Salam,
In light of the recent hostage fiasco in Afghanistan, I thought I would express my 2 cents.
For those who are not aware, Taliban militants in Afghanistan kidnapped about 23 South Korean Christian aid workers (supposedly missionaries) by gunpoint and threatened to kill them unless South Korea agreed to a prisoner swap. Apparently, there are about 200 volunteers many of whom are engineers, doctors, and medical staff. They have instigated quite the uproar within the staunchly Muslim community in Afghanistan, especially after rumors spread about these volunteers proselytizing Christianity where they serve. As for the 23 hostages, majority of them female, one has already been killed yesterday.

When I read this in the news headlines, I was almost inclined to feel stoic in reaction. Not because I don't care, but because such news is too damn common, and American Muslims, for the most part, shy away from the public eye when it happens. Muslim terrorists. Islamic suicide bombers. Mujahideen bombs this. Taliban kidnaps that. You know which headline is my favorite of all time? American Muslims don't give a damn. Actually, I never heard such a headline, but it's been implied. And such an implication, I question- does it contain any truth?

In fact, the other day, I was having lunch with a few of my classmates, one of whom asked me "But what about you American Muslims? Why don't you say anything? Why don't you do anything about it?"

My response was garbled and a bit abstruse because the truth of the matter is, our Muslim community in America struggles with so many of its own problems and divisions (I heard this being used an excuse on several occasions), but I'm not too sure how that would justify our sidestepping any opportunity to public condemn acts perpetrated in the name of the Glorious One.

If we sincerely loved our Creator, we should stand up for Him. When we see our names slandered in the headlines; our religion depraved by equivocal politicians and crap-spouting bigots; harassed by trite misinterpretation, where are we to deprecate the wrong-doers, debunk the misconceptions, and support the oppressed truth?

There are, in fact, many Islamic activist organizations and exemplary Muslim individuals in America who are speaking loud and proud about their beloved religion and misconcieved identity, while codemning the acts of lunacy committed in the name of their sacred faith.

But besides public condemnations, what else are we supposed to be doing?

Is the Muslim voice debilitated? If so, by what? I'm not sure. But on the brighter side, there is evidently a gradual rise of Muslim presence in the limelight. (Check out Washington Post) Alhamdulilah.

Let there be among you a community who enjoin good and forbid evil; it is they that shall be successful [3:104]


My prayers go to the victims of injustice and ruthless oppression. God give the innocent strength against the evil-doers. Ameen.

Salam,

I am indulging in the final days of hedonistic pleasure- just one day away from training mayhem: nine hours/day of CPR-ing dummies excluding the extra hours in the ER and rescue squad- I'm pumped.

As I have mentioned in previous posts (old blog), the highlight of my days is reading away and engaging in quality sibling immaturity. In fact, I promised my buddy Rabia I would post about one particular incident last night, that clearly delineates my childish endeavors.

So my brother, sister, and I fight over a tub of softly-churned ohhh so creamy choco-vanilla icecream. When I say fight, I mean psuedo-karate tournament.

So in various schools of martial arts, one can verbalize commands. Like in tea kwon do, the instructor says "kyung yeh!" which means 'bow' or "kae sok!" which means 'continue'. Or in shotokan karate, which I have taken up, one would command "mokusuh!" and "mokusuh yame!" for respectively 'meditate' and 'stop meditating'. But some ig'nant people like to articulate their high punches or axe kicks with "bonzaaaiiiii" or "karaataayyyy CHOP".

Sigh. If only my sister had uttered something stupid like that before dropkicking my brother for the icecream scoop. Before I can grab the scoop from her and claim my victory over first dibs (I know how old I am, thank you), my sister flings her hands up in the air in ready-stance and screams out "KAARMAAA SUTRAAAA!".

My jaw drops, I recoil in alarm. Khalasssss, take the icecream!, I thought.

Apparently, she had no idea what she was saying; hence the inaccurate pronunciation. Like most 13/14-year old teeny boppers, she was being her naive-self.
I miss that (minus the Spice Girls/Giga-pet craze I went through from ages 10-12, which I deplore, ever so painfully. I mean, my circle of friends claimed a spice girl identity as her own. I remember Aisha being Sporty Spice, and I ended up being Scary Spice because Posh was too posh, baby was a ditz, ginger was a skank, and the halalest/least bimbotastic Spice girl left was Scary, who yes I know, is not so halal, afterall.

On a totally different note, there is much I have to say about a couple books I've been reading lately and other issues that overtook me this past week. Will post soon.

keep it halal,
scary spice

Salam,
Yesterday, I had spent a lot of time perusing through blogs and online journals (I must concede, I do enjoy this "free time" I have from productivity; surely it will not last long! This week, I start my night shifts at the rescue house; July 16- Day 1 of EMT training; and another several hours lent to a few ankle-biters that I'll be reading to at the local library. )

A friend of mine had recently posted a rather hortatory entry (like that word? hor-ta-tory-sounds kind of haram 8-O ) about collecting spare change and making use of it. I think it's a wonderful idea, and rather simple. It could work as easily as follows:

1. Make the intention of collecting any spare change in sight over a timed course and pledge to donate your accumulated wealth to a noble cause. My friend had suggested Darfur relief.

2. Insist that the members of your household get involved. Perhaps a jelly jar in the kitchen, shoebox in the family room, or a place(s) where compiling pennies from the floor and nickels from beneath the sofa cushions can be made convenient.

3. Maybe once a month or each new year, donate all that spare change to a local cause or somewhere as grand and in need of relief like the third-world.

We ask how anyone can make such a difference. But as my friend, Wafa, said in her blog, if we invited our friends and family to join us in this facile effort, then we can make a difference, especially if we all contributed to the same cause like Darfur.

For those of you considering this undemanding project, then may God give us the consistency and motivation to achieve our goal to ultimately fulfill one of our basic duties to Him- charity.

Salam,

Thought I would post this, mostly for myself. I've been heckling my parents about studying abroad for islamic studies/arabic since junior year in high school. The article below, however, holds much truth.

"Some of our young, religious people flee from their homes in one way or another after becoming religious. They feel that they cannot bear staying at home surrounded by what they regard as sinful behaviour or as their family’s casual religious attitudes.
Some seek to escape the temptations at home by going overseas to study or by simply moving away from home. There are often clear signs in their behaviour that they are merely running away. Some of them even leave home without their parents’ permission.

They forget that when a man asked the Prophet (peace be upon him) if he could go to war, the Prophet (peace be upon him) immediately asked him if his parents were alive. When he said that they were, the Prophet said: “Your jihad is to take care of your parents!” [Sahîh al-Bukhârî (2728) and Sahîh Muslim (4623)

They also forget that when another young man approached the Prophet (peace be upon him) to go and fight, the Prophet (peace be upon him) asked him if his mother was alive. When he found out that she was, he told the man: “Woe unto you! Attend her at her feet and you will attain Paradise.” [Sunan Ibn Mâjah (2771). The hadîth is authentic (sahîh)] "

Source: "Taking Care of Things at Home" - Salman al Audah

Along the same line, my mom always reminds me that, "charity starts at home".
keep it halal.

Salam,
I had awoken from a bad dream this morning. It was about 4:30 am. I had the same feeling I do every time I dream about death. I cringe at the sense of a knotted stomach and heavy throat. The only remedy, at least this time, was Fajr prayer.

Every so often, I fear death- not death itself, but what comes after. I fear the death of my loved ones- not their death really, but the subject of our fate under His divine decree.

It wouldn't be so awful if I felt prepared to die; if I assumed that my parents or my brother or my sister were ready to face their Lord, genuflect before His greatness with only good news awaiting them.

My dear son...
Live as long as you may, for verily you must die. Love whoever you wish, for one day you shall taste its separation. And do what you will, you will be rewarded accordingly. -Imam Ghazali

At least I am not. Not ready that is; and that speaks volumes about my faith- so easily enervated by shaytan's deception. Astaghfirullah.

I didn't think it would be this hard to parry his seductive tricks. One would think that with school, studying, and other worldly things not there to distract you so much, that he would rest amidst my textbooks and dorm storage, waiting to pounce on me in September. of course he's here. Yet so is He and His mercy.


bal tasirunal hayatad dunya, wal akhiratu hairu wa abqah.
No, you prefer the life of this world, but the hereafter is better and everlasting. Surah Alaa, I believe.

On another note, I cannot wait for Ramadan! I need an iman-rush, asap.
until then, keep it halal.

Salam,

I dread going to stores like the Home Depot. Usually I'm dragged by the father to assist him in finding x nut to go with y bolt. I'd rather drill a nail into my head than ever have to deal with shopping for home appliances and such. If there's anything nice I get out of it, it's spending time with Baba (although I don't appreciate it at the time. I mean who the jahanam knows the difference between sheathing and subflooring? Don't bother enlightening me; I really don't care).

But anyways, today, Mom and I reluctantly walked into Dad's Jannah on Earth (actually the Dollar Shop is more like it, but Home Depot's up there) and finally purchased the only materialistic, dunya-absorbed thing I ever wanted- a yard swing!

Every summer, I look forward to spending afternoons together at my uncle's house. My aunt's a good cook, cute cousins, they all love me, AND they have a yard swing! Why such an obsession? I never feel more at peace (ranked after the daily prayers) than I do lying under the sun. Sprawled on the swing, swaying back and forth to catch some mercy from a stubborn wind while my other senses are enwrapped in the imagination, lending them to characters from a book I would be reading. And then I fall asleep and only wake up to my little cousin, Yaseen, poking some foreign object into my hijab.

Bliss is at its best when temporary.

So today, I started assembling this monster of a yard swing that Mom and I lugged home from the Depot. It was past noon, when the heat is most unforgiving. Mom was worried I'd collapse from overheating, but I was too caught up in playing Rosie the Riveter; like I even knew what I was doing- the instructions were intricate like in a different language. No really, I was actually reading the Spanish version and gave up after "Paso Uno".

After decrypting the English version, I called it quits once I assembled the frame and canopy. I call this an accomplishment, Alhamdulilah. Must I add, I actually did this on my own? I was working that wrench...single-handedly! Sigh. Pride only comes before a fall.

Keep it halal.

Bismillah,
my first post!
I decided to abandon my previous blog and create a new blog for new and hopefully more mature reflections. I realized that many of my posts, particularly from way back in '03-'06 delineated someone from the past- Me, of course, but with embarassing naivety.
To say that I have overcome my ignorance would be pretty..ignorant of me to say. This blog, however, is a fresh, new outlet for me to RRR- ruminate, reflect, and rant. =)

As for the title of the blog, it's derived from one my favorite nasheeds by Shaam- Laka Fi Qalbi- In My Heart. Because everything I write in this blog is sincere and uncensored (although I do edit spelling/grammar mistakes at whim).

And I confess, I love getting comments. Except this time, I'd prefer advice, suggestions, your own RRR's over the typical: "cool blog...i hate you....you smell...marry me". Although I do hope my blog is cool, that you don't hate me, that I smell like flowers, and that you find the perfect spouse for you, stick with comments that would be beneficial to me and to those reading it. =)

Until next time,
keep it halal.