Therefore, as you can imagine, I eagerly awaited the latest biography by Professor Manning Marable called “Malcolm X: A Life of Reinvention.” He had based his book on a decade worth of research and set out to reveal the man behind the legend. It would be a chance to get to know the character traits and morality of a person who had served as an inspiration to millions across the world. That Marable himself had died days before the book was published made it all the more interesting.

However, the emotion that I experienced whilst reading the book was not one of discovery or insight, but of profound disappointment bordering on disgust. Interspersed between slow and rambling passages, the book is littered with various accusations including that Malcolm X lied about his criminal past in order to sex-up his bad-boy image, that he was involved in a sexual relationship with an elderly white businessman, that he was a hypocrite who drank alcohol whilst calling others to be teetotal and that he carefully airbrushed all these parts out of his autobiography.

An example of the unjustified extrapolation that Marable engages in to arrive at these accusations is how he uses a letter from Malcolm X talking about a rough patch in his marriage and the fact that he was constantly away on speaking tours to come to the wild-leap conclusion that he and Betty were “most likely” unhappy and involved in an extra-marital affairs. Such statements have little evidence beyond the fertile imagination of Marable himself and are more befitting the lowest rung of tabloid newspapers rather than a serious academic text.

Given the amount of speculation deceitfully presented as factual revelations, one would think that the book would be consigned to the garbage tip of history. Instead, the literary community has this week awarded it one of its highest honours – the Pulitzer prize in history. What were they thinking? Perhaps they just wanted to honour a Professor who died before he could see his work published. Perhaps they didn't even read it. Or perhaps they wanted to pull the icon of Malcolm down a peg or two to the level of other great (but morally flawed) leaders like Martin Luther King Jr. or JFK.

To a jaded non-Muslim audience, these “revelations” are not shocking since it is possible for someone to engage in hypocrisy, adultery and lying on a grand scale in their private lives and still have their public image heralded as an example to millions. To Muslims and those who truly love Malcolm X, these accusations are a slur on the character of a martyred comrade, an inspirational leader and – most importantly – a brother in faith.

“A Life of Reinvention” was supposed to epitomize the amazing transformation Malcolm underwent from deep down in the gutter of humanity to one of the most influential figures of the 20^th century. Instead, this biography has ended up as a reinvention too far.

The title of a recent blog post that drew over 100 comments on MuslimMatters read “Halal Mortgages: Alleged Misuse of Taqi Usmani's Fatwa and 3 Important Questions.”  What began as perhaps a sincere attempt by the author to alert readers about the abuse of a respected scholar's fatwa and invite Islamic financial institutions to provide as he put it “a little bit of transparency”, resulted in a heated online debate that achieved very little in terms of “removing doubts” about Islamic home finance companies in the US, as originally intended.

Because Guidance Financial Group and its subsidiary, Guidance Residential were mentioned in both the blog and the comments that followed, we felt that a response was appropriate to counter some of the misinformation that has been spread not only about our company, but also the chairman of our Sharia Supervisory Board and the six fatawa he and the other prominent members of our board issued specifically for our Declining Balance Co-Ownership Program. Guidance has helped thousands of Muslim-American families become homeowners through this authenticated program and since our inception in 2002, we have always believed in the value of transparency having issued a comprehensive WhitePaper that provides insight on our unique and pioneering structure.

It is important to start off by clarifying one major matter that could go unnoticed by the reader. It is that the blog begins by quoting Mufti Muhammad Taqi Usmani as saying “I have never approved any ijarah contract or scheme for any financial institution in America, Australia or Canada.” We would like to emphasize that this statement is in no way, shape or form directed at Guidance or its Program. It is unfortunate that the author mistakenly refers to the ijarah model as a “co-ownership” while in reality Guidance does NOT and has never used the ijarah (lease) structure or contract. Guidance's Program is based on a musharakah mutanaqisa (diminishing partnership) structure, which was developed with the help of and finally approved by our Sharia Supervisory Board led by none other than Mufti Taqi Usmani as its Chairman.

The underlying question that needs to be asked is how can Muslims determine if a financial contract or institution is in compliance with Islamic financial transaction principles? For starters, we would need to know who are the scholars behind the product or institution.  To develop our Program, we spent millions of dollars in research and development over the course of 3 years and involved 18 different law firms while working with 7 of today's most authoritative and highly respected scholars in Islamic finance. The scholars are from 6 different nations and are trained in the different schools of thought. Throughout the development process and beyond, these ulema researched and debated all aspects of Guidance's Program, including the life cycle of the transaction and how it would involve an actual home-buyer.  Eventually, ijma (consensus) was achieved among these renowned scholars and a formal certification through the issuance of fatawa was complete.

To further validate our approach and our Program, one can evaluate the scholars themselves to assure that they are qualified in matters relating to Islamic financial transaction principles. In doing so, you will find that a majority of Guidance's Sharia board members belong to the prominent Sharia board of the Accounting and Auditing Organization for Islamic Financial Institutions (AAOIFI, pronounced “a-yo-fee”), formed in 1990 as an independent, non-profit, international standard-setting body, AAOIFI is the industry standard for Islamic finance practitioners. AAOIFI's regularly updated texts have become the definitive reference work for those seeking a comprehensive rule book about internationally recognized standards in Islamic finance. Its 85 standards cover everything from accounting and auditing to governance and product-specific Sharia standards. The 20 international scholars who sit on AAOIFI's Sharia board are distinguished Islamic scholars who are legally qualified to issue a fatwa and adjudicate on matters of Islamic finance. Guidance is privileged to count among the members of our Sharia board a quarter of AAOIFI's most eminent and authoritative scholars in Islamic finance. In fact, the Chairman of AAOIFI's Sharia board is none other than Mufti Taqi Usmani.

Guidance and its distinguished Sharia board have been sought after for technical expertise in Islamic finance by international organizations in Saudi Arabia, Malaysia, Egypt and Indonesia. In 2007, Guidance helped establish what has become today's leading home finance institution in SaudiArabia – DarAlTamleek. In 2009, Guidance was nominated by the Dubai-based international trade publication Islamic Business and Finance Magazine for the “Best Islamic Home Finance Provider” award. All these efforts did not go unnoticed by the mainstream media and in fact, major outlets like The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, The Washington Post and even Al Jazeera to name just a few have all recognized Guidance's pioneering endeavors. We hope that more Muslim media outlets delve in to this subject in greater detail for the benefit of our community as a whole.

We would like to extend an open invitation to all of the Muslim Matters staff and its bloggers to talk with us directly and even visit with us at our corporate headquarters in Reston, Virginia. Furthermore, please feel free to communicate directly with me, Hussam Qutub, and ask any and all questions by emailing me at communications@guidanceresidential.com.

In addition to relaying all of the above, Guidance's intention in writing this post was also to answer the questions posed by the author of the article. To that end, we have provided our answers below.

MMQ1:         How often are updated contracts reviewed and approved by a Shari'ah board (“SSB”), and which scholars have signed off on the actual contract being used by an Islamic finance company?

 A1:          Our full Sharia board has signed off on our program as you can see from the link above.  Our Declining Balance Co-Ownership Program documents have not changed from the time reviewed by the scholars. Subsequent to those fatawa, in 2005 and 2006, two additional fatawa were issued to certify adjustments that needed to be made in order for us to serve Texas Muslims while adhering to their state's unique challenges and the second to introduce adjustable programs that were in high demand at the time.

While there have been lots of changes in the mortgage business since the credit crisis in terms of licensing and disclosures, these changes have not impacted our contract or the documents reviewed by our Sharia board. As an FYI, our agreement with our investor, Freddie Mac, does not involve a lending and borrowing relationship of any kind.  And although they have made significant underwriting and operational changes, their documents also have not changed since we started the Program. Part of the reason our contract has stayed intact is that we have a unique and exclusive contract with Freddie Mac. No banks or financial institution can use our agreement without our permission. Additionally, banks in general cannot use our contract by law because banks cannot co-own, they can only lend.

MMQ2:         Are all practices done by the Islamic finance institution during the course of the contract and “declining co-ownership” Shari'ah approved?

 A2:          Yes and we continue to be compliant in all aspects of our business and we are not aware of any aspect that is not compliant.  The entire course of the contract from purchase, transfer and full ownership by client has been studied, observed and deemed compliant with Sharia principles. It is important to note that many disclosures are federally mandated requiring us to use them even though their terminology mischaracterizes the nature of our Program.  For this challenge, we have a fatwa on disclosures that can also be found in the link above.

To further address the authors comments for this question:

“The company itself tried to say that they simply transferred the administrative duties of collecting payment. However, the paperwork from the other bank indicated clearly the transferring of the debt (i.e. selling the debt) from the Islamic company to the bank.”

 Recently, to enhance our customers' overall experience we transferred the servicing of our contracts to a new vendor, namely US Bank's servicing division. To better understand this transfer one would need to understand “servicing” and its place in the mortgage industry. In simple terms, it means collecting and administering monthly payments, mailing monthly statements, fielding questions and handling late payments. For a company of the size of Guidance, this administrative task is usually contracted out to vendors that will then act on behalf of a home financing company and become an extension of their operation. In our situation, although the vendor handles all our correspondence with existing customers, everything is done in our company's name and all payments made by our customers are made to Guidance.

The process of transferring from one servicer to another is a complicated and often challenging administrative process.  There are federally mandated letters that must be sent out to all customers by the old and new servicer on behalf of the home financing company. During our transfer period, some of this mandated correspondence was sent out on our behalf with language that did not properly characterize our Program. Unfortunately, this caused some concern among our customers and we have since worked diligently to address and clarify the situation.  At the end, we admit that this could have been handled better but it must be said that this in no way changes the contract or compromises our program. If it is unclear or requires any further clarification, please contact us.

MMQ3:         How are inconsistencies between what Mufti Taqi Usmani advocates in his writings and the actual schemes used by these banks to be addressed?

 A3:          First, we recommend that all Islamic financial institutions establish an independent Sharia board consisting of specialized, distinguished and credible scholars that regulate their specific products and services in the context of laws in the land they wish to operate as Guidance has done. Second, consumers need to do their due diligence in understanding not only who the scholars are but also how the program is designed to work.

If one were to investigate further in Mufti Usmani's writing and our White Paper, which was approved by our board, Guidance's Declining Balance Co-ownership Program is designed to create a co-ownership for the purpose of providing the home-buyer with financing to acquire a home. This co-ownership is based on Shirkat ul Milk. It is not designed as a commercial partnership (Shirkat ul Aqd) for the purpose of making profit from trading in real estate. Consequently, the Program is intended for the customer to fully buy out Guidance's share in the property over time, and not for the two co-owners to sell the property jointly and share the gains.

The White Paper further stipulates that should the home buyer sell earlier than the term agreed upon, the appreciation that the property will have likely earned is theirs to keep since they did all the leg work to identify the community and property. If the property sells for a loss then the shortfall is something they must consider. However, if the property depreciated so much that the shortfall is below what is considered Guidance's share in the property, Guidance incorporates a unique “non-recourse” clause that protects the seller in this case from owing the full amount to Guidance. We would consider the difference a loss on our books.

Furthermore, if the government were to impose on the co-owners to sell the property in order to make room for a road, a park or another public project the Co-ownership Agreement specifically stipulates that the two co-owners would share the gains or losses from such a forced sale according to their ownership shares. As a result, Guidance may end up with proceeds that fall short of the amount of financing it had provided, in contrast with what would be owed under a conventional mortgage loan.

The principle that the two co-owners should share in the gains and losses of their respective shares in the property applies to situations other than a sale. Consider the example of a property that suffers total destruction and cannot be repaired using available insurance proceeds. In this case again, the Co-ownership Agreement stipulates that the two co-owners would share the insurance proceeds according to their ownership shares, resulting in an outcome quite different from that of a loan.

All of the above items and questions were addressed and documented in the fatawa and white papers that were certified and amended by our board in 2002, 2005 and 2006. We can always try to facilitate a direct discussion for an extensive and more thorough analysis between your staff and our Sharia board. Our only request is for due diligence and open communication.

For as long as I can remember, I've loved reading inspirational quotes. Quotes are particularly appealing because they're often expressions of universal truths and lifetimes of wisdom delivered in memorable packages of concise, thought-provoking statements. And more recently, in the realm of social media, quotes have become a way of expressing our feelings through the ornate speech of a credible figure. And the only thing better than quotes, are quotes that remind you of Allah [SWT] and increase your eman.

Enter GreatMuslimQuotes.com, an online resource for immersing yourself in the timeless wisdom of our pious predecessors. The site features an increasingly massive collection of quotes from a wide range of well-known (and lesser-known) scholars and worshipers on practically any topic you can think of. In addition to being a great place to find inspiration, I've found the website to be an excellent resource for preparing khutbahs or halaqas; nothing like having a memorable statement from Abu Bakr [ra] or al-Hasan al-Basri [rah] to drive your point home.

The team behind the project amasses quotes from both English and Arabic books complete with references to where they read the quote, as well as to the original sources when available. English-speaking audiences will especially find Great Muslim Quotes valuable because while there have been books in Arabic with Islamic quotes, such resources have been greatly lacking in English until now. And although other websites may have a page with Islamic quotes, no other resource is nearly as large, organized and dedicated as Great Muslim Quotes. Furthermore, the weekly updates make the website a fresh stream of continuous inspiration.

The website has a clean design, and user-friendly functionality. In addition to browsing quotes by most recent updates, readers have the ability to search the vast collection by topic, author and keyword. The integrated social media tools allow you to easily share quotes and inspire your friends with the click of a button. The best part is that the website is completely free with no registration or email address required to benefit; simply go to the website, and get inspired!

Whether you're looking to understand a particular topic, enliven your khutbah, or simply seeking inspiration (or want to facebook/tweet something meaningful), look no further than GreatMuslimQuotes.com for enlightening pearls of wisdom collected from the rich Islamic tradition.

I was in my final year of high school at that time and I clearly remember the buzz surrounding the show. Some expressed opposition to the name, which for them violated the sanctity of the classic, Little House on the Prairie. Most were excited to see a fresh, new and unique comedy about Canadian Muslims. An audience of 2.1 million people tuned in for the first episode; a record breaking and unheard of rating in Canada. The ratings declined over the years, but they were good enough to sustain it for six seasons.

It was a proud moment for me to see a show about Muslims air on national television. Along with the regular post-episode discussions on House and The O.C., I could now joke with my friends about Ammar's latest debacle or Babar's classic rants. At a time when Muslim youth were increasingly insecure about their identities, a show like Little Mosque helped boost self-esteem and self-worth for many.

But Little Mosque never set out to accomplish any of the things I've mentioned. It wasn't a show that was aimed at educating people about Islam or solving problems faced by Muslim youth. It was a sitcom that was meant to be funny; it just happened to be about a small Muslim community. It was Islam's Cosby Show. In the post 9/11 times where any normative depiction of Muslims in media was deemed to be too controversial, the CBC made the bold move of creating a whole show about Muslims. Not only were the central characters Muslim, the show revolved around the mosque which played a key role in the community's life. The CBC and Zarqa Nawaz, the show's creator should be recognized by the Muslim community for this historic feat.

The criticism and the lack of support at times from the Muslim community were disheartening for me. Sure, if you don't like the show, don't watch it. I agree that it wasn't a laugh-out loud comedy, and the writing was hokey and uncreative at times. But dismissing the show on grounds that the characters weren't observant enough, or that Zarqa Nawaz had some secret liberal agenda, was disappointing. Are you seriously hoping for a sitcom where the women dare not speak to a non-Mahram? Where the community isolates itself from the kuffar? Where the Imam goes around warning people of the evils of Western civilization?

Little Mosque had its shortcomings when it came to accurately depicting the orthodox Muslim community. Yes, the Imam didn't have a beard, had an awfully nonchalant attitude towards apostasy and might have shaken hands with the opposite sex in a few episodes. Zarqa Nawaz once explained that some slips happen because almost everyone on staff, from the director to cameraman, is non-Muslim. She alone couldn't possibly monitor every minutiae of the filming. Some aspects of the story, such as the Ammar's liberalism, are obviously intentional. You might not like it, but it's just a sitcom at the end of the day.

These shortcomings are miniscule compared to the number of things Little Mosque got right. The sitcom was the most accurate depiction of Muslims to date and succeeded in bringing the mainstream Muslim community to the television screen, especially at a time when secular and 'progressive' Muslims get preferential treatment. It represented all the characters we find in our mosques; the uncles, the converts, the feminists and the rebellious teenagers. It captured the conflicts between the young and the old, the tension between the liberals and conservatives.

It showcased, with great sensitivity, the first Muslim courtship on television; a social phenomenon which is still under development amongst Western Muslims. Peer-pressure faced by Muslim youth at high schools was also brought to light, as was their conflicts with immigrant parents. I would argue it even addressed issues which the Muslim community faces; I think organizing an 'Islamapalooza' is a great idea and partial hockey boards offer a reasonable solution to the prayer barrier controversy. Because of Little Mosque, people now know that Muslim women take the hijab off at home or that it is possible to be Muslim without having to wear one.

Little Mosque on the Prairie's idealistic worldview represents hope for our community in many ways— excluding its fiqhi failures of course. Our mosques today have closed doors and an unwelcoming atmosphere; not only to people of other faiths but to segments of the Muslim community as well. Women continue to be marginalized, and converts still grapple to find acceptance. I don't see our Imam playing checkers with the Reverend down the street, nor do I see bona fide bonds of friendship like the one between Babar and Thorne.

Mercy Mosque's setting was similar to the mosques of Muslim Spain, where the Christians and Muslims at times shared a common building for their place of worship. The series ended with the Muslims welcoming the Christians into their newly built mosque after their church was burned down. The new mosque was constructed in the image of Al-Rashid Mosque. This was Canada's first mosque and was built by donations from Jews and Christians, as the Muslim population in 1938 was minuscule.

Like Al-Rashid Mosque, Little Mosque reminds us that the vision of a pluralistic community co-existing is neither new nor impossible. Its message was simple: Set aside your prejudice, give up your spiritual pride and be a good neighbor.

“Almost 1400 years after the Prophet Muhammad first articulated God's law –the Sharī'ah- its earthly interpreters are still arguing over what it means. Hardliners reduce it to amputations, veiling, holy war and stoning. Others say that it is humanity's only guarantee of a just society. In Heaven On Earth, the criminal barrister and prizewinning writer, Sadakat Kadri, sets out to see who is right.”

A compelling enough introduction in the blurb of Sadakat Kadri's latest literary endeavour, Heaven On Earth – A Journey Through Sharī'a Law.

Muslim-born Kadri, a human rights barrister in the UK, has published two acclaimed titles previously; The Trial: A History, from Socrates to O.J. Simpson, a historical narrative on Western criminal jurisprudence, and a travel-guide to the city of Prague. An impressive portfolio, and possibly even one that licenses him to publish a tirelessly-researched documentation of the history of Sharī'ah and its application and relevance to modern times.

A travel guide on Prague followed by a chronological account of criminal law in the West.  What was it that got you thinking 'Sharī'ah' as your next literary undertaking?

Honestly, I had contemplated writing this for a few years before I actually got around to it, but what probably really got the ball rolling were the bombings in July of 2005 of the London public transport network. The event in itself and the sentiment that followed.

Those murders were plotted and carried out by people who claimed to have acted under the banner of Islam, and of course this sparked a convoluted public and media debate on the tenets of Islamic legislation in the West – and has even dragged itself into Western courtrooms today.

And admittedly my curiosity, like most others, was also roused by the same 'hot-button' topics almost always associated with any mention of Sharī'ah; i.e. corporal punishment, public stoning, concept of jihād, etc.

Among all that noise I realized that no one seemed to be countering this cynicism, and those that did attempt to clarify the rulings of Sharī'ah didn't seem to have much ammunition with which to work.

For as I've mentioned in the prologue: “Fiery preachers and random Muslim youths were making all sorts of bellicose assertions about 'the shari'a'. People who wanted to be angry with them were assuming that the Sharī'a meant what they said. Noise, rather than information, was rushing to fill a void, while critical questions were going not only unanswered, but unasked.”

Tell us about Heaven On Earth.

Heaven On Earth is an historical narrative segmented into two; the first part is a look at 1400 years of Islamic history, starting from the first revelations and ends at the current state of Islam post 9/11, and the surge of hard line extremism as an effect of the events of the past 40-60 years.

In the second part of the book, I've segued by introducing the idea of change to modernity, take for instance the issues of criminal justice in relation to contemporary relevance, also detailing the much-debated topics of apostasy and tolerance.

I chose to highlight issues of 'jihād' and the publicly-perceived zero-tolerance to blasphemy, in order to counter the preconceived notion that this is fundamentally expected.  It wouldn't be fair to evade some topics and focus on the safer ones.

And what did you discover on a personal level in those 3 years of researching for the book? Did you only find more fuel for the fire, or the contrary?

I travelled quite extensively for this book, from the madrassas in Pakistan to places of worship in Iran. I spoke to teachers of Islam, shaykhs and muftis, human rights activists and both Sunni and Shi'a clerics – in order to get as extensive a sample, and as balanced a documentation.

One thing I was very impressed with was the level of debate, healthy debate, I was on the receiving end of. Everyone I spoke to was willing to speak and they were all very courteous to me. I'd have arguments with them on a particular issue, and they'd argue back. We'd walk away disagreeing but understood that this was all part of the process.

The entire experience was as much a journey for me as it is one for the reader. It truly is a shame that the public is drawn to the negative sensational perception of Sharī'ah being depicted in Western media. No one wants to hear what moderate clerics implementing Sharī'ah rightfully have to say, preferring instead to headline unbiased fatāwa. You realize how nonsensical it is to reduce Islam and Sharī'ah to issues of jihād and amputations when it is far from being just about criminal rulings. On the contrary, the majority of it constitutes everyday morals and conduct; simple etiquettes like using the right hand to eat/drink with, and the festivities entailed for the 'Īd al-Fiṭr for example.

Armed with what I had learned myself after having completed my research, I wanted even more to humanize it to the readers; not just as a bunch of rules, but a collection of wisdoms encompassing civilizations and that which requires an understanding of  Islamic history. It is unfortunate that even people who do read into the history, forget to include context.

The argument shouldn't ever be whether the Shari'ah in itself is right or wrong, but if the interpretation of it is correct or not.

Do you believe you've achieved what you first intended on delivering?

My intention all along has been to clarify any ambiguities attached to Sharī'ah law, hoping to open the dialogue and engage debate.

I do want to influence opinion, but don't want to claim I have all the answers. I feel it's more important to have a discussion about this, instead of making our own assumptions, or even avoiding the topic completely. For there are extreme opinions on either side, but let's agree on some fundamentals based on historical facts to apply in context. Muslims themselves should be having this discussion.

Yet all the time I was perfectly aware that I wasn't writing for just one audience. This book should reach out to the liberal Muslims, and to those with anti-Muslim sentiment. And also be read in all the places I've researched from, not just the West.

This was material that had to be written very gently, and while I made the effort to portray both sides of the story, maintaining a balance, but not to a point that there was no stand taken. I wanted to provide a sympathetic voice without being too judgemental nor away from an opinion.

I don't consider myself an ambassador of Sharī'ah and Islam, nor do I claim to be a spokesperson for anyone. I have just written what I consider a well-researched book.

What has been the general response to the book so far?

To be honest I expected a lot of criticism, but surprisingly the response has been mostly positive. Of course I have had the odd accusation or two of being a 'crazy extremist' and 'Muslim apologist' but that right there is a sure-fire sign of an author's success, right? [laughs]

In tune with recent outcry on the incorporation of Sharī'ah legislation in American/British courts, why do you think most Western governments are so afraid of/averse to Sharī'ah?

I genuinely believe that the debate on Sharī'ah has now just been reduced to a fantastic way of whipping up political support. It seems a growing trend with most politicians who aren't armed with a good enough argument, to distract from themselves by highlighting the 'horrors' of Shari'ah law and promising its eradication as part of their campaigns.

My personal stance on the issue (read Sadakat's piece on the same in the London Review of Books) is not to say that Sharī'ah should be independent from British law, but that Muslims shouldn't be the only community prevented from taking their argument to the tribunal.

Sadakat Kadri was interviewed at the Emirates Airlines Festival of Literature held in Dubai, UAE earlier this month. He was one of many invited guest authors, and will soon be visiting the US as part of his book tour.

1. What are you listening to?
2. What are you reading?
3. What are you watching?
4. What technology are you rocking, Mac or PC? Kindle, iPad, Android phone, etc?
5. What's the best piece of advice you've received or an advice you have for MM's readers?

In this week's WIYE, Sameera interviews Sh. Yasir Qadhi.

Click here to listen to the interview…

Dr. O blogs at Muslim Medicine, a site that strives to serve only the freshest grade-A certified ẓabiḥah ḥalāl comedy. Contact your local ḥalāl butcher for more details.

Ahhh, Public High School. Despite graduating from there a little more than 5 years ago, I still remember my senior year like it was just yesterday. Probably because that was one of the most embarrassingly awkward years of my life due to my fobby mustache growing out of control. Back then, it was all about following ridiculous but popular trends, trading Pokemon cards (because no one ever really knew how to play with them), spending weekends studying for the SATs and the ACTs, Greg's pants falling down in the middle of the hallway, David getting dumped by Candice in the middle of the cafeteria, and of course, who could forget Katherine getting OWNED by a bumpy bus ride:

LOL!! HAHAHA!! I mean, astaghfirullah. I should be lowering my gaze.

Ahhhhhhh… …good times, good times.

But amongst all of the wonderful things that most High School Seniors look forward to, there's one event that every faithful Muslim brother and sister utterly dreads. Yes, my friends. I'm talking about the annual demonic festival of hormonally-repressed acne-faced youth who nefariously gather to revel in a night of fiendish debauchery in order to expend their youthful vigor in a druidic cabal of self-aggrandizement that irreversibly corrupts the faith of our community and decays the very moral fiber of our society.

I'm talking about PROM NIGHT.

Hold on, I know what you're thinking- based upon the sheer number of pretentious SAT words in that previous paragraph, you probably think that I was a huge nerd back in high school and that I'm only hating on Prom out of angry bitterness over never being asked out to it. You're right about the nerd part- but surprisingly, I actually was asked out to Prom by a girl in my AP Biology class, and boy oh boy was it an AWKWARD pretense for starting a da'wah conversation.

But anyways, my awkwardness aside, why is prom bad, you ask? Well, I hope you haven't been to one to know first-hand why it's not exactly an ideal spot for a very young and highly impressionable Muslim boy or girl, but just trust me when I say that for all of the temptations and nonsense that you have to resist in those High School hallways every day, Prom Night pretty much cranks the haram-o-meter up to level 10, and the after-prom parties crank up the haraminess rating to obscenely fitna-tastic levels. It 'aint a pretty sight my friends, and for some of the girls it doesn't get much prettier the morning after, so its best to avoid that cesspool of hormones altogether and do something more spiritually productive with your fellow Muslim friends like growing beard hairs (not recommended for girls) or putting cute henna designs on your hands (not recommended for guys).

This is what your nafs looks like on prom night…

…but this is what your īmān looks like

As this fiesta of foulness rapidly approaches at this time of the year and looms eerily over the susceptible heads of our young Muslim high school seniors, it's best to equip yourself with the very best of da'wah-proven techniques and certified ẓabiḥah ḥalāl abilities to ward off the temptations of Prom, and to come up with the perfect escape responses to safely dodge Prom questions and reject prom advances. Fortunately for you, I have just the guide to save your Senior year from ending in a blaze of regret!

PROM DATE REJECTION GUIDE FOR BROTHERS

Yeah, I know that awkward feeling, brothers. Every other guy in the school is hooking up with girls for the Prom and you're the sole dude in the class who isn't part of the search team nor even remotely interested in anything going on. Been there, done that. But sooner or later they're going to notice, and then it'll be your moment of truth- will you stand your ground and do your part for da'wah and defend your chastity and honor as a Muslim man? Or will you try to sneakily find ways of coming up with compelling excuses and dodging their judgmental eyes with well-timed defense mechanisms?

If the da'wah method doesn't work, then don't worry- I have a solution for you guys. Take it from someone who actually got asked out to the Prom in his senior year- I've got a whole swath of sure-fire techniques for you to dodge Prom, and reject date proposals from girls like a professional!

1 STOP GROOMING YOUR FACIAL HAIR

The epic sunnah-style beard is a universal symbol of masculinity and manhood- and to an unsuspecting girl, a nicely styled and combed beard with well-trimmed edges that behaves due to its mesmerizing bounce and volume as a result of your fancy L'Oreal shampoo and conditioner is a shining beacon of attractiveness that will no doubt entice her to ask you out to Prom. She probably wants to show off your beard to all her friends at Prom Night to make them feel jealous of your epic facial hair. But here's how to protect your beard from unwanted advances- just stop grooming it. Don't cut it, shape it, wash it, or even touch it for 3 months, and watch as your face becomes a powerful Prom repellent!

Nope. There isn't a single girl out there who would even think twice about asking YOU out to the prom once you look like that! Unless she's just as hairy as you are, in which case that hairy face will probably attract her even more.

2 STOP WEARING DEODORANT

This is by far the most effective technique of warding off girls from asking you out to the prom, so take special note of this highly-refined and deeply-complex technique, passed down from master and pupil for centuries. The technique requires a level of intense focus and preparation to perform, but I know that if you pull this off, you'll make your great escape from awkward Prom date requests. Take your deodorant sprays and/or bars, and carefully toss them in the trash. Then, every day before school starts, go jogging for about an hour around the neighborhood, and work up a good sweat. Then head straight to school without changing clothes or showering.

Trust us on this, NO ONE in that entire school will bother you about Prom again for weeks. Your body odor will kick like Bruce Lee, and your stench will be more offensive than a Danish Cartoon. Problem solved!

3 WEAR A FAKE WEDDING RING AND PRETEND TO BE MARRIED

This is without a doubt every single teenage brother's fantasy come true- finally, a chance to have a legitimate reason to wear a fake wedding ring and pretend to be married in public! YESSS!!! We know you've always wanted to do this ever since you were 13, so we're giving you an actual appropriate means of pretending to be married! Is it sad and pathetic? Sure. But does anyone else know that? Nope! And that's the beauty of this anti-Prom date technique.

Girls will instantly be repelled by your fake married-status, and if they're actually brave enough to ask you who you're married to, just tell them she's much prettier than they are, and they'll get offended and walk off (when guys ask you the same question, tell them that she's prettier than they are, too). Your fake imaginary wife will be so flattered you said that about her!

WARNING: depending on how well you convince others (and yourself) of your own marital status, this technique may very well stop you from actually getting married to a real sister later on in life. If this happens to you, I hope you've got a great imagination, because you'll probably stay married in your own mind for a long, long time.

PROM DATE REJECTION GUIDE FOR SISTERS

Yeah, I know that awkward feeling, sisters. Okay well to be honest… I don't, since I'm a guy and all, but I'll just assume I know what it's like for you. All the girls around you chattering incessantly about who they've got crushes on, and who they want to ask out to prom, and of course the hilarious stories of how the popular girls offer crushing rejections to the geeks over at the Chess and Math Olympics clubs. LOL, those poor geeks.

It's great to laugh at, sure- but when the girls start figuring out you're not going to Prom, and you're not expressing any interest in prom dates or prom dresses, you're gonna start to feel the pressure when they begin to cast their judgmental and condescending glares at you. That's when it's time to slam your foot down, straighten your ḥijāb, and tell them like it is!

…and if that doesn't work out, don't worry-I understand that High School is a much tougher place for sisters than it is for guys, and Prom time makes things even tougher. So here's 3 sure-fire techniques to repel guys from asking you out to Prom and to keep the other girls from harassing you!

1 WEAR A CONVINCING FAKE BEARD

Hahaha! Okay, I'm totally kidding with this first one. Well, I'm kidding with all of these absurd suggestions, but this one's pretty funny. Can you imagine how ridiculous you'd look wearing a ḥijāb and having a huge tuft of hair covering your lower face like a hairy niqāb? That's hilarious (and nasty)- but honestly, this would probably be the most POWERFUL guy-repellent in the history of mankind.

Maybe a sister who actually has one of these would be a suitable match for the Wolfman-brother shown above…

2 PUT ON A SCARY NIQAB

Wearing niqāb already makes sisters look like awesome shuriken-wielding ninjas- but putting on the right niqāb style can transform even the most shy and tame ḥijābi sister into a scary horror-movie slasher that no high school guy in his right mind would have the courage to ask out to the Prom. How exactly is this done, you ask? Its simple. Just take a look below:

See? 1,2,3 and presto! You've got yourself a sister protected from all sorts of temptations! And that costume makes for great da'wah conversation starters, too. Just don't head to any airports wearing that…

3 BRING YOUR DAD TO SCHOOL

There's only one thing that strikes more pure terror in the hearts of men than seeing a sister dressed up as a costumed horror-movie slasher- dealing with her angry dad. Want high school guys to leave you alone, or better yet, ANY guy to leave you alone? Bring your dad to school with you before Prom and watch in giddy glee as he scowls furiously with utter disgust and disdain at all of the poor, unsuspecting guys in your high school.

There isn't a single guy alive who would have the guts to even approach you within a 5 mile radius when you've got an angry dad standing behind you, lest they risk the paternal punishment of getting pulverized by a mountain of over-protective might. Angry-looking dads are one of the most effective anti-fitna tools that sisters have at their disposal to ward off unwanted advances.

WARNING: Do not allow an angry dad to come into contact with a sweet-talking pre-med Muslim student from a great family aspiring to be a doctor, who also happens to have all the same interests as your dad. The angry dad technique may completely backfire, and you might end up having an even more nerve-wracking situation to deal with than Prom itself.

—–

All in all, whether its a High School Prom, a Friday-night college party, or Happy Hour at your office, as respectable Muslim men and women, you need to avoid events and parties that you know for sure are going to be questionable environments that will tempt you towards that which is contrary to your faith and character. As the Holy Qur'an so beautifully puts it:

The one who does a bad deed shall be recompensed to the extent of the bad deed done; and the one who is a believer and does good deeds, whether man or woman, shall enter Paradise and therein receive sustenance without measure. [Surah Al-Mu'min, Verse 40]

There's a wondrous party filled with boundless things beyond your wildest imagination waiting up above in His Eternal Gardens. So if you had to choose between a single-night party at your local high school and a never-ending party in Jannah- which would you prefer to go to?

Times were much simpler a couple of decades ago, weren't they? Back when you'd collect hundreds of those free AOL trial CDs and pop them in, listen to the ear-grating internet dial tone for half an hour, and then wait eons for a simple website to load while making sincere du'ā' that your family members don't pick up the phone. Back then the internet was something new and exciting- Muslims had yet to discover its near endless virtual pastures, and as such, we actually had a lot more time to ourselves.

What kids nowadays think Muslim life was like before the internet existed.

Yes kids, its true! Life for Muslims somehow miraculously existed before Al Gore “invented” the internet. We had to painstakingly look stuff up in things called “books” and get our daily news from archaic scriptures known as “newspapers.” Oh and the debate over whether music was permissible or not? Trust me, you'd declare music a crime against the Ummah too if you ever saw someone walking around wearing this laughable ancient device:

If you actually know what this is, then you're old.

With the advent of the internet, you and I can now summon thousands of links and resources to a near bottomless trove of sites in a matter of seconds, and then share that information with hundreds of others in just a few minutes. Communication between us is lightning fast, and people can reach one another in ways that we didn't even think was possible a decade ago.

But the age-old rule still stands true- that wherever there are Muslims hanging around, there are bound to be Muslims arguing over ridiculous things. Not surprisingly, the internet is now the boxing ring for our new generation of Shaykh Googles and Mufti Wikipedias to profess their scholarly expertise and argue with one another with far more advanced tools of divisiveness, or as they say nowadays according to modern cyber tajwīd: “trolling.”

You don't have to look far to find young internet scholars debating over beard lengths, or berating “less practicing” or “less educated” brothers and sisters over eating nacho cheese Doritos or watching TV shows, or even finding Muslims spending hours viciously arguing back and forth over trivial things.

It's a shame that such incredible tools of spreading knowledge and building enlightening discussions such as Islamic Forums, Message Boards, group E-mail threads, Twitter feeds, and YouTube comment threads instead descend into embarrassing hotbeds of heated fights and countless hours of wasted time. And of all these online mediums, the biggest culprit of all is Facebook.

So how does it all go down, you ask? Surprisingly, it's quite predictable: 

You know you've seen that. And you know it doesn't end well. But boy, is it entertaining to watch.

Most Facebook arguments usually begin over something innocuous, like posting up a status about your favorite food and having the conversation continue until someone unknowingly posts something about eating pop-tarts, and out comes a fiery Muslim with a quick mouse-click trigger prowling the internet looking for a good opportunity to stroke the mighty beard of morality.

But who are the characters behind these arguments? Haha, that's a great question, and I'm glad I asked it of myself. Take out a pen and notepad, my friends, and keep a sharp eye out for these tell-tale signs of a good old Muslim verbal tussle:

THE INSTIGATOR

THE JUNIOR INTERNET SCHOLAR

THE DRAMA QUEEN GOSSIPER

THE CYNICAL CRITICIZER

THAT ONE JUDGMENTAL GUY

Spotting trouble online early on and avoiding it, diffusing it, or negating it is only part of the solution, but it doesn't completely solve the disease we have as judgmental, gossipy, and argumentative folk. Espousing proper Islamic manners of disagreement, etiquette of mutual respect and understanding, and patience with those we don't see eye to eye with is a prophetic legacy that applies even to our online lives, just as much as it does to our dealings in person.

“I guarantee a house in Jannah for one who gives up arguing, even if he is in the right; and I guarantee a house in the middle of Jannah for one who abandons lying even for the sake of fun; and I guarantee a house in the highest part of Jannah for one who has good manners.” [Prophet Muhammad  - reported by Imam Abu Dawud]

The internet may have completely revolutionized the way we interact with one another, but it certainly didn't change the way we're taught to conduct ourselves as Muslims. And above all else, it's always best to ask yourself if the hours you spend arguing with other people online is truly worth giving up your house in the wondrous Eternal Gardens of our Lord.

Let's take a moment and reflect on the story of Adam and Iblis.  Adam and Iblis, in general, both committed “mistakes” when it came to their encounters with each other.  Iblis refused to bow down to Adam when he was commanded to do so, while Adam ate from the forbidden tree when he was prohibited from doing so.  Why is that Adam was forgiven while Iblis was condemned?  Indeed, eating from the forbidden tree was a “mistake” while refusing to bow down was a “mistake.”  Why are Iblis's actions described as an act of kufr?  Where is the disbelief/kufr in Iblis's actions?  Why is that Iblis committed an act of kufr while Adam did not?  Many scholars explain the situation by referring to the words that Iblis uttered when he was asked why he refused to bow down.  Iblis responded by saying he was better than Adam.  By saying he was better than Adam, Iblis claimed that he did not need to bow down to Adam, which insinuated that Allah made a mistake and was wrong to command Iblis to bow down.  Iblis was inferring that he thought he knew better than Allah (and we seek refuge from such thoughts!) and that Allah should not have ordered Iblis to bow down to Adam.   Therefore, we see that Iblis's questions of Allah's Wisdom and his belief that he should not have been asked to bow down to Adam is labeled as an act of kufr, which ended up leading to his ultimate destruction and eternal damnation.

So the next time something “harsh” happens to you, don't question why it is happening.  If you question the wisdom of Allah, what makes your state of mind any different than the state of mind of Iblis at the time of his encounter with Adam.  Indeed, the very fact that you need to question Allah and ask “why” is an extremely dangerous road to wander down.  By asking “why,” you may be questioning the wisdom behind such actions, which is the same path Iblis took towards his own destruction.

Indeed, whenever something happens to a believer, it is for his benefit.  Let us reflect upon the hadith of Suhaib: “The affair of the believer is amazing! The whole of his life is beneficial, and that is only in the case of the believer.  When good times come to him, he is thankful and it is good for him, and when bad times befall him, he is patient and it is also good for him” [Muslim].

So, if something good happens to us and we praise Allah and because of it, it is beneficial for us.  And if something befalls us against our desires, we should be patient and because of it, it will indeed be beneficial for us again.  Indeed, everything that befalls a believer is for his or her benefit.  There is no such thing as something “bad” or “unfortunate” when it comes to the affairs of the believer.

What we really need to do is reflect on whether or not we are true believers.  If we were to fall sick, get into a car accident, or be in times of despair we should try to easily overcome those hardships.  We are told, “when the believer is afflicted with pain, even that of a prick of a thorn or more, God forgives his sins” [Bukhari].  So the next time such a difficulty comes to you, simply try to bear it with patience and remember the many references to patience in the Quran such as, “Indeed, the patient will be given their reward without account” [39:10].  Let us be optimistic and encouraging whenever we encounter a situation that requires sabr and patience.  Indeed, regardless of what happens to us, let us say, “Alhamdulillah!”

The Prophet  said:

“There is a polish for everything that takes away rust; and the polish for the heart is remembrance of Allāh.” [Bukhari]

Then, should we not strive to take the name of Allāh in all our actions and spend our idle time making tasbīḥ?

He  said:

“Allāh says: I am to my servant as he expects of Me, I am with him when he remembers Me. If he remembers Me in his heart, I remember him to Myself, and if he remembers me in an assembly, I mention him in an assembly better than his…” [Bukhari & Muslim]

Indeed what better thing would there be than to have your Lord remember you?

The Qur'ān says on this subject:

“And remember the Name of your Lord and devote yourself to Him with a complete devotion.” [Al-Muzzammil  8]

“Those men and women who engage much in Allāh's praise. For them has Allāh prepared forgiveness and a great reward.” [Al-Aḥzāb 35]

“Those who believe, and whose hearts find comfort in the remembrance of Allāh! ” Behold in the Remembrance of Allāh do hearts find satisfaction.” [Al-Ra'd 28]

So continuous dhikr (remembrance of Allāh) not only polishes our heart and cleanses it, but also serves our case in the court of Allāh on the day when we will need it most. In addition, it helps our hearts find comfort which most of us try to seek daily through various means.

The Qur'ān also warns us:

“And whosoever turns away from the remembrance of the Most Beneficent (Allāh), We appoint for him Shaitan (Satan – devil) to be a  companion to him.” [Al-Zukhruf 36]

“O ye who believe let not your riches or your children divert you from the Remembrance of Allāh if any act thus, the loss is their own.” [Al-Munāfiqūn 9]

“…And whosoever turns away from the Reminder of his Lord, He will cause him to undergo a severe Penalty.” [Al-Jinn  17]

“And keep yourself (O Muhammad) patiently with those who call on their Lord morning and afternoon, seeking His Face, and let not your eyes overlook them, desiring the pomp and glitter of the life of the world; and obey not him whose heart We have made heedless of Our Remembrance, one who follows his own lusts and whose affair (deeds) has been lost.” [Al-Kāhf  28]

Thus, we should try and spend as much time in dhikr and make it a habit to remember Allāh.

This is a beautiful part of a lecture (in Arabic with English subtitles) by Sheikh Salih Al-Mughamisi, Imam of Masjid Al-Quba in Medina.

Related articles:

How to Acquire the Love of Allah (SWT) (muslimmatters.org)
How Does One Soften Their Heart? (suhaibwebb.com)
Taqwa – Consciousness of Allah (discomaulvi.wordpress.com)