Reverts and their Muslim Communities

One of my articles, recently published by OnIslam.net. You can visit the article to vote and leave comments if you wish.

Isolation is scary, and it’s not easy to face troubles alone. Sometimes converting or reverting to Islam is one of the easiest steps, belying a difficult journey ahead. But the converts who stay on their own and avoid the 

community are the most likely to lose their way. 

In Surat al-Fatihah, we read about a Siraat al-Mustaqeem, a Straight Path, and we ask Allah to guide us towards it. Let’s think about the way this path is described for a moment. Though there are other words for “path” in the Arabic language, the word Siraat, refers to a path which is straight, long, dangerous, wide, and unique. If a path is wide, that means many people can take it at once, and unique in this context means that there is no other path available to the destination. In other words, it is the Path to Salvation, and there’s not an alternative route. But because it’s a wide path, we don’t need to go alone. In fact, when we pray this du’a every day in our salah, we ask Allah to guide us to the Straight Path. We don’t ask individually, or say “Guide me,” but we make du’a collectively—we declare that we worship Allah, and we seek His help, and then we ask Him to guide us, at least seventeen times a day in salaah.

Imagine being lost in the woods, and you come across a path like this—straight, long, wide, etc. And imagine that the path is crowded with people, some even carrying flashlights. It’s easy to join in and follow along. But if you hang back, or walk on your own, you might get lost going down a detour—not the right way, and off the Straight Path. Similarly, in Islam we have a group walking together, and scholars to guide the way. But when a convert leaves the group, even intending to keep going the same way, it becomes more difficult to stay on the Straight Path.

Islam is not a religion to be practiced in isolation—it demands community. Remember that when the Messenger of Allah (saws) moved to Madinah he spent the initial months establishing brotherhood and a masjid. For today’s new Muslims, integrating with the community is similarly important. And the community revolves around the masjid. The Muslim community can be a means of support for a convert or revert who has become isolated from family members, a means of education and instruction in practicing Islam, and a means of constant companionship.

But as our individual identities are often tied to the communities that raised us, entering a new community as an adult can be a daunting experience, notwithstanding the community’s ability to welcome new members. And it’s as important for a masjid to offer programs for local new Muslims as it is for the converts and reverts to involve themselves as much as possible.

Iman will go up and down throughout a person’s life but what might keep someone from leaving Islam altogether is support from other Muslims, and guidance that they wouldn’t have access to on their own. A healthy community should aim to provide its new Muslims with ample social as well as educational opportunities. Informal events offer people a chance to connect with each other and cultivate relationships, while classes and seminars offer knowledge guidance in new terrain.

And just as it’s important for the community to provide the opportunities, it’s as important for the new Muslims to get involved. The Internet can’t substitute for real social interaction, for brothers and sisters who can demonstrate how Muslims really live, day-to-day. And search engines are terrible scholars. Our imams and teachers know (or should know) how to explain things without overloading the listener. As important, they can offer advice tailored to an individual. A website full of fatwas doesn’t know the details of a person’s particular situation. So while the Internet can be a great resource, it’s still critical for new Muslims to involve themselves in their communities, and also for local Muslims to reach out so nobody becomes isolated, and consequently left behind.

Sometimes, the first experience a convert has with a community is a visit to a mosque. The critical first impression might be negative if the convert isn’t able to connect with anyone. This especially happens with sisters who aren’t even able to find women at the mosque, or if they do, the women can’t speak English. Sometimes new Muslims have too many expectations of their community, but there are some steps the community can take to help make things easier for them. For instance some problems could be reduced or eliminated if the community is able to well-publicize its events. An easy-to-see event board and an active website can be important ways for a convert to learn about events. And though it does require effort from some volunteers, properly publicizing events through websites and posters at a mosque are crucial to letting new Muslims learn about activities. Since they are not usually regular in praying at the mosque, announcements after the salaah might not reach them. In particular, because women are in general infrequent at mosques, they might not know about activities even if they are asked.

Also, a simple point of contact might be all that’s needed to break the barrier keeping a new Muslim from participating in events. Dedicated volunteers should be encouraged to specifically welcome new Muslims by directing them to beneficial programs and other Muslims in the area who can befriend them.

Some ideas for a masjid to reach out to new Muslims:

· Community Potlucks

· Book Clubs

· Play Dates for kids

· Iftaars in Ramadan

· Weekly halaqas geared towards new Muslims

· Classes on Essentials of Islam and Beginner Arabic

· Q & A Sessions with an Imam

· Dedicated volunteers for outreach to new Muslims

But what can a convert do? First, take Islam seriously and cherish it, and secondly start looking for ways to meet other Muslims (especially converts who know what you’re going through) and to learn more about Islam on an ongoing basis. It might require making time in your schedule, or driving across town. I offered a class one time that several sisters had trouble attending because they didn’t have cars. But some other sisters offered to provide rides and the end result was that they kept coming and they formed a close circle as well, supporting and encouraging each other. Look for activities at the local mosque and try to contact active volunteers for their advice about local events and activities. Look on websites for local organizations, mosques, and even on event posters—it shouldn’t be hard to find a contact.

Make use of whatever resources are available, and make a commitment. Islam is a journey that doesn’t need to be made alone. Join the community on the Straight Path.

Being Fair About Gender Segregation

I wrote an article that was just published over at OnIslam.net. (Being Fair About Gender Segregation)

I have heard many complaints from some converts to Islam, even from non-Muslims, about gender separation in Islam—in fact, it was one of my biggest fears after marriage. And the issue of segregation in Islam and Muslim cultures relates to women's rights and the concept of hijab.

But I have come to prefer gender segregation, usually, now that I have a better understanding about what it means and how to apply it...

Instead of posting the entire article here (which I may do later), I've just linked it so you can visit the site, read the article, and vote on the quality. Feel free to leave comments here of improvements I can make to articles in the future.

Thanks!

National Tragedy vs. Muslim Holiday

With all the controversy about the non-ground zero non-mosque, a lot of misinformation about Islam has been raining on the internet and even some television shows.

Beyond the obvious irrational discussion about Park51, I'm afraid that Americans are being lied to regarding how Muslims feel about the tragedy of 9/11. And it's important this year, because those Americans might see their Muslim neighbors celebrating a holiday on that day--it's Saturday this year--for a completely unrelated reason.

And I want to clear up the confusion.

One disconcerting (yet utterly false) claim I've heard regarding Park51 is that Muslims supposedly like to build mosques on the sacred sites of conquered lands. How is that related to Park51? (Yeah, it's a leap; bear with me.) The enemies of Islam have been portraying the tragic loss of some 3000 lives 9 years ago as a "victory" for Islam. Let's be clear--it was nothing but a brutal tragedy, and has only been condemned by Muslim leaders--including the imam behind the project, by the way. Islam did not attack, but the terrorists (they don't even represent Islam--let's clear the air of that foul and false association) who did attack are hiding in caves--not what I'd call a victory by any definition. Ground Zero hardly resembles a "conquest." And nobody's building a mosque (or anything else I'm aware of) on Ground Zero.

The reason I say it's a false claim in the first place is because I've never even heard of Muslim building mosques on "sacred sites." In fact, there's a story about 'Umar ibn al-Khattab at the conquest of Jerusalem acting in order to preserve a holy site, so that a mosque would not be built on top of it. The reasons Muslims do build mosques, however, is to pray in them. And they build them in locations where Muslims live and work--since it's recommended to pray in them daily. So when there are Muslims in Manhattan, there need also be a mosque, or at least a "prayer space" for them in Manhattan. Nothing sinister about that.

But the fact that this claim is polluting the airways is causing a problem--corroding the barrier of common sense in people's minds which protects them from irrational paranoia. And I'm afraid that one piece of information might tip the balance. What information? The trivial date of an Islamic holiday--Eid al-Fitr.

You see, it's possible that Muslims might find themselves celebrating a festive day in their religion on the same day that Americans (and Muslim Americans too) are mourning the tragedy of 9/11. And I fear that anyone swimming in the sea of misinformation about Islam might find themselves drowning without a proper understanding of the context of this holiday.

Muslims celebrate essentially two major holidays each lunar year of the Islamic calendar. The days are called Eids, and they are Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha. The lunar Islamic calendar has 12 lunar months, each 29 or 30 days--depending on the lunar cycle. Here's a bit of math:

There are 12 months, each having an average of 29.5 days (average of 29 and 30), resulting in a yearly total of about 354 days. In a solar year there are 365 days--probably what you learned back in grade school, since the calendar followed by the Western world, which runs from January to December, is based on a solar year, with 365 days. Why the discrepancy? Because they just don't line up.

It's okay, except that the Islamic lunar calendar--with only 354 days--will seem to move forward each year, since it's about 12 days shorter. There's no leap month every once in a while to keep the lunar calendar fixed against the solar one, it just keeps on moving, every year.

This means that Ramadan starts about a week and a half earlier (in the solar calendar) each year than the previous year. Two years ago it started on the 1st of September, last year it started in mid-late August, and this year it started in early-mid August. Next year, God willing, it will start at the very beginning of August or end of July.

But let's get back to the holidays--one of them occurs right at the end of Ramadan. It's called Eid al-Fitr. And this year, Ramadan ends right around September 11th. The Eid will consist of a congregational prayer early in the morning, just like it does every year at the end of Ramadan. Muslims will then celebrate it with family and friends by cooking, visiting, eating, maybe even sharing gifts.

Because the start and end of Ramadan is based on different criteria in different communities, it might not be universally celebrated on one day or another. But the day on which Eid is celebrated has no significance to the solar date, as it moves every year as well. So the holiday itself has nothing to do with the tragedy of September 11th, which I might point out was nowhere near the Eid 9 years ago, the year of the tragedy.

And while the prayer associated with Eid really can't be moved, I think it is wise for Muslim communities to try to schedule Eid-related weekend fairs and carnivals around the tragedy (by having them on Sunday the 12th instead of Saturday the 11th, or Saturday the 18th instead of the 11th.) However, this decision is up to local communities and the resources available to them. I've heard of many communities scheduling events deliberately off of the September 11th date in order to avoid local controversies, and to be more sensitive to Americans who choose that day to mourn that tragedy.

But more importantly, it is critical for us, as Muslims, to explain what the holiday Eid al-Fitr is about, and why its celebration has nothing to do with 9/11, despite the overlap in dates this year. If anyone is mistaken about why Muslims are celebrating, maybe it's our fault for not explaining ourselves in advance--and that's all I'm trying to do.

I'd like for this to be distributed and widely read--any recommendations for edits would be greatly appreciated in the comments section or by email. Thanks!

A mosque for women too

Alhamdulillah, I came across an article from altmuslimah.com today in my email, with a headline that immediately jumped out at me. Women Behaving Badly in Mosques. It made for a great read today, since I had recently considered writing a similar article myself.

Instead of just complaining about how women behave (which is an easy and unproductive reaction to the observation of such behavior), the article elaborates on the source of that problem, her own reflections parallel to my own.

Before now, there was really very little I could complain about with regard to women in mosques. When I lived in Raleigh, the accommodations for women were excellent, and women could easily integrate into the larger Muslim community, were active on committees and the board and their voices were heard by the administration. Similarly, they took care of some issues to benefit the women and the entire community, allowing resolution of most of the complaints people make about women in mosques.

But now I'm on the other side of the country with a different set of problems. The mosque I've been attending has consistently failed to live up to my expectations. Now, maybe I haven't given it a fair chance but it's hard to make myself go (I rarely, if ever, actually want to go) when I encounter dirty and smelly floors and never have the opportunity to see the speaker, imam, or khateeb. Overall the impression I get when I go is that it's a mosque for men that women are allowed to attend, although not encouraged to. There are some activities for women which I've attended but unfortunately found underwhelming. And I sadly found out just recently that of course there are no women on the mosque's board, and their voices are heard only through "the husbands."

The common response (among men) I've heard when making complaints about facilities for women is that there's not enough space. And as far as excuses go, this one is sickening enough to make me vomit. For men who don't see value in women participating in mosque activities, there will never be enough space. Space costs money, and why spend money on something that they don't need? If women don't need to attend the mosque (arguments being that it's better to pray at home and jumu'ah is not obligatory for them) then why spend money on facilities for them? That's the flow of logic I see when I hear this excuse, that there's not enough space. There would be enough space, I argue, if it were a priority, so clearly it is not a priority and that is the real problem, and not the space.

So because women aren't even welcome in the mosque, their facilities are usually sub-par. The article describes how women sometimes don't know how to behave in the mosque (due to not being welcome in their home countries, often), and often make some mistakes which causes men to further dislike their presence at the mosque in the first place. The author explains also the conflation of the cause and effect in the matter of women being ostracized in their mosques.

Right now I'm trying to come to terms with the situation here, and trying to find a way to improve it, though I lose hope every step of the way. If men don't want women there, and don't care what women want so they (the men) insist on running the show, how are women ever going to get fair opportunities at the mosque? This issue, more than any other, is what bothers me most about my new home.

TERRORIST ATTACK in DAYTON, OHIO

That's right. A chemical attack, the victims children. A chemical weapon attack against children in Dayton, Ohio. Why isn't this making bigger news? Because the victims were Muslims?

Personally, I'm outraged. I'm extremely upset, and not just at the fact that it's been three days before I even heard the news!! And how can this be called anything other than a terrorist attack? Where is law enforcement? What are they doing to find whoever is responsible for such a sinister crime?

You might not have realized this, though. In fact I haven't seen it written, but Friday was the 27th night of Ramadan. During taraweeh prayers, on a night which many people (correctly or not) think is Laylat al-Qadr, they try to spend the night in worship, a night better than 1000 months. So probably the most crowded night at the mosque--and the children's room is gassed. The children are attacked. Where is the national uproar?

Terrorist Attack in Dayton Ohio. She took the words out of my mouth.

American Terrorists Gas Muslim Children During Ramadan. On Mujahideen Ryder.

Chemical irritant empties Islamic Society of Greater Dayton's mosque. From Dayton Daily News.

Muslim Children Gassed at Dayton Mosque After "Obsession" DVD Hits Ohio. Daily Kos.

I really think all Muslims should regularly keep an eye on the Muslim Matters blog. They've just posted on this, please go read: In the Wake of “Obsession” Hate-DVDs: Muslim Children Gassed in Ohio Mosque.

Free Publicity

Well, I had meant to post this a few days ago as it was developing but now it's really picking up speed, I've noticed. You might notice a link on my blog to the 'Whyislam.org Forum' where I frequently post (and occasionally function in an admin role), which is basically a discussion board to talk about Islam, geared towards non-Muslims who might have questions.

My own decision to embrace Islam came after talking to volunteers on the whyislam.org forum, so I have a lot of respect for those who post there and operate that forum. I think it's a great organization, operated by knowledgeable and sincere volunteers who are trying to earn the pleasure of Allah SWT. So I was pretty excited when I got an email asking me to donate to a new Whyislam project--subway ads! I thought it was a neat campaign and told a few of my friends about it.

A few days later I heard that the New York Post had run an article (Training Day for Jihadists, it said!) attacking the campaign, the ads, the organization, and even Imam Siraj Wahhaj who had tried to drum up support for the project! They tried to smear the campaign with associations to terrorism. But if you read the article, you'll notice that they of course give the phone number and website to which the ad directs! So basically... directing more people to the whyislam volunteers!

That New York Post article caused other news outlets to take notice, like this one at FOX, where you even get to see the ad (including the direction to the whyislam hotline and website), this one from NBC, and even these two at CNN!Why do they even have a story? Because they are linking the ads with who they call a "controversial imam" Siraj Wahhaj. Anyone who is even remotely familiar with Imam Siraj Wahhaj knows better, that this is a man who has tried his hardest to improve the conditions of American Muslims. For such a respected persona to have his reputation tarnished is troubling, yes.

However, please stop to consider the following. Because Imam Siraj Wahhaj promoted the campaign, the media was able to pick up on him and develop a story in an attempt to smear the entire ad campaign. But in fact, all they have done is provide free publicity for a campaign that is still trying to raise money to sponsor subway ads!

How many more Muslims are now aware of the campaign thanks to the media coverage, and likely to donate? How many more Non-Muslims have now been exposed to the campaign that will visit the whyislam website and hotline to learn about Islam! While the whyislam volunteers were still struggling to reach their subway audience, Allah SWT spread their message across the country!! This is really a blessing--and it goes to show that Allah is going to help those who are sincere in their da'wah.

If you want to learn more about the subway project, to donate, and to see the ads, you can visit its website at http://www.youdeservetoknow.org/

Superiority of Knowledge

I read an article at Islamicity this morning discussing the value and importance of knowledge. I think the author was implying general knowledge, especially science, math, etc., but I want to quote a portion, with religious knowledge being the focus, and not worldly knowledge. Starting with the following hadith:

A learned person is superior to a worshipper as the full moon is superior to all the stars. The scholars are heirs of the prophets and the prophets do not leave any inheritance in the shape of dirhams and dinars, but they do leave knowledge as their legacy. As such a person who acquires knowledge acquires his full share. [Abu Dawud & At-Tirmidhi]

I don't see how it could be applied to non-religious knowledge, honestly, it seems like the hadith is about knowledge of value in Islam. Because being a person learned in worldly knowledge instead of Islamic knowledge could hardly be superior to a worshipper, wouldn't you say?

The problem according to the author was that Muslims seek wealth over knowledge. I think if they are seeking knowledge that does not help their Islam, it's as useless to them as wealth they don't know how to spend. I'd prefer knowledge to wealth though any day of the week.

He also quotes Ibn Hazm, a Spanish Muslim 'scholar:'

If knowledge had no other merit than to make the ignorant fear and respect you, and scholars love and honor you, this would be good enough reason to seek after it... If ignorance had no other fault than to make the ignorant man jealous of knowledgeable men and jubilant at seeing more people like himself, this by itself would be reason enough to oblige us to feel it... If knowledge and the action of devoting oneself to it had no purpose except to free the man who seeks it from the exhausting anxieties and many worries which afflict the mind, that alone would certainly be enough to drive us to seek knowledge.

I've heard this said another way... that the desirability of knowledge may be evinced by the ignorant who wish to not be thought ignorant, but rather pretend that they are learned.

Ali (RA) was once asked what was better: wealth or knowledge. He said,
Knowledge is superior to wealth for ten reasons:

1. Knowledge is the legacy of the prophets. Wealth is the inheritance of the Pharaohs. Therefore, knowledge is better than wealth.


2. You have to guard your wealth but knowledge guards you. So knowledge is better.


3. A man of wealth has many enemies while a man of knowledge has many
   friends. Hence knowledge is better.


4. Knowledge is better because it increases with distribution, while wealth decreases by that act.


5. Knowledge is better because a learned man is apt to be generous while a wealthy person is apt to be miserly.
   
6. Knowledge is better because it cannot be stolen while wealth can be stolen.
   
7. Knowledge is better because time cannot harm knowledge, but wealth rusts in course of time and wears away.


8. Knowledge is better because it is boundless while wealth is limited and you can keep account of it.


9. Knowledge is better because it illuminates the mind while wealth is apt to blacken it.
   
10. Knowledge is better because knowledge induced the humanity in our
    Prophet to say to Allah, "We worship Thee as we are Your servant,"
    while wealth engendered in Pharaoh and Nimrod the vanity which made them claim Godhead.

I can't say I fully understand point 10, except that knowledge will increase us in humility in submission to God, while wealth would lead us into vanity and arrogance.

But the conclusion is clear, that we are mandated to seek knowledge... but I think not just worldly knowledge, but knowledge that can value us in our Islam. And the scholars of Islam shouldn't hoard the knowledge either, but distribute it as freely and far as possible, and shake Muslims from their collective ignorant comatose.

The article starts off with achievements of Muslims in scientific pursuits, during the 'Golden Age' as it were. His solutions involve Muslims studying more in Western universities and success is measured in books translated annually. I find that to be a little trite, but there is something certainly shameful about the illiteracy prevalent in Muslim countries, among a people whose first command from God was Iqra, Read!

Seeking Knowledge an Imperative by Habib Siddiqui is the article.

WARNING

There have been comments made on my blog which attempt to impersonate me--so they look like I made them--about the Houston Taliban issue. The same comments may appear on other sites which I frequent.

I did not make these comments and I absolutely refuse to comment on this issue because I do not have the facts. If you see any comments about that issue, or promoting a blog to deal with it, rest assured that they are not from me.

Please beware, as the person posting these comments is now using my name. For this reason I have enabled comment moderation, but I'm cautioning all my readers, if you see any comments anywhere which appear to be from me about ICNA/WhyIslam, and Houston, consider them the work of an impersonator and not me.

No justification, no justice

So this has been a weekend, good and bad. Maybe not "bad" but very saddening, at least, depressing even. The MAS Day at the Cinema started with the film Occupation 101. You can purchase the documentary here: http://www.occupation101.com/purchase.html. It's heartbreaking, and for me it set the tone for the rest of the day, which I spent crying at seemingly random things that would have otherwise not have phased me in the slightest.

I wanted to get that out there. At the masjid Saturday night though, there was a brother promoting a book he is helping to put out. It's going to be called Palestinians' Holocaust: American Perspectives. Originally the book was going to be titled with "African American" instead of just "American" but they changed it to appeal to a broader audience. I think that was wise, and I was confused at first why they would call it African American perspectives anyway, until I read a "review" of sorts of it, an article mainly written to publicize it. The premise was that African Americans could more closely identify with the Palestinian struggle than white Americans I guess, but the book includes quotes from such notable figures as George Washington, Jimmy Carter, and Alison Wier (ifamericansknew.org). I'm glad that race isn't an issue in it, because in truth any human who has knowledge about what is going on should stand up and shout it... and drown out the lies.

Some quotes that come to my mind now are George Washington's farewell address, when he warned against a passionate attachment to any foreign nation.

So likewise, a passionate attachment of one nation for another produces a variety of evils. Sympathy for the favorite nation, facilitating the illusion of an imaginary common interest in cases where no real common interest exists, and infusing into one the enmities of the other, betrays the former into a participation in the quarrels and wars of the latter without adequate inducement or justification. It leads also to concessions to the favorite nation of privileges denied to others which is apt doubly to injure the nation making the concessions; by unnecessarily parting with what ought to have been retained, and by exciting jealousy, ill-will, and a disposition to retaliate, in the parties from whom equal privileges are withheld. And it gives to ambitious, corrupted, or deluded citizens (who devote themselves to the favorite nation), facility to betray or sacrifice the interests of their own country, without odium, sometimes even with popularity; gilding, with the appearances of a virtuous sense of obligation, a commendable deference for public opinion, or a laudable zeal for public good, the base or foolish compliances of ambition, corruption, or infatuation.

Malcolm X made a stunning point about racism and quoted Hamlet--is it really better to suffer or to take up arms?

To be, or not to be, that is the question. Whether 'tis nobler in the mind to suffer the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune, or to take arms against a sea of troubles and by opposing, end them.

And others have quotes in the book, some that I haven't read or heard before... I hope someone is listening to the extreme silliness that is blinding this country of all morality and justice and perpetuating lifelong torture of the population of a nation.

Da'wah Via Powerpoint

Yes, yes, one of the first steps for a group committed to educating the non-Muslim population about Islam is to devise a powerpoint presentation, a script and slides to match, as a guide for novice presenters to give a little speech explaining the highlights of Islam.

The da'wah committee at my masjid, a committee I'm now apparently on, has been meeting recently to do just that. The only thing is, there is already the presentation, we're simply fine-tuning it. It has some issues, largely cosmetic to be honest, but for the most part the content is fine--assuming, of course, that the person presenting actually knows what they are talking about, and what they are supposed to be talking about.

The problem we have then, as we "fine-tune" the presentation, is people disagreeing about what should be said, what should be on the slide, etc... To start with, there is the existing presentation that has been in use for a while now, designed years ago by someone else who is not even much into giving it any more. The two current heads of the committee are well-rehearsed on the presentation and what they say, and what is good to say (i.e., helpful) and what is not (i.e., confusing.) But there are some people in the room who I imagine plan to give this presentation one day, who have completely different ideas. Of the two current chairs, one is born Muslim, and the other is his wife, a convert. I for one think they do a fabulous job, and more fabulous the more I learn about what they've done. But... everyone's entitled to their opinion.

A week or so ago we were discussing which bullets to put on a slide about salaat. Should we say wudu? Should we say purification but not wudu? Should we (this is one of the later slides, by the way) eliminate all Arabic transliterated words from the presentation now!? Should we not mention this aspect of purification at all?

It was then that I realized people are getting tired. I've done this once before, learned the presentation, learned the script. I have an opinion on what should be on the slide too. But what I didn't exactly understand was the reasons people wanted to keep things off the slide. This is a generic presentation, multi-purpose.

Sometimes, it will be given to a 7th grade class studying eastern religions and cultures. They will probably be familiar with practices if not beliefs. Sometimes it will be given to law enforcement--they will not know anything, probably, and will be most helped by learning some useful information about the practices of worship. It might be given to a church group, who would probably be most intrigued and benefited by examining the beliefs.

So everyone had to say--should wudu be on the slide or not? I say yes--I consider it an essential part of the prayer that at least deserves mention, and I think ought to be on the slide because, quite simply, it is essential, it is commonly observed and is worth explaining briefly when mentioning the prayer. I'm not picky what word they use, but I think it's a concept to mention to many of the different audiences. Yet another position was that we should not mention at all how Muslims pray (i.e., that we recite Qur'an and bow and so forth) but only why. Now that's a point which needs to be emphasized... that's why 80% of the presentation is spent discussing beliefs, what Muslims believe. Why do we pray? Because Allah told us to. And that point may be elaborated, I suppose, the value of stopping during the day to remember one's faith. But also, the "how" is pertinent information. Especially since in many cases we are trying to explain that it's not harmless, it's a quite simple and benign act which Western culture might not actually understand (since prayer is no longer a common thing.) So what it looks like, the purification beforehand, the call to prayer... I think it's worthwhile to mention, when explaining salaat. I guess that's my opinion but... if they are entitled to one, so am I.

Yet I know, that when I give the presentation, I'm the one who can say what's important. And hope that what I say is taken with as much or more weight than a silly slide.

Religious men aren't masculine enough?

I read an article this week that in an odd way made me really appreciate Muslim men and their... uh... manliness. Well, not quite, but here's the thing. In Muslim communities in America, there are often complaints that women are not active enough in the affairs at the masjid--either women don't/can't go, or they have insufficient facilities, or they aren't allowed to serve on the committees or boards... and so there is an effort to correct the imbalance. And as communities grow larger, this is a problem that I think tends to ease up--the cultural baggage brought by the first wave of immigrants dies off as children of Pakistanis, Arabs, and converts all grow up together, and things improve. It's kind of neat. Muslim communities in the United States are growing. They're getting bigger--masajid are expanding, and popping up to meet the demands of a growing population.

The Christian communities are facing a different problem--the men aren't much interested in participating apparently, and overall participation seems to be dropping. At the very best, it's remaining constant. Yet church populations are dwindling, made up largely of elderly worshipers while their children and grandchildren stay home on Sundays.

Christians test masculine side

I have to really hand it to the author of this article, who made it humorous to read. Perhaps it was subtle, or I have a strange sense of humor, or she was really making fun... let's see. Apparently the churches, while having male pastors and deacons (many/most traditional congregations don't like women in leadership roles) will nevertheless have women taking care of many/most of the duties of actually running the church--planning, finances, building maintenance, special programs, whatever. Yet the article made it even seem like the message of Christianity had become unappealing to men.

Years ago a movement called Promise Keepers started trying to mobilize men to be better husbands, fathers, and leaders of their families and in the church. Now other similar movements are popping up to attract men back to the faith which apparently seems somewhat feminine in essence--i.e., turn the other cheek? How manly is that?

So how are churches trying to bring men back?

Conference organizers hope a male makeover will do the trick. Instead of a church supper, the conference will host a steak cookout at 6 p.m. Friday. They're calling it "Feed the Beast."

Instead of a church supper with chicken casserole and mashed potatoes, they're letting the men cook in the way they know how--slabs of meat over a fire. Feed the beast. Beasts. In church..... sorry.

So anyway, the difference is really interesting--has the faith of Christianity lost appeal to men these days? I'm going to venture out on a ledge and say NO because I know so many men who are comfortable in their faith, and in their role as a provider for the families and so forth. But where are these teachings in the basics of Christianity? Is the message of humility no longer presented in a way that appeals to masses? So they must offer steak to get them involved?

I really don't know. Not being a man, I can't say this with much confidence, but I think that the reasons men are falling out of the church are the same reasons women are--that it no longer provides them with practical answers to their problems, no longer is a network of support and friendship for those who do participate, and that the pursuit of this world has blinded their spiritual sensitivity.

So I then look at Muslim men--many who aren't particularly spiritual, let's face it. (Not that women are exactly better in that regard, though.) The Muslims have a faith that is clear in the distinction of gender roles. Being a good Muslim man includes fulfilling the rights of his wife and children. Being a good Muslim woman includes fulfilling the rights of her husband and children. So it's not exactly the same... whereas in Christianity (here in the Southern US, to the best of my knowledge) the distinction is missing--it's a singular, unisex proposition where the value of a father as a provider and mother as caregiver are de-emphasized. So what happens? Well dads get lazy and moms go to work and the children lose.

Mind you, this isn't something happening to most Christians right now, nor do I think it's an inherent problem with Christianity. But I think it's a product of mixing the sacred and profane, trying to integrate spirituality with the pursuit of this world.

I hope that's not something we start to see in Muslim communities, a polar shift that leaves a congregation bereft of practical application of the Sunnah. Muslims have examples of good husbands, and good wives, of good fathers, and good mothers--they know their duties and rights to their Lord and to other people, so are in a position to fulfill them. So in a way Islam right now has the upper hand, here in the US. Our communities are growing, and improving as they become more diverse and therefore more tolerant and broad in understanding.

We as Muslims have such a rich tradition and heritage of familial cooperation--seeing the family and not the individual as a unit of society--that we shouldn't buy in to the "me me me" call of our non-Muslim peers, and ultimately of Shaitaan. Muslims aren't the ones who debated whether women have souls, who pegged the sin of mankind on a woman and cursed her childbirth. Muslims aren't the ones who have divorced the life in their body (physical desires) and the life in their soul (spiritual desires) and let one dominate the other.

So we're in a position to demonstrate how Islam can work, should work, does work... because it can work, should work, and does work! Because a Muslim man knows it is his obligation to provide for his family, and a Muslim woman knows it is her obligation to take care of her family. And they can look at those children, the next generation, and try to shape them and guide them in this faith, and not let the wolves of greed consume their innocence in the pursuit of wealth or fame.

In Islam there is a very clear example of what a man should be, of what the best man was, saws. And nobody can say it's too feminine, or it doesn't apply today--there is an example for everyone that the men don't have to be shy to follow. And they don't have to call themselves beasts to find an interest in religion. They can in fact try to overcome their beastly nature instead of indulging it.

On being a Muslim woman

There was a magazine that had been sitting in the back seat of my car for a couple of months, that I happened to pull out a few weeks back and read while eating dinner one night. I prepared myself to be disappointed in this article, title "On being a Muslim woman," which is an excerpt from Winning the Modern World by Abdessalam Yassine.

Yes, that's a guy's name.

So why is a guy writing an article that's been titled "On being a Muslim woman?" I thought I could smell trouble... and the article was actually the opposite of what I thought, and I really found it to be a wonderful piece on today's society, with respect to women.

These bits below I found particularly powerful, but the essence of the article is that Islam is clear in protection of women and importance of family. However, the image seen in too many societies today he describes as "insignificant and oppressed creature.. stunted by illiteracy and weighted down by unjust macho traditions."

It is urgent to deliver the contemporary Muslim woman, fallen again, perhaps even lower than her pre-Islamic sister, and to draw her up from the abyss of injustice and negligence where she languishes. Our era is perhaps no more merciful toward women than one in which a depraved and inhumane father could cruelly bury his newborn infant if by misfortune it was found to be a girl! The misfortune of today's Muslim woman is twofold. She lives torn between the unfortunate situation in which local masculine injustice has placed her, and the Western model whose apparent freedom attracts her.

So there are two evils--the current state of women in the Muslim world, and the current state of women in the Western world! One limits her participation in society, the other limits her participation in family, so the author encourages that women learn about their rights in order claim them. He does not place the entire responsibility on Muslim governments, but calls it a "joint effort of men and women."

The feminine touch is more than a complement to masculine decisiveness: her delicate sensitivity and motherly love are irreplaceable, indeed decisive in the effort of change in order to bring about the "alternation of days." The decisive hand of an Islamic government can and should stop the hemorrhaging of a wounded society, but what other than feminine compassion can gently tend its physical and psychological wounds, soothing with healing balms the effects of so much suffering?

So anyway--I was pleasantly surprised. You can read the entire article here inshaAllah. I could only find it as a word doc, but this should be the cached html version.

Bleachy water

Every year, in March, the people in charge of the water plant stop putting ammonia into the water. That should make the water healthier? Cleaner? Well, the ammonia used to mask the smell of the chlorine which was also used as a disinfectant. Removing the ammonia to use only the chlorine leaves the water smelling... like bleach.Now as Muslims, we pray five times a day and make wudhu before--which involves washing our faces as well. The month is almost over alhamdulillah but it's still irritating to smell the bleach as I wash out my mouth, nose, and put water onto my face. I can't bear to drink it... so I've been paying my dues to Dasani lately.

I've been busy the last two weeks, since I last posted. To start with, I took an Arabic class. An intensive Arabic class. The format was 10 days, 3 hours each night, in grammar. The class aimed to teach the fundamentals of Arabic grammar in order to help in reading Qur'an. The idea is that once we've learned grammar we can aquire vocabulary more easily, and understand how words and sentences are constructed, to observe the linguistic effect of the Arabic in the Qur'an. And that was really amazing. Looking at some verses constructed one way, and others in a different way. In English we really tend to brush over them, but it's easier to tell directly from the Arabic when something is supposed to be emphasized. The course was offered by Br. Nouman Ali Khan from the Bayyinah Institute (http://www.bayyinah.com/). I've already registered for the follow-up seminars; he requires a minimum number of students to sign up, though, to send an instructor, so I'm hoping enough will actually sign up to ensure that this program continues here.
The reason for learning Arabic is ultimately to learn the Qur'an--how to read it, and comprehend it, but also how to listen and comprehend. Naturally, listening is more difficult than reading; it takes more practice anyway. Reading can be self-paced, with the ability to look slowly and carefully at the words. When listening to someone recite, you're at the mercy of his speed and pronunciation. But I'm really happy to say that I have noticed an improvement in my concentration during salah. Just yesterday I went to the masjid for the fajr salat and to my own astonishment was able to understand small bits of what he was saying. Before now there have been some words I could understand but usually I would miss them because they ran together. Now I'm seeing that I can deconstruct it just enough to recognize even more words--enough to even determine from where the imam was reciting (surat al-Iman, btw.) That was a really nice experience.

I have been asked to be interviewed for a local monthly Islamic newspaper, by someone who saw my speech last Saturday... that's new. This Wednesday (and possibly next Wednesday as well inshaAllah) I spoke to the campus police... tough crowd. The issue was "Muslim affairs" and advise for them on interacting with Muslims in their professional capacity. I don't really think they needed it, but apparently someone had suggested to "the chief" some such training. As soon as I arrived I got a little "chat" about not talking politics. Of course, it's standard policy whenever presenting through ING to not discuss politics anyway, and I assured him of that. The problem was that the previous week another speaker had been there, and said something that maybe he shouldn't have. Basically, that when the Soviet Union fell, the USA began to look for another enemy and the Muslims got to be it.

Now, regardless of the validity of that statement (dunno of any of you agree with it or not) it's not a thing to say to such a group as that. A tremendous amount of evidence is required to prove that claim, but in one fell swoop the person to suggest it has insulted the government and Americans. Many police officers are ex-military, in general they are very patriotic and to say something like that without proof (and the proof is not to be found in common circles, trust me, if it even exists) is going to immediately undermine your credibility as a speaker. Unfortunately, that happened. One man listening had said that no matter what the speaker said after that, he wouldn't care, or pay attention. Very dangerous. I guess it was a reminder to be especially careful about what we say in crowds like that. I don't consider this presentation to be one of my strongest at all--it was too short to be very effective and informative so I tried to cover what I thought would help them most. On the other hand, I think I managed to avoid any kind of political judgments or suggestions.

I guess that's enough for now. I've found a few neat sites that inshaAllah I'll be adding to the side part of the page that I hope you can enjoy. :-)

Oh, and about the t-shirt. They were made by the MSA at my school and I don't think they are available for general distribution. Best bet would be to contact them through their website: www.ncsumsa.org

Salaam.