Since Ramadan is right around the corner, here’s a review of some of my favourite Islamic websites:

http://beta.quran.com/en/1/1-7/#1/

This is an online Quran with several English translations and translations in many languages, By selecting the word-for-word option, hovering over any Arabic word with your mouse will produce a translation.

http://www.islamicfinder.org/

You can use Islamic Finder to check prayer times and download the Athan Software, which gives notifications whenever it’s time to pray.

http://www.kalamullah.com/

Kalamullah has a great database of online books, articles, videos and lectures featuring many topics.

http://www.quranexplorer.com/

This is another great online Quran, with both translation and recitations with different reciters.

Feel free to share your own favourites in the comment section so that we can all benefit from them inshaAllah.

Lying on the white sparkling bed did I moan
Nothing could I do but groan
My head was aching
My legs were shaking
The odor of medicine
The smell of cream
Was all like a dreadful dream
I needed a lot of care
Sitting up straight was like a dare
Looking pale and full of sorrow
Remedies were essential to borrow
Wishing the day to pass by
My hopes were in fact high
Taking the last pill for the day
All day on the bed did I lay
Dull, blunt, mournful and somber were my feelings
I knew there was a place for healing
Looking around did I see
With great joy and glee
I realized I wasn’t the only one
Gloomy feelings were now to be shunned
My Lord, high above is thee
Never will my hope in Your grace will flee
I think I’ve gone better
As I received the doctor’s letter
I am now fine
Watch out world you are mine.

Aaqib Ahmed, 22 is the face behind iPOET Dawah. He lives in Milton Keynes, England but wishes he lived on the moon. Today iPOET has an outreach to over 10 Facebook pages with a daily exposure to 50,000+ people online

Rabia: For someone who hasn’t heard about iPOET Dawah can you please explain what it is and its main objectives and goals?

Aaqib: iPOET is a unique brand dedicated to Facebook growth for Muslim organizations and young Muslims. Its objectives and goals are:

1. Encouraging young Muslims to give Dawah on Facebook.

2. Helping projects become more influential on Facebook.

iPOET’s main goal is to help the Ummah become a powerful force online. The main channel is Facebook since there is a large online community.


Rabia: How did the name iPOET come about? How old were you when you came up with this idea?

Aaqib: iPOET came about by accident really, it just happened. Subhanallah. I was inspired by iMUSLIM so I thought: hey, I like poetry so I combined the i and poet together. My dream for iPOET started coming together from December 2008 and onwards so when I was 19 years old.

Rabia: Interesting. Can you explain what iMUSLIM is for those of us who don’t know?

Aaqib: iMUSLIM is a portal for Islamic information.

Rabia: Your main goal was to give dawah and your outlet became poetry?

Aaqib: Yes, alhamdulilah. Poetry was always a strong passion.

Rabia: Why does everything start with an i?

Aaqib: Later on I figured that the Apple Brand uses the i for their products. So I wanted to brand iPOET projects like this for the Muslim Market.

Rabia: Awesome. Can you tell me how you spread the word of iPOET when it first started? Also, what are some tactics you now use?

Aaqib: I consistently promoted iPOET online via Facebook because Facebook has a strong outreach. I networked and connected with many people online. Now I believe the key is delivering a unique content to my contacts so they keep coming back for more content.

Rabia: And what are some challenges if any, that you face with iPOET dawah?

Aaqib: Time. So much to do, yet so little time.

Rabia: Can you please elaborate on some of these things?

Aaqib: speaking to other projects, writing new content, making new videos and eating daal lol.

Rabia: You are a daal (lentils) lover?

Aaqib: Yes.

Rabia: Moving on, lol. What was the reason behind your smile dawah video? (The link is below)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xkku5zeFIsg

Aaqib: To show the world it’s okay to smile, with so much negativity in the Ummah I want to present a positive and creative image.

Rabia: A smile is an act of charity?

Aaqib: Yeah.

Rabia: Is iPOET Dawah everything you thought it would be?

Aaqib: Yes, Subhanallah. My dream came true through the mercy of Allah and the amazing support I receive daily via Facebook.

Rabia: If someone wants to follow your path what advice would you give them?

Aaqib: Follow your passion, make duaa and trust Allah.

Rabia: iPOET that rhymes! Good job!

Aaqib: Accident. lol

Rabia: If you could send one simple message to the Ummah right now, what would it be?

Aaqib: If we do not live our dreams now on the day of judgement we will regret it deeply, so let’s

maximize every second for the sake of Allah and build the Facebook community online.

Rabia: Any further comments? Last words?

Aaqib: Thanks to Rabia for bugging me daily to do the interview.

Rabia: umm iPOET...

Aaqib: oh alright, I’d like to sincerely thank Rabia for this interview and many thanks to you, the reader for pondering over my words. For more information on iPOET Dawah please check out the Facebook page and the website.

Rabia:

iPOET’s Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/iPOETOnline

iPOET’s Website: www.islamicpoet.com

The new Iphone 5 was recently snagged by our Fuego the goat from Apple’s R&D. He gained access to the facility when he was hired by Apple for his manure. Apple wanted to use the manure to produce green energy. But, that’s a story for a different article.

The new Iphone has revolutionized things once again by adding features that are already found on other phones such as a slot for microSD, a 5 megapixel camera, and a slide out keyboard. But, the most incredible feature is the ability to use a newly coveted Taser App (not available to Android or Blackberry users).

With this new App you can finally fend off all those people on public transit that are trying to rob you of your Iphone. The App when activated works by placing a call while you grip the left side of the phone where the antenna resides this causes incredible strain on the battery creating a charge so strong that it renders both you and the thief immobile. Hackers believe this feature can be used on the Iphone 4 and are working to expose it. However, if the phone still somehow is stolen off of you then don’t worry just give Steve Jobs a person call and he’ll locate where the phone is. That location data you just found out they’ve been collecting might as well be used for something.

Overall we give the Iphone 5, 5 out of 4 stars. I know I will be putting my house on its fifth mortgage, so I can be the first in line to get one!

 “Guantanamo Bay? They can’t send an innocent person like him there, surely” (Perera 131).
                                                                       ...
‘Guantanamo Boy’ is a novel written by Anna Perera, although it is a work of fiction it resembles the events which take place at Guantanamo bay. The novel starts by introducing to us the reader, Khalid and his normal life. Khalid is a fifteen year old teenager who lives in Rochdale, England. Khalid is like any other teenage; he loves football and computer games. However in the background of the novel is the aftermath of the 9/11 attacks and as the novel progresses the theme of questioning ones identity arises. Khalid soon learns that most people think that Muslims are terrorists but at this time this notion doesn’t really influence his life. It is when things turn for the worst that he begins to question his identity. Khalid’s parents decide to take a trip to Pakistan and encourage Khalid to accompany them, although he doesn’t want to go he agrees to his parent’s request. It is in Pakistan that Khalid is kidnapped and handed over to the CIA and from them he goes from prison to prison, he is accused of being involved in terrorist crimes. His final destination is Guantanamo Bay, a prison in Cuba run by the US government. It is a prison which holds people suspected of terrorist crimes. Khalid becomes a victim of the war on terror.

 In Guantanamo Bay, Khalid is constantly harassed, tortured and forced to admit to false claims. He is belittled in every way by prison officials and guards. His condition becomes quite frail and it is depression that seizes him and he beings to go crazy. But one of the most beautiful things is that even though he is in such horrendous circumstances, it is memories and subtle beautiful moments which keep him alive and hopeful such as this “It seems to Khalid that only he can see the streak of cloud with a petal shape at one end. Only he can hear the distant bird flapping its wings and singing to itself” (Perera 130).  Khalid has been locked away in Guantanamo Bay for 2 years without any charges.

            Anna Perera shows Khalid to be a generic boy and she uses this to prove that the type of brutality which Khalid faces can ultimately happen to anyone. Through her text she drills in the message that this type of injustice should be eliminated. Though this is a work of fiction it mirrors the stories of many children who were brought to Guantanamo Bay, those children whose voices are rarely remembered. Thus, through her text Anna Perera gives a voice to the plight the innocent children have suffered. She uses a present tense style of writing which is filled with intensity which is vital to convey the importance of the situation.

            One thing I really liked about her text was that it was inspired by real life experiences and for me her story resembled that of Omar Khadr’s. I felt that Khalid was an embodiment of Omar Khadr in many ways- his age and the torture he has faced and is facing. I felt that through her writing she gave a voice to Omar Khadr who is always seen as a dangerous and angry boy. Anna Perera’s story is an insight to the injustice taking place in our world and so awareness comes with responsibility, once you have read her text it is vital for you to tell other people about the injustice happening in the world  so that together we can fix the world for the better.

            Though the ending of novel is a bit too simplistic since Khalid is cleared of all of his charges and sent home, I feel that Anna Perera gives the hope that one day Guantanamo Bay will close down for good and the people who are caged there will be given a voice. Her story talks about the many injustices that innocent people are facing but moreover her story is one of optimism, hope, defending the truth,  finding ones identity, treating people with respect, forgiveness and moving on with your life and accepting everything that has happened by learning from it. One of the most brilliant passages in the text is when Khalid is coming to terms with what has happened to him and these are his first steps on the road of recovery. Khalid says, “Suddenly, he sees it’s not enough to forget. It will only be enough if he can recognize the steps he’s taken to get to this point and decide not to allow this experience to poison his life”( Perera 261).  

I leave you with Khalid’s words, if you get the chance please read this book to learn about the horrendous crimes that are happening in the world. Learn so that you can speak out and defend justice. I leave you with optimism, hope and forgiveness because after reading this book that’s what Khalid has taught me. So I leave you with the truth.

...

“It remains a fact that children have been abducted and abused and held without change in the name of justice in Guantanamo Bay and many more secret prisons around the world.”                     –Anna Perera

In all seriousness I found insidious a creepy flick mixed with fun and somewhat cliché at times. I expected that James Wan would do what he did with ‘SAW’ and break all new ground but instead he delivered a reasonable supernatural tale, one that I felt was a little flawed when you consider the talent that James has.

Compared to many other releases in the last 2 years ‘Insidious’ is the creepiest. My closest comparison for the film is: a tamed down Exorcist meets Paranormal Activity.

If you are not sure on whether or not you should go and see James Wan’s Insidious the overwhelming majority say you should! 80% of the reviewers voted that the film is worth seeing. 11% did not bother to go see it and 9% said it’s not worth seeing.

Did you see Insidious?

Every store has an E-store. There are reasons for both shopping online and shopping in-store. And, the online sales industry is booming making more money every year. Currently, it rakes in about $172 billion dollars annually in the US alone.

There are many benefits of shopping online such as customer reviews, being able to compare other store prices, convenience in accessibility, and shipping to your doorstep. Some online retailers will price match if you find a better price at another store if you call in. And most online retailers provide free shipping once you're past a minimum purchase amount.

One online retailer stands out above the rest from personal experience and that is Amazon. They have competitive rates, free shipping over $25 and extremely friendly customer service. The Canadian version of the site is lacking in terms of inventory compared to the US site, but hopefully that will change soon.

If you’ve been sceptical to shop online I would recommend it, if you’re not in an immediate rush for the item and you know what you want. And even if you prefer shopping in-store I would recommend checking out prices online for all your non-impulse buys.  There are some reasons that shopping in a store is still the better option. These include the ease of returns, trying the product beforehand and no wait time to attain the product.

Spike Lee’s 1992 film of Malcolm X (aka El-Hajj Malik El-Shabaaz) is a must see biopic. The film is on the long side at 202 minutes, but there isn’t a part of the film where one is not drawn to the screen. The acting of Denzel Washington is perfect for the part of Malcolm X and he seems very much into the role.

Malcolm X has become forgotten figure overshadowed by Black rights activists such as Nelson Mandela and Martin Luther King in the USA, schools and in the media. Though sceptics portray him as a violent and hate mongering racist leader the film aims to deconstruct that notion displaying why he said the things he did through showcasing his background story and how he reformed before his unfortunate death.  

It’s important to know the history of such an important figure and if you can be entertained while you’re at it, why not?  

I love being Muslim. 

And I love that 'love' can encompass so many different meanings and hold together tightly in unison. Saying you 'love' something is like breathing the words, 'alhumdullilah, inshAllah, mashAllah, subhanAllah' together in this tightly strung and fantastic four letter word.

Often the romantic implications of love are misused in society by lovers, friends and even family.

But when you stumble across the true meaning of love, what it really means in all its complicated and often unfathomable  intricacies you realize how blessed it is that you are a Muslim.

Because when you are a Muslim, you are willingly submissive to this way of life. And often people will say, 'oh but there are other religions that preach a way of life too!". But you see the thing is, is that Islam when studied properly- works for everyone. There's something in it for everyone, it is a way of life for everyone. No matter what time, what culture what place you are in. It just works.

And if you'd kindly notice- the only times it doesn't 'work' is when people enforce their own rules and ristrictions upon this beautiful faith and make it such that their word becomes equal to the word of God. Which of course it is not.

See, what we need to realize is that people have different opinions and that is ok. I listen to music. Music that hasn't any haraam under (or over) tones to it. Because I acknowledge that music can be used as soul food.

But does that mean I look upon my brothers and sisters who don't listen to music at all with disdain? No of course not. Because I know that that is what they think is right for themselves.

I go through life by the word of Allah, by the word of the Prophet (pbuh) and by my hearts intention. Of course I am also guided in part by the words of trusted scholars- but those are the three main things. Only we know what is in our hearts and if we feel that at the heart of matters what we are doing is not wrong but beneficial then khayr-

I am ok with that.

What isn't needed, however, is others enforcing their will upon you. No human has that right.  When writing this article I didn't think my ultimate message would be something as basic as, 'Let's just respect each other folks'. But I guess it is. Respect that everyone is different, not everyone comes from the same vein as you and that if we learn to accept these differences therein lays the solution to the human struggle.

Well, one of the human struggles anyway.

La nation musulmane a besoin d’une génération de jeunes novateurs à même de lui permettre de renouer avec son rôle émancipateur dans le concert des nations». Une magnifique citation évoquée par l'honorable Amro Khaled. J'imagine que cette personne n'est inconne à aucun de vous; un excelent pedagogue qui a su toucher beaucoup de personnes avec douceur et tendresse.
 
Ce grand monsieur s'adresse aux jeunes musulmans qui représentent les 70% de la population qui pourraient mettre leur potentiel innovateur au service de leur nation musulmane, tout en leur recomandant de s'éloigner de toutes formes d'extrémisme et de déviation et surtout de rester attachés à leur religion qu'est l'Islam.
Ses conférences et émissions sont très populaires et touchent toutes personnes, parce que tout simplemet Amr Khaled ne donne pas d' avis religieux, c'est un homme qui parle au coeurs et qui essaye de leur montrer le chemin à prendre pour aimer leur créateur, le prophète et l'Islam. Ou encore, parce qu'avec ses discours il faisait comprendre et expliquer -comme il se doit- que notre Islam n'est pas uniquement une religion basée sur les interdits et la mort, mais c'est aussi une religion pour vivre une vie meilleure dans un accord total avec soi même.
 
Ce que a fait amr Khaled n'a pas réussi à le faire les plus grands savants diplomés des grandes universités dans le monde islamique. il parle aux gens avec un coeur plein d'amour et plein de sincerité, son message atteint les coeurs, et grace à lui des millions de gens et surtout de jeunes se sont mis dans le droit chemin .De plus Amr khaled ne s'est jamais proclamé savant, à chaque fois il ne cesse de repeter qu'il ne donne pas d'avis religieux. Il fait seulement aimer la religion aux gens avec sa méthode. 
Nous remercions ALLAH de l'avoir aidé à nous éclairer, nous sommes mieux armés pour affronter la vie et défendre notre religion car nous la pratiquons de mieux en mieux chaque jours ALHAMDOLLAH.
 
Merci Monsieur Amr Khaled et que ALLAH te garde.