"We all tryin' to get to where the sufferin' ends" - Lupe Fiasco

"There are hundreds of paths up the mountain,
all leading in the same direction,
so it doesn't matter which path you take.
The only one wasting time is the one
who runs around and around the mountain,
telling everyone that his or her path is wrong."
-Hindu teaching

From Manhattan to...Madera?

(^a Banksy production)

'Mosque hate crime: An article in Sunday's Section A about a hate crime at a Madera, Calif., mosque omitted the attribution for a quote. It was Marciela Garcia, the receptionist for Dr. Muhammad Anwar, who said: "I've seen these Muslim doctors help people who have no money, no health insurance; start free clinics; run food drives. Dr. Anwar is my boss, my friend and a caring person. I feel like I would lay down my life for him. But what do you say and who do you say it to?" '
[read the whole article here]

This occurred right by my hometown and I've known all the aforementioned doctors for 10+ years. They are all big players in the community service sector. Madera is exactly as the article stated a "Central California farm town with laid-back ways" and also about as far as you can get from Manhattan in every respect, but the Park51 tensions apparently had no trouble at all covering the distance. The current mindset of most Americans towards Muslims is troubling...but we cannot play the victims. Imagine if the Prophet (pbuh) had played the victim when the Quraysh tribes were in hostile opposition to him...we probably wouldn't even have the religion of Islam. What if he had decided that there was NO way that anyone would ever come to the religion and that it was better to just not mingle with anyone that objected his teachings? Instead, in as little as twenty-three years, the greater part of the Arabian Peninsula had converted to Islam and is now the second-largest religion in the world...people were inspired by the Prophet's honest, merciful, compassionate, and brave character. These days we as Muslims act too radically towards people who do stuff we do not approve of (burning of Qur'an, protesting at mosques, drawing pictures of the prophet) - instead of retaliating in the same fashion as the agitators, we should set an example as Muslims to be calm and composed. By acting angrily and aggressively we're doing the opposite of what the Qur'an and Prophet's example teach. What kind of message are we sending about Islam to the average American?

Abdullah bin `Umar (May Allah be pleased with them) reported: Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said, "The best of companions with Allah is the one who is best to his companions, and the best of neighbors to Allah is the one who is the best of them to his neighbor" [At-Tirmidhi].

How many of us have invited our non-Muslim friends over for an iftar and explained to them what Ramadan is all about? Or aside from Ramadan, just made an effort to get to know our neighbors? Or volunteering your time at a local shelter? Or really just partaking in anything the greater community is involved in - beyond just the Muslim community? By staying in our own little "safety-bubbles" we aren't doing any justice to our religion. Right now, more than ever, the notion of "Islam" in America needs a makeover, makeoverrr. As Tariq Ramadan stated "It is urgent to stop blaming the 'society-that-does-not-like-us' or 'islamophobia' or 'racism'...That such phenomena exist cannot be denied, but Muslims must tackle them by getting involved as citizens and by fighting against injustice, racism, discrimination, populist stigmatization discourse, and hypocrisies."

Another flaw of the "safety-bubble" is that most of us have taken on the persona of the"silent type." Yes, mysterious can be attractive, but not in this situation; where the livelihoods of so many Muslims are on the line. When people are talking about Muslims in a negative fashion, being an example yourself as a good Muslim isn't enough...we should voice our knowledge on matters regarding misinterpretation of Qur'anic teachings due to the media.

"It is not righteousness that ye turn your faces towards East or West; but it is righteousness―to believe in Allah and the Last Day and the Angels and the Book and the Messengers; to spend of your substance out of love for Him, for your kin, for orphans for the needy, for the wayfarer for those who ask and for the ransom of slaves; to be steadfast in prayer and practice regular charity; to fulfil the contracts which ye have made; and to be firm and patient in pain (or suffering) and adversity and throughout all periods of panic. Such are the people of truth the Allah-fearing." - (Quran 2:177)

^That's what makes a Muslim...If through your actions and words you show what being a Muslim is all about; that the freedoms this Country was founded on reflect true Muslim values, who wouldn't stand up for Islam?

Eloquence & Common Sense

Sometimes it's hard to find the right words to say in any given situation, but we get keys & hints from literature we read or things we hear on TV/radios. SOMETIMES we don't get enough Islamic dialogue in our everyday lives...so when it comes time to converse with Allah (swt) duas can start to feel really mediocre. Of course #1 would be to figure out how to get more savvy in utilizing the Qur'an and hadith. And in the meantime, here are 30 Duas for Ramadan I found via an iPhone app. Yeah...Ramadan is almost over :( but these can totally be used year-round and act as a good stencil:

DAY 1

ALLAH, on this day make my fasts the fasts of those who fast (sincerely), and my standing up in prayer of those who stand up in prayer (obediently), awaken me in it from the sleep of the heedless, and forgive me my sins , O God of the worlds, and forgive me, O one who forgives the sinners.

DAY 2

ALLAH, on this day, take me closer towards Your pleasure, keep me away from Your anger and punishment, grant me the opportunity to recite Your verses (of the Qur’an), by Your mercy, O the most Merciful.

DAY 3

ALLAH, on this day, grant me wisdom and awareness, keep me away from foolishness and pretension, grant me a share in every blessing You send down, by You generosity, O the most Generous.

DAY 4

ALLAH, on this day, strengthen me in carrying out Your commands, let me taste the sweetness of Your remembrance, grant me, through Your graciousness, that I give thanks to You. Protect me, with Your protection and cover, O the most discerning of those who see.

DAY 5

ALLAH, on this day, place me among those who seek forgiveness. Place me among Your righteous and obedient servants, and place me among Your close friends, by Your kindness, O the most Merciful.

DAY 6

ALLAH, on this day, do not let me abase myself by incurring Your disobedience, and do not strike me with the whip of Your punishment, keep me away from the causes of Your anger, by and Your power, O the ultimate wish of those who desire.

DAY 7

ALLAH, on this day, help me with its fasts and prayers, and keep me away from mistakes and sins of the day, grant me that I remember You continuously through the day, by Your assistance, O the Guide of those who stray.

DAY 8

ALLAH, on this day, let me have mercy on the orphans, and feed [the hungry], and spread peace, and keep company with the noble-minded, O the shelter of the hopeful.

DAY 9

ALLAH, on this day, grant me a share from Your mercy which is wide, guide me towards Your shining proofs, lead me to Your all encompassing pleasure, by Your love, O the hope of the desirous.

DAY 10

ALLAH, on this day, make me, among those who rely on You, from those who You consider successful, and place me among those who are near to you, by Your favor, O goal of the seekers.

DAY 11

ALLAH, on this day, make me love goodness, and dislike corruption and disobedience, bar me from anger and the fire, by Your help, O the helper of those who seek help

DAY 12

ALLAH, on this day, beautify me with covering and chastity, cover me with the clothes of contentment and chastity, let me adhere to justice and fairness, and keep me safe from all that I fear, by Your protection, O the protector of the frightened.

DAY 13

ALLAH, on this day, purify me from un-cleanliness and dirt, make me patient over events that are decreed, grant me the ability to be pious, and keep company with the good, by Your help, O the beloved of the destitute.

DAY 14

ALLAH, on this day, do not condemn me for slips, make me decrease mistakes and errors, do not make me a target for afflictions and troubles, by Your honor, O the honor of the Muslims.

DAY 15

O Allah, on this day, grant me the obedience of the humble, expand my chest through the repentance of the humble, by Your security, O the shelter of the fearful.

DAY 16

ALLAH, on this day, grant me compatibility with the good, keep me away from patching up with the evil, lead me in it, by Your mercy, to the permanent abode, by Your Godship, O the God of the worlds.

DAY 17

ALLAH, on this day, guide me towards righteous actions, fulfill my needs and hopes, O One who does not need explanations nor questions, O One who knows what is in the chests of the (people of the) world. Bless Muhammad and his family, the Pure.

DAY 18

ALLAH, on this day, make me love goodness, and dislike corruption and disobedience, bar me from anger and the fire [of Hell], by Your help, O the helper of those who seek help.

DAY 19

ALLAH, on this day, multiply for me its blessings, and ease my path towards its bounties, do not deprive me of the acceptance of its good deeds, O the Guide towards the clear truth.

DAY 20

ALLAH, on this day, open for me the doors of the heavens, and lock the doors of Hell from me, help me to recite the Qur’an, O the One who sends down tranquility into the hearts of believers.

DAY 21

ALLAH, on this day, show me the way to win Your pleasure, do not let Shaytan have a means over me, make Paradise an abode and a resting place for me, O the One who fulfills the requests of the needy.

DAY 22

ALLAH, on this day, open for me the doors of Your Grace, send down on me its blessings, help me towards the causes of Your mercy, and give me a place in the comforts of Paradise, O the one who answers the call of the distressed.

DAY 23

ALLAH, on this day, wash away my sins, purify me from all flaws, examine my heart with (for) the piety of the hearts, O One who overlooks the shortcomings of the sinners.

DAY 24

ALLAH, on this day, I ask You for what pleases You, and I seek refuge in You from what displeases You, I ask You to grant me the opportunity to obey You and not disobey You, O One who is generous with those who ask

DAY 25

ALLAH, on this day, make me among those who love Your friends, and hate Your enemies, following the way of Your last Prophet, O the Guardian of the hearts of the Prophets.

DAY 26

ALLAH, on this day, make my efforts worthy of appreciation, and my sins forgiven, my deeds accepted, my flaws concealed, O the best of those who hear.

DAY 27

ALLAH, on this day, bestow on me the blessings of Laylatul Qadr, change my affairs from (being) difficult to (being) easy, accept my apologies, and decrease for me [my] sins and burdens, O the Compassionate with His righteous servants.

DAY 28

ALLAH, on this day, grant me a share in its nawafil (recommended prayers), honor me by attending to my problems, make closer the means to approach You, from all the means, O One who is not preoccupied by the requests of the beseechers.

DAY 29

O ALLAH, on this day, cover me with Your mercy, grant me in it success and protection, purify my heart from the darkness of false accusations, O the Merciful to His believing servants.

DAY 30

O ALLAH, on this day, make my fasts worthy of appreciation and acceptance, according to what pleases You, and pleases the Messenger, the branches being strengthened by the roots, for the sake of our leader, Muhammad, and his purified family. Praise be to ALLAH, the Lord of the worlds.

To read these duas in Arabic click here

9/11 Happened To Us All

A Muslim advocacy organization has released public service announcements -- including one featuring a Muslim firefighter who responded on 9/11 -- as part of a campaign to fight recent anti-Muslim bigotry.

"Muslim Americans were among the victims and also Muslim Americans were among the first responders," said Nihad Awad, national executive director of the Council on American-Islamic Relations at a Wednesday (Sept. 1) news conference at the National Press Club.

"We also should acknowledge that 9/11 hit us all hard and we should not allow those who seek political and religious division in the United States to win," Awad said.

One of the public service announcements features Hisham Tawfiq of the New York Fire Department, tearfully recalling how he learned his firefighting colleague was missing after the attacks on the Twin Towers.

"I'm a New York City firefighter and I responded to 9/11 and I am Muslim," he said in the ad.

Awad was joined by other Muslim organization leaders who decried recent attacks on Muslims and protests of a proposed Islamic center near Ground Zero and mosques in other parts of the country. They urged greater local police protection of Muslims in their communities.

[This article was from Huffington Post by Adelle M. Banks]

Native Deen love

I just went on a run half fueled by frustrations and the other half consisted of the bowl of nutella + bananas I ate for iftar. It took me a good four miles to feel satisfied as well as all of the Native Deen & Outlandish albums I own. This took me back to my senior year of high school where I listened to nothing other than these two bands every single day. I am currently writing Native Deen a thank you letter for making their music, because honestly, I didn't realize how much their lyrics shaped my thoughts and actions. Sometimes you just need to hear someone else's experience match up with situations you come across to stimulate your own perseverance. And usually...Gossip Girl and 30 Rock don't teach very good decision-making tactics. It was especially the track "I Only Fear My Lord Allah" that I remember repeating incessantly especially during rough drives home from school around the time I turned down my at-that-time crush because I didn't wanna hit up Prom with him.

"Has there ever been a time when it was time to pray, And you were with a group of people at that time of day,
Maybe with a group a buddies who know nothing bout Salat, Or yet a teacher or a boss, someone you do respect a lot.
And you wished to take a moment, but you knew not what to say,
Your afraid that they will look back in that funny type of way.
...You stay and do not pray because you fear what they will say,
You forget Allah is greater than a person made of clay.
Lord of all the heavens and lord of all the sky,
And you go and fear a creature that is someday gonna die.
I think we underestimate, who controls our very fate,
We say that hes our lord, but we forget that he is very great.

These lines are what always stayed in the back of my head when I started praying at the library or in the Macy's fitting room. Soo if you haven't already, check out some Native Deen and Outlandish tracks + add them to your workout mixes :)

check out other Muslim Hip Hop here: http://www.muslimhiphop.com/

Welcome to Vegas Mecca, Baby!

Hello readers! (or lack there of...) I know I haven't been very consistent in updating my blog in the last year, but I'm refreshed from Ramadan and have a bunch of new ideas. Also, on a bigger note: one of my dear friends has taken an interest in the blog/cause and has agreed to be a co-author! Introducing...Raisa Mirza (posting as blessherheart) she is also on the pursuit to find the Muslim-American balance, is a huge PR enthusiast (she's about to start working for Ogilvy!), dresses to kill, and will offer a fresh paradigm on lots of topics, iA. Let's kick things off with our first joint post...

Picture this: throughout the year, millions of people flock to these two cities prepared for minimal sleep and in hopes of changing their lives... What else do these two metropolises have in common? They're both scorching deserts, I'm talking about Mecca and Las Vegas.

Reasons Mecca is better than Vegas:
1. Hajj (Holy Pilgrimage) is performed in Mecca - after it's completion one is completely sinless, Vegas is known as "Sin City"...if you were to die right after your trip, which one would you rather be coming back from?

2. Mecca attracts 13 mill people/year while Vegas attracts around a third of that. Where's the satisfaction at?

3. Where will you make better decisions? Vegas: "Angel in my head, Devil on my shoulder" Mecca: "Angels everywhere, Devil tied to a pillar"

4. A drink found only in Mecca is Zamzam water, it is said to relieve one of hunger/thirst/illness plus it comes from a well that has never gone dry. Vegas offers specialty cocktails that relieve one of...good decision making skills.

5. Waking up to Adhan, to see the Kaaba, while 1.5 billion people around the world, no matter the time zone, are facing in the same direction OR waking up with sore feet to see the Bellagio water show? Yea, the latter doesn’t quite have the tenacity that the Kaaba does. I turn towards this place everyday- imagine seeing it right before your eyes and thinking about all the people who are turned in that direction with you. Now THAT’s where amazing happens.

6. “What happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas” Um, that doesn’t sound as exciting as everyone makes it out to be. What happens in Vegas? You dress up, you eat at a nice restaurant, you go swimming, and you go out. Sounds fairly simplistic, right? Well, contrary to popular belief, it is rather simplistic. There is virtually nothing that is any bit compelling to come back and talk about- maybe some good food? A celebrity sighting? but what is a celebrity sighting going to do for me? Nothing- this is all a fascination with the dunya that so many of us, myself included, are somewhat enthralled in. Now, what happens in Mecca, you bring back with you and carry it with you for the rest of your life. This sounds like a much more beneficial manner in which to spend my vacation time. Although I have yet to travel to the Holy City, hearing the compelling stories from my peers who have visited can truly shake a person. Now if hearing about a traveler’s experience can shake you, imagine what actually visiting Mecca must provide for oneself. I can’t even being to wrap my head around how I would feel.

Peace.