For the first ten years of my life I was under the impression that all Muslims were the same. In my naïve mind, we all believed the same things, prayed the same way, lived by the same rulings and of course, we ate the same meat. Though I was aware of varying degrees of orthodoxy, I was flabbergasted when I saw Muslim boys and girls eating chicken from McDonald’s for the first time. As most of you will know, this is a topic that’s been disputed over one too many hamburgers. Well, I don’t want to beat a dead horse. So I won’t! What I will do, however, is recommend that everyone, eating “halal-halal” or otherwise, check out this lecture.

Not too long ago, I was blessed with a reference to www.sacredlearning.org  to listen to Shaykh Husain Abdul Sattar’s lectures. Of his many, many topics I’ve chosen to write about his lecture entitled “Eating Pure”. Addressing the issue of what constitutes halal meat, Shaykh Sattar delivers a thorough, logical explanation that, to me, leaves no room for doubt. He begins by reminding us that all of our body parts, having submitted to Allah swt, are to attest to this fact- down to the taste bud.  Our hands, feet, mouths and tongues should all be in harmony with the Will of their Creator and so it only makes sense that we have rigorous guidelines on how to please Him. “Eating Pure” presents several well-formulated arguments backed up by analyses of authentic ahadith which pertain to the matter. I realize that above I may have lead you to believe that I have always been biased because I don’t think that meat from McDonald’s or any other uncertified place is okay for us to eat. However, this is not the case. After delving into the topic out of sheer interest, I was faced by many scholars of the opinion that the ayah in the Qur’an which discerns the difference between halal and haram meat (“Forbidden to you for food are: dead meat, blood, the flesh of swine, and that on which hath been invoked the name of other than Allah...”to the end of the ayah, 5:3) is subject to debate and so the general attitude towards the matter is  one of “do as you see fit but stay away from pork”. Well, I’m not a scholar but I can tell you that even of those who do appreciate this more liberal reading of the ayah, few (if any) would eat anything but certified halal meat themselves. So even though I, too, understood where the debate originated and still refrain from judging anyone who does eat not-so halal meat, I wouldn’t do it myself. Which brings me to my next point; Shaykh Husain takes a very one-sided approach which to me is the only effective kind. Sure, different perspectives and suggestions are pathways to true understanding but if we reside on those variable courses forever, our destination becomes only an estimation of the truth. With regards to meat this is a very broad estimation and “Eating Pure” is a clear, concise proof of why that’s simply not enough.

I’d like to conclude by praying that anyone who is confused about this subject be given an open mind to receive the message of this lecture, and that Allah swt bless us all with the ability and strength to implement His deen, ameen. Also, always bear in mind this ayah at times of confusion: “Let there be no compulsion in religion: Truth stands out clear from Error: whoever rejects evil and believes in Allah hath grasped the most trustworthy hand-hold, that never breaks. And Allah heareth and knoweth all things” (2:256).

WAllahu Alim.

http://www.sacredlearning.org/general-talks/category  (Be sure to check out other lectures too!)

   

So how did this all start? Essentially, it started in September 2005, when the Danish newspaper Jyllands-Posten printed editorial cartoons of the Prophet, pbuh. It didn’t take long for news to spread, outraging Muslims all around the world. It’s crucial to understand why this angered the Muslim community. First of all, some sects in Islam believe that pictorial representations of any person is wrong, based on the following hadith: “Ibn Umar reported that Allah’s Messenger said those who paint pictures would be punished on the Day of Resurrection and it would be said to them: Breathe soul into what you have created” (Muslim). Furthermore, in terms of specifically drawing the Prophet pbuh, the Quran condemns idolatry and idol worship – something that pictorial forms would be too close to. Moreover, the editorial cartoons depict the Prophet pbuh negatively, disrespecting our last and most beloved prophet pbuh.

Although that incident was some time ago, South Park recently aired an episode satirizing the conflicts around the depiction of the Prophet pbuh. This angered the Revolution: Muslim organization who sent a threatening letter to the show’s creators. In response to this, Molly Norris, a cartoonist, made a satirical fake poster deeming May 20th “Everybody Draw Mohammed Day!” in an effort to promote “free speech”, which inspired people to turn this into an actual event on Facebook.

Outrage over this caused the creation of a Facebook event for boycotting Facebook on May 20th. Pakistan acted by blocking Facebook and Youtube. Although I love that Pakistan chose to represent itself as an Islamic country that was unwilling to stand by and watch this happen, in my humble opinion, boycotting Facebook for a day is not really significant. I don’t see how that would bring about any change. In one of his lectures, Sheikh Yusuf Estes points out that instruments like Facebook are neither good nor bad. To make a point, he used the example of a knife – he pointed out that you can use a knife either to spread some jam on toast or you can use it to kill someone. The fault lies not in the knife, but in the person. Just like getting rid of knives won’t solve anything, banning Facebook for a day won’t either. Of course it’ll make a point, but what after that?

What appealed to me were the groups that used this as an opportunity to do dawah – to turn this day into a day of educating non-Muslims about Islam and our Prophet pbuh and why he means so much to us. Among these events, one of them thought it would be beneficial to introduce May 20th as “Everybody Introduce Prophet Mohammed (pbuh) Day!” As great as all of this dawah and passion for a day was, as Muslims we need to understand that since Prophet Muhammad pbuh was the last of all prophets, it is now our duty to carry on his message. It needs to be something that is done regularly, instead of on one appointed day of the year.


______

-Zenaira Ali, U of T

Living in a world full of fitnah and constant hardships, we must never fail to remember that our existence on this earth is a means of us being tested. In numerous suras throughout the Quran, mankind is reminded that we are all to be tested through various means.

In sura Baqarah, it is stated, “Be sure we shall test you with something of fear and hunger, some loss in goods or lives or the fruits (of your toil), but give glad tidings to those who patiently persevere” (2:155).

Another clear indication of our test is in sura Kahf "That which is on earth We have made but as a glittering show for the earth, in order that We may test them--as to which of them are best in conduct" (18: 7).

The last example I will illustrate, is another one of the many ayat in the Quran that discuss the virtue of patience. In sura Muhammad, Allah reiterates that we will be tested: “And We shall try you until We test those among you who strive their utmost and persevere in patience; and We shall try your reported (mettle)” (47:31).

All of us may come to some point in our lives where we are sick and tired of the trials and tests we constantly face, and start to have negative impulses. We may face problems relating to finances, family, health or education and may feel that everything is going wrong for us. As believers, what is most important for us to remember is that whatever we are being put through is occurring in accordance with the Will of the Almighty. Instead of losing hope or being pessimistic, one must remember to exercise patience (sabr), and expect reward (ajr) for it if not in this world, in the hereafter.

Allah (swt) says in sura Baqarah “On no soul does Allah Place a burden greater than it can bear. It gets every good that it earns, and it suffers every ill that it earns. (Pray:) “Our Lord! Condemn us not if we forget or fall into error; our Lord! Lay not on us a burden Like that which You did lay on those before us; Our Lord! Lay not on us a burden greater than we have strength to bear. Blot out our sins, and grant us forgiveness. Have mercy on us.  You are our Protector; Help us against those who stand against faith” (2:286).

I would like to close with a verse from sura Hud which promises great reward to those who are patient in adversity, “Not so do those who show patience and constancy, and work righteousness; for them is forgiveness (of sins) and a great reward” (11:11).

The Quran is a treasure given to us by the Almighty that we often fail to discover. It is made for all people of all times, and is a guide that will take us through both high and low times. The ayat mentioned above are a few of the many in the Quran that are revealed on the issues of being tested and having patience. We need to constantly remind ourselves that our Creator, the Almighty, Allah (swt) loves and tests his creation. The harder our test, the stronger the faith is required…and having said that, we must remember that the stronger our faith, the harder our test will be. We may not always be able to see the check and balance system right away, but we must remember that the Allah (swt) does what is best and that as His creation, we must strive to be our best and live in accordance with the commands of the Almighty.

Two years ago, Rehan Riaz appeared in provincial court facing two counts of dangerous driving causing death and two counts of driving causing bodily harm. He was the driver of a speeding car that was involved in an accident that killed two of his co-workers and left nine others seriously injured.

Now, the families of the victims partnered with police officers and M.A.D.D. Canada for a R.I.D.E. spotcheck (an annual anti-drinking and driving program that watches out for suspicious drivers) where the accident took place. They were trying to send a message to young adults about careless driving and its fatal aftermaths.

Please find time to pray for the afflicted families and remember to never break the law especially when lives of others may be affected by your behaviour.

Source: http://www.citytv.com/toronto/citynews/news/local/article/77099--victims-turn-tragedy-into-a-lesson

One of the greatest philosophers of our time, Dr. Seuss, once said: “the more you read, the more things you will know. The more that you learn, the more places you'll go.” He was right. Reading and knowledge have perhaps the most intimate relationships any two things can have; those that don’t read, as a rule, tend to know less things. In an age where a lot (read: most) of our time is consumed by technology and social media, putting aside a few hours a day to immerse yourself in a book seems unconscionable. Unconscionable, perhaps, but absolutely necessary. After all, “read” was the first word of revelation given to our beloved Messenger, peace be upon him.

With that said, here are five books I recommend everyone crack open this summer. In keeping with the second half of Dr. Seuss’ brilliant maxim (“the more places you’ll go”), I’ve chosen five books that deal with five different parts of the world. I’ve included three novels, though, on balance, I’m partial to well-written non-fiction. Enjoy.

1)     King Leopold’s Ghost by Adam Hochschild (non-fiction)  – King Leopold’s Ghost is a moving historical account of Belgian colonization of the Congo. Hochschild, a frequent contributor to The New Yorker magazine, focuses not squarely on the relationship between the two countries, but also with the mounting international pressure against Belgian imperialism. For anyone with an interest in serious non-fiction with a strong narrative voice, this book is an excellent read.

2)     An Outline of the Republic by Siddhartha Deb (fiction) –  An Outline of the Republic follows the life of journalist Amrit Singh, a reporter at a major daily in Calcutta, India. The novel traces his pursuit of a story along India’s troubled border, where he finds himself in the middle of a volatile, three-way political struggle between a separatist militia, a development agency, and ineffective local government.

3)     The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald (fiction) – Often described as the “great American novel,” F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby is, for my money, one of the best books ever written. Though fictional, it provides for incredibly sharp commentary about the American upper class, putting the whole notion of “the American Dream” in a critical light. Plus, you’ll be hard pressed to find a serious reader who hasn’t read this book at least once.

4)     The Black Jacobins by CLR James (non-fiction) – A historical account of the Haitian revolution in 1804, The Black Jacobins has a renewed significance, considering the recent earthquake in Haiti. Though it focuses squarely on the events leading up to the revolution, the book gives the reader an understanding of why, even today, Haiti is so poor. Like King Leopold’s Ghost, the book doesn’t read like a dry, factual document; it has been described by some as a “non-fiction novel.” It’s the best book I’ve read this year, for sure.

5)     Brave New World by Aldous Huxley (fiction) – Another classic, I’ve included Brave New World on this list to hopefully scare everyone, especially those of us that are far too reliant on technology. The book is set in the London of the future, where babies will be born in laboratories and governments will have the ability to suppress our emotions. Written in 1932, the book predicts a future where we’ll be indoctrinated to the point that it will be impossible to have individual ideas. If the ideas seem radical, that’s fine – the book is well-written enough to be enjoyable whether you agree or not.

Al-Ghazali on disciplining the soul and breaking the two desires (books 22 and 23 of The Revival of The Religious Sciences) translated with an introduction and notes by T.J. Winter (available at Robart’s @ the University of Toronto).

If any of you are as oblivious as I am, you may not know who Abu Hamid al-Ghazali was. Fear not! There is a brief biography at the beginning of the book. Also, here’s an excerpt from the synopsis:

Abu Hamid al-Ghazali (1058–1111), theologian, logician, jurist and mystic, was born and died at the town of Tus in Central Asia, but spent much of his life lecturing at Baghdad or leading the life of a wandering dervish. Because of his success in revealing the compatibility of the outward forms of religion with the inner experiences of the Sufi tradition, he is commonly regarded as the ‘Renewer’ of the fifth Muslim century, and the most influential thinker of Medieval Islam.

I should now mention that this is less of a review (since I don’t have that kind of credibility) and more of a recommendation. Here’s why:

I often feel like our religion has been watered down for us. We live according to a diluted version of the Sunnah of our Nabi (SAW) and the Qur’an. What I mean is, we’re forgetful of (and sometimes just ignorant to) the weight of things. Reading this book, which is a brief part of his much longer work Ihya’ ulum al-din (Revival of the Religious Sciences) has been a powerful wake-up call for me. Through extensive discourse and cross-referencing of various scholars and the Prophet (SAW), Al-Ghazali explains how and why we should tame our nafs. It seems an obvious matter; Islam is all about struggling against our desires and submitting to the Will of Allah SWT. However, this has become a selective struggle (for me, anyway), whereby some desires have been completely okay to fulfill, and this is not true.

For example, in Breaking the Two Desires, Al-Ghazali talks about the importance of not eating too much. Of course we shouldn’t, the Prophet (SAW) always spoke of the middle course, maintaining moderation in everything we do, not being extravagant or miserly in any affair. But I personally was not aware of the massiveness of this matter. In one hadith, the Prophet (SAW) said “The light of wisdom comes from hunger, while remoteness from God comes from satiety… Therefore never eat to repletion, for you would thereby extinguish the light of wisdom which is in your hearts…”  In another, “You should beware of extravagance, and it is extravagant to eat twice in a single day.”  SubhanAllah. I’ve read multiple ahadith on how we should eat and the appropriate etiquette when eating at a gathering. I’d also heard of not eating one’s fill, leaving one third for water and another for remembrance (or air, breath). But that we should really only eat as much as can keep us going, that this desire was one to be fought year-round, not just during Ramadan or through fasting – this was news to me.

This is a brief recollection of the very many beauties this book has compiled within it. It’s filled with examples and judgments of the pious and I’m certain that if you come to it with an open mind, you will inshAllah find reason in their claims. Happy reading!

The infamous case of ‘homegrown terrorism’ in the GTA, also known as the ‘Toronto 18’ has finally come to trial. The long overdue trial, which took four years to reach, has now started and information that had never before been publicized is now surfacing. The media is relatively silent on the trial proceedings as compared to the news coverage the story received when the arrests initially occurred back in June 2006.

The latest developments on the story are that one of the defense lawyers, Denis Edney, representing 25 year old Fahim Ahmed, has brought light to issues with the crown’s star witness, Mubin Shaikh. Shaikh is a key part of the government’s case against the arrested men as he was paid a hefty amount to act as an informant. It is now being revealed in court that Shaikh worked as an undercover agent to infiltrate the alleged ‘Toronto 18’ terrorist group and also trained some of the men and boys to use a 9-mm handgun.

Shaikh’s credibility has also been attacked at the witness stand and he is especially known for his previous illegal conduct such as molestation and drug abuse. It is also revealed that he hid certain information from his handlers, namely CSIS and the RCMP, and this can greatly affect the outcome of the case.

The outcome of the trial will ultimately be decided by a jury made up of ordinary Canadian citizens. The trial is expected to last approximately three months, and once all of the evidence is revealed and the facts are weighed, we will be able to better judge whether or not justice is truly served.

You can continue to follow the story on keepingithalal.com in the local news section inshAllah. Always remember to make dua for the oppressed around the world and pray that Allah swt softens the hearts of the oppressors, ameen.

School’s out, exams over and you have all the time in the world. But, what is this feeling of void? It can’t be you are actually missing school???? Sitting at home staring at your Facebook feed having nothing to do can be a strange feeling. A feeling worse than going insane over assignments and exams! Life demands a purpose and for most students it starts and ends at school.

Always wanting what we don’t have. Snap out of it my friend. Figure out the time you have and utilize it and enjoy it.  Before you know it you will be back in school.

Here is how to make the most of your summer!

1)     Create a to-do list

2)     Learn more about Islam

3)     Reconnect with family & friends

4)     Find a job

5)     Learn – If you don’t use it you lose it

6)     Go outside

7)     Read books – Books you actually want to read

8)     Continue visiting keepingithalal.com