I pass by it every time I go shopping to the fashion district in downtown Los Angeles, you cannot avoid it. Right past the diamond district and the wholesale flower market in the richest country in the world, in one of the richest state’s richest counties, under the shadow of Hollywood actors’ condos is the human stain that is Skid Row. You forget that you are in the US when you enter the urine-drenched, graffiti covered streets of the homeless capital of the world. There is nothing like this anywhere in the country: complete desolation for 50 blocks. Ten of thousands of homeless individuals on the streets, shopping carts full of their only possessions. Signs etched in the parking meters demark territories, while blue tarps cover makeshift cardboard box condos. Trash is strewn on every corner. They come here waiting to die, the addicts, the mentally ill, war veterans but many are there crippled by financial crisis or foreclosures. Some can’t get a job even if they want to because they do not have an address; it is a vicious cycle that they may get trapped into for years. Other have jobs but cannot afford housing.

The guilt of speeding past them, ignoring them, scared to look lest one of them caught my eye, haunted me.  Back in Pakistan you would just feed someone who was so obviously hungry.  “They have a right over you, you live in this country,” whispered my soul. I started volunteering at our local homeless shelter. “Not in our backyard” signs cropped up, funding dried up and they shut it down after the worst of winter was over. What now?

Then I found out about Humanitarian Day – an event that allows me to put my Islamic beliefs of charity into practice, one the organizers choose to hold in the month of Divine Rahmah, Ramadan.

Click here to view the embedded video.

From the press release: “The Los Angeles Muslim Community under the banner “Coalition to Preserve Human Dignity (CPHD)” successfully reflect true Islamic principles around social/ civic duties by engaging in America’s domestic problems. Collectively organizing supporting resources; both intra and interfaith organizations for effective collaborations that serve the homeless with “Dignity, Love and Respect.”

The founding organization ILM Foundation has organized events serving the needy, where line items are distributed such as; hygiene kits, warm meals, clothing and medical services by the UMMA Community Clinic; all are administered and given free of charge.

Humanitarian Day  is hosted in Oakland, CA; Santa Ana, the Inland Empire, Long Beach, Baltimore, MD,  20 other cities in US and internationally in Ghana and Indonesia this Ramadan. A Humanitarian Day event is “Faith in Action” counteracting negative stereotypes of Muslims in America.”

Those kids cheering and greeting the homeless in the beginning of this clip are my ‘girls’- MYSCV. Our youth group boys were manning the canned food stand. We go there every year, alhamdulillah it has become a Ramadan tradition – these iPhone-toting, overprivileged kids see for themselves how the have-nots in this country live. They fundraise their contribution through bake sales and experience the bliss of actual giving. See, kids who grow up in the ‘third world’ see poverty on the streets everyday but here in the US, we are surrounded by the false security of Wal-Marts and Pizza Huts on our suburban street corners. So we forget to remember our blessings, to feed the hungry and clothe the poor.

On Humanitarian Day, every homeless person is greeted, handed a bag and escorted through the line. Booths of hot food, socks, blankets, are lined with balloons, manned by Muslim vlounteers. As many as 2000 are checked by volunteer doctors, given medication, eye exams.  The atmosphere is festive, a huge celebration, a party in an otherwise miserable life. ” You are so nice, I feel like a human today,” smiled a lady as she tucked newly acquired undergarments into her bag.

“We are fasting and want to share our joy for fasting by feeding the people, loving people, immigrants, indigenous Muslims, universal Muslims, together.” I sat down with Imam Sadiq, the retired Imam of Masjid Ibaadilllah and one of the founders of HD. He, along with Naim Shah Sr. affectionately known as Papa Shah, started feeding the homeless during Ramadan but were urged by the World Trade Center bombings to coordinate a united effort to solve domestic issues. “We don’t want to proselytize, we are just concerned about humanity.”

Every year, the dynamics of the homeless change – last year there were many more middle class homeless individuals who had lost their homes due to the recession.  A gentle, proud man, with searing blue eyes, his milk chocolate skin giving away his Caucasian and African heritage, walked up, a polo shirt neatly tucked into his khakis. His wife urged him to take a pair of socks from the booth, “I can’t” he said, shoulders slumped in defeat. As he walked away, I saw his laptop carrier slung on his shoulder – Kuwait Oil Co. embroidered in a corner. She reached out, her wedding ring glistened in the sun, “Lord bless you, may I take two?” she asked pragmatically.

There are some familiar faces too, the crack addict whose nails are always done, the old man with coke bottle glasses and a sweet smile. They are friendly and very concerned about each other. I see babies grow up to become children. This is not a place for children. We have billions of dollars to spend on wars across the world, while children sleep on the street and we turn the other way. Omar Ricci, a police officer,  has helped provide security detail for the past ten years. A Muslim, he comes back every year because “this well-planned event shows an alternative image other than the mainstream narrative  of Muslims.”

What would you say to Muslim Americans today, I asked Imam Sadiq, who is also the founder of Islamic Shura Council of Southern California, “We need to stay positive, look past the grievances…the most important thing is to keep being Muslim. People are tired of words, we need not be more vocal but be more active. Actions speak for words.”  Islamophobia was on my mind, as I spoke to the Mormon partners of the coalition, Steve Gilliland and his wife, Judy. They are from the Church of Latter Day Saints’ Southern California Public Affairs Council and have supplied the lovingly hand packed school and hygiene kits for HD for seven years. “We have more in common with Muslims, socially, culturally, in areas of health, community service, family values, I could go on for a long time,” the Mormon clergyman advised us to “not let the hate intimidate (us), let people know who Muslims are, to know Muslims is to love them.”

Sister Taswiyah Matazz is the director of food programs for ILM. “A lot of us are a paycheck away from being on the other side of that line;”  as tears formed in her compassionate eyes, she recounts countless stories of the challenges women and children face on these streets. This was the first year, I heard so many reports of homeless Muslims, men and women, too ashamed to walk into a masjid, without access to a place where their faith can help them recover.

This isn’t just a feel good once a year event – these people live near here, they are here every other Sunday with homecooked and sack lunches, sponsored by Muslims communities across Southern California. However, HD 2010 brings demands for a permanent Muslim mission on Skid Row. General Jeff, “the mayor of skid row,“ pleaded on behalf of his community. ” That center near close to ground zero – no disrespect to the victims but 9/11 was a one day disaster, skid row is a lifetime disaster.” “If they are caught sleeping on a bench, they get a ticket, enough tickets earn a warrant, [which] lands them in jail,” stressed Naim Shah, Jr. the Excecutive Director of ILM Foundation. “What we do right now is direct service, now the coalition needs to move and work on policy, find the systamatic cause of why those people are in that line and help change the way people, children, and the elderly are treated. Muslims do not have anything substantial to show about everyday American issues.”

They are dream of a place with a soup kitchen, a mussallah, life assistance programs, where people can take showers, and a shelter for women and children – open 24 hours. A place that breaks the status quo – most missions here are single-room occupancy and do not accept anyone after a ‘certain time at night’ and make the homeless leave every morning. May their dream become reality. Ameen.

My girls learn face-to-face how to treat every human with dignity, whether Muslim or not, rich or poor. They didn’t just hand out Qurans but follow the mighty example of the Prophet (SAW), who showcased Islam with his blessed behavior, not just words. As I drive the girls back to our cushy homes – they are unusually quiet, thankful, energies well-spent, their fasts finally kicking in.

If you want to start Humanitarian Day in your city – call Imam Sadiq at 626-398-3900 or Naim Shah at 626-644-8291. The Coalition to Preserve Human Dignity will supply you with guidelines, send a crew to show you how to set up the event and train your organization in working with the homeless. Their email address is info@humanitarianday.com

Link to all Ramadan 2010 posts

I read a tweet from Wisam Sharieff the other day, on how he tried to spread awareness of Ramadan to non-Muslims by way of handing out treats.    

This inspired me to do something like this on my own, so I consulted my wife:  

 “I want to take something to work tomorrow. Do you think I should make brownies?” I asked her, before leaving for tarāwīḥ night prayers on the first evening of Ramadan. 

“We could. But, how about a cake?”  

After a little thought and realizing that she probably knows better than me, I approved it, and the plan went ahead.  

The next morning, my wife baked and decorated the cake, while I went to work. I picked it up during my usual trip home for lunch, brought it in to work, and sent out the following email:    

Hello everyone,   

There’s chocolate cake with strawberries on the back counter behind Jayne’s desk. Please feel free to have some.  

 

    

My wife baked it as a celebration for today being the first day of Ramadan this year.   

Enjoy!   

Saqib    

While my associates were excited about getting free cake, it opened up a dialogue on Ramadan and Islam, as I had hoped.   

Associate #1 asked what Ramadan was. I explained that it is our holy month, in which the Qur’ān was revealed, during which we fast daily to come closer to God. She asked what the Koran was, and if we do it for Mohamed. I explained that the Qur’ān is what we believe to be the final scripture after the Bible. And, as is the case for everything else, we fast for God. To us, Muhammad is a prophet, just like Jesus, Adam, Moses, and so on. She was blown away! She had no idea that we believed in the other prophets, or in a continuation of scripture; she thought our religion was one dedicated solely to Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). She then shared with me her annoyance at the way that Christmas and Easter have been commercialized and paganized, and commended us for keeping our tradition strong. 

Associate #2 asked, “So are you fasting? When’s Eid?” Being from India, she probably knew what was going on, from being around Muslims back home.   

Associate #3 came and said, “Happy Ramadan! Is that okay to say?” I laughed and replied that of course, it was.   

Associate #4 also asked what Ramadan was and, after hearing that it involved fasting, mentioned that she used to fast three times a week for one year, while visiting sick people in the hospital. Amazed, I asked her if she felt spiritually empowered by it, to which she responded that it made her feel that, if she can give up things that she likes, then she can do anything. I explained that this is exactly what we believe we get out of fasting: if we can abstain from what we can have (ḥalāl), then we certainly can stay away from sins and what we’re not allowed to have (ḥarām).    

Associate #5 approached my cubicle with a very serious face. I asked her why she was so solemn; she said that she was going to ask a personal question, and didn’t want to offend me. When I let her know that she didn’t have to be so formal, she asked what Ramadan was. I explained to her what the month was about. She panicked at the idea of not eating all day, for twelve hours. I told her fifteen – she was shocked.  

Associate #6 kicked in, saying that when he played football in college, he had a teammate named Nasir who fasted while continuing to train and lift weights. I mentioned that NFL’s Husain Abdullah of the Minnesota Vikings, and Hakeem “The Dream” Olajuwon do the same. He said he remembered Abdullah doing so last year, and that he was really impressed that someone could do that for their faith. Props to that brother, Nasir!   

Associate #7 chimed in, saying that she read an article in the Tribune the other day, about a woman who homeschools and was trying to focus on patience and self-control while fasting in Ramadan. The article is actually about Olivia Kompier! I told the associate that she’s a convert who accepted Islam while in high school (may Allah reward the people who helped her find it), opening up the idea that non-Muslims in America find our religion and grab onto it.   

So, with a little cake mix, frosting, and strawberries, I got a mix of dialogue that not only began with an explanation of Islamic theology, but ended with an example of someone converting to our faith.   

As curious and open as some people are to hearing about our beliefs, a lot of them don’t know much about them, or have misconceptions that can be easily corrected. It doesn’t hurt to have the information we give them go down with a little chocolaty goodness!    

I hope this story inspires you to do something like this with your own co-workers, classmates, and neighbors. If not now, then for Eid. But try to do something!   

Thanks to Wisam Sharieff for inspiring me, and thanks to my wife for baking the cake.    

There’s a leftover chunk that didn’t get eaten. Ifṭār dessert after breaking my fast, you ask? Maybe. That, or a 4:30 am suḥūr…

Congratulations, if you have made it this far in your journey and my prayers that you will remain steadfast as you progress along this path of Islam throughout your life. Long after the chants of Allahu Akbar die down if you had the opportunity to witness your faith at a masjid in front of other Muslims or silently at home with only Allah and the angels to witness like I did, it is possible that you might see some of what I’ve seen and experienced. Here are some convert survival tips drawn from my own experience:

Read Everything

I came in like most converts wide-eyed, with an open heart, and ready to learn about and accept my chosen faith. I read voraciously about Islam before and after my conversion. I read everything from different translations of the Quran, books giving an overview of Islam, books about iman (faith), aqeedah (theology), hadith to books on sale in Christian bookstores full of untruths and distortions by “ex-Muslims” to Salman Rushdie’s Satanic Verses. As for the latter, I had read Rushdie’s book while in high school trying to make sense of the furor around it and rather enjoyed his unique literary style. It was only later, upon re-reading as a Muslim with some basic understanding of the faith that the blasphemous passages became more clear. My advice to anyone, read as much as you can, not only the “approved” books but whatever piques your interest, and you might learn a lot by reading that which others try to tell you to avoid. Always look critically to what is excluded from your masjid’s library, bookstore, or curriculum, and you’ll learn a lot about what they really believe and often like to present as a universal or “more authentic” expression of Islam.

Don’t Accept Opinions & Views Uncritically

It took me almost a year or two to cautiously begin navigating the Muslim community through my regular attendance at various mosques in the area including the ones my well-meaning friends never told me about including the smaller offshoot masajid, the Ahmadiyya and shia mosques as well. What an eye-opener to the different expressions and manifestations of Islam. Now, this is not theology class where we scrutinize our own beliefs and the beliefs of others, it’s just about being open to learning about our fellow human beings. Don’t fall into the trap of demonizing without critical thought and reflection. Learn and if you don’t know, just be quiet, don’t add fuel to the fire. I seriously doubt that anyone’s iman goes up from attacking others and it most likely will only serve to coarsen your manners and harden your heart. Although, there can be benefit in clarifying issues related to belief.

I’ve always been inquisitive by nature, I actually consider this a blessing, the same inquisitiveness that caused me to read my older siblings history textbooks while still in elementary school cover to cover led me to want to find out about the religion of Islam through reading the Quran after 9/11. And it is this same spirit of inquiry, which causes me to ask questions, sometimes even the hard questions, in reflecting upon the situation of our communities today.

To be honest, even though I didn’t entirely lose my inquisitiveness after accepting Islam through my interactions with other Muslims, I subdued that part of me along with my penchant for asking questions especially in classes (is the voice awrah or not?), and my own individuality to fit in with the prevailing mood of the community. Lower your voice sister, lower your voice, don’t laugh, brothers are walking by.

Let me offer a few examples to demonstrate as a means of clarification. At one masjid, I frequented, the doors on the sisters’ side were often locked and chained closed from the inside even during times of peak usage. Perhaps the ones in charge had forgotten that women might need to exit the building quickly, safely, and efficiently not to mention that chaining doors from the inside is an illegal and dangerous fire hazard. I attended this masjid for years, and even though from the very beginning, I and just about every sister I spoke to thought this phenomenon was outrageous, no one, including me, said or did anything about it. Had I seen this before my Islam, say at my high school or a church or any community hall, I would have been the first to say something and to keep at it, engaging my peers and those in charge until the chains came off but now within Islam, after carefully observing and adopting the ways of the community around me, like everyone else, despite the internal conflict, I silently turned the other way.

In school, I tended to always sit in the very front of the classroom, particularly if I liked the subject being taught. If I was going to be a bit of a troublemaker and depending on where my friends were, I might sit in the middle or back of the room. At most of the masajid that I have attended, lectures are often held in the musalla and the male lecturer often speaks from the men’s side usually partitioned off from the women’s section by a wall, glass, bookshelves, two-way mirror, or a curtain. At times, the speaker would ask if there were any questions from the sisters’ side and often there were questions, as sisters would whisper among themselves for clarification and sometimes write on pieces of paper and send it with a young child over the speaker. Occasionally a microphone was passed around but more often the sisters remained silent even if they had questions out of a fear of appearing immodest by raising their voices using the microphone.

I can’t tell you the number of times, a new speaker would come to visit and lecture in our community, and as soon as he opened the floor for questions, he would say that he welcomed and encouraged the invisible sisters behind the partition to participate and ask questions and then there would inevitably be some discussion on the brothers’ side about whether a women’s voice is awrah or not and thus shouldn’t be heard. And every single speaker that I can remember then engaged in a vigorous discussion with the brothers that the voice is not awrah. But by this time, most of the sisters after looking around at each other unable to really see or hear or participate fully in this discussion remained silent, including me, even if we had questions out of that communal pressure that tells women that being silent or being unseen or sitting in the back of the room is more modest. A well known saying mentions that “two types of people will never learn, the one who is too arrogant to ask or accept and the one who is to shy to ask.”

Early on after my conversion, while attending Islamic lectures, seminars, and classes I would sit in the front continuing my tradition from before my Islam. As I integrated more and more into the community and developed friendships with some sisters, I quickly moved towards the back of the room, not even the middle, the back. Why? Because, we are so often told that inside and outside of salah the best rows for women are in the back but even better yet a woman should remain in her home. And so often, ironically, it is the sisters most active outside their homes i.e. at school or in the workplace or volunteering that love to say how women should stay in their homes and that this is their optimal sphere. The question which seemingly never arises to these women is then why did and do they continue to pursue education, volunteering, and a career outside of the home? And how does one, especially a convert learn about her religion and acquire Muslim company and influences while staying at home with her non-Muslim family or even if she lives alone? How does she even get groceries? But perhaps they will say, well for necessities and for practicality,  you have to look at the context and individual situation, even though just a minute ago they were happily and joyfully trying to beat us over the head with ayat and hadith quoted in isolation.

Conversion, do you need witnesses?

No, you don’t. I’m not making fatwa here but this is a question I’ve spent more than 8 years researching, and have asked the people of knowledge that I have access to, and despite an opinion here or there, which will generally say it might be recommended for reasons x,y, or z, it is neither a condition nor precondition for the validity of one’s shahadah. I took my shahadah a second time nearly 2 years after my first because some well-meaning sisters wanted to ensure everything was okay. So we went to the masjid and I said it again in front of 5 people (2 brothers behind the curtain and 3 sisters on my side of the partition), at which point the brother said I should begin to learn al-Fatiha, which I mentioned that I had already learned. If a person is ready to take their shahadah, there is no need to delay it. I’ve heard so many stories where a person was ready to take his or her shahadah on the weekend but was “waiting” until after the following jumu’ah or some other later date to embrace Islam. None of us can be certain when we will die and in an issue as critical as faith, it’s better to hasten to enter the fold of Islam.

Muslim Name?

What is a Muslim name? How do you define, identify, and categorize it? Is it anything more than the name a Muslim carries? So that a name like Ify Okoye is by default a Muslim name once the said Ify Okoye becomes Muslim? Not so, for so many of our brethren. A Muslim name for a convert should be Arabic, preferably a name shared by a prophet in Arabic or a companion of one of the prophets. So after trying to resist the pressure of those well-meaning but insistent Muslims I encountered that I take on a “Muslim name” one Nigerian brother who rode the same bus route as me finally said I should take the name Zainab as I reminded him of his little sister and so the name stuck. Much easier to integrate into the community with a name like Zainab, which everyone recognizes and can pronounce rather than Ify much less Ifeoma. You’ll get more “I didn’t know you were a convert” rather than the “Are you Muslim?” comments and looks, which I still get even today. And just as a matter of dawah and choosing your battles wisely with your non-Muslim family, I think it would be good to see more converts retaining their given names.

Resist the urge and pressure to get married 5 minutes after your conversion

At least wait for 10 minutes. Two things about marriage, if you are still on good terms with your family (and may Allah reconcile those who are not) tell your family beforehand and try to get them involved in the process and beware of your wali especially if he’s not your dad because he may have other than your best interests at heart.

It’s okay to retain the good from your culture and manners

It’s okay to speak in English. Saying shukran is not more holy and does not make you more religious than saying thank you. There is no hadith that says eating biryani for iftar is more rewarding than eating baked chicken and macaroni and cheese. Depending on where you live, converting to Islam is also like converting to desi or Arab or insert whichever culture predominates cuisine and dress. If you are accustomed to arriving on time for events, continue to do so even after your conversion. Islam is a beautiful way of life, which does not ask us to abandon the good from our cultures in order to convert but rather part of the strength of the Islamic tradition comes from its being able to encompass a variety of cultures.

Enjoin Ties with your Family

Don’t break off ties with your family. The responses to my conversion within my family were diverse from intensely hostile to supportive to somewhat indifferent. It requires much more patience to interact with and display excellent manners to those who are hostile to you especially from your family and close friends as they know how to push all of your buttons. And it requires wisdom, something often lost in that new convert zeal and fervor to implement the religion as much as possible. Don’t be afraid to apologize to your family for past behavior even if you think you were right because in the end we seek to call them to our faith and not simply to score brownie points in arguments.

Get your Salah and other Ibadah on – learn to read Arabic and the Quran

No one can learn this religion all at once. In the early stages, I recommend that the new convert begin by learning about who Allah is and Islam through reading the Quran. Translations are good in the beginning but nothing compares to reading and understanding the Quran in the original Arabic language in which it was revealed. Learn about the Prophet sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam and his companions (may Allah be pleased with them) and you will come to know and love them. Focus on learning, practicing, and perfecting the fundamentals like purification, salah, and fasting before going into the finer details of more esoteric debates.

May Allah azza wa jal help us to remain sincerely steadfast upon this deen. Ameen.

Many of you must have heard about the recent move to boycott Facebook by a portion of the site’s Muslim users. Proponents of that strategy felt it was the best way to make themselves heard and voice their disapproval of Facebook’s decision to let defamatory pages aimed at the Prophet (pbuh) stay on the site, despite the insulting content that was being shared on those pages. However, others felt making a big fuss and simply shutting ourselves off from Facebook were not the best strategies to adopt – rather, there was a need to address the core issue: why do many in the world seem to perceive the Prophet (pbuh) in a negative light? Don’t they know him?

Exactly. They don’t know him. And we Muslims, the great majority of us, have not exactly been telling the world either. Rather, many of our cultural traditions and even daily habits contradict the Sunnah, thus giving the world a very distorted version of our beautiful Deen and the Messenger who was Allah’s(swt) Mercy upon mankind.

A group of British Muslims realized that there was an urgent need to go out and make it known to common people on the street, who the Prophet (pbuh) really was. The result? The launch of the “Inspired by Muhammad” website and campaign on 7th June.

Explaining what inspired them to launch their campaign, the Exlopring Islam Foundation (EIF) says, “The website is designed to meet the need the YouGov poll highlighted for accessible information: 60% percent of people say they don’t know very much about Islam; 31% say information about Islam is not very accessible; 33% would like to know more about Islam and just 3% say they get their information from Muslim organisations.” In many ways, this latest campaign is an extension of the Exploring Islam Foundation’s (EIF) own vision for British Muslims and the Ummah.

It’s simple. A neat and eye-catching website design with information displayed in a prominent and lucid manner. Misconceptions that are common among the British population are addressed by means of asking direct questions or making catchy statements like, “I believe in protecting the environment. So did Muhammad.” The website also features several British Muslims who’re active, educated and pursuing mainstream careers – in other words, they’re active members of the British public, underlining the idea that being British and Muslim are not mutually exclusive at all.

Kristiane Backer, a revert and TV presenter who launched the campaign is also one of the personalities featured on the website, reflects on the negative image Britons have of Islam: “This negative image is the reason for the need of a campaign, the reason for coming out with some positive news, reflecting the truth and showing what Islam is about. Values of compassion, peace, mercy, women’s rights, social justice – these are all part of Islam.”

The campaign is not limited to just the website. The actual goal is to reach out to the common man or woman on the street in a more direct way, through advertisements and banners in prominent places such as bus stops, tube stations and even on the trademark London cabs! American Muslims will of course be able to relate to it through their own Why Islam campaign that has placed intriguing billboards on the NY subway inviting Non Muslims to learn more about Islam.

What I personally love about this initiative is the proactive step they’ve taken where it is needed the most. It is one thing to raise a hue and cry about the latest defamatory gimmick a couple of non-Muslims may drum up (thus giving them loads of free publicity too!) but it demands a whole other life vision and outlook to actually take positive steps. This is not about letting your anger flare for a while and then go turn the other way when Da’wah is really needed… rather, it’s about working hard, actually doing something to make a difference and spread the message of Islam.

The Prophet (pbuh) was intelligent and employed wise strategies that had long term goals in mind to bring benefit to the community. Perhaps it is time we start doing the same. Alhumdolillah, the people behind the “Inspired by Muhammad” campaign, and many other such projects across the globe, are leading the way – may Allah (swt) support their efforts and reward them! Ameen.

(Author’s note and acknowledgment: Readers of Muslim Matters are invited and encouraged to share local initiatives, such as the Inspired by Muhammad campaign highlighted above, with us. This story was brought to MM’s notice by our Staff writer, iMuslim and MM reader, Muhammad Ali Yaqoob. JazaakAllahu khayr to both!)

What you are about to see is a discussion about the nature of Jesus (alayhi assalaam) from representatives of 6 different religions and denominations.  The format of the discussion was that each representative would speak for about 5 minutes.  Then, there was about 20 minutes of Q&A between the audience and the speakers.  The setting was in a church that sponsored this event, and which it called a hexalogue (a dialogue between 6, and yes it’s not in the dictionary!!!).  In total, there was 4 sessions on 4 different days, but I only participated in 2.  The following session about Jesus was one of them!

Introduction and the Mormon Perspective:

Click here to view the embedded video.

Christian Science Perspective:

Click here to view the embedded video.

Jewish Perspective:

Click here to view the embedded video.

Buddhist Perspective:

Click here to view the embedded video.

Islamic Perspective:

Click here to view the embedded video.

Christian Baptist Perspective:

Click here to view the embedded video.

Question and Answer Session:

Click here to view the embedded video.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Throughout the centuries, Allah (subhanahu wata’ala) has continued to bless this ummah with servants of His, who give up their time and energy for the service of this religion.  It is always inspirational to reflect on the experiences of these du’aat whilst working for their noble cause.

One of these du’aat, who we think of as successful, yet we do not praise anyone before Allah, is our Shaykh Muhammad Al-Areefi, may Allah preserve him. In his eloquently delivered lectures, he sometimes shares with the audience his experiences in da’wah. In an effort to inspire our non-Arabic speaking readers with the unique and motivating style of this da’yah, we share two gems from his da’wah experiences.

Yes! In the Taxi!

In a powerful lecture discussing some of the lessons derived from the story of Prophet Yusuf (alayhe asallam) and his da’wah in prison, our Shaykh emphasized the importance of beginning with Tawheed in calling to Allah based on the verses:

O [my] two companions of prison, are separate lords better or Allah , the One, the Prevailing?

You worship not besides Him except [mere] names you have named them, you and your fathers, for which Allah has sent down no authority. Legislation is not but for Allah . He has commanded that you worship not except Him. That is the correct religion, but most of the people do not know. (Yusuf 12:39,40)

The Shaykh then shares a story (52:16 minutes in) from his own experience that highlights the importance of calling others to worshipping One God, alone.

One early morning, he was about to take a taxi from his hotel to the airport following a visit to Qatar.  He learned that another man would be sharing the ride with him. Riding in the back seat with the man, he started a conversation with him. 

Shaykh: “Where are you from?”

Man: “I am from Korea.”

Shaykh: “What do you do?”

Man: “I am a businessman.”

Shaykh: “What’s your name?”

Man: “Si Ki Tu (See Kee Tu).”

Shaykh: “Where do you work?”

Man: “Jubail, Saudi Arabia.”

Shaykh: (Joked with him saying), “If you live in Jubail, then your name should be Mohammed or Abdullah (meaning; you should have been a Muslim by now).”

The man laughed.

Shaykh: “How long have you been there?”

Man: “15 years.”

Shaykh: “Did anyone invite you the religion of Islam all of these years?”

Man: “Actually, I don’t really care about religion. The most important thing to me is money. Once there is money behind something, I all for it. But, give me a book, CD or tell me listen to a talk……. I don’t really care for all of this.

Shaykh: “Ok, so you don’t worship anything?”

Man: “No, no, I just live.”

Shaykh: “No, you do worship. In Korea, they worship the idol Buddha?”

Man: “Yes, but I don’t really care much about Buddha.”

The Shaykh continues the conversation, trying to revive some life and thought into the man, saying:“So, if someone passed by this idol, Buddha, and kicked him with their foot, can he defend himself?

Man: “No.”

Shaykh: “If someone were to spit on him as he walked by his statue, would he be able to respond in defense of himself?”

Man: “No.”

Shaykh: “So how is it that he is worshipped, called upon for help, for cure in illness, for wealth in poverty, to remove oppression…….”

Man: “Yes, you’re right. Besides, I am not really convinced about Buddha anyhow.”

Shaykh: “So……what do you worship?”

Man: “I just live like that, I don’t worship anyone.”

There was then a period of silence between them.

The man then turned to the Shaykh and said, “You know what?”

Shaykh: “Yes?”

Man: “When I am touched by worry and grief, you know what I do? I raise my eyes to the sky and say:

(conversation is in English, but he says the following two words in Arabic)

‘Allah Kareem’ (‘Allah is Generous’. He said this elongating ‘Kareeeeeeem’).

Once I say this, I feel completely at peace.”

Shaykh: “SubhanaAllah. When you called upon Him alone, although you do not believe, it helped you and brought you peace! So how then would it be if you actually worshipped Him, without any partners?!”

The man agrees with the Shaykh,  “ Yes, you are right.”

Shaykh: “I invite you now to bear witness that there is no god worthy of worship except Allah and that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah.”

Man: “How? When we are in the taxi?!”

Shaykh: “ Yes! In the taxi, airplane, under the sea, in the sky, Islam does not require that you go to mosque in order to accept it as your religion. Now, say Ash-hadu an la ilaaha illa Allah wa anna Muhammadan rasulullAllah.”

Man: “What about salah?

Shaykh: “It will come, just say the words (shahadatayn) first.”

Man: “Ash-hadu an laa illaaha illa Allah wa anna Muhammadan rasulullAllah. I bear witness that there is no god worthy of worship except Allah and that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah”

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After help and guidance from Allah, it takes a brave caller to Allah with a sincere heart, who truly desires to guide others to the path of bliss in this life and the hereafter. All he did was take advantage of his time with him to allow him to reflect on the meaning of worship in his life.

Perhaps through a simple effort, armed with sincerity and help from Allah, it may result as the Prophet (sallaAllahu alayhe wasallam) said after learning of the death of a young Jewish boy who had entered the religion only moments before: ‘Praise be to Allaah Who has saved him from the Fire.’ (Bukhari).

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Even in the Airplane

The following is a video where the Shaykh tells of his experience with a Muslim woman on an airplane.  It teaches us to avoid belittling others through reflecting on the great amount of good that may be present in them.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Before I begin, I would like to make a disclaimer that this article deals with the actual laws of Islam, showing that Islam is a simple religion and not burdensome, this does not mean that life will be easy for a practicing Muslim as Allah has promised to test each and every one of us. So keep in mind that although Islam is easy to practice if you commit yourself, your level of commitment will be tested by Allah.

There is a misunderstanding amongst many people that Islam is difficult and a burden to follow. Such people either have an incorrect understanding of Islam or do not realize how easy the rules of Islam are to follow. Let us look at the basic teachings of Islam and see how simple, natural and easy it is to practice Islam.

The scholars of Islam have agreed that the general principle regarding things of this world is that everything is permissible unless proven otherwise. So the burden of proof actually falls on those who say that anything is prohibited. This applies to all worldly things, as for religious deeds, the deed must be proven or it will be considered an innovation. Proof for this principle can be found in the following verses, “Allah wishes to make things easy for you, and not to make things difficult for you,” [1] and “We did not place difficulty in this religion.” [2]

Also the following Hadith is proof of this principle: “Religion is very easy and whoever overburdens himself in his religion will not be able to continue in that way. So you should not be extremists, but aim to be near to perfection and receive the good tidings that you will be rewarded; and gain strength by worshipping in the mornings and the nights.” [3] In fact, Imam Bukhari has a chapter in his Saheeh Al-Bukhari called “The chapter of the religion being easy” and ample proof for this point can be found in that chapter.

Firstly, the fact that everything worldly is permissible unless prohibited by sacred texts or deduction from them, is proof that Islam is not a difficult religion to follow, the amount of things that are permissible to do are far more than the obligations or prohibitions. Islam is not an ascetic religion that expects people to abandon the world and worship Allah all day in a cave, in fact, Islam prohibits such behaviour and encourages us to interact with society and live normal lives within the boundaries set by Allah, fulfilling our rights to Allah, to ourselves, and to the rest of creation.

Islam has given rights to all creation; we are not to harm any human, animal, plant or even ourselves unjustly. We must stay away from all sources of vice and whatever leads to them and we must fulfill our basic obligations. If we do these things, we can enjoy the permissible things of this world like family, spousal relations, physical sports or whatever you enjoy as long as you do not break the rules of Islam.

Islam is the natural religion; it appeals to our inner nature (Fitrah) and fulfills its basic needs without asking us to do anything unnatural. Try and find one ruling in the Quran and Sunnah that goes against human nature, you will not find it.

Islam is not a burden and does not ask us to do anything that we are incapable of doing, we are not required to give up our personalities, social lives or money. We are not required to pray all night or fast every day, in fact such things are prohibited. Islam emphasizes that we live a balanced life fulfilling our obligations to Allah as well as our obligations towards people and even our own selves. Try and find one command or prohibition in Islam that is beyond human ability, there is no such ruling.

One reason many people find Islam difficult to practice is because Satan beautifies evil deeds and makes good deeds look boring and difficult, thus we becomes lazy. Yet if one overcomes this obstacle he will find that the deeds emphasized by Islam bring true inner peace and are not too difficult, and he will begin to see the evils and wastage involved in committing sins. Take that first step and see for yourself.

Islam obliges us to worship Allah only, pray five times a day, fast one month a year, give two and a half percent of our excess wealth in charity, make Hajj once in our lifetime if possible and in general to be good to the rest of creation, stay away from the prohibited matters and have good character. None of these things are beyond human capabilities or unnatural, there is nothing prohibited that is necessary in our lives, rather only that which is harmful to human life is prohibited.

Another important point to remember is that Allah is Ar-Rahman (Most Merciful) and Al-Ghafoor (Most Forgiving) which means that if we try our best to practice Islam, and still fall into error due to our human nature and own weakness, the door to Allah’s forgiveness is always open for those who repent.

The basics of Islam are simple to understand and practical to implement, making Islam a universal religion that can be practiced by anyone regardless of his or her intellectual or physical capabilities. It is this pure simplicity of Islam that makes it so universally appealing and it is one of the many reasons that so many people around the world from different backgrounds convert to Islam.

[2] Surah Hajj 22:78

[3] Saheeh Al-Bukhari 1:2:38

I’ve recently joined a new scheme that has been launched in the UK by Al Kawthar Institute’s parent company, Mercy Mission, to emphasise the importance of salah. This proposal has been designed by Mercy Mission in order to invite the Muslims who have lost the desire to pray to restore themselves in this great act of worship.

In the words of our beloved Prophet (sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam), a person who rejects the obligation of prayer completely has left the fold of Islam according to the following hadith:

“Verily, between man and polytheism and disbelief is abandonment of the prayer.” (Muslim)

The media campaign run by Mercy Mission is ambitious, but incredibly impressive. With advertisements running across London’s transport network, Asian/Desi lifestyle magazines and high street billboards in Birmingham and Manchester, I jumped at the chance to join the campaign at Al Kauthar’s December sell-out course, Coolness of the Eyes – The Fiqh of Prayer 101, held in London.

Before I continue, let me first tell you about Mercy Mission. The aim of Mercy Mission is to provide a platform for Muslims to play an active part in their local communities in order to convey a beautiful and peaceful message of Islam. Their approach has been defined by their vision of displaying the beauty of Islam, which has subsequently attracted a number of professionals thereby strengthening the infrastructure of Mercy Mission to enable meaningful contributions to made in local communities.

Some of their current projects are:

• Daar Aasya – a Muslim fostering programme based in Australia where vulnerable Muslim children can be hosted by Muslim families.

• Big Date – a national Ramadan campaign to be run in the UK this year, reaching out to non-Muslims through mainstream media; transport advertising, high street billboards, and massive communal iftars.

• Zamzam Environmental Sustainability Program – a water and energy conservation programme for masjids, schools and beyond.

This is just skimming the surface. Even as you read this, Mercy Mission is working on ways to develop and improve the services given to the Muslim community whilst maintaining the true message of Islam.

Just Go Do It is Mercy Mission’s latest project and so far, it seems to be doing pretty well with an impressive website and a thought-provoking video with all the wheres and whys of salah. But amongst that shiny exterior lies the inner workings of a multi-talented set of Muslims.

The aims of Just Go Do It are high, but very simple. We may have noticed amongst our friends and families that some of them do not pray or that there is a lack of knowledge about prayer in our local communities. Part of that is due to inadequate education of the deen, particularly about prayer, even though great emphasis has been placed on halal meat and avoiding alcohol. SubhanAllah, salah is far more important than those two issues and, it seems, Mercy Mission wishes to do something about it.

To address these problems, Just Go Do It was created to provide a platform for the attendees of Coolness of the Eyes to go out and teach at their local masjid and Muslim community centre using a compressed version of the course notes.

Therefore, the media campaign has enabled the likes of myself to teach local sisters in my city about the importance of salah and how to perform it. In fact, I just taught my first session and it seems that several things were highlighted whilst I was teaching. Some sisters haven’t been taught how to pray, whilst some didn’t even know that the salah is a pillar of Islam. Not only was it an eye-opener for the class attendees, it was almost a revelation for me with regards to the state of the Ummah.

Just Go Do It is already running in several cities across the UK, including London, Birmingham, Nottingham, York and Luton. The class locations and timings can be viewed on their website, which, might I add, has their promo video showing why it is better to pray before you are prayed upon. As chilling as it is, it proves to be a true reminder of why Allah (subhana wa ta’ ala) has placed us on this Earth:

“And I [God] did not create the jinn and mankind except to worship Me” (Quran 51:56)

It is understandable as to why I jumped at the chance to get involved. A priceless opportunity to reap some rewards by passing on knowledge about the fundamentals of Islam? Absolutely!

With the aim of bringing back the establishment of salah by reaching out to, at the very least, 100,000 non-practicing Muslims, this is an immense opportunity for anyone who has been touched by the campaign to further the knowledgeable fruits of their labour in the akhirah.

Mercy Mission has many worthwhile projects which require the involvement of committed Muslims, all of which will make our lives performing da’wah just that little bit easier with the sole purpose – showing the true beauty of Islam.

I pray that this knowledge is passed on through the generations of every Muslim that has been taught to perform and perfect their prayer through this campaign.  Ameen.

A few days ago, I was in a bookstore doing some research and I overheard some guys discussing the existence of God. It was clear that one was an atheist and the other was a struggling Christian.

“Do you believe in God or not?” demanded the atheist customer, “and which book do you recommend to prove that God does not exist?”

“I can’t recommend a book since I don’t exactly not believe in God,” the Christian salesman stammered, “I can’t say that I believe in God or not, although I believe much of what is in the Bible.”

The two men went back and forth with the atheist pressuring the salesman into taking a stance, meanwhile, I went back to reading my book. Then an elderly lady came and took a book from the table in front of me, I offered her my seat but she declined but commented that she liked my thobe (she didn’t use that word, just said that shirt thing you’re wearing) and asked me where I got it from. I told her I got it from Dubai, she then went on her way and I returned to my book.

After I had finished reading, while I was driving home, my heart was suddenly filled with regret. “You missed a spot!” I told myself, two good Dawah opportunities presented themselves to me but I did not take advantage of them because I was too busy with my book!

How many times do we pass by these opportunities to share our views and beliefs with others? Generally, I try my best never to miss a Dawah opportunity. If I am sitting on a train, bus or aeroplane, then you should expect the person seated next to me to receive a dose of Dawah.

Islam is a universal message and as carriers of this message, we are duty-bound to share the message of Islam with everyone we meet. If the right occasion presents itself to you, do not hesitate to share the message of Islam with anyone. Do not repeat my mistake, seize every opportunity and spread the word of Islam!