Update

It has been ages since I've blogged. I have just been too busy with work, studies and settling into South African life.

I recently joined the Muslimah Media Watch team. It is truly an honour to be able to contribute to such an important effort! I have learnt SO much in just two months, and the mentoring by the revolutionaryFatemeh Fakhraie has been invaluable. The ladies at MMW are each unique and uplifting in their own way, and although I don't know any of them well, I still feel connected to them through our common purpose.

What we do, at MMW, is critique images of Muslim women in the global media. We aim to deconstruct stereotypes, and present an objective picture of Muslim women. Too often, we are misrepresented, and indeed, we are the only ones who can remove ourselves from these pigeonholes other people put us into. No-one is exempt, whether you're Muslim or not, if you're saying something about Muslim women, we will cover it. We do tend to stay away from religious debate though, as the aim of the organization is not to influence people towards a certain ideology, or punt a certain groups viewpoints. Rather, our motto is inclusion, so whatever type of Muslim women you are; pink, blue or orange, we will defend you, or point out your bias. 

I also started a new blog, called South African Muslimah.

Life in South Africa has been eventful, what with the elections and all. The presidential inauguration is set for this weekend. Whilst I am disappointed at who our President is going to be, I am not surprised. I can only hope and pray that things don't go downstream from here. 

I have been invited to attend a conference in Lebanon, called the Beirut Exchange. I am so excited about it, I can't wait! I hope Insha Allah it will be a big step in my journalism career.

It's great to have so many activities to occupy myself with over here. I am really getting into it, Alhamdulillah. I don't miss much of my Dubai life, except for the wonderful friends I left behind and the safety. 

Most importantly, through all of this, are the spiritual needs of my soul, which I have been, of late, attending to. It has been a true blessing of Allah that He has allowed me to meet with such  inspirational people from the Sufi tradition. Behind all the misconceptions of Tassawuf, lies a rich and deeply fulfilling tradition of spiritual enlightenment. I am particularly intrigued by the legacy and works of the late Sheikh Hassan Cisse (r.a), who belonged to the Tariqa Tijaniyyah. His life is an example of a true follower of the Prophet (PBUH) and his work in the social and humanitarian sector is an illustration of the depths of Ibada (worship). The effect of Congregational Tadhkiya (meditation/remembrance) is difficult to explain. Suffice to say, I am left feeling on a high, spiritually. Even if it is just my husband and I, doing our daily Adhkaar, I feel refreshed and energized. What attracts me to Sufism, is the beauty of its followers. They are truly lovers, of Allah, of man and of nature. They are intoxicated with the remembrance of our Lord. The women of the Sufi tradition, particularly, are so liberated from the excesses of material life, from sexism and misogyny. There is a wealth of information out there about them, and it would a shame for it to remain unread! 

People have often condemned Tassawuf for extricating itself from the Shariah, enacting Bid'a (innovations) and other such heresies. This could not be further from the truth. Tassawuf, is indeed, the sweet liquid which fills the cup, of Shariah. I would much rather have my chalice brimming with sweetness, than an empty one! Tassawuf is part and parcel of Islam, as it has always been. It is not sect, or a group, or a school of thought, but encompasses Islam in its entirety, and is perhaps, the thread that holds it all together. 

I still have a lot of research to do, and questions to find answers to, but I am trying to escape this mindset of "analysis paralysis" and submit to a greater purpose, whether it be in the form of taking Bay'a or not.

I maintain my stance against blind following and "guru syndrome", but I am leaning more and more to the realization that the need for a spiritual guide is imperative in the search for Allah, for Truth, and for contentment of the Ruh (soul).

Inshallah more to come soon on my journey into Tassawuf. I am but only knocking at the gate right now, may Allah admit into the Garden of His Remembrance. Ameen.

 

In tribute to the Beloved

Maulood in Cairo, Egypt


Every year, we make mental, mobile, Google and diary notes to mark the birthdays of people close to us; our spouses, children, parents and best friends... we try to make their day special for them in any way, be it with gifts, cooking their favorite meals, or treating them with an outing. We thank Allah for the day which brought them into the world and into our lives.

Let us in the same way, honor the birthday (or birth month, as the exact date of birth is unknown) of the most beloved man to any Muslim. The month in which he, (saw) was born, changed the course of human history forevermore. Let us not trivialize it.

There is much controversy in the Muslim world, about whether or not the Mercy to Mankind's' birthday should be celebrated, and if so, how, and if not, why.
Yes, some people tend to go to extremes, and introduce innovations into the celebration, but before we wag a judgmental finger at anyone, try to understand their love for a man who lived 1400 years ago and try to understand their yearning to express that love.

The occasion of the Maulood is a perfect time to educate ourselves and those around us about Muhammad (saw) and his teachings; to be grateful for him and to appreciate all he has done for us. Indeed, the Maulood is a time for celebrating the life, not just the birth of the Prophet Muhammad (saw).

Let us, in this month, commemorate the magnitude of his achievements, revere the depths of his sorrows and solemnize the value of his sacrifices.

Let us revive his high esteem and respect for women, his kindness to children, his generosity to the poor, his tolerance of his enemies, his rapport with believers of other faiths, his gentleness with his wives, his endurance during trying times, his trust in friends, his astuteness in politics, his bravery in war, his ultimate submission to Allah.

Let us rejoice, during this time, to be of his followers. Let us dare to be his lovers, in a time when his message is so persecuted. Let us reminisce his blessed days.

During this month, get involved in your community, attend the programs held in honor of the Maulood, increase your remembrance of Allah and salutations upon the Chosen one. Read to yourself and your loved ones about the Seerah. Speak out against the abuse of women and children, political oppression, crime and pollution.

Sing and praise the man who loves you, even now from his resting place, Oh believers and weep in humility for the man who shed copious tears for you, Oh faithful...Is this not the best way of celebrating the Prophet's (saw) life, by emulating him, and treasuring him?

Whilst we are celebrating the beauty of this one life, let us not neglect or overlook the injustice, oppression and tyranny experienced by four other lives, i.e. the pilgrims who were slain right at the doorstep of the blessed grave of the Prophet (saw) earlier this month. Let us remember them, and speak out against such despotism which allows and facilitates innocent blood to be spilt in such a sacred place.

When the truth is replaced by silence, silence is a lie.

A few random thoughts running through my mind, which have been expressed much more eloquently by various writers, journalists and bloggers around the world during this 17 day massacre of innocents. You can read all these at my google shared items.

Firstly, the world needs to be reminded that the Gaza issue is not a new one. Israel did not suddenly decide to attack Gaza 17 days ago. This is a decades old problem, which began with the illegal creation of the "Zionist state of Israel", which I prefer to call Occupied Palestine. 2 million people simply cannot be forced to live in 40 km's of land, with no way in or out except at the whim of their occupiers, and then be expected to comply. Why are Israelis allowed to have an army, but not the Palestinians? Having personally visited Palestine and experienced the daily hardships of life in an occupied land (which by no means reflected the real degree of suffering Palestinians go through on a daily basis, as a flash of my passport secured me some measure of ease), resistance is the only option. I do not condone the killing of innocent Jews in Occupied Palestine, but to live in Occupied Palestine is to fully understand and agree with the Zionist ideology that occupies it, no? I have heard and read of a small anti Zionist community existing in Occupied Palestine, and highly admire these individuals.

Secondly, I am disgusted at the hypocrisy of the world. America, self admittedly and proudly supplies Occupied Palestine with weapons. If Iran, Lebanon or any other state, be it Venezuela or Cuba, were to supply Palestinians with arms, just imagine the outcry. Those countries would immediately face boycotts, sanctions and probably, invasion by foreign troops.

Thirdly, has any one looked at the map recently? Occupied Palestine is completely surrounded by Muslim countries. The same muslims who claim to be brethren of the Palestinian people. I am not trying to make this a religious issue, because it is a humanitarian one (will get to that in a bit), but to be surrounded by enemies and still wield such power? Muslims have fallen into the trap of nationalism. The Ummah, which the Prophet Muhammad (saw) fought long and hard to establish, has dissipated to all but symbolism. I strongly agree with initiatives to protest at the embassies of Muslim states. I do not abhor patriotism, in fact I am quite patriotic to my own homeland, but humanity, especially as a Muslim, transcends these man made boundaries.

Fourthly, lets leave religion out of it. Yes, our Muslim brothers and sisters are dying over there, but so are our Christian ones. Making this about religion only plays into the hands of the Zionists, who have manipulated Judaism to suit their ambitions. The more we talk religion, the more Hamas, a resistance movement can and will be represented as an "Islamic" extremist organization, when actually, as a British MP said the other day on Al Jazeera, "Hamas is the only democratically elected government in the Middle East." I dare you to name another. So as I was saying, whilst I fully understand and acknowledge the need for the Ummah to mobilize and unite at such a time, as well the concept of martyrdom in Islam, Palestine and Palestinians need the support of the international community, be they muslim or non muslim, and we as Muslims should not alienate any support coming our way.

Fifthly, I have heard a countless times over, that Hamas is using the innocent civilians as human shields. However, I have not heard one Palestinian attest to this or accuse Hamas of this, please correct me if I am wrong (and why wouldn't they, if it were true, they have nothing more to loose), and yet, the world falls for it. I strongly urge all concerned people, to continue their efforts of protesting, and pressurizing their governments to cut ties with Israel. I cannot help but wonder,naive as it is, if an all out war between Zionists and anti-Zionists were declared, how many of us would enlist? As someone recently put it to me, "Is it easier to live by what you believe in, or die for it?"

Lastly, while we fight this war of words, Palestinian children are fighting for their lives. My heart breaks a thousand times over as I watch innocent little souls battered and wounded, lying bereft on hospital beds, and I ask myself, "what can I do for the children of Gaza and their tears of blood? "

When hope is massacred

My thoughts strayed tonight whilst washing dirty dishes,
to the bride of Gaza, and her shattered dreams,
the white dress, turned to ashes.

To the anxious groom,
who will not smell her sweet perfume,
as he untangles her hair.

To the expectant mum, and her swelling womb
which holds one more soul, for Israel to steal
or as I pray, to bring peace to full bloom.

To the proud father,
who will never hold his daughter
or hear her laughter.

To the newborn baby,
who will never wear the hat
his grandmother lovingly knitted

To the student who was supposed to graduate,
but will never receive his certificate

To all these the people who normally symbolize life and hope in society
the bride and groom,
the pregnant women and first time father,
the newborn,
the student,
who were all slaughtered,
please ask Al Ghafur to forgive me, for writing this poem
and for letting you die.

We are all Gaza

From where I am, the only action I can take to support Gaza is online.

Palestinians and protesters gathered at the consulate today, but were not allowed to protest outside.

One thing is for sure, those who use the name of Islam, but are nowhere to be seen or heard (except for the usual, "we condemn these acts" rhetoric) today when the Ummah needs them the most, are worst then the Zionists, who are quite clear about who and what they stand for. These western lackey "Muslim" governments must go before Gaza, and al Quds, can even take a snail step towards freedom. Of course, by Allahs decree, we await the Mahdi.

I cannot help but liken Gaza to Karbala, as we fast approach that day of mourning. The Prophets (saw) family were mercilessly killed, at the hands of Yazid and his cronies, who ruled under the pretense of "Islam". Nothing has changed. The rulers of the current "Muslim" world are today's Yazids, and as responsible for the atrocity that is Gaza as they were for the slaughter of the Ahl Bayt.

"The Unbelievers are protectors,one of another: Unless ye do this,(protect each other),there would be tumult and oppression on earth,and great mischief."

Use these pictures on your facebook, myspace, blog and other profiles.






"The believers are like a body, when one part of it pains, all of it pains." (Bukhari and Muslim)

Complexities Simplified

Husband and I watch with mounting gloom as share prices of investments we've made continue to drop, but we don't despair. It seems, every so often, throughout history, the world goes through cycles, ever-renewing itself, almost a cleansing, sometimes natural, like earthquakes and other disasters, sometimes God-willed that nations should cease to exist and are replaced by others, and sometimes, as recent history seems to suggest, just a product of man's avarice, i.e. The Great Depression. So I ask myself, is this the nightmare that humanity must go through to awaken from the deep slumber of materialism and consumerism? Is this not a sign, that collectively, as a species, homo sapiens, have strayed too far from the nest?

What is driving this "crisis" in my (admittedly layman's) opinion, is Greed, i.e. the need to have, to own, to possess, to amass wealth, to be surrounded by luxury, to imagine that one is self-sufficient. How can we forgot, what Al Razaq says,

"It is We Who have placed you with authority on earth, and provided you therein with means for the fulfilment of your life: small are the thanks that ye give!"

So, what started all of this - in a very very small nutshell, people lied about their earnings and assets to get loans for homes and other things they could not afford. Banks knew this, but still lent, hearts aflutter with thoughts of all the dollars in interest that should have spilt in. Ah, so our old enemy Riba, Greed's faithful accomplice, reigns supreme again.

Allah is very vocal about Riba in the Quran -

"Those who devour usury will not stand except as stand one whom the Evil one by his touch Hath driven to madness. That is because they say: "Trade is like usury," but Allah hath permitted trade and forbidden usury. "


"That they took usury, though they were forbidden; and that they devoured men's substance wrongfully;- we have prepared for those among them who reject faith a grievous punishment."

Don't know about you, but that sends shivers down my spine.
As a Muslim consumer in today’s economic climate, how has the current crisis affected my life? I have been shielded from most of the repercussions, save losses on investments. I do however feel the pinch of inflation at the grocers’, the mammoth slow down of the property market in Dubai, and the crumbling of the American exported Gulf dream, despite spin doctors insistence that the crisis will not touch the region. I watch with dread as my home currency looses face to the dollar, and listen with sympathy to my American friends’ stories of ordinary people losing their homes. I am living through troubled times, but I am relieved and thankful to be grounded in a faith that has taught me to abhor interest, to avoid debt, to steer clear of speculation, to deal ethically and to live simply. I believe this to be my saving grace.

I am firm in a belief that Islam does not fit into any "ism", nor do they fit into Islam. Socialism, communism and capitalism, all try to optimize wealth output, at the expense of human values. Islam stands on its own, a lone candle, with the ability to illuminate the world. Islamic Economic theory in particular, based on the transcendent, ensures that humanities best interest is served, and not exploited at the evil whims of despots. It proposes some challenging alternatives to contemporary economic practice. Islam vehemently opposes the monopolization of wealth, as well as the "one for all" mentality. It strikes a middle path, calling for just re-compensation, equal opportunity and access to capital for all. Sadly, no Muslim state has been able to provide the example so desperately needed, but Medina of Muhammad (saw) still offers a glimmer of hope, of what can be.

As the global financial crisis dominates the medias agenda, dinner tables and business meetings, and as the whole world is holding its breath, waiting for the calm after the storm, I have no doubt it will come, "verily, with every difficulty there is relief".

The first principle that any Islamic Economics student learns, is that, real ownership belongs to Allah alone. This one belief alone has the power to set the course of humanity back on its rightful path. I never can get my head around complicated economic jargon, graphs and tables, so my approach is rather simplistic, but who can disagree that if people live within their means, this whole mess can be avoided? That if banks don't lie, try to lure people into their loan schemes, which are actually traps, trick with fine print and exorbitant interest rates, the world would be a much better place. The evils of speculation and interest have become self apparent. But will humanity learn its lesson?

To all those affected by the Global Financial Crisis, I say to them what Allah has said to humankind -

"And He provides for him from (sources) he never could imagine. And if any one puts his trust in Allah, sufficient is ((Allah)) for him. For Allah will surely accomplish his purpose: verily, for all things has Allah appointed a due proportion."

Tell their stories

He was a political activist, Phd. student, husband and father of six when the civil war rooted itself violently in his country. Suddenly, they were after him, hunting him down, coveting his blood, because he so vehemently opposed this rebellion. All he wanted in life was to stoke his intellectual passions, be the ideal family man and serve his Lord. Instead, life dealt him an unfair blow. Overnight, under persecution, he was forced to flee his home, leaving his family, without the hugs and kisses expected for so a long absence. No, he left without even a gesture, a goodbye, a glance. They did not even have an inkling of where he was going, because, neither did he. He boarded a ship, any ship, as a stowaway, hidden beneath the deck, his heart breaking with every wave that rocked him away from his loved ones. Throughout this entire ordeal, only his belief in Allah sustained him and nourished him. He knew that he had a greater purpose to fulfill and could not die at the hands of the evil mercenaries, but oh! the price of survival bore down heavy upon his heart. Six long years have come and gone, but still, he has not seen them.


When she left, she really didn't believe it would be for longer than a few days, a week at most. It has been 60 years, that she has not seen her land for. She knows her life is nearing its end, but still she harbours the hope in her weakening heart to look upon her home, to breathe its air, to languish in its shade, to feel its soil between her fingers. On some days, when the pining is too much, she can close her eyes, and smell the ripe olives, ready for the picking. The trappings of everyday life surround her, it would seem to the outsider that she has settled down, that she has adopted this new home, that the past is forgotten. But, they do not know that every day is a struggle, with feelings of shame, loss and humiliation. They do not know about her dreams, about the young man she was betrothed to, before they all had to flee. They don't know that he died, mercilessly, at the hands of the soldiers. They don't know how often her hand extends to clutch the chain around her neck, which has the key to their would be home as a pendant, the home they would have shared in but a few days time. They don't know that her skin still tingles at the memory of his hand in hers.



Brothers and sisters - Don't let them become mere statistics. Our sympathy is not enough. Everyday, hundreds and thousands of people become refugees, and some remain so, till the end of their lives, memories of family and home, haunting them till the grave. We all know a refugee, I know too many. Tell their stories.

10 November 2008, Blog action day for Refugees.

Artfully Islam

I was keenly disappointed to have missed the Sami Yusuf concert in Johannesburg last weekend. All my friends and family were there, and they cannot stop raving about him, how talented and inspirational he is. I have however, booked our tickets for the International Islamic Fair 2008 Gala Concert on 25 December in Dubai.

I have also been following the debate around the "permissibility" or lack thereof of the concert and music in general in the Islamic context, by the conservative circles of South Africa, who had called on the public to boycott the event (which drew 40 000 people) and pull out their investments from the financial institute which hosted Sami Yusuf.

So, I'd like to expound my opinion of Islam and entertainment, as well direct my readers to some excellent reading material and media on the matter.

Let me start by comparing two very different concerts I've attended, the first (and only western one), Enrique Iglesias, years ago, in Sun City, during my teenage Jahiliyah. The other, the 2008 Mahabba Awards in Abu Dhabi, an event that aims to increase awareness about and love for the Prophet Muhammad (saw), through awarding Islamic music, literature and art, and honouring Muslim musicians, writers and artists.

When preparing for Enrique, it was all about the nafs (ego), "what am I going to wear?", "who's going to see me" and the like. In terms of memories, yes it was a fun weekend spent with cousins, but it just wasn't "right", the dancing, screaming, gyrating bodies all in such close proximity to each other, Enrique singing about adulterous love and pre-marital sex amongst other (impermissible) things, not to mention the amount of exposed skin on parade. The Mahabba awards on the other end, was a completely respectable Islamic event, held in a huge auditorium, men and women segregated, with a section for families, the ladies all in Hijab, and a really wonderful inspirational night of entertainment and dhikr, with no compromise on setting, sound and performance quality. Whilst the former left me feeling spiritually low and empty (although I did not realize it at the time), the second filled my heart with peace and tranquillity. I left, with more love for my religion, my prophet and my Creator, than I had come with.

I am not overly concerned about which musical instruments are permitted, and which aren't. Some say that only those played during the Prophets life are allowed. To me, it’s more about etiquette, and knowing our limits as Muslims. Of course there shouldn't be intermingling, dancing and frenzied behaviour at such events, but that’s common sense, what's more important is that these events should continue, because there is a very very large gaping hole, where healthy Islamic entertainment should be. We need an alternative to the vomit that's spewed out at us from the television, we need holistic, fun, educational entertainment, be it concerts, stand up comedy, television series, talk shows and radio stations. Why, I'd love to be the Muslim version of Oprah Winfrey, if it weren't for my stage fright! Alhamdulillah, there is quite a palatable fair on offer at the moment, with programmes like Little Mosque on the Prairie, which besides being witty and extremely relevant to Muslim minorities living in the West, is also aired on mainstream television in Canada, so a huge applaud for that!
There is also Moez Mas'ud, with his highly informative talk shows, and the Allah Made Me Funny crew, as well tons of talented musicians coming out of the States, England and of course, our very own, home grown South African - Zain Bhika. A personal favourite is Native Deen, their songs are so catchy and uplifting.

So, we deduce from the above, that Islamic entertainment does exist, albeit in a small way, but it's there. Would you rather have you and your children watching programs filled with sexual nuances, listen to vulgar music and play violent video games, just because your sheikh/maulana/mufti said Sami Yusuf is haram? Have you bothered to do your own research, and question the logic of such statements? The internet, a powerful tool for education when used correctly, gives us no excuse not to cure the disease of blind following. I'm not asking anyone to go "fatwa shopping", but to look at the issue at hand from all vantage points, to know that there are two sides to every coin, and whether you decide the issue is halal/haram, at least you will have an informed opinion. Also, let’s face it, art does not constitute a fundamental of faith, so whether you accept or deny it, your Imaan is not challenged.

As for television, last month, during our trip to Turkey, I noticed that outside every masjid, there was a kiosk selling DVD’s. Subhanallah, they had movies about every aspect of Islamic history - lives of the various prophets (as), famous battles like Badr and Karbala, love stories, animation, and so much more, there was really something for everyone. They were all in the Turkish language, but we were so tempted to buy them anyways, knowing how rare such materials are. The Iranians too, have produced some interesting movies, on the life or Maryam (as), and other Muslim figures, which have been subtitled. The Message, the most popular and one of the few Islamic movie produced in English, is another gem, but sad isn't it, that we have only one Seerah in screenplay? I am cheered up by the thought of the Allah Made Me Funny movie, releasing soon. :)

Music is a part of culture, and Islam did not come to wipe away culture, but to enhance it. Every culture has its own unique form of music, and I believe, if we put all these sounds from across the world together into a symphony, we would have - the sound of Islam. Yes, because Islam is the universal religion, applicable to all humankind from all walks of life. I see the revival of Islamic arts as a key ingredient to the revival of the Muslim Ummah. Art is to life, what salt is to food, we can have every other seasoning, but if we don’t add salt, there will always be something missing, we will always taste that "blandness". That said, art is like salt also in that, on its own it is bitter, inedible, it needs food to bring out its best, like music, which needs morality and human values to bring out its strength. 

At this point, I hope you are feeling the need to read up more on Islamic arts, and if you are going to read anything, let it be these three articles: "Music: A question of faith or da'wah" by Yusuf Islam, "An Open Letter" by Sami Yusuf, and "If Music Be The Food of Love, Play On" by Shafiq Morton. I have pinponted these, beacuse the authors are people in the field and would be able to shed the most light on why they do the things they do. Also, if you understand Urdu, then you will appreciate the beauty and eloquence of this clip, taken from the movie "Khuda Ke Liye", an amateur screenplay with an award-winning script. If you unfortunately don't, then the highlight of this monologue is the part where the actor speaks about the Harp of Dawud (as), the Prophet of Allah. Music was a gift to Dawud (as), and one of his miracles.



Look back into the portals and history, and note that prominent Muslim scholars, were well schooled in the discipline of Music, in fact some of them dedicated their lives to it. Do the names Al Kindi, Al Farabi, Ibn Sina, Al Ghazali, Al Urwawi and Rumi sound familiar? These were all magnificently great scholars, who dedicated books and chapters of their books to music. They had a holistic approach to life, they studied math, astronomy, medicine and music in conjunction with religion, and through them, Islam flourished. For more detailed information see the articles on Music in Muslim Civilization and The Contributions of Muslims to the Development of Music.

Art is not our enemy, the wrong type of it is. As Muslims, art in the form of music, poetry and painting is part and parcel of our religious heritage; you need only listen to Adhaan, recite Surah Rahman, and visit just one historical masjid, to know that Islam is art, and art Islam.