Youth Matters

Abu Eesa Niamatullah:

Innā lillāhi wa innā ilayhi rāji‘ūn.
“May Allah jalla wa ‘alā have mercy upon the Shaykh, illuminate his grave and grant him the best of Paradise, amīn. And so another giant is taken and another barrier between ourselves and the anger of our Lord has fallen. To Allah we complain alone of our weakness and sins.”

Recounting Memories of Ibn Jibreen – Navaid Aziz
“At that time I was playing with the baby, and I couldn’t help but to just put her down and contemplate the great loss the ummah had just faced.”

Sh. Salman al ‘awdah said about him: “Indeed the illustrious scholar Ibn Jibreen was from the greatest scholars of Saudi Arabia, and the most enthusiastic of them in giving da’wah, and from those that had the greatest of effects. He was extremely humble, truly sincere, and vast in knowledge. I never saw him get upset, nor ever try to put himself above others. He used to kiss the heads of his students, and would outright refuse to have anyone kiss his head…”

Shaykh Haytham al-Haddād [english] video talking about Sh. Ibn Jibreen

Shaykh Yasir Qadhi: “Truly with the death of the Shaykh we have lost the last of the great giants of our era…and Allah does not remove knowledge from the chests of men, but rather through the death of scholars.” Read the rest of this entry »

Question: You have talked about degeneration of Muslim society. Now how about regeneration of Muslim society — how can Tawhid help us regenerate Muslim society and bring our intellectual tradition alive?

Dr. Ja`far Sheikh Idris: As I said earlier I think the first thing we have to do is to invite people to Tawhid again. I think we also have to make it relevant to the ideologies that are prevailing in the world today. It seems to me that we Muslim intellectuals have a very big role to play. From my contacts with some Western intellectuals I think that it is only we, the Muslim intellectuals, who can invite people to religion again. Many other theologians who belong to other religions, many of them, I think they are very sincere people but the problem is that the religion, or the kind of concept of God that they have cannot be at all accepted by someone whose mind is shaped by science, or someone who demands, who looks for evidence, for reasoning. Man y people as a function of their religions, I mean they are very intellectual people, but it’s because of their religion they have to say that there is no contact between reason and religion, or that we have to keep science and religion apart. They say religion, but, in fact, they should have said Christianity or Judaism or Buddhism, or whatever, because we Muslims don’t think so, we do not agree with this separation of religion from science. We can argue even with the atheist, with the m materialist, because, again I discover, that the kind of God that they reject is not the . . .

Z.S.: The kind of God of Islam?

J.S.I.: The God whom we believe in.

Read the rest of the interview here

RIYADH, Saudi Arabia (AP) – Sukaina al-Zayer is an unlikely beauty queen hopeful. She covers her face and body in black robes and an Islamic veil, so no one can tell what she looks like. She also admits she’s a little on the plump side.But at Saudi Arabia’s only beauty pageant, the judges don’t care about a perfect figure or face. What they’re looking for in the quest for “Miss Beautiful Morals” is the contestant who shows the most devotion and respect for her parents.

“The idea of the pageant is to measure the contestants’ commitment to Islamic morals… It’s an alternative to the calls for decadence in the other beauty contests that only take into account a woman’s body and looks,” said pageant founder Khadra al-Mubarak.

“The winner won’t necessarily be pretty,” she added. “We care about the beauty of the soul and the morals.”

So after the pageant opens Saturday, the nearly 200 contestants will spend the next 10 weeks attending classes and being quizzed on themes including “Discovering your inner strength,” “The making of leaders” and “Mom, paradise is at your feet”—a saying attributed to Islam’s Prophet Muhammad to underline that respect for parents is among the faith’s most important tenets.

Pageant hopefuls will also spend a day at a country house with their mothers, where they will be observed by female judges and graded on how they interact with their mothers, al-Mubarak said. Since the pageant is not televised and no men are involved, contestants can take off the veils and black figure-hiding abayas they always wear in public. Read the rest of this entry »

*Please Remember Shaykh Zoubir in you Dua, a final decision will be made by Judge Benton on May 14th by the Judge*

Democracy Now!  The War and Peace Report

We look at the case of Sheikh Zoubir Bouchikhi, who has been held without bail at a private immigration prison in Houston for the past four months. Bouchikhi, a native of Algeria, has lived in the United States for the past eleven years and has four children, three of them American-born citizens. In 2007, he received notice that the US Citizenship and Immigration Services had denied his application for permanent residency status. He was arrested by immigration authorities in December 2008. He has been held without bail ever since. He speaks from immigration jail in his first national broadcast interview. [includes rush transcript]
Read the rest of this entry »

Topics Discussed: Islam’s view on Money, Student Loans, Financial Freedom, Financial Independence, Cash-Based Culture, Stock Market, Retirement, Running Masajids not based on donation, Youth perceptions on risk vs. ‘Uncles’, Finding True Contentment.

Today on NPR there was an interview with Duke University’s first Muslim Chaplain: Imam Abdullah Antepli.

In even more remarkable news, he has helped form the new 1,400 square-foot Center For Muslim Life on campus!

Talk about upgrading your campus prayer room, Mashallah!

The news is quite astonishing considering he was hired full time by Duke University to serve as a Muslim Student Association Muslim Chaplain / Adjunct Faculty of Islamic Studies.  Duke University’s praiseworthy commitment to proactively moving beyond political rhetoric and instead focusing,  as an educational institute, in serving it’s Muslim population’s needs and the educational needs of the campus, I hope will encourage other universities to follow suit. Only three other U.S. universities have full-time Muslim chaplains — Georgetown, Princeton and Yale.

“Chaplain Antepli was the overwhelming choice for the position by students, staff and faculty,” said Zoila Airall, assistant vice president for campus life at Duke. “He brings a wonderful combination of spirituality, inspiration and wisdom to this position.”

The new CENTER FOR MUSLIM LIFE is located in the old Robertson House which is right next to the Plant Accounting building on Swift Avenue. Please click here for map

Read the rest of this entry »

Karen Armstrong author of Muhammad: A Prophet for our Time, Faith After September 11th, and The Great Transformation: The Beginning of Our Religious Traditions has been especially popular in the years following September 11. Her writings explore the role of religion in modern times in the context of current events. She describes herself as a “freelance monotheist.”

Below is her 2008 TED Prize wish talk. TED stands for Technology, Entertainment, Design. The annual conference now brings together the world’s most fascinating thinkers and doers, who are challenged to give the talk of their lives (in 18 minutes).

In her impassioned talk, Armstrong dismisses the notion that religion is the cause of political turmoil. Rather, she says “the cause of our present woes are political.” She states the recent fervor in religious enthusiasm (in all three Abrahamic faiths) is playing a larger role in our affairs. Secularism, she says “is looking rather old fashioned.”

Rather than accusing faith as the perpetrator of misunderstanding, she calls for a universal movement towards compassion. “Religious people prefer to be right, rather than compassionate.”

Armstrong’s unique perspective did not come easy, especially after scanning her exhaustive academic background. While most people who claim one of the three Abrahamic faiths will immediately criticize her approach (ironically proving her case), it is noteworthy that she has a point. At the minimum, it’s refreshing to hear the idea that religions are not the cause of violence and terror.

Frequently Asked (and sometimes avoided) Questions

• How do I pray while I’m at school/work?
• Why can’t I stop looking/thinking obsessing about girls!?
• Are beards mandatory for males?
• Are mortgages (interest) permissible?
• Is smoking cigarettes/shisha/hookah/weed/grass/paper/anything allowed?
• Will Allah forgive me as long as I pray if I’m nervous/scared to wear the Hijab?

Allah says in the Quran: “Let there be no compulsion in religion. Truth has been made clear from error. Whoever rejects false worship and believes in Allah (God) has grasped the most trustworthy handhold that never breaks. And Allah hears and knows all things.” [Surah al-Baqarah: 256]

Ever wondered whats life like for Saudi women? Never thought about it? I bet you’ve wondered if they ride camels to work. Don’t feel bad, I’ve wondered the same thing. Then again, I continue to believe people in Texas ride horses and use the word ‘mosey.’

Two videos along the lines of MTV CRIBS Saudi Edition, but done in a slightly more tasteful manner. I emphasize the word slightly. Whoever made the program (is it Dutch?) is in need of some serious diversity training classes. The kind that teaches one not to ask stupid questions. Aside from practically inquiring if Saudi women take showers with the abaya on, the orientalist interviewer and ‘rare species’ Discovery Channel style cinematography in the beginning was a bit annoying, to say the least. Thankfully Susan’s charming and engaging responses overshadowed the interviewer’s insipid and unintelligent questioning. The videos are definitely educational, entertaining, and informative, despite being interrupted every so often by an interviewer with the mentality of a 19th century European imperialist. Makes one question who exactly is close-minded.
See accompanying Notes
(made while viewing the videos)

VIEWER DISCRETION IS ADVISED: Videos May Painfully Shatter Preconceived Notions

|Notes|

- Okay, first off it is quite brave of the young lady to allow the world into her home. I can imagine talking to a camera crew from my room: *points to unidentified pile of clothing* “…and these are in-between ‘clean’ and ‘dirty’.” Don’t Ask. It’s a college thing.

- Popular to contrary belief, Cotton/Nylon/Fabric does not hinder cognitive ability or creative talent. Let’s try that one more time. Dressing Modestly Does Not Mean Your Stupid.

- Ever heard of an oppressed nun?

-They watch TV? Wait, they HAVE TVs?

-They have malls?! Wait, they HAVE buildings?! Aw, no tents?

- One must consider this is a video of a middle to upper class citizen. Not every Saudi national owns an oil well. However, they’re uncle might. (jk)

- Contrary to poplar belief, femininity doesn’t always involve outer appearances.

- Pretty neat camera shots during the shopping mall scene. It’s official, women can never have enough shoes.

|Notes|

-Where on earth is Oprah not?!

-You know you want a driver. Shh….you know you do.

-Despite the interviewer’s loaded question regarding the status of Saudi females ‘having to be resilient,’ Susan delivers a profound statement: “I think women all over the world have to do that.”

-Sometimes, people don’t want to accept the answer you’re giving them. Even if it’s the truth.

- Susan’s answers makes you wonder who really took journalism classes.

-Fact: No matter what country your in, visiting the Gynecologist is disturbing. Especially for the guys.

From JustSayGoFilms.com

“American Ramadan” Documentary is a bold and exciting new look at the American Muslim experience, produced and masterfully captured by first time director Naeem Randhawa. “American Ramadan” explores and reveals the holiest of rituals, shared by the Abrahamic traditions, but practiced by more – the act of Fasting for Faith. As diverse as the fabric of America, from the divorced Dad, the student coping with school, work and family life, the convert to Islam and his Indonesian wife, an interracial couple, and the wife of an incarcerated businessman – the reality of life is vividly and emotionally witnessed on film .

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