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‫واحد‬ issue 1

4 Speak up & Speak out 5 Skinny Jeans 15 My home

issue 1

contents 7

Peaceful

IslamDeen Magazine | July 2010

Farheen Khan is a social activist, writer and consultant. She has experience working with boards with a focus on organizational, community and resource development, as well as special events planning, and marketing. Her book titled “From Behind the Veil: A Hijabi’s Journey to Happiness” which speaks about her personal experiences with Islamophobia and violence against women is available on Chapters.ca and Amazon.ca as well as on her website www.farheenkhan.ca

Ask Imam

Sincere gratitude for Faraz Rabbani from Seekers Guidance for allowing us the permission to use some of Q/A on the site.

Feature Writers

Farheen Khan

Cover Photo Credit Whitney Taylor

from Envogue Photography.

Esma Yucel

Global Writer Harun Yahya- Turkey

Esma Yucel teaches Religion and Interfaith Dialogue at Isik College, a private school near Melbourne, Australia. She graduated from Al-Noor Academy, MA; the first Islamic highschool of that region. She completed her BA in English with honors at Northeastern University in Boston. She is currently a graduate student at Monash University.

contributors &

editorial furthering the deen, one page at a time

Sponser The Islamic Association of Saskatchewan, kindly sponsered this issue of the magazine.

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Editorial

Website

www.ideenmagazine.com

Email info@ideenmagazine.com Any views or opinions expressed are solely those of the author and do not represent those of IslamDeen Magazine.

Your chance to shine IslamDeen Magazine encourages you to take your stance, and do what you most love or would like to do. Everyone one of us has a talent, and this is your chance to shine through! To become a part of our team, visit our website and sign up to volunteer.

IslamDeen Magazine | July 2010

Editors Note

With the grace of Allah swt we have been able to come out with our first issue. It took us a while to get to this point, but hey, we’re finally here! IslamDeen Magazine’s mission is to further the Deen and provide Muslims with the opportunity to explore their talents and expand their creativity by developing a halal and healthy lifestyle through the essence of Islam. Muslims today are often misrepresented in society. As a result the Muslims living and growing up in the West are adversely affected and in many instances fear being proud of following the faith of Islam. We will provide the youth and elders alike, the opportunity to express themselves and realize that indeed we have a voice, and our voice can be heard, and that there is no shame in being Muslim, rather it is an honour! This magazine issue wouldn’t have been possible without the help of many talented writers. Sadly, we weren’t able to fit all the submissions into this issue of the magazine. If you had submitted an article and it is not in this issue, do not worry because we’ve saved it up for upcoming issues. With that being said, this issue is the first of many to come (inshaAllah - God willing). Consider this issue a sneak peak into what IslamDeen Magazine has to offer. Thanks to the Islamic Association of Saskatchewan for sponsering the full publishing costs of this issue, all those who submitted an article, or two, or three, and those who submitted photographs, graphics, and even those who helped out in giving their point of view with regards to the overall look and feel of the cover. Enjoy this enjoy and feel free to email us and let us know what you think!

Saleema Mohamed IslamDeen Magazine | July 2010

Between two ocean of buried treasures and haunted tales, and north of the neighboring land of skyscrapers and McDonalds lies a country unlike any other. I hear that it is a land of rights and freedoms; a land of beauty and breathtaking scenery; a land of smiles and kindness-but that’s just what I hear. On the western side of Canada, the wild province of Alberta roars. Alberta is an exciting and adventurous province- home of the great stampede and that enticing beauty of the west. Surrounded by hills and mountains, its bewitching landscape is truly unique. The tall, towering buildings make you feel as though you are a troll, walking among the land of the giants. The night life in Calgary is mind-blowing. The dark, star-filled sky embraces all the action and adventure of the people and the streets during this majestic time. The restaurants and coffee shops buzz with that midnight energy, and as I walk down the streets, I breathe it all inthe enchantment of the full moon.

My home

No matter where I seem to travel, in or out of Canada, SaskatchTouba Khe ewan runs through my blood. Known to many as the land in the middle of no where, Saskatchewan’s beauty can only be seen by those who appreciate it. The golden flat wheat field of the prairie spread on forever, like the ocean. One can not see where they end. Not to mention that living sky; the sky that tells stories of sunny days, reckless thunderstorms, and pouring rain. The smell of the dirt and fields after a shower perfume the earth with the most expensive fragrance. This is what I see as my Saskatchewan. My childhood memories are stored in every corner of this province. Hot summer days learning how to ride a bike in the safety of my own backyard; sitting by the camp fire telling scary stories about haunted hotels, and cursed wishes; licking my sticky fingers after a mouth watering dessert of watermelons.

lifa

Different people from different backgrounds, all speaking different languages, live under one roof. Standing in line at the grocery store, I witness the amazing power that Canada holds: the combination of race, culture and religion, all peacefully combined. People who come here from other lands learn and adapt these morals and values from Canada. They learn to be more accepting; the land teaches them patience and harmony. Canada allows them to be free, and gives them the security and safety that they were searching for. No matter where they live, their identity is shaped day by day by Canada; it is indeed, an oasis of possibilities. This country has made me up as a person. It has created my identity and taught me my morals and values. It is through this land that I have best learnt life’s lessons. Canada has given me the chance to love nature, appreciate the world, and expand my horizon. The longer I live here, the more I grow to love this home that I have ‘built’. This is my Canada. Canada is me.

Take the Step

speak out&

speak up

Farheen Khan

s Canadians we often don’t speak up and/or speak out about our concerns and issues. Why? Well there are many reasons for this. For some, we are still very much ingrained with the colonial mentality where just living in a country like Canada is good enough and compared to the injustices experienced in our “homelands” we’re far better off, so it’s ok. For others, it’s the fear of betraying a community by “airing our dirty laundry” in the eyes of the general population thus painting a negative picture of us in society.

from discrimination, rac- I’m interested in, is how ism and/or Islamophobia. to better my own life. But what we don’t realize is that if we don’t speak up on key issues, we won’t ever be in a position to make a change to policies and legislations that are being passed and ultimately affect our day to day well being.

You may ask yourself, we’ll I’m just an average person. I do what I can to put make ends meet, to put food on my families table by working 2 or 3 jobs and by clothing my children with hand me downs from your own children or others. Or you may say to Then there are those of us yourself, we’ll I’ve been who are afraid of dealing in Canada for most of my with concerns and speak- life, I make a good living ing out about them be- for myself, drive a great cause of our own safety little car and own a condo and security systemic or in the city, I have no time otherwise that may stem to make a change. What

such as France, Denmark among others. You’re probably thinking to yourIn either of these two situ- self, why I should care if a ations, which many of us woman covering her face can relate to, there’s one can’t access public serquestion that really isn’t vices. “Good for her! If being asked. And that it she’s so concerned, then is what happens if I keep why doesn’t she just take quiet? Sometimes the is- it off!” Or “It’s not part sue isn’t one that you may of the religion anyway, so directly have to deal with, what does it matter if she or that may affect you on is asked to remove it!”. a day to day. But it can be something that affects My response, you should someone that’s near and care! Why? Because as dear to your heart or to Canadians each and evsomeone you know. Even eryone of us has a right if it’s not someone you to access essential public know it still affects human services. It’s in direct conbeings in a negative way, flict with the international which means that we can- covenant of international not remain quiet. human rights, the Quebec human rights code, We are all familiar with the victim’s bill of rights, the issue of the proposed and sections 2, 15, and 28 Niqab (face veil) ban in of the Canadian charter of Quebec – Bill 94. It fol- rights and freedoms that lows along the lines of as Canadians we take such similar bans in countries pride in.

IslamDeen Magazine | July 2010

Not only that, but who is responsible and liable for the consequences that come from denying someone essential services? Imagine a woman in a niqab calling for an ambulance because she’s in labour, will the paramedics turn away from her front door because she’s wearing a niqab or a face veil? What happens if she ends up having complications in her delivery? Who’s responsible? What happened to the “hypocratic oath” that paramedics and other medical professionals take?

as a peace keeper or “saviour” for human rights, when really and truly we have not been able to ensure this in our own homes. This of course does not include the historic and current mistreatment of our first nations people, which once again Canada has failed to do anything significant to improve.

Not to mention that, if this bill is being passed to promote gender Then there’s the women e q u a l i t y who’s standing outside, within the late at night at the bus stop M u s l i m waiting for the last bus, so c o m m u she can go home after a nity in long day at work in the in- Q u e b e c dustrialized buildings area and as where her factory is locat- a way to ed. Will the bus driver refuse to board her, while he sees a few men standing around eyeing her? Who will be responsible if she gets attacked and/or violated? Not to mention the type of trauma and/or depression, as well as guilt, blame and “liberate” these womshame that she will have en from oppression, this to live with for the rest of is certainly not going to her life. accomplish that. Instead, not only will it prevent If this is what Canada be- a woman from freedom lieves to be fair and just of religion and expresHuman Rights, then we sion, it will also further have no business going distance them from sociinto other countries to act ety. A woman who would

previously come out of her home to shop or to take her child to school or to the clinic, will no longer come out. Is this really what the government wants? What happens to all of the people who have suffered over the years because of such systemic racism and discrimination? Have we forgotten about slave r y , interment camps and reserves? Is this not a form of systemic

living in secular, neutral environment, where no one is allowed to be different? Where identities are practiced in homes, but not on the street? In a country where we pride ourselves of being multicultural and our constant affirmation of accepting “Canadians” for all of our identities, this is unacceptable! The idea of the state dictating what anyone of us can wear is problematic. And if this is about security and identification, then majority of niqabi women that I have spoken to would very easily agree to show their face for identification to another woman if asked. Allowing such a ban to be passed in Quebec will open the flood gates to many other issues.

rrow o m o t , b a q i n e Today it’s th her t r u f d n a b a j i h it may be the an p r i k e h t e m o c still it could be .’ s s o r c e h t n e v e or the bindi or

‘

IslamDeen Magazine | July 2010

oppression? Is this not a notion of systemic assimilation? What next? I thought we were trying to promote civic and political engagement?

Today it’s the niqab, tomorrow it may be the hijab and further still it could become the kirpan or the bindi or even the cross. Once it begins, there will be no going back. So don’t keep quiet. “Say what you need to say.” If not for yourself, for others and especially for your future!.

Together we can make a Where are we headed as a difference! country? If such bills are passed, then where will be in 20 years? Will we be

Blessed Gathering

Peaceful Harun Yahya

manifest on Earth. Allah error, in its broadest calls all people to embrace sense, targets entirely inno- Islamic morals through which compassion, mercy, cent people. peace, and tolerance can A society in which Islamic be experienced all over the moral values are truly hon- world. In Surat Al-Baqara, ored is a society character- verse 208, Allah addresses ised by peace, forgiveness, believers as follows: love, compassion, mutual O You who believe! Enter support, and joy. absolutely into peace (Islam).

Allah does not love corruption (Surat Al-Baqara, 205) Murdering a person for no reason is one of the most obvious examples of mischief. Allah repeats in the Qur’an :

ing of the Qur’an. Allah informs us how the cruel face of terrorism will be punished in the hereafter in the following verse:

There are only grounds against those who wrong people and act as tyrants in ...if someone kills another the earth without any right person - unless it is in retali- to do so. Such people will

{Muslims know that Islam is the truth, yet many do not live it.}

Do not follow in the footsteps ation for someone else or for of Satan. He is an outright causing corruption in the enemy to you. earth - it is as if he had murdered all mankind. And if The values of the Qur’an anyone gives life to another hold a Muslim responsi- person, it is as if he had given ble for treating all people, life to all mankind... whether Muslim or non(Surat Al-Ma’ida, 32) Muslim, kindly and justly, protecting the needy and As the verse suggests, a perThe word “Islam” is derived the innocent and “prevent- son who kills even a single from the word “peace” in ing the dissemination of man, “unless it is in retaliation for someone else or for Arabic. Islam is a religion mischief ”. causing corruption in the sent to mankind with the Mischief comprises all earth”, commits a crime intention of presenting a peaceful life through forms of anarchy and ter- as if he had murdered all which the infinite compas- ror that remove security, mankind.To murder even one person is totally opsion and mercy of Allah is comfort and peace. As Allah says in a verse; posed to the moral teachThe Qur’an is a book revealed to people as a guide to the true path. In this Book, Allah commands humankind to adopt good morals. This morality is based upon concepts such as love, compassion, tolerance and mercy.

have a painful punishment. (Surat Ash-Shura, 42) All these reveal that organising acts of terror against innocent people is utterly against Islam. Muslims are responsible for bringing peace and security to all people all over the world. Islam should not be reconciled with terror. Just the contrary, it should be the solution to and the path to the prevention of wrong and harm.

IslamDeen IslamDeenMagazine Magazine||June July 2010

Laugh Halal

By: Esma Yucel

@ the

Hyper Ma 15 things tips... we hope you don’t do.

Call your mother after prayer and ask her to remind you of how good of a child you were when you were little.

Praise yourself for deciding not to have children, and remember to undergo tube ligation (or a vasectomy if you’re a guy) to make sure you never do.

Pretend it’s Jumu’ah and you’re at your local mosque. You treasure the few moments during the prayer since you like Choose another mosque, preferably in a singles town. praying with others, and this is your only chance during the week to do so. You struggle to clear your mind of all other Pray in the men’s section (generally fewer children). thoughts. The imam’s recitation is pouring into your ears... Don’t wait until prayer ends. Gracefully stretch out …. until a child is running in front of those who are praying, your foot when the child runs past you and trip her. Make oblivious to all except the other imaginary child chasing her. sure to hold yourself back from laughing when she falls beThe child occasionally stops and screams for her mother’s at- fore you since that will nullify your prayer. tention, and hangs on to random women because she forget what her mother wore that day. The child’s scream enters your Locate a Qur’anic verse or hadith to support you in ears, rattles your brain in its skull, and burns your blood. removing this child. If you can not locate one, call in the Haram Uncles. They are guaranteed to find something for This happens every Friday. You feel helpless. Do not worry. you. Shaytaan sees an opportunity to distract your focus during prayer and makes you wonder, “What should I do about this Smack the child upside her head and tell her that she child when prayer ends?” and offers you the following 15 at- is a donkey (without meaning offense to donkeys who have tractive choices to help you: feelings).

3 4 5 6

IslamDeen Magazine | July 2010

asjid 8

Smack the child’s mother upside her head for either bringing her daughter to the mosque or not raising her well. Seek out the father’s child later and smack him upside his head too. If the child is in a single-parent household, locate the other parents (if still alive) and smack the parent upside his/her head for not taking the child with him/her.

taped her mouth, but it looks easy in the movies.

Acknowledge that Darwin had a point. Give into your survival instinct and kill abandon the burdensome youngling in your species group in some forsaken area.

well known news agency, or any of the plethora of anti-Muslim news groups. CC the copy to the government officials. You will not see the child the next week.

13 14 Videotape or take a picture of the child. Use software to add a turban and gun to the little fiend, and send it to a Bring special “brownies” for the child the next time you come.

Write a list of 15 things you wish you could do to Go back in time by seven years, get married, have children, train them to hit annoying girls, and them bring the child if God did not give you a conscience. Post up the list on Facebook, and hope someone else will do the dirty them to the mosque on that day. deed for you. Request a sound-proof children’s cage be built in the corner of both the men’s and women’s section to keep the little fiends from distracting the congregation. If the imam says Allah's Apostle Peace and blessings of Allah be upon him that the budget is tight, then be considerate of the mosque said, "The strong is not the one who overcomes the and ask only for a basic pair of handcuffs attached to the wall people by his strength, but the strong is the one who . controls himself while in anger." If the imam refuses to apply your request, do not get Hadith - Sahih Al-Bukhari 8.135, Narrated Abu Huraira, r.a. angry at him as he cares for the mosque and its congregation. Just bring some string, ducktape, and a chair the next time you come to pray. You have never tied a child to a chair or

IslamDeen Magazine | July 2010

Halalify it

IslamDeen Magazine | July 2010

Spring Fling Summers pretty much here and do we have some fashion tips for the outgoing young Hijabi! These outfits are fashionable yet...modest.

IslamDeen Magazine | July 2010

Halalify it

beautiful

Sporty Hijabi: For the outgoing, on the run, sporty Hijabi, this outfit is cute, comfortable, and modest! The knee length top from Stylish Hijabi: American Apparel can be worn with If you’re a girl who’s big on fashion, then jeans or any other pants. The jacket this Mac & Jac dress is for you! This one is lightweight and therfore the perfect piece dress is perfect for both night and day outfit for a beautiful summer day! occasions. Match it up with a solid colored hijab and you’re good to go. IslamDeen Magazine | July 2010

l in hijab

Photography: Whitney Taylor

Funky Hijabi: Are you into cool patterns and sweet designs? Love trying new things and mixing up your style? This outfit does just that! This top is modest (loose) and works great with many colors. Mixâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;er up!

Elegant Hijabi: Matching up this patterned skirt from H&M along with the lightweight coat from Mac & Jac, does for a wonderful outfit for a cooler summers day, while still maintaing modesty, elegance and style! IslamDeen Magazine | July 2010

Ask Imam

The place of the intention is the heart, such that one has the firm determination and resolve when one is about to start (or before it) such that if asked one could reply without hesitation, “I am praying, such and such…” As the fuqaha note, it is rare that one’s actions can be bereft of this minimal intention.

validity related to fulfilling the conditions (shurut) and performing the integrals (arkan), and the intention that relates to validity is to know in one’s heart which prayer one is performing. In Mukhtarat al-Nawazil [a fatwa collection] is says, ‘As for reward, it is related to the soundness of one’s resolve, which is through ikhlas (making one’s worship sincerely for Allah alone).’” [Radd al-Muhtar, 6: Ibn `Abidin mentions that, linguis- 425-426, Kitab al-Hadhr wa’l Ibaha, tically, the intention is for the heart Bab al-Bay`, abbreviated.] to resolve to do something. Formally, it is to firmly resolve to perform an Sayyidi Ibn al-Arabi says in his What action and to draw closer to Allāh, the Seeker Needs: when initiating the action. [Radd al-Muhtar, Sunan al-Wudu, quoting “Do everything you do in order to Allama al-Quhuscome close to your Lord in tani and from alTalwih of Imam al-Taftazani]

Fudayl ibn al-`Iyad explained Allah’s words, “That He may test which of you is best in action” (Qur’an, 67:2) by saying, “That is, who is sincere in it and correct in it. And the action that is sincere but incorrect is not accepted. And if it is correct and insincere then it is also not accepted. It is only accepted when it is both sincere and correct. And it is only sincere when it is for the sake of Allah Most High, and correct when it is done according to the sunnah.”

Ibn Rajab then said, “And the proof of what Fudayl said lies in the verse, “So whosoever hopes for the meeting with His Lord, let him work righteousness and associate none as a partner in the worship of His Lord ” (Qur’an, 18:110) [Ibn Ray o u r jab al-Hanbali, Jami` al-Ulum wa’l w o r - Hikam, Hadith al-Niyya] May Allah s h i p grant us the success to seek Him, and a n d Him alone.

It’s heart in the

It should be noted, then, that there are three aspects to the intention: 1) the minimum legally valid intention, which is to firmly resolve to perform an action; 2) intention needed for reward, which is to also intend to draw closer to Allāh; 3) the time: it is a condition that the intention be made as one initiated the prayers. Think that each deed may action, or just before it. be your last act, each prayer your last prostration, that you may not have Ibn Abidin said: another chance. If you do this, it will “Making one’s worship sincerely for be another motivation for becoming Allah alone is obligatory, and show- heedful and also for becoming sincere ing off in good works (riya’), which and truthful. Allah does not accept is to desire from it other than Allah, good deeds done unconsciously and is prohibited by scholarly consensus insincerely as readily as deeds done in (ijma`) because of the decisive texts consciousness and sincerity.” that have been transmitted about this. The Prophet (Allah bless him Abdullah ibn al-Mubarak said, “How and give him peace) called showing often it is that a small action is made off in good works (riya’) the lesser great by its intention, and a great acshirk (polytheism). This intention [of tion is made small by its intention.” drawing closer to Allah] is for achieving reward, not mere validity, for Ibn Rajab al-Hanbali mentioned that

IslamDeen Magazine | July 2010

To close, Jalal al-Din al-Rumi said in his Mathnawi (6: 4302-3): Passion makes the old medicine new: Passion lops off the bough of weariness. Passion is the elixir that renews: how can there be weariness when passion is present? Oh, don’t sigh heavily from fatigue: seek passion, seek passion, seek passion!

By: Shaykh Faraz Rabbani www.seekersguidance.com

Diaries of a Muslim

The skinny on jeans Raakin Hossain

Islam does not dictate our dress code. Rather, it enhances our fashion according to our high esteem as Muslims and in preservation of our dignity. As Muslims, we fail to express this pride in our faith. We can observe this simply through our everyday closet. I’m just like the next kid, a proud American-born citizen. I’ve attended the public education system and assimilated within the youthful society as do most boys and girls. I’m well aware of my surroundings and accustoms of my peers. Yet, it pains me to observe the unpleasant sight of my Muslim brothers limping in these so-called “skinnies”. You may ask, what are “skinnies”? These are tight fit jeans that expose every vein from your waist down to your ankles. I vividly remember my first encounter with a brother captivated by these “skinnies”. We were at the mosque and I warmly invited him to sit next to me on the plush

carpets. In response, he politely refused. This puzzled me for a few seconds until I realized he was bound by tight fit pants which would most probably tear in the rear end if he were to do as much as to bend down.

the drastic changes swept society to skintight jeans. It’s called shamelessness.

Charles Darwin, the famous naturalist, described shame to be an act that causes “blushing” or a “lowered head”. That evidently does Concentrating further on not occur nowadays. Rather, these “skinnies”, they are we tend to bulge our eyes also called “stovepipes”, and crane our heads an extra “cigarette pants” and “drain- mile to devour the modern pipes”. These are all just eu- fashion. phemism for what I like to call highly immodest and I can only agree with the constricting garments. Sub- man who wrote “Fashion tract the modesty issue, why Law: If the shoe fits, it's would someone even wish to ugly.” That’s what it seems be bound in such a manner? like nowadays. Anything As for me, I enjoy my virgin that is befitting of a human fashion. I call it “virgin fash- being, society alienates it. ion” because it has not been raped by the peer pressure So how can we defend ourothers succumb to in soci- selves from such demeaning ety. It is only one’s insecurity and vulnerable practices? of their position in the social The solution is simple. We hierarchy that would lead can create our own trends. them to commit such acts of Modesty is not, and should fashion prostitution. not be, distasteful or debasHistorically speaking, fash- ing. Rather, it should only ion has taken quite a few enumerate our internal and swerves. In the late 1990s, external beauty as not only baggy and saggy jeans were Muslims, but as the human the buzz. Within a decade, race.

IslamDeen IslamDeenMagazine Magazine||June July 2010

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