The Stories of 40 Inspirational Muslims under 40 by MBMuslima Magazine

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THE MAGAZINE FOR THOSE WHO CHOOSE TO DEFINE THEMSELVES THROUGH THE CREATOR, NOT THE CREATION

HALA AMER

SUZY ISMAIL

HALEH BANANI

FATIMA A. KHAN

MONA HASSAN

AHLAM HASSAN

LETICIA ABDULLAH

PANZU SHANZE

SAKINA DADA

YASEMIN KANAR

SABA GUL

LEENA BUTT

TASNIM NAZEER

HEATHER ANEN

UZMA BAWANY ALI

SOHA MASHAL

REMZIYA SULEYMAN

YASMIN MOGAHED

40 UNDER 40 The Stories of 40 Inspirational Muslims

NOUMAN ALI KHAN

KHALID LATIF

LINA IDELBI

AMINA SAYEED

MUHAMMAD ALSHAREEF

YASIR QADHI

AMAN ALI

SALMAN RAVALA

YASEEN POONAH

ISLAM ELFAYOUMI

EMAD HAMDEH

SAMEER SARMAST

USAMA CANNON

YOUSEF ERAKAT

ABDELRAHMAN MURPHY

HAMZAH MOIN

ABDULLAH JANGDA

FEBRUARY 2012 mbmuslima.com

JAVED ALI

ASHFAQ MOHIUDDIN

BOONAA MOHAMMED

QASIM BASIR

SHARIF ALY

RABI `AL-AWWAL 1433

“There is something beautiful to be said about those who work towards greatness, with the ultimate goal of pleasing the Greatest.”

MBMUSLIMA

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 Sister Yasmin Essa COVER PHOTOGRAPHY Credits Throughout Issue COVER BACKGROUND IMAGE Anna Rutkovskaya | Dreamstime.com VISUAL ARTS INTERN Bint Muhammad PUBLISHING INTERN Sister Aisha B. Ali EDITING INTERN Sister Sarah Mostafa FASHION INTERN Sister Shahirah Elaiza RELATIONSHIP SPECIALIST Sister Tayyaba Syed MARRIAGE SPECIALIST Sister Fatima A. Khan HALAL CULINARY SPECIALIST Sister Yvonne Maffei BROTHER’S AMBASSADOR Brother Kyle Smith PARENTING COLUMNIST Sister Ameera Rahim

Welcome to the Stories of 40 Inspirational Muslims This is an exclusive feature edition of MBMuslima magazine where we have dedicated our entire issue to recognizing 40 individuals who have been voted as the most inspirational Muslims under 40. The purpose of this feature is to recognize the work of 20 sisters & 20 brothers who have been recognized as doing extra in their community. As Muslims, we strive to do everything solely for the Creator of the Heavens and the Earth. At the same time, the beautiful religion of Islam is all about following good examples. We feel that featuring 40 inspirational Muslims will help open the world‘s eyes to the beautiful work that is being done in the name of Islam.

2012 EDITORIAL CALENDAR January: I Love Islam February: 40 Inspiring Muslims 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

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KID’S SECTION CONTRIBUTOR Sister Meriam Essa

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FREESTYLE COLUMNIST Sister Jennifer Fawzy

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FEBRUARY 2012 3

CONTENTS signature items

fashion This section is on hiatus this month to accommodate for 40 under 40 and will return in March inshaAllah.

4 Letter from the Founder 4 Letter from the Assistant Editor

health & well-being

Special Feature: 40 under 40

brotherâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s section

9 Sisters 10 Honorable Mentions (Sisters) 14 Top 20 Brothers 19 Honorable Mentions (Brothers)

15 Getting to know your Father-in-Law

relationship 5 Inspiration in Creation Sister Tayyaba shares a spine-chilling story about the difference between the inspired and the inspiration

5 5 Minutes with Fatima A. Khan

This section is on hiatus this month to accommodate for 40 under 40 and will return in March inshaAllah.

Brother Kyle shares some great and very practical tips to get to know your Father-in-Law This section is reduced this month to accommodate for 40 under 40 and will return in March inshaAllah.

parenting & children This section is reduced this month to accommodate for 40 under 40 and will return in March inshaAllah.

international This section is reduced this month to accommodate for 40 under 40 and will return in March inshaAllah.

As always, we are impressed by Fatimaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s lovely, delicate & awesome advice

spirituality & everyday life 6 Give Thanks to Clean Water Brother Gareth shares some real talk on how we take clean water for granted, while sharing a great project he is involved in

6 Convert Corner Brother Kyle shares personal experience & great tips for fellow converts

6 Interview with Angie El Sherif Mariam Al-Kalby, Founder of Maktoob, interviews Angie El Sherif, founder of Wise Wives

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20 Quran Challenge We have a very beautiful ayah for you to learn

the arts: visual, vocal, culinary 20 Art & Intellect with Bint Muhammad Umm Turaab shares with us the internal & external beauty of Al-Khaliq This section has been greatly reduced this month to accomadate for 40 under 40 and will return in March inshaAllah

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Bismillah Al Rahman Al Raheem In the name of Allah, the Most Beneficent, Most Merciful. Assalamu alaykum wa RahmatUllahi wa Barkatu, May the peace and blessings of Allah SWT be unto you,

Welcome to the 40 Under 40 issue of MBMuslima! We are so glad you found us, alhamdulilah. We pray that you leave this issue feeling appreciative, refreshed, inspired, creative, and faithful, inshaAllah

FROM THE FOUNDER Dear Readers, There is something beautiful to be said about those who work towards greatness, with the ultimate goal of pleasing the Greatest. When an individual who believes in Him strives to achieve excellence in their community, it is unlike any other striving. Suddenly, it is no longer about boosting one's ego or being impressive to the creation. Sometimes we see the work or project of another individual and in our limited human minds we wonder, "how did they do that?" This greatness we see in the work of individuals is none other than a glimpse of a reflection of our beloved Creator. When Allah subhana wa ta3la puts barakah (blessings) in our projects, we are no longer the ones in charge. In fact, we were never really in charge in the first place. But sometimes Allah subhana wa ta3la puts hardship in our way. We should recognize this hardship as a blessing. Sure, it's easy to notice a blessing when it is perceived as 'good' by our limited human eyes. But what about hardship? I'd like to argue that hardship is perhaps a bigger blessing than ease. Ultimately, our whole life is a test from Allah subhana wa ta3la. The good things are tests and the bad things are tests. Have you ever noticed that when hardship comes your way, that it comes in massive volumes from every direction of your life? Everything blows up in your face. When life gets like this, we get upset, we cry, we complain, and we wonder why this is happening to us. Ever wonder why you can never find solace from human beings when things are at their worst? Suddenly we find ourselves all alone and we wonder why no one around us is able to help us, regardless of how good our relationship is with them. This is when we are forced to turn back to the One. The One who was there all along. The One we've been neglecting. The Only One

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FROM THE ASSISTANT EDITOR Inspiration They inspire us to be patient, and place all of our faith in Allah ta3la when everything around us is pushing us to become fraught with frustration and impatience. They inspire us to keep holding on to our faith just when we start to waver, and remind us of the preciousness of duaa‟. They inspire us to start making a habit of keeping sunna prayers in addition to our obligatory five prayers. And sometimes, they do all of this without saying a mbmuslima.com

who can help us. The One who gave us those individuals in our life that bring us happiness. The One who sometimes takes away those individuals to remind us that He is the Only One. The One who never changes. While we as human beings don't see this as ideal, maybe we should start shifting our focus. When God puts hardships in our paths, it is truly out of His mercy. The best part? He gives us the beautiful promise that: "with every hardship, comes ease." Then He reassures us "verily, with hardship comes ease." And this is not just any ease. I don't need to tell you, because you've experienced it. The ease that comes after hardship is quite possibly the most beautiful thing we have in this transient life. So while we may not see the initial mercy in hardship, we should start seeing hardship as a means to get close to the Only One that can help us, and as sign that we will soon be granted the sweetest feeling of ease. While my goal is not to switch the conversation entirely to hardship, I want to emphasize this point because it is so crucial when recognizing the work of our beloved brothers and sisters. When reading about inspirational work, you must be able to recognize the invisible hardship that goes on behind the scenes. It was beyond refreshing to learn about many individuals whom I've never heard of before. We inshaAllah hope that both Muslims & the community at large will be inspired by the work of these amazing individual. We also ask that you make duaa (supplication), asking Allah ta3la to keep our brothers and sisters both sincere & steadfast in their work. Enjoy the Issue! Jazakum Allahu khairan, Sister Yasmin Essa, 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.

single thing, or by the words they consistently share with us. Sometimes it feels like those who have inspired you most have a very invisible effect on how you live, and yet it is a lasting, pervading, and real effect. It‘s not just what they say, or what they do, or how they behave in themselves or with others, but one or more of those combined. Sometimes, it‘s a single thing they have said that articulates, brilliantly, exactly what you‘ve been trying to explain or solve in your own mind; sometimes it‘s something someone does in passing, a silent gesture or expression, that reminds you

of the wonderful things we can do, and we should strive to do in our everyday lives. Artists and writers who suffer from ‗creative block‘ sometimes romantically attribute their lack of inspiration to the absence of a Muse, who they hope will return and inspire them again. Sometimes, it feels like that; we all need something to constantly remind us, something to inspire us, be it words, something someone says or does, or something we see around us; they are all signs from Allah ta3la to encourage us to capture inspiration and to rejuvenate ourselves as we fill with renewed energy and new reminders

to do things better, to change the way we live, to keep going on. 5 Inspiration, or ilham, is a beautiful word, I think. The Qur‘an itself is full of inspiration, of words that can uplift and rejoice, encourage us and rekindle our faith and our drive to increase our „ibada and seek Allah ta3la, coming closer and closer. Alhamdulillah, we are often blessed to know, encounter, or hear people who give us ilham. They instill in us a great energy and sense of new life; they revive our faith, our confidence, our determination, and we look to them for assistance and advice, to remind us which paths to take. When we at MBMuslima asked you, our dear readers, to nominate 40 inspiring Muslims under 40, you nominated and voted for people you knew in

person, but also public figures. Inspiration can come from all kinds of places, as you showed. From imams, sheikhs, teachers of durus, writers, bloggers, community leaders, to neighbors, friends, and fellow brothers and sisters – all of these people served as an inspiration to at least one person, and that makes all the difference. To be able to inspire through the strength of your character, the wonderful way in which you can communicate in person or through your words, the goodness of your demeanor, or the great skills you build on and use, to the way in which you seek the way of Allah ta3la through humility, dedication, faith, and love in worship, you inspire others to do the same, and the rewards of you both are great insha‘Allah.

I am thrilled with the names and stories of those in our 40 Under 40, and even those who were nominated but did not make it – each of these brothers and sisters have touched a fellow Muslim in a positive way, and I hope that in reading and learning about our Top 40 nominees, you too will be inspired to go on perfecting our deen and our iman through the guidance and light of Allah ta3la, through the teachings of our beloved Prophet Muhammad salalaho alayhi wa salam. Enjoy the Issue! Jazakum Allahu khairan, Sister Nur Soliman

INSPIRATION IN CREATION By Tayyaba Syed Arafat was not what I had imagined it to be. I thought we would all be scattered over a mountain top standing under the blazing sun making du'a to the Almighty. As many things do not go as planned on Hajj, the Day of Arafat was definitely one of them. We got to Arafat from Mina sometime after Fajr had come in. We had the luxury of riding on the train which was a real breeze, alhamdullilah. Upon arriving, we made sure to find a decent spot to camp out in our tents that we would sharing with 200 or so other women from other groups as well. After making ourselves comfortable (maybe too comfortable), we fell asleep right away. We got up a few hours later ready for the day ahead. We freshened up and grabbed a light meal. I thought we would get to go to Mount Rahma and make du'a (supplication) there with the rest of the world. Lo and behold, we were told it was way too hot and sunny outside, so we must stay inside our tents. I could not believe it! This day was considered to be the actual day of Hajj, and I was supposed to spend it in a tent? That was not going to feel very ―Hajj‖ like to me. Then again nothing really had thus far. So now what were we supposed to do? Well most of us decided to stay in and do our ibadah (worship) within the tent except for maybe a few rebels who ventured out of the tent. So there we were on the non airconditioned side of the tent standing all the way in the back. We started making our du'as

towards the direction of the Qibla. One of the amazing things about Hajj is the new forms of ibadah (worship) you experience. At the Ka'bah, this was doing tawaf and sa'ee and then in Arafat it was standing in wuquf and then in Muzdalifah it was sleeping under the millions of stars amongst millions of people. I think it was over 4 to 5 hours we had between Dhuhr and Maghrib that we had to stand. At least that is what is recommended for Hujjaj. It did not seem so hard at first: just standing in one place and making du'a to Allah. But then it got hot. And then my legs got tired. And then my clothes got sticky and sweaty. And then my Arafat buddies started dropping like flies. And then I was getting hungry. And then my arms hurt. And then my feet hurt, my back hurt and my neck hurt. And then I wanted to give up. It seemed as if I could not do it. I wanted to quit so badly, especially when so many women around me were taking time out of crucial wuquf hours to eat lunch. Then I saw it. I saw my inspiration. It was this innocent thin-trunked tree standing in qiyam right in front of me. Yes, there was a tree inside our tent, a couple of trees actually. This particular tree however, caught my eye. This is because someone had tied a rope around it to use as a weight to hold up our side of the tent. Not only was it standing there in complete stillness worshipping its Creator, it was also helping to hold up shelter and shade for us

relationship Hujjaj from the blazing sun. Was this creation complaining at all? No! It was there witnessing our every move, our every minute wasted or used, our every word uttered or abused, our every effort or lack of it in this blessed plain of Arafat. Yet no one seemed to even notice it except for one other woman who was much older. She was my other inspiration to continue standing during those few hours. She was so resilient, mashaAllah and stayed upright making sincere du'a to Allah. She did not care to engage in all the socializing and eating taking place around her. She was standing right in front of this humble Arafat tree the whole time as an example for all of us young and old. I did eventually step out of the tent to do some ibadah outside before the sun set that afternoon. That was a whole other experience in itself and will have to be shared separately. After Maghrib and after all the hugs and congrats I sat there staring at the tree again in wonderment. Did it notice me? Is it going to speak against or towards my worship for this Day of Hajj? I shared my thoughts with a few of my Hajjis, and everyone started wondering the same thing. The same inspirational woman from earlier happened to be lying underneath the tree now. Instead of wondering about the tree like the rest of us, she took her water bottle and watered the soil and roots of this blessed tree of Arafat. That is the difference between the inspired and the inspiration.

Five Minutes with Fatima A. Khan, relationship coach, MBM’s Marriage Columnist Our Prophet sal Allahu alaiyhi wa sallam said, "Every small bone of everyone has upon it a charitable act for everyday upon which the sun rises" (Sahih Bukhari and Muslim). In this light, each part of our very being carries the purpose of bringing good to ourselves and those around us, either through prayer or an act of charity. What inspires you to do good at the start of each day? Is it your Fajr salah? Is it the greeting of salaam to your spouse? Think of your inspiration and make it your first daily deed for the sake of Allah.

www.lifepepper.org mbmuslima.com

GIVE6SHUKR (THANKS) TO CLEAN WATER

spirituality & everyday life

By Brother Gareth Bryant AUTHOR’S NOTE: Unlike my other articles, I did not write this all by myself. This article before you is the compilation of a great team of individuals (Khadeejah Bari, Sarah Elalem, Ruann Ibrahim, and Guadalupe Mercado.) Known formally as The One Ummah Team, (we are the X-Men-version of nonprofits:) whom I am very proud to be working with diligently, in raising much need awareness, concerning our planet‘s devastating global water-crisis. As anyone who has been paying attention to this issue knows full well, 1 Billion Human beings (1/7 of our Human family) are dying and/or wasting away from curable/treatable diseases, like Malaria. Due to a reason that is explained using three words: NO CLEAN WATER!!! Water (not just water, but clean-water) is one of life‘s most undeniable basic needs. Can you ever imagine living without it for just a single day? Nearly 1 billion people in the world today have been subjugated to live without clean-water everyday of their lives, resulting in their unfortunate suffering and unnecessary deaths. One in every seven people worldwide do not have access to safe, clean water to drink and/or

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TIP FOR CONVERTS: BE ACTIVE! By Brother Kyle Smith SubhanAllah, when you become active (for the sake of Allah subhana wa ta3la) doors will open for you. Opportunities that you never imagined will fall right into your lap. Not too long ago, I was asked to teach a class about Islam at a public school. The children were 8th graders. After I finished the lesson plan, their teacher asked if I wanted to share my story (meaning how I came to Islam). SubhanAllah, I had never even told her that I was a convert. Someone else must have informed her of this fact. Of course, one never wants to sound preachy, so I usually do not share my experiences with anyone unless I am asked. This situation was exactly that, being that I was asked. This relates to an ayah in the Quran ―And those who strive hard in our cause, we shall surely guide them to Our avenues. Indeed Allah is with mbmuslima.com

the doers of good." (Quran 29:69) In Ibn Kathir‘s tafsir, he states that ―Ibn Abi Hatim narrated that Abbas AlHamdani Abu Ahmad -- one of the people of Akka (Palestine) -- said, concerning this Ayah; "Those who act upon what they know, Allah ta3la will guide them to that which they do not know.'' In my situation, I was striving for the sake of Allah subhana wa ta3la, by teaching his Deen to others. However, I had no idea that an opportunity would come to me, through sharing my story. Sharing my story was a great opportunity for dawah, which I would not have even had if it was not for the will of Allah ta3la. Essentially, we need to be active and strive in the way of Allah ta3la and he will open up doors and opportunities for us that we could have never imagined. He may open the door for you to share your story, as he has done with me on numerous occasions, Alhamdulilah.

wash with. A mother loses her child every nineteen seconds, due to one or more water-related diseases, like Malaria for example. Just try to imagine; being a parent forced to give her children water from a local swamp, a swamp that animals bathe in, because it is the only source of water nearby. Your imagination is sadly their reality. We casually take showers lasting up to 30 minutes and leave the faucet running as we do our dishes, or brush our teeth. We nonchalantly do our laundry on a regular basis, all without realizing the precious value of this tremendous blessing. For most of us, it is not until we are sacrificing food and drink during Ramadan, that we begin to reflect upon the utmost importance of this great favor bestowed upon us by our ever-giving Creator. I think that it is pretty safe to assume that most of you out there reading this article, who were either born, raised or have lived most of your lives in the Developed/Western-World; have never been denied clean water. None of us have ever had to leave our homes, having to walk anywhere between 5-20 miles, to fetch water that is not even clean, but rather is dirty and disease-infested. We simply turn on the tap, and clean-water comes out!

INTERVIEW WITH ANGIE EL SHERIF, FOUNDER OF WISE WIVES By Mariam Al-Kalby, Founder of Maktoob,

Angie is a twenty-six year old who has been married for four years and is also the mother of a 2-month-old baby named Noor. She was born and raised in California. Originally from Egypt, Angie works as a freelance writer and editor, and is currently editing and publishing 3 children‘s Islamic books, inshaAllah Wise Wives Club in Orange County and Los Angeles, CA is a group for Muslim women whom; while believing marriage is a partnership, want to enhance the quality of their marriages based on Islamic principles. ―Together, and with Allah's guidance, we can discover ways to become better wives and build a peaceful, rewarding life with our husbands. We‘ll talk, watch videos, listen to live speakers, read books and articles, share stories and experiences, and much more.‖ Why she started Wise Wives: "I started Wise Wives because last year, in 2010. I realized that there is a lot to learn about the Islamic principles of a marriage. And how learning and applying these principles can help a marriage transform itself tremendously. I realized that everything we need to know is right there in our religion, either in Hadith or in the Quran, when it comes to marriage. We just need to learn it and apply it in order to have happy, fulfilling and peaceful marriages." Her goals: "As I am no expert in neither religious studies, nor relationships, my goal for Wise Wives is basically to bring the experts to the wives of our community. For example we have had best selling authors, like Laura Doyle, author of the book The Surrendered Wife come in for several presentations along with a private 4-week workshop. We have had religious studies teachers and certified marriage coaches teach us these great principles as well. We get to learn from people who are going to teach us not only the basic Islamic rights and responsibilities of each spouse, but how to apply these concepts, why we have them, and how they can benefit us. We also get to learn from experts in the field of marriage and relationships, whether Western or Islamic, who preach the same ideals. It was a great shock for me to find that there were American authors writing about the same ideals even though they were not in a religious context. For example, a lot of my inspiration came from, not only Laura Doyle's book, but also, John Grey's Men are from Mars and Men are from Venus and Dr. Laura Schlessinger's The Proper Care & Feeding of Husbands. It was interesting to find that books such as these, which emphasize things like respecting your husbands and putting your household first, arose from this feminist culture. (continued on page 8)

In the Quran, Allah subhana wa ta3la says, ―Then you will surely be asked that Day about pleasure.‖ (Quran 102:8) We will all be 7 asked about the enumerable blessings and privileges that our Creator has granted us abundantly. We are immensely obligated to show gratitude to Allah ta3la, for all of His endless endowments. Allah ta3la also says, "And [remember] when your Lord proclaimed, 'If you are grateful, I will surely increase you [in favor]; but if you deny, indeed, My punishment is severe.'‖ (Quran 14:7) We have been chosen to have this gift of existence, life senses, resources, etc. It is upon us, as a duty to Allah ta3la, for us to be grateful for any and all that Allah ta3la provides us with, without even having to ask or work for. If we do that, we will be given more of Allah‘s bounties. What better way to thank Allah ta3la, for this gift of clean water, than to help those who do not even have clean water, one of the simplest of Allah‘s immense gifts? Some may shrug their shoulders, some may shake their heads, few will ask how to help, and even fewer will actually reach out their helping hands. It is our moral obligation, as people chosen to have this incredibly divine blessing, that we ensure that everyone else has sustainable sustenance. It is not our greed or selfishness, but our indifference that has plagued our society and led our nation away from the foundation that our Prophet Muhammad sallahu alayhi wasallam and his Companions radiya Allahu „anhum have laid down for us. Theirs is a foundation that directs us to compete and rush to do good.

We all have the ability to do something substantial about this water crisis. I am a part of a team of Muslims, who joined efforts to raise $20,000 to sponsor a water-well that will supply 4 communities through a reputable nonprofit organization named Charity water. Our initiative, Give Thanks for Clean Water, is intended to be an annual effort until everyone in our world has clean water. This article just took 2.5 minutes to read and in that time, almost 8 children have died who did not have to die if more of us would have done something about it. Please, join our team, donate, propagate, or whatever you can do. Share this message with others and donate! mycharitywater.org/givethanksforcleanwater facebook.com/pages/Give-Thanks-for-CleanWater/279668625408538 twitter.com/oneummahwater youtube.com/watch?v=U7viqHIZPnY May Allah subhana wa ta3la instill the utmost compassion in every member of humanity, so that we empathize with the plight that others endure. May Allah ta3la make us love for our Human brothers and sisters what we would love for ourselves. May Allah ta3la make us always extremely grateful for our blessings. May Allah ta3la protect us from indifference, one of the greatest evils that plagues our society. Ameen!

For more on Brother Gareth‘s writing, visit: www.garethbryant.wordpress.com Advertisement

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brother’s section 8

Getting to know your Father-in-Law By Brother Kyle Smith This tip is for all the soon to be husbands inshaAllah. The tip is, get to know your fiancé‘s father inshaAllah! Do not get to know him for the wrong reasons, e.g. so that you can appear that you are a nice guy. Rather, get to know him with the intention that you want to establish a bond with him, purely for the sake of Allah subhana wa ta3la.

HELPFUL TIPS 1. Be up front. Do not try to hide anything from him. When you do this make sure that you are real with him, i.e. honestly answer any questions that he may have. Tell him things before he asks. He will appreciate your honesty. 2. Respectfully listen to what he has to say. You may not always agree with his philosophies, but that does not mean you should not show him the utmost respect. Listen to what he has to say, and thank him for any advice he gives. 3. Joke around with him. Life is too short to be serious all the time. Joking around with one another will make it much easier for you two to open up to each other. Furthermore, joking is connected with smiling. As we all know a smile is so special in Islam. The Prophet sallallahu alayhi wasallam said ―your smile for your brother is sadaqah (charity.)‖ (Fiqh us Sunnah, Volume 3, No. 98)

Continuation of Interview with Angie El Sherif (page 6)

But I guess when it comes to what works, you have to go back to basics and these authors realized this." How it has benefitted Angie: "Creating and running Wise Wives has been a very fulfilling experience for me because, not only do I get to help numerous women find the right path to being good wives, but I also get to learn from all of the great speakers in order to improve myself."

4. Show him a plan. Present him with a plan on how you will provide for your family and support his daughter. It is most likely that his daughter is of utmost importance to him. He will feel more at ease if he knows that you have a plan. Do not forget that you must work extremely hard at your plan. 5. Remember to keep your intentions straight, i.e. remember that you are working hard for the sake of Allah subhana wa ta3la, rather than working to show off to your soon to be father-in-law. The fact that you are working hard for Allah ta3la‟s sake, will help your soon to be father-in-law feel unperturbed. One of the problems with marriages nowadays (particularly non-Islamic marriages) is that there is not much of a process of getting to know the family. Occasionally, people will not even tell their parents that they have found someone until they are already engaged. Sometimes they will wait until they are married before they even tell their parents! This is totally backwards, as one of the main purposes of getting married is establishing a family. Therefore, it makes no sense when people do not want to include their own family in the process. Alhamdulillah, as Muslims if we practice Islam correctly, we will not have this problem (inshaAllah). So let us practice Islam correctly by establishing a good relationship with our soon to be father-in-laws for the sake of subhana wa ta3la. Other info: Wise Wives is not just about the club meetings. It is also a website where you will find an organized list of the Islamic duties and responsibilities of each spouse as well as 100 tips that wives should abide my for a good marriage, a blog updated frequently with new and useful information or videos relating to the topics and a bookshelf full of recommended books. Wise Wives is very proud to announce a Los Angeles branch as well. Visit www.wisewives.org

A MARRIAGE BLOG FOR MUSLIM WOMEN

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Marriage Tip of the Month Do something ridiculously nice for your spouse. It doesn‘t even have to cost you a penny. Just do something they won‘t expect. Go!

“Advocating Serenity of the Heart” Biography compiled by Nur Soliman

Image Credit: yasminmogahed.com

MBMuslima‟s 40 under 40: #1 Most Inspirational Sister

YASMIN MOGAHED

It is unarguable that Yasmin Mogahed has touched the hearts of hundreds of readers and listeners worldwide, affecting hundreds by her honest, spiritual, and deeply relevant insights into Islam and the lives of Muslims in the 21st century. Her reflections are diverse and touch on a world of subjects, from death and living to love and marriage, from the role of men and women in Islam to the importance of Ramadan and salaat (prayer), as well as very relevant political events, all with the noble intention of helping fellow brothers and sisters reach greater heights in their spiritual and personal development and achieving a sense of community. Yasmin Mogahed received her Bachelors in Psychology and her Masters in Journalism and Mass yasminmogahed.com

“Dedicated to Serving Islam” Biography compiled by Nur Soliman

Image Credit: Ahlam Hassan

MBMuslima‟s 40 under 40: #2 Most Inspirational Sister

AHLHAM HASSAN

Ahlam Hassan is a true leader who is said to have "dedicated her whole life to serving the cause of Islam". She is the director of the MAS-Youth chapter in Brooklyn, where she is a full time volunteer that organizes many different events, such as summer camps, trips, spiritual retreats, workshops, etc. She works on a daily basis for the empowerment of the youth. She organizes events, fosters programs for the youth at her

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Image Credit: Ahlam Hassan

Image Credit: islamicsocietybu.wordpress.com

Communication from the University of WisconsinMadison. After graduation, she served as the Sister‘s Youth Director for the Islamic Society of Milwaukee, and taught as a writing instructor at Cardinal Stritch University, later working as an independent media consultant based in North Carolina. Yasmin is a prolific writer and has written for various international print and online publications; previously, she was a staff columnist for the Islam section of InFocus News, and has contributed a book chapter on the portrayal of Islam post-9/11. Currently, she writes for the Huffington Post, and is a staff writer for Imam Suhaib Webb‘s website, Suhaibwebb.com, where she contributes many articles. Yasmin lectures extensively on Muslim affairs around the States, leading sister‘s halaqas in Orange County, CA, and speaking at conferences and events nationwide. Yasmin also hosts her own show, ‗Serenity,‘ on One Legacy Radio, where she discusses faith, spirituality, and relationships from an Islamic perspective, and has recently found a highly enthusiastic group of followers after founding her own website, yasminmogahed.com, where she posts articles and podcasts. An anonymous nominator writes of Yasmin, ―she inspires people to look beyond the distractions of the dunya and remember the true purpose of life and how to live without losing hope.‖

Sister Ahlam is a common name at the MAS Youth Center in Brooklyn, where she "mentors youth, she becomes their sister, mother and friend.

“Inspiring Sisters Towards Modesty” Biography compiled by Nur Soliman

Image Credit: Yasemin Kanar

MBMuslima‟s 40 under 40: #3 Most Inspirational Sister

Reminding sisters of the importance and beauty of the hijab can be a challenge when young women are pressured by images and perceptions of beauty from the media. Sister Yasemin Kanar, perhaps better known as YaztheSpaz, is one of many young sisters who inspires other young women by reminding them why they chose to put on their hijabs, and how they can wear it in a beautiful, stylish way. With quotes from Coco Chanel, Yasemin posts about the need to count blessings from Allah subhana wa ta3la and dedicate yourself to self-improvement, while posting a photograph of herself wearing a new, brightly-colored hijab. Self-described as a hijab, make-up, and

fashion consultant, Yasemin has a great online presence thanks to her YouTube videos, with about 10,000 subscribers to her many creative and useful hijab and make-up tutorials, and her site YazTheSpaz.com, where she posts entries and updates to her shop. Yasemin also has nearly 3,000 followers on Twitter and 19,000 fans on Facebook, confirming her as a popular source for young Muslim women to turn to for fashion advice. Of Cuban and Turkish descent, Yasemin was raised in the U.S. She is a recent graduate of Florida International University, graduating with a degree in Biological Sciences; she hopes to be a physician‘s assistant or businesswoman in the near future. Yasemin used to work at a bakery decorating intricate fondant cakes while managing her online presence. She credits her passion for the arts and creativity as leading her to experiment with make-up and hijab-wearing that has inspired her to wear them both with modesty and beauty. Her supporters also describe Yasemin as an inspiration for many Muslim women ‗finding their own identity and [are] honored to be Muslims,‘ citing her dedication to corresponding and connecting with sisters worldwide, motivating them to find beauty in their hijab. Yasemin also is known to support fundraisers and charities as well as helping promote Islamic business ventures and projects, and encouraging her fellow Muslim women to wear their hijabs with pride and explore various ways to make it enjoyable and pleasing to wear, while still maintaining their own standards of modesty and elegance. Yasemin‘s engaging style with her subscribers and followers, her fun quirky way of communicating her ideas and styles, all have garnered her a secure audience.

yazthespaz.com

HONORABLE MENTIONS

Alaa Al Hajj Ambereen Nasir Courtney Zaghari Mask mbmuslima.com

Elham Abdel Tawwab Faiza N. Ali Hala Al Kayyali Halimeh Al-Aqrabawi Hoda Mitwally Ibtihaj Muhammad Jeanette Larocque Kameelah Janan Rasheed

Image Credit: Yasemin Kanar

YASEMIN KANAR

She helps them through their struggles as teens, inspires them and pushes them to become great Muslim leaders." Those who know Ahlam Hassan always mention her with good, because of her many great accomplishments and the love she has for the work she does.

Image Credit: icnyu.org

local youth center, and leads local halaqas. Ahlam has mentored hundreds of young women and helped them become the leaders they are today.

Kanika Aggarwal Maneeza Dawood Mashal Azhar Milia Isla Morium Akthar Nadine Abu Jubara Naheed Hasnat Senzai Rabiah Ahmed

Sanaa Bdiiwi Shabana Mir Shabana Patel Sheela Shneezai Soha Abdeljaber Soulafa Amer Tayyaba Beg Taiyyaba Qureshi

“Making Disabled Children SMILE” Biography compiled by Aisha B. Ali

SAKINA DADA Sakina Dada founded the Canada-based organization SMILE, which helps raise awareness of the restrictions children with disabilities often face

“Half Entrepreneur, Half Social Activist” Biography compiled by Aisha B. Ali

SABA GUL Saba Gul is the founder of Business and Life Skills School (BLISS), a Pakistan-based organization that encourages female education and assimilation into society. Gul, who was born and raised in Lahore, mbmuslima.com

Pakistan received her Bachelors and Masters degrees at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). She was first inspired to create an organization that promoted female instruction in 2008, when she heard Arti Pandey and Damon Luloff of Barakat Programs speak. She soon realized that if educating women could both provide for families and teach young girls, then families would be motivated to send their daughters to school. Upon visiting Attock, a city in northern Pakistan, she saw, first-hand, the incredible embroidery skills these women had and realized that if she could somehow bring these two elements, skill and education, together these girls could greatly benefit from their talent; thus BLISS was born. The organization not only educates it‘s female students in subjects such as mathematics, Urdu, and English, but also teaches them valuable embroidery skills, which they then use to design handbags. The profits from the sale these handbags help fund the school. In fact the purchase of one bag can keep a girl in school for four to six months. BLISS, however, is not solely targeted at young women;

Image Credit: Saba Gul

Image Credit: technologyreview.com

MBMuslima‟s 40 under 40: #5 Most Inspirational Sister

Image Credit: Sakina Dada

MBMuslima‟s 40 under 40: #4 Most Inspirational Sister

and hopes to bridge cultural and societal gaps. Dada holds a Masters in Occupational Therapy from McMaster University. She has spent time across Africa and North America volunteering her time with children and adults with disabilities. She was, however, ultimately inspired by a cousin who had developed disabilities such as loss of sight and hearing, at a very young age. As his condition progressed, his debilitations became worse and she began to see the social and physical limitations he encountered. He later became her inspiration for SMILE. But how does SMILE operate? Volunteers meet with the children and their families to ensure they are being provided with sound provisions. The organization also provides the families with scholarships to help fund various types of therapy and social work. SMILE also hosts various events throughout the year with entertainment for children and interactive workshops for parents and caregivers. The association takes many strives to develop a wide range of support programs that can provide funding both monetarily and emotionally. smilecan.org

Though the institute currently operates in the northern regions of Pakistan, Gul has every intention of expanding her project to help educate the rest of Pakistan‘s underprivileged female population. bagsforbliss.org

Author. Speaker. Teacher. Suzy Ismail is the author of both fiction and non-fiction works, including a book entitled When Muslim Marriage Fails. She also teaches in the Communication department at the University level. Through her work as a speaker, an author and a teacher she has tried to educate the world in various fields, including marriage. suzyismail.webs.com

HALA AMER

#10

MONA HASSAN Educator

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#11

UZMA BAWANY ALI

Founder, Thaakat Foundation Uzma Bawany Ali founded the Thaakat Foundation, a non-profit organization which aims to better communities, across the United States, Asia, and Africa. thaakatfoundation.org

Founder, Muslim Mom Network Hala Amer has recently started an online blogging site for Muslim women to discuss motherhood. The first of its kind, Muslim Mom Network, allows new Muslim mothers from all around the world to connect and shares tales of their life as mothers. She resides in NJ. muslimmomnetwork.com Image Credits: today.duke.edu

Image Credits: Suzy Ismail

SUZY ISMAIL

LEENA BUTT

Photographer Leena Butt, an avid photographer, has her own blog where she posts her own photographs of the world around her. Her work often showcases important issues within the community such as various events sponsored by CAIR-LA. leenabutt.tumblr.com

Mona Hassan holds a Bachelor‘s degree in History and Middle Eastern Study and a Masters and Doctorate in Near Eastern studies from Princeton University. She now teaches Islamic Studies and History at Duke University. She also does research in Islamic Studies and hopes to build a greater connection with the community through education of Islam.

Image Credits: harrowtimes.co.uk

Founder of LifePepper.org Fatima A. Khan has dedicated the past few years to starting a safe haven for Muslim women. LifePepper.org is a website geared towards teaching Muslim women to build successful marriages. Though the difficulties of marriage have always been a challenging, and quite often a taboo subject; Fatima Khan has tackled these issues in an innovating way. She has created a means in which women no longer feel ashamed of their marital woes, but instead choose to seek help to better their lives. lifepepper.org

Image Credits: Leena Butt

FATIMA A. KHAN

Image Credits: Hala Amer

Image Credits: Fatima A. Khan

Image Credits: Uzma Bawany Ali

in fact, many of the women, who come from older generations, help teach the young girls embroidery skills. This not only helps educate the younger female population, but also teaches the older generation valuable skills in social interaction.

#12

TASNIM NAZEER

Journalist. Tasnim Nazeer‘s articles have b e e n p r i n t e d i n va r i o u s publications, including on CNN and The Muslim News. She is most noted for her work against the Burka ban in France in the past few years. She is also the project leader of iMedia, an online resource for Dawah. tasnimnazeer.com

Image Credits: salhilahcentral.com

#14

AMINA SAYEED

Educator Amina Sayeed is the founder of Salihah Central, an online resource center for women to learn more about Islam. She also developed Camp Busy Bees, a Camp for Muslim children, which helps them develop strong Islamic ideals. salihahcentral.com

#15

HALEH BANINI

Writer. Psychologist. Haleh Banani is a clinical psychologist who uses her field in combination wit h Islamic teaching to help Muslims worldwide. She hosts a program mbmuslima.com

PANZU SHANZE

Founder & Chef, Frosted Fantasies Panzu Shanze, born in Brunei, is a Pakistan-based chef who specializes in desserts. Her catering company, Frosted Fantasies, provides food for all types of occasions. And not only does her cuisine taste great, but she promotes female entrepreneurship in Pakistan. As one Muslim sister put it ―Insha‘Allah one day, with her determination and struggle, women here [in Pakistan] will be as recognized as they are in every other part of the world.‖ facebook.com/frostedfantasies

#17 Image Credits: Heather Anen

SOHA MASHAL

Image Credits: Panzu Shanze

#16

Active member, ICPC Masjid &NJIT MSA Soha Mashal served as treasurer of the New Jersey Institute of Technology MSA for three years, helping in event coordination and mentoring. She is now treasurer of IamY at the Islamic Center of Passaic County, a youth program at her local masjid, in NJ.

Image Credits: halehbanini.com

HEATHER ANEN

Youth Coordinator, JMIC Masjid Heather Anen is the Youth Group Coordinator at the Jam-e-Masjid Islamic Center in Boonton, New Jersey. She is also involved in organizing interfaith dialogue and representing Muslim women in her community.

Image Credits: njitmsa.com

on Al-Fajr TV entitled ―With Haleh,‖ where she helps other with their personal issues to become better Muslims. Her articles have been published in various magazines in the United States and Egypt. halehbanani.com

#18

LINA IDELBI

Active member of NJIT MSA Lina Idelbi is an active member of the New Jersey Institute of Technology‘s MSA. Her art and media is often used by various organizations, such as the NJIT MSA and IamY. According to one sister, she pushes ―Muslims to learn how to better present Islam‖.

#19 Image Credits: Leticia Abdullah

#13

LETICIA ABDULLAH

Active member, SF Islamic School PTO Leticia Abdullah is an important asset within the San Francisco Islamic School community. As a member of the PTO she helps run the Sunday School and the Islamic after-school program. She also helps organize various events throughout the year and creates teacher curriculums. Image Credits: Remziya Suleyman

Image Credits: Soha Mashal

#20

REMZIYA SULEYMAN

Activist and Policy Coordinator Remziya is an activist for the Tennessee Immigrant and Refugee Rights Coalition. Remziya Suleyman is a political activist and one of the largest voices in the upheaval in Tennessee regarding anti-Shariah law. She continues her struggle for religious equality.

“Showcasing the Beauty of the Quran”

Image Credit: wasatstudios.com

Biography compiled by Nur Soliman

MBMuslima‟s 40 under 40: #1 Most Inspirational Brother

NOUMAN ALI KHAN

“A Gem to Our Ummah” Biography compiled by Nur Soliman

Image Credit: Auburn Seminary

MBMuslima‟s 40 under 40: #2 Most Inspirational Brother

KHALID LATIF mbmuslima.com

Supporters describe Imam Khalid Latif as ‗a gem to our ummah,‘ bringing Muslims together, and showing genuine, heartfelt care to the community and it isn‘t hard to see why. In his unfailing dedication and devotion to the Muslim community and for community service, Imam Latif was recently named one of the 500 Most Influential Muslims in the World in 2009, by Georgetown University‘s Prince Alwaleed Bin Talaal Center for MuslimChristian Understanding and the Royal Islamic Strategic Studies Center in Jordan. Imam Latif is the first Executive Director and Chaplain (imam) for the Islamic Center at New York University, where he was appointed in 2005. In 2006, he was also the first Muslim Chaplain of Princeton University until his position at NYU icnyu.org

Image Credit: nakcollection.com

With his erudition and eloquence, his obvious conviction and passion for his faith, Ustadh Nouman Ali Khan has recently become a highly influential speaker and scholar on Islam, attracting a large following of dedicated listeners. From discussions on the respect children must have towards their parents, to a tafseer on the first ten ayat of Surat alBaqara, kindness to strangers, or the importance of spirituality and „ibada in Ramadan, Ustadh Khan has impacted and touched the hearts of younger brothers and sisters with the relevancy of his topics, the intelligence of his insights, and the depth of his knowledge of the Qur‟an and the hadith, knowingly affecting the hearts of his listeners. Ustadh Nouman was first introduced to the study of Arabic in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, where he was a student in primary or elementary school. He continued his studies in Pakistan, where he earned a

scholarship as one of the top 10 scores in the national Arabic studies board examinations in 1993. He began his serious, formal training in Arabic in 1999 in the United States under the instruction of Dr. Abdus-Samie, the founder of the Qur‘an College in Faisalabad, Pakistan, who gave him a keen methodical understanding of Arabic and Arabic grammar. Later, Ustadh Khan translated his teacher‘s works in English, internalizing his teachings and passing them on to his own students. Ustadh Khan taught as Professor of Arabic at Nassau Community College (SUNY), and taught Modern Standard and Classical Arabic in various institutions, teaching over 10,000 students nationwide. Ustadh Nouman is the CEO and founder of Bayyinah Institute, an educational establishment dedicated to spreading awareness of and appreciation for sacred texts, making them more accessible, as well as teaching the Qur‘an and Arabic, where he is an instructor to courses such as ‗Fundamentals of Classical Arabic,‘ ‗Divine Speech,‘ and tafseer or exegesis of the Qur‘an in English, along with instructors such as Sheikh Abdul Nasir Jangda. In addition to his fine work in teaching about the Qur‘an and the Arabic language, Ustadh Khan has devoted himself to an extensive linguistic and literary analysis and tafseer of the Qur‘an in English at Bayyinah Institute. He also teaches about Islam and everyday life, relationships, and worship in his popular video lectures. Ustadh Khan also is a frequent speaker at the Islamic Circle of North America Conventions (ISNA) about Islam, family, and other relevant topics. bayyinah.com

Imam Latif‘s efforts with interfaith and intercultural relations and his dedications to the cause on a daily basis was recognized citywide, and he was nominated to be the youngest chaplain in the history of the New York City Police Department in 2007 by Mayor Michael Bloomberg at the young age of 24. Imam Latif has tirelessly given from himself to support America‘s largest Police Department, developing fine skills as a spokesperson and representative for co-existence, mutual understanding and respectful, fruitful relationships between cultures, religions, and worldwide communities.

“A dollar in my pocket plus a dream”

not be afraid of who they are.‘ A 21-year old American university student of Palestinian origin, Yousef resides in California and, in his own words, spends much of his free time ‗dressing up like his parents, belly-dancing in Apple stores, and Ustreaming with all his supporters.‘ His videos and Vlogs record his comic sketches and opinions about Middle Eastern culture and Islamic tradition, gently poking fun of certain traditions or traits, and using hilarious jokes and punchlines to deliver a rather serious, earnest message. In Yousef‘s own words, ‗doing what I do is a little bit more difficult than you would think because I come from a very opinionated and strict culture, so it needs to be taken down with a spoonful of sugar.‘ The sheer number of views on his videos is testament to his popularity. His videos represent an under-represented community, certain generations of Muslim and/or Middle Eastern youth living in a globalized community and trying to discover their identities as practicing Muslims or members of a Middle Eastern cultural f a m i l y a n d community, all while having an honest laugh. Comedians always run the risk of being criticized by

Image Credit: Yousef Erakat

Biography compiled by Nur Soliman

MBMuslima‟s 40 under 40: #3 Most Inspirational Brother

YOUSEF ERAKAT

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#3 Image Credit: Yousef Erakat

Known to over 22 million viewers and over 100,000 subscribers as FouseyTUBE, Yousef Erakat has produced some of the most popular viral comic videos on YouTube. His humorous parodies of Middle Eastern homes have struck home with many viewers who find his depictions of Middle Eastern and Muslim youth and families realistic, hilarious, or both. From his ‗Middle Eastern Driving School‘ series to his ‗Middle Eastern Parents‘ video, every update to his page is a hit with hundreds of thousands of viewers. In the words of an anonymous supporter, Yousef shows the importance of a good sense of humor and ‗gives teenagers the strength to

Image Credit: icnyu.org

became officially institutionalized in 2007 and he began devoting all his efforts to the establishment. Under his leadership and supervision to support a pluralistic American Muslim society on campus and beyond, the Islamic Center at NYU became the firstever established Muslim student center at an American institute of higher education, a leading organization in contributing to the future of the Muslim community in the West. His uniquely intense, compelling style and motivational way of offering insights into spiritual development and religious awareness have made him a highly popular and sought-after speaker. Imam Latif has spoken at the University of AlabamaBirmingham, the University of Pennsylvania, the University of California-Berkeley, Columbia University, Princeton University and Harvard, and his sermon ―Real Men Don‘t Hit Women‖ was a runner-up for the Faith Trust Institute‘s National Sermon Contest in 2009. He has also shared his insights and wisdom with institutions, corporations, mosques and other communities in Canada, Denmark, the Netherlands, Spain, and Egypt.

those who do not like their taste or sense of humor, but many will agree that, as he says in his own words, Yousef tries to ―open the eyes of others and defeat stereotypes worldwide… [promoting] humanity and peace and [doing] the best [he] can to spread a positive message.‘ His depictions of his family and friends, of himself in the roles of various

Middle Eastern / Muslim stereotypical characters, male and female, have sparked wildly positive reactions and even prompted other YouTube users to create similar video responses to their cultures and communities, prompting a new way to explore one‘s identity in a fast-changing, multicultural global community, and be able to smile at it. youtube.com/fouseytube

“Meet the Maniac Muslim”

Image Credit: Umar Shahzad

Biography compiled by Nur Soliman

MBMuslima‟s 40 under 40: #4 Most Inspirational Brother

HAMZAH MOIN

Ontario; active in his career and education, Moin is quoted as saying that the values of his parents influenced his development and perspective on his culture and religion, which in turn makes his view of Islam infectiously attractive and compelling. Hamzah Moin studied Marketing at the DeGroote School of Business at McMaster University, where he was a member of the school‘s MSA. After graduation, Hamzah worked as a Route Marketing and Sales Representative for Frito Lays before working with a consultancy company and working as Marketing & Branding Manager at Razi Group. Moin is currently regional director of MIST (Muslim Inter-Scholastic Tournament) in Toronto. MIST was started in 2002 by 18-year-old Shazia Siddiqi from Texas who hoped to protect Muslim identity post 9/11. Hamzah continues to support and lead his regional MIST group by creating teams that are open and inclusive of Muslims and non-Muslims in the hope of bonding students across schools and neighborhoods and strengthening the community. Each year, MIST brings together 700 Muslim students together to participate, making MIST a household name in Canadian communities. Hamzah is also the founder for the popular, humorous website called ManiacMuslim.com, where he hopes to accurately represent the Muslim community while showing that they can be humorous as well, providing a platform for the voice of Muslim youth. Hamzah‘s humorous written articles, videos, stand-up, and illustrated comics have made a real positive impact on youth. It‘s an intelligent, witty take on Muslim, Middle-Eastern, and South-East Asian culture and activities, Western misperceptions of Islam, and humorous commentaries on all things Muslim or Islamic, maintaining a well-rooted stability of faith while shedding light on some of the strange and humorous things that happen in our communities.

With his comic, scathingly witty commentaries on the stereotypical khutbas in a mosque or the awkward setups at Muslim weddings, Hamzah Moin has firmly established himself as one of the top satirical Muslim comedy writers, writing from a wildly witty and unique perspective such as his take on Harry Potter, humorously entitled ‗Farooq Siddiqui and the Muslim Students‘ Association,‘ or his illustrated proposal of fun -filled Muslim board games, giving Muslims a plat form t o look lightheartedly at the quirks and workings of their community while being proud of their distinctly unique heritage and family culture. As one supporter writes, Moin‘s writing and other work ‗make[s] Muslims feel good about themselves through humorous observations,‘ and touches ‗Muslim audiences that wouldn‘t otherwise receive naseeha.‘ Of Indian origin, Hamzah Moin is a Canadian Muslim born in Hamilton and living in Burlington, Image Credit: sagennext.com mbmuslima.com

maniacmuslim.com

“Engaging the Community Thru Media” 17

Image Credit: Abdullah Jangda

Biography compiled by Aisha B. Ali

MBMuslima‟s 40 under 40: #5 Most Inspirational Brother

Salam Studios, a media company that serves to bring Islam to a wider audience in the 21st century. At Qalam, he has produced online content which has been viewed online over 100,000 times and is also brain behind many of their programs. Along with these responsibilities he also has his own YouTube channel (where he posts various lectures and ―vlogs‖ to educate others), blog, AbdullahJ.com (where he posts media content and comments on various issues), and an active twitter account (where he is able to better keep in touch with Muslims around the world). Through his various media outlets, Jangda hopes to educate the masses not only about Islam, but various social issues. He is also actively involved with the Mansfield Islamic Center where he leads prayers. He has been leading Taraweeh prayers at various Islamic Centers in the Dallas area for 7 years.

ABDULLAH JANGDA Abdullah Jangda was born and raised in Arlington, Texas. At a young age, he moved to Karachi, Pakistan and attended Jamia Binoria, an Islamic institution, where became a hafiz of the Qur‘an. Jangda plays a large role within the larger Muslim community. He plays a vital role as the media manager at Bayyinah Institute and the Mansfield Islamic Center, where his responsibilities include web design, web development, photography, and videography, among other things. He is also an administrator of Qalam Institute and the CEO of

#5 Image Credit: Abdullah Jangda Image Credit: Salam Studios

salamstudios.com Outreach program designed to strengthen the Muslim Ummah through various interactive programs. taleefcollective.org

Storyteller. Reporter. Comedian. Aman Ali, co-founder of the ―30 Mosques in 30 Days‖ adventure, is a New York based reporter who has gained recognition for his work in public media. Through his work, he hopes to increase acceptance of Muslims in the United States, not only by nonMuslims, but by other Muslims as well. AmanAli.net mbmuslima.com

USAMA CANON

Founder of Ta‟leef Collective Usama Canon converted in the late 90s, just as the global public perception of Islam was undergoing major changes. Since then he has worked to help Muslims from all walks of life embrace Islam and be the best Muslim they can be. He is the founding director of Ta‘leef Collective, a California-based

Image Credits: Yaseen Poonah

AMAN ALI

Image Credits: Usama Cannon

Image Credits: Aman Ali

YASEEN POONAH

Founder of Naseeha Yaseen Poonah is the founder of Naseeha, a Muslim Youth Helpline, designed to provide today‘s young Muslims with the support they need in an anonymous, toll-free, confidential

Educator. Scholar. Speaker. Yasir Qadhi holds a Bachelor‘s degree in Hadith Sciences and a Masters in Theology from the Islamic University of Madinah, and is pursuing a doctorate in Islamic Studies at Yale University. He is also an instructor and the Dean of Academic Affairs for AlMaghrib Institute, an organization established to facilitate Islamic studies through seminars held multiple times throughout the year on various Islamic topics. He has written numerous Islamic books on various topics including the science of the Qur‘an, and du‘aa, is often a guest lecturer at various events across the United States. Yasir has appeared on various Islamic television stations such as Islam Channel and PeaceTV.

Image Credits: Javed Ali

#10

JAVED ALI

Founder of ILLUME Media Inc. Javed Ali is the founder and CEO of ILLUME, a magazine geared towards Muslim-Americans. The mbmuslima.com

MUHAMMAD AL SHAREEF

AlMaghrib Institute & DiscoverULife

Muhammad Alshareef is the founder and president of AlMaghrib Institute, an organization designed to spread Islamic knowledge, and DiscoverULife, a personal development company focused on developing young Muslim leaders. His other projects include IlmWeek, EmanRush Audio, and IlmSummit. He is currently working on his Masters degree in marketing at West Virginia University. almaghrib.org

#12 ABDELRAHMAN MURPHY

Founder of Roots AbdelRahman Murphy is the founder of Roots, a youth center located in Knoxville, TN catering to Muslim teens and young adults. The organization, which is based on the principles of enrichment, recreation, and outreach, serves to better the Muslim youth and community by offering a safe haven for children to learn and grow spiritually. rootsprogram.com

Image Credits: icpcyouth.com

#13

EMAD HAMDEH Chaplain. Writer. Teacher. Leader Emad Hamdeh graduated with a Masters in Islamic Studies and a Chaplaincy Certification from Hartford Seminary. For the past two years he has served his community as chaplain at the New Jersey Institute of Technology, where he counsels students and conducts classes. He also teaches Arabic language and culture at Montclair State University. He has written a book on the Necessity of Hadith and is the Editor-in-Chief for the New Jersey Muslim Youth Newspaper ―One Voice.‖ Emad is an active Youth Leader at his local masjid, the Islamic Center of Passaic County. onevoicemyn.com

Image Credits: muslimheroes.wordpress.com

YASIR QADHI

#11 Image Credits: almaghrib.org

publication seeks to spotlight the life and culture of Muslims living in America through journalism illumemagazine.com

Image Credits: AbdelRahman Murphy

Image Credits: Yasir Qadhi

manner. He is also a part of various other organizations such as Young Muslims Canada, Feed the Streets campaign, and The Green Initiative. YoungMuslims.ca

#14

SALMAN RAVALA

Founder, Dollar-A-Day Salman Ravala is the founder of the Dollar-A-Day Scholarship Fund, which provides scholarships, mentorship, leadership, career and profession development resources to Muslim -American students. Through this organization he hopes to decrease illiteracy in Muslim communities all over the world. As an attorney, he also provides free legal services to those facing financial hardships. muslimscholarship.org

#15

ISLAM ELFAYOUMI

Doctor. Speaker. Leader. Islam Elfayoumi is Chief of Internal Medicine at St Mary‘s Hospital in Passaic and at the Holy Name Hospital in Teaneck, New Jersey. He is an active member at his local masjid, the Islamic Center of Passaic County, where he gives weekly lectures titled ―The Guiding Light.‖ He also speaks at various university MSA‘s and masjids throughout the year, spreading knowledge of the Deen.

#18 ASHFAQ MOHIUDDIN

Founder of the UMMA Center. Ashfaq Mohiuddin is the founder of the Urban Muslim Minority Alliance, or (UMMA) Center, an organization which seeks to educate and empower the Lake County community. Not only does UMMA serve to educate the community, but it also focuses on giving back to the needy through various programs such as the Ramadan Adopt-a-Family initiative. ummacenters.org

HONORABLE MENTIONS Aaqib Ahmed Abdullah Al-Mamun Abdul Nasir Jangda Abu Productive Akbar Rafiuddin Ammar Khan Arif Patel mbmuslima.com

BOONAA MOHAMMED

Poet. Performer. Boonaa Mohammed is a critically acclaimed writer and performer. Through his poetry he expresses his beliefs and his love for Islam and enlightens his audience on the Deen. boonaa.com

Arbazz Muhammad Basheer Alebdy Cyrus Mcgoldrick David Coolidge Faraz Khan Ferras Alhomsi Gareth Bryant Gary Larocque Ibrahim Abdul-Matin

SHARIF ALY Executive Director, Oak Tree Institute Sharif Aly, a graduate of Hofstra Law School, is well known throughout New York for his work with MAS, the Muslim American Society, and the Oak Tree Institute. Both organizations help educate Muslims in the community and help them develop into the leaders of tomorrow. oaktreeinstitute.org

#20 Image Credits: Sameer Sarmast

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#19 Image Credits: Sharif Aly

Image Credits: Imran Salha

QASIM BASIR

Director. Writer Qasim Basir is the writer and director of the movie ―Moozlum‖, a film which shows a young man‘s journey back to Islam. The film hopes to increase tolerance and acceptance of Islam around the world. moozlum.com

Image Credits: ummacenters.org

#17

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Image Credits: Qasim Basir

SAMEER SARMAST Founder, Sameer‟s Eats Sameer Sarmast is the founder of Sameer‘s Eats, a Youtube channel that showcases some of the best Halal restaurants around the United States. Through his work, he encourages the Muslim Ummah to stay within the dietary laws of Islam while promoting Muslim business. sameerseats.com

Ibrahim Khan Imran Salha Javed Memon Kyle Smith Nihal Khan Mike Swies Mohammad Najib Mustafa Davis Omar Awad

Peter Abdul Malik Casey Rami Kawas Sami Elmansoury Shomail Malik Sultan M Babar Tariq Hussain The Wudu Room Umair Khan Zarrar Beg

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COMMONLY USED WORDS DEFINED 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.

Art & Intellect with Bint Muhammad For the sake of helping each other to continuously please Allaah (Al-Khaaliqu (The Creator) [He created everything in the universe, including the largest clusters of millions of galaxies,and He created the stars, the sun, the moon, and the constellations; think how they spin around the world incessantly, controlled by an exact system, the day and night, the seasons, and how perfectly everything in this earth fits. He created each and every one of us, and no two individuals have the same fingerprint in this world. When we look within ourselves we can find the most telling signs that point to Our Creator and Originator.That there is no honor for one's soul except with submission to Allah. True salvation. “Let man, then, observe from what he has been created.” (Quran 86:5 )

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.

QURAN CHALLENGE Take the time to learn, memorize, and internalize the tafsir of this beautiful ayah in Febraruy, bi‘itnAllah. RESOURCES Quran.com IslamicNature.com Tanzil.net QuranExplorer.com

Bismillah alRahman alRaheem ―O mankind, indeed We have created you from male and female and made you peoples and tribes that you may know one another. Indeed, the most noble of you in the sight of Allah is the most righteous of you. Indeed, Allah is Knowing and Acquainted.‖ (Quran 49: 13) Sahih International Translation: quran.com/49

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