"The Place of Tasawwuf in Traditional Islam" by Nuh Ha Mim Keller

i haven't read a lot by Sh. Nuh Keller, but i've always heard good things and have yet to be disappointed. loved this paper, figure it'd be worth spreading.

"The Place of Tasawwuf in Traditional Islam" by Nuh Ha Mim Keller

i highly suggest reading the whole paper because many of the highlights below are explaining hadith which i did NOT quote

highlights:

[The hadith] discloses the central reality of Tasawwuf, which is precisely change, while describing the path to this change, in conformity with a traditional definition used by masters in the Middle East, who define a Sufi as Faqihun ‘amila bi ‘ilmihi fa awrathahu Llahu ‘ilma ma lam ya‘lam,‘A man of religious learning who applied what he knew, so Allah bequeathed him knowledge of what he did not know.’

The use of din in the last words of it, Atakum yu‘allimukum dinakum, "came to you to teach you your religion" entails that the religion of Islam is composed of the three fundamentals mentioned in the hadith: Islam, or external compliance with what Allah asks of us; Iman, or the belief in the unseen that the prophets have informed us of; and Ihsan, or to worship Allah as though one sees Him.

"worship" is only known through the external prescriptions of Islam, while the validity of this worship in turn presupposes Iman or faith in Allah and the Islamic revelation, without which worship would be but empty motions; while the words, "as if you see Him," show that Ihsan implies a human change, for it entails the experience of what, for most of us, is not experienced. So to understand Tasawwuf, we must look at the nature of this change in relation to both Islam and Iman

the sunna which Muslims have been commanded to follow is not just the words and actions of the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace), but also his states, states of the heart such as taqwa ‘godfearingness,’ ikhlas ‘sincerity,’ tawakkul ‘reliance on Allah,’ rahma ‘mercy,’ tawadu‘ ‘humility,’ and so on.

a Muslim must not only do certain things and say certain things, but also must be something, must attain certain states of the heart and eliminate others.

being motivated by what others think is no longer good enough, and that we must change our motives entirely, and henceforth be motivated by nothing but desire for Allah Himself

the choice of the word ittiba‘ in the second verse, which is more general, implies both keeping the company of and following the example of a teacher. This is why in the history of Tasawwuf, we find that though there were many methods and schools of thought, these two things never changed: keeping the company of a teacher, and following his example—in exactly the same way that the Sahaba were uplifted and purified by keeping the company of the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) and following his example.

The food of this ruh [soul] is dhikr or the ‘remembrance of Allah.’

taklif or ‘moral responsibility’ in this life is not only concerned with outward actions, but with what we believe, our ‘Aqida—and the strength with which we believe it. If belief in God and other eternal truths were effortless in this world, there would be no point in Allah making us responsible for it, it would be automatic, involuntary, like our belief, say, that London is in England. There would no point in making someone responsible for something impossible not to believe.

But the responsibility Allah has place upon us is belief in the Unseen, as a test for us in this world to choose between kufr and Iman, to distinguish believer from unbeliever, and some believers above others.

This why strengthening Iman through dhikr is of such methodological importance for Tasawwuf: we have not only been commanded as Muslims to believe in certain things, but have been commanded to have absolute certainty in them.

their authors’ criticisms were not directed at Tasawwuf as such, but rather at specific groups of their times, and they should be understood for what they are.

And this is the brightest hope that Islam can offer a modern world darkened by materialism and nihilism: Islam as it truly is; the hope of eternal salvation through a religion of brotherhood and social and economic justice outwardly, and the direct experience of divine love and illumination inwardly.

"Muslims Mark Solidarity With Jews"

Event Held Days After Iranian Meeting That Denied Genocide
By Mary Beth Sheridan
Washington Post Staff Writer
Thursday, December 21, 2006; Page B05

"Local Muslim leaders lit candles yesterday at the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum to commemorate Jewish suffering under the Nazis, in a ceremony held just days after Iran had a conference denying the genocide."

Link

Highlights:

The Muslim speakers at yesterday's ceremony did not mention that event but called for recognition of the suffering Jews experienced in the Holocaust and condemned religious hatred. Asked afterward why they did not single out Iran, the Muslim leaders said the problem was broader than the recent conference.

"The issue here is: There might be somebody from X and Y country, a Muslim, saying the same thing," Magid said. If anyone wants to make Holocaust denial an Islamic cause, he said, "we want to say to them: You cannot use our name."

The idea for the ceremony originated with Magid, whose Sterling mosque has been active in interfaith efforts. After hearing radio reports about the Iranian meeting, "I said to myself, 'We have to, as Muslim leaders . . . show solidarity with our fellow Jewish Americans,' " Magid recalled after the speeches.

"It's important that the world knows there are Muslims who don't believe in this [Holocaust denial]," Ahmed said after the ceremony.

"The Israel Lobby" by John Mearsheimer and Stephen Walt

excessively long article and old news at this point, but i *finally* sat down to read it and watch the debate. my interest in the piece isn't necessarily with its final claim (that the Israel Lobby had a strong influence on the government to go to war in Iraq), but moreso with the beginning where the authors explain, piece by piece, why a US alliance with israel is against America's interests. the highlights below don't really reflect said interest, mainly because it's a step-wise argumentation which is difficult highlight without losing strength. the highlights, therefore, are just quotes that make me go "blah."

the claim of the Israel Lobby's enormous impact on US politics has been the source of controversy for the article and the London Review of Book recently held a debate in which opponents and proponents of the idea could voice their opinions.

The original piece can be found HERE
The video (and transcript) of the debate is HERE.

Blahighlights:

This was well understood by Israel’s early leaders. David Ben-Gurion told Nahum Goldmann, the president of the World Jewish Congress:

"If I were an Arab leader I would never make terms with Israel. That is natural: we have taken their country . . . We come from Israel, but two thousand years ago, and what is that to them? There has been anti-semitism, the Nazis, Hitler, Auschwitz, but was that their fault? They only see one thing: we have come here and stolen their country. Why should they accept that?"

During the first intifada, the IDF distributed truncheons to its troops and encouraged them to break the bones of Palestinian protesters. The Swedish branch of Save the Children estimated that ‘23,600 to 29,900 children required medical treatment for their beating injuries in the first two years of the intifada.’ Nearly a third of them were aged ten or under. The response to the second intifada has been even more violent, leading Ha’aretz to declare that ‘the IDF . . . is turning into a killing machine whose efficiency is awe-inspiring, yet shocking.’ The IDF fired one million bullets in the first days of the uprising. Since then, for every Israeli lost, Israel has killed 3.4 Palestinians, the majority of whom have been innocent bystanders; the ratio of Palestinian to Israeli children killed is even higher (5.7:1). It is also worth bearing in mind that the Zionists relied on terrorist bombs to drive the British from Palestine, and that Yitzhak Shamir, once a terrorist and later prime minister, declared that ‘neither Jewish ethics nor Jewish tradition can disqualify terrorism as a means of combat.’

"The Top Ten Stories You Missed in 2006" from ForeignPolicy.com

You saw the stories that dominated the headlines in 2006: the war in Iraq, North Korea’s nuclear tests, and the U.S. midterm elections. But what about the news that remained under the radar? From the Bush administration’s post-Katrina power grab to a growing arms race in Latin America to the new hackable passports, FP delivers the Top Ten Stories You Missed in 2006.

cool article. check it out: http://www.foreignpolicy.com/story/cms.php?story_id=3652

no highlights for this, kids (c'mon, it's like... already highlighting the whole year!).

oh and if you're all "pshaw, i already knew all those stories," then please, shut up. no one cares about you.

that is all.
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Islam Post-9/11: Ask Shaykh Hamza Yusuf

awesome article/interview. particularly for people who are struggling to understand the difference between muslims and islam, terrorism and jihad.

Islam Post-9/11: Ask Shaykh Hamza Yusuf

of course, highlights:

Frank Gardner:
But who's innocent? Because al-Qaeda would say - and I'm not in any way trying to justify their actions - but al-Qaeda and Osama bin Laden and those around him, would say that they have a God-given right to defend Muslims - that all their actions are merely in defence of they faith - that's what they would say. Now to most people, those who died on 9/ll were completely innocent people - to al-Qaeda they are a part of a guilty party - that's their view. How would you answer that?

Hamza Yusuf:
Well I would say first that the Prophet, peace be upon him, said in a very clear Hadith which is considered multiply transmitted - which means that it's at the same level of the Koran - it's prohibited to kill women and children in warfare. So I'm sorry the taking of lives of women and children is prohibited and that's been accepted practise by Muslims. Muslims are chivalrous. All of what's going on now is resentment - it's the slave morality that Nietzche described the modern age as being engrossed in - it's the morality of people that have lost the sense of human dignity.

Frank Gardner:
We have an e-mail from Aslan Ashraf in Oslo, Norway who says: Wouldn't the world be a more peaceful place if religion was practised separately from politics.

Hamza Yusuf:
Well look at the 20th century - the bloodiest century in the entire human history is a secular century. I'm sorry, Hitler was secular - World War I and World War II, these are secular wars. All the wars that have been fought in our lifetime have been secular wars. There have been religious problems that exacerbate but generally the problem has been human beings. The problem is not religion, religion becomes an excuse. And it's a wonderful excuse because obviously if God says it's ok it feels a lot better doing it so there is that danger.

Frank Gardner:
Yes but the imagery is very graphic. In one hand he's holding a Kalashnikov and in the other he's holding the Koran. Can you blame westerners who haven't been to the Middle East associating Islam with terrorism?


Hamza Yusuf:
Well first of all not that long ago most of the Palestinian resistance was communistic. People forget that in the '60s and 70' it was all communistic rhetoric. So Islam has been replaced for that. It's ideological and when religion becomes ideology it's dangerous. But conflating the two, I think is just a problem in people's minds. I'm not saying it's not fair for me in my reasonably comfortable life in the West to judge people in the West Bank - I can't do that. I would rather that we explain these things with our social sciences than with religion - that's my personal opinion. I would much rather see suicide bombing understood within the context of despair and the psychology of despair and of trauma because I think a lot of these people are suffering from post-traumatic stress syndrome or continued traumatic stress syndrome.

Have Dwight Schrute Call You!

remember the Samuel L. Jackson thing for Snakes On A Plane? The Office has something similar now, except Dwight never tells you to get the DVD. he calls because he hearts you.

http://www.theofficedvd.com/dwight/

enjoy. i know my friends did :)
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What Level Is Your Prayer?

Imam Ibn al-Qayyim (rahimahullâh). He writes:

Mankind, with regard to the performance of their prayers, are on five levels:

- The First: This is the level of one who is negligent and wrongs his soul. He is the one who falls short in performing wudû' properly, performing the prayer on time and within its specified limits, and in fulfilling its essential pillars.

- The Second: This is the level of one who guards his habit of offering his prayers on time and within their specified limits, who fulfils their essential pillars and performs his wudû' with care. However, his striving (in achieving the above) is wasted due to disturbances in his thoughts during prayer that distract him and turn his attention to other preoccupations and concerns.

- The Third: This is the level of one who guards his prayers within the specified limits, fulfils their essential pillars and strives within himself to repel the disturbances in his thoughts and extraneous concerns. He is busy struggling against his enemy (Satan) so that Satan does not steal from the prayer. Because of this, he is engaged in (both) prayer and struggle (jihad).

- The Fourth: This is the level of one who carries out the prayer, completing and perfecting its due rights and essential pillars, who performs it within its specified limits and with his heart fully engrossed in safeguarding its rights and specified limits, so that nothing of his prayer is wasted. His whole concern is directed towards its performance, its completion and its perfection – as it should be. His heart is immersed in the prayer and in servitude to his Lord, the Exalted.

- The Fifth: This is the level of one who carries out the prayer like the one mentioned above. However, on top of this, he has taken and placed his heart in front of his Lord, looking towards Him with his heart in anticipation, filled with His love and His might, as if he sees and witnesses Allah. The misgivings, thoughts and preoccupations have vanished and the veil between him and his Lord is lifted. The difference between this person and others with respect to the prayer is greater than the distance between the heavens and the Earth. This person is busy with his Lord, delighted with Him.

The people whose performance of prayer is at the first level will be punished, those at the second will be held to account, those at the third will have their sins and shortcomings expiated, those at the forth fourth will be rewarded, and those at the fifth will be close to their Lord, because they will receive the portion of the one who makes his prayer the delight and pleasure of his eye. Whoever makes his prayer the delight and pleasure of his eye will have the nearness of his Lord made the delight and pleasure of his eye in the Hereafter. He will also be made a pleasure to the eye in this world, since whoever makes Allah the pleasure of his eye in this world, every other eye will become delighted and pleased with him.

President Jimmy Carter on Hardball

title's pretty self explanatory. and apologies for the lack of updates -- finals this week. holla some duas please, if you get the chance.

From the last TRUE Christian President the USA had

"At 82, Carter has the same boyish smile, the luminous blue eyes and friendly demeanor that helped him win the presidency in 1976.

I remember when he lost to Reagan in 1980. He was too level headed and honest to win a second term.

They thought they were through with him, then. They figured he'd fade into history as another one of those one term presidents who people would only vaguely remember.

Boy were they wrong.

At 82 years of age, Carter could have retired quietly and still would have made history for everything he's accomplished since he left office.

But, he decided instead to go out with a bang.

Jimmy Carter turned out to be the most courageous man to hold presidential office in America since John F. Kennedy and hands down the man with the most integrity.

In this Hardball interview, he puts what's-his-face to shame when he tries to minimize the appalling conditions in the West Bank and Gaza by comparing it to the massacres in Rwanda. Essentially, Carter tells him to talk to the hand.

He may be mild-mannered and unassuming - but, the man not only knows how to play Hardball with ISRAEL before the world - with everything that entails - he has the courage to do it singlehandedly.

God Bless him.

Jimmy Carter will go down in history as the only American president EVER to call the israeli occupation what it is - HORRENDOUS and APARTHEID." Amen

"Why We Fight" (Movie)

i've been wanting to watch this movie for like a year... and yet none of the CoMo girls would go with me. so booo! but someone sent me the full length movie, now available online. awesome. check it out

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-4924034461280278026

Is American foreign policy dominated by the idea of military supremacy? Has the military become too important in American life? Jarecki's ... all » shrewd and intelligent polemic would seem to give an affirmative answer to each of these questions

The American Documentary Grand Jury Prize was given to WHY WE FIGHT, written and directed by Eugene Jarecki. http://festival.sundance.org/2005/docs/05Awards.pdf

What are the forces that shape and propel American militarism? This award-winning film provides an inside look at the anatomy of the American war machine.

He may have been the ultimate icon of 1950s conformity and postwar complacency, but Dwight D. Eisenhower was an iconoclast, visionary, and the Cassandra of the New World Order. Upon departing his presidency, Eisenhower issued a stern, cogent warning about the burgeoning "military industrial complex," foretelling with ominous clarity the state of the world in 2004 with its incestuous entanglement of political, corporate, and Defense Department interests.

Deploying the general's farewell address as his strategic ground zero, Eugene Jarecki launches a full-frontal autopsy of how the will of a people has become an accessory to the Pentagon. Surveying the scorched landscape of a half-century's military misadventures and misguided missions, Jarecki asks how--and tells why--a nation ostensibly of, by, and for the people has become the savings-and-loan of a system whose survival depends on a state of constant war.

Jarecki, whose previous film, The Trials of Henry Kissinger, took such an unblinking look at our ex-secretary of state, might have delivered his film in time for the last presidential election, but its timing is also its point: It does not matter who is in charge as long as the system remains immune from the checks and balances of a peace-seeking electorate. Brisk, intelligent, and often very, very human, Why We Fight is one of the more powerful films in this year's Festival, and certainly among the most shattering.— Diane Weyermann

http://www.whywefightmovie.com/

"Let Me Ask Y'all A Question" by Black Ice

i heart his dude.

Black Ice - Let Me Ask Yall A Question

let me ask yall a question
when you look at my brothas, what's your first impression?
does the sight of us leave you guessin' or do you understand the stressin', the aggression
the look of no hope on my niggas faces
like the lord overlooked us when He handed down His graces

you see, embraces fall short on the tips of street entrepreneur fingers
stuck in the walls of the project halls where the coke smell still lingers
external blingers is all we can be, 'cause on the inside we've been given nothing to shine on
and a gig is harder to get than coke so niggers get their grind on
cuz the tv tells us "Aim high, nigga, make all goals lateral"
but that takes paper that we don't have so niggas put their souls up as collateral

now some niggers reclaim 'em, some blame 'em, making an excuse to sell her,
but when a nigger goes from not doing to doing, what can you tell him? --not to be a nigga?
shit, i's gots to be a nigga
that's how i pay the bills and i'm gon' do that whether i got to sling this coke
or exploit these rhyme skills
see, america makes you an opportunist and at the same time it institutionalizes you
so the fact that niggas get these big record deals, big money and then go to jails shouldn't surprise you
that's what lies do

and most of these guys do have raw talent, just infantile education
so the business feeds them all the weed and ecstasy and just a little bit of paper to provide some pacification
from all the bullshit frustration they serve you

meanwhile they corrupt your perception of what the real is
see, they've taken all our businessmen and made them drug dealers
took all our messengers and made them rappers just flappin they jaws
afraid to admit their treason
took all our soldiers for the cause and made them killers for no reason
and being fucked up? well that's in this season

so if you're negative, you're positive
and if you're positive, you're called a hater
but i maintain control of my soul cuz i know it gets greater later
and i told y'all on the last show, i'm no hater
i just know what the truth is

i've been intertwining this pudding for a year now so i know where the proof is
it lies in these mid-town manhatten skyscrapers where former hustlers sign papers and do fucked up capers by 16 infamous stars at a time
got 'em choppin' and baggin' and serving that shit to niggas 16 bars at a time
and the crime is undetectable by the feds 'cause in the heads our of kids is where the track is
and music shoots straight to the soul, it's so potent, so it's much more addictive than crack is

now the high is just an illusion, lies and confusion
but just for this rush, just once these young bucks would go through it
so in essence they still flooding our streets with thugs, drugs and killing
they just using these record labels to do it

taking our heartfelt demos, putting us in limos, trying to fuck our directions,
and most niggas is trained to chase money and pussy so we fall victims to our own erection
convincing ourselves that we're on our way somewhere we're not going, but
ignorance is bliss and niggers love this so niggers take pride in not knowing
we're not growing
nigger, i don't give a fuck how slick you flowin if ain't showing these kids nothing or add nothing positive to the earth

see, i've been destined to touch this world since the day i was born
to be honest, fuck a deal. God gives me what i'm worth.

Nate Robinson Blocks Yao Ming

knicks fans don't get much, so we might as well take what we can get.



Nate Robinson (5'9") BLOCKS Yao Ming (7'6") during Rockets/Knicks game on November 20th, 2006 at MSG
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"I'm a Rapper" by Sekou the Misfit

made me laugh.


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Purification of the Heart - Ostentation

*Excerpts from "Purification of the Heart: Signs, Symptoms, and Curses of the Spiritual Diseases of the Heart," a translation of Imam al-Mawlud's Matharat al-Qulub, by Shaykh Hamza Yusuf*

Ostentation

-------------------------------------------------------------------

Definition

The next disease is riya’ or ostentation, the most nefarious form of which is when a person performs rites of worship merely to obtain a place in the hearts of others. The Prophet (saw) referred to this behavior as “the lesser idolatry.” He also said, “I do not fear that you will worship the sun, the stars, and the moon, but I fear you worshipping other than God through ostentation.” He said, moreover, “What I most fear for my community is doing things for other than the sake of God.”

(p 57)

-------------------------------------------------------------------

The root source of ostentation is desire, wanting something from a source other than God. (The Arabic word for root here is alwiya, a derivative that also refers to one who carries the banner, the standard-bearer, who leads the way or commences an activity.) The Imam says that the cure for ostentation is the same cure for reckless compromise (mudahana). It is actively and sincerely seeking out purification of the heart by removing four things: love of praise; fear of blame; desire for worldly benefit from people; and fear of harm from people. This is accomplished by nurturing the certainty (yaqin) that only God can benefit or harm one. This is at the essence of the Islamic creed. The Prophet (saw) said in one of his most celebrated statements:

“Be mindful of God and God will protect you. Be mindful of God and you will find Him in front of you. If you ask, ask of God. If you seek help, seek help from God. Know that if the whole world were to gather together to benefit you with anything, it would benefit you with something that God had already prescribed for you. And if the whole world were to gather together to harm you, it would harm you only with something that God had already prescribed for you. The pens have been lifted and the ink has dried.”

(p 57-58)

-------------------------------------------------------------------

"The Pathology of Gilbert Arenas" by Tom Chiarella

much love for gilbert, but the man is seriously OCD. but i heart him.

Article

Highlights:

"like Earl Boykins, he's a fourth-quarter player. Ben Gordon is a fourth-quarter player. The fourth-quarter player is the one you want. Me, I'm gonna shoot that shot every time. Every time." ~ Arenas

ENTRY 3: OFF-SEASON TRAINING HABITS OBSERVED
The Wizards' strength coach feeds the subject the ball, off both makes and misses, which aren't many. He shoots from beyond the three-point arc, stringing together nine made shots in a row at one point, then twelve. Later, from a full four paces farther back, he makes fourteen in a row. That, it should be noted, is a heave. The subject is expressionless when the ball goes in. The loose upward thrust of his body, the calibrated arc, the soft thwick of the net—it does not seem to please him or affirm anything about what he is doing. But missing, even once, makes him wince.

"It's night, remember, a while before midnight, a time when most people his age, most people with his sort of money and cars and good looks, are drawn to the expansive and throbbing possibilities of clubs, parties, concerts. Gilbert shows no sign of that pull. He is simply dealing with time. "

"ENTRY 15: SELF-IMPOSED COMMUNICATION BARRIERS "When I get a new cell phone, first thing I do is turn it off and call from my house phone and leave stupid little messages to myself. Like: "It's me." "It's me." "This is Gilbert." "It's me." "It's Gilbert." I just fill it up, so no one can leave messages. If you don't, you leave for an hour and thirteen people have called. So there are thirteen new messages you have to listen to and it's like, Oh, man. I don't feel like hearing people's stories. Most people love leaving messages that they don't want to tell you in person. So I cut that off." ~ Arenas"

"The subject steps out of his dressing closet holding a list he keeps there of every player in the 2001 NBA draft who was selected ahead of him. "

ENTRY 19: SUBJECT HAS AN IDEA FOR A SHOE COMMERCIAL "You know how I always throw my jersey into the stands after a game? In Washington, they just go crazy for it. So in this commercial, that's what I'm gonna do with my shoes. I've just hit a game winner, and I throw these shoes. Everyone starts to react, and you see everything in slow motion. Everyone's pushing, shoving, doing whatever it takes to try to get to these shoes. People from the 400 level, they're jumping off the ledge, they're missing the pile, hitting nothing but chairs, and you can just see in people's faces like, Ooooh, that hurt. While all this stuff's going on, one of the shoes pops out of the crowd, and a little girl gets it and she takes off. A couple of people see she has it, and they start chasing her, and she's looking back running—and then she gets clotheslined by a kid in a wheelchair. So he picks the shoe up and says—he's gonna have the only line in there—"They said I couldn't get it. Heh. Impossible is nothing." And then he rolls off." ~Arenas

Moon

OK Go - Million Ways (Back Yard Dance)

remember OK Go?

apparently i missed out on their first video.

The Office Brings Sexy Back

i don't care how much you hate the song, it will be stuck in your head all day now. best show on television.

The Foreign Office By Liesl Schillinger

if you love 'the office' (which is a prerequisite for friendship with me, at this point), i think you'd find this article interesting. it discusses the differences between the four (yes, four) international versions of the office which have been made -- french, german, british and american -- and shows (albeit briefly) how these differences reflect our cultures and workplace and love-life mentalities. geeky? definitely. but still interesting, so stfu.

link: http://www.slate.com/id/2150015/

highlights:

In the American office, passivity mingles with rueful hopefulness: An American always believes there's something to look forward to. A Brit does not, and finds humor in that hopelessness. What truths, I wondered, might Le Bureau and Stromberg reveal about the French and German professional milieus?

And if any conjecture could be made about the cultural differences that these subtly contrasting programs reveal, it might be this one: These days, Germans and Americans are doing much of their living in and around their offices, while the Brits and French continue to live outside of them.

We may still talk of "working like a dog," but the Russians lately have coined the expression, "to work like an American," reflecting our 24/7 on-call mentality. These days, for Americans, "home office" is not just a place, it's a state of mind.

Perspective

A boat docked in a tiny Mexican village near a beautiful white sanded beach. The Boat owner (Mr. DC) complimented the Mexican fisherman on the quality of his fish and asked how long it took him to catch them.

"Not very long," answered the Mexican.
"But then, why didn't you stay out longer and catch more?" asked Mr. DC.
The Mexican explained "this is sufficient to meet my needs and those of my family."

Mr. DC then asked, "So what do you do with the rest of your time?"

"I sleep late, fish a little, play with my children, spend time with my wife... In the evenings I go into the village to see my friends, have a few drinks, play the guitar, chase the senhoras, and sing a few songs. I have a full life." The Mexican responded.

Mr. DC said, "I have a M.B.A. from AU and and an LLM from WCL, I can help you. You should start by fishing longer every day. You can then sell the extra fish you catch. With the extra revenue, you can buy a bigger boat. With the extra money the larger boat will bring, you can buy a second one and a third one and so on until you have an entire fleet of trawlers. Instead of selling your fish to a middle man, you can negotiate directly with the processing plants and maybe even open your own plant. You can then leave this little village and move to Mexico City, DC, Los Angeles, or even New Jersey! From there you can direct your huge enterprise."

"How long would that take?" asked the Mexican.

"Twenty, perhaps twenty-five years," replied Mr. DC.

"And after that?" asked the Mexican.

"Afterwards? That's when it gets really interesting," answered Mr. DC, laughing. "When your business gets really big, you can start selling stocks and make millions!"

"Millions? Really? And after that?" asked the Mexican.

Mr. DC replied,
"After that you'll be able to retire, live in a tiny village near a beautiful white sanded beach, sleep late, play with your children, catch a few fish, spend time with your wife, and spend your evenings drinking and playing the guitar with your friends!"

Beyond Words by Suheir Hammad

i was gonna try to do the highlights thing, but man, it's just too good. tried to bold the parts i loved more than others. advanced warning: going on a poetry binge. prep yourselves.

Link

B E Y O N D W O R D S

1.
Where has my language gone?
The poet searches for words to wrap around these times
Make them sense Make them pretty Make them useful

Words from the past haunt our conversations
Empire and Crusade
Plans and Centuries
All these words cleared understanding before
Fall heavy now
And weightless into this abyss of bad news

I have seen the photographs
Again words Prison Torture

Desperate for words I can write
That are not profane That are objective Read as rational
So people will not stop reading this self-conscious poem
So my parents will not be embarrassed
So Americans will demand the return of their own

Desperate for words I can write
So I can keep from becoming something hard and unforgiving

Language has failed me

I am told to believe nothing I read
Then everything I read
I am given my own face to be wary of
I am told to fear colors as alerts
I am told over and over
Iraq is not Palestine
Kabul is not New York

The photos
Women Raped
Posed as girls gone wild
This is entertainment This is staged This is recorded
Men Chained
Do words such as humiliation and torture
Truly fit the immensity of these acts?
What happens to those who survive?
What happens to those responsible?

Haiti is not Chechnya
Chiapas is not East L.A.
Iraq is not Palestine
Over and over I am told

I am given a vantage point and a lens and instructed
Do not move Do not look up Do not look down

I am falling

2.
No connections here
No illuminated parallels
Two different histories and two different peoples
Make no links
Do not confuse the issues

Only confuse the people

For 56 years Israel has legitimized
This type of behavior
Sanctioned violence in the name of a god
Who does not have enough love for us all
A god who chooses sides
A god who has favorites and chosen ones
A god who cuts deals and shuffles souls
The type of god who does not answer prayers
Who understands only one language
A god who does not worry his beautiful mind with
Such ugliness
I am told this is America's god

The photos from Rafah Palestine
It is 1948 and 2004 in the same frame
Their eyes say to the camera
What will you do with this pain?
Where will you take it?
Can you take it from me?

This space between the lens and the subjects
Is concentrated with pleas for witness
With promises of cycles unbroken
With children's bicycles under the rubble of once were homes

Another level of exile is being constructed

And I am falling

Aaagghh, ya Phalesteen
What is it about us they hate so much?
This face? These eyes? This obstinate refusal to die?
How much trauma can one nation endure with the world staring?
Some mouths open in shock
Others silent and sneering
While women scream at a frequency the living cannot hear
Again? Again ya Phalesteen?

3.
How fucked up is it that I have to choose between ending
One occupation or another?
Partition my time and portion my information

I have to make Nice Play Fair and Polite
When I want to tear open my chest to void it of this emptiness
This ache has eaten into my head and wears down my dreams
My friends worry I am not eating enough
Am taking too much on Too much in
I find nowhere to rest this responsibility

If I say nothing I am complicit
If I say something I am isolated as extreme
As a theorist in conspiracy
As if war is ever a coincidence
As if genocide simply happens

This is about oil and land and water
This is about illusion and the taking on of airs
The poor once again the munitions in rich men's cannons

This is about light and dark
There is no black and white in humanity

I am told
Venezuela is not Cuba
Rwanda is not Kurdistan

I am not the woman kneeling
In front of soldiers and their cameras and their weapons
I am not the child shot in the head by the Israeli Defense Forces
I am not the starving AIDS inflicted mother
Praying I live longer than my children
So they will not be orphaned and sick and have to bury me
I am not the child who watched
Her family chopped to death in Lebanon in Sudan in Nicaragua
I am not the father who leaves his children so as not to hear their empty Bellies call out Baba, where is the bread?

I am the woman whose taxes outfitted this tragedy
The American the Authority does not speak for
The Arab the Arab leaders do not speak for
The woman whose shouts of Not in My Name
Were spit back at me as a slogan of the misguided at best
I am the girl from Brooklyn told to mind her business
I am the poet in search of new words
And a new world Not Mars

4.
We use antiquated terms that cannot stretch enough to touch this truth
We have not learned from the past enough to not repeat it

I am told it has always been this way
War and Pillage
Rape is older than prostitution
And prostitution is the oldest politic
The way the world has always been
The pimps and those they pimp

The human race has always left
Those who fall behind

If I am to survive then
I learn from the present
From the future promised

We learn to live with madness
One cannot be healthy in a sick world
Only navigate illnesses Only medicate wounds
Pray you are not contagious
Try to hurt no one

My elders say dissent has always been watched
Radical ideas have always been recorded
But even those who have lived on the margins admit
Under breath It has never been this bad

Not everyone is suffering True
Most thirst
A few swim in pools that fake connection to seas
Most starve
I throw away meals I have no appetite for
You can shop from your couch and eat food fast
And never think about anything other than your credit card debt
And the next hour's purchases
Shop and stop asking questions
I have envied this stupor
Even knowing it is the least honorable suicide
Even knowing its apathy is another kind of murder

5.
Sometimes all you can do is inhale and exhale
Life a shallow version of its potential
Sometimes all you can do is search for life where you are
In the city A flash of yellow on the basketball court
The divine geometry in the pattern of a girl's hijab

For a week I have been cleaning and knifing enough
Parsley for tabbouleh to feed hundreds
I pray over the green
That what I make will feed those in need of a meal

There is still love in us
The proof is that we are watching it die
There is still hope in us
Hope is there in my sisters' eyes
There is still enough resistance in us
To create a world where there is no
Your people or my people
But our people
Our people who kill Our people who are killed

I somehow know love will save us
The proof is in the stories not broadcast
The poems not published
The truth between the lies
The stories whispered in the dusk of this day

I know somehow love will save us
Though I can't find the passion or desire in my body to make it
There is still a source for peace deeply embedded in this chaos

I know love will save us
Though words fail to point out how

Amazingly I still pray
To a god I envision to be larger than any nation Any religion

And I still hunt for language to gather into a poem
That I pray will feed those like me
In need of proof they are not alone

What's On Your Purse?

grossness. they tested women's purses for bacteria and such.... and found nastiness. link to original story

highlights:

Many of the women we interviewed admitted they put their purses on the floor in public restrooms, at food courts, in dressing rooms, in the floor board of the car.

They found one bad bug on every single purse tested in the Metro. It's staphylococcus aureus and it's on the FDA's bad bug list. It's the bug that gives you food poisoning

They found e.coli bacteria on one out of four purses. They also found hepatitis and other bugs that can make you seriously ill, causing everything from the common cold to diarrhea.

every time you flush a toilet, an aerosol mist of water containing bacteria and fecal matter rises from the toilet and settles on everything nearby: your purse, shopping bag and maybe your child. If you're at home, your countertops and maybe your toothbrush are at risk. You can't see those germs but they land all around you and your things.

1 Killed for Cutting in Chicken Guy Line

Victim stabbed after argument where one accused the other of cutting in line for street vendor at corner of 53rd and 6th, shortly before 4 AM.

Still Delicious: http://www.53rdand6th.com/
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The Last 10 Days of Ramadan 2006 (Part 1)

a worthwhile forward... from Sarah P [written by the president of mas (muslim american society) youth]

:)

"In any race, the final few meters (in running races) or the final few minutes (in basketball games) are the ones that determine the winner. The one who can give the most of what they have in the last period is the gold medalist. In that period, the body is exhausted, but the coach will say: Give it all what you have. It is only few minutes and if we win, we will celebrate forever.

When we lift weights, our muscles benefit only when we push it beyond its limit. If we lift light weight, we do not gain benefit. Only when we push ourselves beyond its comfort, we benefit.

When we sweat and suffer, we benefit.

Our race to reaching the forgiveness and the mercy of Allah, swt, in the month of Ramadan, is coming to its final stretch. The body is exhausted and the undisciplined soul is complaining. The winner is the one who will push himself or herself further. The winner is the one who will roll the sleeves and give it all what he or she has.

Our quest to discipline ourselves and bring taqwa (consciousness of Allah) to it will bear fruits only when we go beyond our comfort by standing up at night, reducing our sleep & reducing our association with this dunya. The benefit will come when we sweat in the worship of Allah.

This week is not about business as usual. This coming week is not about career goals. This week is not about exams, deadlines or projects. All of this can wait, because this week will not come back again for one full year.

This week is about detaching oneself from dunya and attaching it to Allah, swt. Forcing ourselves to submit, remember and worship the Creator. If we can not detach ourselves physically (by going to Itikaf in the mosques), then at least detach mentally and emotionally. While at work and school, keep our tongue busy "O Allah, you are the most forgiving, you love to forgive, forgive me". While at home, make dua, stand up in prayer, give charity by helping others as much as you can.

This week is about doing everything we possibly can to purify our souls. Sincerely fasting & praying at night will, inshAllah, wipe out our previous sins. Giving charity will purify our soul. Combined, it will rid our soul of its illness and bring taqwa back to the heart.

The one who pushes himself or herself to the limit this week, will receive the greatest reward from Allah: Celebrate the day of Eid as a new person.

This is truly a great achievement. Everyone should strive for it.

O Allah, accept our fasting and our prayers, strengthen our faith, forgive our sins and make us of those who are accepted in this month of Ramadan. We ask You to empower and strengthen our leaders and to guide us all to Your straight path. Ameen."

Road Trippin' With Tru Wariers

An article on the road with Ron Artest during his tour with Ludacris. i was amused.

http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/page2/story?page=alipour/061005

Highlights:

"Ah, Ron Artest, our forgotten son," says Eric of the former Indiana Pacer. "I only want to know one thing: Is he crazy?"

"If I just focus on basketball, wow, I'd be so much better," Artest confesses. "I'd be a hell of a player."

So the guy has his hands in a few cookie jars. No big deal. I ask him about his top goal, his end-all moment.

"I'll put my feet on the table when I make a good album," Artest says. "All I care about is for people to like my music, whether I sell 10,000 records or a million."

Cool. But you've got some sports goals, right?

"It'll take five or six years of training, but I want three or four pro boxing fights," he says. "And I want to play in the NFL for one or two years, for the love, not even for a check."

So, screw it, I'll cut to the chase: Are you crazy?

"I know that's what they say," he says, laughing. "But we're all crazy. When white people have fun, what do they do? They drink and bang their heads and they grab you and go, 'Come on, Ron! Let's go!' I'm like, 'Now, these mother------- is crazy.'

"But that's how white people grew up," he says. "We're all crazy."

Artest admits he's got some pills for his brand of crazy, dating back to his days with the Bulls.

Artest's new rule: Smokers of strange substances to the front of the H2, Ron and I in the back with the window open. Of course, with his partition open, Artest's new decree assures that the driver will operate under a haze of smoke, and if I'm feeling unsteady back here, that dude must be a wobbly mess. What's worse, I can't find a single seat belt.

Artest is sitting before the tube, watching the Disney Channel's "Simone."

"I wanted to call Lauer something else," he continues. "But I didn't want to curse. Whenever rappers curse up a storm, I'm like, 'OK, we heard you the first time.'"

That's right, the baddest dude in the NBA isn't prone to cursing -- and neither is his album.

Back on the road, Ron's working the tunes but he's out of CDs, so we're listening to a toxic mix of Willie Nelson and Clay Aiken.

"Even if the NBA suspended me for the rest of my career, I'm good," he continues. "I believe in God, and as long as you have God and family, you're good." ~ Artest

Shaykh Hamza Yusuf - Love Even Those Who Revile You

i knooooooow it's long (took me like 3 sittings to read it as well) and i knoooooow my highlights are long as well but man, this is TOTALLY worth the read. check it out, if you get the chance.

i do reeeeeally want to discuss this article with anyone, so if you do read it, holla.

and yes i'm on this kick of extending my vowels. it happens when i'm tired

EEEEEEEEEEE

salaam wrt,
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Shaykh Hamza Yusuf - Love Even Those Who Revile You [or you can read the original PDF version of the magazinehere on page 41]

(Extended) Highlights:

Allah says in the Quran: ‘Isbiru was-sabiru.' “Have patience and enjoin each other to patience.” The beauty of patience is that ‘inallaha ma'assabirin’ Allah is with the patient ones. If God is on your side you will always be victorious. Allah says in the Quran "Ista`inu bi-sabiri was-salat.'" Isti'aana is a reflexive of the Arabic verb `aana which is “to help oneself.” Allah is telling us to help ourselves with patience and prayer.

Forgiveness, `afwa, pardon, is not a quality of authority. A court is not set up to forgive. It’s the plaintiff that’s required to forgive if there is going to be any forgiveness at all. Forgiveness will not come from the Qadi or the judge. The court is set up to give justice but Islam cautions us not to go there in the first place because ‘by the standard which you judge so too shall you be judged.’ That's the point. If you want justice, if you want God, the Supreme Judge of all affairs, to be just to others on your behalf, then you should know that your Lord will use the same standard with you. Nobody on the ‘Day of Arafat’ will pray: “Oh God, be just with me.” Instead you will hear them crying: O Allah, forgive me, have mercy on me, have compassion on me, overlook my wrongs. Yet, these same people are not willing to forgive, have compassion and mercy on other creatures of God.

We are not a people that are required to love wrong-doers. We must loath wrong actions, but at the same time we should love for the wrong-doers guidance because they are creatures of God and they were put here by the same God that put us here. And Allah says in the Quran “we made some of you a tribulation for others, will you then not show patience.” In other words, God set up the scenario, and then asked the question: ‘will you then not show patience?’ Will you subdue the inordinate desire for vengeance to achieve a higher station that is based on a conviction that you will be forgiven by God if only you can bring yourself to forgive others?

When the human being is in a state of submission - wa huwa muhsinun - everything that comes from him is beautiful and virtuous. Ihsan - ethics, virtuous, beauty, excellence - indicates that a human being will have his reward from his Lord. This is not from the God of a religion, but the God of the individual in a state of absolute submission. “Upon them there is no fear nor will they grieve.” To me, this is the greatest testimony that Islam is not about identity politics. Some among us want to reduce Islam to identity politics. They label themselves and point accusing fingers at each other. Allah says “indeed the one who has resigned his entire being to God and is virtuous, that is the one whose reward is with his Lord and upon them shall come no fear nor will they grieve. "

I’m not talking about being pleased with injustice because that's prohibited. At the same time we accept the world our Lord has put us into and we see everything as being here purposefully, not without purpose, whether we understand it or not. We believe evil is from the Qadr (decree) of Allah and it's for a purpose, but there are two sides to choose from - the side of good and the side of evil. In order for you not to fall into the Manichean fallacy, God reminds you that not only is the struggle an external struggle but evil is an internal struggle as well. Therefore, those very things that you see on the outside they are also on the inside and to make it even clearer, the struggle inside is the greater Jihad because if you are not involved in the internal struggle you are not going to be able to fight the external one. Maulana Rumi said whenever you read Pharaoh in the Quran don’t think that he is some character that lived in the past, but seek him out in your own heart.

Love is eternal because love is the reason you were created. You were created to adore God. That’s why in Latin the word adore which is used for worship in English is also a word for love, adoration. You were created to worship God, in other words, to love Him because you can't truly adore something or worship something that you don't love. If you are worshipping out of fear, like Imam al Ghazali says, it's not the highest level of worship, but its lowest.

In other words, if you are worshipping God out of fear, if the reason that you are doings things is because you are afraid of Him, that he is going to punish you, that’s the lowest level of worship. That’s why it was said about the Prophet’s companion Suhaib al Rumi that had there been no fire or paradise he still would have worshipped Allah.

In other words get angry but don’t let that anger get the best of you, don’t allow it to overcome you to the point where you want vengeance because vengeance is God’s alone. Allah is al-Muntaqim, The Avenger of wrongs. Human beings are not here to avenge wrongs they are here to redress wrong, not to avenge them.

He is the paragon who said: “None of you truly believes until he loves for his fellow man what he loves for himself.” And the reason why I say fellow man is that I think it’s a very accurate translation because Imam an Nawawi said that he is your brother because we are all children of Adam and Eve. So we should want for our fellow man guidance, a good life, and a good afterlife. None of you truly believes, in other words our Iman is not complete until we love for others what we love for ourselves and that includes the Jews, Christians, Buddhists and the Hindus.

Many Muslims have divided the world into two groups - us and them. They will support Saddam Hussein because he’s a Muslim. In other words, they will support a man who may have killed more Muslims than any Muslim leader in the history of Islam or perhaps all of them put together. The argument from this segment of our Muslim community is that “I will back a mass murderer and go to a demonstration with his picture because he’s a Muslim and other people are Kuffar.” On the other hand, many Americans will back unjust American intervention simply because they believe “my country right or wrong.” Both sentiments is a form of tribalism and we are people of faith in God Almighty, not people of tribal allegiance.

School Stress

yes yes, i succumbed to writing a blog about me. i'm sure you don't care, but you'll read it anyways. stalkers.

(in no particular order)

After Tuesday I Will:

- file my grad plan
- do my laundry
- yell at/cry to sprint
- clean my room
- clean my bathroom
- clean me
- take the lappy in to best buy.
- get my ramadan on
- talk to people who pity me enough to be my friend
- read "siddhartha" so i can stop renewing a <120 page book
- care about sports
- start chemistry section of exam kracker's review for OAT (to be finished in a week, iA)
- apply to grad schools
- yell at/cry to the MU cashier's office
- actually go to taraweeh (day 1 aimed for thursday)
- grad schools. seriously, i need to get on that.
- work out (ha!)
- eat healthy, again
- call my doc... again.
- start studying for my next tests so i can stop being such a friggin procrastinator
- sleep

inshaAllah. holla some duas, please.
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FREE SunniPath Online Lectures: Life as a Muslim Student (California)

Quran - Surah Ya-Sin

this is seriously one of the most amazingly beautiful recitations i've heard. mashaAllah. if anyone knows the reciter or where this was taped, i would really really appreciate the info. jazakAllah khair



note: above recitation is only first 12 ayahs (lines) of the surah.

Yusuf Islam Translation

mashaAllah.
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Quran - Suratul Rahman

my favorite surah, ever. featured reciter: said al-ghamdi (you should remember him from the ramadan dua in my ramadan post a few days ago)

audio only (picture doesnt change)



Translation (Yusuf Islam)

you may see this again soon.
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Outdated

i checked my bookmarks and realized i have massive links backed up. soooo i'ma be posting articles/videos etc that may be a month or so old, but still worth the watch. holla.
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Arundhati Roy - Peace & The New Corporate Liberation Theology

not to say that i agree with all Arundhati Roy's views, but it's a powerful speech nonetheless. check it out. she delivered in 2004 in Sydney, Australia, upon accepting the Sydney Peace Prize.

The 2004 Sydney Peace Prize lecture delivered by Arundhati Roy, at the Seymour Theatre Centre, University of Sydney.

highlights:

Today, it is not merely justice itself, but the idea of justice that is under attack. The assault on vulnerable, fragile sections of society is at once so complete, so cruel and so clever - all encompassing and yet specifically targeted, blatantly brutal and yet unbelievably insidious - that its sheer audacity has eroded our definition of justice. It has forced us to lower our sights, and curtail our expectations. Even among the well-intentioned, the expansive, magnificent concept of justice is gradually being substituted with the reduced, far more fragile discourse of 'human rights'.

If you think about it, this is an alarming shift of paradigm. The difference is that notions of equality, of parity have been pried loose and eased out of the equation. It's a process of attrition. Almost unconsciously, we begin to think of justice for the rich and human rights for the poor. Justice for the corporate world, human rights for its victims. Justice for Americans, human rights for Afghans and Iraqis. Justice for the Indian upper castes, human rights for Dalits and Adivasis (if that.) Justice for white Australians, human rights for Aboriginals and immigrants (most times, not even that.)

So, all you young management graduates don't bother with Harvard and Wharton - here's the Lazy Manager's Guide to Corporate Success: First, stock your Board with senior government servants. Next, stock the government with members of your board. Add oil and stir. When no one can tell where the government ends and your company begins, collude with your government to equip and arm a cold-blooded dictator in an oil-rich country. Look away while he kills his own people. Simmer gently. Use the time collect to collect a few billion dollars in government contracts. Then collude with your government once again while it topples the dictator and bombs his subjects, taking to specifically target essential infrastructure, killing a hundred thousand people on the side. Pick up another billion dollars or so worth of contracts to 'reconstruct' the infrastructure. To cover travel and incidentals, sue for reparations for lost profits from the devastated country. Finally, diversify. Buy a TV station, so that next war around you can showcase your hardware and weapons technology masquerading as coverage of the war. And finally finally, institute a Human Rights Prize in your company's name. You could give the first one posthumously to Mother Teresa. She won't be able to turn it down or argue back.

So what does peace mean in this savage, corporatized, militarized world? What does it mean in a world where an entrenched system of appropriation has created a situation in which poor countries which have been plundered by colonizing regimes for centuries are steeped in debt to the very same countries that plundered them, and have to repay that debt at the rate of 382 billion dollars a year? What does peace mean in a world in which the combined wealth of the world's 587 billionaires exceeds the combined gross domestic product of the world's 135 poorest countries? Or when rich countries that pay farm subsidies of a billion dollars a day, try and force poor countries to drop their subsidies? What does peace mean to people in occupied Iraq, Palestine, Kashmir, Tibet and Chechnya? Or to the aboriginal people of Australia? Or the Ogoni of Nigeria? Or the Kurds in Turkey? Or the Dalits and Adivasis of India? What does peace mean to non-muslims in Islamic countries, or to women in Iran, Saudi Arabia and Afghanistan? What does it mean to the millions who are being uprooted from their lands by dams and development projects? What does peace mean to the poor who are being actively robbed of their resources and for whom everyday life is a grim battle for water, shelter, survival and, above all, some semblance of dignity? For them, peace is war.

The real tragedy is that most people in the world are trapped between the horror of a putative peace and the terror of war. Those are the two sheer cliffs we're hemmed in by. The question is: How do we climb out of this crevasse?

For those who are materially well-off, but morally uncomfortable, the first question you must ask yourself is do you really want to climb out of it? How far are you prepared to go? Has the crevasse become too comfortable?

Salah al-Tasbih

first intro'ed to this salah (prayer) while in albany during ramadan. though i always intent to perform it throughout the year, i generally try to perform it at least once during ramadan. takes a looong time, but it's an amazing feeling, subhanAllah.

It is recorded in Sunan Abi Dawud and other books of hadith that Rasulullah (sallallahu `alayhi wasallam once said to his uncle Hadrat `Abbas (r.a.) : O Abbas!O my uncle! Shall I not give you a gift? Shall I not show you something by means of which Allah Ta`ala will forgive your sins, the first and the last of them, the past and recent, the unintentional and the intentional, the small and huge, the secret and open?

Rasulullah (sallallahu `alayhi wasallam) then taught him the Salah al-Tasbih. Furthermore he advised him that it be offered daily, if possible. If not then every Friday or once a month or once a year or at least once in one's life time.

How To Perform Salah al-Tasbih (same as above link, but reposted for our slower readers ;) )

one should realize, however, that there is some controversy around the prayer.
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Ramadan Mubarak/Ramadan Kareem/Happy Ramadan!! (2006)

audio, videos, articles, oh my!

another ramadan, another year passes by. doesnt seem that long ago that i was making (or failing to make) all my eid mubarak phone calls, catching up with old friends and affirming to myself that i would keep all my post-ramadan goals.

verily, i suck.

but that's what i love about ramadan: a chance to start fresh.

so let me start. if i've ever wronged you in any way, made you feel angry, annoyed, frustrated, hurt etc etc, please please please forgive me. i can almost guarantee that it wasnt my intention at all. i know it seems trite and overdone, but i can't emphasize how much i need forgiveness from you all. please comb your hearts and memories for times in which i may have hurt you and please please please forgive me. inshaAllah i'll do the same for all of you. if possible, please keep me in your duas, especially during this month.

throughout the month, i'll try to post beneficial tidbits about ramadan... but no guarantees.

first off, a brief intro to ramadan, by none other than Stephen Colbert, a la The Daily Show.



second, a ramadan song, by mike chen (still waiting for this to be a quotable, chen!)

Auto response from Farah: send me good ramadan-y songs please. thanks all. laters/salaams
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Chen: *ahem*
Chen: oh ramadan oh ramadan
Chen: how ramadanish are you
Chen: with your days of rama
Chen: and your nights dan
Chen: oh ramadan
Chen: oh ramadan
Chen: something something la oh ramadan

third, an amazing ramadan dua by sheikh saad al-ghamdi, with translation ( the [--]'s represent a point where the translator was unsure of the translation)

A bunch of audio lectures [warning: i havent listened to any of these yet, aside from the zaid shakir one]:

• Ramadan Preparation with Imam Zaid Shakir -- this is the only one i've listened to, but imam zaid give numerous practical things we can do reap the benefits of ramadan in the midst of our busy lives, as well as the virtues of fasting and ramadan.

• Virtues of Ramadan with Shaykh Salek bin Siddina, Part 1 and Part 2

• 5 Things To Do To Taste The Sweetness of Ramadhan with Imam Suhaib Webb

finally, an awesome article on the meaning of ramadan, from http://themodernreligion.com/.

highlights:

"Yes, Ramadan is the most important month of the year. It is the month that the believers await with eagerness. At the beginning of Rajab --- two full months before Ramadan --- the Prophet Muhammad, Sall-Allahu alayhi wa sallam, used to supplicate thus: "O Allah! Bless us during Rajab and Sha’ban, and let us reach Ramadan (in good health)."

Anyone who fasts during this month with purity of belief and with expectation of a good reward (from his Creator), will have his previous sins forgiven," said Prophet Muhammad, Sall-Allahu alayhi wa sallam. "Anyone who stands in prayers during its nights with purity of belief and expectation of a reward, will have his previous sins forgiven." As other ahadith tell us, the rewards for good deeds are multiplied manifold during Ramadan.

And of the three persons that Prophet, Sall-Allahu alayhi wa sallam cursed, one is the unfortunate Muslim who finds Ramadan in good health but does not use the opportunity to seek Allah’s mercy.

One who does not fast is obviously in this category, but so also is the person who fasts and prays but makes no effort to stay away from sins or attain purity of the heart through the numerous opportunities offered by Ramadan. The Prophet, Sall-Allahu alayhi wa sallam, warned us: "There are those who get nothing from their fast but hunger and thirst. There are those who get nothing from their nightly prayers but loss of sleep."

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re: Papal Parlance

being such an esteemed religious leader, i expected more than these covert quotations insinuating the evil and violent nature of islam and muslims. i've read the speech in its entirety and couldn't even fathom a reason to keep the quotation. in no way was the speech about islam, about muslims or about the Prophet (saw). the only reason i could even think of talking about islam would to show the superiority of one religion over another. fine. understandable -- if the pope didnt believe catholicism to be superior to islam, he wouldn't be catholic. however, if one is going to denounce our religion, please do so on a philosophical, idealogical, scientific, etc, level. no reason to resort to such shallow propaganda.

however, being such esteemed religious leaders, i expected far more from our imams than these incendiary speeches calling for hatred and violence, threatening the vatican, killing innocents, or condoning attacks on churches. our Prophet (saw) was slandered (astagfirullah). it's not the first time it's been done, nor will it be the last. the first muslims endured infinitely worse conditions. they were slandered, beaten, outcast and hated. rocks were thrown at them, their families abandoned them and they went from being some of the most respected members of society to being spit upon in the streets. and no one endured more gruesome punish than our Rasool (saw). yet the only time there was a call for violence was after they were prevented from practicing their religion. even then, the rules for war were and are numerous, being sure to protect the innocent, making sure the *defense* was stopped when antagonism ended and more.

because of this, his character and his devotion to his religion, even the *enemies* of the Prophet (saw) respected him. when asked to comment on his character, they could say nothing but praise. and this is the man whose example we are commanded to follow.

let them talk, slander, call muslims obscene names, torture us and hate us. let them do what they will, do their worst because regardless, we'll constantly correct their misconceptions, prove them wrong with our own actions, and stand for justice and truth REGARDLESS of the perpetrators of atrocities. nothing they say can lessen the love for Allah (swt) and His messenger (saw) in my heart and nothing they say can force me to react in such a way that compromises my deen. inshaAllah.

far more eloquent and knowledgeable than myself, zaid shakir recently gave a speech on the topic which i hope we all can benefit from. no, the entire speech isnt in arabic -- only the first two mins or so, since he opens with a dua (supplication).

salaam.
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Repetitive Repentance

Repetitive Repentance?

Answered by Shaykh Gibril Haddad

Q. There are a couple of major sins which I can't stop doing. I repent.. and then I end up doing it again. Again I build up the will power to stop... but again I end up committing the sins. I can't seem to stop and I've got to the stage where I'm finding it harder to repent, incase I end up doing it again. Plus I'm lacking the will power. What should I do?


A.

Wa `alaykum as-Salam:

Allah Most High promised high levels to the repentant and He mentioned that the Throne-bearing angels make repentance for them also. And the Prophet, upon him peace, gave us glad tidings with regards to the believer's sins precisely because they lead to repentance. Therefore continue to repent.

Finding it harder to repent is because you still trust in yourself and find it humiliating. This is what the ego hates and it is a good sign for redoubling repentance. A broken heart is better than a pleased one.

Sin or no sin we despair in ourselves: "The whole matter consists in seeing yourself as a disobedient servant without a single good deed" (Shaykh Ibrahim al-Dusuqi). Our hope is all taken up in Allah: {Say: O my servants who have transgressed against their souls. Despair not of the Mercy of Allah: for Allah forgives all sins: He is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful} (39:53).

We should not divinize our sins. They have no power over us and millions of them can be erased in one instant of sincerity accepted by Allah. We should look for that instant. Where else than in repentance? It is our stairwell, if the angels were to envy us it would be for that.

Will power is built up by habit over time. Change your routine for a few weeks. Do something new and leave something out. One of the Shaykhs said, if it is too hard to clear the garbage, build a bridge over it and move on. This is good advice.

Similarly, Salat over time bears the fruit described in the blessed verse: {Prayer restrains from shameful and unjust deeds} (29:45). In time, we should not get stuck forever at the station of weakness.

Invoke blessings on the Prophet together with saying Astaghfirullah x100 daily. Make it incumbent upon yourself to do "something special" for Allah Most High.

The Prophet, upon him peace, promised special help for the repentant sinners and so we should take him to witness and use his means just as we consult one for help over problems, or more. The key in this is to invoke much blessings on him at all times.

Ibn `Umar relates: I was sitting with the Prophet, Allah's blessings upon him, when Harmala ibn Zayd al-Ansari of the Banu Haritha tribe came to him. He sat in front of the Messenger of Allah, Peace be upon him, and said: "Messenger of Allah, belief is here" - and he pointed to his tongue - "and hypocrisy is here" - and he pointed to his heart - "and I don't make dhikr of Allah except little." The Prophet remained silent. Harmala repeated his words, whereupon the Prophet seized Harmala's tongue by its extremity and said: "O Allah, give him a truthful tongue and a thankful heart, and grant him to love me and to love those who love me, and turn his affairs towards good." Harmala said: "Messenger of Allah, I have two brothers who are hypocrites; I was with them just now. Shall I not point them out to you [so you will pray for them]?" The Prophet said: "Whoever comes to us in the way you have come, we shall ask forgiveness for them as we asked forgiveness for you; and whoever keeps to this path, Allah becomes his protector."

Abu Nu`aym narrated it in Hilyat al-Awliya. Ibn Hajar said in al-Isaba (2:2 #1659): "Its chain of transmission is acceptable and Ibn Mandah also narrated it. We have narrated the same through Abu al-Darda' in the Fawa'id of Hisham ibn `Ammar."

May Allah grant us the same four attributes he granted to that fortunate sinner and extend to us His protection against what we hate and fear.

Hajj Gibril

Source: Sunnipath.com Questions and Answers

Pink

sunrise, ish.

9/11 on 9/16

i can make excuses for posting this late, but i have none that are worthy. i remember seeing this live and having to hold back tears. totally brings back memories and emotions that i thought i had completely suppressed.


the only issue i had was the one part where he discusses how 'they hate us for our freedom'... the only time i've ever heard him use such rhetoric without mocking it. but in all honesty, it's the way we all felt at the time.





in contrast, jon's commentary and address to president's september 11th speech is amazing. insightful and hilarious, jon at his best. http://youtube.com/watch?v=7FZEnptl8_U

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UPDATE: Colbert Wins Hungarian Bridge Naming Competition (Video)

not unexpected and oh so amusing.



though the chuck norris bridge would've been awesome. ah well. build another bridge, hungary!
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ISNA '06

the intro:

as promised, my extremely lengthy isna review...

for those unaware, i recently attended the 43rd Annual ISNA Islamic Convention in chicago during labor day weekend. i went last year and hated it. alhumdulillah, this year was quite a different experience.

if you've read my numerous ISNA-related blurbs on islamica, some of this might sound familiar. but i added and formatted a quite bit so this is more of an extensive review. this is probably more for my benefit than yours; the closest i'll get to typing up my non-existant notes.

the peoples:

last year was the year i saw everyone from albuquerque; this year, i ran into half of albany, it seems. alhumdulillah, it's always a pleasure to meet up with people you havent seen or talked to in years(and yes, even some childhood friends from the troy days). one of the best things about ISNA is that feeling of Ummah [community], of sisterhood/brotherhood from the fellow practicing muslims around the US and canadia. this year was also the year i got to meet numerous islamicans (of www.islamicaweb.com fame). verily, i heart these people. who would've thought an online community would inspire and help increase my iman so much? alhumdulillah. though because of the increased socialization from last year, it's only natural that i have to write about...

lobby scene:

this was the first year i really had an opinion on the issue. last year, i'd fly by the lobby and never really stopped long enough to get a negative vibe. but this year, even though the majority of my time spent there was waiting in line for coffee or waiting for some friends to show up, some of the things i'd heard/seen absolutely disgusted me to the core. though there were plenty of people down there who were "just talking"; tons of clusters of only-guys and only-girls, the "religious" people as well as the "shady" ones and i'm sure, inshaAllah, mixed groups who kept their conversations completely halal. but this is what got to me, more and more as the convention drew on: yea, i spent some time down there. no, i wasnt hitting on anyone or being hit on. no, i dont feel as though i was doing anything wrong (except, perhaps, one time where i should've done something better). but honestly, why subject yourself to such an environment? we know we have weaknesses; why would we test them?

thinking back to some of the things i'd seen and heard, i literally feel nauseous. may Allah swt forgive me for my mistakes (the ones i make knowingly and unknowingly). may He prevent anyone from using my mistakes as an example of how a muslim should and is allowed to act. may He make my path to jannah easy for me and allow me to entrance. may He forgive me, may He forgive me, may He forgive me. ya Allah, please grant this for me and for all people. ameen.

the most depressing thing about ISNA, and i swear, this image will forever be burned into my memory iA, happened late sunday night. i was sitting with some friends in the hall that extends from the elevator to the rooms. it's like 3 am, and we're on the 7th floor by our rooms. we see suhaib webb go up to his room on the 8th floor, slowly walking down the hall, glancing over the edge every so often. he stops for a second and leans over the edge of the railing to look down towards the restaurant/lobby area of the hyatt. following his gaze, i see the crowded lobby filled with various people smoking hookah, playing poker, guys and girls sitting in each others' laps etc etc. and he stands for like 10 mins with this look on his face that i can't even describe; sadness, anger, confusion, helplessness. mind you, this was literally like an hour or so after he finished his speech at the impromptu entertainment session on sunday night. be reminded that, mashaAllah, the man had a qiyam til fajr on saturday night, was up for a 9 am session on sunday morning and was still awake made late on sunday to speak at an enetertainment session for the youth. after all his work, all his speeches, all his time and energy that he's put into helping US try to improve ourselves, that's the site he had to see as he walks back to his bed at the end of isna weekend. may Allah reward him in this life and the next. may He soften our hearts to receive and implement His Message. ameen.

sessions that stood out:

but despite the downside, i still, alhumdulillah, had an amazing time at the convention. i thought the lectures were much better this year than last year (but that's possibly because i just happened to attend bad ones last year). a good mix of spirituality and practicality. i know i went to a session on friday night, but i honestly don't remember much about it. do yourself a favor and remember to surround yourself with people who you know have a good balance between attending lectures and hanging out (read: eating awesome food on devon. mmm food on devon. more about that later). take notes, even if you feel as though they dont make sense -- even a sentence here and there will spark a memory for you and will iA be beneficial.

one amazing features that isna had this year was the availability of audio lectures from the current isna, available for sale about 2 hours after the session ends. i didn't really realize this until sunday so i was unable to check out the prices or which sessions were featured, but if they're only a few bucks, it would definitely be worth it get ahold of the spiritually uplifting and deen intensive sessions.

they had the location for the "after fajr sessions" wrong...for every day. missed the first day, but alhumdulillah was able to attend sunday and monday. simple, general, short and yet uplifting. i couldn't, for the love of me, remember much of what was said, but i know it rarely had to do with the topic listed. i would advocate a more intensive session but, let's face it, it's fajr. it's like 5 am. ain't nobody learning nuffin that early. but alhumdulillah, it's always an amazing feeling to pray fajr in congregation and especially a joy when the congregation is larger than the congregation at your local masjid for jummah, mashaAllah (the few numbers at jummah due to a small muslim population, and not low attendence/deficient iman, alhumdulillah).

i loved the session "our dollars, ourselves: muslims betwee charitableness and consumerism" with sheikh abdullah adhami, dr. ingrid mattson and naeem muhammad. dr mattson brought up some amazing points about the plague of consumerism that seems to be gripping much of the muslim american population (she related a story about a guy who, when asked to characterize muslims, responded with "they all like to drive black BMWs") and reminded us of not only what's important for ourselves, but to remember that we're setting an example in the US of how muslims should be. the most beautiful part of naeem muhammad's speech was when he was talking about a community of muslims who get together at least once a week to deliver food to the homeless. the area is recognized by the homeless and when a local news team interviewed them one friday, asking them why they were congregating around this area, one man replied "the muslims are coming with food." mashaAllah, how amazing would it be to be characterized as such? the best dawah we can give is just to follow the prophetic example. go donate to "islamic relief" (note the link on the right hand side of the screen). great, thanks.

the saturday night ISNA main session was absolutely electrifying. ingrid mattson's standing ovation literally brought tears to my eyes; i can't even imagine how overwhelmed she must have felt. to hear the scholars speak about her with such fondness and reverence was amazing, subhanAllah. may Allah swt reward and preserve them all. i loved robert fisk's speech, but was utterly confused at the audience's clapping. at one point, i swear people clapped at people being bludgeoned to death (astagfirullah). granted, i know they were clapping at the fact that fisk was actually exposing such news stories, but it was odd nonetheless. when the almost the entire audience stood on its feet, clapping, shouting, and whistling in approval at fisk's condemnation of oppressive muslim dictatorships, i was absolutely amazed. i kid you not, i had completely forgotten that muslims who don't allow themselves to fall prey to blind hatred of anything non-muslim (rather than unislamic) existed. suhaib webb, zaid shakir, hamza yusuf, abdallah idris, altaf hussain etc etc were all amazing, eloquent, motivations and unifying as usual, mashaAllah. it was the first time i'd heard suhaib webb speak. mashaAllah, he surpassed the hype.

my copy of the program is messed up so i can't recall the session title, but it was about the crisis..es (?) in lebanon/palestine. 2 for 2 ISNAs, altaf hussain made me cry. he was telling a story about himself and his infant son about to board a train in chicago. the platform was empty, his son was asleep. as the train rushed in, making this huge calamity of noise, his son's eyes shot wide open, his body shook with terror, his hands were clenched and, because there was nothing else to do, his son cried and wailed in fright. altaf hussain said he felt as though he had just witnessed firsthand the type of terror children in lebanon must have been feeling the last few weeks; to be woken from sleep at the sound of bombs dropping, to be utterly lost and confused and scared and not have a clue what was happening, what would happen, whether or not anyone would survive. subhanAllah. he and zaid shakir spoke of activism to condemn all wrongful acts of terrorism -- including and ESPECIALLY those committed by muslims.

just as the image of suhaib webb's disappointment on sunday night will always be burned into my memory, i, inshaAllah, will never forget the charged warmth in the impromptu (?) entertainment session on sunday. i walked in late, but caught the second half of ramadan beat boxing and, alhumdulillah, all of suhaib webb's speech. despite his soft voice, his words were amazingly inspirational, urging us to not only improve ourselves but to spread that inner peace to the environment around us. perhaps it was the informal atmosphere; most of the chairs had been put away so the attendees simply sat on the floor around an open area that served as a stage. everyone was sleepy, relaxed, enjoying the show and spending time with their friends and fellow muslims. it's an amazing feeling to be around other muslims whom you know (or, at least , pray/hope) are striving to improve themselves islamically, to please Allah swt. if you're often surrounded by non-practicing muslims or the ones who seem to only want to go through the motions and do the bare minimum, i think you'd agree that we often forget the other ones are still even there; we begin to feel ridiculous because no one in our everyday lives seems to share our beliefs. it's amazing to know that you have a support system of people who go through the same trials and tribulations and share the same values as yourself.

throughout the weekend, all the scholars seemed to have one constant running theme throughout their MSA/MYNA lectures: "we know it's hard, we know you make mistakes, but despite that, we support you." it was a welcome change from "if you're not practicing, you better turn around and fix yourself before you die and go to hell.... because you will." it was as though they understood the difficulties we go through, felt empathy, prayed for our souls and were willing to do everything in their power to help us on our journey. i felt this was especially true with Altaf Hussain and Suhaib Webb... or maybe it's because they've grown up in the US and i feel as though they can better empathize would our generation and the problems we endure. mashaAllah, may Allah swt reward all the scholars in this life and the next.

big word up to altaf hussain, zaid shakir and suhaib webb -- they all seemed to be doing 84903283 lectures isna weekend. i'm sure there were other people who did the same, but the majority of the sessions i attended featured at least one of these three scholars. i can only imagine how tiring it must be and how much preparation is necessary to give so many talks in a matter of 2.5 days. all for Allah swt, to help us improve our condition inshaAllah. may Allah swt reward them and all the scholars for their work. ameen.

next year, i think i'd like to do a lot more ibadah-oriented things (ie, qiyams) in addition to the lectures. considering i live in the boonies, it's an amazing feeling to pray with so many muslims, knowing that you're all there for one purpose, directing your worship to please Allah swt.

bazaar:

the bazaar sucked, in my opinion. no one was giving good deals/prices and i had yet to receive a reasonable discount by sunday. the hijab selection wasn't that great and the ones that were decent were extremely expensive. they sold out of under-sleeves in normal colors after like the first hour. though i carried a list of books with the online prices, booksellers were still intent to overcharge me, insisting they'd give me an overall discount so it'd even out in the end. the one up-side were the hilarious shirts from islamica, hijabman and maniac muslim. i heart my "fasting but not furious" shirt and am deeply mourning the fact that i didnt get a "your mom... [back] has heaven beneath her feet" shirt :( if anyone's got the hook up, holla.

the food:

i never ate at the convention; heard it was overpriced and not worth it. but i did manage to get some giordano's (twice), italian express, ghareeb nawaz, usmania's, jumbo halal chinese and tahoora. second year in a row that i failed to go to the imfamous sabri nehari. next year, inshaAllah :)

i'll shut up now. :) salaam
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