The Jihad al-Nafs / Self-Struggle & Self Reflection / April 2012 Issue by MBMuslima Magazine

APRIL | 2012

JUMADA AL-ULA 1433

The magazine for those who choose to define themselves through the Creator, not the creation.

ISSUE #32

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FIVE EASY TIPS TO GET YOU MOVING!

MY HEART IS RACING! SUBHANALLAH, IT’S ANXIETY!

LIKE A DIAMOND

Jihad-al-Nafs / Self-Struggle

Self-Reflection 13

ISLAMIC FINANCE

“Life is like an airport. We’re all traveling and everyone has at least some baggage.” -Ustadh Usama Canon

CONVERT CORNER

APRIL | 2012

JUMADA AL-ULA 1433

The magazine for those who choose to define themselves through the Creator, not the creation.

The global contemporary magazine for Muslim women (and men too) who choose to define themselves through the Creator, not the creation Working to keep the guidelines of Islam embedded in every single page, between every single letter, inshaAllah

FOUNDER Sister Yasmin Essa ASSISTANT EDITOR Sister Nur Soliman LAYOUT & DESIGN INTERN Sister Nasim Ali COVER IMAGE Nasim Ali VISUAL ARTS INTERN Bint Muhammad PUBLISHING INTERN Sister Aisha B. Ali

MARRIAGE SPECIALIST Sister Fatima A. Khan HALAL CULINARY SPECIALIST Sister Yvonne Maffei BROTHER’S AMBASSADOR Brother Kyle Smith

2012 EDITORIAL CALENDAR January: I Love Islam February: 40 Under 40 March: Salah/Prayer April: Jihad May: Happiness June: Marriage & Love July: Ramadan Prep August: Ramadan/Eid September: Time Management October: Holistic Health & Healing November: The Youth December: Faith, Skepticism & Rejuvenation

PARENTING COLUMNIST Sister Ameera Rahim KID’S SECTION CONTRIBUTOR Sister Meriam Essa

EDITING INTERN Sister Sarah Mostafa

FREESTYLE COLUMNISTS Sister Reham Ibrahim Sister Elizabeth Anne Ribbeck, MN, RN, CNM

FASHION INTERN Sister Shahirah Elaiza

FRENCH COLUMNIST Sister Khadijah

RELATIONSHIP SPECIALIST Sister Tayyaba Syed

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Brother Gareth Bryant

SUBSCRIBE TO MBMUSLIMA www.mbmuslima.com LETTERS TO THE EDITOR admin@mbmuslima.com WRITE FOR MBMUSLIMA admin@mbmuslima.com ADVERTISING advertising@mbmuslima.com

q MBMUSLIMA READER CONNECTION We asked:

What does Jihad mean to you?

“The ‘struggle’ trying to raise my children to be upright and steadfast.” -Mallama Jamila Mahmud “It means struggle: an inner struggle with yourself.” -Sherene Abdella “Remembering Islam is perfect and constantly forgiving and being patient with the Muslims that attempt to force their understanding of the deen upon me. I don’t have an issue with our imperfection as humans, but do find it offensive when someone attempts to force their understanding of the faith on me. One reason why I came to Islam is its encouragement of personal and spiritual growth and understanding that it’s okay if we stumble because Allah is merciful, patient, loving, compassionate and forgiving. Allah said there is no compulsion in religion and He created diversity (on all levels) for a reason. We all come from different walks of life, have different levels of understanding and learning, and embraced or re-embraced the faith for various reasons.” -C Nailah AbdulQayyum “Jihad for me is to struggle to overcome the temptation to think I’m in control; giving in to that illusion is so easy.” -D Blue Murrell

Want to be in the next MBMuslima Reader Connection? Step 1) Like our fan page: www.facebook.com/mbmuslimamagazine Step 2) Stay active & answer our questions via commenting Step 3) Get all excited when you see your name in our next issue :)

CONTENTS APRIL | 2012

3 6 7 8 9

signature items

MBMUSLIMA READER CONNECTION

Jihad: What is it and what does it mean to you?

FROM THE FOUNDER A special letter to readers from Sister Yasmin Essa

FROM THE ASSISTANT EDITOR Sister Nur Soliman enlightens us with the importance of Jihad al-Nafs

Favorite Quotes of the Month Facebook Status of the Month LABELED Sister Sana Hussein shares her views of coping with society’s misconceived labels of our Ummah

13 13 MBMuslima Magazine

for everyone GAME REVIEW OF ALLAH’S PROPHETS

Need a new game for family game night? Why not play Allah’s Prophets a “quick, entertaining and educational” game for kids and adults.

DID YOU KNOW? Islamic Finance 101 What is Islamic banking and why should we pursue it?

relationship/family

10 11 11

A PERSONAL JIHAD STORY

Learning to trust in Allah ta’ala, ar-Rahman, ar-Raheem

FOR THE BROTHERS A simple reminder on appropriate behavior to please Allah subhana wa ta’ala and to respect our sisters in Islam

5 MINUTES Sister Fatima A. Khan gives us tips on a successful marriage

health & wellness

12 12

5 EASY TIPS TO GET YOU MOVING Easy ways we can better our health every day

MBMUSLIMA SUPERFOOD OF THE MONTH Blueberries! How this tiny fruit can do our bodies a world of good

spirituality/life

14 16 18 18 19

MY HEART IS RACING! SUBHANALLAH, IT’S ANXIETY! Anxiety: What is it and how can we prevent it from taking over our lives?

LIKE A DIAMOND Striving to be the best Muslims we can be and helping others to do the same

QURAN CHALLENGE OF THE MONTH Can you recite and memorize this month’s ayahs?

CONVERT CORNER The benefits of surrounding ourselves with other Muslims

MY COCOON DIARIES PART 2 Brother Gareth Bryant’s self-retrospection to become a better Muslim 5

FROM THE FOUNDER Bismillah Al Rahman Al Raheem In the name of Allah, the Most Beneficent, Most Merciful.

When we place our dependence on fleeting imperfection, we are setting ourselves up for failure.

Assalamu alaykum wa RahmatUllahi wa Barkatu, May the peace and blessings of Allah SWT be unto you,

No one would consciously say they want to fail. No one would mindfully do anything that would guarantee them disappointment, yet so many of us set ourselves up this way. It’s only when we are unconsciously and mindlessly going through life that we allow ourselves to depend on that which is imperfect. Surely, if we were conscious and mindful, we would not let this happen.

Welcome to the Jihad Issue of MBMuslima! We are so glad you found us. We pray that you leave this issue feeling appreciative, refreshed, inspired, creative, and faithful. Dearest Readers, Go into your local book store and walk over to the self-improvement section. There are books, upon books, upon books. Books in this section tend to share the common thread of hope, ambition, selfacceptance and gratitude. Mankind is ambitious. Human beings have relentless drive. We fall down and get right back up. We have resilience. We are never satisfied with where we are. We have goals. We’ve been let down many times, but one way or another, we get right back up. We’ve all questioned our existence. Those times when we’ve wondered why it’s all worth it. The times we’ve questioned our ultimate purpose on this earth is. The times we’ve questioned the difference between living and dying. The times when it’s felt like the whole world has collapsed on us. Not only do we manage to get up from these situations, but we usually get up significantly better than before we fell. There is beauty in that. There is beauty in resilience. As humans, we recognize and connect to the adversities of others. But we don’t get back up by ourselves. Don’t fool yourself for a second that you get back up by yourself. Even with our resilience, ambition, and drive, we are dependant creatures by design. We all enter this world dependant on someone else to take care of us. We enter this world crying because of the sudden shift in environments. We enter this world innocent, having done no harm to anyone else. We are dependant. Don’t let our individualistic society tell you any different. The difference between us is where we place our dependence. We each individually choose where we place our dependence. Some place their dependence on money. Some place their dependence on other people. Some place their dependence on their status in society. Some place their dependence on their physical appearance. There is a problem with all of these decisions. Each of these things (money, people, status, looks) was designed to be imperfect. Each of these things are fleeting. They don’t last forever. MBMuslima Magazine

There is One who is perfect. There is One who has never left your side, even when others left your side. There is One who not only witnessed your continuous struggle through life, but helped you through it. He helped you, even when you did not pay any mind to Him. In His Quran (2:28), He says: “How can you disbelieve in God when you were lifeless and He brought you to life; then He will cause you to die, then He will bring you [back] to life, and then to Him you will be returned.” God has a plan for each and every one of us. At times, He chooses to put us in situations of ease. At other times, He chooses to put us in situations of struggle and hardship. Everything He does is with purpose. God is never purposeless. He is always purposeful. He never does anything to us in vain. He does everything in mercy. In His Quran, God has documented a conversation between Himself and His angels. When God told His angels that He was going to place generations and generations of mankind on the planet the angels commented on how mankind would make mischief on this earth and shed blood. God’s response to them? He said: “I know that which you do not know.” (Quran 3:30) The angels were right about the mischief and bloodshed. According to a 2010 UNODC study, there were 468,000 intentional homicides in 2010. Let’s also keep in mind that many deaths go uncounted for. We see bloodshed and mischief all over the place. Bloodshed and mischief are justified for all sorts of reasons. It is justified through the promise of security. It’s justified through the claim of fulfilling God’s commandment. At times, it’s even justified through claimed love. Occasionally, it’s not even justified at all. Because its definition has been twisted, the word Jihad tends to make us uneasy. Often incorrectly translated as ‘holy war’, Jihad actually means ‘struggle’ in Arabic and is often described as “striving in the way of God”.

Our whole life is a struggle. A beautiful struggle. We each deal with different things that have been assigned to us perfectly. The One who assigned us our struggles is not only perfect, but the Creator of perfection. We should not accept those who taint the beautiful concept of Jihad to mean anything other than what it is. We should also not accept those who use this concept to justify their disgusting actions. Nowhere in His holy scriptures did God ever allow unjust bloodshed. God hates oppression so much so, that He placed a rule on Himself not to practice oppression. Don’t believe the hype. No one who is in God’s true way would harm innocent people. May He guide us all to His most straight path. We are imperfect. The most significant Jihad is recognizing this imperfection, embracing it, and seeking His perfection. It’s looking deep into our hearts and fighting to live a more sincere, peaceful life. The biggest war we can fight is the war in our own hearts.

This issue is dedicated to the human struggle. Your struggle. Some struggle with purpose and others struggle aimlessly. Some struggle while remembering Him and place their dependence on Him. Others struggle alone, aimlessly, depending on things that need them. Which one are you?

Jazakum Allahu khairan. Sister Yasmin Essa, Founder, MBMuslima Magazine P.S. As always, your comments, criticism, and suggestions as an MBM reader are highly appreciated, encouraged, and valued. By the will of Allah SWT, let us all engage in a deep, collective search for truth, guided by the primary sources of Islam: the Qur’an and Sunnah. As always, JazakAllah khair for being an MBM reader—the magazine would be nothing without you. Enjoy the issue.

FROM THE ASSISTANT EDITOR

STRUGGLING IN THE WAY OF GOD By Sister Nur Soliman, Assistant Editor Living life in the fast lane isn’t just for high-risking stockbrokers, investors or CEOs. We live in an age of being busy, where stress and anxiety are part of the package of our over-scheduled, rollercoaster lives. Family, work, studies, children, spouses, friends, transport, and managing all the aspects of every-day life can all be stressful for many of us, while also sometimes finding it a struggle to maintain our religious and spiritual duties. Some of us get into bed at night thankful that we made most or all of the salawat al-fardh, or obligatory prayers that day, or that we managed to fast the occasional Monday or Thursday, or read some duaa’ that day. But in those times when you find that you are doing less, or have worked yourself to exhaustion that you do not put the same khushu’ or active sincerity into your worship of Allah subhana wa ta3la, then it is the ultimate struggle of the spirit – jihad al-nafs. When you find you don’t have time to keep up your ‘ibada (worship) that is when you have to do more.

its responsibilities, its tasks, chores and to-do lists, you must struggle and strive to make the effort to transcend the noise of the dunya and reach towards Allah subhana wa ta3la to maintain your relationship with Him. Your iman and love of God illuminates everything you do and becomes the most important thing in your life. It is easy to lose sight of the akhira (afterlife) in this world, where the material becomes more apparent and significant than the spiritual and the heavenly. Even so, we must never let ourselves forget how important and essential our worship is in making our lives peaceful, meaningful, wonderful and also more precious. By increasing the number of sunna prayers you do, or making sure you pray every single obligatory prayer on time, by forcing yourself to read the Qur’an more often even when you’d much rather sleep, you are finding ways to become more calm, more patient, more peaceful at heart, and secure and comforted in Allah’s subhana wa ta3la presence that the dunya is contained in that iman.

These days, jihad is the last word we want to hear after over a decade of gross misinterpretation and distortion of meaning, and over a decade of constant self-defence and explanation. But all of these unfortunate events shouldn’t take us away from the original meaning of jihad, an essential part of our deen(religion) that completes our faith and puts us in the right direction towards improvement, strength, and sets us on the path towards iman (faith) and ihsan (excellence).

Jihad al-nafs may be one of the hardest things we can do – struggling against the overpowering dunya may feel like an uphill battle to maintain and strengthen faith. But to preserve our faith and to continue to worship Allah subhana wa ta3la in the hope that we might better ourselves as human beings, as Muslims, and as mu’mineen is the greatest reward, more than any reward we can get from this world. May Allah subhana wa ta3la helps us always to find Him and to struggle When the dunya (worldly life) seems to overwhelm you with its worries, in the way of Him in all times, amen. 7

IN EVERY ISSUE

MBMUSLIMA’S Favorite Quotes of the Month traveling and everyone “Life is like an airport. We’re all has at least some baggage.”

“Whoever wants to have ev erlasting peace and well-being with no affliction does not understand the meaning of Allah’s comm andments, nor does he perceive the meaning of su bmission to Allah. Every soul (either believing or dis believing) shall inevitably taste suffering in this world , for this life is based on hardships. Man lives betw een comfort and suffering.” -Imam Ibn al-Jawzi (Ra

-Ustadh Usama Canon

“God is with the broken-hearted. When your of heart breaks, it’s a good thing – the breaking h. the heart is what opens it up to the light of Alla to The dunya is designed to break your heart, crush it.”

himUllah)

-Shaykh Hamza Yusuf

Facebook Status of the Month

*This is a new section inspired by seeing a beneficial status that related to this month’s issue, walhamdulilah. Each month, we will work hard to spot a Facebook status that relates to each issue, bi’itnAllah. Courtesy of Brother Imran Abdelhamid Salha, student at Montclair State University and Imam at Islamic Center of Rockland County as well as JMIC Masjid. Salamu Alaykum WarahmatUllahi Wabarakatu, Bismillah, Walhamdulilah, Wassalatu 3ala Rasoolillah

SubhanAllah, at 1:02 AM, if Allah (SWT) wills, I will turn 22 years old. Contemplating on this, I was able to come up with the following reflection. May you all benefit insha’Allah. If you find benefit, do not hesitate to share with others and leave comments below iA. Allah (SWT) in his infinite wisdom, made birth a process full of difficulty and struggle. Allah (SWT) could have very well made this an easy process, but He did not. He made it so that difficulty is the means towards bringing a new life to this world. The next time you go through difficulty, remember that just like your very own birth, it is what is meant to give you LIFE. The struggle means there is life. SubhanAllah. It may be that through His giving He is actually depriving And it may be that through deprivation He is actually giving -Ibn Ataa’illah Reflecting on the past years, I have come to a realization. Do not judge anyone. Every person around you was born from a struggle, and is struggling. Had you seen that person from the day they were born, to that moment where you took it upon yourself to judge them, you probably would think twice about judging them. MBMuslima Magazine

That’s why our parents are so merciful and compassionate with us. They have seen us from day one. But before birth there was a being that saw you when no one else saw you. There was a being that knew of your existence before anyone else acknowledged you. He knew of the beautiful soul that you would grow into. He acknowledged you before anyone else did, but unfortunately, He is the first One we forget. When humanity fails to acknowledge your existence, nothing should change within you. Allah (SWT) was there when no else was. If people come and go, Allah (SWT) is there. Allah (SWT) is with me. Allah (SWT) is with us. Always. When all judge you, remember Allah (SWT)’s judgment. If they are right, you will be thankful for the reminder. And if they are wrong, you will be thankful Allah (SWT) is the Decider of all Fate. We are not here to judge. We are here to remind people of who they truly were since day one - human beings that struggle for the sake of Allah (SWT). Please pray for your brother in Islam, the slave in dire need, of his Lord’s Mercy and Forgiveness, Imran ibn Abdelhamid! The happiest part of this day, is that I am closer to the day that I will meet you, Allah! :-)

Wassalamu Alaykum WarahmatUllahi Wabarakatu

Image Credits: Sana Hussein

FEATURED ARTICLE

LABELED By Sister Sana Hussein Words are often used to express oneself: fear, love, hate, happiness, concern, distaste etc. Words can also be used to target peoples of a certain race, religion or ethnicity and though the attributes are false, by nature they empower the senses and awaken the masses to stereotype, label and segregate those that are different. I try and set an example of what a Muslim is as opposed to the image the media projects, but ignorance is a hard enemy to defeat. The media is able to manipulate and create an illusion by selecting video footage, audio clips and photos that make the words ‘terrorist’ or ‘dangerous’ relative to Muslims only. My way of expressing my opposition is through art and creativity. The labels I’m branded with across my body are words that do not apply to myself nor the majority of Muslims, but it is a captivating and creative way to protest. There are a dozen ways to interpret the photo but here is mine: because of these labels, I cannot speak and if I do, I am not heard by the masses or those in power. My hands are behind my head, not to surrender but because I am constrained; constrained by the norms of society. It’s a symbolic message essentially. The reality is I’m not any different than your average American. I was born in New York and face the same economic, social and political conditions as my fellow Americans. My father was a survivor of 9/11, my 18-year-old cousin recently committed suicide and my house was robbed yesterday. There is no doubt I have faced trauma that many Americans can relate to, but I’ve also witnessed the beauty of the country and that is diversity. My family is Christian and Muslim, white, Hispanic and more yet we all come together in a peaceful, loving manner. How can you justify the labels branded across me? 9

RELATIONSHIP/FAMILY

A Personal Jihad Story By Tayyaba Syed, Relationship Columnist I have not fully woken up yet. I still feel like I am there living the dream, a beautiful dream come true. It’s been months, but it still feels so surreal. I cannot believe I was there. I actually got to go to Hajj as an invited guest of the Host of all hosts, Allah subhana wa ta3la. I had honestly gone in with very little expectations. This was my very first time going to visit the Holylands. I knew it would be an experience full of many firsts for me. I was a whirlwind of emotions: so nervous, anxious, confused, excited, sad, happy, and scared. I was leaving my two young kids for the first time ever. I knew my six-year-old daughter would manage, but I was not too sure about my 3-year-old son. He is very adamant about only going to sleep once I am lying right next to him holding him close. How was he going to last almost a month without his mama?

glowing with excitement and was ready to leave. My eyes welled up with tears. This was real. We were going to leave these two little beings behind entrusting them to our Lord, the same Lord who was calling us to His home. This was a small taste of the sacrifice that Ibrahim alayhi salam made for Allah subhana wa ta3la many centuries before. If it was not for his sacrifice to leave his family behind in a barren land based solely on Allah’s command, then none of us would be here right now. This was the man who’s footsteps we were about to follow.

Before leaving home I prayed my salah that afternoon and then sat and wondered about what I was about to do. Hajj? Really? Me? I did not fully understand what I was about to do. I just knew I had to do it. My husband walked into the room dressed very pious with his long white shirt and heightened pants and white kufi. He was MBMuslima Magazine

Image Credit: Flickr Omar Chatriwala Al Jazeera English.

The good-bye was surely an emotional and tear-filled one. It looked like a Bollywood movie scene. Even some screams and leg-grabbing were part of the picture. I thought my heart was going to climb out of my chest. My daughter cried hysterically. So much for thinking she will manage just fine. My son held onto us for dear life. How was I going to do this? Luckily my sister and Many experienced Hajjayah mothers had tried to reassure me that mother were there to distract them and calm them down so I I would forget about my kids once I was there. I thought they were could make my escape. I cried most of the way to the airport. all crazy. I would not be that mother. I love my children. I would be thinking about them the entire way and remembering them in my What helped me accept the situation was to write them a letter. du’as. Of that I was very sure. This was not just any letter. I wrote them a letter as if I was never coming back. I wrote them what they meant to me and how DEPARTURE grateful I was to have them in my life. I left them important nasiha (advice) they could use to make the most of their lives even if I am The day of our departure, my husband and I decided to go to work. not around. It sounds like a painful piece to write, but it was not. However, we had both taken a highly strong dose of cough syrup In fact, it was more so therapeutic for me than anything else. I left for our coughs that morning that caused us major drowsiness the letter in a sealed envelope with my father-in-law. It was only to and upset stomach all day at work. I hardly got any work done be opened and read if we did not make it back. that day. I kept falling asleep at my desk only waking to run to the restroom. Keeping the good-byes at home and not at the airport made things much easier. As soon as we crossed the security check point, I had By lunch time I thought I was going to pass out. My husband was accepted my jihad (struggle) physically and mentally. Allah ta3la in just as bad shape as me and was considering delaying our flight would protect my family, because I was making this sacrifice for until the end of the weekend. I got so scared and started making Him. major du’a to the Almighty for us to be able to leave that day for Hajj easily and with proper health and spirit. My co-workers saw “Here I come, Allah. Here I come to serve You. Here I come. You my horrible condition and insisted I go and rest before my flight. have no partner. All the praise is for You. The universe is Yours. Alhamdullilah I got in a recovery nap that brought my senses back Here I come, Allah. Here I come.” in time to leave that night as originally planned.

RELATIONSHIP/FAMILY

For the Brothers By Brother Kyle Smith, MBMuslima Columnist the most qualified for the role. At the same time, it made it important for me to set conscious boundaries as to how to properly interact with them. It is important to note that the pure reason we all accepted our roles on the board was for no other reason than pleasing The piece of advice that I am speaking of is lowering one’s Allah subhana wa ta3la. He is also the One who wants us to gaze. Allah subhana wa ta3la says in the Holy Quran “Tell the be appropriate when working with the other gender. Lowering believing men to reduce [some] of their vision and guard their the gaze, when appropriate, is the best way to keep things private parts. That is purer for them. Indeed, Allah is acquainted appropriate and professional. To make things clear, I am not with what they do.” (Quran 24:30) Generally speaking, lowering implying that I never look at the sisters. Rather, I am saying the gaze means to keep one’s eyes away from something that that when it is appropriate, I lower my gaze. For example, if is impermissible from him/her to look at. However, lowering the one of the sisters asks me a question (in public), but not in a gaze can mean more. It is a tool that can be used to combat general meeting with the other sisters around, I always try to shaytain. be mindful to lower my gaze. Just remember that we are here to serve Allah subhana wa ta3la. That is it. That does not mean Alhamdulillah, serving on the board of the Muslim Student that we have to be rude towards the other gender, rather, we Association as the only brother has given me some real life should just be as appropriate and professional as possible. perspective on this piece of advice. I wouldn’t have chosen a Sisters will appreciate the fact that you lower your gaze. It will different board to work with, as these six Muslim sisters were make them more comfortable.

5 MINUTES with Fatima A. Khan

Image Credits: Fatima A. Khan

I cannot take any credit for the advice that I am about to give. That is because the advice that I am giving is a piece of advice that has been around from the earliest of times. Each prophet (May Allah subhana wa ta3la’s peace be upon all of them), preached this advice.

I’m often asked what marked the turnaround in my marriage, to make it all that I wanted it to be and more by the will of Allah subhana wa ta’ala. My marriage changed for the better the day I stopped wondering and waiting for something wrong to go in my life. In Surah An-Nas, we seek refuge from the evil of the whisperer, and in reality, it is actually the voices in your head that stop you from placing your trust in Allah. Even if it tells you to wait for him to say sorry first when you know you were wrong as well, or wonder about his past or future while he is with you. To fight your nafs (self) when it goes against your very nature of doing the right thing, even for just your husband for the sake of Allah, is a jihad (struggle). Strive to seek Allah’s pleasure by seeking control over your nafs (self). You will see all your relationships improve almost immediately, inshaAllah.

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HEALTH & WELLNESS

EASY TIPS TO GET YOU MOVING!

Ditch the elevators or escalators and choose stairs whenever possible.

If you work a desk job or have a long day of classes, requiring you to sit for long periods of time, make an effort to get up and walk for a few minutes each hour.

Hate long workout sessions? No problem. Instead of one 30-minute session, break it out to three 10-minute sessions.

Stretch! Use dynamic stretches (slow, controlled movement involved) if you have not been active and static stretches (holding stretches in place) after exercise. Examples of dynamic stretches are slow, controlled leg swings, arm swings, torso twists, or neck rolls.

Hydrate! Drink MORE water! If you are finding it hard to get yourself moving, you are likely dehydrated.

Image Credit: Susan Quinland-stringer Dreamstime

By Sister Yasmin Essa, Health Coach

MBMUSLIMA SUPERFOOD OF THE MONTH:

lickr

prpm

bd10

BLUEBERRIES 2/

They neutralize free radicals which helps fight disease and aging (inshaAllah)

According to findings from a study at the Rutgers Blueberry Cranbury Research Center, blueberries contain compounds that can help prevent urinary tract infections

Blueberries are awesome for eye health. Currently, Tufts University plans to study the ability of blueberries to prevent macular degeneration

They are sweet, quick, and versatile! Adding blueberries to your diet is practically effortless

MBMuslima Magazine

e Cr edit:

Blue berries are very high in antioxidants

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Blue

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By Yasmin Essa, Health Coach

Did You Know?

FOR EVERYONE

Islamic Finance 101 By Juveria Ali, Finance Columnist

In Islam, banking is much more than saving or lending money. In fact, it is part of an entire financial system ordained by Allah subhana wa ta3la to ensure harmony in society. Islamic banks are a fairly new institution, created in the late 20th Century; however, Islamic principles of finance have governed Muslim economies for many centuries now! Since interest (riba) is considered haram or unlawful, Islamic banking is not based on profiting by lenders, but on the shared risks/ rewards ultimately benefitting both the lenders and borrowers. Instead of focusing on the credit worthiness or ability to pay back loans, Islamic banking focuses on the potential profitability of a project or investment at hand. Unfortunately, today many Americans, out of necessity, take on credit with high interest rates to

survive, adding tremendous stress on the family. Islam teaches us not to profit from others’ situations but instead to work together to ultimately create a stable economy and society. In all aspects of life, whether financial, social, or otherwise, Allah ta3la guides us through the Quran and Sunnah. Although the accumulation of money is desirable, it is not the main purpose of our life here. Wealth is in fact a big test in that the more we possess, the more we are accountable for. Our Prophet Muhammad salla Allahu alayhi wasallam told us that “riches are not from an abundance of wordly goods but from a contented mind.” May Allah ta3la bless us all with content minds and guide us on the straight ‘financial’ path, the one that bring us closest to Him. Ameen. Juveria Ali is a happily married Muslima who holds a Masters Degree in Finance from Georgia State Unversity. Her motto is “Islam is such a beautiful religion, if we all but knew :)”

Image Credit: Dana Rothstein Dreamstime

What is Islamic Finance? Ask just about anyone and you will receive confused stares or blank looks….even from many of today’s finance professionals! How is it different from our traditional style of banking in America? What is the Islamic perspective on finance?

GAME REVIEW OF ALLAH’S PROPHETS Allah’s Prophets by Share the Deen is one of the best Islamic games I’ve come across over the years. The game is easy enough to play with children and it really helps refresh your memory. Over the years I’ve learned a great deal about Islam, alhamdulillah, but now I’m really putting that knowledge to use in a fun and exciting way. The game is quick, entertaining, educational, and it’s simple set-up and clean-up make it all the easier to play. Not only is it a great tool for both children and adults to put their knowledge of the Deen to the test, but it has also taught me about the Prophets of Allah subhana wa ta3la, making it not only ideal for children, but for adults to play as well. It’s an ideal game for families to play together, or for kids to play in the classroom or with friends.

Image Credit: sharethedeen.com

By Aisha Ali, MBMuslima Intern

SPIRITUALITY/LIFE

My Heart is Racing! SubHanAllah, It’s Anxiety! By Sister Elizabeth Anne Ribbeck, MN, RN, CNM

Bismillahi Arrahmani Irrahiim

amilah is out with her children at the park. She glides back underneath a giant oak, enjoying the fragrance of a lovely morning. Waa! Waa! Startled by crying, she is immediately up on her feet. Subhan Allah wa ta alaa! Where is Ahmed? Jamilah feels a wave of heat flush her face as nausea rises in the back of her throat with a sense of terror; her hands are instantly sweaty. Her mind is flooded with exaggerated, negative thoughts: Has he fallen? Is he lost? Did someone take him? Now Jamilah paces like Haggar in the desert between Safa and Marwa. She doesn’t see Ahmed nearby until he is tugs on her abaya. Elhamdulillah, she lets out a sigh of relief as she embraces Ahmed. Jamilah has just experienced a panic attack common with anxiety.

Alhamdulillah, the good news is anxiety is very treatable. Many people are able to control their anxiety through counseling and learning new positive coping strategies. They learn skills, like changing their lifestyles, learning to adapt to new and changing environments, using relaxation techniques, and reframing their fears.

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Anxiety is a widespread response that can have debilitating impact on life. About 40 million adults, or 8% to 18% of the population suffers from anxiety (CDC, 2009; NIMH, 2009), and that increases to 24.3% of the physically inactive, and 24.8% among the obese. Anxiety and panic symptoms may include fear, sweating, nausea, dry mouth, stomach ache, intense fear, palpitations of the heart, rapid pulse, flushed or warm skin, dizziness, heave breathing, shortness of breath, choking, or irritability (AAFP, 2010; Payne, 2000; NIMH, 2009). There are many different possibilities because anxiety involves three different body systems – the nervous system, the skeletal system, and the endocrine system – which influence hormones, muscles, emotions, and many other parts of the body (Payne, 2000). Some people find the discomforts severe and debilitating; they avoid encountering unpredictable, unfamiliar, or unknown experiences which could trigger these symptoms. Other people may have multiple daily instances of distress, or endure nightmares and sadness. People that suffer from anxiety may not know the cause or have an idea of where to begin coping, and panic attacks may become frequent.

A few simple steps can prevent frequent bouts of anxiety: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14.

Limit caffeine and excessive sugar consumption Eat a balanced diet with colorful fruits and vegetables Drink 10 glasses of water daily Get 30 to 60 minutes of your favorite exercise daily, preferably outdoors in the sunlight Set aside time for daily Qur’an recitation that will emit positive, calming hormones. Be sure you have time each day to practice or learn new relaxation techniques Find supportive people to talk to like friends and healthcare providers. In moments of distress, you may try some more focused relaxation to improve coping. Don’t forget your dua, Allah says in Surat ul Mulk, “Say, ‘He is the Most Merciful; we have believed in Him, and upon Him we have relied…” Take deep, controlled breaths and count slowly from 0 to 100 (AAFP, 2010). Practice taking yourself in your mind to a relaxing setting like the beach where you can feel the warm sand and soft breeze and hear the gentle lulling of the waves (Payne, 2000). This creates a mental image that you can recall in moments in which you need to quickly calm down and put your anxiety at bay Write your problem on a piece of paper, fold it up, and put it in a box to worry about later Try a warm bath, or a cool shower Sip mint or chamomile tea Surround yourself by natural pictures or step outdoors for a change of environment Try looking at the situation from a positive angle with affirming statements Test out some of the relaxation techniques you have been learning, like recalling the beach image Get counseling from a mental health specialist to learn more relaxation and coping techniques so you stay feeling well! 15

SPIRITUALITY/LIFE

Like a Diamond By Sister Reham Ibrahim, MBMuslima Contributing Writer

Image Credit: Roger Barker Flickr

“Like a diamond, our faith holds different degrees of purity, each still precious, due to the value of what it is made of” – Reham Ibrahim

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The struggle with oneself never ends. Different people have different struggles. Different races, different nationalities, different personalities, and different education levels. We each live each day with separate experiences. Sometimes, we look at the hardships of other individuals and we think to ourselves that they have it easy. Other times, we look at the hardships of other individuals and we think to ourselves that they have it hard and we wonder how we manage. Either way, at times like this, we fall in the trap of judging others.

thikr (remembrance of Allah), regular connection with the Quran and surrounding yourself with people that remind you of Allah subhana wa ta3la.

We sometimes judge others by thinking we would handle situations differently if we were put in their place. We label each other and sometimes judge another person’s small steps as a waste of time. We fail to realize that any step closer to a goal is better than staying stagnant. Why do we jump to the conclusion that others aren’t respecting the religion, if they are moving at a slower pace than we would expect them to? We are all humans and we all make mistakes. That is the whole point. We sometimes make mistakes, so we can repent and go back to Allah subhana wa ta3la.

Ideally, we need to try our best to study the ten pages. This is why we should always ask Allah subhana wa ta3la to help up in this struggle. We need to realize that we can only pass through it with His help. We shouldn’t criticize anyone for not perfecting an action. No one can perfect an action anyway because we are only human and we tend to forget that. We are all tested differently. The people that had hardest trials were the Prophets (May Allah be pleased with them all) because their level of Iman (Faith) was the highest. Prophet Ibrahim (May Allah be pleased with him) was given the difficult test of being asked to kill his own son. If you review the prophetic stories, you will see that the Prophets had the hardest struggles. Yet, they never stopped and said to their followers “Your test is easy what are you talking about?” Allah ta3la is more knowledgeable. Therefore, He knows how hard to push each soul to test each person’s Iman (Faith).

Here is when we realize that we are all tested differently because of different levels of Iman (Faith). Shaytain sometimes comes to us and whispers negative thoughts to us such as “why would you even wear the Hijab if you don’t even pray?” To fix this, our hearts needs to be educated and filled with Allah’s beauty and love. This is when the Noor (Light) of Allah subhana wa ta3la enters our hearts and makes us want to move a step closer to Allah. Ya Qareeb, (Oh close one) make us closer to you.

Doing part of an act is better than doing nothing at all. The one who takes one step towards Allah ta3la is trying so hard to do more and get closer to Allah. Say you have an exam that is based on ten pages of information. One person studies six pages and one studies zero pages. Which one will perform better?

We shouldn’t be harsh on one another, especially if Allah subhana wa ta3la has given some of us higher Iman. You should thank Allah ta3la for giving you this because none of it actually belongs to you. It’s all from Allah’s You can’t give a 5 year old a math exam that is sovereignty on you. We will be judged separately. Allah appropriate for a 20 year old. That is just not fair. That ta3la is the only One that knows what is in our hearts and kid has to grow older and pass many tests in between what our intentions are. We all face different pressures in in order to pass the higher level tests. The same thing life. This is not a free pass to slack off on a command that holds true with Iman (Faith). If a heart is not filled with has been given to us, but as long as you are trying your Allah’s love, then how can it move forward to do more best to be better, Allah ta3la will reward you for your pure good deeds? This is why some Jihad (struggles) are hard intentions. We should each strive to reach the best and for some people. They do not know the simple equations the highest level of Jannah (Heaven), Jannatul firdous. in order to do the hard equations. Iman (Faith) gradually May Allah subhana wa ta3la make us of those who hear grows by practice such as praying on time, constant and obey.

SPIRITUALITY/LIFE

Image Credit : Quran.com/79 (Sahih International)

QURAN CHALLENGE OF THE MONTH

“But as for he who feared the position of his Lord and prevented the soul from [unlawful] inclination, Then indeed, Paradise will be [his] refuge.” (Quran 79:40-41)

CONVERT CORNER By Brother Kyle Smith, MBMuslima Columnist Get involved! Getting involved in the Muslim community will benefit you tremendously. When I first accepted Islam, I did not really have any good Muslim friends. This got me a little down at times, as I desired to be in company with others who are in the remembrance of Allah subhana wa ta3la. However, once I joined my school’s Muslim Student Association, I met many good brothers alhamdulillah. Having good Muslim friends is very important for many reasons. Whenever you are going through a tough time, good Muslim friends can provide you support by reminding you that your hardship only came to you through the will of Allah subhana wa ta3la. Good Muslim friends can also introduce you to other good Muslims. Additionally, Muslim friends are great in helping you please Allah subhana wa ta3la, as you can learn the deen with them. For example, there is an event that you would like to go to, but do not feel like traveling alone, so you ask a

friend to come along with you. Furthermore, Muslim friends provide you with a means to pray in congregation, which by extension, leads to extra reward from Allah subhana wa ta3la. It is also important to note that most of the time, good Muslims friends are not just going to come knocking on your door if they don’t know you. I once heard a Muslim convert say that he really did not have any Muslims friends. However, he also mentioned how he had never had been to a mosque despite living in an area that had mosques. Therefore, we need to get involved in order to meet good Muslim friends. We can volunteer at the masjid, join the Muslim Student Association, go to Islamic conferences, etc. There are so many amazing Muslims out there. Get involved and you can meet these people and establish a great relationship with them for the sake of Allah subhana wa ta3la.

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SPIRITUALITY/LIFE

My Cocoon Diaries Part 2 By Brother Gareth Bryant, MBMuslima Contributing Writer

Author’s note: My Cocoon-Diaries are poems and/or general writings which contain self-reflections for me, how I’ve been living & how I should have not been living, over a significant portion of time that I’ve taken to limit my social-spheres & socialinteractions. It’s been a time for me to dig deep within myself, to wrap myself up in an anti-social cocoon, to find any & all problems within myself, in order to fix them, with the help of Allah subhana wa ta3la, of course. I know that a lot of people thought it strange of me to just take some steps back from my social-spheres & place limits on my general social-interaction. But, this has been a necessary move on my part, to figure out what exactly is wrong with me, as a Muslim, so that I can further tread the path of guidance, which is Islam, with as little personal obstacles in my path as Humanly possible.

doing enough generally in consolidating this connection. And, perhaps my social-solitude may be able to provide me with the tools to refortify my connection with Him. I have been wanting to do this for awhile, to just isolate myself, but I guess that I have never really had the courage to do so, to admit that I would actually need to just get away from everything and everyone, at least for a little while, in order to get my life back on-track. The irony is that I seem to have painted a picture of myself as this stand-up kind of guy. When I really decided to take a step back & observe myself, I have finally realized how much personal improvement I am to make, in order to truly be the Muslim, the man, the Human being that Allah wants, commands & expects me to be. The Facade that I’ve established:

People always say, “Wow, you’re a really good brother” My journey to keep myself voluntarily socially limited has been But, when I see myself, I only really see myself as another a good experience for me, thus far. It has allowed me to accept I see utter ugliness that’s within me, that I don’t want to be the fact that I am the reason for so many things gone wrong in revealed my life (particularly and especially marriage). It has compelled So far, I’ve done a lot to keep the skeletons in my closet me to look at my life as is and figure out where I have come concealed from thus far and where I need to take myself further. Also, I However, the truth is all known to Allah, I can’t hide anything have learned to realize how many wrong decisions that I have from Him made in my past. Thinking back on my past, particularly when it Don’t be surprised that when I die, my legacy ends up looking comes to relationships, I noticed that when it came to just being quite dim. with girls, it was no effort on my part at all. It was like girls Oftentimes, the truth about people are never discovered, until would just fall into my lap. after their demise What they hide from the world eventually gets exposed, an But, unfortunately, every single time that I’ve tried to do things ironic surprise right & get married, it’s been one epic crash-and-burn scenario My only hope is that Allah spares me embarrassment in death after another. I started to say to myself, “Well, maybe this is the way He’s spared me in this life from Allah’s justice, to make me suffer and not get a good sister, as a result of the sins that He chose to not immediately Gareth Bryant/2012 punish me for in the past.” At the time, much like now, this seems like the only sensible conclusion that I can possibly bring myself to. It could very well be the result of my sinning that has prevented me from getting married. I mean, it does make a lot of sense, considering my horrible track-record, when it’s come to the pursuit of marriage. So, beyond that, there’s the need for me to just improve my connection with Allah, which I have felt that I have been not

Image Credit:Vinay Shivakumar Flickr-1

This is my journey. Please join me.

ISLAMIC TERMS EXPLAINED INSHAALLAH | Simply translated from Arabic to English, InshaAllah means ‘God willing’. This is a very commonly used phrase, as Muslims believe God has power over everything. MASHAALLAH | Simply translated from Arabic to English , MashaAllah means ‘Whatever Allah (God) wills’. Often, it is used as an expression of delight or achievement. JAZAKALLAH KHAIRAN | Simply translated from Arabic to English, jazakAllah khairun means ‘May Allah reward you for the good”. This is commonly used to thank someone or to acknowledge someone’s effort. SUBHANALLAH | In Arabic, SubhanAllah means ‘Glorious is Allah”. This is used when praising God. It is also commonly used as a exclamation like “Wow!”. MASJID | The Masjid is simply the Arabic word for Mosque. Many Muslims refer to the Mosque as a Masjid. Masjids are primarily used for Salah (Prayer) SUBHANA WA’TA3LA | Arabic Praise used after the name of Allah meaning ‘glorious and exalted is He” HIJAB | Headscarf prescribed to Muslim women for modesty purposes SHAHADAH | Declaration of Islamic faith. ASSALAMU ALAYKUM | May peace be unto you.

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