Tumblr Tag

I was tagged by Kulsoom :) and I tag everyone reading this that wants to do it.

Rules: In a text post, list 10 books that have stayed with you in some way. Don’t take but a few minutes, and don’t think too hard—they don’t have to be the “right” or “great” works, just the ones that have touched you.

I don't consider all the books mentioned below my favorites, but I still remember them for certain reasons from time to time. I will try to explain/ remember why these books have "stayed with me/ touched me" down below.

These are listed in the order I read them (chronologically; most recent last), not by favorites to least.

1. Echoes series by Jamilah Kolocotronis
This series got me interested in Islamic fiction books (see my biz site @ http://booksbt12.blogspot.com/p/about-books-by-dozen.html) and I highly enjoyed it at the time. I plan to reread and review them in the future inshAllah, so look forward to those if you are interested!

2. Women in Islam... The Myth & the Reality by Sherif Abdel Azeem
I read this book years ago when I was interested in learning about Muslim women. I think I read this at an appropriate time in my life and it did help. I learned a lot from this book and it made me more comfortable and aware of my position in Islam and the position of non-Muslim women. Highly recommend this for other Muslim females and non-Muslims interested in learning more about women in Islam. Read it for free @ http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-status-of-women-in-islam-dr-sherif-abdel-azeem/1108335888?ean=9781471028564

3. The Quran (with English translation by Muhsin Khan)
I think every Muslim should own and read a copy of the Quran in Arabic, but also in a language they understand. For me, obviously that would be in English and this is the first English translation that I read, understood, and learned a lot from. Some people might think it is too in depth for beginners, but I think if we have questions in mind while reading and a translation such as this answers them, it is more beneficial and interesting.

4. Catching Fire/ Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins (don't remember which one I loved more!)
Although I like to read books for fun, I enjoy books that I learn something from even more. This was one of those books that made me think, specifically what if this was real in our world right now?! (I know some aspects are based off of reality in some parts of the world.) I enjoyed both the 2nd and 3rd books from The Hunger Games trilogy, but I don't remember specifics as to why and which one even more than the other (that's why writing reviews are helpful ;) They were emotional, thought provoking, descriptive and detailed, suspenseful, etc. I might reread these in the future one day, but for now, I have the movies to look forward to (didn't see the 2nd yet...) and enjoy!

5. Reclaim Your Heart by Yasmin Mogahed
I loved everything about this book and writer. If you don't know why already, read this http://sfraww.blogspot.com/search/label/Reclaim%20Your%20Heart

6. Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher
I enjoyed this book for certain reasons and didn't for others. To read my review to find out what these reasons are, please go to http://sfraww.blogspot.com/2013/06/book-haul-collective-7-book-review.html and scroll down to the book review section of the post. It is the first one.

7. Far From Home by Na'ima B. Robert
This was a book I was surprised with and eventually became a favorite. Read my review for more info. @ https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/288653779?book_show_action=false if you are interested.

8. The Zion Deception by Laurence B. Brown
Another book that made me think about the reality and situation of our world. Please read my review of this book @ http://sfraww.blogspot.com/2013/11/the-zion-deception-by-dr-laurence-b.html

9. Percy Jackson and the Olympians #1: The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan
I'm a more recent fan of the Percy series. I loved this series, but the first book even more and the movie! I loved the author's writing style, the descriptions and details, characters, humor/ sarcasm, history mixed in, etc. I noticed the 1st person narration in this book, and although I'm sure I've read other books in this same style, I enjoyed The Lightening Thief even more because of this.

10. Traitor? by Terry C. Holdbrooks
Mixed feelings for this book, but it did open my eyes (and heart) more to the situation. Please read my review @ https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/645165954?book_show_action=false

Spanish Lesson on Nouns

My Grammar and Style professor shared the piece down below with my class this week. I thought it was true for the most part and funny as well, so I wanted to share it here. Let me know in the comments below what you think the analogies mean! Enjoy :)

A Spanish teacher was explaining to her class that in Spanish, unlike English, nouns are designated as either masculine or feminine.

 

"House" for instance, is feminine: "la casa."

"Pencil," however, is masculine: "el lapiz.."

A student asked, "What gender is 'computer'?"

Instead of giving the answer, the teacher split the class into two groups, male and female, and asked them to decide for themselves whether "computer" should be a masculine or a feminine noun. Each group was asked to give four reasons for its recommendation.

The men's group decided that "computer" should definitely be of the feminine gender (" la computadora"), because:

1. No one but their creator understands their internal logic;

2. The native language they use to communicate with other computers is incomprehensible to everyone else;

3. Even the smallest mistakes are stored in long term memory for possible later retrieval; and

4. As soon as you make a commitment to one, you find yourself spending half your paycheck on accessories for it.

(THIS GETS BETTER!)

The women's group, however, concluded that computers should be Masculine ("el computador"), because:

1. In order to do anything with them, you have to turn them on;

2. They have a lot of data but still can't think for themselves;

3. They are supposed to help you solve problems, but half the time they ARE the problem; and

4. As soon as you commit to one, you realize that if you had waited a little longer, you could have gotten a better model.

The women won!

Room Full of Magic

Another assignment for my Creative Non-fiction class this past semester. We had to choose a place to write about in as much details possible, so I choose the subject below. I changed a few words to keep some specifics private, but it is mostly in its final revised form. Enjoy!

Libraries are such magical places; at least to those who enjoy reading for fun. As someone who loves to read, I still look forward to my trips to the public library. I can’t imagine a town without a library and how it would hurt young children who go there not just to borrow books for free, but also DVDs if they are provided.                                                             

I still use my first library card from almost 10 years ago. The yellowing plastic card has so much value to it. You can borrow books and DVDs for free! The children’s section was my favorite spot to go to. It has seen some changes when the library got renovated last year, but the changes made it even better. You understood that right, I still love the children’s section .                  
                                                                                       
When you walk in by the front door and take a right past the front desk and tall wooden shelves full of books for teenagers to adults, you come to some shorter shelves where books are being sold for under a dollar. I found some great finds there last year, and highly suggest any reader on a budget to check these shelves out. With those shelves on the left side, if you turn to the right, the children’s room awaits you.                                                                                          

On a beautiful day, the sun shines through the large windows casting the room in natural light as if the sun is welcoming you in with a bright smile. Outside these windows, you will get a pleasant view of fresh cut green grass around the library parking lot. Whether you are inside our outside, the environment around the library is clean and peaceful.  
                                                                                                        
"Hello. How are you?" You are warmly greeted by an elderly, but extremely friendly librarian with glasses and long curly blond hair. (She is my favorite!) You can count on her help and her persona is just so sweet you can't help but enjoy your stay. Children will definitely love her too. In front of her desk lies stuffed animals in a circle on the carpeted floor. There is a mini puppet stage there too. When I was younger, I used to wonder what it would feel like to be a librarian. I imagine it as an enjoyable job for anyone who likes being in the company of people and books ;)                  

The numerous wooden shelves of books are inviting to any bookworm. One shelf in particular showcases new books upfront for anyone looking for recently published books. The clean smell of the crisp new pages and colorful cover illustrations draws me in almost every time I visit. This shelf is a good place to start for those who have read almost every book of their liking available at the library, and desperately wants something new to read. The shelves behind are just as fun to search through. I am a long time fantasy reader and there are a ton of books for people with similar taste such as The Children of the Red King series, the infamous Harry Potter series, and more. The bent pages and musty smell of these books testifies to how long they have been on the shelves and passed from reader to reader. Many more genres are available for young readers of any age and interest. Labels are positioned on top of these shelves making it easier to find particular books. 

One of my favorite areas close to the new book stand is the DVD rack. The almost six feet high grey rotating rack is bursting with pleasurable family friendly and child appropriate movies. I have watched about 200 movies in the past four years and many of them were right from here. Disney, DreamWorks Animation, 20th Century Fox, etc. provide an enormous selection for entertainment. I frequently come to this place looking for recent releases. Slowly spinning the rack around, I look through the interesting titles. The eye-catching cover art makes it really hard sometimes to choose just a few movies to borrow for a week. Once you do decide on what to borrow, you can take them to the desk. The librarian is helpful enough to put the materials in a reusable cloth bag for you. Now, you are on your way home to enjoy some great books and/ movies for the rest of the week!

Even now as a college student, the children's room is still inviting. I have reread some of my favorite childhood books over the past summer and this room has made that possible. When I become a future (English) teacher iA, I know I can count on this room to help me incorporate engaging books for kindergarten to 6th grade students. If you have children, teach children, or are looking for entertainment suited for a young audience, the children's room at DDE library is a great resource. 

Reading Bingo Challenge 2014

 

I decided to join in on the Reading Bingo Challenge thanks to my kul friend for finding things like this :P I loved playing bingo in school and thought this would be a fun challenge.

"We’ve created a printable bingo card with 24 reading challenges! Join us and challenge yourself to read more, to read more widely and to have fun doing it all!
 
You can approach the Reading Bingo card however you like: beginners, start by getting one line; if you’re more advanced, try the whole outside box on the card; experts, fill in the whole card!

We would recommend using one book per space, but if you read a book over 500 pages written by someone under 30, who are we to stop you from cover two squares with one read?

This year, for a little extra challenge, we’ve also created the Reading Bingo Card: YA Edition! We’ve come up with 24 challenges related specifically to books geared to teens. But you don’t have to be a teenager to participate!"

I printed out the 2 cards found here @ http://www.retreatbyrandomhouse.ca/2014/01/reading-bingo-challenge-2014/ so I could refer back to it when choosing my books. I am starting with the original (purple) card and might eventually go on to the YA (orange) one. I'm working on getting 5 in a row first, but I still plan on filling the board with as many different books as I can, preferably 1 for each square. Just like I have been doing for a while now on goodreads, I will try to do "mini" reviews of each book that I read for bingo.

To add my own twist to the challenge, for the purple card, I want to only read books that I am selling for my book business! This means books by Muslim authors. I should read the books I am selling anyway to check the content, so this challenge will be helpful to get through a lot of (different) books, many of which I have wanted to read for a long time! I started to read some of my biz books before I found out about and decided to play bingo, but I will only count the books that I read specifically for the challenge. I am also rereading some books that I have read in the past few years that I haven't written reviews on, but are books included in my biz. With all this being said, below is what I have read so far and under which square they fit. I will link to my review on goodreads for each book and will continue to add them here inshAllah.

1. A book based on a true story (right 1 from free square, down 1)
Traitor? by Terry C. Holdbrooks Jr.
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/645165954?book_show_action=false

2. A book with a number in the title (right 2 from free square, up 2)
The Eighth Scroll by Laurence B. Brown (hope this counts as a number :)
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/234950751?book_show_action=false

3. A book by a female author (right 1 from free square, up 1)
If I Should Speak by Umm Zakiyyah
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/235401708?book_show_action=false

4. The second book in a series (right 1 from free square, down 2)
A Voice by Umm Zakiyyah
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/235072490

5. A book with a 1 word title (left 2 from free square)
Footsteps by Umm Zakiyyah
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/254834830?book_show_action=false

6. A book set in a different continent (right 1 from free square)
The Gift by Zaipah Ibrahim
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/784061230?book_show_action=false

7. A book published this year (right 1 from free square, up 2)
Muslim Girl by Umm Zakiyyah
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/954441767

TO BE CONTINUED IA...

Postcards from Bangladesh

Ever since I came back from vacation to BD the summer of 2007, I wanted to write about it like I did on England (http://sfraww.blogspot.com/2012/07/seeing-england-for-first-time.html). I finally had the opportunity to make it work for an assignment for my Creative Non-fiction class this past semester.

The flight to Bangladeshwas an exhausting one. Unlike on the recent trip to England, there wasn’t a TV to entertain myself with on the plane ride. So, I paid more attention to the funny looking passengers. Unfortunately, my hands got sticky thanks to a waiter who later dropped orange juice on me by accident. On the bright side, looking out the little window was an amazing view. The Earth looked just like a map with its separation of blue water and brown land. It was breathtaking from so high up!

Upon landing in Bangladeshbefore sunset and stepping out of the cool airplane, I was hit in the face with humid air. Countless people were crawling on the streets like an army of ants, even while it was getting dark. The driver hired to take us to my dad’s place from the airport was driving like a lunatic. I seriously thought I was going to die! Fortunately, we made it to our destination safely. Exhausted from a long journey and stressed over whether I would die or not, I easily fell asleep that night.

**********

From the early morning wake ups, humid air, curious stares we got from relatives and neighbors for being Americans, to the stifling smell of smoke from cooking, there was a lot to adjust to. It wasn’t all bad though. It was fun hanging out with my cousins, especially the younger ones and their friends. My cousins and I would pick pears from their trees, race each other and play tag, and just joke around. They would enjoy hearing my siblings and I speak English so one made up his own language similar to pig Latin that I never understood.

**********

My family and I would travel between the city and country, visiting both my parent’s sides of the family. The bumpy roads and pot holes was a bit frustrating, but also funny. It was amusing seeing each other bouncing up and down in the rented white van while trying to talk. From my experience, the city was populated and polluted in contrast to the country. Of course the city has its perks like better shopping, sanitation, and transportation. But, the countryside appealed to me more. The fresh air while sitting in the back of a rickshaw, the sights of open rice fields and rivers, and people's simple life gave me a better perspective and appreciation of life in the country.

**********

For some reason, the mosquitoes were horrible in the city. Twice, I woke up to a swollen lip and eyelid! It was so embarrassing that I hid my face from my two younger cousins who would make fun of me. Imagine trying to cover your mouth for the whole day! I couldn’t of course, being as talkative as I am, so I stopped trying and gave my cousins a good laugh out of it. Fortunately, it wasn’t anything serious and eventually went back to normal.                 

**********

 

My youngest cousin on my mom’s side, who was four years old at the time, although cute, was a handful. He liked to sit on my lap every time I would sit down on the sofa. He was like a mini shadow! One day I had on a red ornamented Indian-style dress with black palazzo pants and he jumped up from my lap. We both realized that the bejeweled dress wasn’t comfortable for him to sit on. He and I also eventually got into a “routine” where we would wait for each other to finish dinner so we could brush our teeth together before bed. It sounds silly, but he seemed to enjoy the company. And I’m not great at singing, and far from comfortable doing it in front of others, but I would quietly sing to him in his ears. "Dhoom again and run away with me on a roller coaster ride. Dhoom again and see your wildest dreams slowly come alive…" It was an English song from an Indian movie I had learned from a friend that my little cousin was somehow familiar with. I don’t watch non-English movies, but the beat and fast lyrics stuck in my head and made for good entertainment for the two of us.

*********

I never knew what the night sky had in store until one night in the country. The country night scene in Bangladeshis definitely worth staying up for! Sitting outside on the front porch with my family and relatives and looking up at the night sky was beautiful. With not too much lighting in the country, millions of stars that I wouldn’t see from elsewhere looked like they were within arm’s reach. It's hard to withdraw from such a wonderful sight, but another day must begin.

**********

I have to admit, I wasn’t looking forward to my family trip to Bangladeshthe summer of 2007, but when the time came to prepare for our return journey back to America, I didn’t want to come back. I don’t have close relatives in Americaand the trip opened my eyes. Previously growing up close to friends and distant to my own family, I realized while on vacation the importance of family. The day before my family and I had to get ready to leave was definitely a sad day. We said our last good byes to our relatives with salty tears in our eyes and dripping down our faces and made our way to the air conditioned van that would take us to the city.

In the Early Hours Notes/ GEMS cont. (Chapters 3 & 4)

Chapter 3- Relating to Allah

Characteristics of Holding onto Allah

1. Thankfulness to Allah

Allah says: Is, then, He who creates comparable to any that cannot create? Will you not, then, take heed? For should you try to count Allah's blessings, you could never compute them. Allah is, indeed, All forgiving, All compassionate; and Allah knows all that you keep secret as well as all that you bring into the open. [an-Nahl 16:17-19]

It is for this reason that Allah commanded the Prophet Ibrahim to say: It is He who has created me, and so it is He who guides me; it is He who gives me to eat and drink, and whenever I am sick it is He who heals me; and it is He who makes me die and then will bring me to life. And upon Him, l pin my hope that He would forgive my sins on the Day of Judgment. [ash-Shuara 26:77-82.]

In many places in the Quran, Allah compares the terms shukr and kufr. [al-Baqara 2:152, Luqman 31: 12]. Iman implies shukr or gratefulness as opposed to kufr or ungratefulness. A kafir or unbeliever is ungrateful to the Being who has given him everything, whereas a mumin or Believer is one who is ever thankful for all that Allah has given him, for he recognizes that his Lord is Merciful and Loving. [Hud 11:90.]

Everything that happens to us - even events that we may consider to be personal afflictions or natural disasters-'are from Him. So even in times of calamity and distress, there will be some good for us, provided we respond appropriately. The Prophet said: How wonderful is the case of a Believer! There is good for him in whatever happens to him -and none, apart from him, enjoys this blessing. If he receives some bounty, he is grateful to Allah and this bounty brings good to him. And if some adversity befalls him, he is patient, and this affliction, too, brings good to him. (Muslim.)

Look again at the Quran, you will see that the very first introduction to Allah is ar-Rahman ar-Rahim. [al-Fatiha 1:1.] Allah Himself is saying that He is the Most Merciful, He is the Most Compassionate. He shows and gives mercy to all, even those who continue to be ungrateful and rebellious towards Him: Indeed God is the possessor of bounty for all people but most people do not give thanks. [al-Baqara 2: 243.]

From the moment that we open our eyes in this world until the moment our souls leave our bodies, and even beyond, Allah's mercy, compassion and protection remain with us. Continuously remind yourself then that your entire existence is dependent on Him. He is your Lord and Sustainer. He is nourishing and sustaining all that exists. From morning until evening, your tongue must be moist with continuous praise of Allah. In return, Allah has promised increased rahma or mercy for you: If you are grateful, I will surely give you more and more. [Ibrahim 14:7]

And whoever is grateful, he is only grateful for the benefit of his own self. [Luqman 31:12] for surely if it was not for the grace of God on you and His mercy, you would have been among the losers. [al-Baqara 2:64].

2. Worshipping Allah

The Quran states that true taqwa cannot be attained until all your actions in life are done exclusively to earn the pleasure of Allah: O mankind, worship your Lord alone, who has created you and those before you, so that you may attain taqwa or righteousness. [al-Baqara 2:21]

Your qalb cannot be compartmentalized. You cannot dedicate one piece of it to Allah and another to some other god, like wealth, status, career, spouse and so on.

There is a beautiful verse in the Quran which throws light on the absurdity of such a situation. It tells about some of the mushrikin or idol worshippers who sacrifice animals and then say that one part of the animal is for Allah and another is for their idols. The verse then states quite clearly that whatever is assigned to Allah is also, in reality, assigned to the idols, for Allah does not accept something divided between Him and others. He is One, indivisible and wants the human being to be undivided in service to Him. So long as our heart lies in a hundred places, so long as our eyes are set in a hundred directions, so long as we have many loyalties, we shall never be able to achieve that condition of 'holding onto Allah'.

Sincerity in Worship

What does it mean to do everything fi sabilillah, for the sake of Allah? Only those things done for the sake of Allah are the 'religious' things. Everything that is done for other than Allah however 'religious' it may seem - is a worldly act. If a person prays ostentatiously, it is a worldly act; if he fasts to expose his spirituality it is a worldly act; but if he earns thousands of pounds to support his family and to spend for the cause of Islam, seeking only Allah's pleasure, it is a highly spiritual act.

What is of most importance to us is not the outward form of our actions. Although we perform all our duties and conform to all the protocols, it is the sincerity of purpose and intention behind our actions that really matters. The Prophet Muhammad, upon whom be peace, emphatically stated: 'Actions are judged only by intentions and everyone shall have what he intended.' (Bukhari, Muslim.)

3. Love of Allah

The Quran says that those who have iman, love Allah more than anything else. [al-Baqara 2:165.] It does not say that one must love only Allah. Love is a blessing given to us by Allah and is manifested in many aspects of life. In Islam, however, it must be foremost for Allah, our Creator and Sustainer.

Iman is something which must penetrate deep into your heart and generate love for Allah and His Prophet more than anything else. Unless this happens, you cannot experience the real iman.

This love makes us do our duty to Allah while we are out in the street, at home or in the office. With this love, we live as servants of Allah everywhere, willingly making every sacrifice required of us. In fact, it propels us to share actively in the service of Allah's other creatures. True love of Allah makes us care for people and their needs.

In Islam, you have a way in which you can get closer to Allah and talk to Him and that way is through Salat. The Prophet said that when a person performs Salat, he actually comes nearer to Allah and talks to Him. If you look at how you pray five times a day, you will have a barometer in your hand to find out how much you love Allah.

Ihsan - The Essence of Worship

When the Prophet was questioned about the true meaning of ihsan, he replied: Ihsan is that you worship and serve Allah as though you are seeing Him; for even though you do not see Him, He surely sees you. (Bukhari, Muslim.)

If you continuously remind yourself that Allah is looking at you when you are praying, when you are studying, when you are doing your job, when you are with your family and friends, when you are involved in dawa - then you are well on your way to attaining ihsan, the most excellent form of worship.

4. Becoming Hanif

Those who `hold onto Allah' must also strive to become hanif. Literally translated, it refers to one who is inclined or one who cuts himself away from everything that is false and belongs only to Allah. The term is used in the Quran in ten places, six times with reference to the Prophet Ibrahim, on whom be peace, and the rest for any one who is sincere and sound in faith. The term connotes sincerity, uprightness and single-mindedness in one's dedication and commitment to Allah.

B. Love for Allah

Prophet Ibrahim, on whom be peace, brought his entire life and being under Allah's rule, ensuring that he worshipped Him with heart and body. Ibrahim understood that Allah must rule everywhere: in homes as well as in hearts, in manners as well as in minds, in public life as in private. For him, the decision to surrender was personal and free. A ceaseless striving towards that end became the substance of his life so much so that Allah endowed him with the worthy title, Khalil Allah or Friend of God. [an-Nisa 4: 125] With utmost devotion and concentration, Ibrahim supplicated: My Prayer and all my acts of worship, my living and my dying are for Allah alone, the Lord of all the worlds. He has no associate: Thus I have been commanded and I am foremost among those who surrender themselves unto Him. [al-Anam 6:162].

C. Complete trust in Allah

Ibrahim was tried and tested in every, conceivable way. Whenever His Lord called upon him to surrender, he would readily respond: `I surrender to the Lord of all the worlds.' [al-Baqara 2:131] `If you want me to go into the fire and be burnt alive, 1 am ready for that! If you want me to leave my home, I am ready for that! If you want me to take my son and wife and put them in a place where there is no shelter, no food and no one to protect them, I am ready for that! And if you want me to make the supreme sacrifice and put a knife to the throat of that which I love best, my son, I am ready for that!'

It is following his footsteps that millions of people go to the Baytullah, the House of Allah, during the Hajj echoing the words of Ibrahim: Here I am, O Lord, here I am! Here I am; no partner hast Thou; here I am! Surely to Thee is all Praise, all Goodness and all Sovereignty; No partner has Thou! Labbayk! Allahumma Labbayk!

Ibrahim accepted Allah as the only Lord and the only source of guidance. He had absolute conviction in the commandments of Allah. He was prepared to surrender and sacrifice everything at a moment's notice without any hesitation whatsoever. His tawakkul or trust in Allah was absolute. His example is reminiscent of the verse in the Quran: If anyone puts his trust in Allah, sufficient is [Allah] for him. [at-Talaq 65:3]

To become true servants of Allah, we must continuously echo and abide by the words of the Quran: Hasbunallah wa nimal Wakil [Allah is sufficient for us and He is the best Provider] [Al-Imran 3:173] in every circumstance of our lives.

To become a hanif, as exemplified in the life of the Prophet Ibrahim, on whom be peace, you must love Allah as he did, everything in life must be done to please Allah and you must trust and rely on Allah completely: To each is a goal to which Allah turns him: So strive together as in a race towards all that is good. [al-Baqara 2:148.]

5. Jihad- Striving in the Path of Allah

The Believers are only those who [truly] believe in Allah and His Messenger, and then they doubt not; and who struggle hard with their wealth and their lives in the way of Allah; it is they who are the truthful ones [al-Hujurat 49:15].

A life of jihad necessarily requires important qualities: knowledge of and devotion to the Quran, iman or deep and strong faith, sabr or resolve and steadfastness. Read the Quran and you will find every promise of success here and in the Hereafter conditional upon these qualities.

A. Acquiring knowledge

The Prophet Muhammad has said: 'Whoever Allah wishes good for, He bestows upon him a deep understanding of the Din.' (Bukhari, Muslim.) The Quran also exalts those who possess useful knowledge and use it as an instrument to develop their closeness to Allah: God will exalt those who believe among you and those who have knowledge to high ranks [al-Mujadala 58:11]. The Prophet also said that there are countless rewards both in this world and the Next for one who seeks to educate and purify himself: If one travels in search of knowledge, Allah will make him travel to Paradise. The angels, being highly pleased with him, spread their wings over the seeker of knowledge. Everything in the heavens and on earth, even the fish in the depths of water, seek forgiveness for a scholar. And the superiority of a learned man over one engaged in ritual worship is like that of a full moon over the rest of the stars. (Ahmad)

Consider the following guidelines as you set out on the path to educate yourself.

- Seek to have a sound understanding of the Quran and Sunna.

- Try to improve your reading, writing and oratory skills.

- Be well versed in the issues of the day by reading current newspapers, magazines and journals.

- Strive to have a good understanding of contemporary issues and problems affecting society.

- Strive also to understand the problems of the Muslims in such depth as to develop your own solutions in the light of the Quran and Sunna.

- Develop a personal library even if it is a small one and most of all cherish your Islamic books.

B. Practicing what you preach
 

No one among you believes until all his desires follow what I have brought. (Sharh al-Sunna)

What lies between a man and kufr is the abandonment of Prayer. (Muslim.)

Flesh which has grown out of the unlawful earnings will not enter Paradise, for Hell is more fitting for all flesh which has grown out of the unlawful. (Ahmad)

Finally, remember that as a daiya or caller to Islam you need to set an excellent example and you need to practice what you preach. Those who do not follow their own advice have been strongly condemned by Allah. Keep close to you the following verses of the Quran: O you who believe! Why do you say that which you do not do? Grievously hateful is it in the sight of Allah that you should say what you do not do. [as-Saff 61:2-3.] Do you enjoin righteousness upon mankind while you yourselves forget [to practice it]? And you are readers of the Scripture/ Have you then no sense? [al-Baqara 2: 44.]

C. Developing patience and perseverance

The best of people are those who bear their tests and trials with fortitude and optimism and who see in every difficulty an opportunity to turn to Allah in remembrance and prayer. Remind yourself constantly that Allah shall make ease after hardship [at-Talaq 65: 7], and that on no soul does He place a burden greater than it can bear [al-Araf 7: 42]. Remember that He has all the power. He gives everything. No harm can come to Him, and no benefit can come to Him. Everything that is happening in life is because of Him and comes from Him for no power is there save with Allah, the Most High, the Great.
 

Impediments in Holding unto Allah

There are some character traits that you must take care to rid yourself of as you strive to `hold onto Allah'.
 

1. Pride
 

One such evil and impediment is kibr or pride. This represents the antithesis of humility and is a devastating moral ailment. The efforts which we make for tazkiya, it is hoped, will make us successful. But if one is successful, the greatest cancer that can eat everything away, is kibr.

Always remember that whatever you have achieved is by the grace of Allah, not through your own efforts.

Know that the ideal for you to emulate is the uswa of the Prophet. His example is so high and exalted: And you [Muhammad] stand on an exalted standard of character. [al-Qalam 68:4.] One of the reasons the `ideal' standard is so high, is to ensure that we always strive to better ourselves. If the ideal is easily reachable, then once a person has attained it, he will feel content, and contentment will set him off on a downward slide. Because our ideal is high, we are always in a state of aspiration. We are perpetually in a state of effort, striving and spiritual development. Should kibr arise in this state, it can only be an act of Shaytan, who is there just to test whatever one has achieved in the field of knowledge or action. Kibr will destroy whatever you have achieved, so protect yourself against it. Remember that it comes in very attractive, very concealed and very deceptive channels and forms. So, be ever vigilant.

2. Hypocrisy
 

Another evil that destroys all that the Believer has achieved, or is trying to achieve, is nifaq. Nifaq entails hypocrisy, showing off, and pretending to have what one does not possess. The Prophet said: Three characteristics are the signs of a hypocrite, even if he fasts, performs the Prayer and claims that he is a Muslim: when he speaks, he lies; when he makes a promise, he breaks it; and when he is trusted, he betrays his trust. (Bukhari, Muslim.)

3. Pessimism

A third danger is that of qunut or pessimism. You must try to rid yourself of qunut, the feeling of hopelessness and pessimism. Allah calls qunut an act of kufr or disbelief and rejection: He says: who despairs of the mercy of his Lord, those who go astray? [al-Hijr 15: 56.]

4. Uncontrollable Anger

If you begin to do everything for Him, there is no need to be angry if somebody insults you since he or she cannot harm you at all. Only Allah's displeasure can harm you. Remember the words of Allah: Never let your enmity for anyone lead you into the sin of deviating from justice. Always be just: that is closest to being God-fearing [al-Maida 5:8.]

The Prophet advised: When one of you gets angry while he is standing, he should sit down. Then the anger [will] leave him, and if not, then he should lie down. (Ahmad, Tirmidhi.)

5. Abuse of the Tongue

We should be careful how we use our tongue for its misuse is the fastest way to Hellfire. Lying, slandering, backbiting and obscenity should never be part of our speech. We should be exceedingly careful with what we say about others. The Prophet said: None of my Companions should tell me anything about anyone, for I like to meet [any one] of you with a clean heart. (Abu Dawud.)

Janna has been promised for those who are careful with their speech. The Prophet said: Whoever can promise me that he will be virtuous with what is between his lips, and what is between his thighs; I promise that he will go to the Garden. (Muslim.)

6. Lustful Sexual Passions
 

In the Quran, Allah praises men who guard their sex organs [an-Nur 24: 30], and women who guard their sex organs [an-Nur 24: 31]. Despite great temptations, true Believers are able to control their sexual desires and in the process preserve their chastity.

We are advised by Allah and His Prophet to observe the following regulations:

- We should seek to get married if we are in a position to do so. The Prophet said: 'O young men! Those of you who can support a wife should marry, for it keeps you from looking at women and preserves your chastity.' (Bukhari.) If you are unable to get married, you should fast regularly for this will assist in controlling your sexual desires. The Prophet said: `O young men! You should marry. Whosoever cannot marry should fast, for fasting will lessen his desire'. (Bukhari.)

- We should strive to control all the parts of our body not just our genitals from zina or fornication. The Prophet said: `Every son of Adam has his share of fornication. The eyes fornicate and do so by looking. The hands fornicate and do so by touching. The feet fornicate and do so by walking [to an immoral act or place]. The mouth fornicates and does so by kissing. And the heart forms thoughts and wishes which the genitals confirm or deny.' (Bukhari and Muslim.) Thus the Prophet used to make dua continuously: `I seek refuge in Thee from the evil which may be in my ears, my eyes, my heart and my semen'. (Abu Dawud.)

- We should avoid looking at members of the opposite sex with desire. The Prophet considered lustful looks as the 'zina of the eye', according to his saying: 'The eyes also commit zina and their zina is the lustful look' (Bukhari). He also said: 'A gaze is a poisoned arrow from Shaytan. Whoever abstains from it in fear of God shall receive from film an increase in faith, the sweetness of which he will feel in his heart.' (Musnad of Ibn Hanbal.)

- We should avoid looking at the awra or private parts of others. The Prophet forbade looking at the aura of another, whether of the same or the opposite sex, and whether with or without desire. He said: 'A man should not look at the awra of another man, nor a woman of a woman, nor should a man go under one cloth with another man, nor a woman with another woman. (Muslim.)

- We should observe the rule of khalwa. Khalwa or privacy denotes a man and woman being alone in a place in which there is no fear of intrusion by anyone else, so that an opportunity exists for sexual intimacy. Islam prohibits khalwa between a man and a woman who are outside the degree of mahram relationship. The reason for this is not a lack of trust but rather to protect ourselves from sexual temptation arising when we are alone with a member of the opposite sex. The Prophet said: `Whoever believes in God and the Last Day must never be in privacy with a woman without there being a mahram with her, for otherwise Shaytan will be the third present [with them].' (Ahmad.)

 

Chapter 4- Relating to Allah's Messenger

 

The Quran's major claim upon us is to put its teachings into practice for Allah demands the whole of our lives: "O you who have attained to faith! Surrender yourselves wholly unto God, and follow not Shaytan's footsteps, far, verily, he is your open foe" [al-Baqara 2: 208].

 

The only way to live by the Quran is to live life as the Prophet Muhammad, may God bless him and grant him peace, lived it, for his life was the Quran in practice. If you want to `see' the Quran then look at the Prophet's life. For, as Sayyida Aisha said, 'his conduct was nothing but the Quran' (Muslim).  

 

The Quran provides the essential framework for human life. But the Prophet and his Sunna provide us with the details of that framework.

 

Knowing is not enough. We require inner strength to follow the Quranic teachings. We need to have the real flavor of faith inside our hearts. This strength comes out of the love that a Believer must have for Allah and His Messenger. Anas, may Allah be pleased with him, reported that the Prophet said: "There are 3 types of people who will experience the sweetness of faith: he to whom Allah and His Messenger are dearer than all else; he who loves a human being for Allah's sake alone; and he who has as great abhorrence of returning to unbelief after Allah has rescued him from it as he has of being cast into hell" (Bukhari, Muslim).

 

The Prophet was commanded by Allah to say: "If you love Allah, follow me; Allah will love you and forgive you your sins. For Allah is Oft-Forgiving, most Merciful" [Ali Imran 3:31].  

 

The Prophet's Mission

 

Muhammad, upon whom be peace, was assigned the duty of teaching the Book, the Law, and the Wisdom to people, purifying them and making them develop into the human beings that the Quran desired them to be.

 

In many places in the Quran, these duties have been explicitly mentioned. In the very first part of Sura al-Baqara, Prophet Ibrahim, on whom be peace, prayed for a new Messenger: "Our Lord! Raise up in the midst of our offspring a Messenger from among them who shall recite to them Your verses and instruct them in the Book and in Wisdom and purify their lives. Verily, You are Mighty, Wise" [al-Baqara 2:129].  

 

In the above verse, four duties of the Prophet are mentioned:
1. to convey the Message of the Quran to people;
2. to instruct them in the Scripture which means the `code of law' for human life;

3. to teach them wisdom, through which life can make its journey in the light of the Quranic teachings;

4. to train them in self-purification

His mission, therefore, was not merely to convey the Quran. He was designated to explain it and provide the guidance for day-to-day situations as the movement he led progressed from one stage to another.

In other places in the Quran, Allah has described his mission and duty as:

- Indhar (warning)

- Tabshir (bringing glad tidings)

- Dawa (inviting and calling)

- Tabligh (communicating)

- Tadhkir (reminding)

- Talim (teaching)

- Tilawa (conveying and propagating)

- Amr bil-maruf wa nahi anil munkar (enjoining and promoting what is good and right and forbidding and eradicating what is bad and wrong)

- Iqama (establishing the Din or way of life)

- Qist (establishing justice)

- Izhar (making Divine guidance prevail)

- Shahada (witnessing)
 

The Prophet was also given the authority to make things permissible and to make things prohibited: "Adopt what the Messenger gives you and refrain from what he prohibits you" [al-Hashr 59: 7]. And he had this authority from none other than Allah.

It was to accomplish these duties assigned to him that the Prophet Muhammad spent his whole life in changing people's behavior and establishing a new society. The Quran accords him a unique position which no one else can ever have. "Whoever obeys the Messenger, indeed, he has obeyed Allah" [an-Nisa 4: 80] and "Those who gave their hands in pledge to you, indeed they gave their hands in pledge to Allah" [al-Fath 48: 10].  

Once the Prophet has given his decision and his judgment, no believing man or woman has any right to question, doubt, disobey, or harbor any feeling of disapproval. They must submit totally and willingly to him. "It is not fitting for a Believer, man or woman, when a matter has been decided by Allah and His Messenger, to have any option about their decision. If any disobeys Allah, and His Messenger, he is, indeed, on a clearly wrong path" [al-Ahzab 33: 36].

In the life of the Prophet, according to the Quran, lies the most beautiful and the most perfect example to follow: "You have, indeed, in the Messenger of Allah an excellent exemplar, for whoever hopes for Allah and the Last Day and remembers Allah much" [al-Ahzab 33: 21].

The Sunna in the Context of Western Society

Muslims in Western societies live in a culture which is `alien' in its spirit. To live in this type of culture is your own choice and your own decision. In many instances, you have no other option for the West is your home. Unfortunately, the same can be said for people living in Muslim countries since Western culture is slowly weaving its way and replacing genuine Islamic culture in these countries also.

To survive and prosper in western society requires great courage to stand up for your beliefs and ideals. You need to have a clear appreciation of the true nature of Islamic culture. The true spirit of Islamic culture lies in an understanding that the 'real' realities of life are all beyond the perception of physical senses. The beginning of Sura al-Baqara states that its guidance is for: "Those who believe in al-ghayb" [what lies beyond the perception of physical senses) [al-Baqara 2:4].  

So all that is 'real'-Allah, His Angels, Prophethood, the Day of Judgment, Heaven and Hell - are all beyond any measure of physical testing. They all lie beyond human capability to see them, to smell them, to measure them, or to find their real situation.

Western culture as it exists and as it has spread now throughout the world, in this 'global village', has perpetuated the view that, only that which can be materially measured or found out is 'real'. Whatever cannot be measured has no value. Therefore, both Islamic and western cultures are diametrically opposed.

Once you have chosen to live in a 'Western type' society, the only source of light for you is the Messenger of Allah. He was also faced with an almost similar situation. As he came down from the cave of Hira, after his experience of receiving the light of Divine guidance, be re-entered a culture and society which were quite 'alien' to his Message. His Message began by linking the whole of life to the name of Allah. That was the starting point. All knowledge, all culture, all civilization and all human action must be centered on one pivot and that is the name of Allah. This was a totally strange Message for the society in which he had to operate. So, we need to look at the Prophet's Sunna in the context of operating in an `alien' society and see how we can practice a genuine Islamic culture.

The Real Meaning of the Term Sunna

The technical definition of Sunna is all that the Prophet did, said, or approved. When the term Sunna is used, our minds are diverted immediately to the manners and morals which we are so careful to observe, while dressing and eating, walking and praying.

If, however, you consider the technical definition of Sunna, and if you look at the life of the Prophet from the moment he received revelation in the cave of Hira till he breathed his last in Medina, what is it that stands out as his most dominant concern and his main activity? The most outstanding feature of his life was that every moment was spent in dawa, in inviting his fellow human beings to live in submission to their Creator. He lived every moment of his life in purifying individuals and making them grow in their love and submission to Allah. Every moment of his life, he talked about and carried out his mission. In the streets of Makka, in the valley of Taif, on the battlegrounds of Badr and Hunayn, and to the totality of affairs of Madina - dawa was his essential concern. That was his essential Sunna.

Your Mission

Dawa is the first and most important duty for Muslims today. In your daily affairs, it is the Sunna that must be uppermost in your mind and heart. It must make the greatest claim on your time and wealth.

Secondly, while living in an 'alien' culture, you have to preserve your Islamic identity - not only through rational arguments, but through emotional, cultural, and civilisational symbols. It is only the Sunna that can provide these emotional and civilisational symbols through which you will not only preserve your identity but strengthen and advance it.

Thirdly, it is the youth who must claim your major attention for that is also the Sunna of the Prophet. They were the people who had the energies and capabilities to carry the burden of his mission.

Fourthly, in a society where so many misgivings about Islam prevail, where Islam has been misrepresented and distorted so widely, your conduct must be a living example of that mercy to mankind, just as the Prophet was rahmatun lil-alamin a mercy to the worlds. "We sent you not but as a mercy for all the worlds" [al-Anbiva 21: 107].  
 

The Prophet Muhammad was such a model of mercy that he declared that removing an obstacle from another's path leads one into Paradise; to quench the thirst of a dog entitles one to enter Paradise; and to tie a cat until he dies makes one deserve Hell-fire. Such was the mercy of his uswa, his living example. You will only be able to invite people to Islam if you follow his example.

TO BE CONTINUED...

Get it Over With!

My 2nd and final essay for Critical Writing 2 class this past semester.

Today I give my first oral presentation of the new semester. I walk into class noticing the professor hasn’t arrived yet. Maybe she won't come in today, I think hopefully. The feeling fades quickly since I know that I'll have to get this presentation done sooner or later if I want a good grade. I need to get over my fear of public speaking! I mean, what kind of future teacher is afraid of speaking to a group of people? (I would have to disagree though with people who don’t realize that talking to a group of young children is completely different from talking to peers).  Plus, I worked hard on my presentation, so I do want to show that through my speaking, and being nervous won't help with my confidence. And besides, it could go just like I rehearsed at home. I can pretend I am talking to myself or in front of a mirror instead of 20+ pairs of eyes. One might think that with all these thought in my head justifying the need to conquer my fear, I would get motivated and calm my nerves, but it's just not that easy for me.   

I sense myself getting nervous as the professor finally walks into class. My leg starts shaking up and down, making it obvious that I am feeling uneasy to anyone that notices. As she goes over the plans for the day, I feel my hands get clammy and I try to wipe them down on a clean tissue. When she finally asks who will present first, my hand automatically shoots up. I am sitting at the edge of my chair, like I am about to jump out of a jack-in-the-box. I convince myself to go first. I read somewhere that people tend to remember the first and last thing said better than what comes in the middle, like phone numbers. So why not make my presentation memorable by going first and getting it over with? Then I can relax the rest of the class period.

As the professor gets the computer ready for me, I look around the room at my classmates. Bad mistake. It's like looking down a cliff if you are afraid of heights. Being a quiet student and usually not one to talk much in a big classroom setting to draw attention to myself, I am suddenly reminded of all those people who look at me like I'm an outsider. Like I don’t know much or any English, have an accent, or will do something crazy. Of course these aren't true and now I can prove it to them! I open up my presentation and start with the first slide. Within the first few seconds, I feel my throat get dry as if I've been in the desert. I should have brought up my water bottle with me.I stutter my words a bit like this is the first time I'm seeing my own presentation and start tapping my feet behind the computer stand. As you probably can tell, those first few minutes weren't good, but by the time I got to my 4th slide, I somehow got comfortable in front of the class. Yeah, I spoke a little too fast, but I think I did a lot better than what could have been a nervous breakdown. And although I didn’t get an applause, my presentation grade (an A) made up for all that.

Reflecting on my recent experience giving an oral presentation is new for me. I never wrote about it, nor have I really discussed it, but this made me think of my behavior when I'm on edge. Some people are completely fine speaking in front of a crowd after they get used to it, but I'm sure I'm not the only one still afraid of public speaking, so others can probably relate. I don’t recall noticing nervousness in others as they speak in front of a lot of people, but if I could look at myself give a presentation, I'd probably see the panic in my own face. Maybe others don’t notice it because for me to even say much in class is a surprise, but once I get comfortable around people, I open up pretty easily. Like I previously mentioned, I know I need to get over this fear and of course I'd prefer sooner than later.

For the people who look at me like an outsider mainly because of the way I dress, I use oral presentations as an opportunity for them to get to know me better. Peers could easily catch on that I'm a "normal" human being and I don’t go around doing crazy, dangerous things. I remember last semester I began an oral presentation with a question to the class to get them involved and get an idea of what they think. I shouldn’t have been surprised that not one person out of 20-30 in the room volunteered to make an educated guess, like they were afraid I was going to hurt them for answering my question. The silence was awkward and I hope this doesn’t happen to me as a future teacher. Now that I think about it, I understand how teachers/ professors feel when students don’t answer their questions either.

How exactly do I know that people think I have an accent or don’t understand English? Classmates back in elementary and middle school would talk to me and some other Asian students in an Indian accent thinking it was funny. I am not Indian, nor do I find it amusing making fun of the way people talk. Plus, it's infuriating that some people have the nerve to think it is "okay" to make fun of me and make assumptions about me and my life, but if I was to do the same to them, I would be considered "intolerant". How hypocritical?!

There were also a number of ignorant people in my high school who were bold enough to say things to me as if I didn’t understand their rude comments. Of course I did understand them, but they were troublemakers and I didn't want to make a big deal, so I ignored them. There was a time though when I didn’t ignore one kid. In an art class back in my senior year, the teacher was absent so a random student came into class to "hangout" with his friends. My friend and I were talking in English of course and this kid just came over and stood by us listening to us talk. Suddenly, this boy just starts talking in a made up language, as if he was imitating us. I don’t think I have an accent when I talk in English, but my friend does. I wasn’t going to single her out, so I said to him that we don’t sound like that. He gave his friends, who burst out laughing like this was funny and not rude, a good laugh and left us alone. What else could me and my friend do, so we just left it at that. 

These and many more experiences of being looked at like I'm weird or don’t belong, has helped me grow a "thicker skin" in the sense that I'm use to them and it doesn’t bother me as much as they used to. Of course I would prefer people to at least respect me the way I do to them  even if they don’t like me for some reason or find faults in the way I choose to live my life. So far college life has been smooth sailing thank God, so I haven't had to deal with obvious verbal humiliation or anything. And although I would prefer to sit quietly in class and get my college education, oral presentations get me out of my comfort zone and helps me and others learn.