Islam

Debunking The “A’isha Child Marriage” Myth

May 28, 2012 By Sarah

UPDATE April 2019: This post was originally published in 2012, and has gone through many revisions. However, in recent years, Sh. Omar Suleiman and the Yaqeen Institute for Islamic Research have conducted an impressive, in-depth study of this topic. So we have completely updated this page to reflect this groundbreaking research and the articles and videos they have published.

It’s important to note that for over 1400 years, the age of Aisha (ra) was never a topic of discussion. It’s only in recent years that Islamophobes have brought it up as a point of debate, and unfortunately it has also become a cause of doubt among Muslims.

The following video is the conclusion of a 4-part collection titled, “More Than Just a Number: Perspectives on the Age of Aisha (ra)”. In it, Sh. Omar Suleiman does an excellent job of breaking down this hotly debated topic, including the historical context of the time, and helps us end this debate, once and for all.

You can read the complete collection at this link: https://yaqeeninstitute.org/series/more-than-just-a-number-perspectives-on-the-age-of-aisha/

The “Halal Meat” Scam and Why I’m a Semi-Vegetarian

April 27, 2012 By Sarah 10 Comments

Yes, you read that right – the term “halal meat” is a scam, which is why I’m a semi-vegetarian. By semi-vegetarian, I mean that I only eat meat on certain occasions, under specific circumstances, and following very strict guidelines. I would say in a given month, I eat meat twice, maybe three times (if that). “But whyyy?” you might ask? Simple. I’m following the commands of Allah (glorified and exalted be He) in the Qur’an, and the sunnah of our Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allāh be upon him).

What’s the Problem?

Let me just say, this post has been in my drafts for over a week. Then yesterday, I saw this post from Hijabman, in which he quoted the following, which was my sign to finish and publish this piece already:

“75 percent of Halal meat in America produced in the year 2000 came from pork fed cows, according to Dr. Stephen Emanuel, from Agway Feed Company.” – SoundVision

In the Muslim world (and the Arab world, in general), meat has become a staple at the dinner table…and the lunch table…and the breakfast table. From kebabs (meat cubes) and koftas (ground beef kabob), to shawarma (minced meat) sandwiches and sujouk (beef sausage), our community has built an unhealthy obsession around meat. It’s everywhere; weddings, funerals, birthday parties, aqeeqas, Eid feasts…if there is a gathering of Muslims for any reason, you better believe, there will be meat!

Because Allah (glorified and exalted be He) made meat lawful for us in the Qur’an, and because Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allāh be upon him) ate meat, we’ve convinced ourselves that it’s our God-given right to consume as much meat as we possibly can on any given day. Ahh, the Qur’an and the Sunnah – the pinnacles of all Islamic law and jurisprudence…let’s take a look at what these two sources have to say about the consumption of meat, and compare that to what’s taking place in Muslim homes across the globe.

Halal in the Qur’an

The Qur’an contains verse after verse telling us to eat only that which is lawful and good. Here are just a few of those verses:

O ye people! Eat of what is on earth, lawful and good; and do not follow the footsteps of the Evil One, for he is to you an avowed enemy. (Al-Baqarah:168)

O you who believe (in the Oneness of Allah)! Eat of the good things that We have provided you, and be grateful to Allah if it is (indeed) He Whom you worship. (Al-Baqarah:172)

Eat of that which Allah hath provided for you lawful and good; but fear Allah, in Whom ye believe. (Al Maidah:88)

As we see from these verses, Allah (glorified and exalted be He) tells us to eat that which is lawful AND good – not lawful OR good. In Arabic, these terms are halal and tayyib. But what does that really mean?

Islamic law states that in order for meat to be considered halal, very specific conditions must be met:

An animal must not be beaten, mutilated, or branded.
An animal must be killed in accordance to very specific guidelines, which ensure the quickest slaughter, and the least amount of pain.
Muslims are strictly forbidden from eating the flesh of carnivorous animals.
The name of Allah must be invoked over each animal before it is killed.

What is Tayyib?

Most Muslims are familiar with the term halal (lawful, permissable), but sadly, our community is much less familiar (if at all) with the term tayyib (pure, wholesome, nutritious, good). How can this be, when the two terms are mentioned together in the Qur’an numerous times? How can we ignore such an important aspect of what Allah

(glorified and exalted be He) has allowed us to eat?

The term tayyib is just as important as halal and should be treated as such! To me, tayyib is today’s equivalent of ‘organic’, meaning locally grown food, free from hormones, pesticides, antibiotics, artificial anything, and in the case of livestock, free-range, grass-fed (beef), and well-treated. Yes, well-treated! Lest we forget what Allah

(glorified and exalted be He) tells us in the Qur’an about the treatment of animals:

“There is not an animal (that lives) on the earth nor a being that flies on its wings, but they are communities like you. Nothing have We omitted from the Book, and they all shall be gathered to their Rabb (Lord) in the end.” (Al-An’am:38)

“Halal” Factory Farms are NOT Halal

Isn’t that beautiful? Allah (glorified and exalted be He) likens the animals on this earth to us humans, with communities and an ultimate return to their Lord! If Allah (glorified and exalted be He) has elevated these creatures to such a high status, why then, are Muslims not outraged by the inhumane and downright evil treatment to which animals are subjected on today’s factory farms? I won’t go into every detail (you can read more at this article), but here are just a few of those heinous treatments:

Factory farms are over-crowded, putting the animals under a great deal of stress, leading to behaviors like cannibalism and fighting. These behaviors are prevented by debeaking chickens, and dehorning and castrating cows, without the use of anesthetics. [Mutilation]
Cows are killed using electric shock so that their throats are easier to cut. There have been reports that some animals are still alive by the time they make it down the line to be dismembered. [Slow and Painful Death]
Natural herbivores are fed slaughterhouse waste, including fat, blood, meat, and bone meal. Dairy cows are given feed with ground pork bones in it. “Animal cannibalism” is also common, with cows being fed the blood and meat of other cattle as protein supplements. [Carnivorous]

Even Muslim farms have been known to undermine the law that Allah’s name be invoked over each animal before it is killed. Some of them just recite it once at the beginning of the day, others have it playing on a tape recorder over and over, as they slaughter each animal. Others, more, practice the use of “blessed blades“, wherein they either inscribe Bismillah Allahu Akbar on the blades or someone says the phrase and blows on the blades, thereby “blessing” the blades for the slaughter…nevermind the fact that machine-slaughter is against Islamic law in the first place! They’ve turned into a simple, ritualistic behavior…as if this is all that’s necessary in order for it to be considered halal.

What is the real Halal?

Saying Bismillah Allahu Akbar before slaughtering an animal is not simply a ritual, as these farms have reduced it; when we invoke Allah’s name on an animal that will be slaughtered, we are speaking directly to Him, thanking Him for His bounty and asking Him to accept the animal’s sacrifice. We are acknowledging that the animal is His divine creation, that we have done our best to provide it with a healthy, happy life, and that we will sacrifice it in order to feed and nourish our family.

How many of us remember all of these things before we dig into the lamb kebab or that chicken biryani? My guess is very few. But that’s only because we have been conditioned and desensitized to the sacred meaning of eating meat. With the growth of factory farming in the past few decades, meat has become an expendable resource, like sugar or flour. It’s just always there, it’s not going anywhere, so we don’t really think too much of it.

This is where we’ve failed – failed the animals, failed ourselves, failed our communities. We are supposed to be ‘ahlus sunnah wal jama’ah’, but when we look at the sunnah of our Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allāh be upon him), we immediately see that factory farming is not something he would have approved of:

It behooves you to treat the animals gently. (Muslim 4:2593)

Allah has ordained kindness (and excellence) in everything. If the killing (of animals) is to be done, do it in the best manner, and when you slaughter, do it in the best manner by first sharpening the knife, and putting the animal at ease.” (Muslim 2:156)

There is a reward for acts of charity to every beast alive.” (Bukhari 3:322; Muslim 4:2244)

Animals ~~raised~~ tortured on factory farms are NOT treated gently, are NOT put at ease, and are NOT provided with acts of charity from their handlers. Instead, they are subjected to awful, cruel conditions just for the mere fact that they are animals, and somehow subhuman and unworthy of love, affection, and respect.

So, now what?

I’ve decided I’ve had enough. I cannot continue to support this atrocity any longer. Basem and I have been living a simpler, more eco-friendly lifestyle for the past couple years, and along with eating more organic, whole foods, we’ve also cut our meat consumption by a lot! Like I said, we only eat meat a couple times a month now. And with all the highly accessible halal options here in Toronto, there’s no lack of choice when deciding what we’re having on those two nights of the month.

But we’ve got to be real here, the “Halal Meat” label doesn’t mean anything anymore. I don’t care if it was certified by ISNA or whoever; it seems that all they are concerned with is how the animals are slaughtered, without any concern for how the animals were treated during their short life. If an animal lived its entire life in misery, stress, and depression, I don’t care if it was slaughtered properly or not. How can these farmers/butchers say Bismillah before slaughtering an animal which was subjected to such unethical treatment under their watch? Oh yeah, they don’t…they just use a tape recorder or “bless the blade”.

Do you see how feeble our understanding and implementation of halal has become? Just because something is halal, that doesn’t give us the right to do it all the time, by any means necessary. Moderation is key. Conscience is integral. Education is necessary.

Is there a solution?

We need more halal meat companies that use organic farming practices. That means no antibiotics, hormones, or pesticides. That means allowing cattle to graze in open fields of grass (instead of grains, which are difficult to digest). That means letting chickens bask in the sun, while munching on weeds and insects.

Here in Toronto, we are blessed, alhamdulillah, to have the wonderful company, Blossom Pure – a truly halal, organic foods company. They work with the Amish and Mennonite farmers just outside the city, who raise all the meat on their organic farms. The slaughterer goes out to the farms, transports the animals to a federally-approved slaughterhouse (within 2-3 miles) where they are then slaughtered one by one (kindly, gently, separated, not witnessing others) and then transported back to the store to be packaged. From the very beginning, these animals are treated with respect; by slaughtering them at a site close to the farms (as opposed to driving them back to the store), the burden and stress of travel is completely removed from the animal, and placed on the slaughterer.

The Prophet was a semi-vegetarian

Yes, organic meat is much more expensive, but it doesn’t have to be! Here’s a simple tip: don’t eat so much of it! Of course it will be expensive if you eat meat 4, 5, 6 nights a week. But here’s a radical idea: cut it down to just once a week! Then once a month. Then just on special occasions. The Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allāh be upon him) didn’t eat meat everyday, or every week, or barely every month! It was saved for special occasions; something to celebrate and enjoy.

If your meat is not organic, it’s NOT HALAL – simple as that! If I have to choose between “halal” and organic, I choose organic. This, of course, is only if I trust the source of the meat (ie: small, local farmers, and NOT chain supermarkets!), and if I’m 100% sure that it wasn’t sacrificed in the name of anyone other than Allah (glorified and exalted be He) (or in anyone’s name at all, which is usually the case today). Furthermore, if the farmer is a Christian or a Jew (People of the Book), then I feel comfortable eating it. Allah (glorified and exalted be He) says in the Qur’an:

This day are (all) things good and pure made lawful unto you. The food of the People of the Book is lawful unto you and yours is lawful unto them. (Lawful unto you in marriage) are (not only) chaste women who are believers, but chaste women among the People of the Book, revealed before your time― when ye give them their due dowers, and desire chastity, not lewdness, nor secret intrigues. If anyone rejects faith, fruitless is his work, and in the Hereafter he will be in the ranks of those who have lost (all spiritual good). (Ma’ida:5)

He hath only forbidden you dead meat, and blood and the flesh of swine, and that on which any other name hath been invoked besides that of Allah. But if one is forced by necessity without wilful disobedience, nor transgressing due limits―then is he guiltless. For Allah is Oft-Forgiving Most Merciful. (Al-Baqarah:173)

If I don’t feel comfortable making that decision and cannot find meat that is both organic AND halal, guess what? I just don’t eat meat. You know what we can eat freely, and is in utter abundance? All the creatures of the sea! Fish, shrimp, crab, lobster, etc. All of these are healthy alternatives (if caught using sustainable fishing methods). Again, moderation is key, so let’s not aim to replace all the beef in our diet with salmon, for example. 😉

And if we are going to strive to follow the sunnah of our Prophet (peace and blessings of Allāh be upon him), we MUST include his sunnah for eating (in general), and consuming meat (in particular). Even Umar ibn al Khattab [ra], during his khilafa, prohibited eating meat everyday. He said:

Beware of meat, because it has an addiction like the addiction of wine. (Malik)

The video below is from last year’s Reviving the Islamic Sprit conference, which took place here in Toronto (I highly encourage you to attend this year, if you can). In it, Hamza Yusuf discusses the importance of knowing where our food comes from, the fair-trade movement, and around 35 minutes in, he discusses organic farming and animal rights.

Let’s Make A Change!

Let us take the lessons from the Qur’an and the Sunnah and really, truly apply them to our lives. Let us stand up for what is right and just, and denounce that which is wrong and unjust. Let us enjoin the good and forbid the evil, as Allah (glorified and exalted be He) states in surat Ali ‘Imran (3:110).

We all know the current practices of the “halal meat” industry are wrong, and we all can do something about it. Take that first step, however small it may be. Just renew your intentions, take that first step, and Allah (glorified and exalted be He) will take care of the rest. I’m not here to tell you what to do; only you know what you need to do. But I can say that making a change is possible, however difficult or inconvenient it may be. Say a little prayer, ask Allah (glorified and exalted be He) for guidance and strength, and just do it!

References:
http://halal-hub.org/guideline.php
http://www.care2.com/greenliving/factory-farming-vs-islamic-law-2.html
http://www.islamicconcern.com/bismillah.asp
http://halalmedia.my/eating-less-meat-is-more-islamic

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Occupy Masjid: A Proposal for Reviving Mosques of the Ummah

April 17, 2012 By Basem 2 Comments

بِسْــــــــــــــــــمِ اﷲِالرَّحْمَنِ اارَّحِيم

Our mosques have been paralyzed by governments and “scholars for dollars” for the last century. These where once centers of communities; a place for Muslims to pray, to educate, to find shelter, battle poverty, a think-tank, strategize military, initiate political campaigns, economic planning, set up agriculture, celebrate, and so much more. Today, mosques are just a place to pray on Friday’s. This atrophy of the mosques worldwide is no doubt tied to the atrophy of the Muslim mind. The oppression and calamities facing the Ummah are only symptoms of this problem. This proposal is aimed to target the source of the problem rather than getting distracted by the symptoms.

Reviving the mosques can be quite an overwhelming topic. For this reason, revival will be categorized into 3 areas: housing, permaculture, and economy. These areas have been chosen due to the self-sustaining aspect of this mission. Our Muslim communities should not have to go to governments, banks, or corporations to fulfill their needs. Instead, the mosques will be molded to facilitate the needs of the community in a self-sustaining manner.

Housing

To grasp the impact of this area, ask yourself how many Muslims do you know that are renting, mortgaging, or investing in real estate? Probably all. Now ask yourself how many are neighbors of one another. Probably none. This sad reality translates into being a major factor in the disunity of the Ummah. Muslims need to be living in the same communities to actually build their community. So the first step of this proposal is a call for all Muslims to live as close as possible to the mosques. This will naturally result in the cultivation of Muslim communities with the masjid as its nucleus. With the economic downfall, Muslims should use this opportunity and find foreclosed homes around mosques… better yet, MULTI-FAMILY HOMES around the mosques. There is no sense for Muslims to be buying million dollar homes when a few quad-plexes or apartments buildings around the moques will do just fine. Live like the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allāh be upon him) and the sahaba. This will result in lower housing costs and shared expenses while more importantly, build Muslim communities around the mosques. It is important to note here that there should be at least one learned scholar from amongst the community since these Muslims will be responsible for their masjid in the form of a working group committee.
Permaculture

With shelter taken care of above, next comes food. Permaculture is an important concept that you need to be familiar with. It is an ecological design which attempts to develop sustainable human settlements and agricultural systems modeled from natural ecosystems. It draws from several other disciplines including organic farming, agroforestry, sustainable development, and applied ecology. The primary agenda of this area is to assist Muslims to become more self reliant through the design and development of productive and sustainable gardens and farms around housing and the masjid itself. This will ensure the long-term survival of the Muslim community without the need of poisonous and expensive corporations.
Economy

The diversity of businesses amongst the congregations of mosques is staggering. Developing an economy for the congregation can render itself self-sufficient. Selling, bartering, and donating around the masjid and amongst the congregation can help promote the livelihood of our Muslim community without the need of government currency or bank lending. Furthermore, mosques can trade and procure with one another on a local and international scale.

Goals

The areas mentioned about are the means to the goal. What is the goal? First is unity. Without unity, we will continue to be numerous, but as weak as foam of the sea. This will channel our numbers through the mosques to empower us. Second goal is sovereignty. If Muslims depended on mosques rather than the institutions of our oppressors, our Islamic sovereignty will naturally be established worldwide through the network of mosques and will only help build a landscape for the Khilafah.

Steps

There are steps we need to make this a reality:

Talk to the sheikh at your masjid about this proposal
Talk to your Muslim peers about this proposal
Talk to Muslim real estate agents about this proposal
Advocate for free Wifi Internet in your masjid
Advocate for keeping the masjid open 24/7 (raise extra funds and rotate occupiers)
Create a Facebook page for your masjid if not done already
Create a Twitter account for your masjid if not done already
Register your masjid at Occupy Masjid
Notify Occupy Masjid if your masjid does NOT have a website
Discuss this proposal on various masjid and imam Facebook pages
Organize general assemblies at the masjid (a global assembly is in the works)
Discuss your progress on Occupy Masjid’s Facebook page
Copy and redistribute this proposal on emails, blogs, websites, etc

Conclusion

The time is now for the Ummah to make a move! If this proposal can be summarize into one statement, it would be “to move as close to the masjid as possible.” This is imperative for our unity, our spiritual growth, and the effectiveness of our actions. No other organization in the world share a single book in its original form with weekly and annual meetings (Friday’s and Hajj). To top this off, we have been given the worldwide infrastructure of the mosques. We just have to use it!

*Only Muslims can join this religious-based movement (draw inspiration from Masjid Al-Aqsa).
*Women must make up 50% of the working group committee.
*One learned scholar must be in the working group committee.
*This is a working draft. Please leave comments, feedback and ideas below.

And who are more unjust than those who forbid that Allah’s Name be glorified and mentioned much in Allah’s mosques? ―Whose zeal are (in fact) to ruin them? It was not fitting that such should themselves enter Allah’s Mosques except in fear. For them there is disgrace in this world, and they will have a great torment in the Hereafter. [Qur’an 2:114]

And hold fast, all of you together, to the Rope of Allah, and be not divided among yourselves, and remember Allah’s Favour on you, for you were enemies one to another but He joined your hearts together, so that, by His Grace, you became brethren (in Islamic Faith), and you were on the brink of a pit of Fire, and He saved you from it. Thus Allah makes His Ayat (proofs, signs, revelations, etc) clear to you, that you may be guided. And let there arise out of you a band of people inviting to all that is good, enjoining what is right, and forbidding what is wrong; they are the ones to attain felicity. [Qur’an 3:103-104]

Ramadan Resolutions

July 23, 2011 By Sarah 3 Comments

Assalamu Alaikum – Peace and Blessings to all!

The blessed month of Ramadan is now less than 10 days away! What are you doing to prepare for this month about which Allah (swt) says:

Fasting is prescribed for you as it was prescribed for those before you, that you may attain taqwaa. [Qur’an 2:183]

The word taqwaa is best understood as a state of ‘God-consciousness’. Therefore, this ayah informs us that the purpose of Ramadan is to teach/train us to be in a constant state of God-consciousness – during Ramadan as well as the rest of the year. But how can we do this if we don’t prepare for this month and treat it as a training period? Every year, we make New Year’s Resolutions, but what about our Ramadan Resolutions? That’s why this year for Ramadan I’ve decided to create a list of my Top 10 Ramadan Resolutions and share it with you. Insha’Allah you find this list helpful for you and it allows you to really capture the true essence of Ramadan 🙂

Read the entire Qur’an
Since Ramadan is the month in which the Qur’an was revealed, we are encouraged to read, study, and complete the Qur’an over the course of the month. Initially, this sounds like a huge feat but it’s actually very simple if we plan for it in advance and work hard at it. All you have to do is commit to reading 4 pages after each prayer! And if you can’t read or understand it in Arabic, there’s nothing wrong with reading it in English! What I do is try to read both with a good side-by-side translation but if time is tight, just focus on the English for now so you can understand it.
Memorize and learn the tafsir for one new surah
It doesn’t even have to be a very long surah. Just set aside some time everyday to study this surah, understand the meaning, and memorize it. You can even practice the section you’re currently working on by reciting it during your prayers for that day. The Tafsir of Ibn Kathir is of the most respected and accepted explanations for the Quran and is the most widely used explanations in Arabic used today.
Learn 3 new duas from Qur’an or Sunnah
There’s nothing like the feeling of holding up your hands or touching your forehead to the ground and speaking directly to Allah (swt) asking him for whatever it is that you want. The only thing better is using duas that come directly from the Qur’an or that have been recited by the Prophet Muhammad (saaw). So pick a few that you’d like to memorize and begin using them in your prayers, afterwards, and whenever the need arises! Here is a nice site with some duas for different occasions.
Turn off the radio and TV
You won’t realize how much time you spend listening to the radio and watching TV until you turn them off for a whole month! And I mean all day, not just when you’re fasting. Ramadan isn’t just about fasting from food, we’re supposed to be fasting from all worldly things that take us away from worshiping and praising our Creator – remember, God-consciousness! But I don’t believe there’s anything wrong with watching videos of Islamic talks and lectures though! You can find videos to watch at TubeIslam, HalalTube, and The Deen Show, for starters.
Use the Internet wisely
The internet is a tricky thing. On the one hand it’s a true blessing, a very useful tool, and for some, a necessary part of the work/school day. On the other hand, it’s a HUGE time-waster (Facebook anyone?)! So the key here is to always have a clear picture of what it is you need to do online and just do it! Make an honest effort to not go off on useless tangents (we know how easy that is!) and limit your time spent online each day. If you just have to go on Facebook, make it worth your while (as well as your friends) and share a link that will help others learn something or expand their knowledge in some way – then spend no more than 15-20 mins checking your feed and then SIGN OFF!
Pray taraweeh
Try to go to the masjid and pray taraweeh with the Imam at least one time this Ramadan. If you can go every night, masha’Allah and alhamdulillah! I know for me, it’s just not something I can do right now, but what I like to do instead is pray taraweeh at home. It’s very simple – I just pray 8 rak’aahs (2 sets of 2 rak’aahs, short break for duas, then 2 sets of 2 rak’aahs) and then I pray the witr prayer (2 rak’aahs then 1 rak’aah). It’s recommended to lengthen the nightly prayers so try to recite the longer surahs that you know or recite more than one surah for each rak’aah.
Wake up for suhoor
When I was younger, my mom always woke us up for suhoor. Once I was on my own, I totally skipped suhoor; I ate at midnight, woke up 5 minutes before Fajr adhan to drink a glass of water, prayed then went back to sleep. What I didn’t know until recently is that the suhoor meal is actually a sunnah.
The Prophet (saaw) said:

Eat Suhoor; Indeed, there is a blessing in Suhoor. [Bukhari and Muslim]

The Prophet (saaw) also said:

The distinction between our fasting and the fasting of the people of the book [Jews and Christians] is the taking of Suhoor. [Muslim]

The best suhoor is to eat dates since the Prophet (saaw) said:

How excellent are dates as the believer’s Suhoor. [Abu Dawood]

It’s also much healthier to eat a nutritious meal before attempting to fast the entire day; your brain needs energy to function properly. By skipping out on suhoor, you’re depriving your brain of this energy – no wonder we always seem so tired and unable to concentrate during the day! So let’s return to the tradition of waking up early and eating suhoor with the family. Waking up before dawn will be much easier if we’re not staying up late the night before watching TV or Facebook-ing. 😉
Make dua
Ramadan is the month of dua and Allah (swt) loves when we call upon him, so let’s make sure to remember to ask Allah (swt) for everything we want!
The Prophet (saaw) said:

There are three people whose dua’s are not rejected, the fasting person until he breaks the fast, the just ruler and the dua’s of the oppressed whose dua Allah lifts above the clouds and opens unto it the doors of the heavens, and Allah says, I swear by My honor, verily I shall assist you even though it may be after some time. [Ahmad and Tirmidhi]

Make dua each day before starting your fast, when breaking your fast, during/after prayer, at the masjid, when giving zakat, etc. Here is a nice list of duas to recite for various reasons throughout the day and here is another list of 30 duas for 30 days. Here is a dua we can all say right now:

اَللّهُمَّ بَلِّغْنَا رَمَضَان – Allahumma ballighna Ramadan – O Allah! Let us reach the month of Ramadan
Pray the Sunnah prayers
There are 12 confirmed sunnah prayers that are associated with the obligatory prayers. If we’re not praying them already, Ramadan is definitely the time to start!
The Prophet (saaw) said:

There is no Muslim servant of Allah who prays twelve supererogatory rakats from other than the obligatory prayer for the sake of Allah most high except that Allah makes for him a house in paradise. [Muslim]

The sunnah prayers are: 2 before Fajr, 4 before Dhuhr and 2 after it, 2 after Maghrib, and 2 after Isha.
Read Surat Al-Kahf on Fridays
Surat Al-Kahf is a very special surah in the Qur’an; not only are there many virtues for reciting and memorizing it, but it also contains 4 main stories! The following hadiths speak about the benefits and virtues of this surah:
The Prophet (saaw) said:

Whoever reads Surat Al-Kahf on Friday, he will be illuminated with light between the two Fridays. [Bukhari and Muslim]

The Prophet (saaw) said:

Whoever memorizes ten Ayahs from the beginning of Surat Al-Kahf will be protected from the Dajjal. [Muslim, Abu Dawud, An-Nasa’i and At-Tirmidhi]

So let’s remember to follow this sunnah and read surat Al-Kahf on Fridays; and if you can’t read the whole thing, at least try to read the first 10 ayahs… by the end of Ramadan, you’ll have them memorized insha’Allah!

Finally, here is a 10 Day Ramadan Prep Challenge for the last 10 days leading up to Ramadan. It’s a nightly audio lecture with different guest speakers addressing a different topic each night!

Let’s aim to strive this Ramadan. With a very small amount of effort, we pray that Allah (swt) will help our hearts soften and honor us with making it easy to turn to Him and open up to Him.

May Allah (swt) make us of the successful in Ramadan, and make it easy for us to turn to Him completely and perpetually. Ameen.

Do you have any Ramadan Resolutions of your own? Share them in the comments below!

The Status of Women in Islam

September 1, 2010 By Sarah 4 Comments

Perhaps one of the most controversial topics when it comes to Islam, is that of the status of women. It seems that everyone thinks they know everything there is to know about this topic, but I’ve yet to see a mainstream debate about this issue which actually included a Muslim in the conversation… or better yet, a Muslim woman!

I was approached by a very dear friend of mine who needed help in debunking some utterly false and downright hateful claims made by Christian Evangelical, Franklin Graham, in an interview which recently aired on CNN. I’ll spare you the excruciating pain of actually watching the interview, so I’ve outlined his main “points” below and will attempt to respond to each of them with credible references from the Qur’an and Hadith – the only true sources for Islamic jurisprudence.

However, before getting into that, it’s important to note that throughout the 11 minute interview, Mr. Graham never once took the time to actually refer back to the Qur’an or Hadith (as I will do in this post). He never once referred to a specific personal experience he’d had with any of the millions of Muslims living in his own country – the U.S., or the 1.6 billion other Muslims scattered across the globe. No, his one reference to anything remotely related to Islam was when he held up the cover of a TIME magazine which showed a picture of an Afghani girl who tragically had her nose cut off by her father because she fled an arranged marriage…and this is not at all a reference to Islam, but a in fact a reference to one incident in one country involving one family, who happens to be Muslim. Oh yes, he also referred to his ‘extensive experience’ of ‘helping Muslims’ in Muslim countries, but he never once mentions who, when, where…again, completely baseless.

The importance of this endeavor to counter these false accusations against Islam as a religion is due to the widespread uneducated, misinformed, and at times, downright ignorant, images that are portrayed about Islam in the mainstream media. If some heinous, cruel act is committed in some remote corner of the world, it goes completely unnoticed… until someone gets wind that the perpetrator says he’s a Muslim. This over-generalized, painting with a broad stroke of the brush has got to stop! It’s time to look at the facts, the source, and the truth. Below are some of Mr. Graham’s false statements about the status of women in Islam:

Women are the personal property of men
This one is a favorite of those who are truly uneducated about Islam. For if one reads the Qur’an, one will immediately realize that women and men are full and equal partners in humanity. Women are neither the ‘property’ of men, nor are they an object to be owned, bought, sold, used, kept, or any other outlandish term used to describe them. Allah (swt) explains to us exactly how women are to be treated (and not treated):

O You who believe! You are forbidden to inherit women against their will, and you should not treat them with harshness, that you may take away part of the Mahr (bridal-money given by the husband to his wife at time of marriage) you have given them, unless they commit open illegal sexual intercourse. And live with them honorably. If you dislike them, it may be that you dislike a thing and Allah brings through it a great deal of good. (Qur’an, 4:19)

Allah (swt) also makes it clear that the only difference between a man and woman in the sight of Allah, is one’s good deeds and awareness of Allah (swt):

Indeed the noblest of you in the sight of Allah is the most pious. (Qur’an, 49:13)

Whoever does right, whether male or female, (all) such will enter the garden. (Qur’an, 40:40)

And for those who wonder why the Qur’an seems to only be addressed to men, Umm Salama (one of the Prophet’s wives) asked the same question, after which a long passage was revealed to the Prophet (pbuh) clearly addressed to both men and women in every line, stating the responsibilities and rewards for both men and women:

For Muslim men and women – for believing men and women, for devout men and women, for true men and women, for men and women who are patient and constant, for men and women who humble themselves, for men and women who give in charity, for men and women who fast (and deny themselves), for men and women who guard their chastity, and for men and women who engage much in God’s praise – for them has God prepared forgiveness and great reward. (Qur’an, 33:35)

Women have no rights in Islam
Another favorite, yet completely false statement, disproven only by the word of Allah (swt):

O mankind! Be dutiful to your Lord, Who created you from a single person (Adam), and from him (Adam) He created his wife (Eve), and from them both He created many men and women and fear Allah through Whom you demand your mutual (rights), and (do not cut the relations of) the wombs (kinship). Surely, Allah is Ever and All-Watcher over you. (Qur’an, 4:1)

Contrary to what characters like Franklin Graham would have you believe, Islam grants the women the right to an education, as clearly stated by the Prophet (pbuh):

To seek knowledge is obligatory on every Muslim. (Related by Ibn ‘Adiyy, Al-Bayhaqi and Al-Tabarani)

The Holy prophet had keen interest in the education of women. His own wife, A’isha (ra) was highly learned and he is reported to have said to his companions: Learn half of the faith from A’isha. After the death of the Holy Prophet (pbuh) his companions frequently asked her for guidance in matters on which there was a difference of opinion and she was considered an authority on many vital issues and a large number of authentic traditions were narrated by her.

Islam also guarantees the rights of women to work, to own property and have wealth. Regarding the right to work and earn a living:

And in nowise covet those things in which Allah hath bestowed His gifts more freely on some of you than on others: to men is allotted what they earn, and to women what they earn: But ask Allah of his bounty. For Allah hath full knowledge of all things. (Qur’an, 4:32)

Islam also grants women the right to their lawful inheritance. Neither a woman’s father nor her husband can lay claim to her rightful share of inheritance:

From what is left by parents, and those nearest related there is a share for men and a share for women, whether the property be small or large-a determinate share. (Qur’an, 4:7)

The Qur’an also states:

Allah (thus) directs you as regards your children’s (inheritance): to the male, a portion equal to that of two females…(Qur’an, 4:11)

The above verse is very controversial, since at first glance, it seems that this verse does not benefit women, when in fact, the opposite is true. The man is legally obligated to maintain and care for his wife, children, parents, and any other relatives in need of assistance. The woman, on the other hand, is exempt from these legal obligations, so her share of the inheritance is hers alone. She doesn’t have to contribute to the maintenance of the family if she chooses not to and no one can take that inheritance away from her.

Before Islam, a woman was not only deprived of her inheritance but was herself considered as property to be inherited by man.

Women have no rights to divorce
For some reason, many believe that all a man has to do is say “I divorce you” three times and the marriage is dissolved, without any consideration or consent from the woman. Nothing could be further from the truth. In fact, the Qur’an not only encourages reconciliation as much as possible (especially when the couple has children), but it also orders two witnesses to witness the divorce before God:

Once the interim is fulfilled, you may reconcile with them equitably, or go through with the separation equitably. You shall have two equitable witnesses witness the divorce before Allah. This is to enlighten those who believe in Allah and the Last Day. Anyone who reverences Allah, He will create an exit for him. (Qur’an, 65:2)

The ‘interim’ referred to in the above verse is the required 4-month ‘iddah’ or cooling-off period after a divorce is declared:

Those who intend to divorce their wives shall wait four months (cooling off); if they change their minds and reconcile, then Allah is Forgiver, Merciful. If they go through with the divorce, then Allah is Hearer, Knower. (Qur’an, 2:226-227)

There are 2 reasons for this, (1) to clarify whether the woman is pregnant or not. If she is pregnant, the husband is responsible for the wife’s maintenance until the child is born. Furthermore, if the woman who is divorced has a young child, she can nurse the child for up two years and the father must maintain both the woman and her child. (2) Iddah also functions as a cooling-off period during which the relatives and the community will try to help reconcile the couple.

Furthermore,

Divorce may be retracted twice. The divorced woman shall be allowed to live in the same home amicably, or leave it amicably. It is not lawful for the husband to take back anything he had given her. However, the couple may fear that they may transgress Allah’s law. If there is fear that they may transgress Allah’s law, they commit no error if the wife willingly gives back whatever she chooses. These are Allah’s laws; do not transgress them. Those who transgress Allah’s laws are the unjust. (Qur’an, 2:229)

And when you divorce women and they reach their prescribed time, then either retain them in good fellowship or set them free with liberality, and do not retain them for injury. He who doeth that hath wronged his soul. (Qur’an, 2:231)

Islam condones violence against women
Islam condemns violence in all forms both against men and women. In pre-Islamic Arabia violence against women was rampant and began at birth in the form of infanticide. The Qur’an not only prohibits this practice explicitly, it also mocks those who view the birth of a female child with contempt:

When news is brought to one of them, of (the birth of) a female (child), his face darkens, and he is filled with inward grief! With shame does he hide himself from his people, because of the bad news he has had! Shall he retain it on (sufferance and) contempt, or bury it in the dust? Ah! what an evil (choice) they decide on? (Qur’an, 16:58-59)

Another form of violence against women prohibited by Islam is that committed by husbands against their wives. Islam requires that husbands treat their wives with respect and it prohibits any form of physical or emotional abuse. The Quran requires that spouses treat each other with love and mercy.

And among His Signs is this, that He created for you mates from among yourselves, that ye may dwell in tranquillity with them, and He has put love and mercy between your (hearts); verily in that are Signs for those who reflect. (Qur’an, 30:21)

Moreover, the Prophet (pbuh) said:

I recommend that you treat women with goodness. The best of you are those who treat their wives the best. (Tirmidhi)

One verse in the Qur’an that is repeatedly referred to in order to justify using violence against women is the following:

As to those women on whose part ye fear disloyalty and ill-conduct, admonish them (first), (next) refuse to share their beds, (and last) tap them (lightly) [‘wadribuhunna’]; but if they return to obedience, seek not against them means (of annoyance): for Allah is Most High, Great (above you all). (Qur’an, 4:34)

This verse in no way condones abuse or violence against women at all! If it did, it would be in contradiction with the numerous other verses that call for peaceful, equitable and loving relationships between husband and wife. In fact, the Qur’an also gives women the right to leave a marriage if she fears abuse from her husband:

If a wife fears cruelty or desertion on her husband’s part, there is no blame on them if they arrange an amicable settlement between themselves; and such settlement is best; even though men’s souls are swayed by greed. But if ye do good and practise self-restraint, Allah is well-acquainted with all that ye do. (Qur’an, 4:128)

The falsehood of associating verse 4:34 with violence against women is a blatant lie that the Qur’an warns us against:

Behold! How they invent a lie against Allah! But that by itself is a manifest sin! (Qur’an, 4:50)

This doesn’t even take into account that the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh), the best example of a man, never once hit, beat, or laid a hand on any of his wives or daughters. Because of this, many scholars take the ‘tap them (lightly)’ [Arabic: ‘dribah’] to be interpreted as valid as ‘to walk away’. A man should walk away from a situation that angers him in order to cool off and show his disapproval. Even if this translation/interpretation is not based on overwhelming consensus, the Sunnah (tradition) of the Prophet (pbuh) makes it clear that beating or abuse of any kind against one’s wife is unacceptable since it goes against the Islamic spirit of justice and compassion.

Islam condones ‘honor killings’
There is no such concept as “honor killings” in Islam. Islam holds every life and soul in high esteem and does not allow any transgression upon it. Islam in no way allows people to take the law into their own hands and administer justice, as doing so would simply lead to chaos and lawlessness. Any judgement passed down whether to sanction killing or any other punishment should be issued by an authoritative court (ie: the justice system). Individual persons are not allowed to just sanction killing when and where they please as this leads to ruling by the laws of the jungle. In a civilized society, there are a rules and regulations that govern these sanctions so a Muslim is in no way justified to sanction these so-called “honor killings”.

Say: “Come I will rehearse what Allah hath (really) prohibited you from”: join not anything with Him; Be good to your parents: kill not your children on a plea of want;― provide sustenance for you and for them;― come not nigh to shameful deeds, whether open or secret; take not life, which Allah hath made sacred, except by way of justice and law: thus doth He command you, that ye may learn wisdom. (Qur’an, 6:151)

Like other religions, Islam strictly prohibits killing and murder without any justified cause. In the Qur’an, Allah (swt) states:

Nor take life – which Allah has made sacred – except for just cause. And if anyone is slain wrongfully. we have given his heir authority (to demand qisas or to forgive): but let him not exceed bounds in the matter of taking life; for he is helped (by the Law). (Qur’an, 17:33)

The Qur’an even goes further as to say that killing is something that should be warded off completely:

But recite unto them with truth the tale of the two sons of Adam, how they offered each a sacrifice, and it was accepted from the one of them and it was not accepted from the other. (The one) said: I will surely kill thee. (The other) answered: Allah accepteth only from those who ward off (evil). Even if thou stretch out thy hand against me to kill me, I shall not stretch out my hand against thee to kill thee, lo! I fear Allah, the Lord of the Worlds. (Qur’an, 5:27-28)

The Qur’an points out that the same God of the Children of Israel is the same God of the Qur’an, and the values continue:

On that account: We ordained for the Children of Israel that if whoever kills a soul – unless for another soul or for corruption (vice and mischief spread) in the land – it is as if he had slain the whole of mankind. And whoever saves one – it is as if he had saved the whole of mankind. (Qur’an, 5:32)

Prophet Muhammed (pbuh) also says:

He who is not merciful to people Allah will not be merciful to him. (Al-Bukhari and Muslim)

There is a reward for kindness to every living animal or human. (Al-Bukhari and Muslim)

You possess two qualities that Allah loves. These are clemency and tolerance. (Al-Muslim)

Honor killings are based on ignorance, immorality, and a complete disregard for human life and the rule of law. It’s an unfortunate reality that these killings take place both in the Muslim world, as well as other corners of the world and should be abolished through education and disciplinary measures. However, before we can wipe out these awful, heinous crimes against humanity, we must first recognize that these acts have no place or justification in Islam, a religion that advocates peace, harmony, and the sanctity of every life on this earth.

This article has aimed to cut through some of the dominant stereotypes concerning the status of women in Islam. Of course, this is in no way an exhaustive list, but indeed one that covers the most common statements uttered by misguided individuals who believe they are speaking the truth. There are almost 2 billion people on this earth who follow the religion of Islam. Women, men, old, young, black, white, Arab and non-Arab – they all subscribe to the same peaceful ideals and values that together, form the basic way of life that is Islam. It’s the fastest growing religion in the world and the second largest religion both in the U.S. and the world.

For people to actually believe that close to 2 billion of their fellow human beings follow a faith that advocates some of the heinous, unmentionable practices that they falsely attribute to Islam, there is a real problem with they way those individuals view the world around them. We cannot let the actions of a few ignorant, misguided individuals (who happen to call themselves Muslims) dictate our views and judgements about the entire religion of Islam. There are over a billion other Muslims who stand 100% against all of these purely cultural, tribalistic practices, but nobody ever asks what we think or what we believe.

It’s time to start looking at the original sources. It’s time to start asking questions instead of passing uneducated judgements. It’s time… to ask a Muslim!

South Park, Revolution Muslim, and False Flag Attacks – Part 1

May 5, 2010 By Sarah 3 Comments

NOTE: Due to the lengthy detail of this topic, this article has been split into 2 posts. Part 1 deals with the background of the issue and the mainstream media’s portrayal of the controversy. Part 2 goes into more detail about the founding of the group, Revolution Muslim, as well as possible connections to some recent “false-flag terror attacks”.

It started a couple weeks ago. South Park, a Comedy Central show, known for it’s controversial and offensive material, depicted the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) in a bear suit, for their 200th episode.

South Park‘s creators, Trey Parker and Matt Stone, have long been criticized by many various groups for their raunchy, comedic style, which also happens to offend a great deal of the American public. The show has poked fun at Christians, Jews, Buddhists, Scientologists, Mormons, African Americans, the Queen of England…basically, it’s what you would call an “equal opportunity offender.” It’s writers reject the idea of political correctness and spare no one individual or group in their quest to depict taboo subject matter with mockery and satire. And that’s their right, as human beings living on this earth – freedom of expression – no harm, no foul.

So it comes as no surprise that the latest hot-button episode has gotten the general public in a frenzy; however, their reactions have not been directed at the creators of the show, but rather two main culprits: Revolution Muslim for it’s completely insane and unjustified reaction, and the mainstream media for it’s poor portrayal of the issue. The title of this post also refers to “false flag attacks”, which we will delve into a little later on.

Revolution Muslim is not the face of Islam

Let’s start with Revolution Muslim‘s radical, extreme reaction to the South Park episode. The small group (no more than 10 members) posted a message on their website warning the creators of the show of their possible untimely death:

We have to warn Matt and Trey that what they are doing is stupid and they will probably wind up like Theo Van Gogh for airing this show. This is not a threat, but a warning of the reality of what will likely happen to them.

The Theo Van Gogh to whom they are referring was a Dutch film director who, after producing and releasing a film, Submission, which was critical of the treatment of women in Islam, was murdered by a Dutch-Moroccan Muslim in 2004, in reaction to the film.

Along with their message, they also posted a picture of Van Gogh lying on the street after he was murdered. The group’s members, in later interviews, claim their comments were not threats, but merely predictions of what would likely happen. Regardless of semantics, the fact still remains that this group, who by the way is despised by much of the greater Muslim community for being possible agent provocateurs set out to smear Islam, has received a great deal of media attention for it’s members’ comments.

Revolution Muslim has absolutely no community support whatsoever, local or otherwise, but that hasn’t stopped the media from picking up the story and running with it like no tomorrow! Never did members of the media think to bring in other voices, other viewpoints, into the discussion to weigh both sides of the issue. No, that would require them to acknowledge that there even is another side.

More on Revolution Muslim and it’s two Zionist Jewish-convert founding members in part 2 of this post, but for now, let’s move on to the mainstream media’s pathetic “coverage” of this latest scandal in television. Personally, I have two major bones to pick with regards to the mainstream media coverage that I’ve seen.

The Mainstream Media is at it again

First is Anderson Cooper’s ridiculous and shameful excuse for investigative journalism on CNN. Who does he invite on to his show to discuss the South Park/Revolution Muslim controversy? The famous Islamophobe, Ayaan Hirsi Ali, an ex-Muslim known for her controversial attacks on the whole of the Muslim population, claiming that Islam is a “backwards religion” which can be characterized as “the new fascism”. This is who Cooper, a supposedly respectable journalist, thought would be the best choice for discussing this controversy. He did not even try to level the playing field by interviewing a single Muslim American spokesman for his 10-minute segment. Watch it and judge for yourselves.

[youtube XZbtgjx9xE0 Anderson Cooper & Ayaan Hirsi Ali]

What’s the saying? “Adding insult to injury”… yes, injury: the false impression that Revolution Muslim represents the broad spectrum of mainstream Muslims in America; and as for the insult: the idea that Ms. Ali was the best choice for an interview, which was supposed to be a platform to respond to Revolution Muslim’s insane reaction, but was just another way of justifying and promoting their hate-filled propaganda as “the face of Islam.”

Jon Stewart hops on the bandwagon

My second gripe is with Jon Stewart, a Jewish-American comedian, and host of the satirical, late-night news program, The Daily Show, which, like South Park, also airs on Comedy Central. Personally, I’m more-or-less a fan of Stewart and have been for some time. Lately though, within the past couple years, my overall respect for him has dropped dramatically, mainly due to learning more about his personal views on specific issues which I find important and hold near and dear: the “war on terror”, Palestine and Israel, and the latest, the Obama administration. All that aside, however, I’m still able to sit down and watch his show regularly partly because it’s really the only thing I can bear to watch on television nowadays, and partly because generally speaking, he’s still a fairly humorous individual.

Not so with his coverage of the South Park/Revolution Muslim controversy. Like South Park, The Daily Show also is no stranger to making fun of religions, but his segment was not about mockery or satirical comedy. It was about singling out and marginalizing an entire faith, based on the stupid comments made by ONE group, which has no respect in the Muslim community whatsoever. First, Jon Stewart joked and made derogatory comments about Revolution Muslim for threatening the creators of the show. Then he went on to thank all the “other” religions for not reacting to or behaving like those “radical Muslims” did with regards to South Park.

Finally, he played a reel of clip after clip of his show’s consistent mockery of different religions. One thing which sticks out however, is his over-focus on clips of him making fun of Jews, emphasizing the lack of violence that ensued afterward. Like this is supposed to mean something? Of course a Jew can make fun of Jews, just like a Muslim can make fun of Muslims and so on. I just take issue with Stewart’s sudden naivete…either that or he’s just plain sold out. I’m leaning more towards the latter.

You may be asking, “So what’s wrong with his coverage? Don’t you also NOT like Revolution Muslim? How does his coverage conflict with your views?” Well, mostly for the same reasons that I take issue with Anderson Cooper’s coverage, along with the rest of the mainstream media. The issue is not that I oppose him calling out the group. The issue is that, like Cooper’s segment, Stewart’s coverage failed to address the real issue: that Revolution Muslim is a marginal group, a radical group, a group without any sort of following, and one which in no way speaks for Islam or Muslims.

The only thing remotely similar to this was at the end of Jon Stewart’s segment, when his correspondent, Aasif Mandvi, a Muslim-American, mentions that although the South Park episode might trouble him, what’s more upsetting is “someone, in the name of a faith that I believe in, threatening another person for doing it.” But that’s it, they didn’t go any deeper into the fact that those people who did something “in the name of a faith that I believe in” actually do not represent the mainstream beliefs, viewpoints, or values of that faith.

So what’s the big fuss?

As a Muslim, I have no problem with Stewart mocking Muslims like he does with other religions. Similarly, I have no problem with the creators of South Park portraying the Prophet Muhammad or Prophet Jesus (pbut), or whatever other crazy shenanigans they come up with. It’s television, it’s comedy, and most importantly, it’s everyone’s freedom of expression to say, do, or broadcast whatever they wish, along as they don’t harm another individual. If you don’t like it or it offends you, then turn it off! We could all use a little less television in our lives, anyways.

I’m not advocating passivity or complete silence, but there’s a difference between voicing your distaste with something and violently threatening someone because of what he or she said. This is true not only for this specific incident, but also for others that have occurred in the past, including the film for which Mr. Van Gogh was murdered, as well as the infamous Danish cartoons fiasco, and many other similar, non-Islam related incidents. The important thing is be able to balance one’s feelings about something, with his reaction towards it, simple as that! Also, to be aware of and to clarify the conception that whoever the mainstream media chooses to highlight or portray in their coverage, more often than not, doesn’t necessarily reflect the views of the general population. Mainstream news today is not even news anymore, it’s entertainment and whatever holds the highest entertainment value is what makes it to the air.

A more balanced response

The renowned Muslim scholar, Tariq Ramadan, was recently interviewed by Riz Khan on Al Jazeera and his intelligent and eloquent response to this controversy really hits it straight home. The entire interview is worth the watch, but he speaks specifically about the South Park issue at around 13:00 minutes. Check it out below:

[youtube 3S-7sgbOt3k Tariq Ramadan on Riz Khan]

What are your thoughts or views on this controversy? Do you agree with the media’s portrayal of the issue? Do you think they’ve missed the ball completely and focused on sensationalizing the issue? Comments are welcome!

This concludes part 1 of this post. In part 2, I will delve a little deeper into the history and founding of the group, Revolution Muslim, as well as how this all plays into the bigger picture of the so-called “War on Terror”, including possible false flag attacks and how they relate to this most recent controversy.