“ALLAH IS THE PROTECTOR OF THOSE WHO BELIEVE. HE BRINGS THEM OUT FROM DARKNESS INTO LIGHT.” [HOLY QUR’AN]
Ramadan 1423 November 8, 2002
AN-NUR - THE LIGHT The newsletter of the Muslim Students‟ Association & the Muslim Women of Maryland Contact Us! Please send your creative submsissions, comments, and suggsestions to nur@ureach.com
Inside this issue: How Islam Eradicates Terrorism
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MWM Social
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A Warning to My Muslim Brothers and Sisters
4
FAQ About Ramadan
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MSA Members Impact Iraq Rally
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The State of MSA/MWM
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MIST Comes to D.C.
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Da’wah Committee
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Iraq Rally Attracts Over 200,000 to D.C. By Muslim Link Staff Writers Hundreds of thousands of anti-war protesters of all different backgrounds, races, and ages took to the streets on Saturday, October 26, as they marched around the White House denouncing the impending war on Iraq suggested by the Bush Administration. "We think this was extremely successful," said an organizer of International A.N.S.W.E.R. (Act Now to Stop War and End Racism). "It shows that when Bush says America speaks with one voice, and it's his voice, he's wrong." The rally began adjacent to the Vietnam Veterans War Memorial. Concurrent rallies were also being held in San Francisco and other (Continued on page 6)
And much more...
Due Dates Articles: November 27, 2002
Distribution: December 6, 2002
We look forward to receiving your beneficial submissions for the next issue sent to nur@ureach.com!
Volume 4, Issue 3
Hosam Haggag sits atop Anan Said as he leads hundreds of both Muslim and non-Muslim protestors in anti-war slogans and shouts of takbeer and shahadah. Photo by Abdullah Valanzola
MSA and MWM Activities During Ramadan By Naser Jaleel With the approach of the blessed month of Ramadhan, the Muslim Students' Association (MSA) and Muslim Women of Maryland (MWM) have planned several activities on the university campus. There will be iftaar/dinner every weekday in the Musallah (Cole Field 0204) immediately after Maghrib. In addition, we are planning several other activities to realize our goal to bring the campus community closer to Allah. We eagerly anticipate your support and suggestions to make the activities we are planning a success, insha'Allah.
serve as an excellent opportunity to experience the unity in the Muslim community.
On November 27, there will be a Muslim community event on campus through the coordinated efforts of Masjid Dar-us-Salaam, MSA, MWM, Pakistani Students' Association (PSA), and the Organization of Arab Students (OAS). Not only will there be iftaar and dinner, but through arrangements with Masjid Dar-usSalaam there will be Taraweeh prayers for the entire community. Insha'Allah, the event will
The MWM has planned several activities for the sisters. Throughout Ramadhan, the sisters will have a 10-minute tafseer session before the iftaar. Insha‟Allah, please contact Sr. Maha Ezzeddine (ezz@wam.umd.edu) to volunteer and obtain more information. The MWM is also planning a dawah event to teach the campus community about the Islamic month of Ramadhan. Please contact Sr. Maha to learn more.
Also, the MSA and MWM are planning a community service activity, in which Muslim students will go to a soup kitchen to feed the hungry and poor. The Dawaa committee has come up with a unique way to involve the non-Muslim students to participate in this event. Keep an eye out as we announce more details about this event. Please contact Br. Farhat Noor (farhat@yahoo.com) to learn more and participate.
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MSA Activities How Islam Eradicates Terrorism By Abdel Salam Sayyad This was the title of a lecture delivered by Dr. Muhammad Malkawi at the University of Maryland at College Park on October 24. In the lecture, Dr. Malkawi stressed that he would depart from the usual approach of defending Islam and disassociating Muslims from terrorism. The purpose of the lecture was to illustrate how Islam provides the comprehensive solution that inhibits the growth of terrorism in the first place, while the present world order is a fertile soil for such phenomena. The meaning of Terrorism: The speaker started by broadening the sense of terrorism by highlighting the end result of it, which is the loss of security. As he explained, the society can lose security in many ways, including economic insecurity, health insecurity, and political oppression. In these cases, the individuals and the society are terrorized even if direct acts of violence are not committed against them. The Prophet (saw) said: “Whoever starts his day owning food for his day, health in his body, and security among his people, then he has owned the whole world.” Terror also spreads as a result of secret evil plotting. The clear example for that is the intelligence organizations in all parts of the world, terrorizing innocent people. This has been happening in totalitarian regimes and in the third world, and is now apparent in the West under the pretext of fighting terrorism. Causes behind Terrorism: Dr. Malkawi then summarized the causes behind terrorism as the lack of food, health and physical security, and falling victim to oppression. By presenting numbers and statistics from Western researchers, the speaker was able to demonstrate the graveness of such problems as food insecurity, lack of economic growth, short life expectancy, the rise of child mortality, and illiteracy in most parts of the world including many U.S. communities. This is accompanied by the injustice in distribution of the wealth where 80% of wealth
on earth is owned by 15% of its inhabitants. Terrorism and the World Order: The present world order that started to shape at the beginning of the past century has caused two world wars and numerous other wars that consumed tens of millions of lives. The super powers cared only for their own interests, and that created terrorism and loss of security. The Qur‟an stresses the role of the Muslims as a power that must run the world order aiming to achieve supreme values such as establishing prayer, collecting charity, enjoining the good and forbidding evil. Islamic resolution on Terrorism: Finally, the speaker summarized how Islam Resolves the problem of terrorism with the following measures: Eradicating Despair by linking this life to the life in the hereafter. Raising the value of the human soul to equate it with the life of all people in the world; thus prohibiting unjust persecution of human life, and placing a severe punishment for those who violate the main principal of human life, that is the right to continue life without interruption, as the following verse mentions: “The punishment of those who wage war against Allah and His Messenger, and strive with might and main for mischief and corruption through land is: execution, or crucifix-
ion, or the cutting off of hands and feet from opposite sides, or exile from the land: that is their disgrace in this world, and a heavy punishment is theirs in the hereafter (Quran:5:33) War on Poverty: Prophet of Allah, Muhammad (PBUH) said: “Allah breaks covenant with any group of people living in a close vicinity, whereby one of them goes to bed while hungry” Conclusion: It is the responsibility and the duty of the people of the world to examine Islam with serious and sincere scrutiny, in order to consider it as the only viable alternative to capitalism. Dr. Malkawi answered the questions of the audience in a clear and straightforward way, avoiding any apologies or defense in the face of usual accusations. For instance, when he was asked to comment on the saying “Terrorism is done by evil people who should not look for excuses,” he answered: No human is evil by nature. No one is born terrorist. If we don‟t look for the reasons of this issue then we‟ll catch one terrorist today and have to deal with another tomorrow. The speaker also answered broader questions on the Islamic alternative to the Western system in the political and economic aspects, and about the methodology of change that the Muslims should follow to resume the Islamic way of life.
One of the premier sites for news around the globe from an Islamic perspective. The site also contains a wealth of other features, including fataawa, live discussions, views & analyses, and much more. The site is available in both Arabic and English versions.
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MWM Activities The MWM Social: A Fun-Filled Evening with My Sisters By Mwanatumu Mbwana Thursday, October 31st. I cannot remember when I have had as much fun as I did on that evening. More than 20 sisters sat around the tables set up in the Nanticoke Room of the Stamp Student Union to partake in the MWM social event of the semester. The minute I walked in the door, I could feel the excitement of my fellow sisters. I think I speak for most of the sisters when I say that the MWM social event (held most semesters) is one of the highlights of the semester. It provides a welcome relief from all the tensions of exams, papers, projects, homework and any other stress associated with school. The event started at about 4.45pm with a Quran recitation. This was followed by a brief welcome to the event and an icebreaker in which sisters introduced themselves and gave an account of something mischievous that they had done. After this we played “Islamic Jeopardy”. The sisters were divided into two teams, Freshmen & Juniors vs. Sophomores & Seniors. The “Islamic Jeopardy” categories included hadith, seerah, geography and Quran, among others. It also included a “miscellaneous” category that asked questions not necessarily related to Islam (e.g. one question required the sisters to identify the name of the phobia in which a person is afraid of crossing the street.). We played until Maghrib time and then, after salat, we munched on pizza, drinks and doughnuts. While the sisters were enjoying the meal, there was a short presentation about the MWM weekly halaqas (held on Mondays at 5pm in 1226 Jimenez). The presentation gave a brief overview of topics covered during the halaqas i.e. the benefits of sisterhood, and ways in which we can put humility, trustworthiness, ihsaan, loyalty and hayaa into practice. Following this enlightening presentation, 4 sisters sent the audience into fits of laughter with their amusing skit. The skit involved teaching a new convert the “proper” way to
pray. Two sisters stood on either side of the convert and constantly corrected her throughout the salat. It was entertaining to see the sisters trying to show the new sister the right way to fold her hands during salat. The sisters went as far as placing a glass of water on the new sister‟s back while she made rukuu so as to ensure that her back was straight! The whole point of the skit was to illustrate that sometimes, out of our enthusiasm, we give our new sister‟s a huge load to carry. After the skit, we played the second round of Jeopardy. After several questions had been asked and answered and the points totaled up, the Sophomore/Senior team came out victorious with a lead of 30 points. The evening ended with some sisters singing popular nasheeds. One group sang Zain Bhikha‟s “Fortunate is He”. Two sisters put
their language skills into practice and sang Raihan‟s “Syukur” (the song is in Malay). And finally, one sister sang Dawud Wharnsby‟s “Ya Ummati” and urged her sisters to help her raise money for a worthy cause. She is trying to raise money for Kind Hearts (a non-profit organization). For $150 the organization will provide iftaar to a fasting Muslim refugee in Palestine this Ramadhan*. All in all, the event was a success. There was great attendance, great food, and great entertainment. It was an evening well spent for those who found the time to attend. *A donation box will be placed on the sisters‟ side of the musallah until Monday, November 11. Contact mtumu@hotmail.com for more information.
Sister’s Qiyaam Anonymous Contribution What kind of answers would you get from a sample of college students when asked, “How did you spend your Saturday night?” If it were posed to some of the MWM sisters last week, they would proudly answer: qiyaam ul-layl. Alhamdulilah, on Saturday, October 19th, some 15 sisters gathered for the monthly iftaar/qiyaam ul-layl event organized by the Muslim American Society-DC Youth Committee. The program began with nightly supplications and breaking of the fast. It followed with salaatul maghrib and a short khaatirah. The rest of the night was spent in praying tahajjud, remembrance of Allah swt, and a short nap that allowed the sisters to continue their prayer a little before the break of dawn. The program ended with salaatul fajr, another short khaatirah, and finally breakfast.
Leaving their worldly concerns behind, it was a time for the sisters to build the warm bond of sisterhood and come closer to Allah (swt). Many of the sisters felt heavy when leaving and regretted having to go back to the normal routine of their lives. Nevertheless, the Saturday was a rejuvenating one, an enriching experience that would nourish their spiritual selves for weeks to come.
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Making the Most of Ramadan A Warning to My Muslim Brothers and Sisters Anonymous Contribution My dear brothers and sisters, I want to warn all of you against doing what I did. I entered Ramadhan on a low wave of Iman. Since the beginning of the semester, I'd been spending far too much time on campus, a regular 10 hours a day, sometimes 12. It made me feel important and grown-up to be by myself in the "world"; I had yet to spend so much time away from home alone anywhere. As night came on, I was left feeling slightly alone as all my Muslim friends went home at around Maghrib or so. It always looks and feels as if one has something to do if one sits in front of a computer screen. So I started going just during breaks between classes whenever I was close to a computer lab. It built up to the point where I was on the computer for at least 3 hours a day, sometimes more. My surfing habits were not healthy, since they were born of boredom. They became even less so as I began venting some of my fantasies by living them on the computer. I frequented romance sites, and it became an addiction. I planned my day around the computer, and the hours I used to spend in the musallah socializing and relaxing began to taper off. I was still friendly and enthusiastic around my friends, who all showed me the sweetness of Islamic sisterhood. I loved them, and I loved feeling loved by other Muslims. But I admitted to myself that I no longer truly wanted the company of the friends I knew could help raise my Iman. It came to me then that I didn't want to raise my Iman. The consciousness of that feeling, when it came, scared me so badly that I tried hard not to examine my nafs more closely for a long time. If I raised my Iman by reading Qur'an, keeping the company of good people and really praying for forgiveness, I knew it would cause me to stop doing what I knew was wrong. And I didn't want to stop. At night, sometimes my conscience would slap me for
attention and I would, out of fear, ask Allah's forgiveness and mercy for the sins of my day. But I inside I knew I would fail again if given the chance. I recognized the fact that my Muslim friends could make me happy and give me whatever it was that I knew I was not getting from the computer. But they also made me uncomfortable. I recognized the feeling after awhile as guilt. Whenever I saw the purity of their smiles and their happiness to see me, my heart pounded a little faster and swelled with joy to see them. And when I left them, my heart sank, disappointed that I did not stay. Later, I began to watch them, to study their actions and words, questioning their sincerity and speculating which of them had the same problem as me. I grew certain I was alone. The loneliness inside me grew in proportion to my sins. My grades inevitaby suffered as I turned more and more to the computer screen that could google me away from reality with a click of a button. At night I tried to drown out the incessant nudge of my conscience with my fantasies, and there was my struggle. I tossed and turned nearly all night, terrified that I might "wake up in the grave" and wishing it would all go away by turns. I got a meager bit of sleep out of the deal. Why not just remember Allahâ€&#x;s Mercy, you might well ask. I was suffering so much that I couldn't concentrate well on anything, loading my mind with and force-feeding my heart junk. Why not just put myself out of my misery and repent? The human mind and heart are a very odd part of creation, when influenced by the devil. To my current thinking, my way was the easier way and I felt I could not bring myself to "give up" the fake pleasure I was getting from my secret shell of a life. My sins kept me from remembering that that I could always turn to Allah and ask Him to forgive me and lift my spirits out of their depression. I became half afraid that Allah would never forgive me because I kept asking with a sincerity not backed by actions. But something inside me still wanted goodness. I starved during
Ramadhan although the days of restraint were short. I fasted on the outside; I prayed in congregation as often as possible, and attended Islamic classes and lectures that, if I truly listened, could only intensify my guilt. I never ate or drank a drop of food during the day's fast. But I wasted away on the inside and left Ramadhan with nothing but a memory of hunger and a deep, cold misery. The misery was my heart, crying and growing thin and dark for having not been fed for a month. After I lost Ramadhan, my inner depression intensified. I lived very much like a soulless being, eating, drinking, sleeping, ritually praying when necessary. I was unhappy, restless, shiftless spiritually. I thought maybe this was Allah's punishment for my missing Ramadhan. I wanted very badly now to do better. But I seemed not to have the will. I peaked on my bad habits, even with the growing sense that I could hide only so much from my family and friends. I looked in the mirror every day with the very real fear that I might see a monster. Was I growing more haggard outwardly? I worked hard to make sure no one else could see any difference.. But now my darker intentions could no longer give me even the fleeting sense of enjoyment I used to get. I knew they were illusions now. But I continued to ignore reality, so what was my world now but illusion? I cultivated a very peculiar sense of emptiness that I attributed to a liberating lack of responsibility. I never missed a prayer, even when alone, but never really prayed. I stayed far from the Qur'an with a detachment that was not only physical. I did not want to think about Allah, because for me He was the sum of my fears. Yet often, during my sleepless nights, I would sit up and reach for the Book, open it to any place, and read the two facing pages just to soothe my pain until the next day. I knew that the Qur'an, like my good friends, could cure me completely. But I denied my heart the treatment for just a little longer. The pain inside grew to a physical reality, a vague throb that I ignored easily during the day but not so easily at night. I tried to convince my desperate self that I would have time to repent, later. But mostly, I didn't use the time I had. (Continued on page 5)
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Introduction to Ramadan Frequently Asked Questions about Ramadan By Omar Nawaz Khan Br. Omar Nawaz Khan compiled some of the most frequently asked questions about Ramadan and answered them in this concise introduction to the month of mercy, forgiveness, and pardoning from Hellfire. What makes Ramadan so special in the hearts of Muslims? Ramadan is the month in which the Quran was revealed. On Laylat al Qadr, or the Night of Power, the Quran descended from the highest heaven to the lowest heaven. This night occurs during one of the last ten nights of Ramadan. The ninety-seventh Surah of the Holy Quran is called Surat alQadr, and is a comprehensive teaching of this Night of Divine Decree and Knowledge. Why do Muslims have the duty and honor of fasting during the month of Ramadan? There are infinite blessings to be enjoyed and utilized during the month of Ramadan. The main purpose of the ordained fasting is for Muslims to strengthen their connection with the Creator, the Sustainer, the Powerful, and the Most Loving, the One and Only Allah. In order to strengthen a connection with the Divine, it is essential that servants of Allah indulge less in physical desires. In a sense, there is a lessening of the connection with the body and an increasing of the connection with the heart, which is the seat of the soul. What impels a Muslim to wake up early for the pre-dawn meal, or suhoor? As the human heart makes all decisions, the decision to wake up is also made by the heart. While the soul (or Rooh) constantly strives to be close to its Divine Originator, the animal body aspect of the human being is always dragging a Muslim down. The heart must decide whether it will follow the light of the soul (i.e. wake up for suhoor and fajr), or merely succumb the desire for two extra hours of sleep that the animal body demands.
How does fasting help a Muslim come closer to success? In Islam, the definition of success is the multitude of infinite rewards that are to be had in the life Hereafter. This success is limited to those who earn Allah‟s mercy and Divine Pleasure. Bodily success can be a good thing, but it is not real success. Reality is something transcendent, and therefore beyond time, space, and the mere appearances of things. A Muslim should see anything and everything as the signs of Allah, with his or her heart. In so doing, it becomes important to be able to distinguish between needs and wants, and to refrain from dangerous extremes. Does Ramadan affect the rest of the year? In short, yes. Ramadan is a spiritual boost that should last for the entire year. It is a time of preparation and behavior modification, like a yearly spiritual check-up. Every second in Ramadan is precious. In this time, Muslims learn how to gain control over desires. There is a drive to engage the signs of Allah, to see them in a state of active dhikr, and to be in a state of prayer. It is possible to read the signs of Allah in His
Book (the Quran), and to read the signs of Allah in the book of His creation. “Kun fa yakoon.” “Be and it is!” What does saum mean? Saum is the Arabic word for fasting. The Arabs used to train horses by taking them into the desert during fierce sand-storms in order to toughen them up, and so that they would be able to ignore the fierceness of the desert wind during the time of a battle. This practice was called saum. This is the time in which the Muslims are toughened by developing the ability to ignore, confront or conquer their lower desires and therefore strive for a higher Ideal. What can be done during Ramadan in the sphere of self-advancement? During Ramadan, Muslims must strive harder than ever to think the way Allah wants us to think. Old habits must be broken and good ones must be developed, insha‟Allah. The ability to concentrate with both mind and spirit must be developed, as opposed to being enslaved by the sensory organs (which too are the mercy and bounty of Allah). Perhaps it will help to consider the following question: “What if I die at this very moment?‟ Rabbana atina fi dunya hasanatan wa fil akhirati hasanatan wa qina adhab anaar!
Warning (cont.) (Continued from page 4)
One night I lay sleepless and rubbed at my breastbone, trying to soothe the throbbing, and realized I was tired. I was paranoid, afraid, depressed, unhappy, restless, shiftless, and I was now tired. I didn't want to live forever like this, but I saw now that I was being dragged into forever by my actions. I sat up in bed reached for the Qur'anhesitated, and lay back down. Tomorrow, I thought, I'll read. Many tomorrows and many backward slides later, I am writing this warning. I feel better, freer in spirit than I ever did during that period of time that seems like years but was only months. I am
still striving, but it gives me a sense of purpose to turn down the urge to follow my nafs. It makes me feel happy, upright, and alive. But I am still afraid. I am somewhat afraid that Allah may not accept my repentance, as perforated as it has been. That fear is diminishing as I become stronger against conscious sins. I am afraid to go to libraries or log on to the internet alone for long periods of time. But mostly I am afraid I may not live to see another Ramadhan...
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MSA in the Community MSA Members Impact Iraq Rally by Rallying Crowd (Iraq cont.) (Continued from page 1)
locations around the world. Organizers say an anti-war demonstration this large has not happened since 1969, five years after Congress passed the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution which gave President Johnson authority to launch a war on Vietnam. Recently, Congress passed a very similar resolution giving President Bush the authority to declare war on Iraq. By noon, the lawn was packed with people listening to a variety of speakers, including Reverend Jesse Jackson, Susan Sarandon, and former attorney general Ramsey Clark. Muslim speakers included Imam Mahdi Bray of the Muslim American Freedom Foundation and Ahmed Al-Awazza of the Muslim Students Association, among others. “If we launch a pre-emptive strike on Iraq we lose all moral authority,” Jackson told the crowd. “We must not be diverted,” he said. “In two years we've lost 2 million jobs, unemployment is up, stock market down, poverty up. It's time for a change. It's time to vote on November 5th for hope. We need a regime change in this country.''
Although media coverage of the event often cited the number of protestors as “thousands” or in some cases even “hundreds”, anyone present at the rally would be quick to disagree. Rally organizers estimate that the attendance was more than 200,000. Even in this small glimpse of the rally, protestors can be seen as far as the Washington Monument in the upper right-hand corner. Photo by Yasser El-Haggan cars?”
for the wrong reasons. It‟s Vietnam all over again. We went in that war not knowing clearly why, and the same is happening now.”
After the speakers finished, the march began on 21st Street and Constitution Avenue. The protesters then circled the White House and returned to the original starting point. Massive crowds of people filled the streets for several blocks. In fact, the march was so large that those in the lead had to wait for demonstrators at the end of the march to pass in front of them before they could return to the Vietnam Veterans Memorial.
Kai of Harlem, New York, agreed with Cousin Sammy, saying, “Bush is trying to maintain control of Middle Eastern oil.” When approached by Muslim Link reporters, D.C. Police refused to answer any questions regarding the rally. One paramedic stated that there was no trouble, only to be cut short by his chief not to answer any other questions.
Two Vietnam War veterans told Muslim Link reporters that they stand in solidarity with all of the other protestors at the rally. “We‟re against what‟s been going on the last few years,” said Mark McVay, who fought in Vietnam from 1969 to 1970. “George Bush is selling fear. He wants everyone to be scared, and we‟re not buying it.”
Several Muslim Link reporters had the opportunity to speak with many different protesters during the rally about the impending war on Iraq. “Why make war on people for oil?” asked Cousin Sammy, one of the older protesters at the rally. “Why can‟t we have cars run off of bio-diesel or have electric
Sixty to seventy students and faculty from Montgomery Blair High School of Silver Spring, MD, came out to voice their opinion about the potential war on Iraq. Nathaniel Pancost, representing a Blair organization called the Students for Global Responsibility said, “It‟s a stupid idea; we‟re doing it
Len Funk, another veteran who fought from 1969 to 1970, told reporters that there is “no compelling reason and no evidence” that a war on Iraq is necessary. He said that CIA reports show that Saddam Hussein will only (Continued on page 7)
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Student Advice & Perspectives
The State of the MSA and MWM By Mwanatumu Mbwana Once upon a time, there lived a family of ten; eight children and their two parents. Since they were the only Muslim family in the neighborhood, they felt it was their duty to educate their neighbors on Islam. The parents felt that the best way to initiate a good relationship with their neighbors was to invite them over for a dinner. Their hope was that this dinner would lead to more interactions through which they could teach their neighbors about Islam. So the parents busied themselves in preparing for the dinner; cooking, cleaning, etc. They were confident that with the help of their eight children, the whole neighborhood would get to hear about the dinner. However, on the day of the dinner, no one showed up. Only one of the children had joined her parents in waiting for the guests. Upon questioning the children, the parents found out what had gone wrong. Only one of the children had attempted to inform the neighbors about the dinner; everyone assumed that someone else would do it. Since she was the only child to publicize the dinner, she didn‟t do a very effective job. As for attending the dinner, each of the children had an excuse. One was busy doing homework, another assumed that the other siblings would go and so her presence would not be missed. Another simply felt that the dinner was none of her business because her parents were the ones who had planned it. Okay, so you‟re probably wondering what this corny story is doing in An-Nur, right? Well if you haven‟t already guessed it, this story is representative of the current state of our MSA/MWM. After attending more than one less than successful MSA event, I wondered what the problem could be. For example, when I showed up for the showing of “The Message”, only 2 other sisters and the brother who had organized the event were present. Due to this dismal attendance, he was forced to postpone the event to the next week. Even then, only 3 sisters, 4 brothers and 3 non-Muslims attended. Another example is the bowling event organized by the Dawah committee. It was meant to bring
together non-Muslim freshmen and members of the MSA/MWM. Sadly, only 5 MSA/MWM members showed up (2 sisters and 3 brothers). If I felt as disappointed as I did, then how did the organizers of these events feel? How did they feel after putting so much of their time and energy into the planning, only to face such disappointment?
It‟s very easy to point fingers and say that the advertising committee is not doing a very good job. But how can we expect 2 brothers (yes, at last count I was told only 2 brothers are on the committee) to shoulder this responsibility alone? How can we expect the MSA/MWM cabinets (plus a few other individuals) to take on the responsibility of organizing events, getting people to attend the events, and then attending the events themselves? These people are not “super people”. They‟ve got classes just like the rest of us; (Continued on page 8)
Iraq Rally (cont.) (Continued from page 6)
use his weapons when attacked. Funk claimed that America is “creating terrorists by the actions of our government.” When asked what could be done after the rally to continue efforts to stop the war, both veterans said that Americans just need to keep on organizing and showing that “people of all walks of life, ages, races, and ethnicities” are against this war. They also cited the importance of the media in getting the word out that what they feel is the majority of America is against the war. Pancost, agreeing with the veterans, said we should “just keep organizing and getting more people.” Aside from being among the rally organizers and contributing several speakers, Muslims also made quite an impact during the rally itself. The call of adhan and the Zuhr prayer attracted the attention of many protestors - some even took pictures of the prayer. Earlier in the morning, several Muslims passed out da’wah materials to others in the rally. During the march, local resident and University of Maryland student Hosam Haggag was able to rally hundreds of marchers behind the MAS (Muslim American Society)Maryland Chapter and Islamic Center of Maryland banners as he led them in the chanting of slogans. Aside from repeating several slogans denouncing the war on Iraq
and the loss of innocent lives, Haggag was also able to get both Muslims and nonMuslims alike to repeat the takbeer and shahadah. Haggag was later hoisted up on the shoulders of several Muslim brothers, and as he paced the crowd with a variety of slogans, an interactive approach, and timely encouragement and humor, a gap formed in front of the Muslim banners as more and more people followed Haggag‟s lead behind the Muslim banners. Unfortunately, the presence of Muslims in general at the rally was very small in comparison to the Muslim attendance at the rally for Palestine last spring, and the vast majority of demonstrators were clearly nonMuslim. Many attendees cited their disappointment at the lack of attendance, especially with such a large Muslim population living in the greater Washington, D.C. area. Rally organizers said over 200,000 people in total came to voice their disagreement with President Bush and his determination to remove Iraqi President Saddam Hussein. This rally was unique because it came before a possible war on Iraq, while past protests usually came after the start of war. In fact, protests against the Vietnam War only gained momentum after the war had been going on for eight years. John of the Paper Hand Puppet Intervention thinks the rally can, “definitely make a difference. It can stop the government from [passing] many bad policies.”
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Community Events MIST Comes to D.C. - Featuring Workshops, Skits, and Native Deen By Rasha El-Haggan The Muslim Inter Scholastic Tournament (MIST) will be coming to a university near you! This year, the DC MIST board is excited to announce that MIST will be hosted at the University of Maryland College Park on February 28th to March 1st of 2003. For those of you who don‟t know what MIST is, it is a tournament similar to speech and debate but with an Islamic concentration. MIST is open to all high school students in the Maryland, Virginia, and DC area. MIST staff has been working very hard with businesses in the area in order to provide professional trophies, monetary scholarships, and attractive gifts to the winners of each event. MIST is comprised of 4 categories. Each category is contrived of a number of events. We have a competitive event for anyone out there. For those of you who are thirsty for knowledge, we have the test events which basically allow you to read a book we specify and take a test on it. We also have the Islamic Scholastic Bowl for those of you who really like team competitive events. Not only that, but we have something for those of you with artistic inclinations. We have the 2D and 3D Islamic events, the poetry event, photography event, and even an MSA/Islamic Club scrapbook event. For those with serious competitive edges, we have the Skills category which includes events such as the Extemporaneous Essay and Extemporaneous Speaking events. We also have Prepared Essay and Research Project Presentation events. Finally, for those of you who know how to read the Quran, there are Tajweed events. Last but not least, we have the Community Service event. This event helps students fulfill their community service hours for graduation purposes. To learn more about this or any of the other events, visit us at www.dcmist.com. All events are judged by a panel of 3
judges. All 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place winners will receive trophies that they can display in their school trophy case. The overall individual and team winners will receive scholarships and awards. The most interesting award that we can make public is the award for the Extemporaneous Speaking event. IslamiCity.com will feature the 1st place winner‟s speech on their website, islamicity.com, which gets over 25 thousand hits a day from over 100 countries. Also, the winner will receive the IslamiCity Life Time Membership Award which includes free gifts and services. This award is valued at $500. Let‟s say you‟re not the competitive type and the Community Service Project event doesn‟t interest you. Why should you come to MIST? Well because MIST is not just about competitions. It‟s also about networking, having fun, and meeting new Muslims. We are also hosting some exciting and interactive workshops that include: “How to form an MSA at your school”, “How to overcome bias at your high school”, etc. All workshops are interactive; no lectures are allowed!
The most exciting thing that MIST is featuring is Native Deen! The hot Islamic rap group will come and entertain us on Saturday evening during the Award Ceremony! So, in short, what does MIST offer? Competitions, networking, having fun, workshops, skits, food, AND Native Deen! To register with MIST, all you have to do is email MIST at info@dcmist.com. Someone will then email you back and direct you to your school contact. Registering is so easy and the first school to register 10 students or more will get 10 dollars off the registration fee, that‟s $100 or more in savings! Remember though, registration ends on December 10th. For those of you who are not in high school, make sure to spread the word to your brothers, sisters, cousins, and friends who are in high school! Help us make this event a success! DARE TO BE CHALLENGED! MISTIFIED!
GET
State of the MSA (cont.) (Continued from page 7)
they have papers due just like we all do. But because of their love for their deen, they make time to spread the message of Islam on campus through the MSA/MWM. The MSA/MWM does not belong to a specific group of people. Just because you are not on the cabinet, it doesn‟t mean that you have no responsibility towards the MSA/MWM. Remember, there is thawab (blessing) in doing work for Allah‟s (swt) sake. Do we mean to say that this blessing is reserved for only those on the cabinet? No! There are several ways that we too can earn this blessing. First and foremost, we need to
pay attention to the emails sent out by the MSA/MWM. Several upcoming events are usually announced in these emails. So if you see an event announcement, let others know about it (both Muslim and non-Muslim). Make plans to attend these events. And if you see flyers that need to be distributed on campus (usually left on the table on the way out of the musallah), take a handful and put them up around campus. Put them up in the buildings you pass through everyday, hand them out to people you pass on your way to class. Second, take the time to help out with a committee*. I always see the same faces at the Dawah tables. Why? Are they the (Continued on page 9)
An-Nur
Volume 4, Issue 3 Page 9
Committee Spotlight The MSA Da’wah Committee By Maryam bint Dawuid Inside the MSA there are many committees that help to make it run and bring to you as well as the campus the true essence of Islam. One of the largest committees in the MSA is the Da'wah Committee. The Da'wah Committee was set up to invite nonMuslims to Islam and to promote Islamic awareness among the general student body. Alhamdulillah, there are many different programs within the Da'wah Committee that take place every week, and this is just a brief highlight of those programs. The da'wah table is by far the most popular activity, set up every Tuesday outside the Stamp Student Union, and it seems that the brothers and sisters of the committee have made it like a second home (at least from the looks of the congregation surrounding it every Tuesday). The da'wah table (I bear witness) is out rain or shine, from 9AM to 4PM. There is da'wah material such as pamphlets, books and CD's and usually more than one brother/sister available to hand out materials and answer questions about Islam. There is also a sign-up sheet for Muslims who would like to be involved with the MSA, and one for Non-Muslims interested in Islam. Tables need to be reserved and set up, and of course, you can always make yourself at home handing out information about Islam at the da'wah table. Also, every Tuesday, from 5-7PM there is a movie presentation in Hornbake Library on the fourth floor. The movie currently being shown is "The Message". This presentation was set up in order to educate non-Muslims about Islam (so please invite your NonMuslim classmates). In order to continue, rooms need to be reserved ahead of time, the video must be approved by the MSA president (Brother Farhat Noor), and at least one brother/sister must be there during the entire movie session and afterwards to answer questions. Also, advertisement is critical to the success of this event. Another really nice program that the Da‟wah Committee has set up is the Muslim
Buddy System in which we have nonMuslims who are interested in Islam pair up with Muslims who can answer questions and tell them about Islam on a personal and regular basis. In order to get this program started we need a list of non-Muslims who are interested in Islam (and believe me on this campus you can find many), and a list of friendly Muslims (I'm almost sure there are some of those) who would be willing to be "buddies" of these non-Muslims in order to invite them and give them information about Islam. Fishing for Freshmen is a series of events mostly geared towards incoming freshmen. The goal of these events are to educate and build bonds with freshmen exploring the endless possibilities on campus. In each event it is important to show that Muslims are willing to help and speak with them on a personal and social level in order to make them feel comfortable and build better relationships in the future. These events need to be planned and organized as well as effectively advertised where freshman usually roam, throughout the semester. Lastly, the MSA's Da'wah Committee is setting up lectures for the public where the general campus community is invited to sit, listen and learn about Islam. Again, we need advertisement in the "Diamondback" ahead of time, as well as speakers and topics as often as possible.
The Da'wah Committee has been an excellent committee for the campus and the student and staff body at large, and although you may feel as if the MSA is already run by invisible but effective forces who don't need any help, that is most definitely NOT true. The MSA at large welcomes you (if I may speak for it) and your ideas and active support. The Da'wah Committee is setting up a Fast-a-thon during Ramadhan which will focus on informing as well as encouraging non-Muslims to fast one day by asking them to fast to feed the poor, and then having a huge iftar at the end of the day. Also, with regards to advertisement, you can't expect one person, or even a few people to organize, advertise and run big programs like these alone, they have done an excellent job doing so far, but I hope and encourage you all to offer support in publicizing the MSA‟s events. You never know what small deed might save you from the Hellfire, on a day when there will be no shade, but the Shade of Allah (swt) and may Allah grant us this on Yaum ul Hisab, Amin. If you have any questions, comments, concerns or help/ideas to offer to the da'wah committee, please contact Brother Raef Haggag, president of the da'wah committee at msa_da3wah@yahoogroups.com. May Allah forgive me for any mistakes I have made in writing this paper, and continue to shower upon us His blessings and mercy forever, Amin.
State of the MSA (cont.) (Continued from page 8)
only ones allowed at the table? Of course not. We should help out whenever we can. Remember, the ummah can only be as strong as its weakest member. Do you want to be personally responsible for the failure of the MSA/MWM in achieving its goals? Do you want to be responsible for an unsuccessful event? Put yourself in the shoes of those dedicated to the MSA/MWM. How would you feel if you put all your time and
energy planning an event, only to have one or two people attend? Brothers and sisters, this is our MSA/MWM. Let‟s take the time to make it what it should be; the most effective organization on campus. * For more information how you can help out with the MSA, contact Br. Farhat at farhat@yahoo.com. To help with the MWM, co n t act S r. Mah a at ezz@wam.umd.edu
An-Nur
Volume 4, Issue 3
Page 10
Creative Writing Reflections on Fasting By Nabeel Babaa No food? No Drink? Take time to think, for life can be taken away in a blink. Starvation and malnutrition have always plagued mankind. But there have never been as many starving people on our earth as there are now. Between l5 and 20 million people are starving in the world. 40,000 children die every day because they have no food to eat. Want to know how that feels, having nothing to put in your stomach? Try fasting. Fasting is something all Muslims are required to do, and well, I was never forced into it. My mom always told me that when I was ready, I should begin. I respect that about my parents. They never forced me to do anything. They taught me and pointed
me in the right direction, but there was no compulsion in faith, as Islam should be. I was 7 years old when my mom read to me, “O ye who believe, fasting is decreed for you as it was decreed for those before you; perchance you will guard yourselves....The month of Ramadan is the month in which the Qur‟an was sent down, a guidance for the people, and clear verses of guidance and criterion” [Qur‟an: Chapter 2, 183]. Since then, I have fasted. No questions asked. If Allah All Mighty tells humanity to do something, then we should do it. But let me tell you, it‟s been an interesting experience. I am sure all my brothers and sisters out there can relate. Going to public school in America is hard enough. Try fasting for the first time in your life, and BAM, it‟s like everything is an obstacle. You can‟t eat.
You can‟t drink. And you have to close your mouth outside when its raining because your afraid of the water getting in. Well, maybe that‟s just me, but you get the point. And you know how sometimes you would unintentionally go to the water fountain and drink, and then realize that you broke your fast. Oh, the good old days of being a child. Now Ramadan is something I actually look forward to alhamdulillah. Because subhanallah, the heart weakens and yearns for faith when the body is deprived of food and water. It‟s that time of year for Muslims to reflect on the past, and look forward and pray for the future. You just never know when the end will come, so do yourself a favor and dust off your Qur‟an, and read. Ramadan is the perfect time to start if you haven‟t done so already.
Poem: Lose Not Hope for Victory is at Hand By Omar Nawaz Khan Salaam! There will come a time when peace is the norm And light in the sky when love takes a form The suffering ones embraced by the warmth The Way that is just shall fill hearts with bliss Haqq! Which of the great favors will you dismiss? Of a Lord Most High who fulfills your Wish All laws prostrate before the One, Unique The rich and the poor, the mighty and weak Noor! Strengthen our conviction and stop the leak Halal and haram bow down to Allah There is no real “other” except Allah The Truth is Laa ilaha illa-allah! Hayy! He is the One, Who makes our dreams come true The Ink overflows from oceans of blue We must bind our hearts with some Super Glue Beware of the wicked, who try to deceive Wadood! In the masjid they come and shout out, “Leave!” There is a refuge from what people weave
In a Book that defines that which is Right He separates Night and Day with Twilight Hakeem! And removes from the poor their wakeful plight And Day from Night with a beautiful Dawn You can flip the switch, and turn your heart “On” In this reality which is near gone Allah! Praised is the One who listens to the poor Those who love to knock on the Divine Door Rich is the One, Who gives freely, with ease Erase our sins every time we sneeze Astaghfirullah! Possessed with Quran are the hearts that sing Enshrined in a lamp or a diamond ring Thoughts that purify servants of the King The Green Fire will burn in a mind that thinks Fattah! And diseased ones shall have their chains and links With hues of orange and transcendent pinks There is a Path that leads to man‟s delight We must humble ourselves and bow to Might Laa hawla wa laa quwata illah billahil-„Aliyyu Al-„Adheem!
An-Nur
Volume 4, Issue 3 Page 11
Within My Major Physics is Phantastic By Mohamed Abutaleb Have you ever wondered if those cartoon characters who lay on beds of spikes can really do that without severe injury? Or if a bowling ball falls faster than a golf ball? Or what building blocks the universe is made out of? Physics provides the answers to these and countless other questions. It lets us know, for example, that it is possible to lay on a bed of spikes, and that it is easier to lay on 100,000 spikes than it is to lay on 1,000 spikes - but that‟s a separate article. Physicists are in the business of understanding the universe and everything in it. Needless to say, this is an incredibly expansive and often overwhelming task, for the universe which Allah (swt) created is full of complexities, complications, and phenomena beyond our understanding and comprehension. Yet, amidst all of this complexity there is an underlying order and balance which Allah (swt) has created. Albert Einstein, among other prominent scientists, was propelled more and more to the belief in a Creator and in an underlying order in the world around him as he got deeper into his studies. One of his most famous saying is, “I can not believe that God would choose to play dice with the universe.” Because the universe around us is so complicated, one of the most important strategies that physicists learn to implement is the abstraction away of irrelevant details. The set of tools physicists have to describe nature is very limited; thus, physicists are always looking to simplify problems by considering only the most relevant components. Although this sounds, easy, the human tendency is to do exactly the opposite; to consider anything and everything as part of the problem. That is why the most difficult part of physics is not the solution of the problem, but the initial approach and setup. Due to the central role of logic and abstrac-
tion, mathematics becomes the natural language of physics. This immediately turns off most people, thinking that physics will forever by hopelessly difficult and incomprehensible. This is far from true. Richard Feynman, considered by many to be the greatest American physicist, used to pride himself on being able to explain physics to anyone at any level. He nearly threw a fit when an elementary school teacher taught her students that a wind-up toy ran on energy; he knew that the students were too young to fully understand the complexities of energy, but he did not want them to walk away with a flawed understanding. Even if you don‟t read Arabic, you can still appreciate the beauty of the Qur‟an, although you are impeded from becoming an expert on the subject. Similarly, you can love and appreciate physics without being a mathematics guru. But who cares about physics anyways? Actually, physics has an unbelievably profound impact on your lives and probably your profession of choice. Physics is the foundation of all science - in the movement of atoms in chemistry, the dynamics of plate tectonics in earth science, the motion of the cell‟s various parts in biology, one finds a common link back to physics. Physics studies matter, energy, and the interactions of the two, and no scientist or engineer can claim to study something not related to these concepts. Surprisingly, physics also has a profound impact on completely non-technical fields. Many popular science and philosophy books written for general, non-technical audiences are authored by physicists such as Richard Feynman, Stephen Hawking, and others. For some reason, physics also seems to be great preparation for a career in administration. Our own Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs and Provost, William W. Destler, graduated with a degree in physics. Many of you may also be unaware that two former Chancellors of the entire University System of Maryland have offices in the Physics building on campus, including John S. Toll, whom the building is named after.
Many of you probably have this picture in your minds that a physicist is an old person with hair flowing in all possible directions who can‟t relate to the rest of humanity. This is actually not true. The majority of physicists are experimental physicists, designing machinery and running experiments in the laboratory much like engineers. These people are hands-on workers who study their findings and try to develop the basic research that eventually turns into new technology and tools for society. There are also a group of theoretical physicists, who make predictions about physical phenomena and future experiments using logic and mathematics. Albert Einstein, Stephen Hawking, and the famous equation E = mc2 are all products of theoretical physics. Again, just because it is theoretical and can‟t be touched doesn‟t mean that you can‟t understand it; I worked in theoretical physics over the summer, and I can explain what I did to you. Allah (swt) has summarized beautifully for us the benefit in Imaan that we get from learning about the world around us. In Surat Fatir, where He tells us, “Those truly fear Allah, among His servants, who have knowledge” (35:28). In Surat Ali „Imran, He decrees, “Behold! In the creation of the heavens and the earth, and the alternation of the night and day, there are indeed signs for men of understanding - men who celebrate the praises of Allah, standing, sitting, and lying down on their sides, and contemplate the (wonders of) creation in the heavens and earth, (with the thought): „Our Lord! not for naught hast thou created (all) this! Glory to Thee! Give us salvation from the penalty of the Fire.‟” (3:190191). We understand from these verses that contemplation about the world around us is not a luxury, but rather an obligation in Islam. So let us go forth, engineers, journalists, mathematicians, doctors, educators, physicists, businessmen, and members of all other professions, and join hands in the exploration of Allah‟s beautiful, wondrous, flawless creation.
An-Nur
Volume 4, Issue 3
Page 12
Islamic Puzzles
THE MUSLIM STUDENTS’ ASSOCIATION University of Maryland at College Park P.O. Box 44, Stamp Student Union College Park, MD 20742 Email: msa_umcp@yahoo.com
WE’RE ON THE WEB! WWW.MSA-UMD.ORG
Ramadan Mubarak Word Find By Taqiyyah bint Dawud E S U O R E N E G A Y M R R A
ABSTAIN
E N D Y A L L S A B D H E D B
DATES
L I I A E S S U Y S E O W A U
DISCIPLINE
R F D L T A S H T T E E A Q P
EIDULFITR
Y J K U P E L O D A N C R L I
EXCESS
P U K O L I S O U I S A D U F
FOOD
V H S Z T F C R E N S F M T T
GENEROUS
W V A C X J I S S M E O Q A A
IFTAR
W K R D N A D T I J C O X L R
LAILATULQADR
R A M A D H A N R D X D N I J
NEEDY
K O R Q I Y Z P A N E V P A T
QURAN
P U C R B E Z G Q V E O N L W
RAMADHAN
Q Y N U V E W C C X J Y Y Q M
REWARD
R R U E G D F A V I B L W L B
SUHOOR
K J D V D K R M H V C P F J S YOU WILL SEE A MESSAGE IN THE LEFTOVER LETTERS: __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __
An-Nur Islamic Quiz By Taqiyyah bint Dawud Q1. What is the original meaning of the word Ramadhan?
MSA Officers President: Farhat Noor Vice-President: Hisham Abdalla VP, Sister’s Affairs: Sali Mahmoud VP, Masjid Affairs: Harris Khan Public Relations: Raef Haggag Secretary: Naser Jaleel Treasurer: Mabroor Mahmoud MSA Chaplain: Ali Darwish
MWM Officers President: Maha Ezzeddine Vice-President: Haleema Rehman Secretary: Naimah Khalifah Treasurer: Aminah Shahid Public Relations: Sali Mahmoud SGA Liaison: Coniqua Abdul-Malik
Newsletter Staff Editor-in-Chief: Mohamed Abutaleb Staff Writers: Mohamed Abutaleb Nabeel Babaa Taqiyyah bint Dawud Maryam bint Dawud Naser Jaleel Mwanatumu Mbwana Omar Nawaz Khan
Q4. Is your fast valid if you lie or use foul language?
Contributing Writers: The Muslim Link Rasha El-Haggan Abdel Salam Sayyad 2 Anonymous Contributors
The first person to submit a set of complete, correct answers to both the quiz and the word find will have an interview featured in the next newsletter and become eligible for a special prize. Please direct your submissions to <nur@ureach.com>.
Copy Editors: Saman Ahmad Taqiyyah bint Dawud Hosam Haggag
Q2. In which year was fasting in Ramadan made obligatory? Q3. In which year the 1st Eidul Fitr was celebrated?