Eat Like a Muslim!

What you’ve heard is true.  We can’t eat bacon. Nope, can’t have pepperoni either.  Negative on the gummy bears and marshmallows as well! This must be stressing you out, huh? Have a drink to relax—non-alcoholic of course!

These dietary restrictions might seem harsh or unreasonable (What’s the harm in gummy bears?!), but I promise there is a good reason behind it all.

In terms of the bacon, hot dogs, gummy bears and marshmallows, each contains an ingredient derived from pork.  The big pig. Eating pigs is forbidden in the Muslim faith because of its unclean meat.

“He has only forbidden to you dead animals, blood, the flesh of swine, and that which has been dedicated to other than Allah . But whoever is forced [by necessity], neither desiring [it] nor transgressing [its limit], there is no sin upon him. Indeed, Allah is Forgiving and Merciful.”—2:173

For the most part, it isn’t that difficult to find equitable alternatives to implement an Islamic diet.  There is turkey bacon, beef hot dogs and marshmallows made with vegetable gelatin.  Haribo makes gummy bears without pork gelatin! :)

Also, there are plenty of vegetable alternatives to meat products in general!  Some of my favorite brands include Morningstar Farms, Simply Organic and Boca.  Here is a more complete list.

You might have also heard of the term “Zabiha,” which is the Islamic equivalent to “Kosher.” For Jews, there is a certain cut of the meat that is allowed to be consumed, while other parts of the animal are forbidden. In Islam, there are certain guidelines to follow; from the health condition of the animal before slaughter to the tools used to the way the blood is drained post-partum.  First of all, the animal must be alive and healthy to be slaughtered (no roadkill or diseased animals).  The blade used to slit the throat must be very sharp for a quick, clean cut that causes the least amount of suffering for the animal. Another condition is that the slaughterer must be a “Person of the Book” (Christian, Muslim or Jew) to ensure the animal is killed under no other name but God.

These guidelines seem kind of hard to follow.  You never know who slaughtered the chickens sold at Walmart or Kroger, and there’s definitely no way to find out how it was killed.  What about a Big Mac.

Do we all have to become vegetarians?? Not necessarily.  More and more places around the nation are providing options for Muslims to get their Zabiha meat.  Just recently, I discovered that Target has a section in their frozen foods with “Certified Halal” foods, all permissible for Muslim consumption.  Check with your local grocers and international food markets to find out if they carry any Zabiha meat!

A great benefit to living in the South is the hunting community.  My good friend (who just happens to be a "Person of the Book") loves the deer season almost as much as she loves the football season (Go Cowboys!).  She makes an AMAZING deer steak! So if your city has no halal options, you could always check to see if your friends are up for a hunting trip and get your own meat.  :)

Read more on Halal meat!!!

Keep your world colorful! :)



Kindness

As Muslims, I believe that our first and most important job is to be kind to others.


What is kindness?

The dictionary defines kind as “of a good or benevolent nature or disposition as a person." If you want to know what kindness really is, look at the life of our dear Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). This man’s life is the definition of kindness—he set the standard for us.

Just for a moment, let us forget about the fact that he is a prophet. Let us forget about the fact that he preached to others about the oneness of God.

Let us simply look at the way he dealt with people on an everyday basis. How he dealt with mundane matters. Muhammad (PBUH) reached out to everyone—both Muslims and non Muslims equally. He interacted with others with the best character and conduct. He never failed to greet another with a smile. Smiling is such a small gesture, and yet it is considered a form of charity in Islam. Why is that? Research shows that smiling is contagious and uplifts your mood and the mood of others. When you flash a smile across your face, your body releases “feel good” neurotransmitters such as dopamine, endorphins and serotonin. This as a result not only relaxes your body, but it can also lower you heart rate and blood pressure. SubhanAllah! So many benefits from one simple act that our religion encourages us to do. So when you smile at another person, they are sure to mirror your smile and reap from these benefits. :)  Pretty sweet, right?

Smiling truly is the universal language

 Muhammad (PBUH) always spoke gently to the young and was always sure to give special attention to children. Personally I see adults nowadays that don’t bother addressing a child unless it is from their own family. Muhammad (PBUH) always took time out of his day to make conversation with the children and ask them questions. It is the Sunnah to give importance to children; we have the power to impact the lives of children just by using nice words and taking an interest in their lives. A simple three minute conversation can go a long way.


“The best amongst you are those with brilliant character”

Our time in this world is so very limited. Interact with others with the best character and conduct. Impact the lives of others positively as best as you can in your ability. That is the key for your own happiness. There is so much we can learn from the life of Muhammad (PBUH), I mentioned only a few examples. Books have been written about the life of this man. I think it is amazing that 1400 years later, we still know the different hairstyles Muhammad (PBUH) adorned and the clothes he wore. We know what kinds of jokes he told and how he dealt with the people around him. The fact that such information is preserved from 1400 years ago indicates what a dynamic character he was. Muhammad (PBUH) inspires me. This is a figure whose lifestyle has impacted the lives of millions. It is true that actions speak louder than words. This post (and all future posts) are a reminder to myself firstly, then to others. There is so much about our teacher that I don’t know about, and I wish to learn. I am on a mission to study the life of Muhammad (PBUH) and learn from his life, and I am excited to share what I learn with you guys. 

Until next time. Stay real my peeps.

Assalam Alaikum

I’m sure you are wondering what it means to tie your camel. Of course people just assume this blog is title as such because we are just a bunch of Muslims from the desert, travelling by camel to and from the bazaar. 

No.

Truth is we were all born in America; Alanda and I are from the South, and Namra is repping from the West Coast (she calls a “cul de sac” a “court”…). I’m the only one who has ever actually ridden a camel, and I was doing touristy things at the time. Now Cam Cam is in fact from the Sinai, but he is travelling right now and will be joining us later in the week. For now, allow Namra to explain the meaning behind our blog name. 

“Trust in Allah, but tie your camel.”
                —Arabian proverb

The origins of this saying are essentially a condensed version of a hadeeth that depicts an encounter between Prophet Mohammed (Peace be Upon Him) and Anas (R). The man was questioning whether he should tie up his camel or just put trust in Allah that the camel would not run off on his own. The Prophet (PBUH) responded by saying to put trust in Allah, but also tie the camel.

These few words speak volumes. We must equip ourselves with the proper knowledge and the tools to get through life. This applies in any situation. An apple pie isn't going to bake itself no matter how hard we pray for it to happen.  We cannot live our whole lives doing nothing and expecting to be taken care of by God. Only after putting in our best efforts are to leave things in God’s hands. The goal of this blog is to equip ourselves and others with the correct knowledge and steps for action. Knowledge empowers us. Action drives us. Trust in Allah makes us successful.

Each week, we plan to provide educational, fun, and adventurous post that will reflect each of our own unique personalities. Each post's intended goal is to empower, educate, and bring awareness to the beauty of Islam, with a taste of entertainment and humor.  By trying to dispel some of the misconceptions of Islam, while doing so in a informal setting, we are truly tying our camel and putting our trust in God. :)