Liberal Arts Forum

The emptiness inside didn’t vanish with my plight
’till I gave it all away

to You my Lord,
I gave this heart away

Here’s the latest khutba on Sirah & Patience (((audio))).

Last Sunday I attended an interfaith event at New Brunswick Theological Seminary. I joined Brother David Fricke and others to give Muslim perspective on Prayer.

As a Muslim chaplain at Rutgers, I was asked to lead the Muslim prayer before breaking bread and explain the prayer’s significance. The President of NBTS, Gregg Mast, Associate Director for Jewish Campus Life, Rabbi Esther Reed, and Director of Muslim Chaplaincy Rutgers Un., David Fricke played a critical role in developing a mutual understanding with leaders from other faith communities.

The people were very friendly and welcoming. The discussion revolved around prayer – personal experiences and sacred text. It was a very interesting evening for me. I kept thinking to myself, we (people) can work it all out. We have so many people rooting for peace and harmony. We have so many people doing charitable work. We all endorse family values and morality. We are all those who worship ONE God and serve Him by serving humanity.

Yet, how do we explain a world in crisis – a world drowning in war, poverty, illiteracy, drought, famine, and diseases?

Let us not continue the blame game. Let us not repeat the mistakes of those before us. Rather, let us come together and plant the seed of peace, compassion, love, mutual respect and understanding.

Why fight in the name of God when He ordered us to live in peace?

The group decided to close the event with a single lit candle and time for silent prayer.

http://www.nbts.edu

Long time ago and once upon a time, there lived these strange people who showed humanity how to live like human beings. Their goal in life was not to eat, sleep, and die wealthy. Rather, they lived to serve others. They worked hard to comfort others. Although they didn’t sleep much, and resources they lacked, but they lived and died on Islam. Such were the students of the Prophet (s). Such were the companions of Muhammad (s) who pleased their Lord.

The Prophet’s mission was to connect humanity to God. His life was all about guiding people to the Way of God.

No doubt, each individual has a direct relationship with God – there is no clergy in Islam. One cannot understand or practice or become a beloved of God, unless this person is on His path.

For this reason, it is imperative that we read, understand, and study, the life of the Prophet (s).

S E E R A H – The Story of Jabir bin Abdullah (((audio – 14 minutes))) by Faraz Khan March 23, 2007 – Princeton University.
This talk is based on the hadith of Jabir bin Abdullah (R) (the narrator) who lived a very difficult life. He narrates how the Prophet (s) helped him in the most dignified manner(reported by Bukhari, Muslim, and others).

I always find the most popular/frequently searched keywords very helpful. It is very telling of people and their behavior. Here’s an indication of what people are thinking.

Keywords most frequently searched by NYTimes.com readers.

sex
immigration
global warming
iraq
china
pet food recall
india
education
iran
health

Bismillah,
Overwhemingly positive response on Body The Exhibition. Perhaps, BTE is bias in recording these comments but they are worth reading.

(read more on http://www.bodiestheexhibition.com/bodies.html) Visitor Comments:

“One of the most extraordinary experiences of my life. Both simple and intricate and, most of all, beautiful.”

“This exhibit has shown me more anatomy than in two years of studying book after book.”

“My husband smokes and when he saw the lungs the first thing he said to me was ‘I’m going to quit.’”

”As a teacher, I was wishing my students were here with me so we could be amazed together.”
“This exhibit makes me want to never eat fast food, drink, smoke or do anything else to damage my body.”

“What an amazing view of how much we really are all the same.”

“As an EMT, I believe I will now perform my job better.”

“I now want to take care of my body from the inside out!”

“As a medical student, I thought I knew anatomy but this exhibit fascinated me and reinvigorated my passion for the human anatomy but this exhibit fascinated me and reinvigorated my passion for the human body and for life.”

“I think the respect and dignity given to these bodies is wonderful.”

“Never take your body for granted.”

“Everyone needs to experience this exhibition.”

“Never before have I witnessed an exhibition so educational, so inspiring and so humbling.” …

I do not know, but I appreciate your comments on this article. Anything that will give us a better understanding of the situation in our schools.

On Hit Lists, Anger Finds an Outlet
By SUSAN SAULNY
Published: March 22, 2007
CHICAGO
www.times.com

TWO teenagers in Jonesboro, Ark., were overheard at a party last month bragging about a “hit list” and their plans to take a gun to school and use it on their enemies.

The plans circulated through the high school and made their way to the sheriff. The boys, 16 and 17, were arrested two weeks ago and charged with making “terroristic threats” and possessing a stolen pistol.

No hit list was found, but in other cases at schools across the country, hit lists have fallen out of lockers, been scrawled on bathroom walls and have made the rounds like hot gossip among teenagers in Web videos and on blogs…