Day 1, Muharram

Abu Hurayrah, may Allaah be pleased with him, said: “The Messenger of Allaah sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam said: “The best of fasting after Ramadaan is fasting during Allaah’s month of Muharram.’” (Muslim).

‘Aashooraa’ in History
Ibn ‘Abbaas, may Allaah be pleased with him said: “The Prophet sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam came to Madeenah and observed that the Jews were fasting on the day of ‘Aashooraa’. He asked: “What is this?” They replied: ‘This is a righteous day, it is the day when Allaah saved the Children of Israel from their enemies, so Moosa fasted on this day.’ He sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam replied: “We have more right to Moosa than you” so he fasted on that day and commanded [the Muslims] to do likewise.” (Bukhaari).

“This is a righteous day” – in a report narrated by Muslim, [the Jews said:] “This is a great day, on which Allaah saved Moosa and his people, and drowned Pharaoh and his people.”

“Moosa fasted on this day” – a report narrated by Muslim adds: “… in thanksgiving to Allaah, so we fast on this day.”
According to a report narrated by Al-Bukhaari: “… so we fast on this day to venerate it.”
A version narrated by Imaam Ahmad adds: “This is the day on which the Ark settled on Mount Joodi, so Nooh, peace be upon him, fasted this day in thanksgiving.”
“and commanded [the Muslims] to fast on that day” – according to another report also narrated by Al-Bukhaari: “He sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam said to his Companions: ‘You have more right to Moosa than they do, so fast on that day.”

innaa lillaahi wa innaa ilayhi raaji'oon

STOP PRESS: Palestinian medics: IDF troops kill girl near Gaza Strip border fence
By Amos Harel, Haaretz Correspondent, and Reuters

Israel Defense Forces soldiers shot dead a 9-year-old Palestinian girl on Thursday in the Gaza Strip near the border with Israel, Palestinian medics said. The IDF said troops spotted a Palestinian carrying a large bag near the border fence. Suspecting that it contained explosives, the troops called on the person to stop and fired warning shots in the air. After the person did not heed the calls and moved closer to the border, the soldiers fired again and shot the person dead, an IDF statement said.
A Palestinian ambulance found the girl's body hours after the incident and medics brought her to Nasser hospital in the Khan Yunis refugee camp. The girl was identified as Aya-Al Astal. Palestinian policeman said she had been shot in the neck. An IDF spokeswoman said the army was conducting further checks about the killing.

innaa lillaahi wa innaa ilayhi raaji'oon..

I got this from UmKahlil's blog which is one of the most meticulously updated and inspirational blogs around ..and Leila UmYousuf has a moving post on the tragedy and The Guardian has the details ..

Wish-List Must-Have

A Child from the Village

By Lisa Kaaki
Special to Arab News Review

A Child from the Village, the interesting autobiography of Sayyid Qutb, has been recently translated into English by the American University in Cairo Press. It was originally published in Arabic in 1946 at a time when the author had not yet used his Islamic beliefs in support of his political and social ideas. The book depicts in a touching yet realistic manner life in a typical Egyptian village in the early decades of the twentieth century.

The author insists that he has not embellished the tales of life in his village: “I have done no more than transfer them from the ledger of my memory to the page of my notebook…I have provided a kind of literary museum in which pages of our national life and modern history are preserved.”

Although the content of this autobiography is in stark contrast to Sayyid Qutb’s later works, it does show his deep concern for social justice. In one of the last chapters entitled “Sorrows of the Countryside,” he describes a grim life, filled with miseries, and burdening both men and women:
“The bitter miseries of poverty following wealth, the painful miseries of poverty inherited from previous generations, and the miseries of death and its ceremonies… When the men are in the fields they can forget. The bright sunlight fills their souls and brightens them, and the sprouting of seeds in black earth causes dim hopes to grow in their souls, even though in their profound simplicity they cannot fully perceive them. But the women, who generally do not leave the houses, have nothing to make them forget their sorrows. The houses are dark and their rooms are gloomy, especially when night falls and the houses are lit only by those dim, small kerosene lamps, so that people’s shadows dance like specters upon walls, and a gloomy feeling of distress and sorrow settles over the house and those in it.”

Interestingly enough, throughout the book, the author constantly refers to himself in the third person. In a remarkable introduction, the translators, John Calvert and William Sheppard explain this as a deliberate effort by Qutb “to allow the reader easily to distinguish between the author’s adult worldview and that of his child protagonist; he presents his material in a series of episodes, which despite their anecdotal nature, are highly developed and thematic in character. Taken together, these vignettes document what Qutb perceived to be his ‘awakening’ from the unreflective slumber of customary rural life to a new kind of existence”.
In 1948, two years after the publication of his autobiography, Qutb wrote “Social Justice in Islam.”

By 1954, the book had gone through four editions and he had written “Islam and World Peace” and “Islam’s Battle with Capitalism.” He had also begun his commentary on the Qur’an, “In the Shade of the Qur’an,” which he continued working on for the rest of his life.
After an attempt on the life of Abdul Nasser in October 1954, the government banned the Muslim Brothers. As one of its leading members, Qutb was imprisoned, released briefly in 1964 and arrested again, a few months later. He was eventually convicted and executed on Aug. 29, 1966.

Despite the success of his later writings, Qutb’s earlier works are still read. A collection of his poems was published in Egypt in 1989. It is interesting that Qutb dedicated his autobiography to Taha Hussein. As Calvert and Sheppard clearly point out, Taha Hussein’s autobiography “Al-Ayyam” encouraged several writers to recount their childhood memories, “however, despite this similarity between the two books, the purpose of the two authors is somewhat different. Whereas Taha Hussein was led by his experiences to embrace the civilization of the West, Sayyid Qutb’s response was to seek a modernized and reformed version of the Egyptian national community, which throughout his career as a writer, he identified with Eastern, Muslim civilization.”

PS: (any do-gooders out there? mail this please!!)

for Talyiah

assalaamu'alaykum Talyiah,

we've been homeschooling using books from the British Curriculum, so I'm afraid there aren't many academic tips I can offer (although there are some awesome homeschooling sites for Muslims in the US like ArabesQ and Muslim Homeschoolers Network and Domestic Tranquility (which has regular updates) and plenty of others..check them out in shaa Allaah)

alhamdulillaah we've been memorising the Qur'aan -- first at a halaqa, and then in a full-time tahfeedh school, alhamdulillaah..we haven't really been following a set Islamic studies curriculum except the Arabic one taught at our school..check out the Eman Readers series ..I've heard very good things about it ..and Yahya Emerick's Islamic Studies books: What Islam is all about

may Allaah continue to guide us all to that which pleases him, I just checked out the site you mentioned..may Allaah bless the effort ..it was wonderful reading about it!

I found this contribution really touching..may Allaah preserve the sister who wrote this:

Bismillahir Rahaman nir Raheem
As Salamu Alaikum
Why I Want An Islamic School
By: Sister Laila - 12 years old

"Today, we are constantly being forced into a corner by non-believers, this is especially true for us kids. I, as a twelve year old Muslim girl have experienced peer pressure and a sense of wanting to belong. Many children feel the same way at this age, we are a little confused and don't know where we belong. Some of us forget who we are at public schools; there , everyone speaks slang or improper English, curse, listen to music that is demeaning to everyone, and dress improperly. No child should be exposed to these things at any point in time!This is why, I feel we need an Islamic School, so, we can, as Muslims build friendships with others like ourselves, feel safe, do not feel pressured to follow the other kids, and where we can get a proper Islamic Education, the education Allah would want us to have.Ma Salam

I'm adding the link to The Islamic Academy of Greater New York here..this way, more people will read about it and help out, in shaa Allaah

all the best, stay in touch and let us know if there's anything we can do

and please keep us in your prayers, you will be in ours!

"he was dearer to us than cool water to a man dying of thirst.."

By Dr. `Abd al-`Âzîz b. Muhammad Âl `Abd al-Latîf

One of the greatest rights the Prophet, sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam, has over us is that we should love him. This love must be part of what we believe and it must be expressed in our words and our deeds. He should be dearer to us than ourselves and our families.

Allaah says (what means): "Say: If it be that your fathers, your sons, your brothers, your spouses, or your kindred; the wealth that you have gained; the commerce in which you fear a decline: or the dwellings in which you delight - are dearer to you than Allaah, or His Messenger, or the striving in His cause, then wait until Allaah brings about His decision; and Allaah guides not the rebellious sinners." [Sûrah al-Tawbah: 24]

Al-Qâdî `Iyâd makes the following observations about this verse:
This is sufficient proof that having love for the Prophet (peace be upon him) is both obligatory and compulsory. It is a very serious matter, especially since Allaah rebukes those who love their wealth and family more than Allaah and his Messenger and threatens them by saying "then wait until Allaah brings about His decision". Then He declares them rebellious sinners and says that they will not be guided.

The Prophet, sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam, said: "I swear by Him in whose hand is my soul, none of you believes until I become more beloved to him than his parents and children and all humanity."

The Prophet, sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam, also said: "There are three qualities that if someone possesses one of them, he will experience the sweetness of faith. The first of these is that Allaah and His Messenger are more beloved to him than anything else."

The Companions gave us the best example of how this love is to be expressed. `Umar b. al-Khattâb once said to al`Abbâs, the uncle of the Prophet sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam, "It is dearer to me that you accept Islam than that my own father al-Khattâb accepts it, because your acceptance of Islam is dearer to Allaah's Messenger sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam."

When `Ali b. Abî Tâlib was asked to describe the love he and his fellow Companions had for Allaah's Messenger, sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam, he said: "Allaah's Messenger was more beloved to us than our wealth, our children, our fathers, and our mothers. He was dearer to us than cool water is to a man dying of thirst."

The Companion `Amr b. al-`Âs said: "There was no one dearer to me than Allaah's Messenger, sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam..No one in my eyes was nobler than he. I could not look upon him directly because of the extreme respect that I had for him. If I were asked to describe his appearance, I would not be able to do so because I had been unable to look at him directly."

There are certain signs that show just how much a person loves the Prophet, sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam. One of these is that he makes mention of him often, since a person always likes to mention someone he loves. Another is that he has a longing to meet him.

Another sign is for a person to have love for those who loved the Prophet, sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam- namely the Companions - and to harbor enmity and hatred for his enemies and for those who hate him and slander him. It is natural for a person who loves something to love those who share those feelings.

The Prophet, sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam, said about his grandchildren al-Hasan and al-Husayn: "O Allaah! I love them, so please love them."

It follows that we must love the Qur'ân that he brought and the guidance found within it. We must emulate the teachings of the Qur'ân in our behavior. ` Â'ishah said about her husband the Prophet, sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam: "He was the living expression of the Qur'ân." Our love of the Qur'ân is expressed through our reading it, understanding it, and acting upon it.

read the complete article here

he loved *you*, do you love him?

لقد جاكم رسول من انفسكم
عزيز عليه ما عنتّم
حريص عليكم
بالمؤمنين
رؤوف رحيم


Verily, there has come to you a Messenger from amongst yourselves
It grieves him that hurt should come to you
He is ardently anxious over you
To the Believers he is most kind and merciful
[Qur'aan 9:128]

'Umar in the Holy House at Aelia

pic: noblesanctuary.com

Inside the walls of Jerusalem, then called by its Roman name, Aelia Capitolina, the Byzantines, nearly defenseless, debated whether to surrender or fight—as they had 20 years before when the Persians were at the gates, resulting in ruthless and indiscriminate slaughter. Those arguing for surrender pointed out that when Damascus fell to the Muslim armies two years before, there had been no slaughter. Furthermore the terms of surrender had been extremely lenient, with Christians being allowed to continue praying in their churches upon the payment of a poll tax which guaranteed for them as well as Muslim citizens, the "Security of Islam."

As news of this had leaked into besieged Jerusalem, the Greek Patriarch, Sophronius, sent word out that he would surrender the city without a struggle, but only to the Caliph Omar personally. Omar, then in Damascus, agreed and in one of the great scenes of Muslim history entered Jerusalem alone, except for a servant. Because his clothes were torn and dusty from the ride from Damascus, and because his manner to his servant was so courteous, the Byzantines, arrayed in pompous splendor to meet him, assumed the servant was Omar and greeted him effusively—to the quiet amusement of the Caliph. Thus did Islam come to Jerusalem.Omar's behavior on that occasion was symbolic of his later approach to the Christians and to Jerusalem.

Once his identity was clarified, Omar asked Sophronius to show him the city's holy places, and Sophronius led him first to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. As it was prayer time the Patriarch invited the Caliph to pray there with him. Omar declined, saying that to do so might later encourage his followers to convert the church into a mosque. Instead he prayed outside a little to the south, a place commemorated today by a 10th-century mosque called the Mosque of Omar and built in a small garden across the courtyard from the entrance of the Holy Sepulchre.

As the Caliph Omar was especially eager to see the site of the Prophet's ascendance to Heaven, the Patriarch led him to an ancient, crumbling platform on the eastern edge of the city. Seeing that it was piled with the debris of the Persian destruction and more recent accumulations of municipal refuge, Omar personally began the task of clearing the rocky summit so that the site could be reconsecrated. This area today is in the center of a 34-acre compound in the southeast corner of the Old City called al-Haram ash-Sharif, "the Noble Sanctuary." The whole area in Omar's time was known as al-Aqsa, "the Furthermost," a reference to Muhammad's ultimate journey. The Caliph ordered that a simple wooden mosque be built on the southwestern corner of the platform near the great wall where, tradition held, the Prophet had tethered his mare al-Buraq.

Traveling with the Muslim army was a man named Bilal, who had been the Prophet's own muezzin, or prayer caller. On the first Friday after the discovery of the sacred rock, Omar went to the enclosure to worship and there Bilal himself, for the first time since Muhammad's death six years previously, called the faithful to prayer. Al-Quds, Holy Jerusalem, was in Muslim hands.Omar's covenant with the Byzantines of Jerusalem followed the pattern of Damascus. With the payment of the poll tax and the acceptance of the "Security of Islam," Christians were given self-government under their ecclesiastical leaders and Christian pilgrimages from the West were permitted.

This is part of the text of Omar's treaty:
"In the name of Allah, the Merciful, the Compassionate. This is the covenant which Omar Ibn al-Khattab, the servant of Allah, the Commander of the Faithful, grants to the people of Aelia, the Holy House. He grants them security of their lives, their possessions, their churches and crosses . . . they shall have freedom of religion and none shall be molested unless they rise up in a body. . . They shall pay a tax instead of military service . . . and those who leave the city shall be safeguarded until they reach their destination. . ."

As John Gray, an English historian, puts it, Omar's decree was "less of a treaty imposed by a conqueror than a guarantee by a victorious faith confident in its inherent strength and conscious of its responsibilities."
In the years that followed, Omar's successors set to work on what is possibly Islam's most beautiful shrine: the Dome of the Rock, so called because it encloses the rock from which Muhammad ascended. Built during the reign of the Caliph 'Abd al-Malik ibn Marwan, it was finished in 691, and is one of Islam's oldest existing monuments.

Despite extensive modifications and repairs throughout the centuries it is today essentially the same: a magnificent structure with a great golden dome that, until the present government began to build high-rise apartment houses on surrounding hilltops, dominated the city's skyline.Close by the Dome of the Rock is the also famous Aqsa Mosque. Built near the site of Omar's wooden mosque in 715, al-Aqsa has a special place in Muslim affections, because by unspoken tradition it is more a house of prayer than a monument. Five thousand worshipers can pray inside. Remarkably, these two edifices, the main symbols of the Muslim presence in Jerusalem, have survived all the difficult centuries that followed
[from: To Pray in Jerusalem]

This was 'Umar, may Allaah be pleased with him, of whom the Prophet, sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam, said: "O Ibn Al-Khattab! By Him in Whose Hands my life is! Never does Satan find you going on a way, but he takes another way other than yours." -Saheeh Bukhari

Death of a Caliph

"There was a slave of Persian origin named Firuz in Al-Madeenah whose patronymic was Abu Lu'lu. One day he came across 'Umar in the marketplace and complained that his master Mughirah bin Shu'bah had imposed upon him a very heavy tax and begged the Caliph to prevail upon his master to reduce it. Umar asked him the amount of the tax. He replied it was two dirhams per day. The Caliph then asked him about his trade. "I work as a carpenter and a painter and an inronsmith", he replied. The Caliph said, "The amount is not much, considering your vocation." This decision did not suit Firuz and he grew displeased.

Umar then said to him that he had heard that Firuz could make windmills, and would he make one for him. Firuz answered, "Very well, I shall make for you such a mill whose sound will be heard in the east and west."

The next day when the people assembled in the mosque to perform the fajr prayer, Firuz came into the mosque armed with a poisonous dagger. As the ranks of the congregation were being put straight and in order, and 'Umar came and took his position to lead the prayer, Firuz suddenly rushed and struck Umar six consecutive blows, one of which fell below his navel. Umar instantly caught hold of Abdur Rahmaan ibn Awf and ordered him to take his place, and he unable to stand the wounds, fell down unconscious to the floor...

..A physician was sent for who administered to him a date cordial and milk, both these however, gushed forth from the wounds, whereupon people realized that he would not survive. They accordingly asked him to nominate his successor ..he sent for Abdur Rahmaan ibn Awf, Sa'ad bin abi Waqqaas, Zubayr bin Awwaam, Ali, 'Uthmaan and Talhah (who was oustide Madeenah). Addressing these people, he advised them to wait for Talhah for three days and choose the caliph between themselves ; he advised his son to side with the majority if they were divided in their choice and if they were divided into equal groups to side with the group that had AbdurRahmaan ibn Awf on its side.

He left a will "for the person who is chosen to be the Caliph" to take special care of the rights of the Ansaar, pay attention to the Muhaajireen and "fulfill the responsibilities regarding the Dhimmis" (the non-Muslim subjects of the Islamic state), honour the promises made to them, keep their enemies away from them and "never ask them to do anything beyond their power."

He sent his son Abdullaah to Aa'ishah, may Allaah be pleased with her, seeking permission to be buried beside the Prophet, sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam. When he was granted permission, he said: "It was the greatest wish of my life."

He was wounded on Wednesday, 27 Dhil Hijjah and died and was buried on Muharram 1. Suhayb led his funeral prayer. Ali, Zubayr, Uthmaan, AbdurRahmaan bin Awf and Adullaah ibn Umar lowered his body into the grave..

may Allaah pleased with him.

(from The History of Islam)

Must-Read

"Fatherhood is a great honor representing one's ability to pass on the Prophetic legacy to his/her offspring. However, in many communities fathers are AWOL. Young boys and girls are left alone replacing the important guidance and teachings that a father provides with DVD’s, video games and television.
Here are 5 important steps that, Inshallah, will help us actualize fatherhood, lead our families and fulfill the command of Allah, “Oh you who believe, protect yourself and your families from the fire of Hell.”

--Imam Suhaib Webb on 5 Steps to being a better Dad

when a little means a lot

the best things about the past few days have been the little things..

..coming home at 11.30 pm from the hospital to see two elves (R-R) cleaning up the kitchen so I wouldn't have to..

..friends sending a box of chocolates over for the kids ..just like that..because it's rough having a sick sibling in the house

..the hospital's medical director (who incidentally, is one of the most polite people I know, who I've never seen without a kindly smile on his face, and whose wife is an ex-colleague of mine) digging out our phone number and remembering to call us to enquire about the baby, although he probably has a zillion things to do and we haven't been in touch for over a year..

it just confirms my theory that you don't need to get people the moon or shake the earth to make them feel happy..there are times when a little means a lot..

*heavy hint* in case someone's looking to do a seriously good deed and earn my eternal gratitude, please mail me this book..I'm dying to read it..in case someone's looking to do a moderately good-ish deed, mail it anyway and inshaa Allaah I'll pay.. :)

"How can your clothes eat?"

By Shazia Andaleeb
Once upon a time in the Iranian city of Shiraz, there lived the famous poet Sheikh Saadi. Like most other poets and philosophers, Sheikh Saadi was not a rich man. He led a very simple life. A rich merchant of Shiraz invited Sheikh Saadi along with a lot of other big businessmen of the town on the occasion of his daughter’s marriage which was to be a grand affair. Sheikh Saadi accepted the invitation and decided to attend.

On the day of the wedding, the host and his family were receiving the guests at the gate. They were ushering all the guests towards the dining hall. All the rich people of the town attended the wedding. They had come out in best of their attires. Sheikh Saadi wore simple clothes which were neither grand nor expensive. He waited in a corner for someone to approach him but no one gave him as much as even a second glance. Even the host did not acknowledge him and looked away. Seeing all this, Sheikh Saadi quietly left the party and went to a shop from where he could hire clothes. There he chose a richly brocaded dress which was embroidered in gold on the margins. He selected a fancy turban and a waist-band to go with it. As he put on the hired dress and looked into the mirror, he found himself a changed person.

With this, he entered the dining hall and this time was welcomed with open arms. The host embraced him as he would do to an old friend and complimented him on the clothes he was wearing. On seeing him, he said, “And here comes our favourite poet. What took you so long, friend? We have been waiting for you for ages! How good of you to have come. The gathering surely would have been incomplete without your gracious presence!” Saadi did not utter a word and allowed the host to lead him to the dining room where other guests had assembled. Tasty dishes had been laid out on grand carpets. Saadi was offered a seat with soft cushions. The food was served in fine crockery and cutlery made out of silver.

The host led Sheikh Saadi by hand and himself served out the chicken soup and the fragrant rice to him. After this, something strange happened. Sheikh Saadi dipped the corner of his waist-coat in the soup and sprinkled some rice on it. Addressing the clothes, he said: “This is a feast for you, you should enjoy it.”

All the guests were now staring at him in surprise. The host said, “Sir, what are doing? How can your colthes eat? And why should they? To this query, Sheikh Saadi very calmly replied: “My dear friend, I am indeed surprised with the question coming from you.”
“Aren’t you the same person who did not even throw a look at me when I came dressed in simple clothes. I can guess that it is my clothes and appearance that matter with you, not my individual worth. Now that I have put on grand clothes, I see a world of difference in reception here. All that I can now say is that this feast is meant for my clothes, not for me.”

remembering Ibraaheem

I watch an Egyptian doctor, a Filipina nurse, and an Azerbaijani specialist examine my youngest child's tachypnoea, and later, try to coax air into his inflamed bronchioles with a nebulizer..
in moments of piercing clarity (which usually come in the emergency section of hospitals and other such places)..I saw the now-you-have-it-now-you-don't, butterflies'-wings-on-fingertips nature of life..

..and in my 8-month-old's heaving chest, I saw the echo of another child and another parent..

Muhammad's, sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam, attachment to his son had nothing to do with either his faith or with his mission. Repeatedly, he used to say: "We, the prophets, have nothing to pass on as inheritance to anyone. Any wealth we may leave behind must go for charity." His case was purely one of a common human emotion, though in him, it has reached its highest and noblest expression. In the Arab, this human emotion expressed itself in causing him to see in his male progeny a form of eternity. It explains fully Muhammad's, sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam, love for his son, however strong it may have been. Indeed, Muhammad had more reason for such strong attachment since he had lost his two sons, al Qasim and a1 Tahir, at a tender age, and his daughters-even after they grew to maturity, married, and bore children-so that only Fatimah remained of all his progeny.

Naturally, these sons and daughters who passed away one after the other and were buried by Muhammad's own hand left their father with a severe sense of
bereavement. It was natural that a father so bereaved would feel excessive joy and the strongest personal pride and hope at the birth and growing of a son.
The promise and hope which Ibrahim represented were not to last long.
Soon, the child fell seriously ill. He was moved to a date orchard near Mashrabat Umm Ibrahim, where his mother and Sirin, her sister, looked after him.
When his state worsened and it became apparent that he will not live long, Muhammad was called. He was so shocked at the news that he felt his knees could
no more carry him, and asked `Abd al Rahman ibn `Awf to give him his hand to lean upon. He proceeded immediately to the orchard and arrived in time to bid
farewell to an infant dying in his mother's lap. Muhammad, sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam, took the child and laid him in his own lap with shaking hand. His heart was torn apart by the new tragedy, and his face mirrored his inner pain. Choking with sorrow, he said to his son, "O Ibrahim, against the judgment of God, we cannot avail you a thing," and then fell silent. Tears flowed from his eyes. The child lapsed gradually, and his mother and aunt watched and cried loudly and incessantly, but the Prophet, sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam, never ordered them to stop. With tears in his eyes he talked once more to the dead child: "O Ibrahim, were the truth not certain that the last of us will join the first, .we would have mourned you even more than we do now." A moment later he said: "The eyes send their tears and the heart is saddened, but we do not say anything except that which pleases our Lord. Indeed, O Ibrahim, we are bereaved by your departure from us."
Aware of Muhammad's, sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam, sorrow, the wise among the Muslims sought to remind the Prophet, sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam, that he himself had commanded against indulgence in self-pity after a bereavement. Muhammad,sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam however, answered: "I have not commanded against sadness, but against raising one's voice in lamentation. What you see in me is the effect of the love and compassion in my heart for my lost one. Remember that whoever feels no compassion toward others will not receive any compassion." These may not have been his exact words, but the meaning remains the same... Umm Burdah, or according to another version, al Fadl ibn `Abbas, washed the body of the child in preparation for burial. He was carried on a little bed by the Prophet,sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam, his uncle al `Abbas, and a number of Muslims to the cemetery of Abu Bakr where, after a funeral prayer recited by the Prophet, he was laid down to rest.

The death of Ibrahim coincided with the eclipse of the sun, a phenomenon the Muslims saw as a miracle. They went about saying that the sun was eclipsed in sadness over the death of Ibrahim. The Prophet heard them. Would his exceeding love for Ibrahim and deep sorrow over his loss not enable him to find in such rumors a measure of consolation? Would he not at least keep his silence and thus allow the people to believe what they had taken to be a miracle? Certainly not. Such an attitude surely belongs to those who exploit the ignorance and credulity of the people; for those whom suffering and sorrow push beyond reason and common sense. It does not belong to the man of genuine wisdom, nor a fortiori, to the great Prophet. Hence, looking to those who claimed the sun was in eclipse because of the death of Ibrahim, Muhammad, sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam said, "The sun and the moon are signs of God. They are eclipsed neither for the death nor birth of any man. On beholding an eclipse, therefore, remember God and turn to Him in prayer."

The life of the Prophet, sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam, was so often punctuated by pain and he bore it with such exemplary fortitude, just thinking about him, sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam, there at the hospital gave me patience and hope.

alhamdulillaah, my son is much better now..jazaakumullaah to all the ppl who wrote/called and prayed..

innaa lillaahi wa innaa ilayhi raaji'oon

ولنبلونّكم بشيء من الخوف والجوع و نقص من الاموال و الانفس والثمرات وبشّر الصابرين. 0 الذين إذا اصابتهم مصيبة قالوا إنا لله وإنا إليه راجعون 0 أولئك عليهم صلوات من ربهم ورحمة واولئك هم المهتدون

"Be sure We shall test you with something of fear and hunger, some loss in goods or lives or the fruits (of your toil), but give glad tidings to those who patiently persevere,

Who say, when afflicted with calamity: “innaa lillaahi wa innaa ilayhir raaji-oon -- to Allaah we belong, and to Him is our return"

They are those on whom (descend) blessings from Allaah, and Mercy, and they are the ones that receive guidance. [Quran 2:155-157]

At least 345 Muslim pilgrims have died in a crush during the stone-throwing ritual at the Hajj pilgrimage in Saudi Arabia, officials say.Hundreds of pilgrims have also been injured. A BBC correspondent at the scene in Mina saw dozens of bodies lined up on the ground.The ritual has seen many lethal stampedes but the number of dead this time is the highest in 16 years.

here's the link for the complete story on BBC: click

muslim holidays explained

salaam Marissa,
glad you dropped by and thank you for taking an interest.. if you look at the hajj links on the right you'll find a lot of detailed info re: Eid al Adha and Hajj

here are some other useful links (especially for teachers):

Major Islamic Holidays has basic information about the holidays Muslims celebrate

Islamic Celebrations has book recommendations and lesson plans by other teachers


PBS Muslim Beliefs and Practices is a teacher's resource guide with links and background info

Journey of Faith is a National Geographic feature on the Prophet Abraham, may Allaah exalt his mention, excellent photos

Hajj on Channel 4 is a comprehensive microsite, with a section on virtual hajj and other info

there's a lot of other interesting information about Muslims and links on our other blog, here

hope that helps..
take care!
R

PS: I'll try and look up more stuff/links and add them here, in shaa Allaah...

people to pray for

Ed: half the kiddie population in our house is down with flu..the other half seems to be in the incipient stage...we could use all the duaas we get..please (as in puh-leeeeeeeeease pray for us)..

and for the children in our Ummah for whom Eid doesn't bring peace and joy

and for the people who'll be hungry today while we feast

and for the people who won't be with their families for Eid

and for the people who have passed away

and for the people who haven't received guidance

Hope you have a blessed Eid...may Allaah accept!

you might be a mom if ...

1. Your feet stick to the kitchen floor, and you don't care.

2. When the kids are fighting, you threaten to lock them in a room together and not let them out until someone's bleeding.

3. You can't find your cordless phone, so you ask a friend to call you, and you run around the house madly, following the sound until you locate the phone downstairs in the laundry basket.

4. You spend an entire week wearing sweats.

5. Your idea of a good day is making it through without a child leaking bodily fluids on you.

6. Popsicles become a food staple.

7. Your favorite television show is a cartoon.

8. Peanut butter and jelly is eaten at least in one meal a day.

9. The closest you get to gourmet cooking is making Rice Krispie treats.

10. You're up each night until 10:00 P.M. vacuuming, dusting, wiping, washing, drying, loading, unloading, shopping, cooking, driving, flushing, ironing, sweeping, picking up, changing sheets, changing diapers, bathing, helping with homework, paying bills, budgeting, clipping coupons, folding clothes, putting to bed, dragging out of bed, brushing, chasing, buckling, feeding (them, not you), PLUS swinging, playing baseball, bike riding, pushing trucks, cuddling dolls, roller blading, basketball, football, catch, bubbles, sprinklers, slides, nature walks, coloring, crafts, jumping rope, PLUS raking, trimming, planting, edging, mowing, gardening, painting, and walking the dog. You get up at 5:30 AM and you have no time to eat, sleep, drink, or go to the bathroom, and yet...you still managed to gain 10 pounds.

kids say the cutest things

Stuff kids write... (Taken from recent GCSE examinations)

"Ancient Egypt was inhabited by mummies and they wrote in hydraulics."

"Queen Victoria sat on a thorn for 63 years."

"A myth is a female moth."

"Magna Carta provided that no man should be hanged twice for the same offence."

"Beethoven wrote music even though he was deaf - he was so deaf he wrote lound music."

"In midevil times most people were alliterate."

"The sun never set on the British Empire because the British Empire is in the East and the sun sets in the West."

"In the Olympic Games, Greeks hurled the biscuits and threw the java."

"Gravity was invented by Isaac Walton - it is chiefly noticeable in the autumn when apples are falling off the trees."

"Socrates died from an overdose of wedlock - after his death his career suffered a dramatic decline."

Mart Weiss

Stuff kids say...
- The future of "I give" is "I take."
- The parts of speech are lungs and air.
- The inhabitants of Moscow are called Mosquitoes.
- A census taker is a man who goes from house to house increasing the population.
- Water is composed of two gins. Oxygin and hydrogin. Oxygin is pure gin. Hydrogin is gin and water.
- (Define H2O and CO2.) H2O is hot water and CO2 is cold water.
- A virgin forest is a forest where the hand of man has never set foot.
- The general direction of the Alps is straight up.
- The people who followed the Lord were called the 12 opossums.
- The spinal column is a long bunch of bones. The head sits on the top and you sit on the bottom.
- We do not raise silk worms in the United States, because we get our silk from rayon. He is a larger worm and gives more silk.
- One of the main causes of dust is janitors.
- A scout obeys all to whom obedience is due and respects all duly constipated authorities.
- To prevent head colds, use an agonizer to spray into the nose until it drips into the throat.
- The four seasons are salt, pepper, mustard and vinegar.
- The climate is hottest next to the Creator.
- Oliver Cromwell had a large red nose, but under it were deeply religious feelings.
- The word trousers is an uncommon noun because it is singular at the top and plural at the bottom.
- Syntax is all the money collected at the church from sinners.
- The blood circulates through the body by flowing down one leg and up the other.
- Iron was discovered because someone smelt it.
- In the middle of the 18th century, all the morons moved to Utah.
- A person should take a bath once in the summer, not so often in the winter.
Webmaster@Jokes.cc

:)

Nasreddin Hodja had just arrived from his trip to Arabia. All neighbours and friends gathered in the Hodja's house to welcome him and to listen to the adventures of his voyage.

`Hodja Effendi, did you learn any Arabic?' they asked.
`I did learn some Arabic, yes indeed.'
`So tell us, in Arabia, what do they call an elephant?'
`You asked a very big one. I can't be expected to know such big ones.' the Hodja dismissed.

`What do they call a flea?'
`That's too small. I don't know such small ones.'

`Then what do they call a lamb?'
`They don't call a lamb anything, they wait until it grows and becomes a sheep, then they call it "ghanem".'

خروف actually, but we'll let that pass

Tuesday!!

 

The Last Sermon

[This sermon was delivered on the Ninth Day of Dhul-Hijjah 10 A.H. in the 'Uranah valley of Mount Arafat' in Mecca. In the tenth year, the Prophet (peace be upon him) announced that he intended to perform hajj; this was the only time that he performed hajj after the Hijrah to Madinah. The Muslims came from all over the Arabian Peninsula to perform hajj with him. He left Madinah five days before the end of Dhul Qi`dah (a lunar month).When he halted in Arafat, the following verse was revealed to him: "…This day, I have perfected your religion for you, completed My favor upon you, and have chosen for you Islam as your religion…" [Qur'aan 5:4]

After praising and thanking Allaah the Prophet, sallallaahu 'alayhi wasallam said:

عن إبن عبّاس - رضي الله عنهما - ان الرّسول ( صلى الله عليه وسلّم ) خطب الناس يوم النحر فقال:

يا ايّها الناس

اي يوم هذا؟

قالوا: يوم حرام.

فقال :فاي بلد هذا؟

فالوا : بلد حرام

. قال: فاي شهر هذا ؟

فقالوا: الشهر الحرام

.قال: فإن دماءكم واموالكم واعراضكم عليكم حرام كحرمة يومكم هذا في بلدكم هذا في شهركم هذا , واعادها مرارا . ثمّ رفع راسه وقال : اللهم هل بلغت؟ اللهم هل بلغت؟ قال إبن عبّاس - رضي الله عنهما - فهو الذي نفسي بين يديه إنها لوصيّته لامّته , فليبلغ الشاهد الغائب ..)

"O People, lend me an attentive ear, for I know not whether after this year I shall ever be amongst you again. Therefore listen to what I am saying very carefully and take these words to those who could not be present here today.

O People, just as you regard this month, this day, this city as Sacred, so regard the life and property of every Muslim as a sacred trust. Return the goods entrusted to you to their rightful owners. Hurt no one so that no one may hurt you. Remember that you will indeed meet your Lord, and that he will indeed reckon your deeds.

Allaah has forbidden you to take usury (interest), therefore all interest obligations shall henceforth be waived. Your capital is yours to keep. You will neither inflict nor suffer any inequity. Allah has judged that there shall be no interest and that all the interest due to Abbas ibn 'Abd'al Muttalib [the Prophet's uncle] be waived.
Every right arising out of homicide in pre-islamic days is henceforth waived and the first such right that I waive is that arising from the murder of Rabiah ibn al Harith.

O People, the unbelievers indulge in tampering with the calendar in order to make permissible that which Allah forbade, and to forbid that which Allah has made permissible. With Allah the months are twelve in number. Four of them are holy, three of these are successive and one occurs singly between the months of Jumada and Shaban.
Beware of Satan, for the safety of your religion. He has lost all hope of that he will be able to lead you astray in big things, so beware of following him in small things.

O People, it is true that you have certain rights with regard to your women but they also have rights over you. Remember that you have taken them as your wives only under Allah's trust and with His permission. If they abide by your right, then to them belongs the right to be fed and clothed in kindness.

Do treat your women well and be kind to them for they are your partners and committed helpers. And it is your right that they do not make friends with anyone of whom you do not approve, as well as never to be unchaste. O People, listen to me in earnest, worship Allah, say your five daily prayers, fast during the month of Ramadhan, and give your wealth in Zakat. Perform Hajj if you can afford to.

All mankind is from Adam and Eve, an Arab has no superiority over a non-Arab nor a non-Arab has any superiority over an Arab; also a white has no superiority over a black nor a black has any superiority over a white - except by piety and good action.
Learn that every Muslim is a brother to every Muslim and that the Muslims constitute one brotherhood. Nothing shall be legitimate to a Muslim which belogs to a fellow Muslim unless it was given freely and willingly. Do not therefore do injustice to yourselves. Remember one day you will meet Allah and answer your deeds. So beware: do not stray from the path of righteousness after I am gone.

O People, no prophet or apostle will come after me, and no new faith will be born. Reason well, therefore, O People, and understand my words which I convey to you. I leave behind me two things, the Qur'an and my Sunnah and if you follow these you will never go astray.

All those who listen to me shall pass on my words to others and those to others again; maybe the last ones will understand my words better than those who listen to me directly.
Be my witness, O Allah, that I have conveyed Your message to Your people."

some people are more equal than others

Park Avenue Style Awaits the Wealthy at Tent City
Wael Mahdi, Arab News

MINA, 9 January 2006 —
From the inside, it looks like a modern, luxury apartment in Manhattan, complete with Swedish furniture and indoor plumbing. From the outside, it is just another tent in a Haj camp in the middle of the holy site of Mina, Saudi Arabia.
Five-star service is what the pilgrim who has rented this ornamental tent is going to receive when he and his entourage arrive at the Adwaia Al-Iman pilgrims’ camp.

It is not common to see such a tent next to those of the commoners in Mina or in any other holy site during the Haj season. But, nowadays, some companies are betting there are wealthy pilgrims eager to shell out prices far greater than those of any luxury executive suite on Park Avenue.
Tariq Saeed Hussein, the owner of the company that operates the service, told Arab News that this luxurious tent was constructed for a VIP pilgrim who wanted a special and comfortable place during his Haj journey.
The interior designing, partitioning and construction of the company’s showcase tent took three days. The process included building an internal restroom and setting high ceilings.
“It is more like building a small room than setting a tent, since providing the internal bathrooms requires heavy plumbing jobs,” said Khalifa Kamil, the senior coordinator at the luxury camp near Mina’s Al-Jisr Hospital.

The tent is divided into two main sections. The first section has three lavish bedrooms, a large living room and two bathrooms (one is in the master bedroom). The other section is smaller and it has one bedroom, one bathroom and a medium living room.
Even by the standards of the rich pilgrims that seek out Hussein’s services, this tent is an extreme example.
“The charge for providing this tent is SR800,000 ($213,000) for five days only,” said Hussein. “But this charge also includes five-star transportation and meals.”
That amounts to SR160,000 ($42,000) per day, compared to the highest price for a plebeian’s tent of SR3,000 ($800), which also includes meals and transportation.

Hussein says that the cost reflects the difficulties of establishing an urban haven in the middle of the harsh desert environment around Mina.
His company offers other, more affordable plans, including the reservation of an entire tent for one pilgrim. The cost of reserving an entire 16-square-meter tent at this camp is between SR15,000 and SR20,000 (between $4,000 and $5,300).

“The government charges us by the square meter of leased land in Mina, and we have to utilize every meter within our authorized territory,” he said. “The guest must bear the cost of phasing out other people from the tent.”
“This will give the guests a feeling that they are staying in an urban area,” said Kamil. “Many companies are now specializing in five-star services for upper class and VIP pilgrims, and many others are heading in this direction.”

Based on his experience in managing Haj tours, Kamil said that combining regular and extravagant services will become the next trend in the industry, and it is in the benefit of most regular camps to offer it in an attempt to upgrade their service and diversify their client base.

sign of the times

Parents, Wake Up! Your Kid Is Annoying
Karin Klein, LA Times

The old rock song about “everywhere a sign” was right, even prescient: Signs forbid us from going here or stopping there. They push us to buy or warn us that we stand in the presence of cancer-causing chemicals. It’s a good thing modern man has evolved with a sign filter, allowing him to survive by ignoring most of them.
But there’s one sign that people have noticed.

Posted at a Chicago cafe called A Taste of Heaven, it’s made the national media and any number of mommy blogs in recent weeks because parents are warned — ready for a shocker? — that children will have to behave decently, and speak in reasonably quiet voices, inside the eatery. Moms are so insulted at the thought that anyone could be so “child unfriendly” that many are boycotting.
That’s fine with the eatery’s owner, who was fed up with parents who ignored their children’s wilder moments.

Not your basic kid stuff of chanting “Mommy” loudly 50 times over 30 seconds until they get parental attention, or playing under the table. These children were brazenly running headlong into display cases, screaming full throttle and spreading themselves on the floor in the path of customers carrying hot coffee.

The owner’s not the only one noticing a perplexing lack of manners — not just in children but in parents, who either can’t be bothered to interrupt their coffee or shopping to tame their progeny or who think the word “limits” is synonymous with “repressive regime.”
This parental negligence is also on display at the Orange County, Calif., tide pool where I volunteer as a docent. My colleagues and I hang around the rocks during low tide, handing out cute waterproof pamphlets and rhapsodizing about limpets. But our main job is to persuade the public not to rip the starfish off the rocks or poke the sea anemones repeatedly in the belly.

Most people cooperate, with one standout exception — the parents of young children. “He’s just trying to explore,” one man snarled at me after I’d asked him to stop his son from throwing the crabs from one pool to another and hitting the sea hare with a stick. “It seems like kids just aren’t allowed to have fun anymore.”

That was mild compared with my recent trip to buy a baby gift at the mall. I never expected prissy public behavior at a clothing store for toddlers, but an astounding number of preschool-age children were pulling clothes off hangers and onto the floor while their mothers smiled absently at them.

One woman sifted through the racks, not even glancing at her son as he ran back and forth in the display window until the mannequins crashed to the floor. In the long cashier’s line, children were screaming in full tantrum mode; their mothers smiled sheepishly and offered the age-old excuse: “He’s two hours past his naptime.” Leaving those of us who were developing crushing headaches to wonder why he wasn’t home two hours ago instead of (judging from the women’s armloads of shopping bags) on an extended romp through Nordstrom.

The more disturbing question, though, is whether this represents merely a supremely annoying tic in parenting or reflects a shift in child-rearing in response to modern-day society.
All but gone is the world in which adults joined a business or trade, stayed in it for decades and enjoyed a sense of job security. That world rewarded such attributes as loyalty, a willingness to share, or the ability not to hurt others. Today’s entrepreneurial work world calls for different traits: A willingness to provoke, the ability to stand out from the crowd (i.e., capture attention), the flexibility to grab new and better things while the grabbing is good.

Seen through this prism, seemingly self-centered parents might simply be the ones conscientiously getting their kids ready for life, in which the competition to get into Princeton begins in kindergarten, or maybe earlier. These might be the best-raised kids around, the children of the future. I just don’t want to be around them. Anybody up for a sign?

— Karin Klein is an editorial writer for The Times.
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Time was, when parenting involved an entire community – grandparents, uncles, aunts, family friends and neighbours all pitched in with child rearing and contributed to a child’s sense of security.
Children grew up knowing that if they overstepped the “limits”, there’d be a pack of adults descending on them double-quick to show them their place in the scheme of things. Likewise, they knew that if they were ever in trouble and needed help, there’d be any number of adults willing to bail them out.

There were friendly neighbourhood houses with generic “uncles and aunts” to match, where kids could spend long summer afternoons playing Monopoly. There were relatives where kids could be securely stashed when parents were away.

All that is gone.

With people moving frequently, strange new neighbours are more likely viewed as prospective paedophiles than caregivers. With people moving further away from extended families, uncles and aunts are mere names that kids say salaam to politely over the ‘phone, before passing the receiver back to their parents.
Likewise, grandparents and granduncles and aunts are people who live in their parents’ memory, blurred images at best.

Raising children in the isolation and insulation of modern times, parents have to be all things: indulgent grandparents + playful friends + confidantes + disciplinarians all rolled into one. Little wonder then, that they might feel like giving it all up now and then, and taking a walk (with kid in tow, naturally) through the mind-blurring no-man’s land of a mall aisle.

Which is where singletons chance upon them, file them under ‘portrait of delinquent parent and child” and write witty op-ed articles about them :P

That said, it appalls me no end when parents put on a hear-no-evil see-no-evil speak-no-evil act when their kids run amok in public places or at other peoples’ homes
(don’t even get me started on that)

I’ve had people over, who’d chat blissfully while their kids ran riot, punctuating their conversation with amiable nods: Isn’t it wonderful they’re so happy to see each other.

After they left, I’ve had my kids come up with the ultimate galling whine : Why do you always make us behave..their mum was so cool she let them do whatever they wanted to do.

It’s enough to make a person put up a sign, I agree.

-- Ed is the editorial writer for This Humble Blog.

الله اكبر : say it out loud!!

by Shaykh Muhammad Saalih al Munajjid

It is Sunnah to say Takbeer ("Allaahu akbar"), Tahmeed ("Al-hamdu Lillaah"), Tahleel ("La ilaaha ill-Allaah") and Tasbeeh ("Subhaan Allaah") during the first ten days of Dhu’l-Hijjah and to say it loudly in the mosque, the home, the street and every other place where it is permitted to remember Allaah and mention His name loudly, as an act of worship and as a proclamation of the greatness of Allaah, may He be exalted.

Men should recite these phrases out loud and women should recite them quietly.
Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): "That they might witness (i.e. attend) benefits for themselves and mention the name of Allaah on known (i.e. specific) days over what He has provided for them of (sacrificial) animals….." (Al-Hajj: 28)

The majority of scholars agree that the "specific days" are the first ten days of Dhu’l-Hijjah, due to the statement of Ibn ‘Abbaas, may Allaah be pleased with him and his father: "The ‘appointed days’ are the first ten days (of Dhu’l-Hijjah)."
The Takbeer may include the words "Allaahu akbar, Allaahu akbar, la ilaaha ill-Allaah; wa Allaahu akbar wa Lillaahi’l-hamd (Allaah is Most Great, Allaah is Most Great, there is no deity except Allaah; Allaah is Most Great and to Allaah is due all praise)," as well as other phrases.

Takbeer at this time is an aspect of the Sunnah that has been forgotten by the masses, especially during the early part of these ten days, so much so that one hardly ever hears Takbeer, except from a few people. This Takbeer should be pronounced loudly, in order to revive the Sunnah and as a reminder to the negligent.
There is sound evidence that Ibn ‘Umar and Abu Hurayrah, may Allaah be pleased with them, used to go out to the marketplaces during the first ten days of Dhu’l-Hijjah, reciting Takbeer, and the people would recite Takbeer when they heard them. The idea behind reminding the people to recite Takbeer is that each one should recite it individually, not in unison, as there is no basis in Sharee’ah for doing this.

Reviving aspects of the Sunnah that have been virtually forgotten is a deed that will bring an immense reward, as is indicated by the words of the Prophet sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam: "Whoever revives an aspect of my Sunnah that is forgotten after my death, will have a reward equivalent to that of all the people who follow him, without it detracting in the least from their (individual) rewards." (At-Tirmidhi).

"My mommy says not to play with you"

Assalaamu'alaykum Hanifa,
Thanks for writing in and for sharing, we get that a lot too...there are people all over who just can't deal with others who are different in any way.

So, what do we do when no one wants to hang out with us?
We hang out with each other!
Or by ourselves!
We take books or the Qur'an along everywhere so that we don't get bored (and more importantly, don't look bored)..at home we mess around on the computer, and of course, we have this blog .

Or we look for others, who are more accepting of new people...alhamdulillaah there are people like that everywhere.. you just have to look a little harder for them!!

Many people don't celebrate Christmas -- Jews, Hindus, Sikhs, Atheists, even a lot of Christians -- that doesn't make them "different" from everyone else, does it?

Anyway, we'd like to share some links which are sure to cheer you up and make you feel that you're not alone, in shaa Allaah.

take care!
Rasha-Rida and R
*****

"September 11th"
by Amin, 10
My hair is light
My eyes are brownish green
The Redskins are my favorite team
The friends that were are no longer
They now call me a warmonger
They blame me for an act I did not do
Why? I had no clue
Then it dawned upon me one day
It is because my name is not John, Eric or Jay
It is Amin, the name of my Grandfather
A proud, decent man who taught us to respect one another
September is coming once again
I hope my life goes back to normal
Then maybe my friends parents won't be so formal(and they can come out to play)

[This poem was written by an Arab-American child. Unfortunately, when a tragic event like September 11th happens, people often direct their pain and anger at others who had nothing to do with what happened. Because the terrorists were Muslims, some folks might think that everyone of that particular faith must be just like the terrorists. As a result, many Muslim and/or Arab-Americans, including children and teens, have been victims of violence and bullying since the attacks. Remember, people who practice the same religion or share the same skin color are still individuals just like yourself.]

In your own experience, you've probably known at least one kid (or maybe it's happened to you) who was picked on because he or she was "different" in some way. Maybe he or she wore different clothes, had different color skin than his or her peers, spoke with an accent or celebrated a holiday you'd never heard of. Rather than dismissing someone for his or her differences, why not take the opportunity to learn about another culture? You'll probably discover that you have more in common than you think.

That's what Sara, 12, found. While she never knew anyone who was Latina before, Sara decided to get to know the new girl in her class. "It turns out we both love Harry Potter books," says Sara. "When the new book comes out, we're going to get together and have discussions on each chapter."
When 12-year-old Inshirah was teased about her religion at school, she used the experience to become more open to people of other races. "I felt bad because the kids were mean and stuff. They said, 'Oh, you're Muslim. You shouldn't be in public school,'" she remembers. While most of her friends share her religion, Inshirah decided she didn't want to be like the kids who taunted her, so she made it a point to get to know people with different backgrounds. "At my new school I have white, Puerto Rican, Mexican, and Chinese and African-American friends," she says.
This is a great time to take note of the similarities and differences between the people around you. Learn about your friends and peers. Figure out how you're alike and how you're unique; for instance, you may have different color skin, but you both love tennis, or you may practice different religions, but you both love the same movies.

Get The Big Picture
"I tried to learn a lot more about the Middle East and be more sympathetic about what these people have gone through. Maybe as kids my age grow up, some of them will become leaders who can get along better with all people because this experience made them think so much about ourselves and the world."--Lindzay, 11
The historical and political events behind terrorism and September 11th are pretty complicated, but it's helpful to learn the basics of who, what, where, and when. It might help you understand not only why all this is happening, but also why people from other countries might want to seek a new life in the U.S., and why there might be differences among people who share the same religion or country of origin.
If it's too confusing on your own, ask a parent or teacher to help you explore the history of and current situations in the Middle East.

Teach Your Grown-Ups Well
Unfortunately, some adults can be just as stubborn and close-minded as schoolyard bullies. You can set an example for grown-ups by reaching out to people of other cultures. Here are a few ideas:

• Get to know some of the kids in your class whom you've never hung out with before.
  
• Sit lunch at a different table each week so you can meet different groups of people.
  
• Find out if your school has a diversity club where kids of different religions and ethnic backgrounds get together to share their customs and traditions...or start a diversity club of your own!
  
• Ask your teacher if you can celebrate a variety of cultural holidays in class like Cinco de Mayo, Chinese New Year, Christmas, Hanukkah, Ramadan, Kwanzaa and any other holiday that interests you.
  
• Have someone who celebrates the holiday explain origin and meaning behind the special day. Bring in any food that is traditionally eaten at that time of year. What a great excuse to have a party!
  
• If you hear a family member make a comment that stereotypes or "slurs" people of different ethnicities, let him or her know that you don't approve. If you feel comfortable, try to talk more about the reasons behind the comment, or ask him or her not to make such comments when you're around.
  

Dealing With Bullies
Sadly, not everyone will embrace differences. As you know, some kids find any reason under the sun to give others a hard time.
When David, 10, noticed some kids picking on an Arab-American boy at school, he gave them a piece of his mind. "I went over to the bullies and said, 'He's no different than you or me,' and they walked away." Even if you haven't been exposed to this situation, it doesn't hurt to be prepared. Rachel, 11, has a plan in mind: "I would tell a bully that people shouldn't make judgments so quickly based only on how someone looks, without really knowing them. I would also tell the child who was teased that they shouldn't just let the people bullying them get away with it, and maybe they should talk to a teacher to make them do something about the problem." If the bullying doesn't stop, it's time to call for backup. This means tell your teacher, your parents, or another trusted adult about the situation and get help.
For more tips, check out the IML section on Bullies.
Below is another poem written by an Arab-American boy.
"Peace"by Ibraheem, 10
Why can't we be one happy family?
Why do we fight?
Is it because I'm wrong and you're right?
We fight over land, we fight over power
Minute after minute, hour after hour.
As the struggle for peace gets tougher,
It's the children who really suffer.
They grow up with hate and anger,
and the need for revenge,
For the killing of his father,
and the pain of his mother that will never end.
Peace doesn't have to be a mirage,
We can make it a reality,
If I respect you and you respect me.
Instead of being divided, we should be united.
Peace is a gift we can give each other,
We must learn to love and respect one another.

Next: Read Sam and Harry's Story
courtesy: PBS Kids

also read: Samir's Christmas Lesson

Hi, I'm *insert random Muslim name* and I'm an alcoholic..

shocking? not quite..

Once, a couple of years ago, (it seems like a lifetime now that I think of it), I was privileged to attend an AA meeting on the 1st of January. They were meeting early in the morning at a Church, to celebrate their newfound sobriety, when most people were nursing hangovers after the previous evening's mass craziness.

(Usually outsiders are not allowed into the meeting, they may talk to people after the meeting ..I can't figure why they made an exception for me..)

Anyway, it was a revelation when one person after another got up and started their testimony with a "Hi, I'm X and I'm an alcoholic..." and went on to describe how they got hooked to alcoholism, and what they were doing to get out of it.

I was taking my notes, head bent, when another man got up and said: "Hi, I'm *insert random Muslim name* and I'm an alcoholic.."
I stiffened.
I felt the hot rush of blood to my face as I looked up.
The man squarely met everyone's eye and continued.

He had started drinking during his college days, he said; and got in deeper after he took up a job at a high profile ad agency. He was trying to stay sober, adding that he was a Muslim and was being put under pressure socially for drinking.

After the meeting, I interviewed some of the people there and left.
That man stayed with me.
He could have been my brother..my father... my daughter's husband.

Today, I think of him and all the other Muslims, who may have been led into temptation last night and lost a skirmish with their shaytaan; to wake up this morning, dry-mouthed and moist-eyed, unable to face the accusing eyes of their family, an unsaid "haraam alayk" echoing in the background.
I think of how that particular Church permitted them to use its space as a meeting place. Would anyone ever approach a masjid to do the same?

This morning, I was going to post about how the 10 Best Days of the Year have begun, and how we could use this time to increase our hasanaat... when I realised that the gulf in our Ummah is widening.

There's a section among us that's working hard maa shaa Allaah, doing deeds, attending lectures and halaqas and what have you..delving deeper and deeper into purifying themselves, oblivious of all else; there are others -- the Ummah's "lost sheep" -- wandering further and further away from the deen, until they get completely lost.

Will the two ever meet?