Live In Deen: November 2022

How My Spiritual Journey to Islam Began

“My soul is from elsewhere. I am sure of that. And I intend to end up there”- Rumi.

This quote from the Islamic scholar and world–renowned poet, sums up my understanding of spirituality. I can tell you the moment I converted to Islam and became a Muslim. I can tell you it was easy. Two short sentences were all it took: God is One. Prophet Muhammad is His messenger.

And certainly, I understood those sentences. They spoke to my very nature. But to say that converting to Islam is simply saying a few sentences would be like saying you know someone simply because you know their first and last name. Becoming a Muslim, and living Islam is a spiritual journey that goes well beyond words. It is tasting a sweetness that reaches down into your soul.

I cannot say the exact moment that my spiritual conversion to Islam began. I did not always consciously understand that I was more than flesh, blood, hunger, and thirst. Understanding the concept that I am more than just a physical existence was a journey in itself. And I guess you could say that understanding the nature of my being is where my spiritual journey to Islam began.

Beyond the Physical

Seeking Nearness to Allah – First Steps to the Spiritual Journey - Camino

I remember a moment in my young adult life where I found myself in desperate need of something. I felt a gnawing a bit like hunger only more intense. I felt a malaise like a flu only with inexplicable symptoms.

I couldn’t stand it. But I knew I had to somehow fix it. I got my keys, jumped into the car, and drove as if on autopilot. I had no thought for where I was going or why I was going there. And when I realized where I was, I was in a parking lot walking toward a big box store.

As I got closer to this store that sold most things under the sun, I began to think about what I needed to buy to fix this intangible, empty, and sick feeling. I realized there was nothing in the entire building that could help me. A sinking feeling came over me because I knew, in a very vague sense, that what I sought could not be bought anywhere on this earth for any amount of money.

I didn’t know it at the time, but I was feeling my soul. I was feeling that part of me that is from elsewhere. I was feeling that part of me that cannot be filled with anything in this world.

Perspective

The Most Loving – How God Shows Us Great Love

It took a few more years for me to learn about, understand, and accept Islam into my life. Looking back now, I realize how confused I was by life, my purpose here, and what that aching, hungry, and sick feeling in me was longing for.

I realize now how confused I was because it took me years to understand the simplest and most natural of concepts: we come from elsewhere. We come from the one and only God and Creator.

And our purpose is to follow the path of God’s messengers—returning to God; having known, trusted, and loved Him.

Saying the testimony of faith that made me officially Muslim was a moment that I can delineate a distinct before and after. Before my life felt dark, aimless, confusing, as if I had always lived in a storm and had not even realized it. After my life felt light, simple, directional, purposeful and I had not even realized it could be so.

I didn’t realize it at the time, but that lifting of the clouds and confusion that hung over my life prior to Islam was simply getting some directionality for my soul.

Trust

Islam is often called the deen. Deen means path. And Islam—or willing surrender to God’s will—is the soul’s path back to God. But being on a path means that you must work to travel further. And calling oneself a Muslim—or one who willingly surrenders to God’s will—does not mean that one is actually doing this.

I was well into my life as a Muslim when I realized that growing in spirituality or strengthening my soul does not come with a simple statement of faith. It is a continuous spiritual exercise. Just like muscles don’t just appear because we have a gym membership, they must be worked for.

I cannot recall the exact day, but it was in my second or third Ramadan in the middle of the most difficult day of fasting I had ever experienced. I was thirsty, excruciatingly hungry, tired, and I had almost had enough.

I could not understand why it was so hard. I was on the verge of anger with God. But at that moment a thought entered my mind: if God had prescribed it for me, that means I am capable of it. I realized that I had sold myself short and talked myself out of accomplishing spiritual growth and instead I had focused on the negative, the shallow, and physical.

So, I made the decision to let go. Let go of the physical pain, let go of the worry about if I could make it, and just accept that God knows I can. After that, I have never experienced the same difficulty in fasting. But more than that, I have learned how to trust God no matter what is in my path.

Spiritual Fulfillment

Spiritual fulfillment came when I let go, when I truly surrendered to God not just in words or when it was easy. But at the moment I thought I couldn’t take any more and I surrendered to God in action. It came and comes as a burst of joy, peace, and hope as my soul is nourished by its Creator.

It was and is a torrent of strength knowing that my Creator made me stronger than I give myself credit for. It was and is more than that and beyond my descriptive powers. All I know is that my soul feels less and less empty, gnawing, homesick as I get closer and closer to God.

My spiritual conversion to Islam took many years and I honestly still feel as if I will always be learning how to better care for my soul, my true existence.

I will as long as I am alive and God wills it, be on this path, this deen, because my soul is from elsewhere. I am sure of that.

Now that I have found the path, I intend to end up there.

(From Reading Islam archive)

The post How My Spiritual Journey to Islam Began appeared first on About Islam.

source https://aboutislam.net/spirituality/spiritual-journey-islam-began/

2021 UK Census: As British Muslims Population Grows, Most Live in Deprived Areas

The Muslim population has grown from 4.9 percent to 6.5 percent over the past decade in England and Wales, a new census has revealed.

The new census, released by Office for National Statistics (ONS), found the proportion of people who identify as Muslim has risen by 1.2 million in 10 years, bringing the Muslim population to 3.9 million in 2021.

“While our nation has an increasingly ageing population, the contribution to the work force of a youthful Muslim population remains a strategic national asset,” said Zara Mohammed, secretary-general of the Muslim Council of Britain (MCB) in a press release.

“The last decade has seen more second and third generation Muslims, confident of our faith and place in society, contributing immensely to the economic recovery and vitality of our nation.”

The census found Muslims are becoming more dispersed across England and Wales, compared to other minority faith groups.

The top 5 locales with the largest Muslim populations are Birmingham, 341,811; Bradford, 166,846; London Borough of Tower Hamlets, 123,912; Manchester, 122,962; the London Borough of Newham, 122,146.

Muslims in Deprived Areas

It also revealed a worrying correlation between the areas with the worst levels of deprivation and the percentage of Muslims.

Overall, the data showed 61% of Muslims in England and Wales live in the lowest 40% of areas in the country ranked by deprivation score. Just 4% of Muslims live in the least deprived fifth of England and Wales.

“There are, of course, areas of concern, particularly where many Muslim communities disproportionately impacted by deprivation. This is especially worrying given the concern on access to opportunity and inclusion,” Mohammed said.

“Policy makers now need to address these concerns, communities cannot continue to be left in cycles of poor social mobility. Young people cannot have a bright future if they do not have the best opportunities available to them.

“These initial figures give us an opportunity to now make meaningful change and create a better Britain for all.”

The population identifying as Christian has dropped from 59 % in 2011 to 46% this time. Islam continues to be the largest non-Christian faith group.

However, Mohammed said: “taking a broader look at the data, the increase in the number of respondents stating, ‘No religion’ – from 25% in 2011 to 37% in 2021 – is cause for introspection for faith leaders: how are people fulfilling the natural quest for spirituality?”

The religion question is voluntary but was answered by 94% of the population of England and Wales.

The post 2021 UK Census: As British Muslims Population Grows, Most Live in Deprived Areas appeared first on About Islam.

source https://aboutislam.net/muslim-issues/europe/2021-uk-census-as-british-muslims-population-grows-most-live-in-deprived-areas/

Try Harder to Lead a Productive Life

In this video, Mufti Menk urges us to improve ourselves in order to lead an exemplary life, become productive so that others can gain from us, and make things easy for them. He gave some inspiring examples from the Sunnah of the Prophet (PBUH) and heroic acts of giving us an example of Umar Ibn Khattab.

The post Try Harder to Lead a Productive Life appeared first on About Islam.

source https://aboutislam.net/multimedia/videos/have-you-tried-improving-yourself/

How Do I Navigate the Holiday Season?

If you live in the United States, you are no stranger to the holiday spirit. When late November/early December rolls around, the city I live in is lit up with Christmas decor. There are even streets that compete to see who has the best Christmas decorations!

I must admit, I love seeing the bright lights everywhere. But, I also admit that navigating this season as a Muslim can be hard.

Trust me, I understand

The holidays are increasingly commercialized. It almost feels like Christmas is becoming seen less of a “Christian” holiday and more of an “American” holiday.

I get it. We already try so hard to assert that we belong in America. So, it can feel isolating being one of the only students in your class not talking about their anticipated Christmas gifts. And it can feel odd explaining to others why you don’t celebrate.

Don’t Get It Twisted

In this age of interfaith awareness, it’s easy to fall into a trap of compromising one’s beliefs for the sake of “unity.”

Let’s be clear. No Muslim should be celebrating Christmas. The justification I use is simple. Christmas is claimed to be a Christian holiday and Muslims are not Christian.

“But Christmas is celebrating the birth of Jesus. Jesus is still a prophet in Islam!”

Absolutely. He is, may peace be upon him. But Christmas is not a celebration of Jesus, the prophet. It is a celebration of Jesus, the son of God. To understand, let us go back to a prime distinction between Christianity and Islam.

{And they say, “The Most Merciful has taken [for Himself] a son.” You have done an atrocious thing. The heavens almost rupture therefrom and the earth splits open and the mountains collapse in devastation that they attribute to the Most Merciful a son.} (Maryam 19:88-91)

I believe those verses are proof enough that we should be very mindful of how we interact with Christian traditions. This can be a touchy subject so please take more specific questions (such as celebrating with non-Muslim family members) to a religious scholar.

OK… So What Do I Do During the Christmas Break?

If you’re in school, you’re probably on winter break and maybe needing some ideas on what to do. Well here are a few!

Umrah Trip

Let’s start off with the grandest of winter break ideas! Several Islamic travel agencies and organizations plan group trips for the end of December.

This alleviates the issue of needing a mahram for women. Remember that in order to make it to umrah, one must be invited by Allah (subhanahu wa ta`ala). So start making duaa for that invitation!

Umrah requires several months of planning but maybe you can anticipate it for your next winter break. And may Allah give you the opportunity, the financial ability and the health to make this amazing pilgrimage for his sake.

Read Also: How to Perform Umrah

MAS-ICNA Convention

If you’re looking to travel but not internationally, consider one of the largest gatherings of Muslims in the United States. The MAS-ICNA convention offers a wide range of Islamic speakers and interesting topics.

There is programming for almost everyone from children to young professionals. They even have financial aid options available. I have been to the convention a few times and loved it! Plus, there is an amazing bazaar where you can meet and support Muslim business owners.

New Year’s Eve

Here Is How Maryam's Life Inspired Me... It Can Inspire You Too

There’s something a local masjid youth group has done for a few years that I love and want to share with you! This youth group plans a winter ball for young ladies in the community to provide an alternative to New Year’s Eve parties. There’s great food, dessert, and people. It’s a really fun time.

The theme focuses on new beginnings and encourages guests to think about how to revive their relationship with Allah.

If you’re part of a youth group, consider putting on a similar event to provide young Muslims with a halal option for December 31st. Or even do it at home!

Volunteer

One beautiful thing about this season is many people are thinking about how they can give back to those in need. So let’s join in that legacy. Soup kitchens, food banks and Meals on Wheels especially need volunteers due to the higher food demand during the holidays.

Check in with your local community organizations and ask what opportunities are available during the holiday season. Then gather friends, family or your youth group and go!

Enjoy the Winter

Once Christmas and New Year’s pass, it will still be winter! If you live in northern or midwestern states, enjoy the snow (or not… global warming?). Go sledding or skiing.

And if you are living in a warmer area but still want that winter experience, go ice skating!

Adab, adab, adab!

Not celebrating Christmas does not negate the commands to be a good neighbor. So be respectful to your Christian neighbors who are celebrating.

I’m reminded of the instance of when a Christian delegation from the city of Najran met the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him). When it came time for the delegation to perform their evening prayers, the Prophet willfully and respectfully allowed them the time to do so. Let us continue in this adab of our beloved Prophet.

The post How Do I Navigate the Holiday Season? appeared first on About Islam.

source https://aboutislam.net/shariah/shariah-and-humanity/shariah-and-life/navigate-holiday-season/

Mom for the First Time – Reflections of a Mother

Lying on the beach, taking a sunbath, and enjoying the view of the turquoise sea and the clear blue sky, I lay relaxed as the breeze moved through my lounge while I read a romantic novel.

Suddenly, I hear yelling and screaming. I get out of bed at 3:00 am and reach out to my crying baby. I realized that it was no more than a fancy dream.

After an extremely exhausting day, I was yearning for a long nap at night, but having an infant means having no sleep for at least three months or, more specifically, being at the mercy of His or Her Majesty.

Sometimes, I have the urge to scream, saying,

“Oh my God!! I’m really tired. I’m too young for all these strains. Please, little baby, let me sleep for one hour. Just one hour!”

A Long-Awaited Arrival

Mothers spend the whole nine months captured by the miracle occurring inside their wombs and eager to take this little creature in their arms.

For nine months, my husband and I were waiting for the miracle to come true, enjoying the puzzlement of choosing the best name, guessing whether the baby would be a girl or a boy, and imagining what the baby would look like.

We were anxious to see the third family member, but what amazing confusion! Prior to the delivery, millions of feelings were passing through my mind: fear, love, anticipation, worry, and so on.

But right after giving birth, I started to regain consciousness. I can’t deny that it was really painful, but it’s time to start paying the price of motherhood.

There were many voices around me, but all I heard was bla bla bla.

I was able to figure out only one statement, saying, “Oh! Masha Allah! You’ve got a gorgeous baby girl. Would you like to see her?”

“Yes, please!” I nodded tiredly.

At that moment, I felt as if the universe had stopped spinning and the party around me had entirely vanished, and for a blink, I was hugging my baby.

I was in floods of tears — I didn’t know exactly why, but it was as if the whole emotions in the universe had overtaken my heart.

It was a deep and pure feeling of love, one that I’ve never experienced.

I kept wondering and asking this tiny angel in my arms:

“Who’re you? Are you this one, who was kicking up heels inside me? Oh! Thank God, you’re awesome, honey.“

During this joy, some thoughts mingled with this love: “Am I now a mature woman and no longer this freckle-faced kid whose biggest problem was how to get the homework done?”

I cuddled my little kitten and nursed her. In a jiffy, the issues of bonding were handled, and a knot of fondness and love was magically created.

She wasn’t only suckling on milk but on love, joy, and tenderness. A mysterious punch of emotions was flowing passionately between us.

Now, my other half is not only my husband; we are now divided into three. She’s all ours, and we are all she has and needs.

I have to confess that the new responsibility of motherhood was worrying me during pregnancy, but I discovered that new moms won’t find a single moment to be worried.

They’re busy 24/7, always having tons of home chores to be done while fulfilling the needs of the new guest.

Changing the diapers, nursing my girl, laundering her outfits — these are samples of the new household activities that should be done along with the old ones, and each of them is repeated at least once an hour.

Besides, for an ordinary person, taking a shower and falling asleep is the perfect end to such an exhausting day.

But hold on, dear mom: You’re no longer an ordinary person.

You’re a superwoman, and you’ll find out that having a shower is “pie in the sky,” and sleeping at night is out of the question.

However, don’t panic; by that time you’ll get used to all this stuff, and the superpowers inside of you will break through.

Hardships to Overcome

Although motherhood is an awesome stage, a few hardships will stand in the way of this awesomeness.

Aside from the usual pains after giving birth, breastfeeding was the first hardship I faced, but with a little patience, all the pains were evaded, and it became a time of great joy for both of us.

Mind that your body is working 24 hours a day to be at the baby’s disposal, so don’t ever think of diet or weight loss.

My pediatrician advised me to follow my hunger, have well-balanced meals, and take in lots of fluids to keep me hydrated.

Nursing your infant naturally will strengthen the bonds between you both and ensure a far better immunity for him or her in the future.

Moreover, Allah (the Most High, the Most Gracious) urges mothers to breastfeed their infants for two years.

They are wonderful gifts that deserves all the pains and exerted efforts.

As for me, lack of sleep was the hardest part of all. Two hours of sleep for a newborn is an extremely long period, but for an adult, it is nearly a short nap. But cool it!

A few weeks further, you’ll be acquainted with your baby’s short naps, and later on, the baby will adopt a long-nap pattern.

Baby blues is a very common syndrome a few days after childbirth.

Exhaustion, new responsibility, and postpartum fatigue made me a bit blue, but a glance at my angel’s eyes would wipe all these concerns away.

Regarding my previous priorities, career life used to be the first for me.

Now, for my husband and me, proudly raising our little princess is the most important of our goals.

As a working mother, I didn’t think of leaving my job or my career, but I tried to map out the best way to work without affecting my baby’s needs.

Regulating nursing times, using the pump, and leaving the baby with parents or a trusted babysitter are suitable solutions for a working mom.

However, only now I highly appreciated both mothers: those who could bring their jobs into harmony with their kids and homes and those who left their jobs and preferred to stay at home to raise their kids.

Fatherhood

In the East, most men prefer the firstborn to be a boy, but it is a wonder how they fall madly in love with their baby girls.

Fathers, especially the helpful ones, also bond as quickly as mothers.

Just after delivery, my husband was the first one to hold our baby.

He spent the day taking pictures of her in different poses and sending messages to all his friends, celebrating the arrival of the little princess.

By and by, the father and the child became extremely tied together.

The fun part happened on the first night after birth.

When my baby cried, my husband tried to soothe her, but she didn’t cool off until she was nursed.

With his endeavors having failed, he gladly fell asleep, while I had to stay awake breastfeeding her, envying my dreaming husband.

It’s not a shame to confess that motherhood is a world that carries many responsibilities, but it’s really worth it.

One day, I came across an email that summarizes the whole experience.

It depicted a mother holding her baby and telling herself,

“I’m too tired. I can barely keep my eyes open. I don’t think I was cut out for motherhood. It’s just too hard.”

And by the end of her quote comes the baby’s first smile!

***

The article is from our archives.

The post Mom for the First Time – Reflections of a Mother appeared first on About Islam.

source https://aboutislam.net/family-life/moms-dads/mom-first-time/

Cómo sonreír como el Profeta Muhammad

El Islam es más que una religión; es toda una forma de vida. Sonreír forma parte de esta forma de vida, extiende la felicidad y nos hace sentir mejor.

Nos enseña cómo comportarnos desde la mañana hasta la noche e incluso nos indica la mejor posición para dormir.

Para algunos esto puede sonar como reglas y regulaciones las 24 horas del día, pero la realidad es que el Islam es una forma de vida tan natural que las reglas se vuelven tan fáciles como respirar.

Una cosa que es tan fácil como respirar es sonreír. Esa pequeña curvatura de la boca y las arrugas de los ojos que no solo te hacen sentir bien a ti, sino también a los que te rodean. Una sonrisa aligera la carga y libera el espíritu.

¡Pruébalo!

¿No te sientes más ligero y más feliz?

La sonrisa del profeta

El Profeta Muhammad sonreía mucho y con verdadera alegría. De hecho, sonreía con tanta regularidad que su sonrisa y comportamiento amable se mencionan una y otra vez en anécdotas e historias de sus tradiciones.

Abdullah ibn Harith dijo:

Nunca me encontré con una persona que sonriera tanto como el Profeta Muhammad. El Profeta Muhammad consideraba sonreír a un hermano como un acto de caridad.
At-Tirmidhi

Jarir ibn Abdullah dijo:

El Mensajero de Dios nunca me negó el permiso para verlo desde que abracé el Islam y nunca me miró excepto con una sonrisa (en su rostro).
Muslim

Cuando le preguntaron a uno de los compañeros del Profeta Muhammad si se sentaba con el Profeta, respondió:

Sí, muy a menudo. Él (el Profeta) solía sentarse en el lugar donde observaba la oración de la mañana o del amanecer hasta que salía el sol o cuando ya había salido; luego se ponía de pie, y ellos (sus Compañeros) hablaban sobre asuntos (pertenecientes a los días) de la ignorancia, y se reían (sobre estos asuntos) mientras que (el Profeta) solo sonreía.
Muslim

Uno de los compañeros del Profeta Muhammad habló de su relación con el Profeta cuando (el compañero) era un niño. Anas dijo:

El Mensajero de Dios era el que tenía el mejor carácter de entre los hombres. Un día me pidió hacer algo, y le dije: te juro por Dios que no lo haré. Pero en mi corazón sentí que debía ir a hacer lo que el Mensajero de Dios me había ordenado; así que salí y me encontré con niños jugando en la calle. De repente, el Mensajero de Dios, que había venido por detrás, me agarró por la nuca, y cuando lo miré, se estaba riendo.
Abu Dawud

El Profeta Muhammad (la paz sea con él) tenía una naturaleza amable y gentil. Su amada esposa Aisha describió su carácter como el Corán, lo que significa que el Profeta Muhammad encarnaba las enseñanzas del Corán. Por lo tanto, el comportamiento y la personalidad del Profeta Muhammad son los mejores ejemplos que podemos seguir en nuestras propias vidas. Un compañero que pasó más de 10 años con el Profeta Muhammad dijo:

Durante todo el tiempo que pasé con él, nunca escuché una palabra indecente de sus labios y nunca lo encontré grosero con nadie. Hablaba con mucha cortesía. Era amable con todos”.

La disposición natural del Profeta hacía sonreír y reír junto con las personas que lo rodeaban.

Los efectos positivos de sonreír

Si el Profeta Muhammad sonrió, significa que esto es algo bueno e innato tanto para nosotros como para las personas que nos rodean. El Islam ha sido enviado por el Creador para ser la forma de vida perfecta para la humanidad, por lo que a veces las cosas más pequeñas pueden tener un gran impacto. Una sonrisa es una de esas cosas. Por lo que no es extraño que sonreír tenga muchos efectos positivos.

La sonrisa es considerada en todas las culturas como un signo de amistad y es una respuesta natural para compartir nuestra felicidad con los demás. Sonreír reduce el ritmo cardíaco y reduce temporalmente la presión arterial. Reduce el estrés al liberar endorfinas que naturalmente disminuyen las hormonas del estrés al mismo tiempo que lo ponen de mejor humor. Las endorfinas también reducen el dolor.

La sonrisa y la risa son ayudas útiles para el cuidado de nuestra salud. Sonreír estimula el sistema inmunitario al relajar el cuerpo y permitir que reaccione más rápida y eficazmente a los invasores.

También se ha demostrado que sonreír aumenta la productividad. Además, nos hace parecer más jóvenes y, según al menos un estudio, sonreír ayuda a la longevidad, pudiendo extender nuestras vidas hasta siete años. Todo estos beneficios y sonreír es contagioso, por lo tanto, a medida que obtienes todos estos beneficios los estás compartiendo con todos aquellos que te ven sonreír y te devuelven la sonrisa.

El Profeta Muhammad a menudo ha sido descrito como amable y generoso y su generosidad incluía sonreír a quienes lo rodeaban. Sabemos por evidencia científica cuán poderosa puede ser una sonrisa. En los primeros días del Islam no había artículos ni libros para leer.

Los compañeros emulaban a su querido amigo y Profeta sabiendo que su forma de actuar en cada asunto era la forma aprobada por Dios. ¿Eran conscientes de todos los beneficioso que tiene sonreír? Probablemente no, pero seguro que la felicidad los envolvía y su salud y comportamiento mejoraban cada vez que el Profeta Muhammad les sonreía.

El cuidado y el humor del profeta

El Profeta Muhammad ayudaba a los necesitados y a los pobres e iba a las casas de los enfermos para preguntar por su salud. Cada vez que se encontraba o pasaba cerca de alguien, decía “Assalamu Alaikum” con una sonrisa en su rostro.

Antes salgamos con renovado vigor para sonreír y reír con amigos y familiares, hay algunos puntos para recordar. El Islam es el camino de en medio. Somos una nación que debe ser conocida por nuestra moderación, por lo que reír y bromear sin descanso no es la mejor manera de comportarse.

Recuerda que, aunque el Profeta Muhammad se reía y bromeaba con su familia y compañeros, incluso poniéndoles apodos amistosos, siempre se comportaba con sensatez y buenos principios morales. Nunca bromeó de una manera que hiriera los sentimientos de alguien o bromeó sobre cosas que no eran ciertas. De hecho, se le escuchó decir:

“¡Ay del que habla y miente para hacer reír a la gente; ¡Ay de él, ay de él!”.
At-Tirmidhi

Sonríe, cuesta menos vale más de lo que crees.

The post Cómo sonreír como el Profeta Muhammad appeared first on About Islam.

source https://aboutislam.net/es/introduccion-al-islam/como-sonreir-como-el-profeta-muhammad/

Stanford Univ. Introduces First Course on Islamophobia

In an effort to explore Islamophobia and its manifestations, the University of Stanford is offering the first ever course on Islamophobia, to spark dialogue and expand students’ understanding of the topic.

The new ‘CSRE 30: Interrogating Islamophobia’ course is taught by Abiya Ahmed, the Markaz Resource Center Associate Dean and Director, The Stanford Daily reported.

“I could throw statistics at you and say ‘last year X number of Islamophobic acts or hate crimes or whatever occurred,’ but part of what we’re trying to do in the course is trying to expand how we understand Islamophobia,” Ahmed said.

The class aims to “interrogate” Islamophobia by exploring it through a variety of angles. Each week will see discussions of a different topic from Islamophobia as a phobia to manifestations of Islamophobia on the left and right sides of the political spectrum.

“We’re trying to understand what are all the different ways in which you can think about Islamophobia and how Islamophobia actually manifests, whether it’s explicit, like hate crimes and verbal abuse, or more systemic things like the Muslim ban that Trump tried to pass,” Yusuf Zahurullah ’24, the Teaching Fellow for the course, said.

Dialogue

Zahurullah hopes the class sparks dialogue on the history of Islamophobic incidents on Stanford campus.

“There are certain political groups on campus, namely Stanford College Republicans, who in years past have brought in very Islamophobic speakers,” Zahurullah said.

“It’s a lot of like institutional things where it’s like, why is the school allowing this to happen?”

Ahmed also hopes that class would help students understand both the concept and the practice of Islamophobia.

“It’s a complex and nuanced phenomenon in the US both conceptually and in practice as a lived thing,” Ahmed said.

“Acknowledging that would help us counter it better.”

Islamophobia, defined as the dislike of, or prejudice against, Islam or Muslims, remains a prevalent problem in the US.

According to FBI statistics, hate crimes against Muslims in the United States skyrocketed immediately after September 11, 2001, and are still on an upward trend.

Earlier this year, the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) reported a 9% increase in the number of civil rights complaints it received from Muslims in the United States since 2020.

Titled “Still Suspect: The Impact of Structural Islamophobia,” the report detailed more than 6,700 civil rights complaints the Washington, DC, based group received in the past year.

The post Stanford Univ. Introduces First Course on Islamophobia appeared first on About Islam.

source https://aboutislam.net/muslim-issues/n-america/stanford-univ-introduces-first-course-on-islamophobia/

World Cup: Doha Mosques Become Big Attraction for Non-Muslim Fans

With nearly one million fans coming from across the world to attend World Cup matches, mosques in Doha have become a big attraction for many visitors wishing to learn more about culture and faith.

#Qatar guests visit Katara Masjid (mosque) to learn about the principles of Islam. #QNA #WorldCupQatar2022 #QATAR2022 #FIFAWorldCup pic.twitter.com/VWC9BmJJ48
— Qatar News Agency (@QNAEnglish) November 24, 2022

The Great Katara Blue mosque is among the many attractions at the Katara Cultural Village in Doha.

According to The Peninsula Qatar newspaper, the mosque has seen thousands of visitors each day having lined-up hundreds of art, culture and entertainment activities coinciding with FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022.

“The aim of preparing this place near the mosque is to introduce foreigners to the Qatari culture of clothing, food and drink, customs and traditions, and most of their questions are about social relations of the Qatari family and marriage traditions,” volunteer Umm Ahmed said.

“Their social questions are mostly on the life of a Muslim based on Islamic values. Many of the visitors admit that their view of Islam and Muslims was tainted by a lot of unjustified prejudice, but being in Qatar has helped change their views a hundred and eighty degrees.”

Fans of the #Qatar_World_Cup_2022 flock to the Katara Cultural Village Mosque to learn about Islam pic.twitter.com/1HLoGlOQYP
— Sarah (@Sarah199601) November 22, 2022

Ask Me Anything

Umm Ahmed and other volunteers are part of Qatar effort to bridge cultures and spread better understanding.

They operate at a lounge set near the mosque which has a sign that says “Ask me about women in Qatar.”

At the lounge, foreign women visitors can sit and drink tea and coffee, and learn about social life in Qatar with a number of volunteers answering their queries.

Employees and preachers from the Qatar Guest Center also are present at the entrance of the mosque to introduce Islam to the Eid Charity Foundation.

They receive non-Muslims and answer their questions and inquiries about the mosque. They also organize their entry to the mosque after prayers for people to get to know the inside atmosphere of a mosque.

While hosting the global football event, Qatar has launched several initiatives to introduce Islam to visitors.

For example, hotels added QR codes in guest-rooms that introduce visitors to Islam and Qatari culture in all languages.

Qatar also placed several murals across the country with hadiths of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) to introduce Islam to fans.

Follow our coverage of the World Cup 2022:

The post World Cup: Doha Mosques Become Big Attraction for Non-Muslim Fans appeared first on About Islam.

source https://aboutislam.net/muslim-issues/sports/world-cup-doha-mosques-become-big-attraction-for-non-muslim-fans/

There is No Place for Racism in Islam

How Should New Muslims Deal with Racism?

When we are listening to the radio, or reading the newspaper, we are confronted daily with the same sad news: violence, crime, wars, and disasters.

This constant awareness of fear and tension should make any sensitive and compassionate person question seriously the progress of our modern world. This makes us think what has triggered such violence and what can be done to end it.

One of the main factors producing the differences between cultures and cultural attainment in the world is history rather than race.

If racial superiority is only a myth why then has race in the past played and continued to play a large part in world conflict today?

Why in some areas do people argue that others are biologically inferior to them?

Racism Defined

Racism is the belief that a particular race is superior or inferior to another; that a person’s social and moral traits are predetermined by his or her inborn biological characteristics.

It is the belief that different races should remain segregated and apart from one another.

Such racist attitudes are abhorred and condemned in Islam.

The Quran reads:

O humanity! Indeed, We created you from a male and a female, and made you into peoples and tribes so that you may ˹get to˺ know one another. Surely the most noble of you in the sight of Allah is the most righteous among you. Allah is truly All-Knowing, All-Aware. (49:13)

In reading this verse we understand that this message is not just for Muslims only; God is addressing all of humanity. As Muslims we are taught that we are one brotherhood, which is part of a larger brotherhood of humanity.

No Racism in Islam

Islam with its universal concept of this brotherhood rejects all artificial and man-made marks of distinction. No one can claim any superiority over the other based on race, color, language or wealth. This is emphasized in the last sermon of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him); it shows a high regard of humanity irrespective of color or race:

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 does a black have any superiority over a white except by piety and good action.

One story relays that a man once visited the Prophet Muhammad’s mosque in Madinah; then he saw a group of people sitting and discussing their faith together. Among them were Salman (who came from Persia), Suhaib who grew up in the Eastern Roman empire and was regarded as a Greek, and Bilal who was an African. The man then said:

“If the (Madinan) tribes of Aws and Khazraj support Muhammad, they are his people (that is, Arabs like him). But what are these people doing here?”

The Prophet became very angry when this was reported to him. He went to the mosque and summoned people to prayer where he addressed them saying:

O people know that the Lord and Sustainer is One. Your ancestor is one, your faith is one. The Arabism of anyone of you is not from your mother or father. It is no more than a tongue (language). Whoever speaks Arabic is an Arab.

Racism is Ugly

Know the First Racist & the History of Racism

As Muslims, it is fundamental we believe that discriminatory exclusion based on race is alien to the spirit of our faith; in turn we should raise our children with this belief. We should instill in them that there are no excuses or reasons for racism. It’s just wrong.

Racism is ugly. It divides people into us and them, based on where we come from or the color of our skin. And it happens when people feel that it’s acceptable to treat others badly as they go about their daily lives.

God created us from one man and one woman meaning then that we are all the same.

We must understand that God is the One who made human beings into different groups and people. These differences are not wrong, but rather a sign from God. God says in the Quran:

And one of His signs is the creation of the heavens and the earth, and the diversity of your languages and colours. Surely in this are signs for those of ˹sound˺ knowledge. (30:22)

We notice that not one word equivalent to race is used in this or any other verse of the Quran.

We Are Equal

Islam teaches that the only source of preference or greatness among human beings is not on a national or group level, but it is at the individual level.

In this regard there are two things important to keep in mind: self-examination and self-correction. We should constantly check our attitude toward others; we should examine ourselves carefully, and we should correct ourselves immediately when we find we are in the wrong.

One individual who is higher in piousness, more conscious of his Creator and is staying away from the bad and doing the good is better, no matter what nation, country or caste he is part of. Individual piety is the only thing that makes a person better and greater than the other one.

It is fortunate that the only criterion of preference mentioned is not measurable by human beings. We should leave even this criterion to God to decide instead of human beings judging each other.

Racism in the West

Prophet Muhammad’s Farewell Sermon – A Convert’s Reflections

Racism is never okay but it still happens every day. Raised as a Muslim in a non-Muslim country of different ethnicity I must admit I was rather lucky and blended in as well as can be expected regarding the circumstances.

Racism happens in lots of different ways I witnessed it when people made jokes or negative comments about a particular ethnic group; they called others racist names and verbally abused them, hassled or intimidated them because of their race.

This stands against all that I had been raised on, against any of Islam’s beliefs and against anything I teach my children.

I’ve learnt that if something is to be funny all present should laugh at it. It’s not funny if we hurt somebody’s feelings.

I remember reading a quote by the comedian Charlie Chaplin “We think too much and feel too little. More than machinery, we need humanity. More than cleverness, we need kindness and gentleness.”

A Lesson to Learn

To achieve such goals I learnt it is necessary to develop a sense of universal responsibility, a deep concern for all irrespective of creed, color, sex, or nationality.

The Prophet Muhammad teaches:

Whoever has pride in his heart equal to the weight of an atom shall not enter Paradise. A man inquired about a person who likes to wear beautiful clothes and fine shoes, and he answered: God is beautiful and likes beauty. Then he explained pride means rejecting the truth because of self-esteem and looking down on other people. (Muslim)

We learn that the idea of universal responsibility is the simple fact that all others’ desires are the same as mine. Every being wants happiness and does not want suffering.

If we, as intelligent human beings, do not accept this fact, there will be more and more suffering on this planet. If we adopt the racists’ self-centered approach to life and constantly try to abuse others for our own self-interest, we may gain temporary benefits; but in the long run we will not succeed in achieving even personal happiness, and world peace will be completely out of the question.

We must realize that to be born a human being is a rare event in itself; and it is wise to use this opportunity as effectively and skillfully as possible.

We must have the proper perspective that the happiness or glory of one person or group is not sought at the expense of others.

This in itself is the very essence of Islam and its teachings.

(From Discovering Islam’s archive)

The post There is No Place for Racism in Islam appeared first on About Islam.

source https://aboutislam.net/reading-islam/understanding-islam/there-is-no-place-for-racism-in-islam/

Do We Measure Success Correctly?

“That man is really successful.” We usually say this to mean that he has a lot of money, or a fancy car, or a house.

We do not usually call a boy in the street cleaning shoes successful, do we?

We do not usually say that someone living in a tiny flat in London has made a great success of his life.

We measure success by how many exams we pass, by the kind of university degree we get, or by the job we get.

Success, according to this scale, means the clothes we wear and the car we drive.

By having more and more things, we are judged to be successful. Using this as our standard, though, is settling for second best.

As Muslims, we need to step back from this relentless pursuit of having more rather than being better.

How do we really measure success? Is it by the job we have or the trainers we wear?

Is it by the latest mobile gadget or the most fashionable pair of jeans?

It is the custom in the West that whenever a funeral takes place, someone usually stands up and says “a few words” about the person who has died.

With the coffin in full view of everyone, a speech is often given.

At these speeches, though, no one says how many pairs of shoes the man had when he was alive.

No one mentions how many holidays he took in a year.

No one mentions his job or his car or what he achieved as a businessman.

What is usually said is that he was a good husband and father, or that he was loyal to his friends and honest at work.

In other words, in death, we instinctively know what is important. And they aren’t new trainers!

Our Approach

As Muslims, our whole approach to life is different from the agenda that society sets for us.

It is sometimes very hard to avoid following this agenda when everything around us is telling us to do so, but we try.

As Muslims, our number one priority is to please Allah. We have certain obligations that we must fulfill before anything else.

We must, for example, pray five times a day. We must fast during the month of Ramadan and pay zakah, the money due to the poor, if we are able to do so.

We must also go on pilgrimage once in our lives to Makkah if we have the resources. These things make us different.

We do not do them for personal gain but for the sake of Allah alone. Without these basic things in our lives, we cannot really call ourselves Muslims.

In talking about success in life, however, it might be tempting to give advice about which courses to take in school or college.

It might be tempting to give tips on how to prepare for a job interview so as to impress our potential employers.

It might even be tempting to advise on how to clinch a business deal or secure a promotion at work.

Giving such advice, though, if that is all we did, would be selling ourselves short.

Of course, being Muslim means that we should be the best we can be at all times, so preparing well for interviews, dressing well, and speaking politely and with confidence should be a natural part of how we behave.

Good manners and a courteous approach to other people are what Muslims should excel at.

We can also aim to be the best on the football team, the fastest athlete on the field, or the first in our class.

But if we do not achieve these things, it is not the end of the world. They are important, but they are not that important.

In fact, so many things that bring “success” in this world, like being an expert in our field and giving 100 percent effort all of the time, are part of the message of Islam.

Muslims know that they were created by Almighty Allah and that all they do reflects the gifts He has given them.

Similarly, all that Muslims do is a way of telling others what Islam is like.

The way we behave and the way we speak tells others far more about Islam than our speeches about the faith can ever do.

What’s Expected of Us

Real success for Muslims, though, is not about getting a job or acquiring money, however important these things may be.

For Muslims, the greatest success in life is to do what Allah wants, and this might even put us at odds with what society expects.

We are called upon as Muslims to be honest men and women, no matter what.

We are called to promote justice, no matter what the cost or how difficult a position that might put us in.

We are called upon more than anything as Muslims to be men and women of prayer. With prayer will come the real success of this life.

Through prayer, we see things as they really are, not as others would have us see them.

The ancient Romans used to have the finest system of roads ever known.

These roads were straight and well-paved, and they enabled soldiers and messengers to be dispatched quickly to any part of the Roman Empire.

All roads, of course, led to Rome, the center of the Empire.

The Roman Empire, like all empires after it, has long since gone. Once great men, who held sway over the whole of the known world are now not even remembered.

Their triumphs and their successes are long forgotten, like the successes of all worldly power.

One man or one country holds sway over others for a time, but when their time has come, they once again fade into insignificance and someone else takes over.

The Romans, though, have left us with the famous phrase, “All roads lead to Rome.“

Nowadays, all roads no longer lead to Rome. For Muslims, who live always in the presence of Almighty Allah and seek always to please Him, the phrase takes on a different form.

For Muslims, all roads lead to Allah. That is the success in life: when everything we do and say brings us closer to our Creator.

At the end of our lives, we will look back on a life well-lived and see if it has been successful, and we will not judge our success in terms of what we own.

As we prepare for that final judgment, when our deeds will be laid bare for all to see, the kind of clothes we once chose to wear will not be important at all.

Success, on that day, will be whether or not we responded straight away when we heard the Adhan, the call to Prayer.

Success will be judged on that day by what kind of person we were, not by how many things we had.

And somehow, everyone knows deep down that this is the real success. All the money in the world cannot buy happiness.

We cannot buy a devoted husband or wife or loving children. People respect honesty and integrity.

They look up to people who are wise, and they want to be like people who are kind.

Reaching out for success, then, is a lifetime’s activity. It means struggling every day of our lives to be better and more faithful to what we are called to be.

The most successful person in all the world has achieved everything when he has managed just one thing: to live as a good Muslim.

Let’s hope we can all try to be successful in the same way, too.

***

This article is from our archives.

The post Do We Measure Success Correctly? appeared first on About Islam.

source https://aboutislam.net/family-life/youth-4-the-future/do-we-measure-success-correctly/

Holding Mesut Ozil Pics, Fans Remind Germany of Racism

Football fans in the ongoing World Cup in Qatar have hit back at the Germany team for the gesture they displayed in protest over the ban of the “one Love” armbands.

Holding the photos of Mesut Ozil during the Germany vs Spain encounter was an attempt to remind the world of Germany’s racism towards the Muslim German player.

The group of fans at Sunday’s match covered their mouths while holding copies of hand-drawn sketches of Ozil and pictures of him in action for Germany, Aljazeera reported.

The coordinated display was apparently in response to the German team players’ protest gesture last week when they covered their mouths ahead of a 2-1 loss to Japan in protest at being “silenced”.

Ozil, a German-born descendant of Turkish immigrants, accused Germany’s football federation, fans, and media of racism in their treatment of immigrants.

“I am German when we win, but I am an immigrant when we lose,” Ozil said at the time of his departure from the German national team.

As one of the greatest midfielders of his generation, Ozil resigned from the German team in 2018, causing shockwaves across the world.

“It is with a heavy heart and after much consideration that because of recent events, I will no longer be playing for Germany at international level whilst I have this feeling of racism and disrespect,” he wrote on Twitter at the time.

“I used to wear the German shirt with such pride and excitement, but now I don’t … Racism should never, ever be accepted.”

Politics Are Over

On the other hand, Germany Muslim midfielder Ilkay Gundogan said “the politics are finished” after his side did not repeat their protest against FIFA during their game vs Spain.

“Honestly, my point of view is now the politics are finished,” Gundogan told The Athletic.

“We are here now and I think Qatar is very proud. The country of Qatar is very proud to host the World Cup — also as the first Muslim country. I come from a Muslim family, so the Muslim community is proud.

“Now it’s just about football — enjoying and celebrating — so that’s the most important thing.”

Follow our coverage of the World Cup 2022:

The post Holding Mesut Ozil Pics, Fans Remind Germany of Racism appeared first on About Islam.

source https://aboutislam.net/muslim-issues/sports/holding-mesut-ozil-pics-fans-remind-germany-of-racism/