Coach Purses August 5, 2009

WOW! When was the last time I was on here??? I feel bad about neglecting my blog for so many months…let me try and make up for it

A few months ago, I read an article in the local Muslim newspaper: The Muslim Link. It was an editorial about Muslim women buying Coach purses. I found it to be an interesting article and understand what the sis is trying to say. Sadly, I think that some people took it the wrong way after reading some comments people left about it.

See for yourself: Pretty Purses Make Petty Priority

I think the sister is just reminding her fellow Muslimahs about materialism (which affects us all). I don’t see this as an attack on anyone, and think maybe some people just over analyze everything. It’s true that these purses cost an arm and a leg, and the money can definitely be used for a better cause.

Malcolm X May 14, 2009

I love watching this video of Hajj Malik El-Shabbaz (aka Malcolm X). This is after he accepted Sunni Islam and left the Nation of Islam. He talks about how Islam is the solution for racism in America. While we don’t live in the 1960s anymore, racism still exists all around the world, including in America.

Muslim Demographics May 4, 2009

So I was forwarded this email about Muslim Demographics. Really awesome video! It’s meant for Christians, I guess to start “sharing the Gospel” with Muslims….but yea I don’t see that happening anytime soon.

Choosing Our Friends April 23, 2009

As you might know, Emad Al-Mansary is one of my favorite recitors. Mash’Allah he has just amazingly awesome qirat! I have his Surah Al-Furqan on my IPOD, for some reason I can’t find it online anywhere, or I so would have put the link up! :/

Surah Al-Furqaan has one distinct verse which always stands out when Emad Al-Mansary recites it; he just emphasizes the verse so much in his recitation. This would be ayah number 28 and continuing on to ayah 29:

“Ah! Woe to me! Would that I had never taken so-and-so as a Khalil (close friend!)”

“He indeed led me astray from the Reminder (this Quran) after it had come to me And Shaytan is to man ever a deserter in the hour of need.”

These two ayahs talk about the Day of Judgment and when the Zalim, or wrongdoer, will regret what they did in this dunya. They will regret making friends with people who led them astray from the truth. It’s true that friends can have a major impact on the decisions you make in life everyday. I was actually teaching this concept to my second graders a few classes ago and we even talked about how having no friends is better than having bad friends.

In fact, one day in my developmental psychology class we were discussing about middle school students. Did you know that if a child begins to act delinquent during their middle school years, it’s because of the friends they have? Interesting.

It’s really amazing how much is jam packed into the Quran, but we are too “busy” to open it and see what Allah has to say to us. Try your best to open, read, study and memorize the Quran every single day. After all, shouldn’t we all be companions of the Quran?

Do You Know Allah? April 10, 2009

Our relationship with the Creator of the universe is kinda sorta, really super duper important! One way to improve our relationship with Allah, is by learning as much as we can about Him. This way,  we can help to protect our Aqeedah (aka beliefs) and of course expand our knowledge of the deen.

While I was surfing the AlMaghrib forums one day, I came across this handy little project created by Qabeelat Nurayn. (yea, my qabeelah!) It’s a compilation of the 99 Names of Allah according to Shaykh Uthaymeen.

DOWNLOAD

*Interesting: The word ‘duper’ is not underlined as misspelled.*

Weekend Learning April 3, 2009

Any weekend Islamic school teacher can tell you that teaching kids once a week is difficult. You have them in your class for such a short period of time and you have SO much to teach. Absences are common, homework is not done, lots of parents don’t take it seriously and plenty of teachers don’t take it seriously. My friend found this one textbook, for grades K-12, which might be of some use to weekend school teachers. Mash’Allah they’re textbooks are so concise and have homework sheets included. Also they are amazingly cheap! Only $11! So if you or someone you know is looking for a good text for teaching weekend Islamic school, I would suggest: Weekend Learning

I haven’t bought one yet, because the school year is almost over. Most likely I’ll buy one next year when I have my grade finalized. Here’s some sample pages

The Pranking Companion? March 13, 2009

What? A companion of the Prophet Muhammad (saw) was a jokster? Companion? WHAT!??

This was my reaction after reading a chapter in the book, Companions of the Prophet. An-Nu’ayman ibn Amr was a great companion who fought in major battles, including Badr, Uhud and Khandaq. However, An-Nu’ayman had a personality which was slightly different than that of the “typical” companion. Some of his jokes seem confusing but I guess humor can depend on the time period.

Once An-Nu’ayman went to the market and saw some food being sold which looked very appetizing. He ordered some and sent it to the Prophet (saw) as if it were a gift from him. The Prophet (saw) was happy when he received the food and him and his family ate it. The vendor of the food came to An-Nuayman to collect the money and an-Nuayman said to him: “Go to the Messenger of Allah. It was for him. He and his family ate it.” The vendor went to the Prophet (saw) and the Prophet (saw) asked an-Nuayman: “Didn’t you give it to me?” An-Nuayman said yes he did. He wanted the Prophet (saw) to eat it but had no dirhams to pay the vendor. So he asked the Prophet (saw) to pay for the food. The Prophet (saw) laughed about the incident. An-Nu’ayman felt two benefits of this incident: the Prophet (saw) and his family ate good food, and the Muslims had a good laugh.

I found this story funnier :

Once Abu Bakr and some companions went on a trading journey to Busra. Suwaybit ibn Harmalah was responsible for guarding the food and provisions. An-Nu’ayman was one of the group members and became hungry. He asked Suwaybit for food, who refused. An-Nu’ayman warned him and said he would do something to him. He went to a group of Arabs and said he would sell them strong and sturdy slave. The slave had an articulate tongue and would say that he is free, but they were not to listen to him. The men paid for the slave and An-Nu’ayman completed the transaction, while the buyers went to get the “slave,” Suwaybit. The men grabbed Suwaybit as he pleaded for them to let him go, he kept saying he was a free man. An-Nu’ayman didn’t laugh and remained calm and serious. When Abu Bakr found out what was happening he went to the Arab men and explained what had happened. They got their money back and Suwaybit came back to the caravan. The companions, including Suwaybit laughed about it. When the Prophet (saw) heard the story, him and his companions laughed even more.

The author adds a good point in this chapter:

“The religion of Islam does not require people to disdain seemly laughter and levity and remain perpetually gloomy. An appropriate sense of humor is often a saving grace.”

The Shepherd’s Path Reflection March 1, 2009

Alhumduilla, I’ve spent the past weekend listening to Sh. Abdulbary Yahya tell us about the Seerah. Mash’Allah the class is amazing so far, and I’m sure it’ll only get better. I’m sad to see it coming to an end soon.

Within the first ten minutes of the class, everyone was in tears. Sh. Abdulbary was telling us about the worst calamity that could hit this ummah: the death of the Prophet Muhammad (saw). You can tell that a class where everyone is tearing up in the first ten minutes is going to be amazing.

Sh. Abdulbary told us plenty of stories about the Prophet Muhammad (saw) and his companions. One thing that really sticks out to me is a story from the time of when Banu Hashim had sanctions put against them. Saad ibn Abi Waqqas relates about his experience during that time. He said that they were so hungry that the people were eating grass and leaves. He tells about one time when he was so hungry that he found a wet, sticky substance on the ground. He said he had no idea what it was, but that he just held his nose and ate it. He said he never found out what he ate; one can only guess. Saad (ra) also said that one day he found an old leather shoe. He took it, boiled it in water and chopped it into small pieces, and then ate it. Honestly, I was telling my brothers and Abu on the ride home, that I felt so guilty. Look at the luxury we live in! We have so much food to eat that we are becoming obese and food is thrown out! SubhanAllah.

Another thing which really struck me was when Sh. Abdulbary mentioned the Hadith about how the poor will enter Jannah 500 years before the rich. Why? Because they don’t have much to be accounted for. Look at all the possessions we have to take account for! I mean we really have to ask ourselves if what we buy is necessary or not.

To see more gems from the class click here.

Muslims in China February 16, 2009

I’ve always had an interest with the Muslims in East Asia. If I could travel anywhere in Asia, I would love to go to visit China or Japan. My dad lived in Japan for a few years, during his elementary and middle school years and my uncle lives there now. I really want to see the place he lived and the masjids there. East Asia is just so interesting.

I wikied Chinese Muslims just to get some history (I know, not the best source) and it turns out that Muslim convoys went to China during the rule of Uthman (ra) under the leadership of Sa’d ibn Abi Waqqas (ra). Muslims live in almost every region of China. The highest numbers are found in the northwest provinces of Xinjiang, Gansu, and Ningxia, with significant populations also found throughout Yunnan province in southwest China and Henan Province in central China. Here’s a map, just to put things in perspective. BBC gives a large range of the number of Muslims living in China; between 20-100 million.

When we went for Umrah 7 years ago, our hotel clerk was Chinese. My dad said that some Chinese Muslims came to Saudi Arabia for Hajj and stayed there on political asylum. The clerk spoke fluent Arabic and had never been to China.

I think the architecture of there masjids are amazing. This just proves that Islam doesn’t disregard culture, as some people claim. Their masjids are full of culture! The style and design of the masjids are so unique! Some aspects of culture go along with the deen, and therefore can be kept. When an aspect of culture goes against the deen, then that part should be dropped and avoided.

I also find the East Asian Muslim’s appearance amazing. Mash’Allah, they’re just so unique, because they don’t look like the “typical” Muslim (Although I’m not sure if there is a “typical” Muslim anymore). The universality and vastness of Islam is clear. Just google Chinese Muslims, Muslims in China, etc. and see the awesome diversity of the Muslim Ummah.

Railway in Mecca February 11, 2009

I found this story on BBC: China to Build Mecca Railway System

I’m glad to see that Saudi Arabia is finally investing in building a railway system between the major hajj sites. After my parents came back from Hajj, that was our main conversation for a long time; why aren’t there railways built between Arafat, Mina and Muzdalifa!?! Alhumduillla. I can only think of one question about this article…should China be the one building the railway? Does it matter?