Sunday, November 4, 2007

AMERICAN DEMOCRACY

Ok, so this blogging stuff is slightly more than what I bargained for. Besides the fact that my original goals of posting something useful at least once a week is in ruins (more like once a month), I find I don't have barely enough time to thoroughly research a topic and put it up. What with school and work and life, its hard enough trying to keep myself motivated!

But, last week an opportunity came up that I had to write about. I mean literally, I HAD to write about it for my Sociology class. :) Not that I wasn't interested in the first place, but what better than a grade to force you to write about something interesting and very relevant? I edited the previous post (which was pretty much a rant about the topic); here's the more polished version:
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TONY LAGOURANI EVENT (NOVEMBER 1ST, 2007)

Tony Lagourani, a young man who was recruited to Iraq in 2004 as an interrogator, gave some sociological insight into the abuse perpetrated by the soldiers in Iraq, particularly in Abu Ghuraib. His book, “An Army Interrogator’s Dark Journey in Iraq,” discusses his experience.

He arrived in Iraq during 2004, before any of the Abu Ghuraib scandals. Before he went to Iraq, he said, he and other interrogators had recieved "cultural training" -- from a man who had never even met an Arab or a Muslim. This was supposed to help them understand the people they would be interrogating. They were taught out of a book authored by an Israeli (government?) official which pretty much listed "Arabs as lying, cheating, driven by violence, and in every way different from 'normal' people." It even went on to say, and these are the speakers' words, "they have a different grip on reality... they are very violent." To sum up, it was a book which was trying to justify Israel's continued occupation and violence in Palestine and other Arab countries, geared towards a Western audience. This was thier cultural training. This is the mindset they had going to Iraq.

Further, Lagourani went on to say, that when he arrived in Iraq, they were given very vague instructions on how to interrogate the prisoners -- highly unusual because in the Army, as everyone knows, you are told what to do from Day 1: how to walk, talk, dress, act, how to carry out the most minute of duties. The army is not a place where one is told to "Be creative," there are rules for everything and the good soldier follows those rules out to perfection. Yet, in Iraq, the orders given from the generals were vague, 'make them talk'. They were told to use, and I quote, "stress positions, temperature (hypothermia), military dogs, sleep deprivation waterboarding [forceful drowning]" etc. to make them talk, and were not told what NOT to do; (there was a host of other things he mentioned, but this is merely what I scribbled down).

These forms of torture went on for days, if not weeks. “We were aware,” Lagourani said, “that these forms of torture violated the Geneva Convention for treatment of Prisoners of War, but our generals told us that these prisoners were not even covered under the Geneva Convention, that in fact, a new class had been created for them, ‘Enemy Combatants’.” Thus, he said, "we followed orders."

I lost track of the number of times Lagourani repeated this phrase: "we followed orders" or "we were ordered to do so" -- which is essentially the basic premise of Milgram's Experiment of 1961: that rational, normal, 'good,' people will continue to obey authority against their better moral conscience. This is a classic example where Milgram's experiment was proven to be right. Lagourani, and many other soldiers' claim was always, "we followed orders." They were conditioned since the first day in the military that to be a successful soldier, one would unquestionably obey authority.It's also an example of Zimbardo's Prison Experiment of 1971; that when given an unprecedented amount of power, even the most 'good' people will become corrupt and abuse that power. Because the soldiers guarding the prisoners at Abu Ghuraib had such power, and because the rules given to them on how to treat the prisoners were very vague, many soldiers misused their power and abused the prisoners.

Lagourani gives an example that supports this idea: He [Lagourani] was guarding a prisoner who had stolen a can of Benzene oil (the type to fuel heaters/stoves with). The prisoner had nothing to do with the war, nothing to do with terrorism. It was 3am in the morning, he [Lagourani] was sleep deprived (though obviously not as much the prisoners, whom were kept awake for weeks on end), and sick of being constantly under attack. He wanted to take his stress out on someone whom he could have complete dominance and control over.... Since there was no one else around [to stop him], Lagourani said, "I thought, you know what, screw it. I'm goanna beat the hell out of this guy." At this point, his moral consciousness caught up with him. Although he did not go through with the actual act, this example proves Zimbardo’s premise right – that even though Lagourani was, generally speaking, a good person, when put under stressful conditions and given extraordinary power, he was willing to abuse that power.

And finally, the Abu Ghuraib discussion also raised questions of deviances and norms. Was it, in fact, a deviant act for the few soldiers (according to the media, Lagourani stated otherwise) to abuse the prisoners? Or is it completely normal when everyone else, or the vast majority of soldiers, were committing the same act? To answer these questions, one has to look at the defenitions of a norm to define deviance. The two types of norms -- normal and normative --cover both these circumstances. Statistically (if we are to believe Lagourani [who said that most soldiers did abuse the prisoners], not the media) then this act was normal by all means. Because more than 50% of the soldiers in Iraq did abuse the prisoners, then the incidents at Abu Ghuraib are normal. However, if one looks at it through a "normative" defenition, based on values of equality and justice before the law, then this was defenitely a deviant act becaue the prisoners were not given basic human rights, and were violated of rights givent to them under the Geneva Convention, Article 3, that states, "[POW's] shall in all circumstances be treated humanely, including prohibition of outrages upon personal dignity, in particular humiliating and degrading treatment." Thus the defenition of deviance varies with the defenition of the norm.

The discussion raised important questions of American involvement in the Middle East, and the treatment of any people -- be it Iraqi's, Arab's, or American's -- in accordance with the most basic of human rights, that is, to be treated with dignity. Instead of American's asking "Why do they hate us?" the discussion begs the question "Why would they like us?!"

As one audience member put it, "How can I, as an American citizen, be proud to call myself an American, or even, truthfully call this country 'Democratic' when my administration allows and sanctions these acts to happen -- and continue?"

Abu Ghuraib was not a stranded event -- war crimes, especially with American soldiers [as they are always the occupier, not the one bieng occupied] are rampant simply because of the extraordinary power they [American soldiers] hold. We, as Americans, need to understand that these acts are bieng committed in our names and with our tax dollars. We must realize that to the world outside the US, "Americans" not "American officials" or the "Bush Administration" are the real perpetrators of the acts, and it is to us that they point the finger of blame.

Peace everyone, I'd seriously reccommend Lagourani's book if you want to learn more about this subject.

Sumeyya

Sunday, September 23, 2007

RAMADAN MUBARAK!




Ramadan Mubarak everyone!!


As this blessed month approaches, let us remember the saying of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him): "Whoever does not give up false statements (i.e. telling lies), and evil deeds, and speaking bad words to others, Allah is not in need of his (fasting), leaving his food and drink."

Moral of Hadith: Fasting does not mean simply abstaining from food and drink. For our fast to be accepted, we should abstain from vain talk, backbiting, lying, looking at or listening to haraam things (i.e. pictures/tv/music), and outbursts of anger. These are things that we should ideally practice all the time, not just in Ramadan, but especially in Ramadan if we want to be deserving of the rewards of this month.

The rest is up to Allah, Most High.

So, to reap the best benefits from this month, I won't be posting much for a while, or at least until after Ramadan and Eid are over. Bye, Salaam, and Peace everyone, see ya'll in a month's time.

And again, Ramadan Kareem! :)





BTW, here's a quick blurb on Ramadan for any non-Muslim readers:

Ramadan is the 9th Month of the Islamic Calender, and the most Holy Month for Muslims.


It is the the month in which the Quran was revealed, and is also known as "The Month of the Quran" becasue reading the Quran often during this month is loved by Allah (swt). In fact, the Holy Prophet (pbuh) used to recited the Quran, in its entirety, several times during the course of this month. Many muslims make it a goal to finish the Quran at least once during this month.



The second part of this month that is imperative and fard (obligatory) for Muslims is fasting during the month of Ramadan. In the Quran it is said, "O ye who believe! Fasting is prescribed to you as it was prescribed to those before you, that ye may (learn) self-restraint..." (2,183). Muslims fast from sunrise to sundown. I found a pretty good defenition of fasting from Wikipedia...normally not a great resource for Islamic knowledge, but hey, it works for this:

"During Ramadan, Muslims are also expected to put more effort into following the teachings of Islam as well as refraining from lying, stealing, anger, envy, greed, lust, sarcastic retorts, backbiting, and gossip. Obscene and irreligious sights and sounds are to be avoided; sexual intercourse during fasting hours is also forbidden. [Qur'an 2:187] Purity of both thought and action is important.

The fast is intended to be an exacting act of deep personal worship in which Muslims seek a raised level of closeness to their God. The act of fasting is said to redirect the heart away from worldly activities, its purpose being to cleanse the inner soul and free it from harm. Properly observing the fast is supposed to induce a comfortable feeling of peace and calm. It also allows Muslims to practice self-discipline, sacrifice, as well as sympathy for those who are less fortunate, intending to make Muslims more generous and charitable.


The third part of this month that is important to Muslims is Qiyam ul-Layl, or "The Night of Power." It is a blessed night, (found in the last ten days of Ramadan) where one night of worship is equivalent to a thousand months, where God's mercy and forgiveness are there for any who seek it. There's alot more to it, but that could likely take up an entire post, so for now, just know that "The Night of Power" is in Ramadan.


What else? I don't think I've forgotten anything major. Again, this is just a broad, sweeping, overview of the month of Ramadan. ( Oh yeah, Ramadan is also a blessed month because Shaytan, or Satan/Iblis is locked up, and the gates of Hell are closed and those of Heaven are open, i.e. God's mercy descends upon everyone in this month.) For more information on the details of Ramadan, try this article from Sunnipath.com: http://search.sunnipath.com/BL/search.php?start=0&end=10&q=ramadan


Salaams and Peace! (Whoops, looking back now, I guess it wasn't a 'quick' blurb.)

Sumaiya

Tuesday, July 31, 2007

Muslim Women Wearing Headscarfs--Give me a break!

He took the words right out of my mouth: Plain simple reason why we wear hijab, "A sign of their love for God." Period.

Thursday, July 19, 2007

Learning Islam - Abdur-Raheem Green

Amazing lecturer... I really like how he uses rational, scientific arguments to support his claims.

Saturday, June 16, 2007

Tablighi Jamaat: What's Up With Them?

There are many misconceptions about the Tablighi Jamaat, a group started in the early 1900s in India, their goal bieng one: To revive the core Islamic teachings and bring it back into the hearts are lives of the Muslim Ummah. I myself was skeptical of the group, (and don't get me wrong, the goals of the group are admirable) mainly because I'd seen how the family life of some members are, and it wasn't appealing to me. However, to each his own.

The goals of the group, and its founder, Maulana Ilyas, were simply to, as I've stated above, bring the teachings of Islam back to the people of Islam. So really, it was a call to all Muslims to get involved in their communities and bring other Muslims back to Islam: Dawah to our fellow brothers and sisters. Any form of "getting involved in the community" wether it be joining the MSA or going from door to door for Dawah was considered "Tabligh" or "preaching." (This is according to of course, the 'defenition' of Tablighi Jamaat, not necessarily what the members believed/practiced.)

So, I was always confused about this group in general; there were many good qualities, but also bad qualities as well, and I will not list either as it is not in my place to do so. However, I did come across an article written by Imam Suhaib Webb, which explains the group very well and gives us a choice to see both sides of the issue.

QUESTION:
My wife is pushing me to go with Tabligh! Who are they and what to do?

Answered by Imam Suhaib Webb
http://thetranslators.wordpress.com/
March 1st, 2007


Question (Full): “My wife is constantly bothering me about going with Tabligh Jamat? I do other acts of goodness and don’t really want to join these people. At times she starts to drive me crazy and says I need to do something for the ummah? Please give me some background on this group and tell me how to deal with my wife?”

Tabligh’s Beginnings

Tablighi Jamat represents one of the great efforts to revive the faith of Islam in the hearts of Muslims. Their founder, Mawlana Ilyas (may Allah have mercy on him) was a man of great piety and concern for the Umma. His father was Mawlana Muhammad Ismail (may Allah have mercy on him) who, although a great learned man, was known for drawing water from wells, serving travelers and then offering two rakats of shukr to Allah for blessing him to serve them. He died in 1896 and his funeral prayer was so crowded that it had to be repeated. Shortly after his prayer, a pious man saw him in his dream saying, “Send me off soon. I am feeling ashamed The Holy Prophet is waiting for me.”

His mother, Bibi Safia (may Allah have mercy on her) memorized the entire Qur’an and was known for reading 10 Ajza (parts) of Qur’an every day during the month of Ramadan. She was known for her piety and reverence in worship. She was not only a worshiper of Allah, but she was a Murabiyah, who built and nurtured the young Mawlana and watered him from the blessed spring of Islam. Once, seeing something great in her son’s future, she said to him, “Ilyas, I feel the aroma of the holy Companions in you.” She used to place her hand on his back, and would say, “How is it that I see figures resembling the holy Companions moving along with you?” The blessed fruit of these noble parents, Mawlana Ilyas, was born in 1885.

It was in this home that the Mawlana was raised and nurtured on faith and actions. Once, the Mawlana, describing his grandmother, stated that she had become so engrossed in her worship and dhikr that she stopped eating. It was said to her, “You are old and weak and must eat!” She responded, “I draw sustenance from my tasbihat (remembrance of Allah).” Thus, the young Mawlana was surrounded by pious examples of people who were so attached to Allah that the world attached to them.

The Mawlana memorized the entire Qur’an at a young age and continued his studies of different Islamic sciences. He was known for having an intense presence about him. One day his teacher said to him, “When I see Muhammad Ilyas, I am reminded of the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them).” He was known for a strong intellect and excelled his peers in all of his studies. He had a number of great teachers and was blessed to study the works of Bukhari and Tirmithi; however, he was struck by an illness which led to his increase in studies and spiritual devotion.

In 1910 he assumed a teaching position at a famous school. After the death of his two brothers, and almost his own, the Mawlana moved to Dehli and began to teach. There he witnessed the horrible conditions of the Muslim Umma. In fact, it is well known that the Muslims there had adopted Hindu names, forgot their prayers and observed Hindu rights and festivals over their own. Under these conditions the heart of this saint pushed him to act. It was not sufficient for the Mawlana to focus solely on himself, but his true devotion to Allah and the Prophet (Allah bless him and grant him pece) led him to openly address the ills of the society. Thus, like the famous scholars before him, he not only focused on the purification of his soul, but the purification of his society and the Muslims around him.

Thus, he was led to open a number of schools and educational institutions that focused on reviving the core Islamic teachings amongst the people. It was through this effort that Tablighi Jamat was born.

I’m sure many of our readers are wondering, why the long answer. Let me state that I felt it was an obligation to give them a small glimpse into the life of one of the greatest reformers our Muslim nation has seen in the last 200 years.

Summary of Tablighi Jamat:

Tablighi Jamat is a movement designed to bring faith back into the lives of the Muslims. They focus on five major duties and travel to different locations in order to spread the message of faith and dawa (calling to Allah) to other Muslims. They serve as one of the important alarm clocks whose job is to awaken a sleeping Umma, and remind it of its noble position and tasks. Members are encouraged to go for 3 days in a month, 40 days in a year and, if possible, 4 months in a lifetime.

Answer to the question:

Akhi, I think you should be happy that your wife is complaining that you’re not making dawa, praying, or doing enough for Allah’s deen. It sure beats hearing someone complain about the bills, not having the latest Visa Platinum or a new SUV etc. In fact, such a wife is one of the greatest gifts of Allah. The Prophet (peace and blessings upon him) said, “This world is nothing but goods. And the best thing in this life is a righteous wife.” Thus, instead of being angry at your wife, you should praise Allah that he has blessed you with her and she is encouraging you to look after your faith.

As was mentioned earlier, Tablighi Jamat serves as one of the many alarm clocks that Allah has used to wake up this umma. There are many such that are working to benefit others and do good in society. All of these groups have good and bad qualities, thus, what is obligated is to follow the truth.

The Prophet (peace and blessings upon him) said, “Wisdom is the lost property of the believer.” Thus, one should approach these different groups as one would a fruit garden, examine the fruit and take what is good, If you are able to correct the wrongs found in these groups, based on sound knowledge and wisdom then you should do so.

In addition, one of the dangers that any group possesses is a blind fanaticism (ta’assub) which, at times, causes splitting and hatred to appear in the hearts of the believers. It is important to realize that these groups are mere custodians of the umma and not vice versa.
Thus, if you are not comfortable with Tabligh, then try and work with another group in your city or location. Islamic work is needed today in the West more than ever. Thus, work with groups who cling to the way of the sunna, avoid extremes on any side, and seek Allah’s assistance.

As for your wife, mention to her the story of Imam Malik (may Allah have mercy on him):

Once a man from the people of renunciation (zuhd) sent him a letter, chastising him for not fasting enough, praying in the night or wearing shabby clothes. The Imam responded by saying, “Allah has distributed actions amongst His servants as He has distributed their sustenance.” Then he mentioned how Allah has placed the love of certain types of worship (ibada) in the hearts of His servants. Thus, you would have a person who loved seeking knowledge, one who loved zuhd and another who loved dawa. The Imam finished his letter by saying, “I have no doubt that you’re on good from your Lord and I’m on good from Him as well.”

Thus, you can explain to her, it is very normal for one to be inclined to a certain type of Islamic group. Then, explain to her where your heart leads you and perhaps try to compromise. One night a week you can attend different programs together as a family. Thus, one week for her flavor and the next for yours.Finally, nicely remind your beloved that it impossible for anyone to know what is in the hearts of Allah’s servants. Thus, if you do something good, she should assume the best and avoid the whispers of Shaytan. The Prophet (peace and blessings upon him) said, “Be careful of suspicion. For, indeed, it is the worst type of speech.”

A Few Points:

1. Mawlana Ilyas (may Allah have mercy on him) did not appear out of a vacuum. Like so many other great luminaries of our umma, the Mawlana was surrounded by wonderful parents who encouraged him to be a great Muslim. Thus, our brothers and sisters should focus on raising the next Imam Shafi’i, Malik or Salah al-din. Therefore, try to teach your children about the Sahaba (may Allah be well pleased with them). Then ask them to choose their favorite. Try to encourage that child to emulate the characteristics of that Sahabi. But remember that the most important lesson they will learn, are those that illuminate from the parents.

2. True tazkiyah leads one past mere focus upon the soul. A true servant of Allah is also concerned with the conditions and situations around him. Ibn Kathir relates that once Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) was asked, “Who is better? One who stays away from others, or one who mingles with others and continues to worship Allah?” Umar said, “Those who mingle with others, put up with their difficulties and continues to worship Allah, “Indeed, they are those whom Allah has tested their hearts for Taqwa.” At the same time mere actions with no inner connection are like an empty cup. Thus, Mawlana Ilyas represented a rare balance of a person. He had a personality built on sound knowledge, sound tazkiyah and sound actions.

3. It is important to realize that the Ahl-Sunna is very wide. It is very dangerous to declare different groups out of Ahl al-Sunna based on one’s mere love for their group. Thus, such issues should be left to the scholars. One thing that one should do is not merely listen to what others say about certain scholars such as Imam Ghazali or Ibn Taymiyya. It is always better to read about their lives and understand the historical and cultural realities that they dealt with.

4. In general it is important to realize that people are different when it comes to different acts of worship. Thus, a truly wise person recognizes this and tries to facilitate the needs of his or her family or community. It is important for MSA’s and masjids to organize programs that benefit all community members. We must move past group politics and work towards realistic unity.

5. The state of the heart is known only to Allah. Thus, questioning another’s intention is something that should be avoided. The great knower of Allah, Junaid (may Allah have mercy upon him), said, “Ikhlas is a secret between Allah and His servant. No angel knows it, nor can any shaytan overcome it.”

6. The virtue of having a pious God-fearing wife.I ask Allah to protect us from ta’assub (blind fanaticism) and hatred. I ask Him to unite the hearts of the umma and make us as one body.

And Allah knows best.

Suhaib Webb,
TheTranslators 2007

Friday, June 15, 2007

GPU: "About Muhammad"

One of my fav. nasheeds of all time. :) Enjoy!

Friday, May 18, 2007

Women in Islam vs. Women in the Judeo-Christian Tradition

Source: Islamicity (This article is a series in a lecture on Women in Islam, found at the Islamicity website. This was something I'd always wondered about and a professor in class had even asked me, "Does Islam also blame women, Eve, for Original Sin?" Swamped with homework and various projects at the end of the semester, I never properly answered her [the professor's] question, and now when I looked it up, came across this excellent article, which I will send to my prof. and post here as well, inshallah. Enjoy! :) )
Women in Islam Versus Women in the Judaeo-Christian Tradition:
The Myth and The Reality
By: Sherif Abdel Azim, Ph.D.
Queens University,
Kingston, Ontario, Canada

PART 1 - EVE'S FAULT

"The three religions agree on one basic fact: Both women and men are created by God, The Creator of the whole universe. However, disagreement starts soon after the creation of the first man, Adam, and the first woman, Eve.

The Judaeo-Christian conception of the creation of Adam and Eve is narrated in detail in Genesis 2:4-3:24. God prohibited both of them from eating the fruits of the forbidden tree. The serpent seduced Eve to eat from it and Eve, in turn, seduced Adam to eat with her. When God rebuked Adam for what he did, he put all the blame on Eve, & quoted,

"The woman you put here with me --she gave me some fruit from the tree and I ate it,"

Consequently, God said to Eve:


"I will greatly increase your pains in childbearing; with pain you will give birth to children. Your desire will be for your husband and he will rule over you."

To Adam He said:
"Because you listened to your wife and ate from the tree .... Cursed is the ground because of you; through painful toil you will eat of it all the days of your life..."

The Islamic conception of the first creation is found in several places in the Quran, for example:

"O Adam dwell with your wife in the Garden and enjoy as you wish but approach not this tree or you run into harm and transgression. Then Satan whispered to them in order to reveal to them their shame that was hidden from them and he said: 'Your Lord only forbade you this tree lest you become angels or such beings as live forever.' And he swore to them both that he was their sincere adviser. So by deceit he brought them to their fall: when they tasted the tree their shame became manifest to them and they began to sew together the leaves of the Garden over their bodies. And their Lord called unto them: 'Did I not forbid you that tree and tell you that Satan was your avowed enemy?' They said: 'Our Lord we have wronged our own souls and if You forgive us not and bestow not upon us Your Mercy, we shall certainly be lost' " (Quran 7:19:23).

A careful look into the two accounts of the story of the Creation reveals some essential differences. The Quran, contrary to the Bible, places equal blame on both Adam and Eve for their mistake. Nowhere in the Quran can one find even the slightest hint that Eve tempted Adam to eat from the tree or even that she had eaten before him. Eve in the Quran is no temptress, no seducer, and no deceiver. Moreover, Eve is not to be blamed for the pains of childbearing. God, according to the Quran, punishes no one for another's faults. Both Adam and Eve committed a sin and then asked God for forgiveness and He forgave them both."

Friday, May 11, 2007

THE NON-VIOLENT RESPONSE

The Non-Violent Response to Israeli Apartheid and Occupation:

BOYCOTT ISRAEL CAMPAIGN

People of good conscience have chosen to boycott Israeli products and companies supporting the zionist entity. Their ethical purchasing decision however is frustrated by the lack of accurate information as to which companies to boycott.

We have carried out extensive research to identify the guilty companies. All our findings are provided here. Where ever possible, we have included full references for the source of our information so that you may independently verify its accuracy and understand exactly how each company is contributing its support to israel. We thank all those organizations who's research we have utilized.

Our research is on going and we encourage you to help us with it - If you have any information regarding guilty companies please e-mail us this information with source references to boycott@inminds.co.uk or use the comments box below. Thank you.

Boycott Israel
Frequently Asked Questions

1. What is the boycott?

The boycott of Israeli products and companies supporting the zionist entity is about ordinary people around the world using their right to choose what they buy in order to help bring about an end to oppression in Palestine. Its a peaceful means of putting international pressure on the racist state of Israel and follows in the footsteps of the successful boycott against South African racist apartheid.

2. Are you boycotting all Jews?

Certainly not! The boycott is not directed at any religious or ethnic group, but rather it is directed at those companies that are supporting the racist occupation of Palestine. A quick glance at the boycott list will testify to this. We do not discriminate between the supporters of Israel - if a Muslim company is caught collaborating with Israel we will boycott it just as vigorously as any other company.


3. Who supports the boycott, what do our Ulema say about it?

People of good conscience all around the world support the boycott.

Trade Unions around the world, including the UKs biggest trade union UNISON with its 1.4 million members, have called for a boycott of all Israeli goods. Christian groups like Christian Aid have joined the boycott demanding an end to EU - Israel trade agreements. And Jewish groups such as B'Tselem and Gush Shalom have launched their own boycott Israeli goods campaigns.
Among Muslims, every leading Ulema from every school of thought is united in this and has given clear fatwas in support of the boycott. A few examples from different schools of thought are provided on the following page:
http://www.inminds.co.uk/boycott-fatwas.html

4. Are you sure these companies support Israel?

Many people wanting to boycott Israeli products and companies supporting the zionist entity have been frustrated with the lack of accurate information as to which companies to boycott.

To this end we have carried out extensive research to identify the guilty companies. All our findings are backed with references so that you can independently check the facts and understand exactly how each company is contributing its support to Israel. (http://www.inminds.co.uk/boycott-brands.html)

On our website we have dedicated a whole page per company. Each page is divided into three sections -

(1) the company's product list,
(2) research findings and
(3) reference/additional info section.

You can see the evidence against a company given in the research findings section and next to each piece of evidence is a reference number which you can look up in the reference section to find out the source for the evidence - most items are sourced back to Israel's own newspapers and journals.

5. Surely wherever we spend our money, even our taxes support Israel, so why pick on these companies?

Whilst it is true that the cancerous zionist entity has got its tentacles hooked into numerous markets and economies - sucking each one to nourish itself, but this is no excuse for us not to do anything. The companies on our list are chosen for being the major supporters of Israel - those that Israel itself has honoured and bestowed awards upon in recognition of being its key supporters in the world. If we can successfully campaign against these then the support of the others will, inshallah, evaporate.

6. These companies operate in Muslim countries providing Muslims with Jobs - isn't boycotting them going to harm ourselves?

It is true that most of the companies on the list have operations in Muslim countries and employ Muslims who would loose their jobs if the companies collapsed or pulled out. But we have to look at this as a opportunity, not a loss.
Take the example of Coca-Cola in the middle east, the boycott has hit them so hard that their sales are down 60%. This has created an opportunity for a Muslim alternative, ZamZam Cola of Iran, which is owned by the religious charity the Foundation of the Dispossessed, to take Coca-Colas share of the market. Zam Zam Cola is struggling to keep up with demand - it exceeded all expectations by selling four million cans in its first week. It is now planning to expand by building factories in the gulf states, helping provide local employment. And for the first time even European countries like Denmark, are importing ZamZam Cola.
Similar success stories can be told of Sainsburys closer in Egypt in April 2001, which resulted in a blossoming of local stores which would not have otherwise survived in an unfair market monopolised by a foreign giant.

Also lets not forget that the reason why the multinationals have set up in Muslim countries is not out of benevolence for us, but rather exploitation. Take the example of Delta Galil - the Israeli textile giant whos cloths are sold under the labels GAP, Banana Republic, Calvin Klein, BOSS, M&S and DKNY among others. The Israeli company has factories in Jordan and Egypt in addition to Palestine. Their treatment of workers is such that Sweatshop Watch has denounced Delta-Galils exploitation of Arab labour, calling it a "Sweatshop Czar". Is it really a loss to us to see such companies go?

7. Does the boycott work?

Oh yes! For example, one of the companies hardest hit by the boycott is McDonalds.
McDonalds is a "major corporate partner" of the Jewish United Fund. In its own words, the Jewish United Fund "works to maintain American military, economic and diplomatic support for Israel; monitors and, when necessary, responds to media coverage of Israel." Also, McDonalds chairman and CEO Jack M. Greenberg is a honorary director of the American-Israel Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

McDonalds has 80 resturants in israel, providing employment to 3000 israelis.

McDonalds has just announced it is closing down its operation in the middle east due to loss of revenue as a direct result of the boycott (Oct 2002), and is replacing Greenberg as its chairman and CEO (Dec 2002). Since the launch of the boycott campaign, two of Jordan's six McDonald's franchises have closed due to lack of business. In Egypt, McDonald's decided to change its brand name to Manfoods this past March, in an attempt to dodge the boycott. It had no effect and Egyptian police forces were ordered to guard the entrances to McDonald's restaurants, after stone throwing incidents took place. A total of 175 restaurants will be closed at a loss of $350 million.

In the face of giants like McDonalds crumbling under the pressure of the boycott, smaller companies are weary of supporting Israel and are steering clear in fear of being boycotted.
Amidst calls for a boycott of Amazon.com, the internet bookstore Amazon.com terminated its association with the Jerusalem Post (Nov 2002). It was revealed that the Jerusalem Post was donating its slice of the profits derived from the amazon.com partnership to Israeli soldiers returning home after committing massacres and other abuses of human rights on the occupied territories.

Their advert, which appeared on most of their pages, read "Buy Amazon.com & Support Israel". Inundated with complaints, amazon.com severed its ties to the Jerusalem Post, demanding they remove all the adverts and vowed not to hand over any more profits.

Other companies, disgusted by Israel's treatment of the Palestinians have themselves actively joined the boycott.

In May 2002 a US auto part export company refused to do business with Israel.

In a reply to a purchase order from Israel, John Harris, representing Texas Automotive Export wrote:
"We must inform you that Texas Export will not do business with Israeli citizens at this time. We urge you to rein in your military and stop your oppression of the Palestinian people," the letter said. "Your country has lost the respect of the civilised world," it concluded.

The success of the boycott has so worried the US government and Israel, both afraid that companies will abandon Israel, that just last week the US threatened to fine US companies that take part in the boycott. The Department of Commerce has already issued more than $26m in fines and turned down export licences to those companies found supporting the boycott - so much for democracy and a right to choose who to do business with!

8. Can the boycott really effect the Israeli economy?

Israel's economy is on the verge of total collapse with no sign of recovery despite cash injections from Uncle Sam. Just last month (Oct 2002) Sharon begged Washington for $10 billion in emergency aid. Inflation is sky rocketing - even the official figure is over 4 times the government target. VAT has just been raised as have fuel bills and all basic living costs like food and rents. Unemployment is soaring and salary cuts are the order of the day.

This has resulted in a series of crippling general strikes - the last one bringing the country to a standstill - flight in and out of Israel had to be suspended, radio and television broadcasts stopped and health workers only dealt with emergencies. The streets are piling up with uncollected garbage.

Foreign investment, a life-line for the zionist state, has also dried up. Figures reveal that investors have lost $5 billion of the $6.5 billion invested in Israel between 1999-2001. No one is prepared to invest any more.

The Israeli government is so short of money that its cost cutting includes shutting down several embassies and consulates around the world!

At this critical time, the importance of the global boycott of Israel and of the collaborating companies that give it its life-line cannot be overemphasised. Israel is counting every penny - every penny matters - ensure yours don't go to Israel!

9. Is there a printable list of the companies and brands to boycott?

Yes there is a leaflet designed for printing available for download on the following page:
http://www.inminds.co.uk/boycott-leaflet.html

10. What else can I do to help?

1. Tell Others

Its essential that others know about the boycott and specifically which companies to boycott. Make a point of printing a 100 copies of the leaflet mentioned above[8] and give them out in your community - at Jummah prayers or other gatherings. Talk to people about the boycott, with non-Muslims draw the parallels between this boycott and the one against apartheid in South Africa.

We are grateful to the many individuals and groups around the world who have already helped in spreading the boycott. A few examples come to mind:

A Muslim group in Bosnia carried out a huge poster and leaflet campaign, with activists distributing 40,000 leaflets in Austria, Bosnia-Herzegovina and parts of Yugoslavia. Their success has drawn the attention of the zionist Simon Wiesenthal Centre [April 2002].

Just recently [December 2002] a similar leaflet campaign advertising our website and the boycott has been carried out in Australia resulting in newspapers articles and tv and radio coverage - we have been labelled as "preaching anti-globalisation" by one paper!

In Hong Kong a boycott advert with our website has been placed in one of the Chinese newspapers. A reader sent us a copy.

Crescent International have been placing, without cost to us, boycott adverts with our web address in most issues of their paper. They even designed the advert themselves - we only found out when we received our copy of the paper.

A few Muslims in Birmingham got together and paid for the printing of 10,000 colour boycott leaflets (which they approached us to design). The leaflets were distributed through out the UK.

One school has seen the importance of the role of children in keeping a family away from boycotted products, and has taken the initiative of giving each of its 500 pupils a copy of our boycott leaflet.

Many Muslim and non-Muslim websites now carry our banner and boycott news ticker.

2. Write Letters

For a boycott to be effective, it must be followed up with a letter writing campaign to inform the companies that we are boycotting their products until they stop collaborating with Israel. See our letter writing campaign page for sample letters and advise of letter writing.
http://www.inminds.co.uk/boycott-letter-campaign.html

3. Picket

More and more individuals are beginning to take direct action against companies that support Israel. On form of direct action is to picket the guilty companies.

Picketing is a form of public protest and aims to draw attention to the realities of Palestinian suffering by exposing those that help to sustain it. It embarrasses those shoppers that know they shouldn't be shopping there, informs those shoppers that are not aware of the moral objections as well as irritating supporters of Israel generally.

The companies themselves become aware of the protests and news of pickets goes all the way to the top. See our guide on picketing to find out if there a picket near you and how to join it. The guide also includes tips on setting up your own picket and legal FAQ on what your rights are when picketing.
http://www.inminds.com/picket-page.html



To view the list of all companies, accompanied with the evidence of its support of Israel, click on the following link:
http://www.inminds.co.uk/boycott-brands.html

All information was collected from the following:
http://www.inminds.co.uk/boycott-israel.html
http://www.bigcampaign.org.uk/ (more recent site)

Friday, April 20, 2007

Jeruselem-GPU (Dawud Wharnsby Ali)

"I believe that one fine day, all the children of Abraham will lay down their swords..."

Tuesday, April 17, 2007

What Worship Is -- By Talib al Habib

Beautiful peom in which a student asked his Shaykh (religious teacher) what is worship? The following is the Shaykh's answer, a poem titled "What Worship Is," by Brother Talib al Habib. I came across it many months ago: mashallah, simply amazing.

"What Worship Is"

And I asked you in my silence, 'what is worship?'
You smiled in your heart and said:
It is that you journey with God, through God, to God, for God.
That your very breath be because of Him.
That you awake each morn in thankfulness,
With a song of praise on your lips.
That sleep be the wakefulness of your spirit
And your dreams, as winged flights unto Him.

It is that you weep for another man's sadness,
And drink deep from the cup of his joy.
Strengthen his hand when he falters,
Restrain it, when he rushes to wrong himself.

It is that you see in his sin, your own frailty,
And in his righteousness, that which you may yet become.
That you grasp the thorns of your enemy, flung in your path
And, by forgiveness, fashion of them roses to adorn his house.

Let your work be service – not of your self or of your fellows,
For Allah suffices for all, beyond means and cause –
But of Him, through the service of his creatures.
No more, no less does He ask of you.

Give one who asks freely, begrudge him not your pennies,
And be grateful for the blessing he has gifted you.
For every beggar is a benefactor;
He fills your soul when you fill his cup;
And food given to the hungry will quench your own thirst
On the Day when wealth and power will not avail you.

It is that you look beyond colour and wealth and fame,
Further still, past man's virtues and vices,
To the inner soul that bowed with you before God in awe
And worshipped Him without words or doubt
On that First Day before memory and beyond thought.

Veil from all strangers not only your body,
But the deeper beauty of your goodly deeds;
For, in the same action, will you tear down the veil
That lies between you and your Beloved.

And when you stand for prayer, It is that you cast yourself from your Self
Deep into the ocean of His Majesty and His Unity,
And drown in your helplessness.
That you do not read His Word,
But hear Him speak to you;
That you prostrate your very heart in his presence
And surrender all that you are unto Him.

Let your feet tread in the footsteps of the holy and the saintly,
And let your light be taken from their lamp.
Live not as if God's beloved (s) watches you,
But as though you are him.
Let your words be echoes of his voice;
And your deeds be shadows of his radiance.
Then will you truly taste the sweetness of his blessed Way.

It is that you pass your days and nights, restless,
Yearning for the meeting with Him,
That you water your faith with tears of regret,
But rest content in the certainty of His mercy.

What is worship?
It is that you perfect all this, yet regard yourself
As more insignificant than a grain of sand in the trackless desert,
And more unworthy than the most wretched of men in your eyes;
Until you have become nothing, and a stranger to yourself.
Then, when you have sacrificed your Self on Love's altar,
When you have forsaken this world for the sake of the next,
When you have abandoned the next world for the sake of God Alone,
Then will you die unto yourself,
And in dying find eternal existence in Him.

Then will you live in God, with God, through God, for God;
A drop in His ocean, a reed-flute at His mouth.
Then, when you transcend both heaven and earth,
When all has perished, except for the vision of Him,
Then will you worship.

Wednesday, April 11, 2007

Mishary in US (April 2007)!

...And I missed it. God, how I want to hit my head on the wall. Sheikh Mishary Rashid al-Afasy came HERE, to the Ann Arbor Mosque... and I missed it. :( I found he also made some appearances at other masjids in the area too (all of which I found out about AFTER he'd left.)
Khayr... I guess all for the best. I comfort myself by thinking that even IF I had heard his beautiful recitation live, it still would have probably been from a speaker. And it's not as though I'd have gone up amd talked to him (which would just be really wierd).
However, I did see a video of the recitation and nasheed from the mosque, which was amazing, mashallah, though admittedly not any different than watching the many videos available on Youtube from various overseas TV channels.
Anyway, till next time, wasalaams,
Sumaiya
P.S. -- Btw, there's a video of Al-Afasy's "Ta'ala al Badru Alayna" posted below (about three or four post down).

Friday, March 23, 2007

A is for Allah by Yusuf İslam

:) Such a beautiful video to a great nasheed. This is Yusuf Islam, formerly known as Cat Stevens

Monday, March 19, 2007

Last Sunday's Halaqa: Contentment

During the halaqa this week, our teacher said a few words about giving thanks and bieng content... which reminded me of the quote I have up on this blog, "Our problem is that were fundamentally discontended with what we have. This is the major fitna of the modern world" (Talib al Habib).

Try this excercise sometime (I think this was also mentioned in the same halaqa many months ago): On a drive home (no matter how long or short) start naming everything you have to be thankful for, outloud: everything and anything, from small to big, general or specific, material things, your good characteristics, certain people in your life, opportunities you've had, etc. etc. etc. When I tried this on a 20 min. drive home, I was completely shocked: there was not a moment -- not one -- where I had to stop and think, "Hmm, what else?" The words kept flowing and the list was endless: subhanallah. I never thought an excercise so seemingly innocent could have such a profound impact.

When we look at everything we have -- the clothes we wear, the houses we live in, the food on our table, our health, the fact that we have a personal home computer, the air we breathe, the free time we have to spend hours on the blognet, the friends, parents and supportive people in our lives... -- you can't help but wonder, what did I do deserve this? Specifically the part about bieng born a Muslim and inheriting Islam since our birth (or through conversion)... this was just a matter of destiny and Allah (swt) has blessed us by choosing us to be witnesses of His message.

What did we do to deserve this special rank? It could have been just as easy for Allah to have us born into a non-Muslim family, or for us to never find out about true Islam and the peace it offers... Alhumdulillah, I am a Muslim. I thank Allah for blessing me with his light, and pray that He, in his infinite mercy, grants me contentment with His prescence alone. Ameen.

Edit: I found this quote in an article/lecture, "Unity Through Schools of Thought," by Abdul Hakim Murad and thought it went nicely with this post:
"Islam, and this has always been my experience as a newcomer to Islam who knew for many years the alternative: Islam is a gift. This is how we have to see it. It is our most precious possession. It is through Islam that we strive for peace and justice and harmony in the world and it is through Islam that we strive also for eternal joy and serenity in the presence of our Creator."

Saturday, March 17, 2007

Family Guy Annoying Stewie

This is really funny. I don't usually watch FamilyGuy, but this is seriously funny, and might I add annoying. Props to all the mom's out there who've had this happen to them countless times by kids like us... Patience indeed. ;)

Thursday, March 15, 2007

Reflection

I love this quote, mashallah! Rumi has amazing poetry to begin with, and this is one of the best. The person who gave me the quote also sent along an explanation.

''Once the mirror of your heart is clear and pure, you will see images
beyond this world of water and clay. You will see both the image and Maker
of the images, both the carpet of the kingdom and Him who lays the carpet."
- Jalaleddin Rumi

The dusty veil of accumulation in our heart
prevents the reflection of purer presence. When we look at a mirror, what do we
see? We see an exact reflection of ourselves, it doesn't conceal anything. When
we look at the mirror of our heart, we see many defects we don't like about
ourselves -- egoic feelings of pride, envy, desire, arrogance, judgement about
others etc etc. Only when we are able to clean ourselves from such inner
pride and purify our souls, we can move closer to Allah (SWT). Only then, our
hearts will discover the lights within it, the purer light of Being will be
reflected. Our hearts will be filled with remembrance of Allah.

Funny thing is, just the other day in class, my Communications teacher was
talking about self reflection, and how a bit of introspection is just what
the doctor ordered -- keeps us on track and in touch with reality. He
gave us a tip: Try stepping outside yourself for a moment and ask how am I
doing? Where am I? Is this where I want to be? How/What should I change to
get to my destination? (Mind you, do this when your alone...otherwise others might think your a bit strange...)
One can apply this to anything in life: academics, spirituality, relationships, etc. I remember a lecture from Sunnipath where the Shaykh said the exact same thing: Life is like a train. You are the traveler on it. Your going along, trying to get to your final destination, but there are alot of stops along the way, things to get you distracted. So you have to keep asking yourself, Am I on the right track, the right train? Something along those line anyway. :)

Ok, now that the creative juices are flowing, I will push myself to go fill up that empty Word document, which will, inshallah soon, be my paper. Wasalaams!

Thursday, March 8, 2007

RIHLA 2007

RIHLA 2007 is open for registration! Inshallah, one day I'll be able to go as well... but till then, I can at least help spread the word for others. :)





The Deen Intensive Foundation welcomes prospective students to apply to this special enhanced program.


LOCATION:

The program will commence in Taif on July 6th with ten days of intensive teaching and regular visits to the Haram of Makkah via trolley (during which the group will perform 'umrah), followed by 10 nights in Madinah. All accommodations within these cities are four-star hotels.


CURRICULUM:

The program will have a comprehensive schedule in which times for intensive study, tours, and worship are carefully integrated. Classes will include
The Circumstances of Revelation (asbab al-nuzul) followed by visits to the actual historical sites connected to these circumstances.
Etiquette with the Qur'an, The Sciences of the Qur'an, and classes on The historical development of the theological, legal, and spiritual sciences of Islam.
Integrated into this year's curriculum will be seerah-centric visits to various historical sites in the two holy cities. This provides students with the unique opportunity to experience the very places they are learning about in their classes.
The program will also have as its core classes focused on the Individual Obligations (fard 'ayn) of the religion: the legal aspects of Ritual Purification and Ritual Prayer from three schools of Islamic Law.


CONFIRMED TEACHERS:

Shaykh Abdallah bin Bayyah
Shaykh Abdallah al-Kadi
Shaykh Jamal Zahabi
Imam Zaid Shakir
Shaykh Hamza Yusuf
Ustadh Yahya Rhodus
Ustadh Walead Mohammed


COST AND TRAVEL:

The program cost for this year is $2500 USD for the land package which includes:
Course materials, Hotel accommodations (4 star), 3 daily meals, All transportation within Saudi Arabia. (The above mentioned are covered for the duration of the program. Flight costs are not included and vary from your country of origin.)
The designated travel agency for this year is Dar as-Salam Travel which has affiliates in the US, Canada, UK and Saudi Arabia. Upon acceptance, students will be referred to the travel agency for flight confirmation. The preferred carrier from the US Canada is Saudi Airlines. UK students will be referred to our UK representative for flight details. Flight confirmations will only occur once you have received an official notice of acceptance from the Deen Intensive Foundation Rihla Committee. Also, please remember that depending on your country of origin your departure date may vary.


APPLICATION PROCESS:

The application process will be open to all eligible students until April 20, 2007, which is the deadline for application submission.For more details and to apply, please visit our website: http://www.deenintensive.com/

Sunday, March 4, 2007

Tala'a Al-Badru Alayna

The version of Tala'a Al-Badru Alayna by Sheikh Mishary Rashid Al-Afasy... personally, I like the traditional versions better, but interesting video.

Saturday, March 3, 2007

Salaams and Peace

Bismillah -- In the name of Allah
... So, my first blog entry. I'm not exactly sure why I signed up for a blog. But somewhere, down there, I'm sure its not because I LIKE to write. It's more of a necessity, really:
I need a place to post all the extremely interesting articles, videos, news, etc. that I find on the web. Instead of filling up friends inbox's with a dozen emails of things I'm sure they'd love, moreover, NEED to see, isn't it better to write it here, and at least give them the choice of choosing whether they'd like to see it or not? Of course, its also a place where I can sort out my thoughts.
Till next time (if indeed there is one),
Sumaiya