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Salam Aleykum
( May God’s peace and blessings be upon you) April -2017, Volume 3, Issue 4 ISSN 2377 - 9624 Publisher & Editor-in-Chief : Mohamed Haroon Sait Editor : Nabeel Sait Design & Layout : Mubin M.K All content Copyright ©2016 Muslim American, Inc. except where otherwise noted. Please contact the editor or publisher directly to obtain reprint permission and guidelines. Opinions expressed in this magazine are those of the advertisers or individual contributing writers and not necessarily those of the editor or publisher of this magazine. This magazine is published monthly. Article Submission : Editor@MuslimAmerican.com Advertising inquiries : Haroon@MuslimAmerican.com Muslim American 400 Arrowhead Dr East Charlotte, NC 28213
Phone: (704) 597-5424 FAX: (704) 597-9310
www.MuslimAmerican.com
By the grace of God, distribution of the Muslim American magazine has now reached most cities in the Carolinas. I am grateful for all those mosques who have graciously agreed to distribute this magazine to their congregation and also the businesses, to their customers. I sincerely thank them for their help and support. I assure you that my goal will always be bridging the various Muslim communities through exchange of ideas, information and inspirations. I seek help from God in achieving that end. As a reader, you can play a major role in that by notifying us of all the good things that you are doing at your Mosque or Islamic Centers. Feel free to call us or email us any time to share your thoughts or to update us on upcoming programs. If the magazine is not reaching your community directly from us, I would like to know that. So I can make arrangements to have them delivered to you in time. I hope you enjoy the articles and will support the businesses that have supported us. Thank You.
Mohamed Haroon Sait Publisher and Editor-in-Chief
Contents Open House Event at Raleigh IAR ...............................06,07 One Route to Heaven.......................................................08,09 The History and Achievements of CIC.........................11,12 Open House Event at Columbia................................13,14,15 Health and Physical Activity...........................................16,17 To Bee or Not To Bee; Benefits of Beekeeping ..........19,20,21 Gluten Free Haleem .......................................................22,23 Family…clan…tribe…people. .....................................25,26 Interview with Sheikh Abdool Rahman Khan...............27,28 4
For Questions, Article Submissions,and General Communication, Please write to:
Editor@MuslimAmerican.com
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Community
Meet your Muslim Neighbor
Islamic Association of Raleigh Outreach director Fiaz K. Fareed explaining the tenants of Islam to a packed audience. About 700 people from diverse faith and non-faith backgrounds attended the open house.
Attendees were treated with a multi-ethnic cuisine after the presentaions.
The open house is a regular annual feature at the IAR. The 2017 open house was particularly important since we had received a multitude of support messages and personal visitors offering support to the community based on what they heard in the media and the environment in general against Islam and Muslims. The goal of the open house was to give a face to 6
the words of gratitude that we have been putting up on our website, as it was not possible to reach out to each and every note that we received. The outreach effort this year had youth members promote the event through social media to reach out to the people. Since we interact and host churches and institutions throughout the year, we have contacts with many
professors and clergy. The feedback has been absolutely positive, with people requesting to repeat such events perhaps three or four times a year. To say the least, they mentioned they loved the presentations, the imam’s address and the food. Things could have been done much better in terms of providing comfortable
Imam Mohamed AbuTaleb speaking to the audience.
Imam Muamar Dahnoun meeting with the visitors.
space for the attendees, but due to and people are welcome to come our limitations, the hall was full on Friday prayer services.Since we have more than decade of and people sat on the carpet. experience in conducting such Open house events are being events, we will have some insight promoted by many Islamic on how to setup the program. We organizations such as discover will be glad to provide support if Islam and why Islam. IAR they need our assistance. welcomes people on any given day; however, we have Islam Historically prophet Mohammed one-on-one classes every Sunday peace be upon him, used to offer
Fiaz Fareed (center) with Manzoor (left) and the Haroon Sait (right) publisher of the Muslim American magazine.
his masjid as a refuge for travelers and dignitaries to come and make deals or to debate. We have a golden opportunity to carry the sunnah and create a welcoming environment for others to know Islam and generate better understanding of the Muslims. 7
Community
ONE ROUTE TO HEAVEN BY SHYLON SMITH
There are many ways to go to heaven. One of them is by helping another human when their need is great. Medical care in the United States is expensive and access is limited for people who do not have health insurance or a steady income. Around the country, many Muslims have been opening medical clinics for underprivileged people. The Muslim community in Burlington, NC recently opened a medical clinic inside of the Burlington Masjid. The three sisters who founded the Al Aqsa Community Clinic in February of 2009 in Greensboro were at the opening ceremony. The clinic began with two doctors, a nurse, a pharmacist and a box of medicine. Today they have a staff of volunteers that includes 31 doctors, three pharmacists, five
nurses and over 200 volunteers who come from Muslim and nonMuslim backgrounds. The idea for a clinic began when local refugees could not qualify for insurance or medical coverage such as Medicaid. The clinic operated in Greensboro for 8 years until they outgrew their location. The grand opening of the new Burlington location was February 25, 2017. Members of the local
“The clinic helps people during a difficult time in their life by providing medical care...� community from all backgrounds attended the ceremony. Local churches have been very supportive of the Masjid and the medical clinic. Representatives from multiple churches visited the Burlington Masjid during Ramadan and Masjid events, such as the grand opening of the clinic. The volunteers who run the clinic include people of all faiths and cultural backgrounds. The clinic helps people during a difficult time in their life by providing medical care, including access to specialists. It also provides a great opportunity for dawah (helping non-Muslims learn about Islam).
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According to a recent poll, 80% of non-Muslim Americans have never met a Muslim in real life. Their only experience with Islam is based on what they see on the news and read online. This sets a
meet on a daily basis might be meeting a Muslim for the first time, and they will remember a lot about their interactions with us. The P r o p h e t Muhammad (peace & blessings upon him) taught us that the best among the Muslims is the one with the best manners, character and conduct (behavior). That includes being kind to people and sharing with those who are in need. Taking care of our neighbors is Sunnah. Sharing with our community and helping those in need are parts of our religious duties. Providing medical care to the local community, for the people in need, is a great way to live in Sunnah in our daily lives. The laws vary in each state. If you want to open a clinic in your area, find a doctor who wants to give back to the community and then do some research and find the requirements for paperwork. A large number of American Muslims are doctors, so inshallah (God willing) you will find some in your community who are ready for this type of project. May Allah (swt) bless your efforts, our country and give us all a path to heaven.
very high standard for American Muslims. We represent everyone Ameen. in our religion. Each person we 9
Shylon M. Smith, MA Burlington, NC
Shylon came to Islam when she was 21 while studying medical anthropology. She is originally from Alabama but grew up all over because her father was in the military.
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Community
THE HISTORY AND ACHIEVEMENTS OF CAROLINA ISLAMIC COUNCIL
B
ack in the Nineties, Islam was growing very rapidly in the United States through both conversion and immigration. Muslims started living everywhere, even in Small Town, USA. Islamic centers were popping up in many cities and neighborhoods throughout the country. Though the increase in Muslims was a delightful phenomenon, it exacerbated the differences in the practice of Islam due the various cultures, nationalities, sects and sources of Islamic knowledge available. As a consequence of these differences, confusion, mistrust, disputes and divisions were occurring in many Muslim communities. Fighting about the beginning of Ramadan, halal meat, the Qibla, organizations and other aspects of the Deen was commonplace. Indeed, there was a great need for Muslims to come together for the pleasure of Allah and the advancement of Islam.
“..disputes and divisions were occuring in many Muslim communities.” Keenly aware and concerned about the state of affairs, Sheikh Muhammad S. Adly, the Imam of the Islamic Center of Columbia, SC, began visiting various communities in the Carolinas, inviting Muslims to come together to address these conditions. During the course of 1993 to 1994, imams and representatives from 15 communities held four meetings 11
that were originally called “The North Carolina-South Carolina Islamic Initiative”. The theme of this initiative was “Communities of the Qur’an and Sunnah Getting Together For Collective Activity, But Not to Interfere in Local Organizations”. During a meeting at Islamic Society of Greater Charlotte on December 10, 1994, the group formally adopted the name Carolina Islamic Council and elected Sheikh Adly to be the Coordinator. Its major goals included: strengthening relations among Muslim communities, sharing ideas, increasing awareness of problems and promoting Islamic education/activities in Accordance with the Qur’an and Sunnah. The CIC is a voluntary association. Any masajid could become a part of it and participate in its activities. Membership did not require fees, dues or a commitment to abide by any of its recommendations. One of its first policy recommendations was implementing the “Unity of Moon Sighting” method for the start and end of the month of Ramadan. At that time, it was quite common for communities and individuals to begin or stop fasting based on astronomical calculations, reports of moon sightings back home or by seeing the crescent moon locally. Use of these various methods often led to members of some communities to begin or end fasting on three different days. The CIC’s policy contributed to a uniformed approach. However, in accordance with its principle of not interfering into local affairs, each community was free to choose its own method and participate in any activities
that suited its interests. At that time there was a scarcity of Islamic knowledge. Only Columbia, Charlotte and Raleigh had full time imams who were educated and trained in formal Islamic institutions. Therefore, there was a tremendous need to share Islamic knowledge between fortunate communities with trained imams and communities that didn’t have such imams. Spreading Islamic knowledge was a key objective and the representatives developed a program around it; This consisted of four workshops each year and a conference. The workshops were held in four different locations, preferably with two in each state. The host community allowed any visiting participant, including families, to spend Friday night in the masjid in order to participate in activities throughout the day on Saturday. Lectures were held after each prayer beginning with Fajr. The imams held a meeting midmorning to share ideas, discuss issues and plan future workshops. The host also provided breakfast, lunch and tours of community facilities. Many host communities make the workshops a special community event to promote maximum participation. The program also included an annual one-day conference during summer that was hosted by a member community. Costs of the workshop and the conferences were borne by the host community. After seven years, the CIC discontinued the annual conference but continued its workshops. Since 1995, it has held more than eighty of them,
administration which have produced “The CIC’s to younger more than three imams and hundred lectures policy representatives. from the invited contributed to A l h a m d u l i l l a h , Imams, Islamic Allah has blessed scholars and activists. a uniformed many masaajid The remaining approach.” and Islamic workshops for 2017 centers with are scheduled for: full-time imams April 22nd at the Islamic Society of Greenville, SC, who were educated at Islamic July 22nd at the Islamic Center of institutions; increasing its ability Wilmington, NC and November to spread Islamic knowledge to 11th at the Islamic Center of more participants. The CIC must also endeavor to use modern Columbia. technology to invite more Previous lectures and videos are participation in its programs and available on YouTube, almasjid. on the internet. Now is the time com and the Carolina Islamic for younger representatives, more Council Google Group. Workshops knowledgeable in social media and are also streamed live on Facebook new technology, to step forward by Imam Muhammad. to fill the big shoes of the “old Now, in its 22nd year, the Carolina guard” who Allah has blessed to Islamic Council faces the challenge initiate this beneficial association. of attracting more member May Allah preserve the Carolina communities and turning over its Islamic Council and increase its membership and good works!
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Br. Nazeeh, a long time member of the Carolina Muslim communities. He is constantly engaged in outreach and community events.
Community
Open House Event at Islamic Center of Columbia, SC By Nabeel Sait
Sheikh Muhammad Adly, President of Islamic Center of Columbia, and local Imams presents a token of appreciation to Columbia, S.C. Mayor, Steve Benjamin.
civil rights leaders due to the surge in hate rhetoric. Almost one year after the Black-Lives-Matter protests began, in July 2016, local Imams of Columbia planned an open house to welcome the nonMuslim neighbors into the Masjid. With the help of Columbia Mayor, Steve Benjamin, the grounds were buzzing with interested Two women read the Discover Islam posters which address common questions about Islam. Muslim volunteers are present to guide them.
It was a chilly day for spring; by noon, the sun warmed the air to create a pleasant day to spend outside. The stage was set for an important event, hosted by the Islamic Center of Columbia. The Bible Belt has recently been in focus for modern activists and 13
Attendees register at the main entrance, where they are greeted by Muslims and accompanied to the booths at the event. Volunteers were trained by the Masjid staff to be helpful and inisghtful to the guests.
Local Muslim discusses with a retired pastor about faith and beliefs.
and smiling guests who seemed to enjoy the personalized tour of the Masjid. Attendees were asked to register at the front entrance, where they were each greeted by a Muslim. The host Muslim would guide them from booth to booth.
Mayor Steve Benjamin speaks to the attendees about the importance of the openhouse event
These booths were simply tables with posters and information about common questions which non-Muslims typically have. At the peak of the event, Sheikh Muhammad Adly turned on the microphone. He addressed the Muslims first and told them to be courteous to their guests. He then allowed some time for recitation of the Qur’an and its translation before starting the speeches. After the Sheikh and the local Chaplains spoke, the Mayor was presented with a gift. It was a token of appreciation to the Mayor for his continued efforts in helping the Muslim community. The mayor then spoke to all the attendees and urged the importance of supporting local initiatives. He then thanked the Muslim community for being great hosts and encouraged them to get involved in the city so that their value is recognized by the denizens. Sheikh Adly was extremely busy the whole time. He seemed to be involved in every aspect of 14
planning that went into this event. It is not often you see an Imam this involved in planning outreach events. Entirely too often, masajid only bring Imams in as speakers. However, it was a refreshing sight to see that the Imam was the one running the show. When I had a chance to talk to him, I asked what his goal was for doing this event. He responded, “We wanted the people to know that they have access to the building at all times and that we are people who they can sit down and talk with, unlike what you see in the media”. “It was also a training for the Muslim
Mayor Steve Benjamin poses with children of the guests while parents take pictures. Imam Adly joyfully smiles as the event begins to wind down.
community on how to talk to the people and do da’wah”, he added, “It is important that Muslims learn the necessity of da’wah”. This event was planned only two weeks ahead of time; in that short preparation period, there was a large turnout of Muslims and non-Muslims alike. I asked if there was any way that this program could be made bigger or better. “It is not about the size of the event, it is about continuation... sometimes in a smaller scale, you really have a better chance to talk with them”, he said. True enough, it was apparent that the event was well managed and the size was optimal for having engaging discussions with the guests. I also had a moment to speak with the Mayor, who was also extremely busy meeting guests and talking to the Muslims. He seemed to enjoy the event very much and even noted how good the food was. “I have known of Sheikh Adly for years, but I spent more time with other leaders of the Muslim community here [in Columbia].
event in December (“Embracing our Muslim Neighbors”) at City Hall, on short notice, it turned out being a standing room only event. The entire chamber was full with Christians, Jews, Muslims, Bahais and even some Wiccans. American Islamic Outreach booth was present at the event. All They were there guests were urged to stop by the booth and pick up a bag which not only to preach contained a translation of the Qur’an and brochures. tolerance, but to embrace the Muslim neighbors and their I actually worked with Mrs. Adly contributions which make the city back in december for an event great. That show of support and and talked about coming here to visit”, Mayor Benjamin said. He this event’s show of support will added, “I think it’s amazing how eventually be like a snowball down this was on short notice and yet a hill; it will continue to bring you see the amazing crowd here. the goodwill of people together”. I think this was a wonderful event When I asked if there was any way because it was social as well as Muslims can improve our efforts educational. When we did our he said, “Programs like this are
always beneficial, but it’s not up to just the Muslims to do this work. I think, it is up to those of us who have Muslim friends to also find ways to open as many doors as possible, because, it is tough when you’re fighting against the microphone of the President of The United States”. By the end of the event, no one seemed tired or apathetic. Everyone enjoyed the speeches, loved the food and thanked every Muslim they saw. It was a great end to a great day. It was a well planned idea to have the City involved in the program, as it helped to bring more guests. It was the standard that all Masajid should follow on similar events. We hope that this event is the first of many which bolster the spread of tolerance and understanding throughout the nation.
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Medical
Health and Physical Activity In Light of Prophetic Traditions Qaiser Toqeer MPH MD
I
n our last addition we discussed briefly about causes of stroke and prevention. We divided the risk factors for stroke and heart disease into modifiable and non-modifiable. Non modifiable risk factors are those we cannot change or do anything about such as age, sex, gender and race. Modifiable risk factors are those that can be changed to reduce risk of diseases such as sedentary lifestyle, smoking, and unhealthy choices when it comes to diet. One of the most important modifiable risk factor we can work on is our lifestyle, specifically, physical activity to achieve a better health. American Heart Association Update 2017 suggested 75 min of brisk walk per week is associated with significant risk reduction for mortality compared to no physical activity.
which physical activity has been encouraged. The first and foremost form of physical activity prescribed to us is the 5 times daily prayer. Although our intention is to please Allah SWA with our daily salat however it is one of the benefits of praying. Many of us attempt to visit Mosque during the day for these prayers again adds more time to our activity. Furthermore Prophet Mohammad SAW was involved in many types of activities of which included archery, horse riding, wrestling etc. “Narrated Salama bin AlAkwa: The Prophet passed by some people of the tribe of Bani Aslam who were practicing archery. The Prophet said, “O Bani Ismail ! Practice archery as your father Isma’il was a great archer. Keep on throwing arrows and I am with Bani so-and-so.” So one of the parties ceased throwing. Allah’s Apostle said, “Why do you not throw?” They replied, “How should we throw while you are with them (i.e. on their side)?” On we can improve our health and that the Prophet said, “Throw, and decrease the need for significantly I am with all of you.” (Sahih Al costly medications. As Benjamin Bukhari Book #52, Hadith #148) Franklin has reported to have said in his famous quote “An ounce Every saying of the prophet of prevention is worth pound of Muhammad (SAW) is guidance and a source of wisdom for us in cure.” life. Aisha (Mother of believers) In the life of Prophet Muhammad reported “while she was on a (SAW) we find many examples in journey along with the Apostle of each pound of weight loss we can achieve reduction in 1mmgH of blood pressure. There have been several studies published that establishes the fact that daily exercise not only prevent chronic illnesses but it also improves mood and overall quality of life. Center of disease control also stated regular physical activity has been shown to decrease colon cancer and breast cancer (CDC, 2015). Again, by achieving these goals
“An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure” - Benjamin Franklin
Many of us lack understanding how physical activity reduces our chances of stroke and heart disease. Physical activity has direct impact on producing collateral blood vessels. Collateral blood flow in these cases can be thought of as an alternate blood flow to organ. In addition, Physical activity reduces bad cholesterol by burning fat and has been shown to reduce Hemoglobin A1C significantly. Furthermore, with 16
References
Allah (SAW) I had a race with him (the Prophet) and I outstripped him on my feet. When I became fleshy, (again) I had a race with him (the Prophet) and he outstripped me. He said: This is for that outstripping.”(Sunan Abudawud Hadith 2572) There are many more examples from the life of Prophet Muhammad (SAW) which encourage us to participate in physical activity. Recent studies also show significant benefits from consistent and moderate physical activity. These benefits are not limited to physical health only but also provide benefits in psychological health. Furthermore if we perform any activity to follow the Sunnah of Prophet Muhammad (SAW) we also get spiritual benefit.
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Benjamin, Emelia J. et al “Heart Disease and Stroke Statistics, 2017 Update: A Report From the American Heart Association.” Circulation (2017)
Qaiser Toqeer MPH MD
“Physical Activity and Health.” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 04 June 2015. Web. 14 Mar. 2017.
A diplomat of the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology, Inc., a member of the American Board of Medical Specialties.
“Search in the Hadith (Hadis) Books of Sahih Al-Bukhari, Sahih Muslim, Sunan Abu-Dawud, and Malik’s Muwatta.” N.p., n.d. Web. 14 Mar. 2017.
Novant Health Inc. Dept. of Neurology
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Home and Lifestyle
To Bee or Not To Bee;
Benefits of Beekeeping, with Osama Idlibi
Osama holding up a frame crawling with bees to see how far the comb structure has developed.
Imagine you went to the grocery store to buy fruits, vegetables or just some mustard; you look in stands or on the shelf and see that everything costs ten times as much. You wonder why, so you ask an employee. They would tell you, it’s because the local producers can no longer meet the demand of consumers since there are very few local bees that can pollinate the crops. That is a very possible scenario. Already, large farming companies all over the world are resorting to importing bees to meet the demand. However, this is not a sustainable solution. If humanity has any interest in preserving 19
natural organic methods of farming, it is now the time to take personal initiatives to help sustain bee populations.
Stan and Osama, backyard beekeepers in Harrisburg, NC
“Already, large farming companies all over the world are resorting to importing bees to meet the demand.� Osama, a resident of Harrisburg, NC, started beekeeping two years ago. Since then, he has met many fellow beekeepers in the area.
One of these friends is Stan, who has helped Osama by giving him a space to build the bee houses. Stan is also a Harrisburg resident who has a shed dedicated to his beekeeping projects. Stan has been keeping bees for about seven years now. He has quite a few hives
Simple syrup reservoir used to feed bees during cold months when food supply for bees is low.
which are located a quarter of a mile from his house. Stan jokingly said that, since becoming friends with Osama, the shed is no longer his. However, Stan expressed that he was happy to have Osama use the shed whenever he likes and gave a Osama a key to it. Osama was the first Muslim Stan had met in person; It is clear that Stan and
Osama next to his original hive, which he is checking to see whether they are agitated.
Osama have mutual admiration. They discuss their hobbies and their faith openly and have very good rapport with each other in these matters.
Osama stated: “According to my mentors, bees are the most studied In surah an-Nahl, Allah says: insects in the world. Bees have been “And your Lord (Allah) revealed to the bees: Build your hives in mountains, trees and in what they build. Then eat (feminine verb used) from every fruit and follow (feminine verb used) your Lord’s commanded paths, from their bellies (feminine declension) exits drink of different colors, in it healing for man. These are signs for those who contemplate.” [Quran 16.68-69]
Osama giving advice to his children on what to do. The pile of wooden frames will eventually become part of a hive.
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around for over 300 million years. From Moses, Jesus to Muhammad (pbuh) bees have been mentioned in all the scriptures; which means it is something we should pay attention to”.
These two queenless hives (the green boxes) were split from the original hive.
“Due to climate change, bees have been struggling to keep pace with the seasons.” It is important to note that Allah (swt) explicitly refers to the honey producing bees as females. This is an extraordinary distinction that could only be explained by the knowledge of Allah. This facet of the bees was only supported by scientists 300 years ago. However, for Muslims it was knowledge that was carried and recited for over 1400 years. With this knowledge comes a responsibility. A role that is essential to being Muslim; Which is, being aware of the creations of Allah and tending to them with mercy. Osama pointed out, “This is also mentioned in the words ‘.... and in what they build’, I believe this is referring to humans who build homes for the bees”.
that someone can do; It helps the environment, it provides you with sustainable non-perishable food (honey) and you are rewarded by Allah for building a home for his creation. Bees are currently in danger. Due to climate change, bees have been struggling to keep pace with the seasons. It becomes difficult for Honey Bees collecting ingredients and food queen bees to find mates and lay from the pollen sheets (left) and sugar rock the larvae in time, since the flowers candy (right) have begun to bloom ahead of schedule. This causes a delay in 2. If you see a hive in your collecting food and pollen which backyard, DO NOT KILL makes it hard to maintain the hive. THEM. They are not a threat However, this is only one of many to you unless you threaten reasons bee populations are in them. Call a local beekeeping decline. company or bee farm; they will come collect the hive and give Aside from beekeeping, there are them a good home. many ways you can be merciful to bees. Bees are not in danger because of the environment alone. They are plagued by pathogens, industrial agriculture and loss of habitat. It is difficult to fight a pathogen which plagues a hive, however, there are other steps you can take to be a kind neighbor:
3. Inform others and spread awareness. It is in everyone’s benefit to keep the bees alive and pollinating.
At the end of the day, the only ones we can blame for the decline in bees is ourselves. Therefore, it is up to us to take the burden of helping 1. Do not use pesticides that are our dutiful friends, the bees. Taking care of bees is not a effort harmful to bees. Be informed, free endeavor by any means. It do your research and find takes time, energy and money to the proper pest control agent take care of a hive. It is also one which causes minimal damage of the most rewarding hobbies and runoff.
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Home and Lifestyle
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GLUTEN FREE HALEEM Thafseera Bai 1 1/2 Pound Chicken or beef boneless 2 Onion thinly slices 2 Bay leaves Oil for frying onions 1 1/2 Cup brown rice 1/2 Cup Channa daal (skinless, split chickpeas) 2 tbs Toor daal (pigeon peas) 2 tbs Urad dal (skinless black gram) 2 tbs moong-daal (split mung beans) 2 tbs Masoor dal (orange lentils) 2 tsp garlic paste 2 tsp ginger paste 2 tsp chili powder 1 tsp turmeric 1/2 Cumin powder 1/2 tsp black pepper powder 1/2 Coriander powder 1/8 Green cardamoms powder 1/8 tsp cloves powder 1/8 tsp nutmeg powder 2 whole lemon medium size
Salt to taste Julienne ginger, coriander leaves, fried onions and one lemon wedge for garnishing
before following the recipe, you must wash and soak the dal and rice over night 1. In a big sauce pan, fry the onions. When it’s light brown, add ginger and garlic paste. Fry for few more minutes (till the raw smell goes away). 2. Add meat and salt (as prefered). Fry for a few more minutes.
want more u may add it to taste. 7. Add lemon juice from one lemon. If there is excess water, let the water evaporate a bit . 8. Blend the meat, mix and cooked rice with a hand blender up to your prefered consistency.
9. Fry the second onion, till golden brown, and garnish with Ginger, 3. Add all the powder and fry coriander and lemon for 2 to 3 more minutes. wedges. MAKE SURE NOT TO BURN IT. 4. Add water and cook the meat. Let the meat Cook until very soft and flaky 5. Once the meat is cooked, add the soaked rice, lentils and more salt to taste. let it cook together until every thing is cooked well. 6. At this point u can check the salt and spices. If
PRO-TIP: If you are using slow cooker, follow the steps 1-4 and cook for 4 hours on high and the follow steps 5-8 and cook for 6 more hours on high. Garnish as described in step 9.
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Spiritual
Family…Clan…Tribe…People. Tammy Little As a revert to Islam, it can often be scary to put on hijab and go out in public for the first time, especially in the South. But there’s always a first time, and it can make you feel like all eyes are on you. The first time for me came a few years ago. My children and I had been out all day, running errands and doing some shopping.
Then there was the time when my son had saved up his allowance for a month to buy himself a prayer rug in his favorite color, blue. He was so excited to go in the market and buy it for himself. He came back out of the store with his rug and said, “A man bought this for me.”
“So far, so good,” I thought. Sometimes I felt like people were staring, but I thought that was to be expected. As the day wore on, I began to feel lonely inside. I wondered where all the other Muslims were. I wondered if it was always going to feel like people were staring. I wondered if I’d made a mistake. The kids asked if we could go to dinner before going home, and I said yes. There was a line to get in at the restaurant so we put our names on the wait list and sat outside on a bench to wait. It was dark outside by then. I was tired, and I felt alone. I wondered if Allah had forgotten about me.
He said, “When I got in line, there was a man behind me and he said, ‘Here, little brother, I’ll get that for you.’”
I said, “What?”
I got tears in my eyes. My son did too. There was the time we were at Zada Jane’s Cafe in Charlotte. When I went to pay for the meal, the waitress said, “Some people paid for your meal.” I said, “Who was it?” She said, “They already left.” reminding me that I was not alone. That no matter how tired, weary, alone I felt, He was always going to be there. And I knew, in my heart, that I was never going to be alone again.
And then I heard it. A single voice Once we were out on the road coming from the dark. when I had to stop at a gas station “Asalam alaikum,” someone said. to put some air in the tire. My son I looked around, but there were so and I were doing it together, when many people, I couldn’t tell who a man pulled in behind my car, got had said it. But I knew, at that out, and said, “Sister, let me do moment, that it was Allah’s way of that for you.” 25
On Eid-ul-Fitr last year, my children and I were traveling, and stayed in a hotel the night before. The morning of Eid, we whirled into the elevator on our way to the community prayer, feeling splendid in our new outfits. There was a group of construction workers already on the elevator when we got on. “Eid Mubarak!” one of the men said to us. And in his Southern accent, he proceeded to tell his co-workers, “For Muslims, today is the biggest holiday of the year.” He turned to me and smiled.
I don’t know how he knew that, but or the sound of a bird. He can be he did. As we left the elevator, they found in anything, anywhere. He is in the fabric of our lives, our all said, “Have a fun day!” feelings, the people we live with, It’s encouraging to know that things we know to be real. Don’t there are people out there who feel lonely when all you have to do did not feel that Muslims are “the is look around you. bad guys.” And in my heart, each time a kind deed was offered in From Surah Ash-Sharh – “Did we my favor, it only meant God was not expand for you your chest? watching over me, my children, all And we removed for you your burden which had weighed upon over again. your back.” It can be lonely when you aren’t a part of the “majority religion”. From Hadith Qudsi, “I am with It can be discouraging, thinking those whose hearts are broken.” you’re the only one, I know. You can feel lost. But God is there, And then there comes a day when He never leaves you, even in the it all fits, when you feel like God darkest times. Where is He? In is right there, has been there all love. In the laughter of children. along. Like when I’m at prayer, In a gift given. In a life saved. In in the masjid, in a room full of the quiet of morning. In the dead women who don’t all speak my of night. In the sound of an ocean, language. We don’t share the same skin color, or come from the same
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place; but, they are my family all the same. And it is so beautiful. If only I could somehow communicate the feelings that it inspires in me. But that is the way it is with all of the important feelings and emotions and moments we have in our lives, words fail and don’t express even a fraction of what we actually feel. All I can say is it truly does feel like I am in the presence of divinity, in the presence of God himself. And I can’t move or speak or write or do anything but stare all around me and feel love, and awe, and humility. It is just so beautiful. And after feeling that, for the first time in my life, I truly knew what it meant to be close to God, and that I’d never be alone again.
Spiritual
ADDRESSING COMMON ISSUES IN MUSLIM COMMUNITIES: AN INTERVIEW WITH SHEIKH ABDOOL RAHMAN KHAN “We wanted to ask you, with these difficult times that muslims are going through, what is the best advice you can give Muslims to overcome these trials?” “Going through any tough times, as a nation or an individual, is something that we should be prepared for as a believer in God. As Allah says, ‘We shall test you with moments of fear, loss of lives and property and crops, but give glad tidings to those who persevere through these trials’. This means, you take it with patience and trust in Allah. This is just a phase. We are also told in Surah Al-Ankaboot, ‘do people think they will be left alone when they say they are believers?’, Allah says he has tested those who say they are believers as well as those who do not. A test is something that we should always be prepared for.” “When Allah talks about being patient, people who have iman and believe in the Qur’an, they can take it. However, there are many Muslims on the sidelines who still feel shaky. What is your advice to them and their feeling of inferiority?” “Obviously, the wisdom of Allah (swt) is beyond our scope; but from the Qur’an and sunnah we have learned, people cannot think of materialism as their final goal. Muslims need to wake up and ask themselves, ‘are material possessions the most valuable things in my life?’ As the material world collapses around them, depression comes in and 27
fear comes in. They see that the achievement of these [material] things is now in danger. The lesson they should be told is, this is the time that community involvement should be brought back into play. Often, these are the people who do not pray five times a day, even though they are proud to call themselves Muslim. The goal of life cannot be these things, it has to be something beyond… your good deeds are enduring and everlasting”
terms of destruction. There were scholars there at the time who guided the people and helped them rebound from that. Recently, in World War I, even though it was a war between Austrian-Hungarian empire and Germany, Islamic nations were dragged in. At the end, after the peace conference, the whole Muslim world was redistributed and broken up. They became helpless but Muslims rebounded for the most part. Now, we come at a time where we are in trial. It is a different time, of more technology but a lot of the outcomes are the same.” “How much is this disunity, within Muslim communities, adding to this issue? Where do we start the process of unifying, and how do we address it in the masajid?”
Sheikh Abdool Rahman Khan: Chairman, Shari’ah Council of ICNA and member of Fiqh Council of North America.
“In Islamic history, has there been a time where Muslims have hit a low; Where they were left powerless in their situation and then have rebounded?” “There were many times, in fact; when the Moguls infiltrated the Tatars, they pretty much destroyed Baghdad, killed scholars and burned their work. Baghdad was essentially leveled to the ground in
“I would say all of it. In fact, in Surah Al-Anfal, Allah says,’Obey Allah and his messenger, and do not dispute amongst yourselves and become divided. You will then become losers and your strength will be gone. You must endure with patience; indeed Allah loves those who persevere with patience’. So this is the crux of the issue. Let’s recognize that what is happening at one masjid is also happening at a global level. That is, we don’t seem to tolerate somebody else’s opinion. So on any fiqhi issues, we go all out and become disunited. For example, when is ramadan or when is eid? All of a sudden, everybody jumps in; the scholars, the ordinary people all go into war with their words and ideas and call each other kafir because of which day the other person fasted. Nations before have been destroyed
because of this disunity. When you get into that level, we should focus on risala, thawheed, oneness of Allah, Akhira and preparing for the hereafter. Those things are pushed aside over petty issues. Whereas, when you look at all the prophets that came, their main message was, ‘O my people, worship god’. That was their biggest challenge. So we have reduced that to attacking those who are worshipping Allah. By doing so, they push away the younger generation who cannot tolerate this kind of attitude at the masjid.” “With this differences being so complex and common, how do you fix it?” “Sometimes you have to beat something to get it fixed. You know, right now, when people attack Islam, they are not attacking whether they are in a certain school of thought or what your fiqhi opinion is. They are treating you as a whole. The good news I’ve been seeing, in the past year or so, there is a larger effort to unite. This may be the hiqma of Allah. There’s an old saying, ‘When you beat a rug, the beating is not for the rug, but to get the dust out’. Sometimes, we have to go through these trying times to get the dust out of our relationship and hopefully, we will realize that our fiqhi differences are minor compared to just being a Muslim.” “You mentioned the youth; with all this going on, they see Muslims are divided and powerless. How do we reach out to them?” “In fact, youth is not only our (Muslim’s) problem; I can tell you that for sure. I have sat in many interfaith dialogues, and for every denomination, the youth are a challenge. Remember the youth, 28
particularly of our time, are a youth that come with a new reality that the generation before did not have. The level of communication and social media, the dot com age, the twitter age, everything else. They are in a different momentum. There is a lot of concern. One of the things we can do is, as the imam or khatib of islamic centers, focus on programs that bring the youth to the Masjid. Many masjids are like a ‘back home’ environment where you come, pray, listen to a dars (speech) and walk out. That phenomenon has to change; the youth have some empowerment and have a viewpoint, which they (the masajid) never listen to. They need to be represented and acknowledged so that they can come and get attached. One of the amazing things is that, even youth that memorize the entire Qur’an are also running away from the masjid, unfortunately. It means that the masjid has to get their act together.” “You mentioned social media; it is true that the home has become a place for social media. What is the advice for the parents on making the house a single unit and teaching their family?” “As parents, communicating with children and showing respect to their children is the first step. Children must feel they have some parent which oversees them, befriends them and talks to them. If we look at our generation, parents were the center of everything because they spent time with them for everything. If parents also become a part of the social media environment, how will they make their house a foundation. They need to sit together and talk about things of value; talk about something that affects all of us: What they learned
at school today or something they can share with the rest of the family. Unless we can open up the conversation, the home becomes a hotel where people come to eat and drink and sleep. The home has to be rectified. Allah says, ‘O you who believe; save yourselves and your family from the hellfire whose fuel is men and stones’. So you have to do that. Parenting is not something you can outsource. If you let smartphones and social media parent your children, that is who they will listen to. Unless we get back to basics, there is nothing we can do.” “What would you advice to the masjid management?” “I think the board members have to realize, it is a big responsibility to sit on the masjid board. I don’t think they realize how big of a responsibility it is. In those circumstances, the imams don’t much impact in sending that message to them. In this case, it becomes a matter of employer and employee; so they’re afraid to challenge them like that. Somehow, whether through AMJA, ICNA or ISNA, we need an overhaul of the philosophical and ideological base of the masjid. Leaders who take up the role, do you think anybody cares who president or not. Do you think it matters to anyone outside that you are president? So, we have to throw all of that off of our shoulder and work closely between the imam on how to fix the community. I have seen this and I think that, if the imam and board are working in sync, the community grows. That way you can achieve a lot, as far as youth, the community, insecurity and the alleviating fears.”
For Kids
SOLVE THE PUZZLES AND COLOR IN THE PICTURE
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