مجلة المسلمات الجميالت الملتزمات
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Contents
October 2010
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Š Copyright Modest Beautiful Muslima Magazine 2009-2010. Reproduction or redistribution of anything from MBM requires proper credit to be given.
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) Jummah prayer The Friday prayer services that Muslims attend weekly. SWT: 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. Photograph: Braedan Yong | Dreamstime.com
Poem: Unity and Peace By: Fida Islaih: a multicultural poet
Unity and Peace
A smile to every person you see, Respect to those you smile at.
Unity is... working together, loving like family; Is peace in the ummah.
Unity is peace... The love this world Should be in.
Peace is...
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From the Editor
In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.
May the peace & mercy of Allah Subhana Wa Taâ€&#x;ala be on you.
Like this letter, most messages that address a group of Muslims begin with wishing peace upon the receiver. Moreover, think about how many times we verbally exchange the wish of peace to one another. Greeting one another with peace is such a beautiful thing which can never be done too much. However, there is something we should be cautious about, especially when the frequency of our greeting increases. Ideally, we should think about what we are essentially saying and appreciate its beauty linguistically. The same holds true when we recite Qurâ€&#x;an or during our prayer. Psychologically, our minds become conditioned after doing something time and time again. As a result, we begin to perform the act or utter the words without really giving them the deep thought they deserve. This is definitely something I deal with in my everyday life and I am sure you all do as well. I would also like to point out that there is nothing wrong with this. Because of its natural and almost inevitable state, we can realize that Allah (SWT) created and programmed our minds to be this way. 4
What we can do is strive to make it a priority upon ourselves to condition ourselves to think about what we say. The fact that we have the ability to condition ourselves and change the way we do things shows the beautiful and dynamic complexity of Allahâ€&#x;s creations. Allahâ€&#x;s perfection is clearly evident in the fact that He has full control of His creations, yet He allows them to control their actions and be the owners of their decisions. Not only is He the true Owner of our bodies and minds, but He is also the owner of what our bodies and minds can potentially do as well as what they are limited to do. This in mind, we must realize that He allows us to control how we act within those constraints. As human beings, when we create something, we hold a great amount of pride in our hearts and it is very common to want to control the outcomes of our creation. This should be a clear indicator to the amount of wisdom we lack, when compared to the All-knower. Now, we are by no means possible trying to measure up with Allah (SWT). However, in this situation, our role is to really study and gain a solid appreciation for what we lack in terms of knowledge, wisdom, and direction. If we look at this much bigger picture, we will definitely come closer to achieving both peace and justice in this dunya. We must also keep the justice and peace of the Hereafter very close to our hearts. When we are remembrance of this and when we truly crave this, it will become clear that there are many things in this life that we cannot control. By definition, a Muslim should be at the forefront of achieving justice and peace in this life. However, this is not the case many times. A Muslim should be at the forefront of understanding that justice and peace can certainly coexist. Many individuals believe that in order to achieve justice, peace must be compromised. Similarly, it is believed that peace means compromising justice. As those who submit to their Creator, we should know that this is not the case. Peace and justice can certainly coexist. This issue will do the best job it can exploring the many facets of both peace and justice. We will try to serve both these topics as much justice as we can (no pun intended). As always, enjoy.
Sister Yasmin Essa 5 Photograph: Dreamstock | Dreamstime.com
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By Dina El-Zohairy *This column was inspired by Sister Arifa Zaheer, from New Jersey*
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This summer, my family and I decided to do something special on the night of the 15th of Sha’ban. We ended up driving to the mosque which houses the shrine of Sayyida (Lady) Nafisah (RA), located on one of the oldest districts of Cairo, Lady Nafisah was known as a great woman and was the descendent of Prophet Muhammad (SAW). To this day, she is still known for her powerful spiritual influence. Lady Nafish was born in Makkah on the 11th of Rabi‟e al-Awwal, in the Hijrah year 145. Her father, al-Hasan al-Anwar is the grandson of al-Imam al-Hasan (RA), who is the son of Lady Fatimah (RA), the Prophet (SAW)‟s daughter. Lady Nafisah moved to Madinah with her father at the age of five. Her father was appointed governor and she got to witness the respect and high status he attained among the people. She grew up to be one of the most well-known women of her era and reached a high degree of asceticism and piety. The Qur‟an was her companion at all times. She regularly recited Qur‟an until it was committed to memory. Yearning to expand her knowledge of the book that was revealed upon her greatgrandfather, she studied the tafsir (exegesis) of the Qur‟an and excelled in it. She also learned the Prophet‟s hadith and sunnah and taught it to others. 6
When she was 16, Lady Nafisah married her distant relative Ishaq al-Mu‟taman, a direct descendant of Imam al-Husayn (RA). She was soon the mother of a boy and a girl, Al-Qassim and Umm Kulthoum, respectively. Lady Nafisa is dearly loved and well-known by Egyptians in particular because she relocated to Cairo when she was 48 and stayed there until she passed away at 63. A rich merchant, Jamal ul-Deen Ibn Al-Jassas, hosted her in his residence for many months, after which she moved to a place of her own. People from all walks of life would visit her to take blessings from her and request her du’aa (supplication). She soon felt that she had little time left for worship and decided to return to her hometown (Madinah). The Egyptians, who loved her so much, pleaded with the Governor of Egypt, As-Sirri Ibn al-Hakam, to convince her to stay. He offered her a bigger house that could accommodate her visitors and suggested that she designate Saturdays and Wednesdays for people to visit, leaving the rest of the week entirely devoted to worship. After some thought, she agreed to stay. It is no wonder why she is called Nafisat al-Masriyyin (the Rare Lady of the Egyptians).
In addition to receiving everyday people, Lady Nafisah organized scholarly gatherings that hosted prominent religious scholars like Imam al -Shaf‟i, founder of one of the four major schools of jurisprudence. Because of her wealth of knowledge, she was dubbed Nafisat al-`ilmi wal -ma`rifat (the Rare Lady of Knowledge and Gnosis). Lady Nafisah‟s extreme closeness to Allah is easily seen in how her du’aa was quick to take effect. Whenever Imam al-Shaf‟i was sick, he would send one of his students to sit in her association and request her du’aa. Without delay, Lady Nafisah would raise her hands in supplication, asking Allah to cure Imam al-Shaf‟i. Frequently by the time the student returned to Imam al-Shaf‟i he would find him already cured, as a result of her du’aa. One time Imam al-Shaf‟i fell sick and as usual, he sent his student to ask for Lady Nafisah's du’aa. She replied with the message, "Tell him that may Allah make his meeting with Him the best of meetings and may Allah lift him to His proximity." When his student returned with this message, the Imam understood that his death was imminent. In accordance to his wish made on his will, Lady Nafisah recited his funeral prayers, from the women‟s section in the masjid. One of the things she said was, “May Allah have mercy on al-Shaf‟i; he used to perform ablution well.” It is reported that she performed hajj (pilgrimage to Makkah) 30 times in her lifetime. Consider the hardships involved in making this journey back then. Additionally, many traveled by foot. She also spent the nights in prayer and most of the year fasting. She spent her money in charity and distributed any gifts or money she received to the poor.
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"I served my auntie Sayyida Nafisah for forty years. I never saw her sleeping at night and I never saw her eating during the day, except the days forbidden to fast - the two `Eids and the Days of Tashriq (11th - 13th of Dhul Hijja)." Zainab once told Sayyida Nafisah, "You must take care of yourself." She replied, "How shall I take care of myself before I reach my Lord? Ahead of me are so many barriers which no one can cross except the successful ones (al-faizun)." She dug her grave with her own hands in one corner of the house and would go down there to pray and recite Qur‟an. It is said that she recited the entire Qur‟an there 190 times. May Allah unite us with Lady Nafisah (RA) in jannah (paradise). She was an exceptional woman who sought Allah‟s satisfaction throughout her life. She was a role model and a source of blessings to the people in her time and continues to be one to all Muslims today.
“„Peace be upon you, as-salaamu `alayki, O Sayyidatina Nafisa, daughter of Hasan al-Anwar, son of as-Sayyid Zayd al-Ablaj, son of As-Sayyid Hasan, son of Sayyid Ali, and of Sayyida Fatima, daughter of the Prophet (s)."
Recite Surat al-Fatiha (Qur`an, 1), Surat al-`Ala (87), Surat al-Ikhlas (112) and al-Muwadhitayn (113, 114).
A word of caution to my brothers and sisters: You may come across many stories of the karamat (miracles) of Lady Nafisah, being a pious worshipper of Allah and one of Ahl al-Bayt (People of the Prophet‟s Household). However, some of these have been disputed while others are outright invalidated. Don‟t forget that Lady Nafisah and other individuals known for their piety (taqwa) are still human beings and slaves of Allah (SWT). Only from Allah must we seek help from. I say this because many Muslims, out of ignorance, believe and act otherwise. Source: http://www.sunnah.org/history/Scholars/nafisa_at_tahira.htm
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By Nadia Ali
Islam promotes the understanding of peace both in the ordinary sense, by developing your spiritual growth through harmony and balance, and through submission to Allah (SWT). So, you are encouraged to take a few simple steps to be contagiously peaceful to family friends and even strangers.
Just say Assalaamu ‘Alaikum (Peace Be Upon You). Itâ€&#x;s amazing that just a simple gesture like giving salaam or saying hello can bring about a smile. Even better, when a response is given, then the gesture is exchanged.
Instilling the message of peace within children at an early age prepares them for life. Provide a sound Islamic foundation by investing in colorful, Islamic books for children, which relate stories from the Qurâ€&#x;an in simple language and cover a vast area of topics. In day-to-day living, be instrumental in the way you handle situations involving your children so that it translates into their everyday actions and reactions to life.
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~ Qur’an 13:28
Thereâ€&#x;s nothing like a family get-together with a big pot of food to enhance the occasion. Talking, eating and socializing with family members helps develop a better understanding of each other. Make time to have the family over, as it brings a sense of belonging, security, stability and peace.
A sense of peace comes from an act of kindness. By doing something nice for someone without being asked, you will surely benefit your receiverâ€&#x;s mood. It can be spontaneous or planned. Either way, the outcome is bound to bring about a smile. Simple kindness can cultivate compassion for and from others.
Needless to say, your neighbors are the closest people to you in terms of distance and it is in your best interest to maintain peace with them so they do not become a daily source of frustration. If you are peaceful and friendly, it may just catch on and they will be contagiously peaceful too!
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Interview conducted by Yasmin Essa Images courtesy of digitalthikr.wordpress.com Images courtesy of Muslim supplications iTune Store page
Sister Yasmin Essa (MBMuslima.com): Assalamu Alaykum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatu Brother Basim. MBM is delighted to have the opportunity to interview you for a „second time. It is also great to see that you already have a new application out so quickly. MashaAllah! Please begin by telling our readers about your brand new “Muslim Supplications” dua application.
Brother Basim Aziz (Innovine Inc.): Wa Alaykum Assalam wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatu Sister Yasmin. It is a pleasure to be back and I am thankful to MBM for the opportunity. I would also like to mention that even though your magazine is geared towards Muslim sisters, there are interesting and relevant articles that apply to Muslim brothers as well. Overall, it‟s a great source for any Muslim! So back to the original question: Muslim Supplications is a dua application for the iPhone/iPad and soon to be released for Android. We designed it so you can quickly lookup, read, and memorize duas easily. It also contains the most comprehensive, wide-ranging, organized library of duas in the app store! All duas are organized into main categories called “supplication books”. You can browse the library of supplication books on a beautiful bookshelf, tap a supplication book to open it, play audio, and bookmark your favorite supplications.
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When did you first get the idea for Muslim Supplications? Furthermore, how did you come to decide that this is what you wanted to do? We started to tinker with the idea at the beginning of January. By the end of January, we had a concept and decided to move forward. Currently, there are decent dua Apps in the app store. However, I felt they lacked a good interface, didn‟t contain enough content, had very little explanation behind the duas, and were not very well organized. We designed Muslim Supplications to address these issues. When was Muslim Supplications officially released for both the iPhone and the iPad? August 5, 2010 Did you find the production of Muslim Supplications to be easier or more difficult than Digital Dhikr? Muslim Supplications was definitely way more involved and a lot more work than Digital Dhikr but Alhamduallah it was worth the effort. In terms of developing the technology for Muslim Supplications, was your team the same team that helped put together Digital Dhikr? Yes, I have an awesome team, Alhamuduallah!
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What are some of the features of Muslim Supplications? Some of the great features of Muslim Supplications are… - Every dua is recorded so that you can play the audio to reference for pronunciation or memorization. - You can browse the duas by a main category organized on the bookshelf in alphabetical order for quick access. - Search for a phrase or word. - Bookmark your favorite duas - Change the font size to suit your needs. How can our brothers and sisters in Islam learn more about Muslim Supplications? digitaldhikr.wordpress.com JazakAllah for answering all of our questions. We certainly look forward to your next Islamic Application, inshaAllah! Do you have any final comments or questions? Jazakallah for the opportunity to interview again with MB Muslima Magazine. I wish MBM success on its ongoing effort to bring us information that encourages us to do good things in this world so we can have good things in the next life, inshaAllah. Go to iTunes and search for “Muslim Supplications” to get your copy of the app. -orGo to directly to the iTunes link. http://itunes.apple.com/us/ app/muslim-supplications/ id385044472?mt=8
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By Inayah Ali Image Credit: Irina Veremeenko
Imagine how different things would be if we never saw a rainbow. They are so rare and not everybody can see them. Rainbows are a very big pleasure and miracle from Allah (swt). Rainbows only come at special times. They form when sunlight shines through millions of raindrops. Sunlight is a mixture of many colors. When the light passes through the raindrops, the light bends and splits into the seven different colors of the rainbow. These colors are red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, and violet. A rainbow makes people feel many different things. For me, I feel very lucky, pleasant, and happy. I also feel very thankful to Allah (swt) for
creating rainbows and letting them shine all over the world. I love when I get to see a rainbow. When asked why she likes rainbows, Ms. Aliya Hoda responded, “Because no one but Allah (swt) can make rainbows. The colors make me feel glad the storm is over. They give me hope.� She also said that rainbows are very rare. She has only seen eight rainbows in her entire life. You can see that rainbows are a very special creation of Allah (swt). They are beautiful and make people feel safe after a storm. When you see this wonderful upside-down smile in the sky, it will bring a smile to your face.
Sibings Rida (age 6) and Rayyan Ali (age 2)from Plainfield, IL enjoying a laugh on Eid day.
Maariya (age 5) and Amin (age 2) Quadri enjoying Eid, mashaAllah.
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(from left) Mariam Syed (11), Lena Ansari (9), Sana Kadir (11) and Aisha Syed (9) enjoying Eid with their new clothes!
Imran Jassim, age 2, is about to give his cousin Ibraheem Ayub, also 2, a big Eid hug.
Fall B Y
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You might not think of putting apples into a soup—unless you have a lot of apples to go around! Everyone knows that the fall season is synonymous with apple harvests, so why not make great use of the abundance and put them into something savory and warm on a chilly fall day?
Image credit: Scott Rothstein | Dreamstime.com
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4 large apples, peeled, cored and diced 1 ½ cup vegetable broth 2 cups apple cider 1 cup crème fraiche 1 tsp. salt ½ tsp. sugar, depending on the sweetness of the apples squeeze of lemon juice ¼ tsp. ground cinnamon :
1. In a medium sauce pan, add the apples, broth and apple cider. Cook for approximately 15-20 minutes. 2. Allow the soup to cool, then puree in a food processor or directly in the sauce pan using an immersion blender. 3. Add crème fraiche, salt, sugar and lemon juice. Adjust to taste. Serve with ground cinnamon sprinkled over the top.
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This is such a lovely dish that celebrates all that is delicious and ready to enjoy in the fall months. Because the roasting temperatures are different for the stuffing and the chicken, you may want to prepare/ roast the stuffing first and then set aside until it's time to serve. Although technically it's not really 'stuffed' into the chicken to cook, you can serve alongside or stuff the bird after both are fully cooked.
Ingredients for the Chicken: 1 6-lb. roasting chicken, neck and giblets removed 2 TB. butter 1 TB. extra virgin olive oil 1 tsp. coarse sea salt ¼ tsp. dried oregano 1/8 tsp. dried marjoram 1/8 tsp. dried lavender ¼ tsp. dried thyme ¼ tsp. dried basil ½ tsp. freshly ground black pepper Autumn Fruit Stuffing Ingredients: 1 loaf rustic bread, cut into cubes (i.e. Italian or French) 1 tablespoon butter 1 tablespoon olive oil ½ cup white onion, diced 2 small apples 1 large or two small pears ½ cup chicken or vegetable stock 1/3 cup dried cherries 1/3 cup dried cranberries 1/8 cup hazelnuts 1/8 cup walnuts ¼ tsp. dried sage salt and pepper, to taste
Image credit: Alexander Glagolev
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Autumn Fruit Stuffing Directions: 1. Preheat oven to 425°. On a large cookie sheet, place bread cubes. Bake for 10-15 minutes. Remove and set aside. 2. Peel, core, and dice the apples and the pears. 3. In a large sauté pan, heat butter and olive oil. Add onions and sauté until translucent. 4. Add apples and pears and cook until soft. Add dried fruits and nuts. 5. Add chicken stock and cook for 20 minutes on medium heat. 6. Remove from heat and add sage, salt and pepper. 7. Pour mixture into a large baking dish. Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 40 minutes, covered. Remove foil and bake for another 10-20 minutes or until stuffing is browned on top. 8. Serve alongside the roasted chicken. Directions for the Chicken: 1. Preheat oven to 375°. 2. Rinse chicken in cool water and pat dry. Place in roasting pan. 3. In a small bowl, mix salt, dried herbs and pepper. 4. Rub butter all over the chicken and underneath the skin. 5. Cover chicken with herb mix and drizzle with olive oil. 6. Turn chicken breast side up in roasting pan and bake for 30 minutes. 7. Turn chicken again so that it is now breast side down. Continue baking for 90 minutes or until the inner part of the meat (away from any bones) reads 180°.
This pie recipe is a combination of variations I've made over the years, testing them with different types of apples and trying out various methods here and there by the advice of family, friends and fellow grocery store shoppers. Honey Crisp apples aren't normally used in pies unless you sweeten them up a bit, so that's just what I did. Now we have what turned out to be one of the thickest, richest apple pies to celebrate the fall harvest.
Ingredients: ¼ cup sugar plus more for dusting Ready-made pie dough 3 Tb. cold butter, diced 5 Honey Crisp Apples, or any semi ¼ tsp. ground cinnamon sweet apples 2 Tb. whole milk or heavy cream plus 2 Tb. lemon juice more for brushing 3 Tb. all-purpose flour Preparation: 1. Preheat oven to 425°. 2. If pie pastry is frozen, follow proper defrosting methods. Keep refrigerated until ready to use, making sure to begin with cold pastry dough only. 3. Peel, seed and core all apples. Remove skins and discard (or they can be dehydrated and later used to make a lovely apple tea). 4. Place all apples in a bowl and sprinkle lemon juice to prevent discoloring. Next, add flour and mix well. Add sugar to coat and mix gently. 5. Place one round sheet of pastry dough on bottom of pie dish. Gently use the tips of your fingers to press the dough outwards so that some is pushed past outer edges of the dish. 6. Place apple mixture in the pastry dish and spread evenly. Place diced butter in various places underneath the apples. Next, add on top. 7. Place second sheet of round pastry dough on top. With the tips of your fingers, press into the bottom layer of pastry dough and crimp. Continue all the way around. 8. Using a straight-edged knife, cut 4 slits into the pie‟s top layer of dough. Brush the entire surface with milk and dust with sugar. 9. Bake for 15 minutes. Reduce heat to 350°, cover the crust with a guard or aluminum foil and bake for one hour or until crust surface is golden brown. Allow to cool completely before serving. Image Credit: Kippy Spilker
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By Tayyaba Syed Image Credit: Mgrg | Dreamstime.com
It was a very crowded day at the park, where my 2-year-old son was very happily playing all around. As he was climbing up a small staircase, he happened to slip and bump his knee. I started to walk towards him to see if he was alright. He was not crying but had just sat down to check for any possible “damage” on his little knee. As I approached him, I saw a young, Caucasian non-Muslim girl, no more than five or six years old, run right past him. Then she quickly turned back around and sat down next to him. “What’s wrong? Are you okay?” she asked my son. He looked up at her and without any hesitation he responded, “I hurt my knee. See,” he said showing her his knee. “Aw. You poor thing. It’s okay. It looks alright to me,” she said and rubbed his knee gently. 22
Then she smiled at him and helped him get back up. He was up and running again like nothing had ever happened. He did not even need his mommy to make him feel better. A sincere little stranger did my job for me. I was so touched by what had just happened. It made me realize how innocent and oblivious children are to all the differences that exist amongst us human beings. Out of the goodness of her heart, that little girl came to my son‟s rescue despite his skin color, religion, or gender. She probably did not even notice any of those things. As children get older, they become more aware of people‟s differences by the influences of their families, peers, and environment. Unfortunately, over time we begin to judge others solely on appearance instead of who they really are.
Image Credit: Roxana Gonzalez | Dreamstime.com
It is easy to consider ourselves as the victims of prejudice and false judgments these days with Islamophobia on the rise. However, we need a more proactive approach when dealing with nonMuslims. Before someone can pass the wrong judgment on us, we need to make sure we have been heard and noticed in a positive light. For example, when we go to the grocery store and approach a cashier at the register, we should make proper eye contact and greet him/her by name. “Hello, Sue. How is your day going?” If there is no name tag, then just greet the individual nicely and ask how he/ she is doing. It is rare that the individual will give you bad service in return to your sincere kindness. This is also a quick and easy form of dawah. A smile goes a long way, and in Islam, we consider it to go as far as sadaqa (charity).
By recognizing that person as someone who is worth being noticed, we will leave a lasting impression on his/her heart.
Instead of expecting to be served and addressed with respect, we should take the initiative to pay respect to the cashier, waiter, or bank teller waiting on us. We should also keep good relations with our neighbors and let them know we exist in peace and not in hiding. The Qur’an states, “Serve Allah, and join not any partners with Him; and do good to parents, kinsfolk, orphans, those in need, neighbors who are near, neighbors who are strangers, the companion by your side, the way farer and what your right hands possess: For Allah loveth not the arrogant, the vainglorious.” (Surah Nisa 4:36) As Muslims, we should strive to become the perfect strangers. The little girl who helped my son in the park is a great example of who we should be at all times. May Allah give her guidance. Remember, for Allah tells us in the Holy Qur‟an, “And the servants of the Most Gracious are those who walk on the earth in humility, and when the ignorant address them, they say, „Peace!‟” (Surah Furqan 25:63)
Tayyaba S. Syed A wife, mother, and writer. She is also a certified substitute teacher and teaches on a part-time basis. She has written for numerous publications including the *Chicago Crescent Newspaper*, *Azizah Magazine*, and *Muslim Quarterly Magazine*. She has been featured on air with National Public Radio's "Speaking of Faith" program as well as Soundvision's Radio Islam. She also does public speaking on marriage and family for Muslim women. She is a lead volunteer for the Refugee Assistance Program (RAP) as well as Camp Busy Bees in Illinois. She finds inspiration for her work through her wonderful family and community.
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Visit her blog at www.tayyabasyed.blogspot.com
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by Brother Kyle Smith One thing that has the ability to destroy relationships with others is when people do not control their anger. I have seen so many fights and arguments over little things that are not worth the energy arguing over. After an individual cools down, they will often realize it was stupid to get into an argument in the first place. Many times, instances occur where failure to control anger cause someone to get seriously hurt. If we do not control our anger, it can be devastating. If we do control our anger not only are there tremendous benefits from Allah (SWT), but we benefit more in this life. Prophet Muhammad (SAW) told us that our good manners weigh the heaviest on our scale on the Day of Judgment. Any nawafel that one can do will not give him/her the same reward as good manners. If one was to stay up all night reading the Quran, praying, and praising Allah (SWT), it would not equate to the reward earned for good manners. In one of my previous articles (can be found in the Activism/Humanity issue), I discussed in detail the three parts of good manners, according to our beloved Prophet Muhammad (SAW). The first is to have a pleasant a face that welcomes people to interact with you. The second part is stopping yourself from hurting others. This is different from not hurting people. Good manners are when a person who has the ability to fight or argue back with someone chooses not to, purely for the sake of Allah (SWT). The third part is to benefit every living thing (people, animals, trees, plants etc.) The Prophet (SAW) described a mumin (true believer) to us as “a wise person” who is “alert to everything that surrounds him”. As a Muslim we should focus on being the best in everything we do. Allowing oneself to become angry is a condition that the Prophet Muhammad (SAW) warned us about in so many hadeeths. When an individual allows themselves to become angry, they are no longer in control of themselves. Think of all the puzzling news headlines such as “a man killed his wife because she did not prepare dinner for him”, or “a man kills his brother over five dollars”. SubhanAllah these things do not make sense logically. However, what does make sense is in these situations, 24 individuals allowed themselves to get angry and lose control. Photograph: Olgalis | Dreamstime.com
When someone allows himself or herself to get angry, it can take only one second to commit a sin that he/she will regret for the rest of their life. Many times, good people make the fatal mistake of surrendering their good actions by not controlling their nafs and being influenced by the shaiytan. One of the companions of the Prophet (SAW) asked the Prophet to tell him something about his deen (religion) that gathers/summarizes it for him so that he can follow it. He wanted it to be short so that he could comprehend it well. Our beloved Prophet (SAW) answered him with only three words: “do not get mad”. Then he repeated those words three times. The Prophet (SAW) gave his companions a piece of advice which he considered a jewel of the mannerism of Islam. He (SAW) said “a tough man is not someone who can knock people down to the floor; a tough man is someone who controls himself when he is angry.” SubhanAllah, if we look at the last part of the hadith, we notice that he did not say you will have good manners when you never get angry. He did not say that because people will get angry, people will aggravate others, and the will say mean things. The real challenge is controlling oneself when angry, through good manners. When one feels that he/she is getting angry, he/she should remember the hadith of prophet Muhammed (SAW), and begin to control ourselves. In a documentary, an attorney recalls being 64 years old after just having his second major heart attack when his doctor gave him a piece of wisdom. In the words of his doctor, “I do not know when you will have your third heart attack, but I can assure you it will be your last”. The attorney then asked his doctor what he advised for him to do, assuring that he would follow it. The doctor told him to “never ever allow yourself to get angry under any circumstance”. Allah (SWT) created adrenaline in our bodies. When our body is under stress or in emergency mode, adrenaline gives our body large amounts of strength. For example, let‟s say that there is a man walking in the desert where he suddenly becomes so thirsty that he can barely even walk. Now let‟s imagine that he comes across a big snake, causing him to runs away with a lot of strength, due to adrenaline. Scientifically we know that adrenaline causes an increase in ones heart rate. When someone gets
a frequent adrenaline rush due to being angry so often, it hurts their heart and damages their immune system. After the attorney heard that advice from his doctor, he proclaimed “I will never allow myself to get angry again”. The attorney was successful in his mission to control his anger. During court case, when he felt that he was getting angry he would excuse himself and leave the courtroom, not reentering until he was calm. He ended up living until he was 100 years old, never again having a heart attack. Islam is the perfect guidance from Allah (SWT) because it does not give you a lofty goal and expect you to figure out how to achieve that on your own. Instead, Islam specifically tells you how to achieve that goal. We received three pieces of advice from our Prophet (SAW) on how to control our anger. One time, two men were in a huge argument with each other, cursing at each other left and right. Moaz ibn Jabl was watching this and he said that the nose of one of them got so red to the point where he thought it was going to bleed. When the Prophet Muhammed (SAW) heard about this, he replied with, “I know a word that if that man said, his anger would have gone away, and that word is 3uthubilahee minashaiytan in rajeen.” This translates to, „I resort to Allah (SWT) from the cursed devil‟. We say this before reciting Quran, and for various other reasons. However, when it comes to controlling anger and keeping the shaiytan‟s influence away, this is the perfect statement. Our Prophet (SAW) also recommended that when we get angry, to immediately make wudu, as if you are about to pray. In the words of our beloved Muhammad (SAW), “nothing put‟s off fire better than the water of ablution”. Third, the Prophet Muhammad (SAW) told us to immediately change our physical state if we are angry. By this, he meant that if we become angry when sitting/lying down then we should stand up. Similarly, if we are to become angry while standing, we should lie down. If you are in the situation where you can not lie down—i.e. a business meeting or somewhere formal, then it is imperative to ease your anger otherwise. Basically, you need to get out of the situation. You can excuse yourself, say 3uthubilahee minashaiytan in rajeen, and purify your nafs and intentions physically by making wudu and mentally by regrouping your thoughts. If we apply these tools while in situations of anger, it is basically impossible to stay 25 angry. The main thing is to first realize our
anger and then apply these tools. One time Prophet Muhammad (SAW) was sitting with Abu Bakr Siddiq (RA), and a man came in and starting cursing Abu Bakr (RA) Siddiq. Keep in mind that Abu Bakr (RA)‟s iman (faith) was equated that of the entire Muslim nation. While the man was cursing him, Abu Bakr (RA) applied his Muslim manners and did not answer the man. When Abu Bakr (RA) turned to look at Muhammad (SAW), Abu Bakr (RA) was shocked at to see Muhammad (SAW) smiling. The man kept cursing Abu Bakr (RA) to a point where he could no longer control himself. Finally, he then responded to the man with some of the same bad things that the man was saying. As soon as Abu Bakr (RA) answered him, he was again shocked by Muhammad (SAW)‟s behavior when he stood up and walked away. Abu Bakr (RA) left the man to go ask Muhammad (SAW) “when he was cursing me you sat down, and then when I started to defend myself you walked away?” Muhammad (SAW) said “there was an angel that Allah (SWT) put there for you, and the angel was answering the man for you, and supplicating for you”. The angel was doing this because Abu Bakr (RA) was holding back his anger. Keep in mind that since this is an angel there is no veil between his supplication and Allah (SWT). Muhammad (SAW) continued “when you started to answer him and lose your Muslim manners, the shaiytan came in”. Prophet Muhammad (SAW) would not sit with the shaiytan. Therefore, in a situation like this, when it appears to others that your just sitting idle and not defending yourself, what they do not know is that your doing it for the sake of Allah (SWT). Furthermore, on judgment day the angels are there to protect, and answer for you for controlling your anger. From this article, it is clear that not only can anger devastate our lives in this dunya, but it also affects our stance on judgment day. We have to immediately recognize our anger, and begin to use the Prophet’s advice for controlling our anger. If we let ourselves get angry, we are choosing the shaiytan over the angels, and he will devastate our lives. If we choose the angels, we will get tremendous rewards inshaAllah.
10 tips for high school seniors Ten tips By Yasmin Essa
MBM Colum Inspired by Sister Glory Ali from NJ.
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Form bonds Soon you will be leaving highschool, along with all the teachers and administrative you have come to know. Make it a priority to stay in contact with those who may benefit you in your planned field. Also, make sure to stay in contact with the intentions of giving back to your highschool
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Know your resources There are plenty! From the internet to on campus, donâ€&#x;t miss out on these. Just make sure to logically analyze every resource in order to validate trustworthiness.
Reach out Get to know students at the college or university you plan on going to. Try to network with those who are in your planned field. Just because you are not there yet, does not mean you should wait until you get there to start. Keep in mind to screen potential friends/academic contacts, with hopes of connecting with those with good character and similar values. It is important to have both Muslim and non-Muslim friends. Just make sure to choose good quality in both.
Give it your all Senioritis sound familiar? Remember that it is important to not slack off your senior year. Keep yourself fresh and build a strong foundation for yourself so that you can start college strong.
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Stay in thikr of Allah You will be so busy-minded that you may naturally do this less than you normally do. Try to make sure that does not happen to you and remember that with Allah (SWT), you have a better chance at succeeding in your goals and aspirations.
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Know your deen College brings a lot of opportunities, both good and bad. If you know your deen and are confident in it, you can get through many hardships in a breeze.
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Get involved with youth activities Get involved in activities for both Islamic causes as well as general humanitarian causes. You must remember that you are the future and you have so much more potential and energy at your age then you will in the future.
Get to know your future MSA Go to their events and get to know the members. If you start doing that before you actually reach college, imagine what friendships you can blossom that will give you added confidence for your first year.
Plan your extracurriculars Find out what extracurricular activities are available at the school you plan on going to. Figure out what you plan to get involved in and try to get involved in activities with a diverse group of people. Most importantly, make27sure you develop good time management and realize that your academics come first, since they are kind of the reason you are even going to college!
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Enjoy your last year of highschool! Simply put, enjoy yourself!! Just make sure to do this while staying within the boundaries that Allah (SWT) has defined for us.
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By Nur Soliman
Image Credit: Raisah Ali
Contrary to many of the experiences I had with religious teachers, Mr. Sa‟ad was kind, gentle, and patient. This meant a lot because Arabic is not my first language. I struggled to get through my Arabic and Religion classes. But things got better in 8th grade with Mr. Sa‟ad, whose main concern to include everyone encouraged me. I was eager to understand the lessons and make him proud of my efforts by learning the assigned ahadith and ayat from the Qur‟an. Although much of what I learned that year has settled into my subconscious memory, one thing he told us has always remained so firmly and consciously engraved in my mind. We had to make sure that the minutes we spent in prayer were rich with meaning, which made each salaat significant to us. When reading the Fatiha and the suras, we had to take our time to fully engage in the meaning of every word and its relation to us as worshippers, which would enrich and heighten our experience
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of the salaat. At the time, the advice had such an overwhelming impression on me because of how simple and effective it seemed. It has never left my mind since, alhamdulilah. Not only is prayer a compulsory practice and pillar of faith, but even more, it is a direct connection with Allah (SWT). When we concentrate more on our words and actions during prayer, the prayer becomes more than ritual; it becomes a way for us to understand ibada(worship) better, and how it shapes us and our outlook on life. The idea of taking a moment to really absorb the deep meaning of the prayer is commonplace to many other religions and practices. A contemplative and meditative Catholic practice called the “centering prayer,” said to originate from the historic Lectio Divina prayer, involves the worshipper contemplating a single word that symbolizes prayer to him or her, and beginning their prayer in that state. Likewise, Tibetan, Theravadan, and Zen Buddhist monks spend hours in deep meditation to achieve tranquility on their path to enlightenment. So it is with Islam; the focus on true thinking and contemplation (tadabbur, ta’ammul, tafakkur) is what makes sincere religious practice meaningful and also valuable to the worshipper. When we internalize the acts and words through our intellect and our heart, they become parts of ourselves.
As Muslims, focusing all our thoughts and feelings into our prayers to reach a state of khushuu’, or awe, and ta’ammul, or contemplation, helps us achieve sincerity in our ‘ibada. By making our salaat a meaningful, enriching experience, it becomes a valuable part of our everyday life. In our day and age, it is quite the job taking on multiple roles such as a daughter, sister, wife, mother, student, and/or employee. Even in light of the chaos we face on a day to day basis, it only takes a few minutes to incorporate prayer into our day. Our daily life more or less revolves around the five salaat and life becomes a little easier to persevere and enjoy. When we recite our suras, we should take the time to take in each word and each meaning, and how it relates to our existence as humans living to worship
and please Allah (SWT), who in turn helps guides us with His greatness and His mercy. When we perform rukuu’ and sujuud and say, “subhana rabi aladheem” or “subhana rabi al-a’laa,” we should contemplate how humbling and rewarding it is to bow down in worship while praising the Creator. In taking our time to understand and absorb the meaning of the words we utter during prayer, it makes a huge difference. It doesn‟t make your schedule any less hectic, or your life less full of responsibilities. Making the most out of our prayers can definitely help us down the road in encouraging constant dhikr of God. In remembering Him, there is a definite sense of contented rest that makes everything worth it. Most importantly, it will benefit us in both this life, and the next life.
Nur Soliman is a recent graduate from the American University of Kuwait, earning a BA in English with honors of summa cum laude. Nur was editor-in-chief of The AUKuwait Review, the campus arts and literary journal. She was also the arts section editor of The Voice, the campus newspaper. She has been published in regional and international publications. Nur hopes to pursue an MA in Art History in the near future, inshaAllah. Her interests lie in the arts, Central Asian culture, and jazz.
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The glitter scattered in the night sky and the waters beneath that reflect are only passing dreams in this dunya Who are we to plant our seeds in this earth but do not bed them in the heavens where they are everlasting, if that is where our deserved abode should be Metal bars surround this world, unseen to those who fervently swim in search of pearls but are apparent to those who press their heads in sujood whilst their beds weep for their tired bodies Heaven consists of houses beside the crashing waves, high peaks in Switzerland and women whose lips plump up to the kiss of a syringe For a believer, it is a suffocation of goods and theories and philosophies that go against the fitrah of man
By Mariam Al-Kalby
It is the aches of the body yearning to do good but the lies and temptations dressed in the forms of presidents, ribah, and hookah bars shout from beneath our windows calling us to be one of them Abu Huraira reported Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) as saying: “The world is a prison house for a believer and paradise for a non-believer.”
This world is only a passing hour, a blink, trapped in this Milky Way and when the tears of the dying non-believers are swallowed in flames the believers’ joyous tears melt into the rivers of paradise
Mariam Al-Kalby is a graduate from Cal State Long Beach with a B.A. in English Education and Creative Writing. She currently is a Religion Editor for InFocus News and has also contributed articles to muslimahsource.org. She also likes to create designs and likes to write short stories, poetry, articles, anything that is writing! For more info contact her at digging4truth@gmail.com Photograph: Summersea | Dreamstime.com Advertisement
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www.HABIBIHALAQAS.org Webinars & Resources for Sisters By Sisters
MBM wishes you the best to memorize this, inshaAllah! If you already know this Surah, please refer to previous issues with previous Qurâ€&#x;an Challenges.
Surah Al-Bayinnah (The Clear Evidence) Translation Credit: http://noblequran.com/translation/surah98.html Transliteration Credit: http://www.islambasics.com/view.php?bkID=30&chapter=98
In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful Bismi Allahi alrrahmanialrraheemi 1. Those who disbelieve from among the people of the Scripture and among Al-Mushrikun, were not going to leave (their disbelief) until there came to them clear evidence. Lam yakuni allatheena kafaroo min ahli alkitabi waalmushrikeena munfakkeena hattata/tiyahumu albayyinatu 2. A Messenger from Allah, reciting purified pages [purified from Al-Batil (falsehood, etc.)]. Rasoolun mina Allahi yatloo suhufan mutahharatan 3. Containing correct and straight laws from Allah. Feeha kutubun qayyimatun 4. And the people of the Scripture differed not until after there came to them clear evidence. Wama tafarraqa allatheena ootoo alkitaba illamin baAAdi ma jaat-humu albayyinatu 5. And they were commanded not, but that they should worship Allah, and worship none but Him Alone (abstaining from ascribing partners to Him), and perform As-Salat (Iqamat-as-Salat) and give Zakat: and that is the right religion. Wama omiroo illa liyaAAbudoo Allaha mukhliseenalahu alddeena hunafaawayuqeemoo alssalatawayu/too alzzakata wathalikadeenu alqayyimati 6. Verily, those who disbelieve from among the people of the Scripture and Al-Mushrikun will abide in the Fire of Hell. They are the worst of creatures. Inna allatheena kafaroo min ahli alkitabi waalmushrikeena fee nari jahannama khalideenafeeha ola-ika hum sharru albariyyati 7. Verily, those who believe including all obligations ordered by Islam] and do righteous good deeds, they are the best of creatures. Inna allatheena amanoo waAAamiloo alssalihati ola-ika hum khayrualbariyyati 8. Their reward with their Lord is 'Adn (Eden) Paradise (Gardens of Eternity), underneath which rivers flow, they will abide therein forever, Allah Well-Pleased with them, and they with Him. That is for him who fears his Lord. Jazaohum AAinda rabbihim jannatu AAadnin tajree min tahtihaal-anharu khalideena feeha abadan radiya AllahuAAanhum waradoo AAanhu thalika liman khashiya rabbahu 33
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