Islam and Environmentalism

Recently, I've started thinking more about the environment. Every day, we hear more about climate change, about forests being destroyed for logging, about wild animals venturing into towns and cities seeking food because their terrority is steadily shrinking as human communities begin to expand... it's so very sad.

Anyway, being me, I couldn't help but start thinking the Islamic viewpoint on all of this... basically, what does Islam have to say about the environment?

I *was* going to write up something about it, but I found this excellent article instead:

Prophet Mohammed: A Pioneer of the Environment
Fransesca De Chatel


“There is none amongst the believers who plants a tree, or sows a seed, and then a bird, or a person, or an animal eats thereof, but it is regarded as having given a charitable gift [for which there is great recompense].” [Al-Bukhari, III:513].

The idea of the Prophet Mohammed as a pioneer of environmentalism will initially strike many as strange: indeed, the term “environment” and related concepts like “ecology”, “environmental awareness” and “sustainability”, are modern-day inventions, terms that were formulated in the face of the growing concerns about the contemporary state of the natural world around us.

And yet a closer reading of the hadith, the body of work that recounts significant events in the Prophet’s life, reveals that he was a staunch advocate of environmental protection. One could say he was an “environmentalist avant la lettre”, a pioneer in the domain of conservation, sustainable development and resource management, and one who constantly sought to maintain a harmonious balance between man and nature. From all accounts of his life and deeds, we read that the Prophet had a profound respect for fauna and flora, as well as an almost visceral connection to the four elements, earth, water, fire and air.

He was a strong proponent of the sustainable use and cultivation of land and water, proper treatment of animals, plants and birds, and the equal rights of users. In this context the modernity of the Prophet’s view of the environment and the concepts he introduced to his followers is particularly striking; certain passages of the hadith could easily be mistaken for discussions about contemporary environmental issues.

Three Principles

The Prophet’s environmental philosophy is first of all holistic: it assumes a fundamental link and interdependency between all natural elements and bases its teachings on the premise that if man abuses or exhausts one element, the natural world as a whole will suffer direct consequences. This belief is nowhere formulated in one concise phrase; it is rather an underlying principle that forms the foundation of all the Prophet’s actions and words, a life philosophy that defined him as a person.

The three most important principles of the Prophet’s philosophy of nature are based on the Qur’anic teachings and the concepts of tawhid (unity), khalifa (stewardship) and amana (trust).

Tawhid, the oneness of God, is a cornerstone of the Islamic faith. It recognizes the fact that there is one absolute Creator and that man is responsible to Him for all his actions: “To God belongs all that is in the heavens and in the earth, for God encompasses everything [4:126].” The Prophet acknowledges that God's knowledge and power covers everything. Therefore abusing one of his creations, whether it is a living being or a natural resource, is a sin. The Prophet considered all of God’s creations to be equal before God and he believed animals, but also land, forests and watercourses should have rights.

The concepts of khalifa, stewardship, and amana, trust, emerge from the principle of tawhid. The Qur’an explains that mankind holds a privileged position among God’s creations on earth: he is chosen as khalifa, “vice-regent” and carries the responsibility of caring for God’s earthly creations. Each individual is given this task and privilege in the form of God’s trust. But the Qur’an repeatedly warns believers against arrogance: they are no better than other creatures. “No creature is there on earth nor a bird flying with its wings but they are nations like you [6:38]”; “Surely the creation of the heavens and the earth is greater than the creation of man; but most people know not [40:57]”.

The Prophet believed that the universe and the creations in it – animals, plants, water, land – were not created for mankind. Man is allowed to use the resources but he can never own them. Thus while Islam allows land ownership, it has limitations: an owner can, for example, only own land if he uses it; once he ceases to use it, he has to part with his possession.

The Prophet recognized man’s responsibility to God but always maintained humility. Thus he said: “When doomsday comes, if someone has a palm shoot in his hand, he should plant it,” suggesting that even when all hope is lost for mankind, one should sustain nature’s growth. He believed that nature remains a good in itself, even if man does not benefit from it.

Similarly, the Prophet incited believers to share the earth’s resources. He said: “Muslims share alike in three things – water, herbage and fire,” and he considered it a sin to withhold water from the thirsty. “No one can refuse surplus water without sinning against Allah and against man” [Mishkat al Masabih].

The Prophet’s attitude towards sustainable use of land, conservation of water and the treatment of animals is a further illustration of the humility of his environmental philosophy.

Sustainable Use of Land

“The earth has been created for me as a mosque and as a means of purification.” [Al-Bukhari I:331] With these words the Prophet emphasizes the sacred nature of earth or soil, not only as a pure entity but also as a purifying agent. This reverence towards soil is also demonstrated in the ritual of tayammum, or “dry wudu” which permits the use of dust in the performance of ritual purification before prayer when water is not available.

The Prophet saw earth as subservient to man, but recognised that it should not be overexploited or abused, and that it had rights, like the trees and wildlife living on it. In order to protect land, forests and wildlife, the Prophet created inviolable zones known as hima and haram, in which resources were to be left untouched. Both are still in use today: haram areas are often drawn up around wells and water sources to protect the groundwater table from over-pumping. Hima applies particularly to wildlife and forestry and usually designates an area of land where grazing and woodcutting are restricted, or where certain animal species are protected.

The Prophet not only encouraged the sustainable use of fertile lands, he also told his followers of the benefits of making unused land productive: planting a tree, sowing a seed and irrigating dry land were all regarded as charitable deeds. “Whoever brings dead land to life, that is, cultivates wasteland, for him is a reward therein.” Thus any person who irrigates a plot of “dead”, or desert land becomes its rightful owner.

Conservation of Water

In the harsh desert environment where the Prophet lived, water was synonymous to life. Water was a gift from God, the source of all life on earth as is testified in the Qur’an: “We made from water every living thing” [21:30]. The Qur’an constantly reminds believers that they are but the guardians of God’s creation on earth and that they should never take this creation for granted: “Consider the water which you drink. Was it you that brought it down from the rain cloud or We? If We had pleased, We could make it bitter” [56:68-70].

Saving water and safeguarding its purity were two important issues for the Prophet: we have seen that his concern about the sustainable use of water led to the creation of haram zones in the vicinity of water sources. But even when water was abundant, he advocated thriftiness: thus he recommended that believers perform wudu no more than three times, even if they were near to a flowing spring or river. The theologian El-Bukhari added: “The men of science disapprove of exaggeration and also of exceeding the number of ablutions of the Prophet.” The Prophet also warned against water pollution by forbidding urination in stagnant water.

The Treatment of Animals:

“If anyone wrongfully kills even a sparrow, let alone anything greater, he will face God’s interrogation” [Mishkat al Masabih]. These words reflect the great reverence, respect and love that the Prophet always showed towards animals. He believed that as part of God’s creation, animals should be treated with dignity, and the hadith contains a large collection of traditions, admonitions and stories about his relationship to animals. It shows that he had particular consideration for horses and camels: to him they were valiant companions during journey and battle, and he found great solace and wisdom in their presence as the following tradition reveals: “In the forehead of horses are tied up welfare and bliss until the Day of Resurrection.”

Even in the slaughter of animals, the Prophet showed great gentleness and sensitivity. While he did not practice vegetarianism, the hadiths clearly show that the Prophet was extremely sensitive to the suffering of animals, almost as though he shared their pain viscerally. Thus he recommends using sharp knives and a good method so that the animal can die a quick death with as little pain as possible. He also warned against slaughtering an animal in the presence of other animals, or letting the animal witness the sharpening of blades: to him that was equal to “slaughtering the animal twice” and he emphatically condemned such practices as “abominable”.
Conclusion

It is impossible to do justice to the full scope and significance of Prophet Mohammed’s environmental philosophy in this short article. His holistic view of nature and his understanding of man’s place within the natural world pioneered environmental awareness within the Muslim community.

Sadly, the harmony that the Prophet advocated between man and his environment has today all too often been lost. As we face the effects of pollution and overexploitation, desertification and water scarcity in some parts of the world and floods and violent storms elsewhere, it is perhaps time for the world community as a whole, Muslims, Christians and Jews, Hindus and Buddhists, atheists and agnostics, to take a leaf out of the Prophet’s book and address the current environmental crisis seriously and wisely.

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Wasn't that an awesome article? Masha'Allah!

As Muslims, this should impress upon us the importance of taking care of the environment. Don't litter; recycle; ride your bike or take the bus; conserve energy; help save the whales/bears/coral reefs/whatever else you can think of!

So now, go out there and do your part.
May Allah keep us all upon as-Siraatul-Mustaqeem, the Straight Path, and grant us success in this world and in the Hereafter. Ameen!

Behold the Islamic Revolution of (my city’s name)!

Okay, not really. But something like an Islamic Revival is in the works, insha’Allah.

This new city of mine is a relatively small one, with an even smaller Muslim community. When my parents came back from Saudi after my father graduated from the Islamic univeristy, they moved here to be with my grandparents. My dad and some of the local Muslim dudes first rented out a house to serve as a musallah, and then managed to scrape up the funds to buy the place and turn it into a Masjid proper. During that time, they held Islamic duroos and halaqas, and my dad begun a sort of madrasah (Islamic school) for the Muslim kids. Soon after, however, we moved away and the duroos and madrasah stopped and never really started up again. The Muslim community here has spent the last 9 years dormant, just barely keeping the masjid running.

Now that we’re back, we’re planning on changing things for the better, insha’Allah. First, bringing back the madrasah. Only this time it’s going to be more formal, and bigger. Before it was a weekend thing for a bunch of little kids; now it’s going to be held 3 days a week, after school, for 2 hours, for kids up to age 18. My father has set things up already; he held the first class yesterday. Apparently quite a few people have signed up already, al-Hamdulillaah.

After that, we’re planning on having duroos and halaqas again for the adults, and regular programs for the Muslim youth, stuff that’ll be both fun and Islamically educational. We’re pretty much modeling it on the Islamic centre my dad used to run in my old city (which will henceforth be referred to as the Dar).

When it was Ramadan and we went to the Masjid for Taraweeh, I was pretty shocked at what I saw. It was sad, it really was, and I found it shocking because of what I was used to at the Dar. When I told my parents, they said that this was exactly the reason we were here – so that we could change things for the better, insha’Allah.

I can’t wait for things to start getting up and running. I miss my old city like mad, mostly the Dar ‘cuz that’s where I met all my friends, and listened and learnt at the feet of the wise women who were like second mothers to me, and studied Arabic, and pretty much just hung out and had fun… fond memories, indeed.
In the four to five months we’ve been here, I’ve been going crazy. The Masjid has NO regular duroos, no programs for the youth, nothing. It’s dead as a tomb most of the time, except for once a week on Jumu’ah (Fridays). People seem to only wake up during Ramadan, when they stumble in to pray Taraweeh, and then after ‘Eid day, they seem to vanish again.

The thing that I hate is the preparation, and waiting. I can’t *do* anything. I’m the type of person who loves being a part of the action, and it frustrates me to no end having to sit and wait for the adults to finish with all the paper work and setting up and stuff. Gah. What’s worse is that even with the Islamic school getting set up, we’re still going to have wait ‘till more people get to know us and get used to us, before we can start doing the stuff that we used to do at the Dar. Plus there’s stuff like resources (or rather, lack thereof) that’ll make things harder to do here than they were at the Dar. Even though the Dar was a relatively small place and the people who attended weren’t exactly wealthy (mostly working-class people, and several single parents as well), we had enough people that we could arrange regular activities for both adults and youth.
Here, there is a smaller population and even fewer resources, and all this is going to serve to make things even more difficult. Meh.

But al-Hamdulillaah. And insha’Allah, with lots of time and effort, we’ll eventually get something good going. Perhaps not the Islamic Revolution I’ve been dreaming about, but something that will benefit the Muslim community nonetheless.

Airline Announcements

I got this in my inbox... Faraz, this is for you! :D

All too rarely, airline attendants make an effort to make the in flight "safety lecture" and announcements a bit more entertaining. Here are some real examples that have been heard or reported:

On a Southwest flight (SW has no assigned seating, you just sit where you want) passengers were apparently having a hard time choosing, when a flight attendant announced, "People, people we're not picking out furniture here, find a seat and get in it!"

On a Continental Flight with a very "senior" flight attendant crew, the pilot said, "Ladies and gentlemen, we've reached cruising altitude and will be turning down the cabin lights. This is for your comfort and to enhance the appearance of your flight attendants."

On landing, the stewardess said, "Please be sure to take all of your belongings. If you're going to leave anything, please ma ke sure it's something we'd like to have."

"Thank you for flying Delta Business Express.: We hope you enjoyed giving us the business as much as we enjoyed taking you for a ride."

After a particularly rough landing during thunderstorms in Memphis, a flight attendant on a Northwest flight announced, "Please take care when opening the overhead compartments because, after a landing like that, sure as hell everything has shifted."

From a Southwest Airlines employee: "Welcome aboard Southwest Flight 245 to Tampa ...: to operate your seat belt, insert the metal tab into the buckle, and pull tight. It works just like every other seat belt; and, if you don't know how to operate one, you probably shouldn't be out in public unsupervised."

"In the event of a sudden loss of cabin pressure, masks will descend from the ceiling.: Stop screaming, grab the mask, and pull it over your face. If you have a small child traveling with you, secure your mask before assisting with his. If you are traveling with more than one small child, pick your favorite."

"Weather at our destination is 50 degrees with some broken clouds, but we'll try to have them fixed before we arrive. Thank you, and remember, nobody loves you, or your money, more than Southwest Airlines."

"Your seat cushions can be used for flotation; and, in the unlikely event of an emergency water landing, please paddle to shore and take them with our compliments." *

"As you exit the plane, make sure to gather all of your belongings. Anything left behind will be distributed evenly among the flight attendants. Please do not leave children or spouses."

And from the pilot during his welcome me ssage: "Delta Airlines is pleased to have some of the best flight attendants in the industry. Unfortunately, none of them are on this flight!"

Heard on Southwest Airlines just after a very hard landing in Salt Lake City . The flight attendant came on the intercom and said, "That was quite a bump, and I know what y'all are thinking : I'm here to tell you it wasn't the airline's fault, it wasn't the pilot's fault, it wasn't the flight attendant's fault, it was the asphalt."

Overheard on an American Airlines flight into Amarillo , Texas , on a particularly windy and bumpy day, during the final approach, the Captain was really having to fight it. After an extremely hard landing, the Flight Attendant said, "Ladies and Gentlemen, welcome to Amarillo . Please remain in your seats with your seat belts fastened while the Captain taxis what's left of our airplane to the gate!"

Another flight attendant's comment on a less than perfect landing: "We ask you to please remain seated as Captain Kangaroo bounces us to the terminal."

An airline pilot wrote that on this particular flight he had hammered his ship into the runway really hard.: The airline had a policy which required the first officer to stand at the door while the Passengers exited, smile, and give them a "Thanks for flying our airline." He said that, in light of his bad landing, he had a hard time looking the passengers in the eye, thinking that someone would have a smart comment.: Finally, everyone had gotten off except for a little old lady walking with a cane.: She said, "Sir, do you mind if I ask you a question:" "Why, no, Ma'am," said the pilot.: "What is it:" The little old lady said, "Did we land, or were we shot down:"

After a real crusher of a landing in Phoenix , the attendant came on with, "Ladies and Gentlemen, please remain in your seats until Capt. Crash and the Crew have brought the aircraft to a screeching halt against the gate. And, once the tire smoke has cleared and the warning bells are silenced, we'll open the door and you can pick your way through the wreckage to the terminal." *

Part of a flight attendant's arrival announcement: "We'd like to thank you folks for flying with us today. And, the next time you get the insane urge to go blasting through the skies in a pressurized metal tube, we hope you'll think of US Airways."20. Heard on a Southwest Airline flight. "Ladies and gentlemen, if you wish to smoke, the smoking section on this airplane is on the wing and if you can light 'em, you can smoke 'em."

Canadian News

(I meant to post this earlier, but there was no time to do so)

Yes! The Anti-Terrorism Act has been declared unconstitutional! Most of it, anyway...

(I wanted to link directly to the site of the newspaper where I read it first, but it's subscriber-only)

*In the ruling, Justice Douglas Rutherford of Ontario Superior Court "severed" the clause in the Anti-Terrorism Act dealing with ideological, religious or political motivation for illegal acts and left the rest of the law in place.
"The Superior Court annulled the definition of terrorist activity under Canada's Charter of Rights and Freedoms, specifically the provision in the act that requires proof that a person was motivated by ideological, religious or political purpose in the activity for which they've been charged," justice department spokesman Christian Girouard said.
"Essentially, this ruling means there is no definition of terrorism," he said.*

That's one good thing, al-Hamdulillaah. Next, we need to get rid of the security certificate. It's just wrong to hold people for an indefinite period of time without even telling them what they're guilty of, and not showing them the evidence against them.

Also, people are finally realizing that Canada isn't really doing what it's supposed to be doing in Afghanistan. I'd link to the article, but again, it's subscriber-only... but here, I've typed out most of it for you to read.

*Canada is too slow in its rebuilding of Afghanstan; by Susan Riley

International development minister Josee Verner's surprise visit to Afghanistan on the weekend had exactly the opposite effect as was intended. Instead of showcasing the Canadian International Development Agency's reconstruction efforts in the country that is now our major aid recipient, it underscored how uncertain progress has been. Verner was apparently unable to visit any of her department's ongoing projects, due to security concerns and awkward timing. Her trip coincided with 'Eid, a major celebration in the Muslim world, and a holiday even for aid workers. In the end, the minister was confined to heavily guarded premises in Kabul and a staged photo-op with selected girls who were handed new school bags by the minister.

This was meant to symbolize Canada's commitment to the education of girls, but it looked more like bad advance work and tokenism. Nor did it anaswer the question: What is CIDA doing in Afghanistan? We know that close to $1 billion in development assistance has been committed over 10 years (an amount still dwarfed by the military budget).

Senior foreign affairs officials summoned journalists recently for a Power-Point presentation, replete with colourful charts, laying out Canada's development efforts - everything from bridge building to providing microcredit to supporting community governance to polio eradication.

There is no doubt that plans exist on paper, but it is harder to find evidence of concrete results. Khorshied Samad, an American-born journalist married to Afghanistan's ambassador to Canada, insists that CIDA is doing good work in Kabul and elsewhere, and expressed surprise that hte mjinister couldn't get to some of these projects.

She used to work in Kabul as bureau chief for Fox News (that alone should be enough to totally discredit her statements. Just as they declared victory in Iraq, I'll bet they're going to declare victory in Afghanistan) and says 90 percent of the country "is in a peaceful situation, there is progress and people are going about their lives" (I told you they'd be saying something like that...). But the media focuses on the other 10 percent, the war-torn southern region, "so it's making the country sound like it's going to hell in a handbasket" (yeah, I guess suicide bombings where there never used to be suicide bombings, and the pillaging, plundering, and raping done by the militias of warlords who are now members of the Afghan government is nothing much to worry about).

That said, Samada worries that the money CIDA allocates isn't getting to places that need it quickly enough. "That is very frustrating to the Afghan people because their situation is 'I need it yesterday'." She says the West, too, is impatient for results, but the problems are so immense that it will take a generation to repair Afghanistan. As for aid, "a lot of money has gone into the wrong pockets, and that's regrettable," but the majority of Afghans, she says, are honest and desperate for change (oh yes, the Afghans are - the puppet government, like other puppet government, is not).

The Harper government frequently cites women's equality as one rationale for Canada's mission. Samad believes "their hearts are in the right places" (they have hearts?), but notes that CIDA has only earmarked $2 million of its total funding directly for Afghan women.

For MacDonald, the immediate problem is displaced Afghan civilians who are starving in makeshift camps in the south, one of them 15 minutes from the main Canadian base in Kandahar. She doesn't accept that either CIDA nor the military can get food and medical help to these people, who have been displaced by bombing raids, drought, or poverty brought on by the destruction of their poppy farms. "I don't want to hear from the CIDA any more about why they can't (deliver aid). That's what the taxpayers are paying them to do."

Besides responding to humanitarian crisis, emergency aid might win Canadaiends in the area - and greater security for our soldiers, she says. Her organization wants Prime Minister Stephen Harper to push our NATO allies to organize emergency food relief, to appoint a special envoy - someone with a forceful personality - to get turf-concious agencies working together. If the military has to deliver food, she says, why not? "We're at a tipping point and there is no way the Canadian government is being upfront with the Canadian people," (ya think?!) says MacDonald, who has been working in Afghanistan since 2005. "(Kandahar) is a complete war zone." And the Taliban is winning militarily and in the battle for hearts and minds. However, the last thing that she wants is a withdrawal of troops: That, she says, would be abandoning the country to al-Qaeda and the Taliban. But rebuilding efforts have to be more immediate, more visible, more widespread. That is what Samad wants, too.

It is what everyone says they want, including Verner. It is still not clear that is really happening.*

(I know, not the most brilliant of political commentaries, but whatever)

Wow! Can you believe it?! Ramadan and 'Eid have both come and gone!

Insha'Allah everyone had an awesome Ramadan and 'Eid... myself... well, I really shouldn't complain, but I'm in a whiny sort of mood. This Ramadan was, for me, just not very... Ramadan-y. I was stuck in the house most of the time, and even when I went to the Masjid for Taraweeh on the weekends it wasn't that great 'cuz most of the people I don't know, and anyway my friends are in a totally different city, and that just totally sucks.

'Eid, too, was sort of disappointing. When we were still living in my old city, 'Eid day was a big rush. My parents hated it, but I loved the excitement. The night before 'Eid my mum would be frantically cooking up a storm of last minute things, while also answering the phone every 5 minutes to recieve 'Eid greetings from all the people we know, AND running around trying to make sure she hadn't forgotten to pack anything. She'd send my brothers and I off to bed early, but we'd never sleep 'till after midnight, so in the meantime we'd jump on the beds and have a huge pillow fight and sing anasheed on the top of our lungs and then fall back onto the beds wheezing with laughter.

'Eid morning we'd be woken up early. We'd pray Fajr, then run around getting ready, putting on our brand-new 'Eid clothes and trying to get a bite to eat and, in my father's case, wandering around the house going over his 'Eid khutbah and getting in my mother's way, before we were all bundled into the van and zooming off to 'Eid salaah.
Our Islamic centre held 'Eid salaah at whichever hall was available to rent on 'Eid day, since we didn't have a masjid of our own.
Anyhow, when we got there we split up, my mum and I heading over to the women's section while my father and brothers made their way to the men. As soon as we entered the women's section, we were mobbed by all the people we knew, and only just escaped getting hugged and squeezed to death. Eventually we managed to extricate ourselves, relatively unscathed, and found ourselves a spot to sit down... my mum with her best friends, me with mine.
As soon as the Imam uttered the Takbeer to begin salaah, there was a moment of madness when all the people tried to straighten themselves into some semblence of straight rows, and of course the confusion over whose sujaddah was whose. However, things always ended up all right, al-Hamdulillaah.

After salaah my father would give the 'Eid khutbah, and people would sit and listen and nod their heads in agreement, and whenever he cracked a joke half the congregation would bite their tongues trying not to burst into laughter (the converts and youth) and the other half of the congregation would look totally clueless (the first generation immigrants and the Arabs here to study).
And then after the khutbah we'd be in a rush again, my friends and I trying to swap last-minute 'Eid gifts, my mum bidding everyone farewell, and then our family would be running back to the van so that we could go home and load our suitcases into the van and then rush off to catch the ferry to the city where my grandparents live.Once we reached the island we'd go to my granduncle's place (a farm, actually, although currently they have no animals and are instead trying to manage the wilderness that is their backyard), which is where we go every 'Eid 'cuz it's the only place big enough to accomadate all of our family. That's where we'd spend the whole afternoon and evening, eating yummy food and even yummier desserts and just hanging out... usually us kids would get bored after a couple hours, but we'd find something to occupy us.

So yeah, those were our 'old' 'Eids.This 'Eid was totally dull by comparison. No night-before-'Eid madness, no 'Eid-day-craziness... it was... boring, really.

At 'Eid salaah, there were only a fraction of the number of people we used to get at my old city, there was exactly one girl who I could call my friend, and even the other women I know, we just don't share that amazing bond of almost mother-daughter closeness that I have with my mum's friends. I couldn't hear the khutbah because of the children running around screaming. After salaah we went back home, picked everyone else up, then went to my granduncle's place... it was nice, I guess, being with family and all, but it was, I dunno, it felt less special than it usually does. The only thing that sucked was that my mum and I had to stay in hijaab alllll day 'cuz there were non-Mahrams there (family friends), and unfortunately my extended family doesn't really practice segregation of the genders amongst non-Mahrams. I mean, we're all usually in separate rooms, but people will wander in and out...

One of the highlights of the day was our 'Eid loot collection (lol :P). We got money from most people, although I also got 2 lovely blouses and a necklace from my aunt, and my dad's cousin (my second cousin) got me one of those awesome Air Hogs toy planes, which I used to keep myself occupied when I got bored. Let me tell you, it is HARD to run in a skirt and abaayah on bumpy ground. It's even harder wading through grasses and thorns in said abaayah and skirt to rescue the crashed toy plane.
Several members of my extended family were shocked that I actually liked the toy plane, which I think is silly... no, wait, not really. Since we've been living in a different city these last few years, they don't really know me, and that I'm somewhat of a tomboy (or in my grandma's words: bloody tomboy! She means it in the best way possible, though... :P). I always find it funny - upon first meeting me, people think that I'm a quiet sort of girl, the type of girl the older, traditional people are happy with. I look the part, actually, so it's hard to blame them... But then they all get shocked when they discover I'm not like that at all! Their reaction is pretty funny when they find out that I have opinions on political issues (usually differing with their own) and don't like cooking (they look horrified at that - how will I ever find a good South African Indian husband? Little do they know that I have NO intention of marrying one of my cousins or whoever it is they're planning to match me up with).

Anyhow... yeah, that was this year's 'Eid. Quiet, boring... nice, but lacking excitement. Ah, well. Al-Hamdulillaah for what I have, and what I got.

So, what was YOUR 'Eid like?

'Twas the night before 'Eid, and all through the house,

Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse...

'EID MUBARAK, PEOPLE!!!!!!!!!!!!!

TaqabAllahu minna wa minkum!

May God accept (good deeds) from us, and from you!

An Arab Street

On Tariq Ramadan, and Integration/Assimilation

I finally took the time to read one of Tariq Ramadan's articles. For those of you who don't know, Tariq Ramadan is the grandson of Sheikh Hasan al-Banna (may Allah have mercy on him), the founder of the Ikhwaan al-Muslimeen. However, that's not what Tariq Ramadan is famous for. He's more well-known for being a controversial 'moderate' Muslim - on one hand, right-wingers in the West (mostly Europe) denounce him as anti-Semitic, a supporter of terrorism, etc. On the other hand, many Muslims view him with suspicion because of his stances on certain topics.

Personally, I don't know much about him. My dad really doesn't like him; calls him one of those 'progressives' (which is one of the latest terms used as an insult between Muslims these days). Anyhow, due to someone's insistence (:smile:) I went and decided to check him out online quickly.
I've read two articles about him - one is actually an interview with him by some people at Prospect magazine (link: http://www.tariqramadan.com/article.php3?id_article=746&lang=en) and the other is an excerpt from his book "Western Muslims: Isolation or Integration?" (link: http://www.theglobalist.com/StoryId.aspx?StoryId=4702)

I liked the second one best. In it, he makes a lot of good points, and I agree with pretty much all of it (the first one I found a couple things that I disagreed with, but it'll take too long to write about it). The topic is on isolation and integration in the Muslim community (promoting integration).

Isolation, and clinging to cultural practices, isn't very healthy for the Muslim community. But I also think that the issue of 'integrating' into Western society is a serious one, because it is so easy to lose yourself, your identity as a Muslim, when you try too hard to 'fit in' and 'integrate'.

I think that the issue of isolation and integration mostly affects Muslim families, trying to raise Muslim kids (especially teens) in this Western society.
From what I've seen, there are two scenarios that are most common between the Muslim parents and teens:

(1) parents are determined to keep their kids away from Western influences. They invariably fail. At school, with their friends, they're exposed to it, and it affects them. Forbidding them from going anywhere only fosters feelings of anger, resentment, and rebellion.
(2) The parents are oblivious as to what their kids are being exposed to, are happy that their kids are getting along well at school and making friends and all, and think everything's just hunky-dory until one day their son tells them he's got a girlfriend, and their daughter reveals that she's pregnant (maybe that sounds extreme, but it's happened a lot. I know 'cuz my dad, the director of an Islamic centre, had to deal with the freaked out, shell-shocked parents).

As you can see, the first case was one of isolation; the second of integration gone too far.

What we need is to strike a balance.

The first thing is to have a strong Islamic identity, because before we are anything, we are MUSLIMS, who follow the laws of Islam in our private and public lives. We need to know who we are as Muslims, what our beliefs are, what our goals are. We need to educate ourselves Islamically, so that we are grounded in our religion, so we have that guiding compass that we can always trust to keep us on the straight track.It's especially important for Muslim kids to develop and strengthen their own Islamic identity.
This I know from experience, 'cuz I used to go to public school, and even though I wore hijaab and abaayah I didn't have a strong enough Islamic identity to keep myself straight. Let's just say that I made some mistakes I really wish that I hadn't made, but that al-Hamdulillaah I've learned my lesson.
If you don't have a strong Islamic identity, if you don't have Muslim friends who can help strengthen that identity, if you don't have a support group of Muslims who'll always be there to keep a loving, protective eye on you - it can be really, really hard.

(Keep in mind that in developing and strengthening this Islamic identity, it's very important to go to the Masjid or an Islamic centre regularly, to listen to the lectures and to hang out with fellow Muslims - but not to the extent of isolation, which, again, is unhealthy)

Now, when we go to the 'integration' stage, we've got to be cautious.

Integrating does *not* mean compromising your Islamic values and beliefs in favour of Western ones. It does *not* mean doing everything you can to fit in and be like the non-Muslims. It does *not* mean trying to 'modernize' Islam so that it's appealing to the non-Muslims. Because there will always be something about us, or about Islam, that people will not like, or criticize, and we can't change ourselves just to make them happy.

However, that doesn't mean we can't socialize at all with the non-Muslims. I think that we should, to an extent, and we do, everyday, at school or work or whatever. We can't help it.

Anyway, I think it comes down more to *how* we socialize with them, how we act towards them. As Muslims in a non-Muslim country, everyday when we step out of the house we have remember that we are Da'wah machines. The way we speak, the way we act, the way we conduct ourselves... that's all going to make an impression on the non-Muslims we're interacting with, and we need to remember this and take advantage of it. We have to be on our best behaviour. Think of it this way: We aren't just anyone. We are MUSLIMS. We must act in a way that reflects the teachings of Islam, the Sunnah of the Prophet (peace be upon him).

We've got to be friendly, open, willing to answer any questions that non-Muslims may have for us (they always do...) without getting defensive or aggresive. In this way, insha'Allah, they'll realize that Muslims are not *the Other*, but their neighbours whom they do not have to fear.

Another way to boost our image, and to 'integrate', is by becoming more involved in society, making positive contributions.
For example, volunteering at preschools or daycares, food banks, at old-age homes, at shelters... that sort of thing. People will see you and get to know you and appreciate the effort you're making. That's more Da'wah, right there!

My experience, living in Canada for the last 12 years, has been a good one. My family's raised me to be a strong, practicing Muslimah, and with my father being the director of an Islamic centre I was almost always in a good Islamic environment. When we went 'out' and had to deal with non-Muslims, it was pretty easy... if you're polite and kind and prove yourself to be a nice person, most people won't care that you wear hijaab or don't do certain things (like drink alcohol or have girlfriends/boyfriends or whatever).

So you see, it's really quite simple (although, as with other things, it's easier said than done). Always remember that you're a Muslim, always be proud of it, and present an open, smiling face to the non-Muslims.

Basically, follow the Sunnah of the Prophet (peace be upon him).

May Allah help us strengthen our Islam and our Iman, and keep us always upon as-Siraat al-Mustaqeem, ameen!


(I have the niggling feeling that I've forgotten to mention some important points, but I can't for the life of me think what they are... so if you can tell what they are, please do point them out... Shukran!)

Ramadan Reflections

I've noticed something about myself that I'm pretty dismayed about. Often, I get so caught up thinking about the state of the Muslim Ummah, about the problems of the world, that I spend more time worrying about that than focusing on what I should really be paying attention to - myself.
Sometimes it's harder to focus on yourself and your own faults than those of others. It's easy to criticize others, to point out their problems, and be able to say to yourself smugly, "I know exactly how to solve these problems!"
But it is so much harder to turn that criticism to yourself and admit that you aren't doing as much as you should be, that you aren't practicing Islam to your utmost best.

So, I decided to do a little self-evaluating. How good of a Muslimah am I? Am I really trying to implement what I know of Islam? What are things that I should work on?

The results made me cringe and want to hide under my bead in shame. As a general rule, I think I do okay. But further scrutinity reveals that there is a lot I need to work on.

First and foremost, salaah (prayer): It is the one thing that I have the most difficult time with.

Which is pretty embarassing. After all, salaah is the second pillar of Islam, one of the most important parts of Islam.
However, my problem is not so much performing the prayer physically, as spiritually. It's so easy stand, bow, and prostrate, to rattle off the Qur'anic ayaat and the various supplications of Salaah. It is much more difficult to really focus on what you're saying, understanding what you're saying, and actually feeling it.
When I'm tired, or grumpy, or even just eager to go do something else, it's so easy to rush through the salaah, performing the actions and letting my tongue utter the words while I'm really thinking about something else and just trying to get it over with so that I can go do whatever it is I want to do.

There are times when I do feel the salaah, when I do try to perform it correctly - spiritually as well as physically - but the times that I rush through it are far more than the occasions when I feel that I've really done it.

Sometimes, in mid-rush, I realize that what I'm doing is wrong, and I'll slow down and try to concentrate, but in my head I'll still be wanting to just get it over with... and then I feel guilty, 'cuz does that mean I'm not a really good Muslim? I do try, but what do other actions count when you aren't really fulfilling the spiritual goal of salaah?

Even in Ramadan, when you know it's the month of mercy and blessings, when every salaah counts more at this time than it does during the rest of the year... it's still hard for me. I'm too impatient, that's the problem!

Man, being a teenage Muslimah can be really tough... 'cuz on one hand I know a lot of stuff, I know what I should be doing to become a better Muslimah and all, but on the other hand, sometimes I just don't feel like doing it, and there's that nasty little voice saying, "Just pray your fardh and you've done what you have to! Now let's go do something fun!"

Does anyone else have this problem? Pleeeeeeeaaaaaaase tell me that I'm not alone in this... otherwise I will die of shame.

Impatience is what seems to be the root of the problem. Maybe I can attribute it to my youthfulness, maybe I can't... but I like to be on the go, always doing something to keep my hands, and at the very least my mind, occupied. It's hard for me to focus on my 'inner self' and reflect on myself internally and all that stuff. I find spirituality to be difficult. It's hard to sit down, close my eyes, and just... think or feel. The few times I've tried doing that, I either get bored and wander off to do something else, or I start getting sleepy and yawning.

So what do you think? Do you think is just a phase that all teenagers go through, or do I need to do some major self-disciplining and spirital exercising?

Hurry up and tell me, because I'm in agony over it!!!

Your agitated little sister in Islam,
Mouse

Today I learned a lesson.
Humility, and to not talk without proper knowledge.

Sometimes it's hard to realize that you're doing something that you know is wrong. Like talking without proper knowledge - I know, and I should know better, that in Islam, it's wrong to talk about something when you don't know all the details about it. Yet I made that error. Al-Hamdulillaah, though, it was quickly pointed out...

The thing about such lessons is that they're hard to swallow. My first reaction was wounded pride. Anger. Annoyance.

But... I deserved it. Let's just hope I can remember it.

I want to weep. I want to scream. I want to run into the streets and let the world know my anguish.

I see the state of the Muslim Ummah, and my heart is broken. Here in the West, in the Arab world, in other so-called 'Muslim' countries... we are divided, we are ignorant, Twe are obsessed with the trivial even as our brothers and sisters in Islam are being slaughtered every day, even as oppression, injustice, and wrong-doing is commited in the name of our beautiful Islam, and we remain silent, scared of what some people might do to us. We forget that Allah is the Guardian and Protector of the Believers; that there is nothing one man or a thousand men can do to us if Allah does not determine that it should happen; and even if something does happen to us - it is a test from Allah, and something that we will be rewarded for. Nothing happens to a Muslim except that there is good in it, even if we can't see what it is right now.

"If Allah helps you none can overcome you, and if He forsakes you, who is there, after Him, that can help you. And in Allah (alone) let believers put their trust." (Qur'an, 3:160)

"And whosoever fears Allah and keeps his duty to Him. He will make a way for him to get out (from) every (difficulty), and He will provide him from (sources) he could never imagine." (Qur'an, 65:2-3)

[Put your trust in Allah, and Allah is All-sufficient (as a Disposer of affairs.)"] (Al-Ahzab 33:3)

It is reported that the Messenger of God (may peace be upon him) said: "Never is a believer stricken with discomfort, hardship, illness, grief or even with mental worry except that his/her sins are expiated thereby." Sahih Muslim, Book 032, Number 6242

On the authority of Abdullah ibn Abbas: One day I was behind the Prophet (peace be upon him) and he said to me: “Young man, I shall teach you some words of Advise. Be mindful of Allah (God), and Allah will protect you. Be mindful of Allah, and you will find him in front of you. If you ask, ask of Allah. If you seek help, seek help of Allah. Know that if the nation were to gather together to benefit you with anything, it will benefit you only with something Allah had already prescribed for you. And that if they gather together to harm you with anything, they would harm you only with something Allah had already prescribed for you. The pens had been lifted and the pages have dried.”

Why are we scared of the people, but not of God? Why do we seek to please the people, but not God? He, who is most deserving of both our fear and our love!

What makes me angry is when a bunch of people start arguing and fighting because of a difference of opinion. Often it isn't even over a huge issue, but they *make* it a big deal. The fighting gets bitter, to the point that the people involved will start telling other people to stay away from 'them' - 'them' being the people they're arguing with. They call them deviants, they call them hypocrites, they call them all sorts of things. All over something pretty minor.
They refuse to compromise, or to agree to disagree. It's their way or the highway, in their opinion. It makes me furious. This sort of attitude is what only further weakens the Ummah. Instead of screaming at each other, instead of denouncing each other as 'hypocrites' or 'extremists', why can't we try to work out these differences? The Sahaabah used to have differences in opinion, yet they ALWAYS stuck up and stood up for each other. Their views may have been drastically different, but they still loved each other dearly. They didn't let differences get in the way of Islamic brotherhood.

Why can't we realize that? Why can't we see that by having this ridiculously stubborn, pig-headed attitudes, we're doing ourselves more harm than good?

The division in the Muslim Ummah is terrible. So many people going to extremes - the 'progressive Muslims' who want to make everything and everything halaal, who say that Islam needs to be reformed (it doesn't; it is the MUSLIMS who need to be reformed), who throw away centuries of Islamic knowledge in favour of their own 'liberal' interpretations of the Qur'an and Sunnah. And then those who would call everyone who doesn't agree with them kuffaar.
Those who proudly label themselves 'modern Muslims', and those who are happy to be called 'Salafi', 'Wahhabi', 'Jihadi', etc.

Whatever happened to the middle path that the Prophet (SAW) advised us to stick to?Whatever happened to being a part of Ahlus-Sunnah wal Jamaa'ah?

There are those who have little real knowledge about Islam, yet who somehow feel qualified to give their own fataawah or tafseer. They reject aspects of Shari'ah that they feel are 'too harsh' or 'out of date'. They wish to make lawful that which Allah has made unlawful (adultery, for example), and wish to make unlawful what Allah has made lawful (why do they think that adultery should be okay but that polygamy should be illegal?!). They try to explain away verses from the Qur'an, or aHadith that they disagree with.

Yaa Allah, save us from ourselves!

There are those pockets of reasonable, level-headed Muslims who try to stick to the Qur'an and Sunnah and are content with being a part of Ahlus-Sunnah wal Jamaa'ah, who respect the scholars yet do not blindly follow any one madhhab.But I am finding them all too rare... and another thing is that, unlike the 'modernists' and the 'Jihadists', they don't seek the spotlight, and therefore nobody pays much attention to them and what they have to say. Which I think is a pity, because they are the ones we should be listening to.

I think that we really, really, really need to get rid of the "My opinion is correct, and if you don't think so you're a hypocrite/deviant/kaafir!" attitude and replace it with another attitude - that of actually listening to each other, to what the other people have to say.
We have to remain calm and courteous at all times. When discussing something, and if you're disagreeing, what you do is you present your proofs, explain *why* you believe it, and then listen to the other people and their rationale. In the end, you can either agree with each other (yay!) and everything will be peachy, OR, you can agree to disagree (not as good as option 1, but it's better than screaming at each other and calling each other munaafiqs and kuffaar and whatnot).
The main thing is, RESPECT each other. Be RESPECTUL. Calm, courteous, and respectful; that was the attitude of the Prophet (peace be upon him) when he dealt with even the most vile people of Quraish, and that should be our attitude, too.

As people from the Angry Arab blog can attest, that's how I try to act, and al-Hamdulillaah, I think it's done a lot of good. Those who swear at others are always polite to me - even the most hardened Islamophobic, Zionist, racist, etc. I find that pretty cool. Don't you?

As individuals and as an Ummah, we need to change our attitudes, in how we deal with each other, and with non-Muslims. If we all changed our attitudes to be like that of the Prophet's, that would be a wonderful first step towards changing the situation of the Muslim Ummah - for the better, insha'Allah.

So in summary:
The sad state of the Muslim Ummah sucks. Division in the Muslim Ummah sucks. Going to extremes sucks. Can't we all just stop arguing and get along?

“The most beloved to me and the closest to me on the Day of Resurrection will be those of you who have the best attitudes. And the most hateful to me and the furthest from me on the Day of Resurrection will be the prattlers and boasters and al-mutafayhiqun.” The Sahabah said, “O Messenger of Allah(sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam), we understand who the prattlers and boasters are, but who are al-mutafayhiqun?” He(sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) said, “The proud and arrogant.”
Reported by Tirmidhi, 4/249, in Abwab al-birr, 70, classified as hasan.

Muslim Men and Activism

All right, so last time, I talked about Muslim women and the need for us to get out there, start learning our Deen, and doing some major Da'wah, in our own communities first and foremost. In post, I'm going to deal with the guys, and the roles they ought to be playing in combating the issues we're dealing with in our Ummah.

As many of my respected commentators pointed out, it's the men who are pretty much in charge, and the men who need to do more in dealing with the problems within our communities. If the men start laying down the law - Shari'ah law, in its correct form - then I'm sure that we'd see a big change in the state of the Muslim Ummah.

So... where do we start? There are two places where I think this Islamic reform of our communities needs to take place: the Masjid, and the home.

At the Masjid, the Imaams and the Shuyookh need to teach the people true Islam - not 'cultural Islam', not 'progressive Islam', none of that. True Islam, as we have been taught by the Qur'an, the Sunnah, and the consensus of the Islamic scholars. Starting with the basics of Islam (an explanation of the Hadith of Jibreel is excellent - it's like a summarization of what Islam is as a whole) - the concept of Tawheed, the fundamentals of our 'Aqeeda, and then going to the Qur'an and Sunnah as a guide on how to live as a good Muslim, wherever we may be living.

At home, we must take the knowledge from the Masjid and IMPLEMENT IT. The knowledge is of no use to us if we don't act on it.

As the Hadith says:
{It is related from 'Abdullah that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, "All of you are shepherds and each of you is responsible for his flock. The amir in charge of the people is a shepherd and he is responsible for them. *A man is a shepherd in his family and is responsible for them.* The woman is a shepherd in her husband's house and children and is responsible for them. The servant is a shepherd of his master's property and is responsible for it. All of you are shepherds and each of you is responsible for his flock." (Sahih Bukhari, #2416}

This is where the role of the man comes in - the man, the shepherd of his family, has to make sure that Shari'ah is implemented in his household, fully and correctly. Mind you, it shouldn't be done harshly, because being harsh and unkind is what turns people away from Islam rather than drawing them towards it.
So like the shepherd, the man must manage his family, firmly but gently keeping them on the correct path. And, of course, he himself must be the best example that he can be, because actions speak louder than words.

The Imams in the Masjid, and the men in the homes, have to make sure that everyone - men, women, and children - know what their rights and responsibilities are in Islam. For example, the man has to know what his responsibilities to his women and children are, as well as his rights over them; the woman must know what her rights and responsibilities are towards her husband and children; and even kids need to know that they have responsibilities and rights over their parents.

Honestly, I'm sure many - if not most - Muslims don't know exactly what their rights and responsibilities are in Islam, which is a shame, really, because this is something we NEED to know as Muslims, 'cuz it's all part of our awesome religion, and we'll be held accountable for it on the Day of Judgement. Remember, it's our OBLIGATION to seek knowledge, ESPECIALLY religious knowledge.

I think it'd be really, really awesome if the Imams and Shuyookh of all the Masaajid and Islamic centres organized events or courses or lectures or whatever, to teach the Muslim community about this particular subject - the rights and responsibilities of the individual in Islam. What do you think?

Anyway, yeah. Correct implementation of Shari'ah must start in the home.

Now, back to the original topic - men getting involved in activism in our community. In the West, we have many, many Shuyookh who ARE extremely involved in the Muslim community, doing a LOT to educate the Muslims - people like Bilal Philips, Anwar al-Awlaki (I looooove his lectures!), Yasir Qadhi, Yasir Ibrahim, and so on. They do amazing work, traveling to give lectures, attending conferences, etc. They devote great time and effort into doing these things for the Muslim community, often for nothing except reward from Allah subhaanahu wa ta'aala - and may Allah reward them abudantly indeed!

However, I think that with issues such as honour killing, or rather general discrimination against women, these things are found most commonly in the Muslim world (not that it doesn't happen
at all here in the West, but it's far less common), and THAT is where a lot more men need to start educating their fellow men. I mean, even if the women know that not letting girls get an
education, or making them get married to someone they don't like, or not letting them participate in activities that are halaal, or honour killings and stuff are unIslamic, doesn't mean that the men know - and some men, even if their women tell them it's unIslamic and provide the proof for it too, just won't listen to a woman in these matters.

And that's why the Imaams and Shuyookh over there need to start getting active in combating these issues... because they have the power, the influence, to make those men realize that some of the things they're doing are unIslamic and that they need to change the way they behave towards their girls and women. These things may be taboo issues, but they MUST be addressed. As Muslims, we have the obligation to enjoin good and forbid evil. So again, it falls to those with the greatest power and influence - in this case the men - to address these issues and work towards resolving them.

Islam gives men responsibilities towards women, that they must fulfill. It is also the responsibility of Muslim men to encourage this fulfillment of their duties towards their female counterparts - for does not God command us to "Enjoin the good, and forbid the evil"?

O Muslim men, fear Allah and the Day of Judgement! Fulfill your responsibilities to your sisters in Islam! Give them the rights that God gave them - and if you do not, then indeed you will be one of the oppressors!

Hadith Qudsi #17:

On the authority of Abu Dharr al-Ghifari (may Allah be pleased with him) from the Prophet(peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) is that among the sayings he relates from his Lord(may He be glorified) is that He said:

"‘O My servants, I have forbidden oppression for Myself and have made it forbidden amongst you, so do not oppress one another..." (Narrated by Muslim)

“And who does more wrong than he who invents a lie against Allaah? Such will be brought before their Lord, and the witnesses will say, ‘These are the ones who lied against their Lord!’ No doubt! The curse of Allaah is on the zaalimoon (polytheists, wrong-doers, oppressors, etc.).” [Surah Hood 11:18]

The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: “Every deed of the human being is for himself and its reward is multiplied for him from ten to seven hundred times. Allah says: ‘Except for fasting, for truly it is for Me and I alone will reward it, for verily he abandoned his desires, his food, and his drink for my sake.’ The one who fasts experiences two joys, one upon breaking his fast and one when he meets his Lord. Surely the breath of the fasting person is sweeter to Allah than the fragrance of musk.” [Sahîh al-Bukhârî and Sahîh Muslim]

Ramadan Resolutions

It's Ramadan!!!!!!! That amazing, glorious month, full of blessings just waiting to be racked up That month in which God closes the gates of Hell and throws open the gates of Paradise... when the shayaateen, the devils, are chained up and we have only ourselves to battle.
And that's the hard part, isn't it? Fighting ourselves, our nafs, our whims and desires. That's why I've decided to make a list of Ramadan Resolutions. Ramadan is gonna be extra-hard for me this year, because it's in this new city, away from aaaaaaaaall my friends and the Islamic centre we used to go to for Iftaars on weekends and for Taraweeh, and we don't even have a house yet (we're staying with my grandparents), and I feel like I'm going to go crazy (I've been feeling that way for the last 2 1/2 months, though... that's how long we've been here, and STILL no house!) and it's just not going to be the same as the last several Ramadans... *Sniffles*

Anyway... here are this year's Ramadan Resolutions!

1: Control my temper and my tongue. One of the hardest things to do, especially when I'm 'in a mood' and lonely and bored and grumpy and missing home and ready to cry...

2: Read a lot more Qur'an. Go over Juz 'Ammah, improve recitation and memorization. Start memorizing Juz Tabaarak.

3: Help around the house more often. I really should do more chores to ease the burden from my mom and grandparents.

4: Spend less time on the Internet and more time doing other stuff (like reading Qur'an and other Islamic books or helping around the house). I need to majorly cut down on the time I spend reading blogs... but I'm going to continue to blog, because sitting down and writing out posts is for me a way to organize my thoughts and clear out my head, and I always feel better after doing so.

5: Try to really 'feel' the spirit of Ramadan, even though I don't have my friends to help me out.
Having them around always made things so much easier... I dunno, but I always felt that my Imaan level went up around them, 'cuz we'd be talking about Islam all the time, and sharing that amazing bond of Islamic sisterhood helped me sooo much, made it easier to remember Allah all the time and control myself and just be a better Muslimah...


Well, those are the five things that I can think of right now. If you've got anything to add (and I'm sure you do!), more resolutions or tips on how to accomplish them, please do tell...

May this Ramadan be an amazingly fantastically awesome one for all of us, and may we benefit from it in every way possible, emerging stronger in faith and purified in soul... ameen!

The Messenger

(No, not Messenger as in Prophet, but messenger as in someone who delivers messages...)

On Canada’s Military Involvement in Afghanistan – and Why We Should Stop It

(Version 2 of my English essay; I scrapped version 1 but incorporated parts of it into this one)

For the first time in many, many years, Canada is involved in a military campaign – Afghanistan, the first country to get blown to bits in the name of the ‘War on Terror’.
There are many reasons for which we are in Afghanistan, we are told by our government. The main three reasons are: defending our national interests, ensuring Canadian leadership in world affairs, and helping to rebuild Afghanistan. Of course, there are also the other reasons – fighting ‘terrorism’, supporting our ally America, and, of course, bringing freedom and democracy to Afghanistan. And even more reasons: dealing with the drug trade in Afghanistan (which is responsible for almost half of the world’s cocaine), giving Canadian soldiers some real combat practice, and gaining respect from the rest of the world.
Sounds great, doesn’t it? Except that if we look closely at each of these reasons, if we really analyze them, we’ll find that they’re all flawed. Fatally flawed, even. And by the time we’re finished, we’ll realize just why our military involvement in Afghanistan is doing far more harm to us – and to the Afghans – than good.
The logical way to start is, of course, at the beginning. In this case, it would be why there’s a war in Afghanistan in the first place. Everybody knows that after 9/11 happened, America was mad, and needed to take it out on someone. They turned to Afghanistan, where the alleged mastermind of the 9/11 attacks Usama bin Laden –casually referred to by many as OBL – was said to be hanging out. America, practically frothing at the mouth, declared that the Taliban must hand him over – or else. The Taliban – quite reasonably, in my opinion – asked for evidence of Bin Laden’s crimes. America refused to do so. Then the Taliban offered that they would hand over Bin Laden to a neutral country, where he would be brought to trial in a court of justice. Again, America refused. What happened to democracy and diplomacy then? America threw it out the window, preferring instead to declare war on Afghanistan. Once again, a country ravaged by war for decades, just barely on the brink of recovery, was plunged into death and destruction.
In 2001, then-Canadian-Prime Minister Jean Chretien declared that Canada would join America in its ‘war on terror’, for many of the reasons stated above. And thus began Canada’s military involvement in Afghanistan, which has been the cause of much controversy and heated debate amongst Canadians.
Let us now begin our decomposition of the reasons for which we are in Afghanistan. Number One: fighting terrorism. This is the main reason, one which even most anti-war activists acknowledge, however reluctantly.
The truth is that since the launch of the ‘War on Terror’, terrorism has, in fact, only grown. Attacks in Bali, Britain, Spain, and elsewhere have proven it. The war has given the so-called ‘Jihadists’ more excuses to do what they are doing.
If we truly want to fight terrorism, war is not the way to do it. As everyone should know, when you have a problem, you have to deal with the cause of the problem, not just the symptoms. And with this particular issue, with the ‘war on terror’, it is even more so. These attacks happened. But why? Deal with the root causes, and you’re on your way to eliminating the issue altogether. Many books have been written on this topic, so I shall suffice with just a sentence to quickly summarize it: the root cause of OBL’s ‘brand of terror’ (as some have called it) is not a desire to take over the world, but anger at the plight of Muslims all over the world, who are suffering under cruel dictators and tyrannical regimes (most of which, by the way, are approved of by the West, Egypt’s Husni Mubarak and Pakistan’s General Musharraf being two cases in point) and whose situations have either been instigated by, ignored by, and/or taken advantage of by the West. If the West – specifically America - just stopped once, evaluated their foreign policies and their impact on the Muslim world, they’d realize just why they’re hated by so many people. The next step would be to change their policies so that they’re less self-serving and show more compassion for the people of the countries they’re mucking about it… although maybe that’s just too much wishful thinking.
The point is, the so-called war on terror isn’t working. It is attacking the symptoms, not the cause, and as long as that continues, the war will continue, and people will continue to die needlessly.
National security is another point that the pro-war people bring up in defence of the war. However, studies have shown that the threat of terrorist attacks in Canada has risen since we have entered Afghanistan on a military mission. The alleged plot by the 17 young men in Ontario simply highlights this fact.
Once pretty much ignored by the ‘terrorists’, viewed as a neutral sort of country not really worth noticing, we have now become, in their eyes, on par with America, the ‘Great Satan’. We are now considered their supporters, partners in crime, and as such, a legitimate target – and as a Canadian citizen, I find that very worrying.
A member of the Taliban, Mullah Dadullah, who appeared on al-Jazeera TV, stated: "Our main enemy is the United States. As for Canada and the other countries - we have no historical enmity with them. But if they want to come here as fighting forces, we will view them just as we view the Americans, and will conduct resistance against them. But if they return to where they came from, and withdraw their forces from here, we will not view them like the Americans, but as countries which we have nothing to do with."
This clearly shows that they wish no ill against us, have no grudge against us, and would gladly leave us alone if we just left them alone. Wouldn’t it be so much better for us if we stopped military activity and resumed the role of peacekeeping, humanitarian aid givers? The lives of our soldiers would be spared, and more could be done to help the Afghan people – which is supposed to be our main goal anyway – if we stopped spending so much money on military ventures and focused more on the humanitarian aid we should be providing.
Not only that, but as NDP leader Jack Layton said in his statement to the Canadian public on August 31st of this year, our defence dollars are going towards the war in Afghanistan instead – leaving us, the Canadian public, less secure. So much for national security!
Now, let’s move onto the issue of our ‘national interests’ in Afghanistan. If we look closely, we’ll see that we don’t have national interests in Afghanistan. We do not share borders with them, we do have any disputes with them, nothing. The only ‘national interest’ we have in Afghanistan is that of colonizing it – not in the traditional sense, perhaps, of sending Canadians to live there and establish it as ‘Canadian land’ – but in the imperialist sense of making it a base of power for ourselves, of making sure that our personal interests are catered to, rather than doing what’s best for the Afghanis, of controlling the affairs of others.
This thought is extremely troubling, and we as Canadians – as human beings! – ought to be concerned and yes, even alarmed. Imperialism is something that benefits only some and harms many, and in this case especially, if the Canadian government continues in its attempt to be more like America to the point that its willing to adopt even its ideology – an ideology which, by the way, can be considered to be the reason behind widespread anger and hatred towards America around the world – be sure that there will be serious consequences. Nobody likes an imperialist – especially the victims of imperialism, who have a tendency to rise up against the imperialist forces and harm them severely. And if the Canadian government tries to follow in America’s footsteps and impose Canadian imperialism over Afghanistan, then what we can expect is for our country, at some time in the future, to suffer.
People do not take kindly to having their affairs managed by those who care nothing about the people and everything about the power and wealth that they have, and when the people get sick and tired of being taken advantage of, they will fight back, and few revolutions have shown much mercy to the imperialist oppressors being removed. Is this what we want for Canada, now or in the future? Certainly not!
Therefore, for our government to use the ‘national interests of Canada’ as an excuse to impose Canadian imperialism in Afghanistan is highly irresponsible and furthermore, in no way beneficial to our national interests – which is first and foremost to keep our country and our citizens safe from all harm – but is indeed contrary to that very goal.
A slogan popularly trumpeted in the marketing of the war in Afghanistan is that of “Bringing freedom and democracy to a failed state!”
Well, if you call a puppet government made up of warlords and drug lords, who have almost zero power outside of the capital city, and who cannot leave their own houses with an entourage of bodyguards, a democracy – pat yourself on the back for a job well done.
But if you, like me, disagree with that definition of ‘freedom and democracy’, then by looking at the state of Afghanistan today we can swiftly conclude that our military involvement in Afghanistan has done far more harm than good. Afghanistan today is ten times worse than it ever was under the Taliban. Contrary to what everyone says, life for the average Afghani has NOT improved.
Outside of Kabul, women and girls still do not go to school, or walk around freely, as RAWA (Revolutionary Association of the Women of Afghanistan) reports. If anything, they are in even more danger, of being kidnapped and raped by the lawless militias that roam the countryside. Men still cannot find work, are still unable to provide even the basic necessities of life for their families. Reports by Amnesty International’s Children’s Rights Section say that children are regularly kidnapped, held for ransom, and killed if their demands are not fulfilled swiftly.
That’s not all. The drug trade – yet another reason for which the Canadian government says we’re in Afghanistan, to try and destroy the drug trade – is blooming. Opium crops have doubled since the war, and there are alarming statistics that link America’s presence – and that of its allies – with the increasing success of the drug trade. Some suspect that the CIA, or at the very least American soldiers, are involved in smuggling cocaine back into the States; others point out the relationship between the Americans and the drug lords of Afghanistan, who have grown in power and wealth and are exploiting it disgustingly at the expense of the average Afghani.
However, what little action being taken against the drug trade is not being done in a proper manner. The Senlis Council, an international policy think tank that works in the fields of foreign policy, security, and counter-narcotics, the current counter-narcotics policies being implemented by the ‘international community’ are doing more to harm Afghanis – for whom poppy cultivation is one of the few sources of income – and not doing much damage to the actual drug trade. As a result, there continues to be a terrible poverty crisis in Afghanistan – a crisis that Canada could be doing more to solve.
The one thing that most Canadians support, or approve of, as a reason for our presence in Afghanistan is that of helping to rebuild Afghanistan. But as we have seen, Afghanistan today is worse than it was under the Taliban.
And I ask you: do the construction of homes, schools, hospitals, and so on require soldiers? What does making life better for the Afghanis, by helping supply them with basic necessities, have to do with violence? We could be doing a lot more to help the Afghanis if we stopped spending so much money on the military and more on humanitarian aid. Instead, we are spending money on military ventures that are simply creating more enemies against us – something very important to remember in this respect is the fact that many of the so-called ‘terrorists’, the ‘rebels’, are simply civilians who don’t take kindly to having a zillion trigger-happy soldiers riding in big tanks trampling the countryside and shooting at them.
More blood is shed, more lives ended, more hearts broken, more widows made, in a country that has seen too much of blood, death, broken hearts and widows.
By killing their fathers, brothers, and sons, we are not helping the Afghanis. We are only turning more of them against us. It is time for us to put down our guns, and focus solely on providing humanitarian aid. Let us give the Afghanis what they really need – the basic necessities of life, and the tools for a better future – and stop this senseless killing.
No matter what people may say – that we are defending freedom, that we are fighting the enemies of freedom, that we are spreading democracy, that we are a people who stand by their allies and do not ‘cut and run’ – the blunt truth is that for Canada to be involved militarily in Afghanistan does little good and much harm. People are dying for no reason but that they dare to fight back against an invading army that showed utter disrespect for diplomacy; even if they surrender, they can expect torture, and even death (numerous reports have proven that American-run prisons torture inmates on a regular basis, and 800 Taliban soldiers who had surrendered were mercilessly killed by the Americans in November 2001).
The Americans have a very, very bad track record, in both Afghanistan and Iraq, and even though they may be our allies, we as Canadians cannot support them when they do things contrary to our beliefs and international law. Organizations like the Human Rights Watch have proven that America has been using cluster bombs in Afghanistan, which pose a serious danger to innocents more than to any ‘terrorists’; whole villages have been bombed, only for the American army to say later on that it was a ‘mistake’, the result of ‘misinformation’; and other such examples. Can we, in our right minds, support this kind of thing?! Absolutely not! It goes against everything that we believe in as Canadians, as human beings! Nothing, absolutely nothing, justifies such crimes against humanity. And this is something that we must remember, lest we fall prey to war supporters who loudly cry that we have to fight the ‘terrorists’ by any means necessary. The end does not justify the means!
In another desperate bid to gather support for the war, the Prime Minister and other proponents of the war claim that Canada must be involved in Afghanistan, to show the world that Canada is not content to watch from the sidelines.
Yet to establish Canadian leadership in world affairs, we did not have to follow a country well-known for its brashness and disrespect for others and embroil ourselves in a very sticky situation out of which there is no getting out of easily. Canadians have always been proud of the fact that we are a country that hates war and loves peace, that does whatever it can in the political arena to try and resolve disagreements between angry countries. And now? Now we’re starting to be known as “America’s shadow”. Our reputation, once one that was greatly respected all around the world, is now sneered at, looked down upon, viewed with derision. People are disappointed in us. We are disappointed in ourselves.
If we really want to be good leaders in world affairs, we should not be giving into peer pressure from the U.S. and doing whatever they tell us to. We should stand up, make our own decisions, choose our own course, and be an example to the rest of the world by showing that good leaders don’t have to show their power by the force of their military, but by daring to lay down weapons and start actively, peacefully, working towards peace. Words, not weapons! That is what our motto ought to be.
Lastly, there are those people crass enough to say that a benefit of our military involvement in Afghanistan is that our soldiers are getting ‘real’ combat practice. To me – and no doubt to anyone with a conscience – that is absolutely disgusting. Keep in mind that ‘real’ combat practice involves hurting and killing people – many of whom, we have seen from reports, are actually civilians and not the ‘terrorists’ they claim that they’re fighting. Real people, innocent men, women, and children, who did nothing wrong but were unfortunate enough to be in the wrong place at the wrong time.
The logical thing to do, the moral thing to do, is to stop fighting and start helping. It is time for us to put down our guns, and focus solely on providing humanitarian aid. Let us give the Afghanis what they really need – the basic necessities of life, and the tools for a better future – and stop this senseless killing.
By pursuing military activity, we are only hurting ourselves – our national interests are not being defended or served; the excuse of establishing Canadian leadership in world affairs is ridiculous, and if we really wanted to be good leaders in world affairs, we’d stop fighting and start negotiating; and as long as we keep fighting and killing Afghanis – because the Taliban are Afghanis, and although they certainly weren’t perfect, they rescued the country while it was on the brink of destruction after the Soviet war, which was better than what America and other Western countries did – we will not be helping rebuild Afghanistan to the best of our ability.
As a Muslim and as a Canadian, I believe that the right thing to do is for Canada to withdraw from all military activity and concentrate its efforts on humanitarian aid. Canada cannot be a participant in an unjust war, and to continue involvement only compromises our national security and does more harm than good. Furthermore, there are many Canadians who think the way I do – and as Canadians, whose fellow citizens are being sent off to fight and die in a country and a war that isn’t ours, we ought to have the right to pull our army out of there.
In short, our military involvement in Afghanistan is counterproductive to our goals and interests.

The Snake Charmer

Responding to Provocations

Argh... you know what is really, really embarassing? When something happens - like the Danish cartoons, and now the Pope and his anti-Islam comments - and we Muslims get all mad and offended... and with good reason, but some people (a lot of people...) react in a way that isn't really fitting for Muslims to act. It makes me cringe when I hear of Muslims freaking out and trashing buildings and burning flags and stuff... and, of course, it just gives the non-Muslims a worse view of us, and people like Daniel Pipes and his rabble-rousing ilk have more fodder to use against us, and they can say, "You see! These Muslims are barbaric, backwards people!Islam is evil!"

At times like this, we Muslims can only blame ourselves for our bad image. Why can't people control their tempers?! The Prophet (peace be upon him) had the Mushrikeen of the Quraish throw the innards of a camel on him, but HE didn't go on rampage! Why can't we follow his example? Why can we not control ourselves, and realize that by acting in this way, we're bringing more harm upon OURSELVES?

What we need to do is react in a very controlled manner... no riots and rampages, but make it clear to the people responsible that what they have done is NOT acceptable. The leaders of Muslim countries should recall their ambassadors and diplomats, the Shuyookh should tell the people not to react violently, but intellectually - and to make lots of du'aa, 'cuz that was the Prophet's weapon, and that should be OUR weapon. In the West, I think Muslims are dealing with it fairly well... we have our organizations calling for apologies, and we don't have the riots... but in the Muslim world - yaa ikhwatil Muslimeen, we cannot act in this manner! Do you think that the Prophet (peace be upon him) would be proud of the way we're acting? Do you think that he would approve of it? If he stopped his Companions from reacting strongly to the Quraish, do you think that if he was alive today, he would allow us to act in this way? Laa wallah! Attacking churches? People, it's haraam to do so! The Prophet (peace be upon him) forbade the attacking of places of worship during war - and if it's forbidden in war, is it not even more so during times of peace? It only inflames matters, makes it harder for us to solve the problem...

So please, please, please: STOP IT! Stop rioting! Stop attacking people! Stop firebombing churches! This behaviour is totally contrary to the Sunnah of the Prophet (peace be upon him), and it does not help us in any way. It only harms our cause.Remember, WE, the MUSLIM UMMAH, are REPRESENTATIVES of Islam. So if we freak out and start trashing buildings and attacking churches and so on, it only makes the non-Muslims think that Islam is evil and Muslims are violent. That is NOT true, as we all know. But because of our behavior, that's what they think.

On the Day of Judgement, would you like to be standing before God and admit that because of YOUR behaviour, you drove people away from Islam rather than giving Da'wah in the proper manner of the Prophet (peace be upon him)? Huh?

So think about that, before you go and tarnish the image of Islam even further. All right?

Now, to address any non-Muslims who may be reading this... what many of those Muslims are doing, attacking churches and so on, is NOT condoned by Islam. In fact, much of their behaviour is forbidden in Islam. But the reason that they're reacting in that manner is because, well, that's the only way they know how to react. They live in countries that are poor, ruled by tyrants, almost never allowed to express their opinions. Only in situations like these are they allowed to let loose their emotions - because the despotic rulers don't really give a damn about the issue, and they think it's a good way to let the people let off steam without harming them (the rulers).
Also, many of these people are ignorant as to the proper adaab (manner) of reacting to situations like these... Islam advises calmness and good manners even in times when our religion is being insulted, but not all Muslims know that, or follow that.
The thing that must be kept in mind is that not all Muslims behave the way that Islam tells them to. The actions of a people are not necessarily condoned by the religion they follow - and that's especially true with Islam.

So I ask you, please, don't judge Islam based on what Muslims do, because what Muslims do isn't always in accordance with Islam. If you really want to learn about Islam, do some independent research... and don't go to sites like Jihadwatch for your info, 'cuz you'll just get told that Islam's a religion of violence and evil and rubbish like that. A good place to start your search - http://www.islam-qa.com/ (you'll find a link to the English section), http://www.islamway.com/ (same as the last site, you'll find where to get directed to the english part of the websites), http://www.islamtoday.com/, http://www.sultan.org/.

So, ummm, yeah... don't judge Islam based on the nasty things some Muslims do. Go do some real research, from authentic sources.
Or, you could just ask me, your friendly neighborhood Muslim Mouse! :)

Muslim Women and Activism

I've been thinking about this particular subject quite a bit lately... women's rights, especially Muslim women's rights, is a big thing now. People like Irshad Manji, Ayaan Hirsi Ali, Asra Nomani, and Amina Wadud are all aplauded by the Western media because they 'dare' to 'speak out against discrimination of women in Islam'. People call them 'heroines', 'examples of strong Muslim women', etc. And why? Because under the guise of 'reforming Islam', they are trying to destroy it. They accuse the Qur'an and Sunnah of being 'misogynistic', of being discriminatory against women, of treating women as 'second-class citizens'. And what's worse is, many Muslims actually support them, too.

Reading about people like them make me cringe. But sometimes I can also sort of understand where they're coming from. In their calls for 'reform' they cite examples of things in the Muslim world that DO discriminate against women. But the thing is, those things are cultural practices, not accepted by Islam. Like honour killings, or forcing girls into marriage, or the 'blood-on-marriage-sheet' virginity test... all of these things are CULTURAL PRACTICES, not Islamic ones - even if people use the name of Islam to justify those practices. Yet it is because of these things that people the likes of whom I mentioned above get away with saying what they say and doing what they do.

And this raises a very important question: what are we going to do about it? By 'we' I refer to the Muslim Ummah in general, and Muslim women specifically.
There are two things that we must do: First, fully acknowledge that we DO have these problems. Many people refuse to believe that these things are happening, and others just turn a blind eye to it because, well, it's one of those cultural taboo issues.

The second thing we need to do is, after raising awareness of these isssues, we have to sit down and think about how to solve these issues, ISLAMICALLY. Then we stop talking and actually DO SOMETHING.

So: how do we solve these issues? We need people from the different cultures - Arab, Pakistani/Indian, African, etc. - to come forward, really learn about Islam and what it has to say on the different topics, and then go back out there and start teaching the people of their culture that many of the things they're doing are Islamically incorrect. Forget about Da'wah to the non-Muslims; it is Muslims themselves who are in dire need of it. We need people who speak the language, know the culture, and know how to communicate with their people. We need both men and women to do this job, because both men and women play a role in carrying out these cultural traditions.
Furthermore, we need to establish Islamic support groups, so that those people - especially girls - who feel that their family or whoever is trying to impose unIslamic things on them have others to turn to, people who will sympathize with them, try to help them, improve their situation, and at the very least, will show true Islamic love for them, thus strengthening the bonds of Islamic brother- and sister-hood.

Also, I think that Muslim women - REAL Muslim women, who really practice Islam and wear proper hijaab (as in, not just a flimsy little piece of cloth paired with tight pants and shirts and faces caked with makeup) - need to start getting really active in their local Muslim communities. We need more women studying Islam (as in, actually going to Islamic universities) and providing strong foundations for their Muslim communities, especially in working with fellow
Muslimah women and teenagers, who have a LOT of problems that need to be addressed and dealt with. Women whose role models are the Ummahaat al-Mu'mineen (Mothers of the Believers, used to refer to the wives of the Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him), the Sahaabiyyaat (female Companions of the Prophet), Maryam Umm-'Eesa (Mary, mother of Jesus), and Aasiyah the wife of Fir'aun (the Pharoah mentioned in the story of Moses): these are the women whom the Ummah is in desperate need of. Stop taking Oprah, J. Lo, and Tyra Banks as your role models, and start taking the great Muslim women of the past as your role models!

O Muslim women, where are you? Why do you not aspire to be like those women whom God has said were the best women in the world? Aasiyah, Maryam, Khadijah, Fatima... chosen by God and purified and raised in status above all other women!
Where are the Aasiyahs, the Maryams, the Khadijahs, the Fatimas, of today? You want to know why Muslim women are viewed as poor, oppressed, brainwashed slaves? It's because we, the Muslim women of this Ummah, have strayed from the Qur'an and Sunnah. It is because WE have stopped aspiring to be like the great women of Islam in the past. It is because WE have been content with seeking the material things of the Dunyah, of this world, that will be of no use to us when we die. It is because WE have stopped seeking that which will lead us to Paradise. It is because WE have allowed others to take advantage of us; because WE have not educated ourselves regarding our roles, our rights, our responsibilites, in Islam.

If we are to blame anyone, we must blame ourselves. No one is responsible for our situation but ourselves. So now, let us stop complaining about our situation, and do something about it. Let us educate ourselves about our religion, and let us go out and do as the Ummahaat al-Mu'mineen did, as the Sahaabiyyaat did. Go out there, and educate others. Work with your fellow sisters in Islam, teach them their religion, help solve their problems, provide support, and strengthen the bonds of sisterhood in Islam. And in this way, we will improve ourselves, and the Ummah, and THEN we can expect our sad situation to change for the better - insha'Allah. After all, God helps those who help themselves.

May Allah help us all become better Muslims, and help us help make the world a better place, and improve our situation as an Ummah, and make us successful in this world and in the Hereafter... Ameen!