Imam Suhaib Webb's talk at the 2nd Annual Global Peace and Unity Conference (2006)

Imam Suhaib Webb's talk at the 2nd Annual Global Peace and Unity Conference in the UK. Listen with your heart's ear.

Video

"Australians vote on word of 2007" (BBC)

An amusing array of wordplays. I approve.

Read, memorize, utilize.

"I feel like an alien in my home town" By Olga Craig

Dumb, but interesting. Maybe you care. Makes me think I should finally pick up that Tariq Ramadan book I bought last ISNA and try to save the Muslims in the US before it's too late. Help?

Article

Highlights:

What is worrying him is that Britain's increasing espousal of multiculturalism has led not to an integrated society but, instead, to ghettoisation, with white-only and Asian-only communities existing cheek by jowl but with little or no common ground. And that, he believes, could have an ominous outcome.

"This isn't, as the Government would like us to believe, a multicultural society," he says.

"This is pure racial segregation. And it's like this because the Muslim community simply refuses to integrate. So people like me feel like outcasts in our own country."

stupid. Try replacing "Muslim" with any other minority name.

It surprises no one, he says, knowingly, that a recently built massive police station, complete with a 30ft wall and a communications tower, now dominates upper Oak Lane.

Aware that the majority of its schools are exclusively white or Muslim, community leaders held a public meeting last month mooting ideas for community events to encourage more unity among its inhabitants. But while initiatives were discussed, the notion of integrated societies was not.

"The Bishop of Rochester is right to say there is segregation and ghettoisation," concedes Bary Malik, a local imam. "But we all share the blame for that, not one individual community. The Bishop of Rochester supposedly understands both cultures, so he should be trying to foster better relations between these communities, not aggravating them."

whoa:

Another problem, he believes, is that, in the name of multiculturalism, the Labour Government has allowed a dual system of law to exist.

"Sharia law now exists in almost all Islamic communities in the UK," he says. "Not at a penal level, but at a family level. It rules among the Muslim community in marriage and divorce, often at the expense of the vulnerable. To solve this, the Government must say no to Sharia law being practised. There should be no separate legal system in this country."

After the al-Qaeda bombing in Madrid, when Sir Ian Blair, the Metropolitan police commissioner, suggested that it was a matter of when the terrorist organisation would bomb London, not if, he - along with cross-community leaders - held a series of meetings about how they should react should that happen.

Their aim was to ensure that there was not a repeat of the 2001 race riots if al-Qaeda bombed Britain. It is to their credit that, after the 7/7 London bomb, Bradford remained peaceful.

Chinese Mosques

Small gallery, but pretty! It's nice to see a mesh of "traditional" architecture lending to a dominant local cultural influence. I approve.

Has... um... anyone... seen these in person?

"Parental Fail"

This was just... it was so mean. And sad. *I* almost cried. :-/



Via StartSnitching

Pew Survey on Muslim Americans (Update/Better Summarization)

A quick summarization of conclusions from a survey (that's been previously discussed). Figured it was worth an update.

The first-ever, nationwide, random sample survey of Muslim Americans finds them to be largely assimilated, happy with their lives, and moderate with respect to many of the issues that have divided Muslims and Westerners around the world.

The Pew Research Center conducted more than 55,000 interviews to obtain a national sample of 1,050 Muslims living in the United States. Interviews were conducted in English, Arabic, Farsi and Urdu. The resulting study, which draws on Pew's survey research among Muslims around the world, finds that Muslim Americans are a highly diverse population, one largely composed of immigrants. Nonetheless, they are decidedly American in their outlook, values and attitudes. This belief is reflected in Muslim American income and education levels, which generally mirror those of the public.

Key findings include:

- Overall, Muslim Americans have a generally positive view of the larger society. Most say their communities are excellent or good places to live.

- A large majority of Muslim Americans believe that hard work pays off in this society. Fully 71% agree that most people who want to get ahead in the United States can make it if they are willing to work hard.

- The survey shows that although many Muslims are relative newcomers to the U.S., they are highly assimilated into American society. On balance, they believe that Muslims coming to the U.S. should try and adopt American customs, rather than trying to remain distinct from the larger society. And by nearly two-to-one (63%-32%) Muslim Americans do not see a conflict between being a devout Muslim and living in a modern society.

- Roughly two-thirds (65%) of adult Muslims in the U.S. were born elsewhere. A relatively large proportion of Muslim immigrants are from Arab countries, but many also come from Pakistan and other South Asian countries. Among native-born Muslims, roughly half are African American (20% of U.S. Muslims overall), many of whom are converts to Islam.

- Based on data from this survey, along with available Census Bureau data on immigrants' nativity and nationality, the Pew Research Center estimates the total population of Muslims in the United States at 2.35 million.

- Muslim Americans reject Islamic extremism by larger margins than do Muslim minorities in Western European countries. However, there is somewhat more acceptance of Islamic extremism in some segments of the U.S. Muslim public than others. Fewer native-born African American Muslims than others completely condemn al Qaeda. In addition, younger Muslims in the U.S. are much more likely than older Muslim Americans to say that suicide bombing in the defense of Islam can be at least sometimes justified. Nonetheless, absolute levels of support for Islamic extremism among Muslim Americans are quite low, especially when compared with Muslims around the world.

- A majority of Muslim Americans (53%) say it has become more difficult to be a Muslim in the United States since the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks. Most also believe that the government "singles out" Muslims for increased surveillance and monitoring.

- Relatively few Muslim Americans believe the U.S.-led war on terror is a sincere effort to reduce terrorism, and many doubt that Arabs were responsible for the 9/11 attacks. Just 40% of Muslim Americans say groups of Arabs carried out those attacks.

25 (Islamic) Suggestions to Add to Your Life

1. Start off each day with 'azkar al-istiyqaz' (waking up supplications), thanking Allah for waking up in good shape.

2. Put Allah (swt) and then Prophet Mohammad (saw) before anything else in your life.

3. Broaden your horizons-learn 5 New verses from the Quran, travel to pray the Fajr in the mosque to brighten your day, take up a booklet having azkar-alsaba 7 (morning supplications) and read them.

4. Pray Salat Al-duha (after sunrise) and also the remaining 4 obligatory salaat of the day.

5. If someone says something mean to you, just shrug it off and dismiss it in a friendly, laidback manner, and pray that Allah shall forgive him or her. They will probably get the message that they're not triggering your anger and they will stop.

6. When you get angry, remember Allah, and how short and worthless life is to waste in being Angry.

7. Remember that you can never have too many friends, but you can have few quality friends that help you fulfil the purpose of your creation (i.e live for Allah.)

8. When you're happy, try to share your happiness with others thank Allah for that, and pray its continuation.

9. When something bad or embarrassing happens to you, just think that it could always be worse, remember the reward of patience, and thank Allah that it's not worse than it is.

10. Do something extra of goodness once in a while, like feeding a poor person, or caressing an orphan's head.

11. Never stop believing that you can win Allah's love and thus work for it. Then you can win the love of Allah's slaves.

12. Spend some time thinking of Allah's amazing creation.

13. Always love those who love Allah unconditionally. This way you will ensure that you live for Him, love for Him, and hate for Him (those who are enemies of Him)

14. Find the righteous ways to express yourself, and if you think that what you are about to say shall cause no benefit, maintain silence (this is tough!)

15. Every now and then, give yourself a break. play sports, give time to your family, friends, but always remember Allah and watch that He is watching you (Ihsan).

16. Pray for blessings to come to your enemies, and pray Allah to guide them to the right path.

17. Show love to your parents and always obey them (except orders that are against Islam, which they'll never do) especially to your mother as Junnah is under the feet of your mother.

18. Smile to everyone, for your smile makes a big difference to them and you are rewarded.

19. Forgive, forget and smile.

20. Tears are not for women only... tears are for all human beings with feelings remaining in them. Don't restrain your tears when remembering Allah.

21. When people criticize your actions and effort, revise your actions and see if they please Allah or not. If they do, then ignore those criticism and remember how the Prophet(s) and the Sahaba (ra) were criticized, made fun of and even physically harmed, so have patience.

22. Read the Quran daily and try to have a schedule for completing it every month (or as much as you could) as long as you open the Quran daily, and read with observing, try to understand and traansform them into action, not just passing your eyes through the words.

23. Don't let popularity go to your head, for it never lasts and you may lose from it more than gain.

24. Never look down on anybody, for they may be better than you in Allah's eyes.

25. After praying the salaatul Isha and before going to bed ask yourself whether you have gained some points for the day or are you loosing. Make repentance for things you have done wrong and think of ways to improve yourself in the following day.

Source

Recipe for a Successful Marriage by Mufti Ebrahim Desai

Recipe for a Successful Marriage
by Mufti Ebrahim Desai (db)

"Our Lord! Grant that our spouses and our offspring be a comfort to our eyes, and give us the grace to lead those who are conscious of You"
(Furqaan 74).

Q: Every human being by nature has an instinct to dispute. This instinct becomes more manifest between the husband and wife, thus leading to marital disputes. How can this instinct be controlled?

A. Consider the following ten points to control the instinct of dispute and maintain a happy marriage.

1. Fear Allah: It was the noble practice of Nabi (SAW) to conscientise the spouses about the fear for Allah before performing a Nikah by reciting the verses (Nisa v14, Ahzab v69, Aali-Imraan v101) from the Quraan. All the verses are common in the message of Taqwa (fear of Allah). The spouses will be first committed to Allah before being committed to their partner. There can be no doubt in the success of a marriage governed by the fear of Allah.

2. Never be angry at the same time: Anger is the root cause for all marital disputes. One Sahabi came to Rasulullah (SAW) and sought some advice. Rasulullah (SAW) replied, control your anger. The same advice was rendered three times. (Mishkaat pg.433; HM Saeed)

3. If one has to win an argument, let it be the other: Nabi (SAW) said: "Whoever discards an argument despite being correct shall earn a palace in the centre of Jannah. (Ibid pg.412)

4. Never shout at each other unless the house is on fire: Luqman (AS) while offering advice to his son said: " and lower your voice for verily the most disliked voice is that of a donkey". (Surah Luqman v19)

5. If you have to criticize, do it lovingly: Rasulullah (SAW) said, 'A Mu'min is a mirror for a Mu'min.' (Abu Dawud vol.2 pg.325; Imdadiyah) Advise with dignity and silently.

6. Never bring up mistakes of the past: Nabi (SAW) said: "Whoever conceals the faults of others, Allah shall conceal his faults on the day of Qiyaamah." (Mishkaat pg.429; HM Saeed)

7. Neglect the whole world rather than your marriage partner: Nabi (SAW) confirmed the advice of Salman to Abu-Darda [RA] for neglecting his wife. "Verily there is a right of your wife over you." (Nasai Hadith2391)

8. Never sleep with an argument unsettled: Abu Bakr [RA] resolved his dispute with his wife over-feeding the guests before going to bed. (Bukhari Hadith 602)

9. At least, once everyday, express your gratitude to your partner: Nabi [sallallaahu alayhi wasallam] said, 'Whoever does not show gratitude to the people has not shown gratitude to Allah.' (Abu Dawud pg.662; Karachi)

10. When you have done something wrong, be ready to admit it and ask for forgiveness: Nabi [sallallaahu alayhi wasallam] said, 'All the sons of Aadam commit error, and the best of those who err are those who seek forgiveness.' (Tirmidhi Hadith 2499)

http://questforthedivine.blogspot.com/2007/05/recipe-for-successful-marriage.html

"Should Muslims Use the N-Word?" by Imam Zaid Shakir

He mixed up "Nas" with "Naz" :(

This isn't really a fair highlight of the article; it contains little or none of his argumentative reasoning and is moreso a few things that I read and found interesting or "wow" worthy. Read 'til the end of the highlights, at least. Even if you don't approve. It pretty much makes me nauseous.

Though I agree with his overall message (no, it's not appropriate), I actually *have* seen instances in which friends will refer to each other as "my nigga" during seemingly "wholesome" activities. Meh.

Article

Highlights:

It is not ironic in this regard that one the best selling comedy albums in history was Pryor's 1974 Grammy Award winning album, That Nigger's Crazy. This was followed two years latter by his, Bicentennial Nigger. Many people have analyzed what they see as Pryor's genius in how he used the word "nigger" in his jokes. However, after a trip to Kenya in the early 1980s, impressed by the dignity of the Africans he encountered there, Pryor himself declared that he would never again use the word, explaining, "It was a wretched word. Its connotations weren't funny, even when people laughed. To this day I wish I'd never said that word."[2]

--

In my opinion, it is difficult to associate any positive usages with the term due to what George Lakoff, and others, refers to as framing. In other words, once a word, phrase, or idea has become associated with a particular cognitive frame, using that word in any context, negatively or positively, only supports the established frame. [5] For example, now that Muslims have become so overwhelmingly identified with terrorism in this country, there is no way to break that association—working within the prevailing frame. Hence, when we declare, "Muslims are not terrorists!" It only reinforces the prevailing frame, because in the mind of the listener it reinforces the linkage between Muslims and terrorism, by evoking the dominant terms in that particular frame. All the listener tends to hear are the terms, "Muslim" and "terrorist."

--

made me lol:

" It would difficult if not impossible to find anyone saying, by way of example, "I'ma go to med school with my niggas, respect my lady with my niggas, rebuild my community with my niggas…." "

--

Before going further in this discussion, I will mention a few incidents that demonstrate the depth of the pain and humiliation associated with the term.

When Charles McLaurin, an organizer with the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC), was jailed in Columbia, Mississippi, a patrolman asked him, "Are you a Negro or a nigger?" When McLaurin responded, "Negro," another patrolman hit him in the face. When he gave the same reply to the same question, McLaurin was again beaten. Finally, asked the question a third time, he answered, "I am a nigger." At that point the first patrolman told him to leave and warned, "If I ever catch you here again I'll kill you."

As a child the playwright August Wilson stopped going to school for a while after a series of notes were left in his desk by white classmates. The notes read: "Go home nigger."

Michael Jordan was suspended from school for hitting a white girl who called him "nigger" during a fight over a seat on a school bus in Wilmington, North Carolina.

Brenda Woodford wrote that in the predominantly middle-class community where she grew up, little boys on bicycles would constantly encircle her, chanting, "Nigger, nigger, nigger."

On the verge of breaking Babe Ruth's record for most career home runs, Hank Aaron received hundreds of "Dear Nigger" hate letters. Here is a sampling of them:

Dear Black Boy,
Listen Black Boy, we don't want no nigger Babe Ruth.

Dear Mr. Nigger,
I hope you don't break the Babe's record. How can I tell my kids that a nigger did it?

Dear Nigger,
You can hit all dem home runs over dem short fences, but you can't take dat black off yo face.

Dear Nigger,
You black animal, I hope you never live long enough to hit more home runs than the great Babe Ruth… [6]

Smear Campaign Speaks Volumes About Society by Ahmed Rehab (CAIR)

Oh, Chicago Tribune. You liberal fascists, allowing those terroristic mozlems over at CAIR onto your website. For Shame!

Just kidding. Kinda.

Okay, no, really. Totally joking.

Sigh. A Missed Point on Faith.

It goes against all that I advocate that the mere rumor of a person being a Muslim -- let alone actually being one -- could be a tool to destroy political aspirations. This in a nation that prides itself on being the heart of the free world.

I am not drawn to Obama for any other reason but his political outlook, one that brings me hope that we can move beyond divisiveness and polarization and toward a new unity for the common good.

So it is not that I am offended as a Muslim that Obama would not want to be one; I couldn't care less. I am casting a vote for the next president of the United States, not the next imam of my mosque.

It's just that I was audaciously hopeful that Obama would be the candidate to finally break the silence on the political marginalization of American Muslims.

He could start by saying something like: "There is not a Christian America, or a Jewish America, or a Muslim America. There is the United States of America."