Finals Madness

So it’s that time of the year again. You know exactly what I’m talking about…countless memes have been generated about this anxiety-producing phenomenon. Finals are literally right around the corner, and I know that ya’ll are probably stressing like crazy. Cramming a whole semester’s worth of material in a week is not fun, and this time of the year especially sucks because many students have borderline grades. Which puts a whole lot of pressure on the final exam.
 This is me telling you we can do it. Yes we can, Inshallah (God willing)!  Good luck to all of you, keep your heads up and study diligently. I am confident that you all will do great and earn the grades you are aiming for.
Here are some studying tips that I’ve put together. We all know this but it’s always nice to have a little refresher
1)     Make a schedule! Space out your studying times and use your time wisely.
2)     Your short term memory has the capacity to hold about 7 items, and you must make a conscious effort to retain it. What does this mean for us? Don’t try to memorize 30 things at once. Break the work into small chunks and fully master each section before moving on.
3)     If you’re having a hard time concentrating, try studying in 20 minute increments with 5 minute breaks. The break refreshes your brain.
4)     Connect the content of the material to yourself personally. You are more likely to remember it that way.

The last thing I want to leave you with is this special duaa (prayer) to say before your exams.

 

I highly recommend that you memorize this duaa if you have not already. This is a duaa that should be said before any trial in our lives and when you want to be understood well by others. Inshallah Allah will ease the task for us.

What I find most amazing about this duaa is that these are the exact same words Musa (Moses) used when he was in a state of extreme despair. God entrusted Musa with the daunting task of calling Pharaoh to the Truth and to submit to God. Musa suffered from a speech impediment and felt terrible anxiety confronting Pharaoh, so Musa called out to his Lord and pleaded for his help. Allah always answers a sincere a duaa. He aided Musa in his quest. Allah provided Musa the help of his brother Haroon (Aaron) to ease the burden upon Musa, and it is with God’s help that Musa’s people became free of the oppression of Pharaoh. The important lesson to derive from this is that when you call out to Allah for help, he will be there for you. 

Inshallah with hard work and sincere prayers, we all will ace our finals. Good luck!
 

Ashura: The Other Time Muslims Fast

Today marks the 10^th day of the Islamic year; the first month on the lunar calendar is Muharram.  There is great significance behind this day, and Muslims fast to commemorate this day.  During Prophet Muhammad (SAW)’s time, the Jews were observed to have fasted the ninth, tenth and eleventh of this month.  In honor of Prophet Moses (SAW) and his people being saved from Pharoah, people of the Jewish faith fast every year out of gratitude. 

This act humbled Prophet Muhammad (SAW), and he felt that Muslims should also do something in commemoration of this momentous event.  Prophet Musa (Moses) along with many other prophets share historical and religious significance in the three Abrahamic religions: Christianity, Judaism and Islam.

“We have more right, and we have closer connection with Prophet Musa (SAW) than you have.” –Sahih Bukhari and Muslim

While it was not made an obligation, Prophet Muhammad (SAW) did encourage Muslims to fast and observe this day as one of great significance because of how important Prophet Musa (SAW) is to our religion. After Ramadan, Ashura is the best occasion to observe the fast.

Parables such as the parting of the Red Sea are shared between the three Abrahamic faiths.

Muslims also choose to fast other times of the year that do not include Ramadan or Ashura in order to follow practices of Prophet Muhammad (SAW).  The Prophet (SAW) was known for fasting every Monday and Thursday, in addition to the 11^th, 12^th and 13^th of every month.  These days are not obligatory for Muslims to fast, but it is recommended if you want to follow the Prophet (SAW)’s practices.

Shia'a Significance –while the Shia’a Muslims also see this day as significant, there is a completely different connotation and reason for observing Ashura.  Historically, it is the day that the Shia’a Muslims lost their ruler, Hussein, in 680 AD.  They observe this day to mourn the loss of their ruler by reenacting the battle, wearing clothes of mourning and express grief in light of the tragedy.  These practices are not held by the Muslim population at large; only a small percentage of Muslims worldwide observe Ashura in this way.

Being A Receptive Community

 So last weekend I happened to find myself in Dallas and decided to go shopping at one of the malls (Dallas shopping is the best!). I was browsing the shoe section at Macys and asked an employee for help. This employee was an African American woman wearing a russet red head covering. Assuming she was a fellow Muslim, I greeted her with “Asalam-o-alaykum,” the Arabic expression meaning “peace be upon you” that Muslims greet each other with.  She was overjoyed to meet another Muslim! This women told me of her amazing story of how she found Islam and converted to this beautiful religion. I could see that she had a difficult life and I truly was happy that she had found inner peace. She took the shahadah not too long ago, and was brave enough to start wearing the hijab (headcovering) to work.

 One aspect of her story really troubled me. She told me of a dilemma she was facing; she converted to Islam but had no Muslim friends. This woman was so eager to learn more about Islam, and she had visited the mosque multiple times hoping to meet people that could help, but no one ever approached her or made her feel welcome. She felt neglected and uncomfortable. And it wasn’t just one mosque where she experienced this; she had visited multiple mosques hoping to find one where she felt like she belonged, but had no luck.

Dallas is a metro hub and has a HUGE Muslim community mashallah. You can literally find a Muslim at every corner. So what confused me was the fact that no one reached out to this woman. It is such a tragedy that she felt this way. Are we, as a Muslim community, not open enough to newcomers? This is an issue that pertains to Muslim communities everywhere.

As a community, I strongly believe that we Muslims need to be more welcoming to the “strangers” at our mosques. If a stranger is sitting in our midst at jummaa prayer, we are very likely to pay no attention to them. When a newcomer shows up, no one really wants to put in the effort to start a relationship from scratch. It is so easy to hang out with the family and friends we have already established relationships with and stay within our comfort zone. But we have to make an effort to reach out to the newcomers that come into our communities. I choose the term “newcomer” because it is very flexible and could mean a lot of things. A newcomer could be someone who has recently reverted to Islam. A newcomer could be a Muslim brother or sister that has moved from elsewhere. A newcomer at the mosque could be someone who comes from a Muslim background but does not practice the religion and has never really been to the masjid before. A newcomer could simply be someone that is not Muslim but is interested in learning about Islam!

So how can we go about fixing this problem? Start by reevaluating your own actions.  

 1)     If you see someone new at the masjid, start a conversation with them!

Honestly, a two minute conversation can make all the difference in making the other person feel welcome. Get out of your comfort zone and reach out to others. Be warm and genuine. A person will only return to the masjid if they feel welcome.  

See how easy it is to greet another?

 2)     Don’t expect anyone else to do the job of “welcoming the newcomer”. You do it, even if you don’t consider yourself a regular at the masjid or qualified enough. The mosque is a place of worship, a house of Allah, and it is our job to beautify it with actions that God loves. It is a shared responsibility for all of us. Did you know is our duty as Muslims to do dawah? Simply being nice to a stranger an the masjid IS a form of dawah. (On a side note, I want to point out that dawah is not only for non-Muslism, but also for our fellow Muslims!) Our Prophet (Peace be Upon Him) taught us to be gentle and kind in all matters; we should feel privileged and honored that God is giving us the opportunity to welcome others into the community.

So the next time you see someone new at the masjid, don’t ignore them. Greet them. Start up a conversation. And don’t forget to smile, it’s Sunnah:)

Halloween: A Treat or Another Trick of the Shaytan?

    (Courtesy of Pinterest)

With only a few days left until October 31^st, millions of young children and adults across the world are preparing themselves for a night of lots of tricks and tons of treating. Often known as All Hallow’s Eve, Halloween is usually accompanied with costumes, jack-o-lanterns, haunted houses, scary stories, and lots of sugary treats. While children view it as a night full of fun and excitement; most adults view it as a night of partying and an opportunity to free their inner-most inhibitions.

Before you start carving out pumpkins and filling plastic skulls with candy bars, take a moment and think about why you are doing it. One must question whether this is just another innocent night of treats and fun; or deceitful disguise of tricks from the Shaytan?

(Courtesy of pinterest.com)

By first examining a small piece of Halloween history, one can easily begin to form an opinion. Encyclopedia.com defines Halloween as:

“Oct. 31, the eve of All Saints' Day, observed with traditional games and customs. The word comes from medieval England's All Hallows' eve [Old Eng. hallow=saint]. However, many of these customs predate Christianity, going back to Celtic practices associated with Nov. 1, which was Samhain (sä´wĬn), the beginning of winter and the Celtic New Year.”

“Witches and other evil spirits were believed to roam the earth on this evening, playing tricks on human beings to mark the season of diminishing sunlight. Bonfires were lit, offerings were made of dainty foods and sweets, and people would disguise themselves as one of the roaming spirits, to avoid demonic persecution. Survivals of these early practices can be found in countries of Celtic influence today, such as the United States where children go from door to door in costumes demanding "trick or treat." 

However, does Islam and its scholars agree or disagree with the definition above?

Allah (SWT) mentions in the Noble Quran:  “O, you who believe! Follow not Shaytan’s footsteps: if any will follow the footsteps of the Shaytan, he will (but) command what is shameful and wrong”  (Quran 24:21)

                                                                                                     

And Prophet Muhammad (saw) mentioned: “Every innovation (in our religion) is misguidance, even if the people regard it as something good” (Ad-Darimee)

Along with other holiday topics, Halloween is discussed between several Islamic scholars. Inserted below are two short video clips by Sheikh Abdul Hakim Quick & Dr. Shabir Ally: check out their views on this topic.

 

So with the presented information above, it’s now up to you to ask yourself the following:   

Is Halloween truly just a night of innocent fun; or is it just another trick by the Shaytan to misguide you?  

As always I leave you with Salam Walkiuem and Insha'Allah y'all have an awesome week. Also if you guys truly enjoyed this post and  as well as the other post presented on the blog; please feel free to like, comment below , and share our blog. Thanks!

           

Cam Cam's Heritage

Some great camel facts to start your week. :)

What the Heck is that Big Black Box?!

I'm sure you've all seen it, and you've been wondering what it is.  What in the world is that big black box that all the Muslims are facing?! Do they worship it? Who lives there? Why is it so important?? Well, here are some answers to those questions.

Every Muslim, 5 times a day, takes a pause from whatever he or she is doing in order to pray and make supplications to God.  These 5 daily prayers are how we Muslims maintain God-consciousness in the fast-paced, ever-changing world in which we live.  It’s an act of worship to our Lord, and we gain all the benefit from it. With all the different time zones and prayer times, at any given time of any given day, you can be certain that someone around this globe is facing Mecca to pray for forgiveness, health, guidance, strength, bounties, heaven, protection or whatever else that person is wanting. 

Mecca is a city in Saudi Arabia, and within that city sits a big black box.  This big black box is known as the Kaaba.  The Kaaba is what all Muslims face when making our daily prayers.  There are several reasons why we turn towards that big black box.

Muslims face the direction of the Kaaba during prayer

First, I want to be sure y’all know that WE DO NOT WORSHIP THE BIG BLACK BOX. It is merely symbolic of the monotheistic practices we follow, and it represents our trust and belief in the one true God.  The Qiblah, or “direction”, of prayer also provides a unity amongst the Muslim population.  Every Muslim turns toward the Kaaba to pray, and it unifies the Ummah (community).

The Kaaba is also significant during Hajj, which is the annual pilgrimage to Mecca.  Hajj is required for all Muslims with both the financial and physical means to do so.  The pilgrimage should be performed at least once in a Muslim’s life, and afterwards, the pilgrim is “reborn” in the sense that all of her sins are erased as though she is a newborn. Pretty cool, huh?!

All those rows of dots are humans!! :O 

Hajj takes place in the last month of the lunar calendar, known to Muslims as Dhul-Hijjah. It involves a series of prayers and acts that Prophet Abraham (SAW) and his wife did when they were searching for water in the desert for their son.  During Hajj, the Muslims are to wear robes of simple white cloth.  This dress code dispels all indications of social status, and it allows everyone to be on the same “level” in the eyes of one another.  There are no fancy watches or expensive jewelry to distract you from the purpose of your pilgrimage.

It’s pretty amazing once you think about it.  Millions of Muslims from all over the world come to this one central location for the same purpose; to worship God.  The person on your right could speak English, Arabic, Swahili or Portuguese, and the person on your left could speak Chinese.  You could be standing next to a prince or a school teacher; an accountant or a surgeon; and you would all be considered equals.  Brothers. Sisters.  That just sounds so cool to me.  I can't wait for the opportunity to participate in the pilgrimage. Peace out, y’all.

Check this blog to see cool facts about the Kaaba!
TRANSFORMATION TUESDAY!! Check out the Kaaba's transformation over the past century!

SISTERHOOD

So the other day I was reading a buzzfeed article about how mad cool Mindy Kaling is, and I came across something Mindy said that stuck with me. “The advice I give to women is to support each other, not distract each other.” And this got me thinking—why don’t we support each other? Let’s be honest here, we criticize each other way more than we show our support. If someone doesn’t meet out standards, we judge them. We all do this. We judge each other for not being good enough, for not being up to par. We are criticize each other in the way we dress, do our hair (or hijabs!), in the manner we eat and the decisions we make. Oh, she’s trying to initiate a business? She’ll never be able to pull that off. Criticism, criticism, criticism. Why are we so quick to judge others?

Instead of criticizing, we should be encouraging.  We women are all bonded through our shared experiences. Empathize with one other. Although we are living in the progressive era, the system is still in favor of males. Just look at the male-female income disparity in the U.S. 

We definitely still have a long way to go. But we need to realize that in order to reach our goals, we must come together and support each other.

But let’s take a moment and celebrate what women have done! Females are amazing creatures and we have come so far. Don’t look for things that divide us. Find things that bring us together.  

"Brother" meaning both guys and gals go under the umbrella of "brother"

Honestly, if you want to be a decent human being, you just need to treat others the same way you want others to treat you. Treat others with respect and dignity. Judge them by the same lax standard you would judge yourself and your family with. No one is perfect, we are bound to slip in some way or another. But that’s okay, because that is what makes us human. The beauty of it is that we are able to build our character. If someone offends you in any way, be quick to forgive. Honestly, life is too short for petty nonsense. 

Islam encourages Muslims to support one another in all endeavors and to help in any way that is possible.  There are enough people out there who are more than happy to criticize what we do without us joining in on it.  We need to stick up for one another and do what we can to build a better community.

Just things that I’ve been thinking about lately. Have a great week everyone. :)

*On a side note, watch Emma Watson’s powerful speech about feminism if you haven't already! She is such an inspiration, love her<3*