Monthly Archive

Via City of Brass, a letter from a muslim who is an active member of the republican party and a candidate for office who’s own party waged war on her because of her religion and ethnicity.  Read the whole thing on City of Brass:

Soon after my nomination, a certain segment of the Republican party made it known that they rejected the nomination due to my ethnic and faith background. They claimed that I was not a “Real” Republican and launched an intensive “character assassination” campaign, in which I was labeled a “radical” and “terror apologist.” My Republican opponent claimed that my intentions “may not always have been so benign towards America.” He invited volunteers to join him to defend the “home front in the War on Islamist Terror.”

Regrettably, the Republican leadership refused to address the problem. The Colorado Republican Chairman, dismissed the claims as the usual “campaign business.” The Republican US Senate Candidate announced  his unqualified endorsement of the abuser. Others, like the Colorado former Speaker of the House went so far as to circulate e-mails that accused me of being an “Islamist mole” and a “strong threat” to Western civilization. My attackers were invited to bring forth any evidence to sustain their charges, but none did.

“She should be jailed for treason” and “The wombs of Arab women are bomb factories,” said the letters in multiple media outlets. To no avail, I pleaded with party officers to urge a minimum standard of decency and truthfulness in campaign politics. The response was that the attacks had not reached the “extreme or outrageous” level which would warrant action to “arbitrate campaign rhetoric.” Instead, I was warned to drop out of the race or face a scandal that would so completely ruin my reputation that I “won’t find anyone in town ” to talk to me. Needless to say, I felt relief when the so-called “real” Republican won the Primary election. Only God knows what other trumped-up claims they would have made, if I had won.

Exciting time in Minnesota, doncha know!  I neglected to see Barack when he’s been in the Cities.  The last time, the line was over a mile long by the time I got to downtown Saint Paul, and it looked like it was going to rain.  Um yeah, asthma aggrivation to the max.  kthxby.

Looks like I have a last chance to revel in a large political gathering.  Wouldn’tcha know, I work like 3 blocks from here.  From the Franken campaign email:

President Bill Clinton is coming to Minnesota for Al Franken, the Obama campaign, and the rest of the Democratic ticket Thursday evening and we’d love for all of you to be there.
This is a huge opportunity to hear from the last great President of this country – someone who understood that real economic prosperity doesn’t trickle down from Wall Street and the wealthy, it’s built with American jobs and tax cuts for the middle class. It’s also a great chance to get fired up for the BIGGEST GOTV EFFORT IN MINNESOTA HISTORY!

Here are the details:
WHAT:Rally to Get Out The Vote with Former President Bill Clinton, Al Franken, and the Obama campaign
WHEN:THURSDAY, OCTOBER 30 — doors open at 7:00 pm, rally begins at 7:30 pm
WHERE:Minneapolis Convention Center, Hall A
(Parking available across the street)

This will be a FREE event — and if you’d like to come, all you have to do is RSVP!
JOIN PRESIDENT CLINTON, AL FRANKEN, & THE OBAMA CAMPAIGN – CLICK HERE TO RSVP!

In other news, I have next Tuesday morning off to vote

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 I'm sorry Hollywood, why should I care what you have to say about the senate seat in my state?  Are you residents of Minnesota?  When did you last visit?  Do you have any business interests here?   When was the last time you had hot dish or ate a deep fried pickle off a stick?Please bugger off.

Sincerely,
A P.O.ed Minne-snow-tan.

p.s. booo Vikings, go Packers!

Apparently the Twin Cities is going to find out!  wo0t!

http://www.stthomas.edu/mcdc/events/default.html#daliamogahed

 Dalia MogahedWho Speaks for Muslims?  What A Billion Muslims Think
7:00 PM Wednesday, November 5, 2009
3M Auditorium, Owens Science Hall

---

Dalia Mogahed is a Senior Analyst and Executive Director of the Gallup Center for Muslim Studies, a non-partisan research center dedicated to providing data-driven analysis on the views of Muslim populations around the world.  With John L. Esposito, Ph.D., she is coauthor of the book Who Speaks for Islam?: What a Billion Muslims Really Think.  Her analyses have appeared in The Wall Street Journal, Foreign Policy magazine, the Harvard Review, the Middle East Policy journal, and many other academic and popular journals.  Mogahed is a member of Women in International Security, serves on the leadership group of the Project on U.S. Engagement with the Global Muslim Community, and is a member of the Crisis in the Middle East Task Force of the Brookings Institution. For more information contact the Muslim-Christian Dialogue Center
at 651-962-5650 or mcdc@stthomas.edu

“God does not burden any human being with more than he is well able to bear: in his favour shall be whatever good he does, and against him whatever evil he does.”O our Sustainer! Take us not to task if we forget or unwittingly do wrong!”O our Sustainer! Lay not upon us a burden such as Thou didst lay upon those who lived before us! O our Sustainer! Make us not bear burdens which we have no strength to bear!

“And efface Thou our sins, and grant us forgiveness, and bestow Thy mercy upon us! Thou art our Lord Supreme: succour us, then, against people who deny the truth!”

Qur’an 2:286

Translated by Muhammad Asad

Molly has tagged me out of my minor mope-fest.  Click on the photos to link back to their original sources

Where Would Your 8 Homes Be?

List them. You don’t have to list your reasons, but if you do at least for a few of them, it would be more fun. And remember that the only rule is: the homes must be within the borders of the United States of America or else, within the borders of the country you live in, so as to utterly emulate the McCains. When you’re done, tag 8 people, so that they may join in the self-indulgence, forgetting about the crappy property market and the equivalent of The End of Pompeii on Wall-Street. You could spend your time hammering your doors and windows shut in preparation for the apocalypse instead, but it would be much less fun.

1.  Madison, Wisconsin

76 square miles surrounded by reality.  My mother’s side of the family settled here back at the turn of the 20th century and  I have many fond memories of my visits there as a child.  I’m a graduate of the University, and would love to live there permenantly.  There’s a small town feel, but with enough diversity that I don’t stick out like a giant, hijab wearing sore thumb.

 2.  Bay Area, California

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A sheikh I greatly admire (and hope one day to study with) often advises us to keep the company of good people.  The Bay Area of California seems to be chock full of good folks, like those at Zaytuna. 

3.  Grand Tetons

Ok, so I actually couldn’t live in the park, but I could live nearby and visit everyday.  I miss being outdoors.  I haven’t gone camping in years.

4.  Olympic National Park

I spent a summer here in high school, 5 weeks out in the backcountry, cut off from civilazation.  I could do that again.

5.  Arches National Park

Are we sensning a theme?

6.  Everglades National Park

7.  Yosemite

8.  Medina

One outside the US.  This actually should be #1.  It’s my dream to live near the Prophet (saws) and visit him every day.

 

 

 

I’m tagging the posters at allbeliefs.com!

My uncle was diagnosed with stage 4 colon cancer 2 years ago.  Alhamdulilah, Allah (swt) gave him another 2 years.  He and my aunt have had the opportunity to travel the world, and spend time with all their friends and family.  He made it to a few more Packers games, and got to play Trivia in the world’s largest trivia contest two more times.  And we’ve had 2 more family thanksgivings.  My aunt and uncle have hosted a big get together at their house for years.  Everyone from my dad’s side of the family comes.

 After my grandfather passed away earlier this year, we had all been looking forward to getting together under happier circumstances.  Unfortunately, we’re not sure if there’s going to be another thanksgiving at their house this year. 

The cancer is unstoppable, and there’s not much more that can be done.  Please make dua that my uncle will be able to spend one more thanksgiving with us.

Looks like this is becoming a weekly thing.  I think I’m going to change the name of it though – ah minnesota, doncha know.

Judge’s Email Raises Questions

Hennepin County District Judge and Minnesota Supreme Court candidate Deborah Hedlund received an e-mail Monday with the subject line, “Can Muslims Be Good Americans?”

The e-mail came to Hedlund and several other people from Matt Look, owner of Ramsey-based Look Signs, with whom Hedlund was negotiating for some lawn signs.

…

In her reply message to Look — which she inadvertently sent to all original recipients — Hedlund wrote: “Matt, We speak the same language. And I still need to let voters know they have a choice to ‘Seek Justice, Vote For Experience’ for the Minnesota Supreme Court.”

She goes on to discuss negotiations for the signs she wants him to make.

Hedlund said Tuesday that she did not read the message about Muslims and that her comment about speaking “the same language” referred to the fact that she believed she and Look had a deal on the signs.

*Looks around for rolling eyes smilie*

Quran 2:172 

O you who believe, eat of the good things We have provided to you and be grateful to Allah, if it is He whom you worship (in real terms). (Mufti Muhammad Taqi Uthmani)

O you who have attained to faith! Partake of the good things which We have provided for you as sustenance, and render thanks unto God, if it is [truly] Him that you worship. (Muhammad Asad)

On the near freezing, miserable dreary day that is today, I say Alhamdulilah for chai.  In partcular, TeaSource Chai Spice Blend.  Got the chai goop (aka spices and sweetened condenced milk) in the fridge at work, so when I get in, all I need to do is brew a cup of black tea, add a spoon full o goop and I’ve got something to warm my insides.

 

Alhamdulilah!  Chai is a beautiful, beautiful thing.

Some republicans have warmed my cold, cold, cynical liberal heart:

McCain supporters defend Islam, shout down Obama attackers

But, lest I get too warm and fuzzy, McCain camp doesn’t allow Muslims for McCain to speak with CNN. 

Worried it will alienate your base?

(muslim) student charged with reporting fake attack

Two words:

Audrey.  Seiler.

I was there.  It was crazy.  The entire campus banded together to search for her.  Donations were made.  The government spent $100,000 looking for Audrey.  All the national media was there.  And when they found her, and were closing in on her “kidnapper” in the swamps, I watched it unfold live on CNN from the cafeteria where I was working.

It was all a hoax, and 4 years later, Audrey isn’t even notable enough to warrent a wikipedia page.

Now the usual suspects are out there raging about those dang muzzies who’ve done it again.  Now they have a reason to look on hate crime reports with suspicion. 

Moral of the story:  Don’t cry wolf.

*sigh*

…about that. It’s alcohol. Would you cook with beer or wine? Yeah, real vanilla extract has more alcohol then either of those. And it can make you drunk if you drink it.

There are fatwas out there that say vanilla extract is ok, but seriously now, shouldn’t this be common sense? Beer and wine = no way, but vanilla extract, more potent then either, is ok?

Extracts from the shafi’i perspective

So vanilla extract is essentially a mixture of vanilla in a liquid intoxicant (namely, ethanol). It is therefore filth and forbidden to ingest, etc. Anything with vanilla extract added to it would be filthified and therefore also haram to ingest.

Now for the really bad news: chocolate. Most of it contains vanilla in some form or another. Yeah yeah, I know, I’ve been weeping over it since I started investigating it a few months ago. I know I’m an evil awful person for having ruined chocolate for ya’ll, but tough cookies. When I was in college, someone told me that my favorite ice cream, made right there on campus, had gelatin. I stuck my fingers in my ears (literally!) and went la la la la la, I didn’t hear that. If you don’t know, it’s halal, right?

But, there is a ray of hope. There is some chocolate that is made without vanilla. I’m not saying everything made by these companies is alcohol free. Always read the ingredients before you buy:

• Coppeneur
• Domori
• Rococo
• Theo Chocolate
• New Tree
• Michel Cluizel
• Lang’s Chocolate – includes a list of certified halal chocolates
• Terra Nostra – they have milk chocolate too. Most chocolate without vanilla is of the dark variety.
• Dagoba – this is the one I’ve been getting from our local co-op. The Mint and Rosemary is heavenly! They also have chocolate chips and milk chocolate.

I’m sure there are more out there. This is just what I’ve found thus far. Searching “organic chocolate” seems to bring up the best results. Yes, they’re expensive, but what is the cost of peace of mind?

I’m a red, white and blue muslim, midwest born and raised.  My family first came to this country in the early 19th century, and I had a many times great grandfather who died in the civil war.  Subsequent generations faught in the first and second world wars.  In case you couldn’t tell, I’m an american muslim who’s obsessed with muslims in america.

Admitedly, I don’t know much about Islam in our neighbor to the north.  I know there are lots of muslims in TO (which apparently is Toronto, or so I gather from assorted blog postings).  And that they put out Little Mosque on the Prairie.  And that they have awesome conferences and Sh. Faraz lives there.

As such, I was delighted to stumble upon this article about Islam in Canada – The First Little Mosque on the Prairie.  And I was tickled pink by the illustration.  Snowmen making sajdah, awesomeness (even if their arms aren’t in the right position)!  *steals it for my photobucket*

 The article is written by the descendant of an earlier muslim immigrants.  The experience seems quite different from that of more recent immigrants, at least from what I’ve observed.  Immigrant and second generation muslims cling to their religion as well as their culture.  But then again, maybe that’s because I’m active in the muslim community, and muslim immigrants who “assimilate” by changing their names and drinking beer aren’t frequent mosque attendees. 

It was a tiny pioneer community founded amid a small but growing city. As a result, the emphasis was on getting along and fitting in. Over time, alcohol was consumed by many, if not most; the salaat, the prayers said five times daily, were often ignored. In several homes, Christmas trees were trimmed, Easter egg hunts were organized, and Halloween was celebrated. Friendships between Arabs and Jews were common. The odd intercultural business relationship resulted, and members of Edmonton’s comparably small Jewish community helped fund the Al Rashid Mosque.

…

Still, some traditions endured. While halal butchers were practically unheard of, the prohibition against eating pork was widely observed by Muslims, though certainly not in every home. Once, when my grandmother was visiting, she encountered something in our kitchen that would make any contemporary cleric’s blood curdle.

“Bobby!” she shouted to my father. “There’s a big ham in your refrigerator!”

My dad, ever the dutiful son, sauntered over. He opened the fridge door and looked inside, then furrowed his brow. “That’s not a big ham, Mother,” he said, closing the door.

“Bobby, don’t lie, ya haram. I saw it with my own eyes.”My father reopened the door. “Oh, that,” he said. “That’s a little ham.”

…

Is there a new Canadianized Islam? No. Clearly there are several, each a natural outgrowth of time and circumstance. There are the Ismailis, the followers of the Aga Khan, a well-integrated and influential community of about 75,000 that has produced a disproportionate number of high-profile leaders, such as former Ballard Power Systems chair Firoz Rasul and Liberal senator Mobina Jaffer. There are the gay Muslims of groups such as Salaam, whose founder, El-Farouk Khaki, ran as the ndp candidate in the last Toronto Centre by-election and lost to Bob Rae. There are the secular Muslims, some of whom see evidence of “sharia creep” around every turn. There are the traditionalists, who harbour a culture-bound and often narrow view of who is a Muslim. There is an assertive new generation, Canadian born yet observant, both a part of and apart from the “dominant” culture.

And then there is us, the descendants of the first Islamic wave. For some, I am a cautionary tale, evidence of what can happen to Muslims in Canada when the bonds of faith are allowed to fray. But they can rest easier knowing I am largely a charlatan. Although my father considered himself a Muslim, he wasn’t particularly observant, and we, his children, were raised without religion. I am a Muslim in about the same way as Barack Obama is: by bloodline at most. It was only as “Arab” became conflated with “Muslim,” and “Muslim” with “terror” that I found myself identifying with a people and a faith with which I thought I had little in common.

From The Iraq War, A Troubled Romance In America

Escaped from an abusive family in Iraq, only to become a stripper and a child abuser here in the US.

I do however have words for the commentors who seem to think that this is typical of a cross culture relationship.  I hope NPR does a piece about intercultural families that suceed.  There’s no shortage of couples like this on VJ, including several who met their spouses while serving overseas in the military.

Me thinks I shall make these recipes this weekend inshaAllah:

Roasted Pumpkin Salad

Caramel Apples

Borlotti Bean Mole with Roast Winter Squash

Roasted Tomato Soup

I *heart* 101 cookbooks

Because college republicans across the country sponsor speakers like this.

Robert Spencer, who has written several books on the topic of Islamic extremism, discussed why certain sects of Islam are a threat to the West in an event sponsored by UW College Republicans.

From the other student paper:

The College Republicans of UW-Madison hosted Robert Spencer, head of Jihad Watch, to voice his views against Islamic extremism Wednesday at Memorial Union.

Spencer’s presentation, “Jihad: What Muslims Say it Means and Why it Matters,” instigated students to speak out in a question and answer session.

Spencer said he believes the Islamic religion is not a peaceful one and many Islamic groups in the United States have the potential to impose Islamic law on nonbelievers in a violent way.

Say what you will about assorted leftists, socialists and atheists, but when Daniel Pipes came to town in 2003, they rallied together with the MSA to provide a coherent response, and it looks like they did the same this time around as well.

 Also from the first article:

CR Chair Sara Mikolajczak said she thought the event went well overall but called the outbursts by MSA “absolutely ridiculous.”

“It’s one thing to ask a question. I mean, that’s perfectly legitimate — that’s why we open it up to Q-and-A,” Mikolajczak said. “But it’s a completely different thing to talk over a speaker and not to adhere to the rules.”

From the comments:

…isn’t that what the College Republicans did at the John Kerry event? Oh SNAP!

bwahaha, hypocracy at it’s finest!

You know you’re a convert when…

…you’re given the fatiha test. Yes, yes, I recite it at least 17 times a day, I do know it, ya know.

…you wonder when you’ll stop being refered to as “the new muslim.” At an iftar this year, a 7th grader came up and congratulated me on converting to Islam. I was like, um, thanks but that was like 7 years ago She blushed and said that her dad had told her I was new.

…you’re pestered about changing your name. Um, never. Muhammad’s name before he became a prophet? Khadija’s? Ali’s?

…you’re the only one sitting by yourself at iftar, while everyone else finds someone to chat with in another language.

…you’re held up as a token, so born and raised muslims can pat themselves on the back that they’re doing a good job, even though you’d run away screaming from the inanities of the masjid if you could.

…you’re constantly asked how your parents reacted. Um, how would your parents react if you left Islam? Not good, right? Well, my parents were better than that. They’re not perfect, but they’re not evil people, you know.

mashaAllah!  Sh. bin Bayyah’s DIL is starting a blog:

Bismillahi Rahman ar Rahim

It’s common knowledge that it is harder for us women to get our questions answered by our beloved shuyukh due to many reasons. I hope with the start of this blog that will be no more.

Since moving to Saudi and living in close contact with Sheikh Abdallah I have come to realize how much untapped knowledge he posseses. I know there is also a lack of his work in english which is also being worked on. I have never seen someone understand both life in the west and the correct balance of our deen as well as Sheikh Abdellah Bin Bayyah. He is truly a veiled treasure, and I wish to share this beautiful man with my beloved sisters in Islam.

Send your questions to question.binbayyah@hotmail.com. I hope to answer most at  least weekly. Plus I would also like to start putting up a weekly note from the Sheikh addressed to us women touching on diverse topics. Please feel free to give me any advise on what you would like to see as this is all new for me. Thanks.

My eeevil plan is working *rubs hands together with glee*    I want a cat.  The husband is waffling on the subject.  He’s agreed that we’ll get one, but just not anytime soon.  I’m tired of waiting.  So I drug him to Petsmart after our anniversary dinner last night.  Many of the big chain pet stores don’t sell cats, but they do foster them for local shelters.  One of the kitties stole my husband’s heart as she melted in my arms. 

 

Look at that face.  Who could say no to that face? 

The husband said she was just begging to be taken home.  Ah honey, every cat I play with (I visit the kitties at Petsmart often) just begs to be taken home.  He also thought she’d be lonely if we adopted just one, so we’ll have to adopt 2.  Nope, not going to say no to that either

Unfortunately, we can’t adopt little Eleanor.  The management at our apartments requires cats to be declawed.  I will not declaw a cat, so we’re looking for one who is already declawed.  inshaAllah Eleanor will go to a good home.  Many thanks to her for gently nudging my husband in the right direction.

One step closer to getting a cat inshaAllah.

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"I know him, he's an arab."

"No ma'am, he's a decent family man, citizen..."

So if one is an arab, he's not a family man? Arabs aren't decent people?

McCain Volunteer Sends Out "Obama is an Arab" Letters

Quinnell: I still do. Yeah. I’m not alone. I go to Burnsville, the main Republican headquarters and I do a lot of work over there. A lot of sending out mail and talking to people. And all the people agree with what I’m saying to you about Obama.

...

Quinnell: Yeah , but he’s still got Muslim in him. So that’s still part of him. I got all the stuff from the library and I could send you all kinds of stuff on him. In fact….Bush: What did you think about McCain said. He said he’s a decent person.Quinnell: Well he did have didn’t have (unintelligible) I think McCain wanted to (unintelligible) I don’t think he wanted to say anything against him. You know he didn’t want to cut him down. That was my way of thinking. I don’t think he wanted to cut him down. So he just kind of brushed me off.

In Lakeville, McCain tamps down hostility

McCain found himself in the odd and uncomfortable position of defending an opponent who is pulling away in many polls at the end of a week when he and running mate Sarah Palin stepped up their own attacks against Obama — often inspiring outbursts at raucous rallies, complete with cries of “terrorist” and “off with his head.”

The Minnesota gathering lacked that kind of harshness [rahma adds: ah, good ol Minnesota nice. We'll smile in your face, but stab you in the back], but sustained booing greeted many of McCain’s attempts to discourage the crowd’s fear and anger. Of the 21 questions posed to McCain during 45 minutes of give-and-take, one-third challenged him to take on Obama more aggressively, with a few making incendiary comments.

This is why I’m not moving to the suburbs. Yes, it would be nice to have a big yard, a newer house, etc etc etc. But this kind of thinking is rampent out there. Nope, instead I think I’ll stick to the Twin Cities proper, preferably in the 5th congressional district represented by Keith Ellison.

An updateon the Episcopal Priest(ess) who claims to be both a muslim and a christian.

Wolf has affirmed that determination, barring Redding from functioning as a priest for the next six months.

According to church law, unless Redding resigns her priesthood or denies being a Muslim during those six months, the bishop has a duty to defrock — or depose — her, as the process is formally known.

…

While she does not regret going public about her embrace of Islam, she does acknowledge being naive about the controversy her announcement would stir up.

“I can definitely be a Pollyanna,” she said. “It never occurred to me it was something to be in the closet about. I just thought it was great.”

Getting to know Islam was “like falling in love,” she said. “You want to share it, you want to get on a rooftop and start shouting.”

The article discusses the Episcopal church’s reaction to this synchronism of faith, but nothing about the muslim view.  And as much as I feel for the sister, if you fall in love with Islam, you fall in love with Allah (swt) and with Muhammad (swt).  Seriously, WWMD (what would Muhammad do)?  Christians and Jews who converted under the Prophet (saws) often still maintained their kinship ties with their christian and jewish families, but they didn’t practice those faiths anymore. 

How did McCain-Palin get my cellphone number?   Is nothing sacred?

to read:

Ethnic Cleansing and the Long Term Persistence of Extractive Institutions: Evidence from the Expulsion of the Moriscos

Ok, it’s not going to be the easiest read but inshaAllah I’m going to plod through it.  It’s been awhile since I’ve had to sift and winnow.

So there’s this forum, yeah?  Aimed at new muslims.  I thought I’d join, cuz yah know, I used to be a new muslim, so maybe my experiences could be helpful.  Before I start posting, I google my usual sources to see how they’re accepted – sunnipath, Sh. Hamza, et al.

Last edited by justoneofmillion : 09-26-2008 at 11:18 AM. Reason: Hamza Yusuf not allowed

Why is it that this particular brand of Islam is doing all the dawah?  This is by far the largest new muslim website/forum out there, at least that I’ve found. 

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again:  We all have biases.  There’s no such thing as “just a muslim.”  At least be honest and be open about your biases.  If you’re salafi, then tell people up front. 

For all the teeny boppers and annoying know it alls, islamica is still the place to be (if you’re under 30, or have a very high tolerance for teenage antics).

a larch.  er, my smilie collection.  I *heart* my smilie collection.  Tis a beautiful thing.  Some of my favorites:

           

My parents are coming for the weekend.  And for the first time, I’m going to pray with their knowledge.  In the past, I’ve snuck around and prayed when they weren’t paying attention, or just not prayed at all  (astaghfirAllah).

I told them when the various prayer times are, that we’ll have to make our dinner reservations for 7:30, so I have time to pray maghrib before.  That we’ll leave the zoo at 3, so I can get home and pray zuhr and asr at home (no way in heck I’m praying at the zoo alone with them). 

This is uber scary.  I can’t remember ever speaking about God or prayer with my parents.  It’s funny, because one of my first memories is praying daddy’s friend Dale who had AIDS (inna lillahi wa inna ilayhi raji’oon).  But after that, prayer and God were for Sunday.  To openly worship God on another day of the week is just weird. 

I know they won’t understand.  And I’m not going to try to make them understand.  I’ll just make extra dua after each salat that Allah (swt) will open their hearts and give them some understanding.

Question:

When someone decides to convert, should they do so right away? 

I’m not talking about someone who just started reading about Islam and who’s interests are peaked.  No, this is someone who has decided to convert after careful consideration and they’ve set a date to do so, a few days, a few weeks, or a few months in the future.

My gut feeling is to say “Don’t wait!”  We don’t know how much time we’ve been given here.  We might not make it to tomorrow morning, let alone the date you’ve set to convert.  But then, what if you’re alone at that instant?  Do you call up some muslim friends and ask for them to come over?  But what if you die before they arrive?  What if you don’t have any muslim friends on hand and the people at the mosque want to do it on a date in the future?

I’d say do it now, in front of Allah (swt), and then get some witnesses later and do it all over again.

Shout out to my soon to be sister (inshaAllah) Terrie!  Congrats girl!

Egypt family attacked in sectarian dispute

CAIRO, Oct 7 (Reuters) – An Egyptian Christian man angry at his sister’s conversion to Islam and marriage to a Muslim broke into her Cairo apartment and sprayed gunfire on the family of three, killing the husband, security sources said on Tuesday.

They said the woman, Mariam Atef Khilla, and her baby daughter Nora had also been shot and were critically wounded in the overnight attack. Police were searching for the brother and an uncle.

Khilla converted to Islam three years ago to marry her husband against the wishes of her family, the sources said. One source said the woman’s brother had asked the couple to divorce so she could return to Christianity, but they had refused.

I’m not a big fan of the headline they use.   And there appears to be only a single version of the story bumping around the net in english.  There is so much more to a story like this.  I’m hesitant to comment any further on it, without knowing more about the family history, the brother’s mental state, among other details.  But at least on the surface it fits the honor killing mode – pissed off male family member attacks female relative for commiting an act that afronts the family dignity.

Ok, look at the side bar.  Do you see a big block of color on top of each section?  And a blue background halfway down?

It shows that I removed those colors in the theme customizer, but they show up here.  *sigh*

*edited to add*

 Ok, maybe it’s a firefox vs. IE issue.  When I use firefox, all the icky stuff is there.  When I use IE, it’s not.  Hmmm…

What browser are you using genieyclo?

Or for that matter, why anything in Islam?  I posted this in reply to a query about hijab.  I didn’t get any responses, which isn’t surprising.  The debate was already raging full speed, and a post that doesn’t use the buzz words (pearl, modesty, oppression, tent etc) doesn’t register for those speeding down that same ol road.

I think it all gets down to your paradigm. Who am I, what is this world, and what is my role in it? I am a servant of God, this world is His, and my role is to submit to Him.

How much free will do we have in submitting to our Lord? Sure, someone can chose not to do something that is required of them, but that leads to an imperfection in their submission. Someone could chose not to pray, chose not to fast, chose not to do any number of things that are required in Islam.  Hijab is simply one of those number of things that are required.

This is the mindset I’m striving for inshaAllah.  It’s hard to beat down the nafs, the “me me me!” that is crying out to be the center of attention.  But in the end, it’s all about Allah (swt).  It’s not about me.  It’s about how I can please Him with every one of my actions.

as seen by wordle

hadith mentioned in Sh. Hamza’s Eid address:

Abu Huraira reported Allah’s Messenger (saws) as saying: Verily, Allah, the Exalted and Glorious, would say on the Day of Resurrection: O son of Adam, I was sick but you did not visit Me. He would say: O my Lord; how could I visit Thee whereas Thou art the Lord of the worlds? Thereupon He would say: Didn’t you know that such and such servant of Mine was sick but you did not visit him and were you not aware of this that if you had visited him, you would have found Me by him? O son of Adam, I asked food from you but you did not feed Me. He would say: My Lord, how could I feed Thee whereas Thou art the Lord of the worlds? He said: Didn’t you know that such and such servant of Mine asked food from you but you did not feed him, and were you not aware that if you had fed him you would have found him by My side? (The Lord would again say: ) O son of Adam, I asked drink from you but you did not provide Me. He would say: My Lord, how could I provide Thee whereas Thou art the Lord of the worlds? Thereupon He would say: Such and such of servant of Mine asked you for a drink but you did not provide him, and had you provided him drink you would have found him near Me.

From saheeh muslim

This was forwarded to me by Rebecca.  It’s an excellent piece by an excellent american muslim author Mohja Kahf.  If you haven’t read her “The Girl in the Tangerine Scarf,” get it and read it asap.

This new piece in the Washington Post eloquently expresses what I’ve been trying to get across for ages.  I love Allah (swt).  I love my religion.  I love my Prophet (saws).  And I love my hot pink hijab.  I don’t need saving.  We don’t need saving.  Alhamdulilah I’m a muslim.

Yes, the article is fluffy.  But I think that was purposeful – so often we’re faced with doom and gloom, OMG you’re so oppressed!!11!!!1! that a little glibness is needed.

It irks me that I even have to say this: Being a Muslim woman is a joyful thing.

…

As beautiful as veils are, they are not the best part of being a Muslim woman — and many Muslim women in Islamic countries don’t veil. The central blessing of Islam to women is that it affirms their spiritual equality with men, a principle stated over and over in the Quran, on a plane believers hold to be untouched by the social or legalistic “women in Islam” concerns raised by other parts of the Scripture, in verses parsed endlessly by patriarchal interpreters as well as Muslim feminists and used by Islamophobes to “prove” Islam’s sexism. This is how most believing Muslim women experience God: as the Friend who is beyond gender, not as the Father, not as the Son, not inhabiting a male form, or any form.

…

Yet even all that gorgeous history pales when I open my closet door for the evening’s pick: teal georgette, pink-and-beige plaid, creamy fringed wool or ice-blue organza? God, why would anyone assume I would want to give up such beauty? I love being a Muslim woman. And I’m always looking for my next great polka-dot scarf.

Dear muslim lady on the bus:

I don’t mean to be rude, but this is America.  I know dogs are not held in high regard in your country and culture.  However, in this country, there are dogs. Granted, most dogs don’t belong on the bus but we do make exceptions.  One of those exceptions are guide dogs that help the blind and physically disabled.  These dogs have been trained almost since birth to provide assistance and greater access for their owners.  These dogs will not bite.  They do not bark.  They are very well behaved. 

Please stop freaking out.  There is no need to scream, cry and knock people down as you push your way through a very crowded bus to get away from the dog as he helps his owner move out of the way for the wheelchair that’s getting on the bus. 

The dog is not going to hurt you.  He is doing his job.  The Prophet (saws) specifically allowed people to keep dogs that served a purpose.

There is no need to be afraid of these dogs.  If they happen to touch you, what is the worst that will happen?  You’ll have to wash your clothes if they get impurities on you.  That’s not too bad is it?

Now I have to explain your actions to all the people on the bus.  They wonder why you reacted the way you did, and are all muslims that strange?

While I fully embrace the idea of multiculturalism, tolerance is a two way street.  We can’t expect people to accept our strange customs of covering our head and stopping to pray 5 times a day if we don’t try to accept certain aspects of american life that may seem strange to us.

We’re not going anywhere, and neither are the guide dogs.  Chances are, we’ll all run into one some day.  How we react to this animal will be a reflection of Islam.  Will it be a positive one, or a negative one?

Sincerely,

your sister in islam