Liberal Arts Forum

Where are the Seerah Conferences?

Lets get our priorities straight folks. Few more days and Rabi-ul-Awwal will start. The third month on the Islamic calendar. Rabi’ means spring. The Prophet (s) was born in the month of Rabi’ (spring). Traditionally, Muslims paid full attention to the Koran in Ramadan and Rabi’ ul Awwal was reserved for studying life of the Prophet (s).

When he came, spring came with him (s). He brought with him happiness, compassion, unity, and true love of God. He filled the world with colors of love and compassion. He raised humanity from sleep to the worship of God. He came and with him he brought mercy of God “We have not sent you except as a mercy to all worlds” (Koran).

If there was no Muhammad,
there would be neither prayer, nor charity.

If there was no Muhammad,
there would be neither Quran, nor any clarity.

Call your mosque today and ask about a Sirah Seminar. Ask the Imams to remind us of the days of our Beloved and fill our hearts with his love.

The One I see

I see in darkness
The heart that is made of light

I see in this light
The truth that shine so bright

I see in a stormy night
The boat that is on the path alright

I see in your smile
The pain that is sealed inside

I see in the falling tears
The love that is on my side

I see in your love
Muhammad, God will make it Right

I see in you beloved
Muhammad, God is on my side

I see in you my heart
Muhammad, God will not keep us apart

I see in you at last
Muhammad, God’s mercy so vast

sala ‘alan Nabi…by Faraz Khan

This post may seem like a blatant attempt to describe intellectual leadership of Muslims in the East and West with massive overdose of generalization. Nevertheless, I would like to draw your attention to a leadership dichotomy of the East and the West.

First of all, there are a million definitions describing intellectuals. To make it simple, I think of intellectuals as individuals who are directing or affecting the thinking of other people. Their contribution to the society or a specific group is their message (ideas). (I hope my definition isn’t like putting together vertebrate of a dinosaurs’

When I look at the “Eastern Muslims” i.e. the Muslim world, I find most of the intellectuals to be irreligious, secularists, who are highly influenced by the “West”. They compromise the leadership of the Muslim world. They are scientists, politicians, military leaders, news editors, writers, etc. Yes, there are religious leaders who also have an impact on the masses but they do not ‘lead’ the Muslim world. They lead the prayer in mosques. They lead the maulid (birthday of the Prophet) in the city. They lead the jinaza (funeral procession) of a deceased person. It’s not a derogatory statement, but they don’t lead the Muslim world in public sphere.

On the other side of the same planet, the Western Muslim intellectuals. One of the blessings of being a minority in the West is that most American (Western) Muslims would identify their leaders as religious imams and academics. Few names that come to my mind: Sheikh Hamza Yusuf, Dr. Tariq Ramadan, Imam Zaid Shakir, Dr. AbdulHakim Jackson, etc. Obviously, this list does not include other dissenters but aforementioned leaders are having an impact. They are leaders in public and intellectual spheres.

I know this might be saying too much in few words.

…1..2..3.. start your criticism

“And be moderate in thy pace, and lower thy voice; for the harshest of sounds without doubt is the braying of the donkey.” Koran(31:19).

While listening to Qari Abdul Basit reciting the Qur’an and trying to fly in my car on NJTP, I was brought to my senses with a sudden hit of reality. No, it wasn’t the red and blue colors flashing behind me. And it certainly wasn’t the fear of crashing into another flying object i.e. an airplane. Rather, the Qari recited the following verse, “waqsud fee mashyika…” meaning, “be moderate in your pace”. I said to myself ’subhanAllah’ as this verse was revealed just for me at this place and at this time. I have read and listened to this verse many times – thousands of times to be accurate. But never before I realized the significance of this aya as it hit me that God was speaking directly to me. Allahu Akbar, this book is amazing.

May Allah enable us to live Islam and become people of the Koran.

What’s more to life? Get the music right in your head!

That Tune in Your Head Could Be Your Toothbrush
By WARREN BUCKLEITNER
NY Times
Published: March 1, 2007

Put a rock band in your mouth, along with a dab of toothpaste, with Tooth Tunes, a $10 musical toothbrush from Tiger Electronics, a division of Hasbro. The theory is that two minutes of brushing is needed to give teeth a proper cleaning. So the brush is really a kind of timer.

The feeling is a bit eerie. The sound is transferred through the brush tip, into the teeth, and right into the inner ear, so you feel the music. Because volume is related to pressure, you can turn up the volume by applying steady pressure to your teeth. Unfortunately, you can also hear better when not brushing, which children can soon learn.

The brushes, first released last fall, are being sold nationwide this month in stores or at www.toothtunes.com. They feature 17 artists, including the Black Eyed Peas, Hilary Duff, Kiss and others. There is even one that plays “Y.M.C.A.,” so theoretically you can have the Village People in your head.

The switch is slime-proof, and batteries are included, providing power for up to six months. When they run out, you throw the brush away — and, Hasbro hopes, buy a new tune. Now you can tell your child to “keep brushing until Queen has finished, honey.”

There is a tremendous amount of responsibility on our shoulders. The Muslim community is different from its forerunners in searching for the American dream. In this modern materialistic mayhem, we are the only community who can offer a panacea for the spiritually dead hearts.
Similar to any disease, the moral decay in this blessed land of ours has signs and symptoms. The pop culture represented by film, television, radio, video games, book publishing, internet, comics etc. is fast eroding the banks of the river. Unfortunately, the country that was founded on the principle, “In God We Trust” has given way to “Obey Your Thirst”. What is our contribution?
This is an open call to swim against the current and to rescue others. The American Muslim community can contribute to a healthy, beautiful, and moral America only when we go beyond our narcissistic impetus and contribute to the spiritual need of America.

In God We Trust.

“I say, seek forgiveness of your Lord, He is Oft-forgiving. He will send down rain from the heavens. He will increase you in wealth, children, gardens, and rivers. What is the matter with you that you do not recognize the status of God. Yet, He is the one who created you in many stages” (Surah Nuh).

WHAT WE NEED
KHUTBA: NBIC March 2, 2007
by Faraz Khan
Time: 23 min.