Old Muslim Woman in the Shoe

Friday Nasihah

2013-05-24T08:41:00.004-04:00

Living The Quran
Encounter with God
Al-Muminun (The Believers) - Chapter 23 : Verse 115

"Did you think that We have created you in vain and that you would never be recalled to Us?"

God Almighty is fair towards all men. He has equally blessed all human beings with the gift of life and given them senses and perception and intellectual faculties to distinguish between good and bad, right and wrong. God has made promises and sent warnings; He has given some people good health and inflicted others with ailments; He made life a mixture of happiness and suffering; all of this in order to enrich the human experience and make people recognize the reality and value of God. People can choose either to be vigilant and prepare for their encounter with God, and invest for life in the hereafter, or they can choose to reject God and dismiss any accountability to Him. God will judge both with fairness and justice; but when it is too late, excuses will avail no one.

Compiled From:
"A Thematic Commentary on the Quran" - Muhammad al-Ghazali, p. 373

Understanding the Prophet's Life
Suspending Judgement

Some people forgive themselves everything and condemn everyone else. Some condemn everything about themselves and find extenuating circumstances for others. Some do not forgive themselves for anything and forgive nothing. And others forgive everything and (almost) everyone. To love and forgive is to be both demanding and indulgent. This is a matter of balance. An Islamic prophetic tradition says: 'Find seventy excuses for your brother (sister), and if you cannot find any, imagine that there is one excuse you do not know.' [Bayhaqi] This suggestion echoes the Christian maxim 'Love thy neighbour as thyself,' and 'Thou shalt not judge.' It is about loving and suspending one's judgement. This does not mean accepting everything that others do (in which case there would be no love), but it does mean taking the view that their mistakes or sins do not tell us the whole truth about them. In Measure for Measure, Shakespeare suggests that we 'Condemn the fault and not the actor of it' if we wish to ensure that we do not punish the wrong person. All the monotheisms recommend that we make that distinction: human beings can judge acts, but only God is in a position to judge human beings. When human beings turn into judges, they invent not the hereafter on earth but hell.

Compiled From:
"The Quest for Meaning" - Tariq Ramadan, pp. 201, 202

Cool Tips!
Openness

Openness is vital to integrity. It takes both humility and courage - humility to acknowledge that there are principles out there you may not currently be aware of, and courage to follow them once you discover them. Throughout history, most paradigm shifts in science have been shifts from traditional thinking - shifts that took this kind of humility and courage. A good way to increase integrity, then, is to work on being open.

As you evaluate your own openness, you might ask yourself:

Do I believe that the way I see the world is totally accurate and complete - or am I honestly willing to listen to and consider new viewpoints and ideas?
Do I seriously consider differing points of view (from a boss, direct report, team member, spouse, or child), and am I willing to be influenced by them?
Do I believe there may be principles that I have not yet discovered? Am I determined to live in harmony with them, even if it means developing new thinking patterns and habits?
Do I value - and am I involved in - continual learning?

To the degree to which you remain open to new ideas, possibilities, and growth, you create a trust dividend; to the degree you do not, you create a trust tax that impacts both your current and future performance.

Compiled From:
"The Speed of Trust" - Stephen M. R. Covey, pp. 71, 72

Friday Nasihah

2013-05-18T12:40:00.004-04:00

Living The Quran
Spending Youth
Al-Qiyama (The Day of Resurrection) - Chapter 75 : Verse 6

"He asks, 'When will the Day of Resurrection come?'"

There are people who desire to continue in their wrongdoing throughout the entirety of their lives. Although people may be aware of ultimate accountability, they put off repentance as if they are guaranteed a long life. This is an ethic exemplified by the saying, "Sow your wild oats," which advocates getting all the lewdness and sin out of one's life when one is young, and then later calming down and adopting religion. Besides the obvious error of this ethic, another terrible flaw is that people die at all ages, and some never get the chance to repent and make amends. Moreover, what kind of repentance is this when people intentionally indulge in sin banking on the possibility that later on in life - after all the energy and drive diminishes - they will turn in penitence to God? We know that God loves those who spend their youth obedient to Him and His commandments.

Compiled From:
"Purification of the Heart" - Hamza Yusuf, pp. 90, 91

Understanding the Prophet's Life
Source of Regret

Bayhaqi mentions that, according to Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her), the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, 'An hour that passes during which a person fails to mention Allah, will be a source of regret for him on the Day of Judgement.' He also mentions according to Muadh ibn Jabal (may Allah be pleased with him): 'The people of Heaven have no regret except for the hour that passed them during which they did not remember Allah Most High.'

The Prophet's wife, Umm Habiba (may Allah be pleased with her) said, 'The Messenger of Allah declared, "All the servant's words are against him, not for him, except those enjoining fairness, forbidding evil or mentioning Almighty Allah.'" [Tirmidhi]

Muadh ibn Jabal said, 'I asked the Messenger of Allah, "Which act is most beloved to Almighty Allah?" He answered, "That upon death your tongue is moist with His remembrance.'" [Mundhiri]

Compiled From:
"The Invocation of God" - Ibn Qayyim al-Jawziyya, p. 46

Cool Tips!
Buddies and Bullies

A lot of times, when a parent or teacher tells a kid that they are using words to hurt and/or scare another kid, they try to pass off their remarks as just jokes. "I'm only teasing her," you hear bullies say. But hurtful cracks are some of the cruelest weapons that bullies can use against a helpless kid.

Sure, I understand that everybody jokes around. And there's nothing wrong with having fun with your friends. None of us wants to be too sensitive. There's nothing wrong with being able to take a joke.

But everyone needs to know the difference between "good" teasing and "bad" teasing. There are some very clear ways you can tell the difference between jokes among buddies and harmful insults from bullies.

Buddies:

Joke around in ways that make you both laugh.
Don'ts joke to hurt your feelings on purpose.
Stop joking if they think they might hurt your feelings.
Don't get angry if you joke back with them.

Bullies:

Always use jokes to hurt you.
Refuse to allow you to joke in return.
Keep insulting you even after they know they have hurt your feelings.
Often get upset when you ignore their jokes.

Compiled From:
"Life Strategies for Dealing with Bullies" - Jay McGraw, pp. 21, 22

Friday Nasihah

2013-05-03T19:29:00.005-04:00

Living The Quran
Heavenly Message
Surah al-Imran (The House of Imran) Chapter 3: Verse 81 (partial)

"And behold! God made a covenant with all the Prophets, saying: 'Convey to your people whatever I give you of the Scripture and of revealed wisdom. Then when comes to you a final messenger who confirms what is with all of you - in fulfillment of My promise - ardently shall you support him.'"

The Quran views as one community all those who believe in the Heavenly message, this bond of faith being restricted by neither the limits of time or space, nor by the reality that God has sent to humanity as many as 120 thousand Prophets carrying distinctive revealed guidelines to their peoples. Their God is One. Their essential religion is one. Their destiny - to stand before God in final Judgment - is inexorably one. The preceding generations of believers were aware that the faithful after them would share and confirm the message and the prophets they were upholding, and so prayed for their spiritual well-being and guidance, while the succeeding generations remembered that it was, in part, through the gallant efforts of their predecessors in belief that the religion of Heaven had been delivered to them.

Compiled From:
"The Gracious Quran" - Ahmad Zaki Hammad, p. 148

Understanding the Prophet's Life
Lost Belonging

The Prophet, peace be upon him, taught his Companions both deep faith and the exploitation of intellectual creativity in all circumstances. The genius of peoples, the wisdom of nations, and healthy human creativity were integrated into their mode of thinking, without hesitation or timidity. As the Prophet forcefully stated: "[Human] wisdom is the believer's lost belonging; he is the most worthy of it wherever he finds it."[Bukhari] This was an invitation to study the best human thoughts and products and adopt them as part of humankind's positive heritage (maruf, what is acknowledged as the common good). On a broader level, it meant showing curiosity, inventiveness, and creativity in the management of human affairs, and this appeared not only through his approach to war and strategies but also through his way of considering the world of ideas and culture.

Compiled From:
"In The Footsteps of The Prophet" - Tariq Ramadan, p. 138

Blindspot!
Divine Scheme
The Divine scheme, as outlined in the Quran, is designed to operate equally well under all circumstances and at all stages of human development, on the macrocosmic as well as the microcosmic scale. It makes full allowance for a human being's own abilities and potential for improvement and gives careful consideration to his strengths and weaknesses. It neither devalues a person's role on earth nor denigrates his status as an individual or as a member of society.

In its view of the human being, God's scheme is neither idealistic, raising the human being far above his deserved position, nor does it describe a human being as worthless or dispensable.

A human being is a unique creature who can, through his natural talents and innate abilities, adapt himself to the Divine order of life and so rise to the highest levels of progress and achievement. The Divine order is a universal plan for the long term. It is neither oppressive nor arbitrary. Its perspectives and prospects are broad and not restricted to the life or interests of one individual: it looks far into the future. Human ideologies, on the other hand, are usually limited to the lifespan of their proponents, who are bent on achieving all their ambitions and settling all their scores within a single generation. This inevitably comes into conflict with human nature, resulting in oppression, conflict, bloodshed, and the destruction of human values and civilisation.

Islam adopts a very gentle approach towards human nature, encouraging, prodding, pampering, cajoling, reprimanding and, where necessary, disciplining and restraining. It prefers the patient, caring attitude, confident of the eventual outcome. It is a continuous process of growth and development that can only get better as time goes on. There is no need for compromises, half-hearted solutions, or arbitrary or foolish measures. In God's scheme, things must be allowed to take their natural course.

Compiled From:
Islam: The Way of Revival, "Living In The Shade of The Quran" - Sayyid Qutb, pp.

May 2013 Book Club Choice

2013-04-29T09:00:00.000-04:00

Its almost May! The choice for the month is this. I guess there is absolutely no one who is in this book club. Maybe this will be the last month I have this. If you are a lurker let me know.

Friday Nasihah

2013-04-26T16:26:00.004-04:00

Living The Quran
Distraction
Surah al-Naml (The Ant) Chapter 27: Verse 4

"As for those who will not believe in the life to come, We make their deeds seem fair to them, and so they wander about in distraction."

Believing in the life to come is the motive that keeps whims and desires in check, urging us to lead a life of moderation. When such a belief is lacking, a person cannot restrain himself from pursuing wanton desires, thinking that his only chance for indulging in pleasure is that offered in this life. Yet life on earth is scarcely long enough to fulfil a small portion of what people desire or hope for. It is in the nature of human beings that they love immediate pleasure unless they are guided by a divine message that tells them of a future, permanent life that follows this short one, and that this life is but preparation for that future life. If they heed this guidance then they will find much greater pleasure in different types of pursuits.

It is God who has moulded human nature in this fashion, giving it the propensity to follow His guidance when it opes its receptive faculties to this, and the opposite propensity to remain blind when it shuts such faculties down. His will is always done, in both situations. They choose not to believe, and thus God's law comes into operation making their deeds seem fair and attractive to them. They cannot see any foul element in what they do and so remain unable to find a clear way leading them aright.

Compiled From:
"In The Shade of The Quran" - Sayyid Qutb, Vol. 13, pp. 108,109

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Understanding the Prophet's Life
Worse Than Dajjal

Abu Saeed reported that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) came to us while we were discussing about Dajjal and said, "Should I not inform you of that which I fear for you even more than the dangers of Dajjal? It is the hidden Shirk (Riya); A person stands to pray, and he beautifies his prayer because he sees the people looking at him." (Sunan Ibn Majah vol. 2, #3389)

The primary cause of riya is a weakness in Iman (Faith). When a person does not have strong faith in Allah, he will prefer the admiration of people over the pleasure of Allah.

There are three symptoms that are indicative of riya, and it is essential that a believer avoid all of them.

1. The love of Praise - As mentioned in a hadeeth of the first three people being thrown into the hellfire; the scholar (who taught for fame), the martyr (who fought for fame), and the person who gave his money in charity (so people would say he is generous). All three of these people desired the pleasure of people over the pleasure of Allah. The person who desires the praise of people must feel some pride in himself, for he feels himself worthy of being praised. There is a danger, therefore, of him becoming arrogant and boastful.
2. Fear Of Criticism - No one likes to be criticised. The dislike of criticism regarding religious practices may be divided into two categories:

a) The first category is that of a person who neglects a commandment of Allah in order to avoid the criticism of his peers.
b) The second category is that of a person who obeys certain commandments of Islam, not for the sake of Allah, but because he fears people will look down on him and criticise him if he does not do it. For example, a man may make his formal prayers in the mosque because he does not want people to criticise him for praying at home, or to think that he is not praying at all.
3. Greed for people's possessions - If a person covets what other people possess, whether it is rank, money or power, then he will wish them to envy him similarly. For example, if he is jealous of a position of a certain person in society, he will try by every possible means to attain the same position. Such desires lead people to spend their lives putting on a show for other people so that they will admire their rank, money, or power.

Compiled From:
"Riyaa: Hidden Shirk" - Abu Ammar Yasir al-Qathi

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Blindspot!
Personal Destiny

None of us are born as passive generic blobs waiting for the world to stamp its imprint on us. Instead we show up possessing already a highly refined and individual soul.

Another way of thinking of it is this: We're not born with unlimited choices.

We can't be anything we want to be.

We come into this world with a specific, personal destiny. We have a job to do, a calling to enact, a self to become. We are who we are from the cradle, and we're stuck with it.

Our job in this lifetime is not to shape ourselves into some ideal we imagine we ought to be, but to find out who we already are and become it.

If we were born to paint, it's our job to become a painter.

If we were born to raise and nurture children, it's our job to become a mother.

If we were born to overthrow the order of ignorance and injustice of the world, it's our job to realize it and get down to business.

Compiled From:
"The War of Art" - Steven Pressfield, pp. 145, 146

Friday Nasihah

2013-04-19T12:11:00.000-04:00

Living The Quran
Insult
Surah al-Imran (The House of Imran) Chapter 3: Verse 186 (partial)

"And you shall certainly hear much that will insult you from those who received the Scripture before you and from the polytheists. But if you persevere patiently and guard against evil, this will be the best course with which to determine your affairs."

This passage was revealed in Medina, and it leaves little doubt that the Prophet, peace be upon him, and his Companions often encountered insulting and irritating incidents at that time. Given the nature of the Prophet's mission and campaign, opposition verging on insult and abuse from the disbelievers was by no means unexpected. It would be neither feasible nor wise, under such circumstances, to have been too preoccupied with prosecution and punishment. This is precisely what the Quran has recommended and also what the Prophet actually did. But the juristic doctrine that was later developed followed a different course, one which moves more along punitive lines, rather than those of patience and perseverance.

Compiled From:
"Freedom of Expression in Islam" - Mohammad Hashim Kamali, pp. 244, 245

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Understanding the Prophet's Life
Spirituality

Placing spirituality, the intimate quest for meaning, light, and peace, at the centre of the religious experience makes it possible to overcome the formalistic reductions that turn religion into a closed, restrictive Universe of norms, limits, and prohibitions. There are, to be sure, rituals, obligations, and morals, but they pertain to a conception of life and death that imparts to them a meaning and substance that one must perpetually recall to avoid becoming deluded by the presence of a formal set of rules emptied of the heart of their meaning. This is what the Prophet of Islam indicated in a tradition that should be understood both literally and figuratively: "God does not look at your bodies or at your image but God looks into your hearts." [Bukhari, Muslim]

Compiled From:
"Radical Reform: Islamic Ethics and Liberation" - Tariq Ramadan, pp. 310, 311

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Blindspot!
Terrorism

Nothing excuses the killing of innocent people. The devastation and anguish that such violence causes is often beyond description. Ask the families who lost loved ones in 9/11 or 7/7 or the terrorist attacks in Madrid and Boston. Their agony is mirrored a world away by families who have seen relatives torn apart by air strikes in Afghanistan, Pakistan, Syria, and Gaza or by suicide attacks in Iraq and Indonesia. The cultures and languages may be different but the emotional and psychological impact is very similar. Islam condemns the killing of all innocent people no matter if the killings were committed by an individual or a group or by a state. All of these crimes must be condemned.

To end any cycle of violence its root causes must be properly examined. Although Muslims die in greater numbers from terrorist acts than any other group, it is often their religion that is held up as the cause. But according to the University of Chicago’s Dr. Robert Pape, the world’s foremost expert on suicide terrorism, “The root cause of suicide terrorism is foreign occupation” and “over 95% of all suicide attacks are in response to foreign occupation.”

What is the way forward? Are we locked in a permanent cycle of war, terrorism and death? Is the suicide rate of 6500 American soldiers a year an inevitable by-product in this global blood feud? Fortunately, public opinion in the U.S. seems to be slowly changing. A Zogby poll in 2010 “found that 27% of Americans now believe that the `most important factor’ motivating terrorists to attack the United States is that they `resent Western power and influence,’” while 33% still believe the terrorists want Islam to dominate the world. For the 33% it may be helpful to note that, according to CPOST, groups like Al-Qaeda, Hamas and Hezbollah are not working and conspiring with one another like a fascist monolith – “what stands out is that each is driven by essentially nationalist goals to compel target democracies to withdraw military forces from their particular homeland.”

Compiled From:
"Islam and Terrorism" - IslamACloserLook.com

Friday Nasihah

2013-04-12T10:00:00.005-04:00

Living The Quran
Raindrops
Surah al-Zukhruf (Gold) Chapter 43: Verse 11 (partial)

"And He it is who sends down water from the sky in due measure."

Water comes down from the sky, as every person sees and knows, but most people are not moved by this remarkable phenomenon because of over familiarity. Muhammad, God's Messenger, (peace be upon him), however, held a different attitude. He looked at the drops of rain with love and welcoming delight, knowing that they came from God; in other words, his heart recognized God's handiwork in these drops. Every heart that is aware of its bond with God and the laws of nature He has set in operation should adopt this attitude.

Every raindrop is the result of the laws of nature which operate under God's eye and control. That rain originates from the vapour that rises from the earth and cools down in the atmosphere in no way diminishes the implication of these facts. Who has brought the earth into being, placed water on it, subjected it to heat, made water naturally evaporate and vapour rise and condense? Who has given the universe its other characteristics which give the condensing vapour an electrical charge so that when clouds gather, their electric charges cause rain to fall?

As we learn more about nature, however, our knowledge casts a heavy weight over our understanding. We no longer appreciate the messages given by universal phenomena; we no longer allow these messages to refine our feelings and responses.

Compiled From:
"In The Shade Of The Quran" - Sayyid Qutb, Vol 15, pp, 220, 221

Understanding the Prophet's Life
Alloted Provision

The provision that one receives is called rizq. Rarely does God use two very similar names that evoke one attribute. When it comes to provision, God is al-Raziq and al-Razzaq, both names referring to Him as the provider. We creatures are known as marzuq, that is, the beneficiaries of God's provision. Some scholars say that provision is anything from which a person derives benefit. Others say it refers to all the material possessions one has. The dominant opinion is the former.

God divides the provision of people into two kinds: inner (batini) and outer (zahiri). The outward provision includes such things as food, shelter, and well-being. Inner provision includes knowledge, good character, contentment, and similar qualities. Even the people in a person's life (friends, teachers, spouse, family, and so on) are considered provision.

Along with the provision that God gives, He also has given the means (asbab) by which one must seek out his provision. There should be no confusion about the means of attaining provision and the provision itself. When one starts to believe that his or her provision is in the hands of another person, this creates a breeding ground for diseases, such as coveting what others have, doing whatever it takes to get it, and becoming angry when one does not receive what he or she expects.

The Prophet, peace be upon him, said that the Angel Gabriel disclosed to him, "No soul will die until it completes the provision that was alloted to it." [Sahih al-Jami] One must trust in God and seek refuge in Him from resorting to illicit livelihood out of fear of not having enough wealth.

Compiled From:
"Purification of The Heart" - Hamza Yusuf, pp. 79, 80

Blindspot!
Second Chance

If a friend or a lover is late to meet you for lunch or forgets your birthday, it's probably okay to give him or her a second chance. But more serious offenses, such as being unfaithful, getting drunk and becoming abusive, or maliciously starting a terrible rumour about you, probably do not deserve another chance.

Some people deserve a second chance more than others. These include:

Those who have been understanding, compassionate, and forgiving toward you
Those who generally treat you with consideration, kindness, and respect
Those who have genuinely apologized and taken responsibility for their offensive behaviour

Compiled From:
"The Nice Girl Syndrome" - Beverly Engel, pp. 199, 200

My trip to Malaysia Part 6 Hari Raya Aidil Adha

2013-04-12T09:54:00.000-04:00

When we got back to KB it was time to celebrate Eid. On the first day we walked to the neighbourhood musalla instead of the mosque on the street since it was closer. I brought telekung (prayer garments for my daughters and I) and put them on when we got to the musalla. A strange thing in Malaysia is that most of the mosques have prayer mats in the corner that you spread out even though there is already a rug or you have to bring your own. So at this musalla a woman handed me a prayer mat and I thought she was lending me hers but it turned out to be one that the musalla provided. The khutba was in Malay and I felt sad as the khutba is my second favourite thing about Eid besides the chants at the beginning of Allahu Akbar etc. The musalla was a very disappointing place; it was in the back of someone's business and there were holes in the ceiling and corrugated tin walls. I guess no one really invests in these places as there are already so many nice mosques. As for the khutba, it wasn't written by the imam but given out by the gov't. A friend told me that most mosques are like this but some do write their own. I was glad to hear that because otherwise it sounds like a dictatorship. At the end I said assalaamu Alaikum to the women and to their utter surprise Selamat Hari Raya. Guess they didn't expect an orang putih to know that! Then we walked home and since the cow was to be slaughtered the next day we had arranged for a goat to be slaughtered for my daughter's aqiqah. Even though she was 12 its never too late to do it. Family and neighbours came. It felt odd for me because I really wanted to introduce myself as the mother of the daughter having the aqiqah but since I can't speak malay and wasn't even sure if that was proper protocol I stood awkwardly in the background. I was wearing a white abaya and a cream hijab with flowers from IDH. All of our family was wearing the same colour as is the new trendy custom in Malaysia. Dh chose the colour. My daughters all had white baju kurung and the boys baju melayu. Although I found it nice to have all the in-laws there I did miss my kids back home (5 of them and my granddaughter and son-in-law and daughter-in-law). I also missed the decorations and Canadian style baked treats. Although cupcakes have now become a trend in Malaysian and they are nicely decorated the taste leaves something to be desired.

On the second day of Eid my sister-in-law arranged to get a cow slaughtered. We were all invited to come and watch but only dh and my brave 8 yr old daughter went. After this we went to visit different brother and sister -in-laws. One brother-in-law lives in the house that I used to live in which was my parents-in-laws but they have passed away in the interim. It was odd to come back and see the changes; no more chickens, trees cut down and a house being built in the back for my brother-in-law. All the memories came flooding back. The last house we went to of one of the brother-in-laws had so many yummy treats including chocolate bars which are expensive in Malaysia that it started to feel more like Eid to me. I didn't find Eid very festive there at all and dh said its because people don't really make a big deal out of Eid-ul-Adha compared to Eid-ul-Fitr. Apparently they don't even give out money on the second eid but the kids and I were unaware of that so they mentioned it and the relatives took pity and gave them some. It made the kids feel special since they knew their brother had received the same thing when he had gone before.

Friday Nasihah

2013-04-05T09:34:00.006-04:00

Living The Quran
Individuality
Surah al-Mumtahana (The Tested Woman) Chapter 60: Verse 12

"O Prophet! When believing women come to thee to take the oath of allegiance to thee, that they will not associate in worship any other thing whatever with Allah, that they will not steal, that they will not commit adultery (or fornication), that they will not kill their children, that they will not utter slander, intentionally forging falsehood, and that they will not disobey thee in any just matter; then do thou accept their allegiance, and pray to Allah for the forgiveness (of their sins): for Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful."

The individuality of a woman is a principle of religion. In Islam, a woman is an independent entity, and thus a fully responsible human being. Islam addresses her directly and does not approach her through the agency of Muslim males. A woman would assume full capacity and liability once she has attained maturity and has received the message of Islam.

Moreover no woman is said to have truly accepted the message of Islam unless she does so out of her independent will. Admission to faith is entirely a personal matter; indeed, faith cannot be adopted by proxy. Women, just like men, would come to the Prophet (peace be upon him) and pledge their own allegiance to Islam and the Prophet.

If embracing Islam by a woman is an entirely personal matter in the Islamic tradition and cannot be done through proxy, so are all obligations and duties, which Islam enjoins on her. No one else can do them on her behalf. She performs her acts of worship purely on the basis of her own intention; and as such these are treated in Islam as her personal achievements.

On the basis of her own action, a woman earns reward or punishment. No man is allowed to plead or intercede for a woman, nor is he held responsible for her actions and their consequences. The doctrine of ultimate accountability does not take the family as a unit for collective responsibility; rather, each individual male or female, is an autonomous unit of reckoning in front of God, and is held directly responsible for his or her actions or his or her share in joint acts.

Compiled From:
"On the Position of Women in Islam and in Islamic Society" - Hassan al-Turabi

Understanding the Prophet's Life
Ethic of Action
Al tawhid commits man to an ethic of action; that is, to an ethic where worth and unworth are measured by the degree of success the moral subject achieves in disturbing the flow of space-time, in his body as well as around him. It does not deny the ethic of intent, but demands fulfillment of its requirements as the preliminary prerequisite for entering into the fulfillment of those of the ethic of action. He must enter the rough and tumble of history and therein bring about the desired transformation. He cannot lead a monastic, isolationist existence except as an exercise in self-discipline and self-mastery.
You will recall that the Prophet, peace be upon him, used to retire, to isolate and discipline himself, especially before revelation [Bukhari]. Indeed, it may be said that revelation was the climax of his tahannuth [worship, avoidance of sin]. However, it was Allah Who ordered him not only to go down, but also to outwit his opponents when they plotted to kill him, to build a community, to emigrate, to build a state, to promote and govern the material life of his people. Our Prophet faced reality, political, economic, military reality and made history. He was husband and father, tradesman and provider, statesman and judge, military leader, and prophet, all at once. The revelation which came to him and of which he was the first embodiment left nothing without guidance or direction. Islam is a religion of action, and action is public and societal whereas an ethic of intent is personal and has no need to go out of conscience.
Compiled From:
"Tawhid: Its Implications for Thought and Life" - Ismail Raji Al-Faruqi, pp. 163, 164

Blindspot!
Shariah-Oriented Policy

Siyasah shariah or Shariah-oriented policy is generally seen as an instrument of flexibility and pragmatism in Shariah, designed to serve the cause of justice and good government, especially when the rules of Shariah fall short of addressing certain situations or developments. Siyasah shariah means government in accordance with the goals and objectives of Shariah and in its widest sense applies to all government policies, be it in areas where the Shariah provides explicit guidelines or otherwise.

Essential harmony with the spirit of the Shariah may at times even justify a certain departure from its letter. This may be illustrated by many of the policy decisions of Umar b. al-Khattab, may Allah be pleased with him. In one such decision he refused to assign the fertile lands of Iraq as war booty to the warriors even though the Quran had clearly entitled the warriors to war booty (8:45). Change of circumstances also led the caliph Umar to impose zakah on horses despite the fact that the Prophet, peace be upon him, had exempted these animals from the payment of zakah. It is interesting to note that caliph Umar b. Abd al-Aziz in an effort to revive the early Sunnah, once again abolished the zakah on horses.

It is similarly reported that the third caliph Uthman b. Affan, validated the right to inheritance of a woman whose husband had divorced her in order to be disinherited. The husband's right to divorce was thus deemed prejudicial and therefore obstructed on the grounds, it would seem, of just siyasah.

The decision of Caliph Umar seem to stand in a class of their own and tend to represent the upper limits of siyasah. No other leader would appear to have surpassed the calibre and boldness of Umar's decisions in that they actually went against the clear text of the Quran. Many commentators have discussed and analysed them but no one has actually disputed the propriety and aptitude of those decisions.

Compiled From:
"Shariah Law - An Introduction" - Mohammad Hashim Kamali, pp. 225-231

Out Bot, out bot!

2013-04-02T09:50:00.001-04:00

So its come to this! I guess you know your blog is popular when the spammers and bots have discovered it. So from here on out, you will have to deal with word verification when making comments. I know, I know, its a pain. I hate it too. But I have to drive them away. Please continue to comment. My readers mean a lot to me. I hope you are enjoying my posts about my Malaysian trip. If you see something you like let me know and if not email me at omwits at gmail.com .

April 2013 Book Club Choice

2013-04-02T09:14:00.001-04:00

Is it already April? Doesn't feel like it...its still so cold. Anyway here is the book choice for this month. Neither This Nor That. Its a teen read but looks interesting.

Friday Nasihah

2013-03-29T09:23:00.003-04:00

Living The Quran
Civility
Surah Al-Taubah (The Repentance) Chapter 9: Verse 112 (partial)

"Those who observe the limits set by God."

Civility is preserving the limit between exaggeration and coolness, while being aware of the damage that may result from aggression.

It consists of three levels:

The first level is preventing fear from extending to despair, keeping expectation from turning into security and containing pleasure so that it does not equal boldness.

The second level is forsaking fear in order to enter the field of constriction, rising from expectation to the field of expansion and progressing from happiness to the field of contemplation.

The third level is being aware of civility, then dispensing with civility by experiencing the civility of the True One, then escaping from witnessing the burdens of civility.

Compiled From:
"Stations of the Wayfarers" - Abdullah Al-Ansari, pp. 128-130

Understanding the Prophet's Life
Gradual Change
Changing people is not a simple task. Individuals become set in their beliefs and attitudes, and dominant practices, customs and traditions become part of their life. To change these will require hard work and a great deal of patience. Therefore, keeping human nature in mind, all the noble Prophets of Allah worked according to the set priorities of Islam and introduced change gradually so that it could become firm in people's hearts and minds. If change is rushed, it could have a negative impact on the person or society that is being changed.

"The religion of Islam is a lenient one - so go into it with ease and patience. No one who attempts to storm his way into it will come out victorious." (Bukhari)
Compiled From:
"Building a New Society" - Zahid Parvez, p. 163

Cool Tips!
Hard Moments

The poet Robert Frost wrote, "Two roads diverged in a wood, and I - I took the one less traveled by, And that has made all the difference." There are certain hard moments, diverging-road moments, that, if we are strong in them, will make "all the difference" down the road of life.

Hard moments are conflicts between doing the right thing and doing the easier thing. They are the key tests, the defining moments of life - and how we handle them can literally shape our forevers. They come in two sizes, small and large.

Small hard moments occur daily and include things like getting up when your alarm rings, controlling your temper, or disciplining yourself to do your homework. If you can conquer yourself and be strong in these moments your days will run so much more smoothly. For example, if I'm weak in a hard moment and sleep in (mattress over mind), it often snowballs and becomes the first of many little failures throughout the day. But if I get up when planned (mind over mattress), it often becomes the first of many little successes.

In contrast to small hard moments, larger ones occur every so often in life and include things like choosing good friends, resisting negative peer pressure, and rebounding after a major setback: You may get cut from a team or dumped by your lover, your parents may get divorced, or you may have a death in the family. These moments have huge consequences and often strike when you're least expecting them. If you recognize that these moments will come (and they will), then you can prepare for them and meet them head on like a warrior and come out victorious.

Be courageous at these key junctures! Don't sacrifice your future happiness for one night of pleasure, a weekend of excitement, or a thrilling moment of revenge.

Compiled From:
"The 7 Habits of Highly Effective Teens" - Sean Covey, p. 122

March 2013 book club pick

2013-03-22T09:32:00.000-04:00

Better late than never right? This month's pick is The Translator. Right now I don't have a copy but am reading Lyrics Alley by the same author Leila Aboulela.

Friday Nasihah

2013-03-22T09:25:00.005-04:00

Living The Quran
Good Projects
Surah Al-Ankabut (The Spider) Chapter 29: Verse 69

"And those who strive in Our cause, We will certainly guide them to our paths. For verily Allah is with those who do right."

It is important for the Muslim minority to establish institutions of public welfare such as hospitals, poor people's homes, children's homes, orphanages, centres for the disabled, traveler's lodges, coaching centre for students etc. These are essential not only for the survival of the Muslim minority but also for non-Muslims. Keeping their doors open for non-Muslims would have manifold advantages. This would ensure not only the welfare of the minority but also endear the non-Muslims and serve the cause of helping humanity.

We often complain of the lack of resources. Obviously resources are needed for setting up such institutions. However, arranging for funds for these is not so difficult. The Muslim community which has already been sponsoring hundreds of thousands of madrasas and masjids can easily set up these welfare institutions. What is really needed is the deep realization to take up such projects. The only thing missing is to realize community and national obligations and to establish institutions which are suited best in the given circumstances. There is a pressing need for taking up these projects with single-minded devotion. For this sincere intention Allah promises that He provides ways and means for all the good projects aimed at His cause.

Compiled From:
"The Prophet Muhammad : A Role Model for Muslim Minorities" - Yasin Mazhar Siddiqi, p. 196

Understanding the Prophet's Life
Apostasy

The Prophet, peace be upon him, never put anyone to death for apostasy alone. Indeed, there were cases when certain individuals apostatised after professing Islam yet the Prophet did not even penalise them, let alone condemn them to death. Affirmative evidence on this point is found in the following incident which appears in the Hadith compilations of al-Bukhari and Muslim:

A Bedouin came to the Prophet and pledged his allegiance to him, professing Islam. The next day he came back, ill with fever and said, 'Return my pledge to me.' but the Prophet refused - thrice. Then the Prophet said: Medina is like a bellows which rejects its dross and recognises its pure.

This was a clear case of apostasy, in which the Prophet made no reference to any punishment at all, and the Bedouin, despite his persistent renunciation of Islam was left to go unharmed.
The Prophet, peace be upon him, did not treat apostasy as a proscribed offence (hadd), but, on the contrary, pardoned many individuals who had embraced Islam, then renounced it, and then embraced it again. Included among these was Abdullah Ibn Abi Sarh, the foster brother of Uthman Ibn Affan, and one-time scribe of the Prophet.
Compiled From:
"Freedom of Expression in Islam" - Mohammad Hashim Kamali, pp. 96-98

Blindspot!
Acting Together
One of the best testimonies that a religious or spiritual tradition can give of itself lies in acts of solidarity between its adherents and others. To defend the dignity of the latter, to fight so that our societies do not produce indignity, to work together to support marginalized and neglected people, will certainly help us know one another better, but it will, above all, make known the essential message that shines at the heart of our traditions: never neglect your brother in humanity and learn to love him or at least serve him.

More broadly, we have to act together so that the body of values that forms the basis of our ethics is not relegated to such a private and secluded sphere that it becomes inoperative and socially dead. Our philosophies of life must continue to inspire our civil commitment, with all due respect to the supporters of a postmodernism whose aim seems to be to deny any legitimacy to all reference to a universal ethic. We need to find together a civil role, inspired by our convictions, in which we will work to demand that the rights of all be respected, that discriminations be outlawed, that dignity be protected, and that economic efficiency cease to be the measure of what is right. Differentiating between public and private space does not mean that women and men of faith, or women and men of conscience, have to shrink to the point of disappearance and fear to express themselves publicly in the name of what they believe. When a society has gone so far as to disqualify, in public debate, faith and what it inspires, the odds are that its system is founded only on materialism and ruled only by materialist logic - the self-centred accumulation of goods and profit.

We must dare to express our faith, its demands, and its ethics, to involve ourselves as citizens in order to make known our human concerns, our desire for justice and dignity, our moral standards, our fears as consumers and televiewers, our hopes as mothers and fathers - to commit ourselves to do the best possible, together, to reform what might be. All our religious traditions have a social message that invites us to work together on a practical level. We are still far from this. In spite of thousands of dialogue circles and meetings, we still seem to know one another very little and to be very lacking in trust. Perhaps we must reconsider our methods and formulate a mutual demand: to behave in such a way that our actions, as much as possible, mirror our words, and then to act together.

Compiled From:
"Western Muslims and The Future of Islam" - Tariq Ramadan, pp. 212, 213

Friday Nasihah

2013-03-15T18:41:00.001-04:00

Living The Quran
True Superiority
Surah Al-Hujurat (The Chambers) Chapter 49: Verse 13 (partial)

"Indeed, the most honourable of you in the sight of God is the most God-fearing of you. Surely, God is all-knowing, all-aware."

In some cultures, if one is aware of his "high birth," he is obliged to behave nobly. One of the blights of many societies is racism, when people feel and act superior simply because of their race. The Quran lays waste to false claims of superiority and states that the only rank that matters relates to one's relationship with God.

Many people are honoured by having lineage traceable to the Prophet, peace be upon him, and his family. While this is indeed an honour in itself, it is something to be venerated when one's actions are likewise honourable. It is said, "If your actions hold you back, your lineage will not speed you up."

Compiled From:
"Purification of the Heart" - Hamza Yusuf, p. 126

Understanding the Prophet's Life
Supreme Names
Abu Dawud and Nasai both related from Anas [ibn Malik] that he was sitting with the Prophet, peace be upon him, when a man, after offering his prayers, said in supplication: 'O God, verily, I ask You because Yours is all praise. There is no deity but You, the One who sends blessings, the Originator of the heavens and the earth. O You who are endowed with might and generosity. You who are the Living, the Vigilant.' The Prophet remarked, '[This man] has supplicated God through His supreme name: when God is called upon by it, He answers; when asked for something through it, He gives [what is asked].'
In this way, the Prophet is telling us that a supplication is answered when it is preceded by praise and remembrance, that this praise and remembrance are the Supreme name of God and that this is the most effective way for the servant to ask for his needs.
Compiled From:
"The Invocation of God" - Ibn Qayyim al-Jawziyya, p. 121

Blindspot!
Love and Law
The Shariah experiences no tension between 'love' and 'law' or between 'faith' and 'deeds'. Both are integrated into a harmonious whole.

Guiding people to the Din, the Way, through the Shariah is an act of God's greatest mercy, kindness and love. Wherever the 'sending down of the Book' is mentioned in the Quran, the attributes of mercy, wisdom and omnipotence are also mentioned.

The very distinction between love and law is alien to the temper of Islam and incomprehensible in its vision. Love is all-embracing; how can it even conceive of displeasing the Beloved and ignoring the guidance given by Him? How can One who loves His creatures leave them wandering and groping in darkness to find answers to the complex problem of life?

Compiled From:
Islam: The Way of Revival, "Inner Dimensions of the Shariah" - Khurram Murad, p. 19

Sweet Beach Resort- My trip to Malaysia part 5

2013-03-11T14:10:00.000-04:00

After we went to Perhentian, we stopped at Sweet Beach Resort for our final beach day. This beach was brown instead of white and the water was also brown, so not nearly as nice as Perhentian. The waves were huge and we could have went surfing there. They were so strong I couldn't stand up with my leg problems. The beach was so desolate as it was two days before eid although I did see one man running along it. The place we stayed at there, looked like it hadn't been updated since the 80's and every room had something wrong with it ie broken toilet seat, broken bathroom door etc. The restaurant was shut down since everyone pretty much had left so we had to walk to the road to eat from hawkers which was ok. The guy tried to guess where I was from and even said "shukran" to me...so many people thought I was arab this time in Malaysia because I was wearing jilbab. The first time back in 2000 I wore baju kurung so everyone seemed to understand that I was a white chick trying to go native, lol. Later on after spending time on the beach which was littered with old lawn chairs we went back to our room and except for my daughter and I everyone went back to the guy to get supper. It was very eerie as everyone at the resort had left, except a few, I'm guessing staff and then the lights went out. I thought, oh they will quickly fix this, or at least bring us a candle? But nobody came. I started to panic a little as Magrhib was coming and still the rest of the family was not back, nor any staff. As the minutes ticked by, I thought maybe next time I travel, I should bring a flash light. Then I made dua asking Allah to get the lights back on so I wouldn't have to pray Maghrib in the dark. Almost immediately the lights went back on and I was so grateful. So I prayed and then supper was brought home and since hardly anybody was there, they let us have two rooms to sleep in. Would I suggest anybody go? Not really but maybe we just saw the bad side. We did find lovely shells at this beach though.

Friday Nasihah

2013-03-08T09:30:00.006-05:00

Living The Quran
Unique Beauty
Surah Al-Hijr (The Rocky Tract) Chapter 15: Verses 16-18

"We have indeed set up in the heavens constellations, and endowed them with beauty for all to behold, and We have guarded them from every cursed devil, so that anyone who tries to eavesdrop is pursued by a flame clear to see. ."

The 'constellations' may refer to the stars and planets themselves with their huge entities, or it may refer to their positions which define their orbits.

The reference here to the beauty of the universe, particularly the type seen in the sky, suggests that beauty is an intended purpose behind such creation. It is not merely size or accuracy that are intended, but also beauty which is clearly seen in all its aspects. A quick glance at the sky in a dark moonless night, with so many stars and planets sending their faint light our way, gives us a sense of that unique beauty. The same feeling will be aroused by a similar look at the sky in a night with a full moon, moving along in a romantic air, with the rest of the universe holding its breath so that it does not disturb a happy dreamer. One glance like that is sufficient to indicate the depth of the beauty in the creation of the universe.

With the beauty comes preservation, pure and intact. None can spoil this purity by trying to spread evil in it. Satan is allowed to do his evil work only on earth, to tempt human beings to follow his wicked designs. The sky, which is a symbol for what is exalted and sublime, is beyond his reach. He may attempt to do so, but every attempt he makes is foiled.

Compiled From:
"In The Shade of The Quran" - Sayyid Qutb, Vol. 10, pp. 316, 317

Understanding the Prophet's Life
Essence of God

According to a Hadith, the Prophet (peace be upon him) asked the believers to 'ponder upon the creation of God, but not on God. For you will never be able to do Him justice.' [Suyuti, al Jami al Saghir]

The restriction is obviously based on the premise that the human mind is not endowed with the capacity to define its Creator, although it may explore and explain His attributes in relation to those aspects of His creation which are known or can be known by it. In this way, our knowledge of God is directly related to our knowledge of His creation. The Quran, on numerous occasions, invites attention to the signs of the creation of God, which testify to His omniscience and omnipresence. We are, thus, encouraged to investigate the world around us, to acquire knowledge of the mysteries of creation, and through it also to increase our understanding of the attributes and Exalted Names of God.

Since human knowledge of the universe is incomplete, knowledge of the Creator of the universe must also be an on-going process, and one which is unlikely to attain perfection. Attempting to 'investigate' the Essence of God is an idle and dangerous exercise which seeks to fathom the unfathomable, something beyond human capacity. It is dangerous as it leads to error in belief. To attempt to specify the Essence of God is to try to limit the limitless, which is, in turn, tantamount to an attempt at reducing God Most High.

Compiled From:
"Freedom of Expression in Islam" - Mohammad Hashim Kamali, pp. 150, 151

Blindspot!
Ethical Counterpowers

Ethical counterpowers must emerge at the heart of civil societies as minds struggle against propaganda, lies, and disinformation. We must reconcile these factors with complex, in-depth debates and serious reading. This turn of mind must be allied to national and international actions that fight for the dignity of women and men, of citizens, foreigners, and immigrants; for the right to welfare, health, education, freedom, justice, and solidarity; and more broadly for the rule of law, independence, and pluralism. We must be ambitious without illusion and humble without naivete; the road will be very long. This is because the ambition to resist must be combined with humility about projects undertaken and results achieved.

This is in keeping with fundamental spiritual teachings: the imperative requirement of resisting with one's heart, conscience, and skills; determined patience and active perseverance to go on; confidence in the name of meaning, regardless of results. This is how Muslim spirituality, echoing all the spiritualities in the world, teaches the meaning of dignity. We should never turn into dreamers or idealists finding legitimacy in aspirations to a hereafter. We must look squarely at humans, hypocrisies, and lies; we must simplify nothing. Nothing will be changed, for instance, by denouncing wars and promoting wide-eyed, improbable pacifism. Lucidity requires us to denounce all aspects of the business of war and promote a profound, uncompromising ethics of peace. Victims have this right over our intelligence and commitments. What spirituality and meaning first and foremost require are competence, realism, consistency, and earnestness.

Compiled From:
"Radical Reform: Islamic Ethics and Liberation" - Tariq Ramadan, pp. 291, 292

My trip to Malaysia part 4

2013-03-01T09:42:00.002-05:00

We only got to spend one day and night at Perhentian Besar. It was wonderful but too short. At least a week would have been nice. The problem was they were closing up for the season because it was almost Eid. The kids had so much fun swimming and playing with the crabs and burying a dead jellyfish. Eating alfresco at the next door restaurant was wonderful too. The beach was almost empty but there were some half-naked tourists that I didn't appreciate. They were mostly white but none of them were speaking in English. Seems like most of the tourists in Malaysia are either from Europe or the Middle East. But on this beach we were the only Muslims sadly besides the staff. In our burquinis we felt like outsiders and I had to keep telling myself that I was in Malaysia; a Muslim country. The nicest experience I had on the beach was when I was swimming in the evening. Suddenly we heard the azan coming from Perhentian Kecil; the island next to ours which has fishing villages. It was so beautiful, the scenery, the water, the sound. I immediately got out and went to our cabin to pray maghrib.

Friday Nasihah

2013-03-01T09:27:00.002-05:00

Living The Quran
Essence
Surah Al-Shams (The Sun) Chapter 91: Verses 9-10

"He is indeed prosperous who has grown it (the soul) in purity and he is indeed lost who has corrupted it."

Our essence is like a seed. If we use our potential and intellectual and spiritual faculties in this narrow world under the soil of the worldly life only to satisfy the fancies of our carnal, evil-commanding soul or selfhood, we will become corrupt, like a rotten seed, and merely enjoy fleeting pleasures during this short life. Thus, we will depart from this world with a heavy spiritual burden on our unfortunate souls.

But if we germinate the seed of our potential under the "soil of spirituality" with the "water of faith and worship," and if we use our spiritual faculties for their true purposes, we will grow into an eternal, majestic tree, the branches of which extend into eternity. We will yield fruit of virtue in the world and eternal happiness in the next world. We will be favoured in Paradise with infinite perfection and countless blessings.

All this means that we have been sent to the world to grow through knowledge and faith. And due to our special position among other beings, we have been entrusted with improving the earth through knowledge and faith and establishing justice on it. This imposes on us duties toward our Creator and other beings.

Compiled From:
"The Quran: Annotated Interpretation in Modern English" - Ali Unal, p. 1230

Understanding the Prophet's Life
Training Anger

A man asked the Prophet, peace be upon him, "Give me advice." The Prophet said, "Do not become angry." The man asked again, and the Prophet repeated his advice. For a third time, the man asked the question, and the Prophet said again, "Do not become angry." [Bukhari]

According to scholars like Imam al-Nawawi and others, when the Messenger of God said, "Do not become angry," he meant do not allow anger to lord over oneself and cause the loss of one's comportment. In other words, do not become anger, its embodiment, such that people only see your rage. Instead, control your anger and never lose control.

Anger is something that needs to be trained, not abolished, for if people completely suppressed their sense of anger, many of the injustices of the world would not have been opposed and tyranny would have gone unchecked. Without anger, people would go around with complete impunity and commit heinous acts without resistance from the people. Corruption would cover the face of the earth.

A person who has no feelings about oppression, wrongdoing and disbelief is, in fact, an impotent person emotionally. It has been said, "Evil flourishes when a few good people do not do anything to oppose it." Thus response to injustice and oppression in a civilized way is the appropriate expression of anger. Being neutral to injustice is equal to contributing to injustice.

Compiled From:
"Purification of The Heart" - Hamza Yusuf, pp. 102-103
"Anger and Dejection--An Islamic Perspective" - Shahid Athar

Blindspot!
Perfection
Improvement is a far more realistic goal than perfection. When we believe "we must be this" we ignore who or what we actually are, our capacity and our limitations. We start from the image of perfection, and of course, from perfection there is nowhere to go but down.

When we think, "I want my parents to see me as the perfect daughter," all we can do is fail. First, perfection is unattainable. Second, we can't control how people perceive us. Lastly, there is no way that we can do every single thing that is expected of us or that we expect of ourselves.

When our goal is growth and we say, "I'd like to improve this," we start from where and who we are. "I'd like to work on my relationship with my parents" is a completely different goal from "I want my parents to see me as the perfect daughter."

When we give ourselves permission to be imperfect, when we find self-worth despite our imperfections, when we build connection networks that affirm and value us as imperfect beings, we are much more capable of change.

Compiled From:
"I Thought It Was Just Me" - Brene Brown, p. 196

Friday Nasihah

2013-02-22T10:10:00.002-05:00

Living The Quran
Taking A Stand
Surah Al-Imran (The House of Imran) Chapter 3: Verse 139

"So lose not heart, nor fall into despair: For you must gain mastery if you are true in Faith."

When a Muslim loses his physical power and is conquered, one's consciousness (taqwa) and faith (iman) does not depart from him. If one remains a Believer, he or she looks upon his or her conqueror from a superior position. One remains certain that this is a temporary condition which will pass away and that faith will turn the tide from which there is no escape. Even if death is his portion, he will never bow his head.

It is the wisdom of God that belief remains independent of the glitter and glamour of worldly allurements, such as closeness to the ruler, favour from the government, popularity among the people or the satisfaction of desire. Indeed, the Believer does not borrow his or her values, concepts and standards from people, but takes them from the Sustainer of the people, God, and that is sufficient for the Believer.

The person who takes a stand against the direction of the society - its common mode, its values and standards, its ideas and concepts, its error and deviations - will find himself or herself a stranger, as well as helpless, unless his or her authority comes from a source which is more powerful than the people, more permanent than the earth, and nobler than life. Let falsehood have power, let it have its drums and banners, and let it have its throngs and mobs; all this cannot change anything of the truth. He or she is a Believer, and whatever be the conditions and the situation, he or she cannot exchange error for the truth. Indeed, God does not leave the Believer alone in the face of oppression to whimper under its weight, to suffer dejection and grief, but relieves him of all this with the message: "So lose not heart, nor fall into despair: For you must gain mastery if you are true in Faith."

Compiled From:
"The Noble Quran" - Abdullah Yusuf Ali,
"Milestones" - Sayyid Qutb, pp. 274-279

Understanding the Prophet's Life
Hygiene
The practice of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) is to be always clean, wearing fresh and neat-looking dress and having a pleasant fragrance. Imam al-Bukhari narrates the Prophet saying, "Allah will forgive the sins of the previous week for a person, who on Friday takes a bath, cleanses himself, puts on his [regular] perfume or any perfume available in the house. Then, he goes out [to Friday Prayer] and avoids separating two friends. Then he prayers wherever he can and listens to [the sermon of] the Imam."

To take a bath on Friday is specifically required as it is the 'weekly Eid' of Muslims and a time for gathering and joy for the community in their homes and masjids. That of course does not mean that one should bathe only on Fridays but as often as is necessary for optimal health and hygiene. The Prophet did not set aside any specific time for bathing and would do so whenever he wished to, sometimes even in the middle of the night as Lady 'Aisha reported!

Do not forget to keep with you a small bottle of perfume and to use it regularly to bring pleasure to yourself and those around you, as the ahadith clearly recommend. It is loved by humans and angels alike, and Allah loves what pleases His creation.
Compiled From:
"Islamic Manners" - Abdul Fattah Abu Ghudda

Blindspot!
Paths to Peace
Only in the crucible of self-mastery can freedom be smelted. Far from how others see us, far from our constant complaining, we all have a deep need for silence and introspection: the silence of our conscience. We need to listen to our hearts, to recognize our needs. Islam—like all spiritual traditions—teaches that we can never fully realize ourselves, never attain our freedom by acting against others, or in relation to the judgments—founded or unfounded—of others. To be means to return to our conscience, to our intelligence and our heart, and to pledge, to the full extent of our abilities, to know and to educate ourselves. Knowledge of God, the Qur’an reminds us, lies “between man and his heart”: God invites us to know ourselves, to rely upon our conscience, to seek responsibility. But above all God summons us to understand our faith, our practice as believers and ourselves. The Unique calls upon humans to become beings of conscience, to take themselves fully in hand and to become—overcoming all obstacles—forces for good, for human well-being and peace.

It is time to stop lamenting if life fails to ease our suffering and our tears. Muslims must reconcile themselves with the full force of this message. Must rediscover the Divine One in intimate dialogue, and then, in confidence, find themselves. Must become responsible: such is the first freedom. Never lose hope: such is the ultimate message of Islam. To be, to know one’s self, to be thankful and to serve in the deep belief that peace lies in the intention and the meaning of all we do, and not in the visibility of the result or the sound of applause. The philosopher noticed: “What does not kill you makes you stronger”… life, which by definition does not definitely kill us, must be the way that strengthen us spiritually. Time, confidence and silence will be required; we must learn to care for ourselves. Islam needs Muslims—women and men—who understand its teachings, who attempt to live by them and who bear witness before humanity and Nature of its simple, luminous and yet demanding message: if you believe you seek; when you seek you love; if you love you serve; when you serve, you pray.

Self-reconciliation, the empowerment of autonomy and freedom, can only come about through the mediation of those around us, with their respect, and in their service. Like the signs of the universe that remind us of the signs of our deepest intimacy, like the order of the cosmos that reflects peace of heart, we must learn, understand, step outside ourselves. To love and to serve means to step outside ourselves: to step outside ourselves holds the promise of self-reconciliation. A paradox, and such a beautiful truth.

Compiled From:
"Paths to Peace" - Tariq Ramadan

Friday Nasihah

2013-02-15T09:29:00.006-05:00

Living The Quran
More Than An Act
Surah Baqarah (The Cow) Chapter 2: Verse 37

"Then learnt Adam from his Lord words of inspiration, and his Lord Turned towards him; for He is Oft-Returning, Most Merciful."

Quranic concept of Taubah is essentially an intimate, personal act. Indeed, it is more than an act. It reflects a moment of decision when one makes up one's mind to break with a course of action and simultaneously adopt another course.

Taubah is not merely the negation of the past; it is essentially a contract with the future. Taubah is personal in that no one else needs to know about it. You do not have to go into a confessional to make a clean breast of all your sins, nor do you have to appear in sack cloth and ashes to convince any authority that you have truly turned penitent. While punishment relates to the act of wrong and satisfies the social conscience, taubah deals with the wrongness of the act and satisfies the conscience of the individual concerned. Taubah is the result of man's understanding of the wrongness of an act and his determination not to repeat the act. Once he has come to this decision he turns to God for mercy and forgiveness.

This process of repentance and forgiveness started with Adam. When Adam violated the covenant he found himself exposed. He desperately tried to cover himself but was transfixed as it were, by a cosmic eye. In mute helplessness he turned to God for mercy.

Compiled From:
"Translations from The Quran" - Altaf Gauhar, pp, 153, 154

Understanding the Prophet's Life
Bringing Ease

When two of the Prophet's (peace be upon him) Companions, Muadh b. Jabal and Abu Musa al-Ashari (may Allah be pleased with them both) were leaving as judges to the Yemen, the Prophet instructed them to:

"Be gentle to the people and avoid harshness to them; bring them good news and scare them not." [Muslim]

With regard to the implementation of penalties, the Prophet instructed the judges and rulers to 'Suspend the prescribed punishments (hudud) as far as you can. For it is better to err in forgiveness than making an error in punishment.' [Abu Yusuf]

In a hadith narrated by the Prophet's widow, Aisha, and recorded by both al-Bukhari and Muslim, the Prophet said: "God is gentle and he loves gentleness in all matters." Then he confirmed in another hadith to say that:
"Gentleness fails not to bring beauty in everything, and it is not taken away from anything without causing ugliness." [Muslim]
A juristic conclusion drawn from these guidelines is that bringing ease to the people and removal of hardship from them is one of the cardinal objectives of Shariah. Hence it is not permissible for a mufti, judge or jurist to opt for a harsh verdict in cases where an easier alternative can be found.
Compiled From:
"Shariah Law - An Introduction" - Mohammad Hashim Kamali, pp, 292-294

Blindspot!
Desirable News

If we allow ourselves to imagine a different kind of news, there are a number of features that might be desirable from a democratic standpoint:

Independent issue agendas developed by each news organization would provide a more diverse information environment.
Offering diverse voices and viewpoints would reduce the gap that ordinary people often feel separates them from the politicians and political insiders who dominate news content.
More analysis of how politics operates behind the scenes of news events would help people understand how political decisions are reached and how they might become involved.
More historical context would help establish the origins of problems in the news and limit the ability of politicians to reinvent history to suit their purposes.
More coverage of citizen political activists would help ordinary people see paths to personal involvement and hear challenging perspectives that might help them evaluate official spin more critically.
Better use of interactive technologies could link news audiences to each other and to civic organizations to learn more about issues and take effective action.

Compiled From:
"News: The Politics of Illusion" - W. Lance Bennett, pp. 30, 31

Friday Nasihah

2013-02-08T09:56:00.003-05:00

Living The Quran
Iniquity
Surah Yunus (Jonah) Chapter 10: Verse 23 (partial)

"O you people, surely your iniquity is but against your selves."

Iniquity is defined as harming anything in creation without just cause. The word is a translation of baghi, which is derived from the Arabic word that denotes desire. In this context, the problem is desiring something to the point of transgressing the rights of others to attain it. The iniquity and injustice that people aim at others ultimately work against the perpetrators.

Imam Mawlud makes an analogy between iniquity and a powerfully intoxicating wine (called qarqaf) that makes one shudder when swallowed. This metaphorical wine is the "love of position," which is a major motivation that impels some to wrong others. Even petty office managers oppress their subordinates for the purpose of marking their territory and securing their positions. Tyrants on corporate boards pull off power plays to acquire more authority or remove those whom they perceive to be potential challenges to their authority or position.

But the world's most powerful leaders, after finally achieving what they so badly coveted, taste death. All their power abruptly vanishes at death's door, the great leveler. Their minions die just the same, those who did whatever they could to move closer to people of authority.

Compiled From:
"Purification of the Heart" - Hamza Yusuf, pp, 32, 33

Understanding the Prophet's Life
Responsibility

Even before birth, when a man is merely an embryo in the womb of his mother, certain responsibilities are prescribed for him. Bukhari relates on the authority of Zaid ibn Masud that the Prophet, peace be upon him, said: "Each one of you is collected in the womb of his mother for forty days, and then turns into a clot for an equal period, and turns into a piece of flesh for a similar period and then Allah sends an angel and orders him to write four things, i.e., his provision, his age at death, and whether he will be of the wretched or the blessed. Then the soul is breathed into him. And by Allah, a person among you may do deeds of the People of Fire until there is only a cubit or an arm-length distance between him and the fire but then the writing precedes, and he does the deeds of the People of Paradise and enters it; and a man does the deeds of the People of Paradise till there is only a cubit or two between him and Paradise, and then that writing precedes and he does the deeds of the People of the Fire and enters it." [Bukhari, Ahmed, Muslim]

It is wrong to think that this tradition is in conflict with the capability of man for responsibility. This hadith intends to underline three things:

First, it warns pious people against such evils as may ruin their good deeds, like pride, vainglory, hypocrisy, and other hidden evils that can render all of a person's good deeds in vain.

Second, it gives hope to those who have wronged themselves, for it is still possible for them to substitute the humiliation that accompanies sin for the honour that always goes with obedience to Allah's will. This assurance is likely to strengthen their resolve at a crucial moment and change their attitude from evil to good.

Third, it draws the attention of both the faithful and the sinful to Allah. If one seeks help from Allah and places trust in Him, one's hidden capabilities and faculties develop and one finds it easy to perform the acts that please Allah, while keeping away from those that invoke His wrath.
This three-fold purpose creates in man a sense of responsibility that leads him onto the straight path.
Compiled From:
"Freedom and Responsibility in Quranic Perspective" - Hasan Al-Anani, pp, 43, 44

Blindspot!
Ordinary and Uncool

One destructive obsession related to perfectionism is the fascination with celebrity culture. We desperately flip through magazines to find out all of the intimate details about the stars we love and the ones we hate. We want to know who has lost weight, how they decorate their houses, what they eat, what they feed their dogs ... you name it. If they eat it, wear it, own it or lose it - we want to do the same!
We want to share in their lives because we believe it's the way to bring us closer to the perfection we seek. Celebrities also bring us closer to another highly coveted asset - coolness. Unfortunately, in a culture driven by profit, there are multibillion-dollar industries making sure that perfection and coolness stay as elusive as they are seductive. There is no such thing as perfect enough or cool enough.
In our culture, the fear and shame of being ordinary is very real. We seem to measure the value of people's contributions (and sometimes their entire lives) by their level of public recognition. In other words, worth is measured by fame and fortune.

Our culture is quick to dismiss quiet, hardworking men and women. In many instances, we equate ordinary with boring or, even more dangerous, ordinary has become synonymous with meaningless. One of the greatest cultural consequences of devaluing our own lives has been our tolerance for what people do to achieve their "extraordinary" status.

Baseball players who pump themselves full of steroids and hormones are heroes. Corporate leaders with billion-dollar salary packages are envied, even if their employees are losing their pensions and benefits at the same time. Young children are overstressed and suffering from high rates of anxiety due to the overscheduling of extracurricular activities and the emphasis on standardized testing scores.

These examples beg the question, what are we willing to sacrifice in our pursuit of the extraordinary?

Compiled From:
"I Thought It Was Just Me" - Brene Brown, pp. 203-205

Friday Nasihah

2013-02-01T09:52:00.003-05:00

Living The Quran
Law of Requital
Surah Al-Fatiha (The Opening) Chapter 1: Verse 4

"Master of the Day of Judgement"

Evil takes many forms but it always contains some element of transgression, excess, waste, misapplication or disorder and implies deliberate pursuit of these ends.

The struggle between good and evil is decided according to the law of requital, which is subordinate to the divine purpose that good must ultimately outweigh evil and falsehood must yield place to truth. Without this not only would the essential balance be disturbed, the whole object of creation would be frustrated. The law of requital is in operation all the time but the final determination awaits the Day of Judgement when God as judge and master will 'decide the issue'. The concept of the hereafter is inseparable from the process of evolution. It is arbitrary to assume that this process which governs growth and decay, selection and survival, generation and regeneration at different levels of existence, should come to an abrupt and final end in physical death.

Compiled From:
"Translations from The Quran" - Altaf Gauhar, p. 70

Understanding the Prophet's Life
Puffing

Aisha (God be well pleased with her and her father) said, "Each night when the Prophet, peace be upon him, retired to his bed he would gather his hands together, puff in them, and then recite in them [Surat al-Ikhlas, Surat al-Falaq, and Surat al-Nas] and then wipe over with his hands whatever he could of his body, beginning with his head and face and the front of his body. He would do this three times." [Bukhari, Muslim]

Aisha also said, "When he became exhausted I would puff for him [with Surat al-Falaq and Surat al-Nas], and wipe with his own hand for its blessings." And in some narrations: "When he became sick he would read over himself [Surat al-Ikhlas, Surat al-Falaq and Surat al-Nas] and then puffed." [Bukhari, Muslim, Ahmad] The linguists said that "puffing" [al-nafath] is a light breath without saliva.
Compiled From:
"Etiquette With The Quran" - Imam Al-Nawawi, p. 104

Blindspot!
Busy Days

Some imagine that their days would be less busy in the future, that there would be fewer problems and obstacles, and that they will have more free time than during the past youth. However, experience shows quite the opposite, dear reader, so let me quote to you from the one who experienced that and concluded:

The older you get, the greater your responsibilities will be, the more relations you will have, the more restricted your time will be and the lesser your energy. Time is more restricted after youth, and one's body is weaker, health is less abundant, vitality is lower and duties and preoccupations are more numerous and more severe! Hence, make use of your time while it is available to you, and do not attach your heart to the unknown, for each stage has its own occupations, duties and surprises.

Some even stress the lack of days of happiness and the abundance of days of hardship:

They say life is all two days
One is pleasures and one is hardships
They were not truthful, for life is one day of happiness
And many days full of hardships and surprises

Compiled From:
"The Value of Time" - Abd al-Fattah Abu Ghuddah, pp. 74, 75

February Book Club Pick

2013-02-01T08:50:00.002-05:00

This month's pick is Hearts We Lost by Umm Zakiyyah. Has anyone read last month's choice? I started but didn't finish it. I'm really looking forward to this choice though as I loved her previous books.

Malaysia - Part 3

2013-01-29T13:29:00.001-05:00

Oh...the bumpy boat ride. It was like a horrible roller coaster for me. It threw you high in the sky and then you came crashing down on your uncushioned boat seat. Pain was a constant friend for almost the entire boat ride. Hubby said he felt that way too but the kids seemed just fine and were shrieking with joy while I did so in pain. The few other passengers were stoic and looked at us like we were weirdos. Back in Canada a friend told me we must have taken the fast boat (took an hour to get to the island) instead of the nice slow boat. Turns out she was right and the quick boat was cheaper. Had I known Malay I would have realized we had a better choice! So much for that. Then there was the difficulty of getting out of the boat to the jetty especially with my leg troubles. Once we got to the island though,oh joy , oh bliss. I thought this is like Paradise and the trip was like dunia and I don't ever want to leave Perhentian Island.