muslim or mozlem- a lesson for the lazy tongue

SCREEEEECH (nails scratching on a chalk board), we are all familiar with that hair-raising auditory sensation..  For many non-muslims, they do not understand that most muslims have that exact same sensation, plus a little bit of frustration, everytime we hear someone label us as “mozlems.” 

There are many reasons. One, being a speech pathologist, I do not understand how anyone who was raised speaking the English language can read a string of orthography m-u-s-l-i-m and somehow come up with their own way of pronunciation.  Secondly, that word is almost always used when people are trying to insult muslims. I have seldom heard someone use the aberrant pronunciation of “mozlem” to speak anything good of muslims.  For example, the videos that can be seen almost weekly on the news of frightened voters saying, “I don’t want no mozlem as president, this is our country!”  Contextually, anyone can see that this term is typically used in a condescending manner.  Thirdly, most people are not aware of this, even muslims.  The allophonic expression of mozlem for muslim has no linguistic significance in English; however, in Arabic, this term not only has a linguistic significance, but it the two words are polar opposites.

Let me explain this third point in more detail.

A Muslim is an arabic term for someone who submits to God.  The belief held by Muslims is that all of the previous prophets (Adam, Noah, Moses, Abraham, Jesus, etc ‘peace be upon them all’) were all Muslims in the sense that they submitted themselves entirely and unselfishly to their Lord, the Most High out of love and obedience.

In the past few decades and in most western literature, Muslims have been labeled Mozlems or Mohammadans.  I am not going to argue why the term Mohamadan is incorrect in this post; however, it is a term that does not apply to those who submit to God, for they are followers of God and God alone.  Academically, this term is no longer used due to it being a false label.  So, when it comes to the prononcuation of Muslim as Mozlem, we have changed the meaning of the word in Arabic.  Muslims means one who submits to God, whereas, the word Mozlem is the name for a person who is evil and unjust.  One who submits to God vs. one who is evil and unjust.  The meaning of Mozlem fundamentally goes against the true teachings of Islam. 

Another illustration of this point is that a simple google search of MOZLEM will yield thousands upon thousands of hate posts.  It is a term that enemies of humanity use to offend and degrade Muslims.  This gets to a larger issue that people truly believe that Muslims should be labeled as MOZLEMS.  This is of great concern to me and should be to any other conscious Muslims.  The people and enemies at the time of Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) would have never considered him a man of evil nor an unjust man.  The people of Quraysh who hated him and wanted him dead did so not because he was evil or unjust, but because he was bringing justice, introducing a  path to get closer to God, and taking the power away from the aristocratic elite and putting it into the hands of the people.  We as Muslims should realize that we are fighting for the soul of our religion and we must not ever stop.  We can no longer allow a radical/puritanical minority to define a religion of purity and peace such as Islam.  Nor can we allow the media to define something they have no true knowledge about.  My suggestion, work on perfecting your actions through consistency, sincerity and pure intentions.  Islam spread not via the sword as many ill-informed people may suspect, but rather through the character and beauty of Islam as portrayed by the submitters of God.  There are countless stories of people who accepted Islam purely based of off the character of the Prophet (pbuh) and seeing how sincere and truthful he was.  May God give us all the ability to follow the true Sunnah of Prophet Muhammad pbuh.

Read this short story to truly understand why Prophet Muhammad pbuh was considered ‘The Prophet of Mercy.’

After Muhammad’s (pbuh) revelations began in Makkah, persecution and plots arose against him as well as the growing number of people who knew his Message was from God.  Due to attempts on his life, he migrated to Yathrib/Madinah to live with the people of that community who promised to protect him.  After several battles, resulting in a minimal number of casualties, Prophet Muhammad and the Muslims finally took back the city of Makkah. Despite the atrocities commited against the Muslim community, Prophet Muhammad entered Makkah seeking total peace and while he rode into the city on the back of his camel prostrating in humility and prasing God, the thought of revenge never crossed his mind.  He said to the ruling tribe of Makkah(the Quraysh) who had persecuted the Muslims and tried to assasinate Prophet Muhammad several times with a voice full of compassion and tenderness:

‘0 people of Quraysh! What do you think I will do with you?

One of them, Suhayl ibn Amr, who had fought against the Prophet replied on behalf of the makkans:

‘We think (you will treat us) well, noble brother, son of a noble brother.’

A radiant smile flashed across the face of the beloved Prophet of God and, in a spirit of magnanimity and tolerance, he said:

“I shall speak to you as Yusuf [Joseph] spoke unto his brothers: ‘There is no reproach against you today; God will forgive. He is the most Merciful and the most Compassionate.’ ” (Quran,12:92)

And he added:

‘No more responsibility burdens you today.
‘Idhhabuu… wa antum at-tulaqaa – Go, for you are free.

 When in history has an oppressed community peacefully overthrown an aristocaracy and implemented a just and faith based society.  Prophet Muhammad pbuh, showed the Mercy of God towards humanity through his very own actions.  Overnight, virtually every member of the Makkan society had embraced Islam. Why? Not because  a sword was at their throats, but rather becuase they were captivated and their hearts melted by the very character and conduct of Prophet Muhammad peace be upon him. 

So, when you hear someone mislabeling Muslims, please tell them how disrespectful they are being.  Thank you for your time!

For more info regarding the Muslim vs Mozlem issue, please visit this website http://hnn.us/articles/524.html

Oh Obama, save your drama for my momma…

I have to be completly frank, I am disgusted with the way our government is run.  Our government does some amazing things; however, the current administration’s negatives far outweigh it’s positives.  President Bush with an everso decreasing approval rating, has done nothing short of disappointing me time and time again. I think most Americans are familiar with this story of disappointment.  Do not mistake my words as anti-American.  I love this nation and respect it.  I just want us to revive and enrich the true American spirit, not sustain continue in the direction which we are headed. So, here is my problem…

After 8 years of this feeling, I felt as if my dreams have been answered as an articulate, intellectual and dashing young man by the name of Barack Obama popped on the scene as a Senator a few years back.  Even as an Illinois state senator, his message was promising and his vision seemed well thought out.  Somehow, with only a few years of work as a senator, Barack came flying into the running for PRESIDENCY.. Pure craziness to think that a man could elevate himself in this political landscape so quickly.  After reflecting upon his rise, I realized that he did not elevate himself, rather the people of this nation elevated him due to his message of change.  Change is a concept that most of us youth in America have been waiting quite sometime for.  It is only logical that this message would appeal to the nation’s future leaders (our generation).  I quickly fell in love with what he offered us and his vision for tommorow, denying the accusations of my parents “All politicians Talk the Talk, but Walking the Walk is very very very RARE!”  As a naive 24 year old man, I told my parents that he is honest, sincere, and brings a plan to change the state of politics in the US.  I myself do not like the politcal landscape in this country nor in most other countries for that matter; however, we must remain active before we lose all hope.

I have supported Obama and will continue to.  I feel obliged to be completely honest and express how Barack has left me extremelt disheartened with him over the past month.

Issue 1 – Obama’s campaign has been hard at work trying to dispell myths that Obama is a Muslim.  So what if he is, I am a Muslim.  Are the vast majority of Americans willing to admit that they look down on Muslims?  In their efforts of debunking this myth, he has unintentionally villianized Muslim-Americans. 

Issue 2- Obama’s pro-Israel stance is truly dissappointing.  I was always impressed on how objectively Obama approahed situations and always derived the best response.  I must admit that I gave him too much credit.  His stances on Israel prove that he is just another politician. What a shame.

Issue 3- “The Hijab Conflict”  Obama’s campaign REFUSING to let Muslim-American women wearing the hijab to sit behind Obama at his speech in Michigan.  In case you did not know, Michigan has the largest population of Muslims in America.  His campaigns willingness to succomb to such cheap tactics further illustrate his politicianess. 

Issue 4- Obama’s aides refused to let Rep. Keith Ellison to endorse Obama in a speech made by Ellison at a mosque in Iowa.  They did not want the American public to know that Obama is the candidate that the majority of Muslims endorse.

Too bad for them, they WERE right.  A majority of Muslims in this country did support Obama, including myself.  He was the candidate who offered the restoration of the principles America was founded on, social justice and equality.  Now, with Obama’s odor of anti-islamic sentiment, this may no longer be the case. I do prefer Obama over McCain, but that is just because I must choose the lesser of two evils.  I hope Obama honestly approaches such situations with more tact and respect in the future. Until then, adios Obama, I no longer support you.   Do not fret, McCain sure is not getting my support either!

Dirtstorm, Thunder, Lightning, and Downpour ; OH MY

So, our most recent Project Downtown event was this past Sunday and it was a typical Sunday in the Chi.  I woke up, picked up some brothers and rolled out to the wonderful city.  The sun was shining and people were smiling.  Once we go to the Ickes Homes the whole word flipped upside down.  Around 7:30 AM, right after we had set up our tables and began handing out food, a  storm literally appeared out of nowhere.  Storm, shmorm,  us PDers are not afraid of any rain.  But what struck us was not just rain.  It was a  wind that began to violently blow through State St forcing garbage cans into flight!  Road blocks were flying across the road!  Dirt began to lift off of the ground and whip us in our faces.  The dirt clouds were so thick that it was difficult to see more than 15 feet in front of you.  Residents ran for cover shouting ” A Tornado is coming, RUN!!!”  It was truly an experience, I just pray that our efforts are aimed in the right way and we can reach as many people as possible.  As crazy as that day was, it was rewarding to know that the residents appreciate our efforts.  I strongly encourage anyone of faith to get involved in these efforts.  Activism is essential in our deen and is integral in changing our image in this country.  Message me if you have any ?s about Project Downtown or if you want to get involved ….

Du’a for the distressed….

La ila ha illa anta subhanaka inni kuntu minazzalimeen….

There is a story shared by the Abrahamic traditions of a divenly inspired and guided man. Known by muslims as Yunus (aka. Dhan-Nun), Christians as Jonah, and Jews as Yunah, this man has a story that embodies the  forgiving nature of God. Of the known descriptions of God, a vast number of them describe his forgiveness. To name a few; Al-Ghafoor (The most forgiving), Al’Afuw (The forgiver and restorer of honor after commiting sins), Al-Tawwab (The acceptor of repentance), Al-Haleem (The clement),  Al-rahman and Al Raheem (The most merciful and compassionate).  The story of this prophet is shared through the various Abrahamic traditions.  Although the story is slightly different, it is a captivating one with a blisteringly strong message.   

     In the Qur’an, God tells us “Was there any community that believed after seeing the punishment, and its Faith at that moment, saved it from the punishment? (the answer is none)–except the people of Yunus; when they believed, We removed from them the torment of disgrace in the life of the present world, and permitted them to enjoy for a while.” (10:98 Quran)

   Nineveh was a town full of idolators, we know that God has sent many messengers to communities such as these to send a clear message of tawhid or the oneness of God.  Yunus was guided to deliver this message to the people of his town, Nineveh.  As is the case with most prophets, once Yunus began delivering this message, the people of Nineveh slowly became infuriated.  The people said something along the lines of “If what you say is true, then bring the punishment of your God, we have no fear of your threats!” Out of frustration, Yunus left Nineveh fearing that God was to deliver his punishment to the town and was hoping to escape the punishment. God said, “Remember Dhan Nun (Yunus), when he went off in anger, and imagined that We shall not punish him (the calamities which had befallen him)”! (21:87) Well, Yunus (peace be upon him) couldn’t have been more wrong.  There is no escaping the punishment of God.

As he left Nineveh, frightening clouds overcame the town. As the clouds changed colors and began to look like fire, the people of Nineveh rembered the generations before them that were destroyed.  Faith entered their hearts and they begged for God’s mercy.  God forgives all, in this case even polytheists, which is the one unforgivable sin! The people were spared and showered with God’s mercy.  They prayed to God and begged for Yunus to return and guide them to the straight path.

At this same time, Yunus (peace be upon him) was on a boat with some other men heading to another land.  Thinking that he could avoid God’s punihsment, Yunus rode along on the boat. God commanded a whale to follow the boat. The people were frightened and decided to throw things off the boat to lose weight and outrun the whale.  They drew lots (played a lottery system) and everytime Yunus was the one who lost.  The men kept redrawing, for they did want to lose Yunus!  Yunus put his faith in God and jumped into the ocean. He was swallowed by this whale.  While in the belly of the whale, Yunus prostrated and prayed the following:

La ila ha illa anta subhanaka inni kuntu minazzalimeen (Ch. Al-Anbiya (21): vs. 87)

 “None has the right to be worshipped save You (God);glory be to You (God), far removed are You (God) from any imperfection; I have been amongst the wrong-doers“ 

Tirmidhi records that anyone who is in distress and makes this supplication, has it answered immediately! 

Reflection: How many times we find ourselves in distress and turn to others than God. I recently got in a bad car accident and was two feet away from a fatal outcome.  Afterwards, I could not have been more grateful for the ability to walk out alive.  I realized that the sign of universal belief is the turning to God in a helpless situation.  Even athiests turn to God in the eye of dire distress, this is undeniable evidence of our innate inclination to turn to God at times of extreme danger. However, a submitter continues to turn toward God after receiving his mercy.  Even after this horrible experience, it was only a few weeks until I stopped making du’a for this blessing and for future blessings. I so easily fall into the trap of forgetting all the forgiveness and mercy that God has bestowed upon me. I am assuming you can relate! God willing, we can all keep this in mind and take it as a valuable lesson to never forget the favors God bestows upon us and that he never ignores a supplication, especially at times of grave danger!

Memorize this du’a and understand its story, it is very easy to memorize. This is undoubtedly a du’a to keep in ur du’actionary!

La ila ha illa anta subhanaka inni kuntu minazzalimeen (Ch. Al-Anbiya (21): vs. 87)

Women are like the sun and men are like the moon???

The word “shams” (the sun) is feminine and the word “qamar” (the moon) is masculine.  The sun burns itself out to give light and life to everything around, and the moon is muneer, meaning it reflects the light.  Within itself the moon has no light; it radiates the brilliance of the sun.  So when we shine as men, the implication is that we are reflecting the glorious light of our women.  May Allah Subhanahu wa Ta’Alaa be pleased with them.”

-Shaikh Abdullah Adhami

Reflection: What I find most enlightening about this linguistic extrapolation is not the fact that it exists, but moreso that a Muslim man is expressing this. Alhamdulillah (All praises to God).  It is so common for Muslim men to be portrayed as emotionless women oppressors. The fact is that this profound realization is inherent within Islam and it mirrors a code by which we live.  A code of compassion, commitment, and admiration to our loved ones. I pray to Allah that we as Muslims begin to search into the depth and breadth of Islam rather than just focusing on one or the other.  Islam is not a religion to me, it is so much more.  It is a way of existing.  This is something so unique to Islam and so utterly beautiful.  I pray that one day non-muslims (specifically Americans) will have this view of Islam rather than the contrived image that the media portrays.  Whether or not they themselves consciously submit entirely to God is their decision, but Islam is superb and those who veil Islam with misconceptions are indeed disservicing humanity.

Muslim-Americans and Liberal Conservatism! My wake up call to the “religious right”

Recently I cannot help but question the direction in which our world has been headed.  The seemingly unending cycle of political, social and moral dissapointments that I witness on a daily basis are finally begininng to take a toll on my mind.  The point of this post is a wake up call to America’s self-proclaimed “religious right.”  The American public in general has a not so flattering view of what is Islam really is.  I do not blame anybody, but the media and ourselves, for these poor portrayals of a beautiful way of being, Islam.

Ask yourself, your neighbors, or your friends what they believe is the most conservative society in the modern world.  I guarantee they will say “muslim societies.”  Let’s be completely honest, being muslim is not easy, we do have strict guidelines we try to abide by.  In response, I cannot help but pose this question “If you believe the muslim lifestyle is so conservative, then why is it that the vast majority of muslim americans are democrats or support democratic views?” 

The answer is simple, unlike the so called religious right, we as muslims do have our views on same sex marriages, abortion, and many other issues, but our religion guides us in securing more important aspects of society first.  Islamically, our main obligation to God and humanity is to fight for social justice.  Muslims in America have a spiritual obligation to be concerned for those who are underprivledged in society, those who are oppressed, and those who need help before we begin focusing on other moral issues.  I believe that the “religious right” has truly lost their right to proclaim any sense of religiosity.  As a matter of fact, the only thing they can proclaim is that they have lost sight of the true principles of religion. The simple fact is that without a just society, your morality cannot prevail.

This is the trademark of a nation heading down a path with no moral ground!

I end with this statement to the Religious right: Do not deceive yourself thinking your politics represent your religion, because that is a grave error!  Reclaim your spirituality, religiosity, morality, or whatever you want to call it and change the direction of this country before it is too late!

Allahumunsuril muslimeen fi kulli makaan Allahumma ‘izza Islam wal muslimeen wa adhillash shirka wal mushrikeen!

The Post-Fajr Show Down

Why meet at 7 am and pass out food to the needy (Al-miskeen)?

Well, any sound minded person can conclude that there is no doubt that God listens to those who worship him at the most inconvenient of all times or at the time when everyone else is sleeping!  Late at night, incredibly early in the morning, and in times of hardship or joy.  We learn about the merits and blessings of Tahajjud (Late night prayer) and Ishraaq (The 20 minute post fajr prayer).  These prayers are optional but have remarkable blessings that follow completing these prayers. 

The late night and very early morning are blessed times for worship, due to the scarce number of people competing for the attention of God.  Well, mixing this spotlight time with charity work definitely puts an interesting twist on pleasing Allah swt! I think we as muslims so often forget that Islam is not just a proclamation, but it is embodying and living Islam (submission to God).  We should not forget the lessons that God has taught us in the Qur’an.  There is no doubt that charity work is an essential part of imaan and a cornerstone of our deen.  It is in itself, a selfless act of worship.

IN THE NAME OF GOD, THE MOST GRACIOUS, THE DISPENSER OF GRACE:

HAST THOU ever considered [the kind of man] who gives the lie to all moral law? 

Behold, it is this [kind of man] that thrusts the orphan away,

and feels no urge to feed the needy.

Woe, then, unto those praying ones

whose hearts from their prayer are remote

those who want only to be seen and praised,

and, withall, deny all assistance [to their fellow-men]!

-Suratul ma’uun

Project Downtown is an initiative started by MSA National wiht the goal to encourage young muslims to engage in good deeds, such as helping the needy. 
In Chicago, this young group of people meets right after fajr salaah and then proceeds to impoverished locations in the city.  A typical morning consists of :
1. pulling out boxes of food for about 100 people
2. informing the residents of the various housing projects/homeless shelters that we will be handing out breakfast for anyone who wants some. 
3. Du’a is made, with the local residents usually mirroring our “Ameen” with their “Amen” (Alhamdulillah).  Food is handed to everyone and friendly conversation is exchanged. 
4. Conversations typically begin with us being greeted with “Asalaamu Alaykum” by local residents or with “What church are you from?”  It truly is a great feeling to say, “Actually we aren’t from a church, we are muslims!”  The shock and gratitude pours from their faces when they say “God Bless you for your time.” 

People of these communities praise this young group of people for having enough love for their fellow man by waking up so early in the morning to pass out food and converse.  Not to mention, charity is in the sunnah of prophet Muhammad saw.  We know that more belssings are showered down on those praying while everyone else is sleeping.Insha’Allah blessings will be bestowed upon those not only worshipping Allah swt while others are sleeping, but also to those who are giving to people in need and spreading the love of Allah………. CHECK OUT THE VIDEO (more to come!)

PLEASE JOIN US! WE NEED HELP!

A Case of Illegitimate Censorship

This is America and I am a Muslim-American.  A nationality and a way of being that I proudly proclaim and will always defend.  America is the land of free and the home of the brave.  As Americans, we are protected on so many levels, that people in other locations could only dream of. We are protected by skyscratching walls of intellectual, religious, physical, and even emotional security, just  to name a few.  I could only wish that people could experience the security that we do. 

Overprotection does have its consequences. We see in our friends and family what overprotection can do to one’s mind.  It can so easily distance you from the harsh realities of the world that we live in.  The worldview of the overprotected is more than obvious, in fact, it stands out like those fuzzy ugg boots that the females sport.  We have all met people and instantly thought “Wow, they are totally from the suburbs!”based on nothing more than the deviant or unrealisitic responses that they provide about a given situation.

I can’t help but think that as a nation, we have crossed a line and been distanced from reality and reason.  The source of this disconnect is simple, it is “illigetimate censorhsip.” A human with even the slightest amount of intellect should be able to understand that people are and always have been easily misrepresented.  Spreading terror thorugh the media is easier than one might think. In the late 1800’s mexican workers in America were labeled as drug addicts because of the medicinal use of marijuana that they introduced to the US.  The government set a huge campaign to make the American public afraid of the Mexican workers in order to reduce the risk of having an abundance of Mexican-Americans in this nation. Japanese Americans were depicted as the threat of the world and set into internment camps, during the cold war Russian Americans were portrayed as the emobiment of the “Red  Scare,” and more recently, Mexican Americans are presented as the threat to our work force.  This is just a limited number of examples that I have mentioned, we are all aware of the countless other examples.  It is understandable that with every period in time, there are different ways to react to a specific situation.  What is the most troubling fact, is that so few people question the validity of these accusations.  A small or rare threat has been thoughtlessly generalized to an entire peaceful and productive community.  Some of the worlds greatest tragedies have occurred because people have not searched for the truth or have simply denied it. 

I have been assisting this organization named ICNA (Islamic Circle of North America) and have encountered a dilemma.  I was requested to contact billboard companies and locate a billboard for the organization to advertise Islam (the “new great threat” to the west) and their 24 hr 1800 number designed to answer ?s about Islam from people who actually practice it.  For all of the negative media, which just so happens to be all of the media, that Islam and muslims receive, the biggest struggle is to combat it.  So, this billboard had the names of our Prophets (peace be upon them all) across the top with ISLAM across the entire board.  The lower corner had the 1800 # inviting people to inquire about this thing called Islam.  After having one billboard setup on I-294, problems arose as the second billboard was to be placed in Lombard.  The company refused to publish the billboard with the names of the Prophets (peace be upon all of them) and claimed that it is secondary to their risk of being sued.  So this began to resonate in my mind and really frustrated me.  I could not understand how strip clubs and exotic massage parlors can advertise their horrendous businesses and portray half naked women resting over the higway, but muslims could not list the names of the amazing characters that they try to emulate. Moreso, the histrocial figures that muslims hold in common with other religous traditions like Judaism, Christianity, and Bahai. Why is it that we are being limited in the defense we can provide for ourselves?  People across the world are dieing, and  for no apparent reasons very few people seem to care. Yet we can not even even have the freedom of expression to defend our ways of life.  I cannot blame the company for their fear of being sued by other religious organizations.  However, I can blame my finger at this idea in our society that limits us from looking objectively at situations. 

Dr. Scott Alexander once spoke about this concept of the master narrative of supremacy.  This is an idea that is established in every single persons mind.  It’s most apparent manifestation is when a person refers to a different group as “they” or “them.”  Using these words is a covert method to display an endogenous belief that you are better than another group of people.  History is riddled with such examples of this subliminal form racism or prejudicial beliefs.  I believe that a nation that prides itself on it’s intellectual vigor must begin to reclaim that phenomenal quality.  It begins by learning about concepts from a holisitc approach.  Don’t just read the books you find at Borders or Barnes and Nobles, but venture out and find the real sources of knowledge about a specific subject.  I am sick of being victimized by ignorance and pray that no other groups of people will ever have to endure this victimization in the future.  A common Islamic principle is to fight injustice wherever it may be found even if it has a negative impact on yourself.  This is a concept that all moral people practice and most people are oblivious to the existence of this ancient Islamic tradition.  The main point I am trying to illustrate, is that living in this amazing country, every American should strive to be virtuous and stand up for their fellow Americans regardless of how different they may be.  Speak out against any ridiculous illegitimate censoring of the truth. 

 "The greatest jihad is to speak the word of truth to a tyrant."
-Prophet Muhammad 'salAllahu alayhi wassalaam' (Mishkat)

"Knowledge is of two kinds: that which is absorbed and that 
which is heard.  And that which is heard does not profit 
it is not absorbed" 

-Ali ibn abi Talib (rAa)

Opening-Up of the Heart

“Have we not opened up thy heart

and lifted thee from thy burden

that had weighed so heavily on thy back?

And  have We not raised thee high in dignity?

And, behold, with every hardship comes ease:

Verily, with every hardship comes ease!

Hence, when thou art freed from distress,

remain steadfast, and unto thy sustainer

turn with love.“

Qur’an: Surah Ash-Sharh

Reflection: I never previously understoot tha magnitude of this chapter of the Qur’an until this January when I got in a beast of a car accident.  I was going to pick up my boy BIlal from so we could go to our weekly Arabi/Islam class. I was turning out of my intersection, just as I would any other day, when all of a sudden the light changed, I proceeded into the intersection and subsequently was hit by a car going approx 50mph.  The woman was blinded by the sun and was not aware that she had blown a red light, she hit the front driver side of my car.  If i were only one foot further in the intersection She would have hit my door and probably seriously hospitalized me…. Alhamdulillah, Allah let me walk out alive.  How often do we evade common tragedies in our lives? My guess is at least 10 serious tragedies are avoided a day based on cautious, moral, and logical decisions.  To make a long story short, everytime an obvious tragedy occurs, we give thanks to God for protecting us.  And we should give thanks.  However, where most people err, is when they avoid a tragedy and do not learn a lesson or do not continue to thank God.  Tragedies are like wake up calls that everyhitng you know could be taken in just 1 split second, but for whatever reason, you were spared.  So be grateful and turn to your Lord with love!  A lesson well learned, inshaAllah (God willing) we will all be spared further despair or tragedies, but will never fail to thank God for the endless miracles he bestows upon us (like the gift of every BREATH!)  What I take from this is to open up my heart and accept the fact that I have very little control in my life and that God alone has power over everything…

Affection and Islam

“The finest of believers conduct themselves with honorbale bearing.  And the finest of the finest are those who treat their mates with affection.”

-Prophet Muhammad ’salAllahu alayhi wassalaam’ [Abu Hurairah]

Reflection: SUBHANALLAH!!!! That is all I have to say …..