and as this quote resonates in your mind, I challenge you to open your eyes to the world around you.

Spiritual

ACTIVISM By Autefeh Sajjadi PHOTOS BY AWISTA AYUBY & SAJID NASIR

s Muslim Americans in Berkeley, we are in a unique position to affect change — it is up to us to take full advantage of the opportunities around us. Too often we confine ourselves to the same people, friends, and cliques, when in reality, being Muslim is not simply an identity; Islam is not just a religion; it is a way of life. In the time directly following September 11th, 2001, many people, Muslim and non-Muslim alike, felt a sudden shift from a lack of knowledge about Islam to a sudden outpour of misconceptions. As a result, it has become our duty — as young Muslims in America — to try to change the stereotypes the media has created and implement a positive image of Islam. How can we do this? As simple as it may seem, it clearly is not; for the past decade Muslims have been struggling to alter perceptions and their successes in providing a better image of Islam have been microscopic compared to their failures. You may think that we can start by presenting Islam to outsiders as a peaceful religion by spreading awareness or by showing the number of Muslim women who are educated and successful, proving in fact that Islam is not oppressive but indeed encouraging. But this is not the means to creating the type of longterm change that we need. In the past, Islam has spurred several inspirational social movements, the most notable being the Black Panther Move-

ment. In the late 1960s, Malcolm X became the inspiration to the Black Power Movement and the Black Arts Movement, changing people’s conception of African Americans worldwide and being one of the largest inspirations for converts. He advocated slogans such as “Black is beautiful” and truly took the lessons from the Quran and the Prophet (pbuh) to heart, spreading the message of Islam in the most beautiful of ways. Islam allowed Malcolm X to see the beauty of unity; when he returned from Hajj, he wrote a letter expressing his amazement, “there were tens of thousands of pilgrims, from all over the world … of all colors … but we were all participating in the same ritual, displaying a spirit of unity and brotherhood that my experiences in America had led me to believe never could exist between the white and non-white.” He continued to say, “America needs to understand Islam, because this is the one religion that erases from its society the race problem. Throughout my travels in the Muslim world, I have met, talked to, and even eaten with people who in America would have been considered white — but the white attitude was removed from their minds by the religion of Islam. I have never before seen sincere and true brotherhood practiced by all colors together, irrespective of their color.” Further adding to the legacy of the Black Panther Movement, the Black Panthers in Oakland are known to have been

09 the true leaders of the food revolution in the 1960s. They developed a platform that included land and food reform but within a larger platform for social transformation. The Panthers required every well-to-do person in the community to make a weekly $50 contribution — not a one-time $500 donation — but a continuous effort. With their food equality motivations, the Black Panthers successfully fed over 250,000 children a day, without the help of any NGOs, governments, or politicians, but purely with the concept of people helping people, an idea that Islam strongly advocates. The true strength of these social movements did not come solely from the passion behind the cause, but from the irrevocable force of a unified front. People from different social classes began to interact because of their shared love of Islam, and in this unity came the ability to make a true difference in the world. Islam is a religion of beauty, a religion of peace, a religion of rights and equality for both men and women. It is a religion that speaks of respecting others, and refraining from backbiting among many other things. But one weakness we have in our ummah today is a lack of unity. We Muslims are often so busy judging each other, that we have created divides amongst ourselves. These divides can even cross generational lines — youth don’t want to go to the masjid because they feel that if they wear certain clothes the older generation will scorn them. Even among us here at Berkeley as students pass through the MCC you overhear conversations about others — not necessarily bad notes, but not necessarily good things either. How can we possibly expect to break stereotypes non-Muslims have against us when we can barely get along amongst ourselves? Outside all of the rituals that we have become accustomed to, we need to find ways to do good by being good Muslims. The number one way to achieve this is through outreach and cooperation among all aspects of the community. We must learn to value every encounter and individual as a means of spiritual activism. Spiritual activism is a way of bettering our community by bettering ourselves. With spiritual activism we are able to use

the fundamental principles of Islam as tools to achieve positive social change. But before we can even consider making a difference we must first revisit our deen, ensuring that Islam advocates both the cause and the methods of achieving the cause. We must embody the outlook of the Prophet (pbuh) and reach out to others through peaceful interactions — not in the aggressive or in-your-face type of way, but in a way such that the beauty of Islam is reflected through our actions and words. Like the Prophet (pbuh), we must begin our mission of spiritual activism by bridging not only cultural gaps, but social ones as well. Sisters must learn to get along and see the good in each other as opposed to the competition, and brothers need to learn to value each other in a way as not just friends, but also true companions. Malcolm X famously stated that “the only way we will get freedom for ourselves is to identify ourselves with every oppressed people in the world,” and as this quote resonates in your mind, I challenge you to open your eyes to the world around you. Witness the judgmental stares and hear the hateful remarks that surround our daily lives, and think about what separates people from each other. I challenge you to take a step back and look at your actions for the next few days; examine the way you interact with other Muslim brothers and sisters and see if you are condoning the cause of spiritual activism or are one of the people repressing it. I also encourage you to observe the actions of those around you and be weary of those who judge — but do not call them out to embarrass them; rather, do as the Prophet (pbuh) did and lead by example.

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AL-BAYAN

THE mother of THE REVOLUTION ONE WOMAN CHALLENGING HER SURROUNDING SOCIETY

etting himself alight, Mohammad Bouazizi acted upon impulse — an impulse triggered by years of corruption and inequality resulting from a Tunisian political system that only serves its people through constant agony and humiliation. From an Islamic perspective, it would not be surprising that many would regard his act as one of self-mutilation, betraying the promise to preserve Allah’s creation (his body); that although he had suffered, he should have been patient with his fate. But this raises a question: is Bouazizi’s act the one to be condemned or are the circumstances that led him to it? It seems that Arabs were overlooking the injustice in their countries, but they were also undermining their ability, as civilians, to bring about the change needed to annihilate that injustice. The past year’s events in the Arab world should be recognized as the “Arab Awakening” as they came to be only after Arabs finally believed they could surmount levels of injustices, lies,

By Taqwa Elhindi

Photos bY: (C) Abdulrahman Jaber

and manipulation and finally rise against the regimes that had reached a precipice of corruption. Bouazizi’s act triggered an entire movement — the Jasmin Movement — which not only overthrew the political regime in Tunisia to arrive at freedom, but also launched a series of events recognized as the Arab Spring. The Arab Spring challenged many cultural stigmas, and it caused major ideological shifts in Egyptian and Yemeni societies. Although both maintain an Islamic stronghold, it seems they have arrived at a threshold where they are approaching Islam with modernity and vice versa. The situation in Yemen is particularly interesting precisely because of one woman — Tawakul Karman — a co-recipient of this year’s Nobel Peace Prize. The political upheaval and revolutionary aura provided Karman with a framework that made her previous humanitarian efforts even more effective. As rebellion in Yemen was encouraged, Karman’s efforts for both women’s rights and democratic rights were further em-

phasized through her writings and activism. Karman has always challenged the society surrounding her, as she had a prominent presence and spoke out against political issues in a country where women are expected to keep a low profile and not engage in political activity, as any such action could bring shame upon the women and their families. But being the “mother of the revolution” — a title rendered to her by the Yemeni youth at Change Square — allowed Karman to stand at the forefront of the revolution while promoting change in Yemen’s societal structure. She differentiated between culture and Islam, and how Arab cultures degrade the empowerment given to women by Islam. She also triggered responses from Saleh’s government that portray how Arab authoritarian rulers maintain their positions of power by manipulating Islamic teachings to deem any threatening act of freedom as haram or unacceptable in Islam. One of the most powerful movements she influenced was that of 10,000 women marching down a motorway in

protest last April. This act — in which women independently took to the streets and spoke up against the political constructs of Ali Abdallah Saleh’s three-decade rule — directly countered a regime which considered actions like theirs counter to Islamic principles. This is where Karman’s actions argue that Arab leaders manipulate what “un-Islamic” is, and they choose cultural binds and tie them to Islam to prevent people from speaking out. In an interview with the Yemen Times, Karman claimed that “women were free in older times when the Islamic nation was strong. There are so many examples in history, not more than a thousand years ago, when Muslim women were leaders, scientists, professionals, and so on. It is all about justice, and justice can be attained through having the rulers accountable to their people.” Karman is also a strong proponent of democracy, believing that only with democracy can Arab leaders be accountable to their people. Karman herself is an embodiment of how Islam, equality, and freedom can all progressively feed off of one another. As a mother of three and a woman in hijab, she would be an unlikely candidate to be a prominent leading figure of Al-Islah, the main opposition party to Saleh’s regime. And yet she is a powerful

member in the party and has garnered much national support, especially among youth and women. She also displays her humanitarianism as she provides campers in Change Square, the locus of protest against Saleh, food and ammunition as a part of Al-Islah’s campaign. She has organized weekly protests under Women Journalists Without Chains, a human rights organization she founded, and has authored articles blatantly rejecting the regime. She has been arrested by Saleh’s regime twice, yet continues her efforts, rising above any intimidation. Karman is trying to show that being Muslim extends to social change, extends to being

come, rather than devouring all the revenue and wealth of the state. During her speech at the Harvard Arab Weekend Conferenc this November, Karman made a reference to authoritarian rulers and their atrocities. She expressed her sorrow and outrage in regards to the Saleh regime’s murder of four politically active women, who were also her friends, during their prayer time. It is amazing how closed regimes that speak of how democratic measures are not compliant with Islam are the very regimes that do not tolerate varying opinions and commit acts against Muslims during their moments of worship. It is such actions that call for the need to return to the true virtues of Islam, those that would redefine these unjust and immoral cultural and political norms, truly seeking justice and equality for all — the very terms emphasized by our Prophet Muhammad (pbuh). Perhaps this is why Karman managed to garner the attention of the Nobel Prize Committee, because she went back to these values of justice and equality and would not step down to any intimidation — the very thing we are preached to do as Muslims — to always withstand in the name of truth. Karman’s recognition can be looked upon as a validation that Yemenis want to bring about structural changes in politics and society for just the right reasons.

"She differentiated between culture and Islam, and how Arab cultures degrade the empowerment given to women by Islam" empowered to make a difference, and to fight for the well-being of members in one’s society against atrocious regimes. This new face for women and Arabs in general is intimidating to the authoritarian rulers who have maintained a stronghold on Arab countries for so long, where a ruler like Saleh has reached a point of intimidation where he went as far as to hire an assassin to stab Karman, attempting to subdue her rising influences. It is amazing how Arab rulers rule and act under the guise of Islam, when they lack the basic principles of ensuring that every one of their citizens is fed and has a means of in-

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AL-BAYAN

A World of Spectacle by Waseem

hat were we supposed to learn from Narcisuss, the man who was paralyzed by his own beauty and drowned in a pool as a result of it? The common aphorism is to simply to “not fall in love with yourself.” However, Narcissus never really knew it was him in the pool; he thought it was the beauty of another. Had he known that he was staring at his own reflection, he would have simply moved on and departed. Death kissed Narcissus’s lips when he could not distinguish between projection, image, and reflection and his own essence, identity, and message. I am prompted to ask, then, what value do images hold in general, and what is at stake when we put too much

Salahi

in the soul, leading you to moments of manufactured nostalgia: you start “remembering” feelings and memories that never actually existed as a part of your own life-experience. And yet it can turn so quickly: upon parking your car, you are lulled into a colorful bus leading you to Al-Jaheem, only to be confronted by Mickey Mouse, who hovers towards you with an eerie, unchanging smile. The man inside him suffocates on his own breath, standing in front of palaces built by cheap labor and underpinned by cheap cardboard, stained with egg-shell colors composed of lead-heavy paint. You walk endlessly through a maze of brick pathways, looking for an exit that never seems

we operate in the field of fantasy, animated by a flawed logic that we have internalized through time. Furthermore, neither version of Disneyland is necessarily “real” insofar as it describes the actual, concrete experience one will have when entering that theme park. The Shift is not unique to Disneyland, either. We see similar movements when the Arab shifts from a carpet-flying genie into a baby-hating terrorist; the Muslim from a strange, recluse neighbor to a radical, disruptive activist, and so on. Neither image is “real,” but they can all nonetheless be “experienced” as a result of encounter. In other words, the false image imposed on a person will dictate how that person is read and understood. Furthermore, the Shift does not happen in a vacuum; its process always teeters on the edge of implosion, anticipating the emergence of certain circumstances. Put another way, the Shift happens in moments of convenience, when the new image itself will seem totally in line with present conditions. (When we finally tap Iraq’s oil and steal Afghanistan’s minerals, when our status as terrorist becomes no longer useful, we will all conveniently turn back into hospitable hosts who treat their

if you make divestment sexy, it will “Even not be achieved by simply wearing suits

emphasis on crafting the perfect image for ourselves as activists? How does this relate to the way we protest and make our voices heard? Image seems like an incredibly powerful force. Take for instance Disneyland, whose marketing is so perniciously pervasive that, upon its mention, it conjures up images of fantasy, purity, happiness, and innocence. Besides being a list of vague descriptors, these notions each carve impressions

to appear. This sparks a feeling of resistance, a need to “forget” whatever evils and horrors exist inside of us. The radical transference from one image to the next, which I will call the “Shift,” is no accident. The Shift is a possibility, if not an inevitability, that is created in the world of spectacle, where aesthetics, manner, and image no longer complement a message, but rather constitute it completely. Regardless of which image we adopt for Disneyland,

“

and speaking calmly.

guests to exotic meals and exotic teas.) Given that “image” itself is not a stable nor a reliable way of conveying ourselves as real people with real messages, we must reassess how much emphasis we put on decorating ourselves, particularly when engaging in different forms of activism. When we undermine Muslim activism by calling it “militant,” “disruptive,” “alienating,” and so on, we affirm the normative idea that image is the primary source of message-declaration, and

PHOTO BY MUSTAFA EISA we mistakenly assume that it wholly dictates the way that the message will be read. These criticisms falsely assume that if the image is changed enough to satisfy the expectations and comforts of authority figures and nonMuslims in general, they will finally read us in ways that will suit our own interests. If we simply protest like “civilized adults” (as if we’re in battle with our own barbarian tendencies), authority figures will finally give in to our demands and address our concerns. This logic, however, neglects the fact that it is the content of the message that prompts the manipulation of the image in the first place. Put another way, our demands

themselves, not the way we look, are alienating to institutions, precisely because they contradict historically protected interests and power dynamics. Even if you make divestment sexy, it will not be achieved by simply wearing suits and speaking calmly. While this may make the facilitation of a message easier, the image is still at the mercy of Shifting – we can be newly characterized as suspicious elites armed with fancy rhetoric, disguising our own “anti-Semitic” goals. The amount of time we spend investing in the image of Muslims, even in a multi-billion dollar campaign like that of Disneyland’s, will always surrender to the priceless exercise of Shifting.

There is a larger apparatus that is operating, a perverted form of logic, that turns us into spectacles. When we criticize our activities and demonstrations, we should be assessing how much they have undermined this oppressive logic, not simply analyze how people have perceived us, people who will reject us and our interests regardless of our image. We must always remember who we are, the histories we’ve inherited, and the logic we’re faced with challenging. We must not confuse ourselves with the institutional mirror that captures our gaze, which will distort us enough to hate ourselves. Narcissus loved his beauty; we’ve learned to hate ours, but have somehow met the same fate.

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AL-BAYAN

The Essence of Activism “Tawakkul is making use of all of your means and leaving the result to Allah.”s

he Prophet

(peace be upon him) said, “The best of people are those that bring most benefit to the rest of mankind.”[1] Activism and advocating for positive social change are important parts of Islam. But for a variety of reasons, activism is relegated to a secondary status and comes after our comfort — if you do it, that is good and if you do not, then that is perceived to be fine as well. There seems to be a missing ingredient in our hearts — and that missing ingredient is tawakkul (trust in God). When the idea of working for a greater goal is taken out, Islam — instead of being a holistic way of living — becomes a one-dimensional Islam: do your prayers, be nice, and everything will be fine. We have lost a sense of wider purpose and, in essence, one of the most important principles of Islam. Allah (swt) says in the Qur’an: “O you who have believed, be persistently standing firm in justice, witnesses for Allah, even if it be against yourselves or parents and relatives...[2]” Some of us live in comfortable isolation — as long as we are doing “okay,” we do not necessarily need to strive to help anyone else. We may continue to give our zakat (alms) and sadaqa (charity), but we must realize money alone will not alleviate social ills. To be the

change we want to see, involvement with the Muslim community as well as the wider community, for His sake, is paramount. Many may say that we do not have the power to affect change, or that some issues are too great to overcome. But we start every prayer with “Allahu Akbar - Allah is greater” as a reminder. And Allah promises us: “And those who strive for Us - We will surely guide them to Our ways. And indeed, Allah is with the doers of good.”[3] All of us have a circle of concern and a circle of influence. Our circle of concern may be very wide, and we cannot do anything except du’a (prayer) or charity. But we also have a circle of influence — realities that we can change within us and around us. And we should intend to do so and take those critical first steps in the right direction. One of the most misunderstood ex-

by Jinan Yousef Photos by ASNAVY SARI

amples is the story of the people of the cave in Surat al-Kahf. They were a group of young people who believed in God and served the community. They could not speak about their faith, so they lived by it by helping the weak in their society. It did not matter that the weak were not believers; it was the duty of the youth to do something for them. When the tyrannical king found out about the youth, he wanted them killed because they threatened

his legitimacy. They had a number of choices: they could have desisted in their good works, or they could have faced the king, or they could have retreated to properly plan out their next steps. Yet they chose the third. If they had no choice but to face the king, they would have done so. But they would not shy away from doing their work for the community; they knew that human beings were entrusted to use their capabilities and faculties wisely. And what was the result? Allah caused them to sleep for over 300 years, and when they awakened, the entire situation had changed. The people had turned against the king when they discovered that the youth had simply acted upon their faith. Allah caused

them to sleep and then to awaken so they could see the result of the small seeds that they had planted. And this is where tawakkul fits into activism. Tawakkul is making use of all of your means and leaving the result to Allah. It is placing absolute trust in Him. It is very easy to “burn out” after encountering failure. It is very easy to put our trust in our efforts, to believe that the struggle is over when our exertions do not appear to bring progress. But when our trust is in Allah, the One who has named Himself al-Wakeel (the Trustee), we recognize that our reward is in the journey, in our intention, and in the way that we strived. True success is in never giving up. How can we doubt al-Wakeel, who has told us that “whoever relies upon Allah [has tawakkul]- then He is sufficient for him[4]”? When we have certainty in this, we know that every experience, every success, and every perceived failure is actually a lesson, especially because Allah has reminded us that He “does not allow to be lost the reward of those who do good.[5]”. If we trust Allah, we grow closer to Him through experiences and trials because we know that our ultimate destination is Him and whatever we do is a part of that journey.

If we believe He has failed us — and we seek refuge from having such thoughts — then we grow further away from Him. And that is the ultimate failure, not the material failure we attribute to Him. When things get tough, we need to remember the example of the Prophet (pbuh). When the Prophet (pbuh) was planning his migration away from Makkah, he approached 26 different tribes in order to make some sort of mutual agreement with them, yet they rejected him in the most humiliating of ways. But he had trust and he didn’t give up. He knew that he had to strive to the limit. And finally, he met the youth from Madina, who believed in his message. So in examining our lives, we should look around us and ask what we are doing to be a solution to the current problems. Start by picking one thing that you want to help with — even if it is small — but also have grand hopes because you have al-Wakeel with you. And if worry, anxiety, or even laziness grip you, remember: “And whoever fears Allah - He will make for him a way out. And will provide for him from where he does not expect. And whoever relies upon Allah - then He is sufficient for him. Indeed, Allah will accomplish His purpose. Allah has already set for everything a [decreed] extent.[6]”

Footnotes

[1] classed as hasan by al-Albani [2] Surat an-Nisaa, 4:135 [3] Surat al-Ankaboot, 29:69 [4] Surat at-Talaaq, 65:3 [5] Surat Yusuf, 12:56 [6] Surat at-Talaaq, 65:2-3

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AL-BAYAN

Small T H E

T H I N G S

BY OMAR RASHID “Stress isn’t just a college phenomenon, but is something that can easily become a way of life.”

n late September of this year, I attended a lecture by Dr. David Sobel on the topic of experiencing healthy pleasures in life. Sobel, a current Kaiser Physician who graduated from UCSF medical school and has co-authored eight books, gave an inspiring talk about how experiencing healthy pleasures has been scientifically shown to increase happiness and reduce stress. Sobel attacked the modern philosophy that we need to be constantly working and constantly “productive” and stressed how the small pleasures of life, such as taking a nap, eating a tasty meal, gazing at a nice view, or just enjoying the company of friends and loved ones can lead to a happier, healthier, and longer-lasting life. While Sobel’s audience was mainly Kaiser physicians, and his talk was directed at helping them get over their con-

Photos by Farhana Jahan & Sajid Nasir stant feelings of stress and exhaustion, I saw that his lecture could easily be directed at college students, especially us at UC Berkeley, due to the enormous amount of stress and pressure we are under from midterms, finals, papers, and the plethora of extracurricular activities to which we subject ourselves. Being in constant stress is not a healthy way to live and we should strive to find enjoyment in life. As Sobel showed in his lecture, it’s the small things that can reduce stress, increase happiness, and make life truly worth living.

It’s Always Midterm Season Stress isn’t just a college phenomenon, but is something that can easily become a way of life. So often, people say that they just need to get into medical school or law school, implicitly implying that all their problems will disappear when that happens. And even on a smaller level, we tell ourselves all the time, “once I finish this test, then I’ll relax and take time for myself,” but once said exam is complete, something else comes up and the stress continues. Stress is undoubtedly a big problem in the college environment, but as I realized in observing the Kaiser physicians at the lecture, stress doesn’t suddenly disappear when we become professionals, but it in fact may escalate, and can lead to many negative physical and mental changes. Many of the doctors were overweight, constantly hunched over, and looked exhausted. If the stressors of life never go away, no matter what part of our lives we are in,

then we have to find ways to lower our stress and bring happiness and enthusiasm back into our lives now. Sobel claims that one of the ways to do this is to put a greater emphasis on the simple pleasures of life. But do we, as college students, do this enough? Or have we bought into the mantra that we need to be constantly working and in a constant state of productivity? Fatima Mekkaoui, a fourth year Sociology major and pre-med student at Berkeley says stress is a huge part of her everyday life, citing midterms and finals week as her biggest stress inducers. Mekkaoui always takes 20 or more units per semester and is very active on campus, currently heading the Muslim Student Association Political Action Committee, and serving as a board member for the Association of Muslim Professional Development. To manage her stress, she makes “crazy to do lists, literally managing where every single minute goes” to the point where she even includes texting breaks in her schedules. Yet, when I asked her if the schedules work, she admitted that they don’t help at all. “I spend more time making the damn schedules … than actually doing them,” she said. The incessant schedule making did little to help her stress, even though she cited it as the main way she managed her stress. When I asked her when she last treated herself to something nice, she couldn’t answer. After a long pause she said, “It’s really bad that I can’t remember ... literally my life revolves around studying.” Many college students, especially in Berkeley, have this mentality that they need to be constantly working, and that if they are not, someone else is working and therefore they are getting behind. As a result, there is often a guilt associated with taking time to enjoy the simple pleasures of life. We don’t realize how much the small moments, such as having coffee with a friend, or taking a 20-minute nap, can help us de-stress and find fulfillment in life. “I don’t think any Berkeley student feels not guilty for not studying enough ... and [this feeling] becomes part of the culture of being a student” said Fatema Nourzaie, a fifth year Integrative Biology major. Ashwak Hauter, a recent Berkeley graduate, said that she wishes she enjoyed the simple pleasures of life more when in school, and that most college students don’t appreciate the small relaxing moments of life enough. “Had I known what I know now when I was an undergrad, I would totally have stressed less,” she said, laughing. “If someone actually takes an hour walk, or goes and jogs for an hour ... they’d relieve so much stress.” “If we don’t feel like we’re producing something, we feel like we’re wasting time. If you sit with a friend and have a coffee you feel like you’ve wasted so much time that you could have used for school … but in order to be a productive person in a proper way, you need to sometimes have those moments,” Hauter added.

Good People and Good Works Richard De Lama, a fourth year Political Economy major at Berkeley, Bridget Bugbee, a third year CommunicationsEnglish major at Davis, and Obaid Tohki, a Haas graduate who currently works at LinkedIn are three of the people I know that always overcome the stresses of life and constantly have smiles on their faces. What makes these three people so robust and happy is undoubtedly the fact that they make sure to take time to experience the simple pleasures of life. “I love to breathe” said Bugbee. She knew her remark sounded silly, but she highlighted how a simple breath can clear one’s mind and rejuvenate one’s body. In fact, just taking time to breathe was the first thing Bugbee mentioned when asked her what she really enjoyed. All three mentioned that one of the most important of their simple pleasures was spending time in good company. “What I enjoy most is good friends, and having nice conversations,” said De Lama. Bugbee talked extensively about how she loved to get to know new people while Tohki said “I just like being around good people.” What struck me as very interesting as well was that all three engaged in altruistic behavior by serving their com-

fall 2011

AL-BAYAN “Sweat the small stuff,” he said, “because the small stuff is what will keep you going in life.” munities. De Lama volunteers at a homeless shelter in his free time, while Bugbee is a coordinator for a camp that helps children who have or have had cancer. Tohki also stressed the importance of giving back to the community. When I thought back to all of the most fulfilled people I had ever met, I noted that all of them engaged in some type of altruistic behavior. While these are theoretically selfless acts, Sobel actually said that altruism is scientifically proven to lead to increased happiness and well-being, one of the reasons why the most robust people are generally those who give to others. De Lama, Bugbee, and Tohki all take time for the small things in life, and all three are also very successful people. Enjoying their lives hasn’t stopped then from achieving their dreams. The simple things in life, such as enjoying good company or giving to others, have helped these three achieve greater happiness and less stress in life, and it would benefit us to learn from their example.

It’s Not Mad to be Unproductive In an episode of the TV show Mad Men, executive Lane Pryce was angry at ad director Don Draper, accusing his creative team of spending their time drinking rather than working. Draper responded saying that part of being productive is “letting our creatives be unproductive until they are.” But one doesn’t need to be a “mad man” in order to enjoy the unproductive moments of life. Sitting around and doing “nothing” should be time relished, not time bemoaned as “wasted.” Many Muslims often stress the Islamic principle that this life is only for worship and work, and not for mere pleasure. But God has never said that we should forsake all types of enjoyment. We need to experience some pleasure in life in order to worship and work with increased vigor, for it is impossible to be constantly working, and this pleasure need not be associated with guilt. God has created many pleasures in life that are not sinful, and it would be beneficial for us to make the most of these pleasures in order to reduce our stress and increase the quality of our lives. In the short story “A Good Man Is Hard to Find” by Flannery O’Connor, the Misfit, a crazed killer who had escaped from federal prison, waylays a family on vacation that has had a car accident on a deserted dirt road. After having his cronies kill the father, mother, son, daughter, and baby, the Misfit shoots the grandmother three times. One of his cronies shouts “some fun!” to which the Misfit replies “Shut up ... It’s no real pleasure in life.” The Misfit was unable to find any pleasure in life and had become a crazed, cold-blooded killer. His name, The Misfit, signifies how he was could not fit into society, for he was unable to find pleasure in anything. While it’s hard to imagine any overly stressed Berkeley student be-

coming like the Misfit, O’Connor does paint a dark picture for the type of person who fails to find any enjoyment in life. At the end of his lecture, Sobel took the common saying, “don’t sweat the small stuff,” and turned it completely around. “Sweat the small stuff,” he said, “because the small stuff is what will keep you going in life.” The small moments are the ones that we keep with us, the moments that we remember when we look back at our lives, and the moments reduce our stress that make life enjoyable. Sobel’s lecture was a reminder to appreciate the simple things, and overcome the stresses of the challenges in life. Stress doesn’t just go away after college graduation, so let’s change this culture of stress before it becomes a chronic infliction in our lives. The stressors of life will always be there, so let’s find enjoyment to counteract the negativity. Let’s stop being constantly on the move, even if for a second. Let’s enjoy that squirrel on the ground playing with an acorn and savor that small bite of chocolate chip cookie for just an extra moment. Let’s take an extra look at that glorious sunset and consciously appreciate just one single breath of fresh air. Let’s relax and enjoy the company of others and spend our time giving back to the community. Let’s smile. Let’s take pleasure in the small things, and we’ll find life will be less stressful and more fulfilling, and most definitely worth living.

Published with support from Campus Progress/Center for American Progress. CampusProgress.org

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