Sunday, August 26, 2012

O and P Words

I will be posting writing terms every other week from the book "The Complete Idiot's Guide to Creative Writing" (2nd edition) by Laurie E. Rozakis.

1. onomatopoeia- the use of words that imitate the sounds they describe- for ex., words like "snap" and "crackle."
2. passive voice- in passive voice, the subject receives the action.
3. personification- giving human traits to nonhuman things. For ex: "The book begged to be read."
4. persuasion- a type of writing that tries to move an audience to thought or action.
5. plot- the arrangement of events in a work of literature. Plots have a beginning, middle and end. The writer arranges the events of the plot to keep the reader's interest and convey the theme. In many stories and novels, the events of the plot can be divided as follows:
- exposition: introduces the characters, setting, and conflict
- rising action: builds the conflict and develops the characters
- climax: shows the highest point of action
- resolution: resolves the story and ties up all the loose ends
6. poetry- a type of literature in which words are selected for their beauty, sound, and power to express feelings. Traditionally, poems had a specific rhythm and rhyme, but such modern poetry as free verse does not have regular beat, rhyme, or line length. Most poems are written in lines, which are arranged together in groups called stanzas.
7. point of view- the position from which the story is told. The three different points of view writers use most often:
- first-person point of view: the narrator is one of the characters in the story. The narrator explains the events through his/her own eyes, using the pronouns I and me.
- third-person omniscient point of view: the narrator is not a character in the story. Instead, the narrator looks through the eyes of all the characters. As a result, the narrator is "all-knowing" (omniscient). The narrator uses the pronouns he, she, and they.
- third-person limited point of view: the narrator tells the story through the eyes of only one character, using the pronouns he, she, and they.
8. prose- all written work that is not poetry, drama, or song. Examples of prose includes articles, autobiographies, novels, essays, and editorials.
9. protagonist- the most important character in a work of literature. The protagonist is at the center of the conflict and the focus of our attention.

Sunday, August 19, 2012

Eid, Muslim Days of Celebration!

Just in time for Eid today, below is an article I wrote for my high school newspaper last year. Happy Eid to all the Muslims :)

Have you heard any of your classmates say they were fasting? Most likely they are Muslim, a follower of the religion Islam. Did you have any questions in mind, like what is the importance of fasting in a Muslim’s life, who is required to fast, or what is Eid?

For starters, Ramadan is the 9th month of the lunar calendar, beginning with the sighting of the new moon. During this month, Muslims all over the world, no matter what nationality they are, where they live, their gender, etc. stay away from food, drink, and for married couples, any sexual relations, from sunrise to sunset for about 29-30 days, depending on the sighting of the next moon. (Before sunrise and after sunset each day, Muslims can go back to these). After the declaration of faith (Shahadah) and performing the five daily prayers on time (Salaat), fasting is the third of five pillars of Islam. The last two pillars are paying Zakat and going for Hajj. These five specific rites are the foundations of a Muslim’s life.

For obligatory fasts, a person must be a Muslim who has reached puberty, is of sane body and mind, and is not traveling. On the other hand, there are exceptions to people who do not have to fast in Ramadan, but have to makeup for missed fasts before the next Ramadan. Reasons where fasting is optional includes; if a person is traveling (who doesn’t have the intention to not fast), is sick (if harmful to their health), or women who are pregnant or nursing (if they or their child will be in danger).

Lessons to be learnt in Ramadan are numerous. One lesson is to become God (Allah) conscious, or being mindful that God is always aware of what we do. As Allah says in the holy book of Islam (Quran), "O you who believe! Fasting is prescribed for you as it was prescribed upon those before you in order that you may attain God consciousness (taqwa)" (Quran, 2:183).

Another important lesson is learning self control and discipline. This is obvious if one is
abstaining from a natural human desire like eating. Ramadan is also a good time to give up bad
habits and replace them with good ones and implement good manners. An authentic narration of
Prophet Muhammad's (hadith) says, “Whoever does not give up telling lies (false statements) and acting on those lies, and any evil actions, Allah is not in need of him leaving his food and drink” (i.e. Allah will not accept his fasting) (Sahih Bukhari).

Learning to become patient and charitable should also be goals to achieve in Ramadan and continue throughout the rest of the year. As humans, we should know to not take things for granted and be thankful to God for everything we have. Recognizing God’s blessings is something a Muslim realizes after a day of fasting! Getting the feeling of what the less fortunate have to go through without daily necessities such as food and drink is something we should all show appreciation for towards God, and what better way to show gratitude then obeying God in what he told us to do (such as fasting) and abstaining from what he has forbidden (such as associating partners with him).

The sighting of the new moon ends Ramadan. The next day known as Eid-ul-Fitr, or the festival of breaking fast, is a day when Muslims in the community come together at the masjid (Muslim house of worship) for prayers. Muslims wear new clothes, give each other gifts, and share meals with family, friends, and the needy. A compulsory charity (Zakat) from personal possessions such a gold or silver, money, livestock, agricultural produce, or business commodities must be given by Muslims prior to the end of Ramadan for the benefit of the less fortunate so they can also join in the Eid celebration.
When asked what she looks forward to on Eid, senior J.C replied, "the cultural food". Some other responses to what they look forward to included; dressing up, getting presents, family coming together, and going out with friends.

The second Muslim celebration, called Eid-ul-Adha (festival of sacrifice), ends the
pilgrimage to Makkah, Saudi Arabia (Hajj) that Muslims must make at least once in their lifetime if they are physically and financially able. During the trip, Muslims travel to many locations and perform certain rites, such as going around the Kabah and between two mountains as Hajar (Ibrahim’s wife) did during her search for water for her son Isma'il, among many other rites. The pilgrimage ends with Eid ul-Adha, which is celebrated with prayers, the sacrifice of an animal, and the exchange of greetings and gifts in Muslim communities everywhere.

New Jersey is home to about a half million Muslims, and 100 masjids, according to the Council on American Islamic Relations. Thus, New Jersey districts should accommodate for Muslim students having a day off for both Eids, just as Paterson, Atlantic City, Trenton, Piscataway, Prospect Park, and others have done.

Check out http://www.fastramadan.com/index.php, http://www.2eids.com/, and http://www.performhajj.com/ for information on Ramadan, Eid, and Hajj, and also my blog at http://learnislam2day.blogspot.com/ for information about Islam and Muslims.

Monday, August 13, 2012

M and N Words

I will be posting writing terms every other week from the book "The Complete Idiot's Guide to Creative Writing" (2nd edition) by Laurie E. Rozakis.

1. main character- the most important figure in a novel, short story, poem, or play.
2. memoir- a forts-person writing about an event.
3. metaphor- a figure of speech that compares 2 unlike things. The more familiar thing helps describe the less familiar one. Metaphors do not use the words "like" or "as" to make the comparison. "My heart is a singing bird" is a metaphor.
4. meter- a poem's rhythmical pattern, created by a pattern of stressed and unstressed syllables. The most common meter in English poetry is called iambic pentameter. it is a pattern of 5 feet, each having 1 unstressed syllable followed by a stressed one.
5. minor character- a less important figure in a literary work, who serves as a contrast to the main character or to advance the plot.
6. mood- the strong feeling we get from a literary work. the mood (or atmosphere) is created by characterization, description, mages, and dialogue. Some possible moods include terror, horror, tension, calmness, and suspense.
7. myth- a story from ancient days that explains certain aspects of life and nature.
8. narration- writing that tells a story. narrations that tell about real events include biographies and autobiographies. Narrations that deal with fictional events include short stories, myths, narrative poems, and novels.
9. narrative poems- poems that tell a story, either through a narrative storyline told objectively or through a dramatized situation.
10. narrator- the person who tells a story. The narrator may also be a character in the work.
11. nonfiction- a type of writing that deals with real people and events. Essays, biographies, autobiographies, and articles are all examples of nonfiction.
12. novel- a long work of fiction. The elements of a novel- plot, characterization, setting, and theme- are developed in detail. Novels usually have one main plot and several less important subplots.

Sunday, August 5, 2012

*Surprise!* Please Don’t Pity Me

A poem I wrote just yesterday so I thought I would share it since its new ;)

I intended to write about those I pitied, but ended up writing for those who pity me. This is similar to my poem “Media’s Message of Islam,” but more personal. I notice people acting in ways that I took as pitying me, which I don’t want. I do have a say in how I choose to live my life and making my own decisions. This is for those individuals who make such assumptions of Muslims, particularly female Muslims, and Islam in general.

I know you pity me,
I can see it in your face,
The reason is clear to see,
What a disgrace!

You make judgments on how I live,
With your limited knowledge of me,
I am a proud female Muslim,
But most importantly, I am free. (1)

To your surprise, I know English, (I do understand your rude comments)
I was born and raised in this country too,
And just because I am a girl,
Doesn’t mean I can’t choose what I want to do.

I have goals like many others,
Things in life I want to achieve,
Get my degree, write, and teach,
Are just some on my list of “I Believe.” (2)

And for your information…

Being Muslim doesn’t mean I am Arab,
Islam isn’t strict like you think, (3)  
Nor does it preach hate and violence,
Admit it, my life doesn’t actually stink!

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(1) I am thankful for being a Muslim and being able to follow Islam freely. As a female Muslim, I am not oppressed nor do I feel inferior to anyone. Islam is not responsible for the people who claim to be followers, but don't practice Islam correctly and follow their desires, culture, traditions, etc. that actually go against Islam. Wearing a headscarf (hijab in Arabic) doesn't limit me from doing the things I want for an enjoyable life since I do have rights (and responsibilities) that Allah (God in Arabic) gave to female Muslims since the beginning of Islam. Because of wearing a headscarf, decent people also respect me for who I am and not what I look like, nor do I have to worry about getting unwanted attention.

(2) “I Believe I Can” or “My Top 10 List of Future Achievements” includes finishing college, working as a teacher, and traveling, amongst many other life goals. And yes, unlike what many may think and what some “Muslims” say and do, females can drive, get an education and go to college, and also work and finance their own money!

(3) Listen to “We are a Moderate Nation” by Kamal el Mekki.