When I was little and all of my friends were listening to the newest Spice Girls and Backstreet Boys songs on their walkmen, I was listening to Sound Vision. This wasn’t my choice—my dad continuously tried to convince me that Dawud Wharnsby was indeed much cooler than the music everyone else was listening to. How he found out about Wharnsby, I don’t even know, but I’m glad he did.
Let’s fast forward to the present day, where I don’t have to rely on cassettes to hear what I want. Now I can go to Youtube and hear anything I want. Let’s get real though. In my humble opinion there are few things that are better than these old school tracks that I usually end up going back to.
I know a lot of people don’t listen to musical instruments, so rest assured that Wharnsby’s tracks are made of just his voice and the voices of a small choir.
Not only are his tracks pleasant to listen to, but more importantly, each one has a significant meaning. Whether it be a story about a prophet pbuh, or the city of Madina, or being thankful, each of the nasheeds leaves a lasting impression.
Some of my favourites include:
The beautiful story of Yusuf (pbuh) Full of humility Madina-tun-Nabi What did I do today
If you're looking for a gift that is totally magical and will keep all the family amused then you have found it all in the Kymera Magic Wand Remote Control!
Utterly astounding, this beautifully crafted gizmo looks like the kind of thing you might find in Diagon Alley. The difference is you use it to control your television, Sky, digibox, stereo or any other infra-red device via various abracadabra-ish gestures. Simply swish, whirl and flick to change channels, adjust volume and much more. if you are lucky enough to have remote controlled curtains, fireplace or any other appliances around the home, then the opportunities for showing off your magic wand really are limitless. Your swish really is its command.
Totally button-free, the Wand can ‘learn’ up to 13 infrared codes from your existing remote(s) and fling them into the ether when you perform one of 13 predefined gestures.
You can assign various functions to various moves: flicks to turn on and off; spins to control volume; big swishes to mute and so on. You’ll be flicking just for the fun of it. Better still, rival wizards will be unable to mess with the telly or digibox unless you show them your moves. To add to its supernatural nature, the Wand also features a ‘heartbeat’ in the form of various pulses that confirm gesture recognition and tell you when the batteries are low. It even goes into sleep mode after 60 seconds of inactivity and ‘wakes’ when you pick it up.
The Wand is set to become the remote control of choice for any gadgeteer with Potter-esque aspirations. So set aside your Muggle instincts and go totally wizard!
Here are just some of the many excellent reviews for the Kymera Magic Wand -
"It would make a perfect gift for budding wizards - if they can prise it out of their parents' hands, that is" Daily Mail
"Simply wave the kymera wand and watch in awe as the television changes channel as if by magic" The Independant
"Oh my goodness, it's brilliant" BBC
"Harry Potter fans will certainly go wild over this" Ubergizmo
"I don't know where you learned about right and wrong, but you seem to have missed a few crucial lessons." - Mrs. Weasley
"Magic is haram!" "Harry Potter? More like FITNA-POTTER!" "Harry Potter is…SHAITAIN!" "No man, I'm staying away from these books just to be safe."
And this my friends is a conversation of which I've had to partake in far too many times. Yes, I know the argument is 'I want to be careful, books have impact' etc. But really, dudes, this book has a positive impact if anything.
The final film is winding its way to movie theaters; many of you by the time of reading this have already seen the first part of Deathly Hallows. I don't think it is an end to the saga of Harry Potter in the slightest, this series will continue being wonderful, amazing and yes- magical. Some individuals seem to be hung up over the fact that the book has MAGIC! And therefore it's the scariest thing ever, because our children will turn into crazy black-magic baddies.
So I ask the question,
"Give me one kid whose gone OMG! I'm going to turn to BLACK MAGIC from now on!"
Can you?
No.
You can't.
But, I can give you plenty of children, teenagers, young adults and old people alike who have been inspired by the courage of Harry, the bond of friendships between the Trio, the wisdom imparted by Dumbledore, the bond of familial love, the true heroism in Snape's overcoming of his inner demons...
I think, honestly, those who lambaste Harry for propagating 'magic' are missing the point. The book isn't about the magic. It would be just as brilliant if Harry was a little Indian boy called 'Harbinder Pankaj' and it was his tale of going to a school for tiger tamers with his best friends Rohan Wala and Harpreet Govinda.
It's the message, what the books boil down to is Love.
"Your mother died to save you. If there is one thing Voldemort cannot understand, it is love." - Albus Dumbledore
This is one of the things that I'm amazed that passes over readers heads when they watch the movies or read the books. The emphasis that J.K. Rowling (Jo) puts on a mother's love throughout the novel from the start is what is emphasized. It is the key thing that propels the books along. It is a seemingly simple enough concept, but Jo portrays it as it should be: fraught with the difficulties of having it, lacking it, wanting it and not understanding it. Harry's very existence is defined by love- the fact that the reason why Voldemort couldn't kill him with the ultimate, scary, omg-no-one-has-ever-survived-it-before death curse was that his Mother died to save him and continued to protect him all his life.
Dude, I mean- come on can I get a SubhanAllah?
All of the Mother characters in the novel are incredibly portrayed, they are strong and willing to go the distance for their children. Jo, being a single mother herself, understands that love that is so often overlooked in society today. Molly Weasley, the Weasley Matriarch, is one of these key mother figures. Further we have Narcissa Malfoy, by all accounts a 'bad character' but made good in our eyes when she risks life and limb for the protection of her son, Draco.
And then we have Voldemort, who by all accounts is evil. Why? Well that's a whole other debate, but it can be boiled down to the lack of love he had in his life and his disregard for his own mother who died giving birth to him. He is vilified by the very fact that he isn't able (rather, willing)to love.
“That which Voldemort does not value, he takes no trouble to comprehend. Of house-elves and children's tales, of love, loyalty, and innocence, Voldemort knows and understands nothing. Nothing. That they all have a power beyond his own, a power beyond the reach of any magic, is a truth he has never grasped.” - Albus Dumbledore
So here you have it; what the books are about. The value of a deep familial love and how this is the only 'true magic' and the strongest.
As a Muslim, I'd love to have my future children read this. I'd want any kid to read this. We don't have enough of this in a culture so fraught with the nonsensical idealizations of romantic love, 'motherly love' has fallen by the wayside. When I see mothers disregarded in a culture that only purports sexuality and hedonism, I see Harry Potter standing as one of the only pop culture icons that is against that. That tells young people to love your family, love your mother because there is no one on this earth who will love you more- and to not just love them, but to respect them.
Of course, of course, we are taught this in Islam. Motherly love is so important in Islam that one of the gravest sins a Muslim can commit is to not come to their parents when they are called by them. And yes, I am very well aware of the fact that J.K. Rowling is not a Muslim. But you can not deny that her books are positive and that they can be read by Muslims as a means of of finding a positive modern day role model and for reinforcing values that have been left by the wayside.
There is so much more to these books, it really hurts me when Muslims tell me that it's haram. That they're staying away from it just to be 'safe'. To me that is simply willful ignorance. I mean, when we have a new generation emerging who have idiots like Ke$ha and Miley Cyrus as role models, why wouldn't you want to take them away from that and introduce them to a more positive side of pop culture? A side that is in line with Islamic values? Harry Potter is not about the magic of wand waving, it's about the magic of the heart. “Tell me one last thing,” said Harry. “Is this real? Or has this been happening inside my head?”
“Of course it is happening inside your head, Harry, but why on earth should that mean that it is not real?”
I’ve done a review before of G.HOST a virtual computer where one could save files and have a desktop that could be viewed on any computer via the internet and an internet browser. After further use I found it to egregious to upload and use a slower desktop on the net and it eventually went under.
But, wait the dream isn’t over. It actually got way better. Introducing Dropbox! It’s a tiny application that creates a folder on your computer and backs up whatever you put in it online. When you download this application to another computer you use the same folder appears on that computer with what you had already put on it. So, now all you have to do is save to that folder for it to be easily accessible on all computers you use Mac or Windows! But, wait there’s more you can access all subfolders and files by visiting dropbox.com and signing in for those computers you use but don’t own. Life really can be this easy. Sign up and check it out. Chances are you’ll love this virtual USB drive.
If you sign-up using the link below both you and I get an extra 250MBs of space! You initially start off with 2GBs.
“There are times when silence is louder than any voice” (Kamara)
The Bite of the Mangois a remarkable story of a 12 year old girl named Mariatu Kamara who was living peacefully in a rural village in Sierre Leone with her family and friends before the rebel soldiers invaded her life and destroyed everything she once knew. Her story deals with the most brutal 20th century civil war in Sierra Leone. A coming of age novel, it’s written in a simple first person perspective as her story deals with loss, sadness, letting go, acceptance and ultimately the path to recovery.
Mariatu’s narrative starts when she describes her day to day life before the rebels attacked her village; she describes some beautiful memories she has of her childhood. Her everyday life comes to a halt when there is a rumour that rebel soldiers are making their way to her village. Mariatu and her family decide to flee to another village to seek safe haven form the bloodthirsty rebel soldiers. But Mariatu and some of her family are captured by rebel soldiers as they make their way to the second village. The rebel soldiers kill members of her family in front of her and she knows that she must be next to die. But surprisingly, the rebels decide not to kill her but rather amputate her hands, it is here that Mariatu describes the horrifying and disrobing details as to how her hands were cut off. She pleads with the child soldiers who have been drugged and created into vicious monsters. The following is the dialogue she has with a rebel child soldier:
“If you are going to chop off my hands, please just kill me,” I begged them.
“We’re not going to kill you,” one boy replied. “We want you to go to the president and show him hat we did to you. You won’t be able to vote for him now. Ask the president to give you new hands” (Kamara 40).
“As my mind went dark, I remember asking myself: “What is a president?” ( Kamara 41).
The rebel soldiers were amputating people’s hands, legs, arms and ears to display their frustration at the government whom they accused of being corrupt and not helping its people. Thus, by cutting off people’s hands the logic they derived at was that these people would no longer be able to vote for the same president, thus he would be overthrown. This amputation was a sign of their protest against the government.
Mariatu’s horrifying encounter with the rebels is similar to the other 20,000 civilians who have had their body parts amputated. After the rebels amputated her hands she ran away in search of some form of safety and it was while she came to a village that she was offered a mango and she learned of her grim reality- she no longer had hands. She was taken to a hospital by a woman from a village and she spent a lot of time at this hospital. She was then taken to a refugee camp where she reunited with some of her family members. Through this time she constantly fought extreme cases of depression and many times contemplated and attempted to kill herself, but was watched closely by family members. In the refugee camp she joined a theatre troupe, who put on shows to display Sierra Leones problems. It was through this group that she began to deal with her depression. In the refugee group, she met a Canadian journalist who decided to sponsor her to Canada. Mariatu Kamara now lives in Toronto, with a Sierra Leonean family.
Mariatu doesn’t hold any grudges against the rebel soldiers because she has come to understand that like her they too are victims of the war, she says, “At first I felt only anger: I wanted those four boys dead. But the anger made me sick, and over time I saw that taking a life was not the solution. They were kids, like me who’d got caught up in something beyond their control” (Kamara 197). Her text starts with a child like innocent tone which later as her narrative progresses transforms into a mature tone- one of understanding and great insight. Her narrative screams hope, love, understanding, letting go and saying goodbye. Mariatu is a voice of courage and her raw compelling passion is vivid in her narrative. Mariatu is such a brave heroine because she has agreed to share her story with the world which is one of the most heroic things one can do as it is stories and words which make us understand, accept and ultimately it is stories which heal us. Mariatu comes to a realization which is that she that has been given a chance to change the condition of her people. Mariatu says at the end of her book, “Something in me had changed. I knew now that I could look forward andback-without any regrets at the same time” (Kamara 212). This is her road to recovery.
I met Mariatu Kamara two years ago when she came to my high school to promote her book. She is an amazing person, having gone through so many hardships she is able to tell her story and hold herself together with such great poise. Although she is at times shy and concerned with the way people perceive her, it is through telling people her story that she is bring about change. Mariatu says, “I will speak for all the people of Sierra Leone who are not being heard” (Kamara 212).
Mariatu Kamara is a very inspirational person. I believe she is a vessel of hope and optimism. Mariatu is a proof that even in the grimmest times one can change the world for the better with their actions and that is why Mariatu Kamara is a hero, because as Maya Angelou says, “I think a hero is any person really intent on making this a better place for all people.” I encourage everyone to read this book!
If you are still in high school, chances are you've heard of this new series. Now, while I like to impress my fellow English students with big thick novels that were published when men still wore leggings, and flogging was an acceptable means of justice, I do love a good old adventure novel.
From the inner flap: In the ruins of a place once known as North America lies the nation of Panem, a shining Capitol surrounded by twelve outlying districts. The capitol is hard and cruel and keeps the districts in line by forcing them all to send one boy and one girl between the ages of twelve and eighteen to participate in the annual Hunger Games, a fight to the death on live TV.
Sixteen-year-old Katniss Everdeen, who lives alone with her mother and younger sister, regards it as a death sentence when she steps forward to take her sister's place in the Games. But Katniss has been close to dead before- and survival, for her, is second nature. Without really meaning to, she becomes a contender. But if she is to win, she will have start making choices that weigh survival against humanity and life against love.
After alotof prodding from a friend to read the book, I finally gave in…. I read it in one night. A feat I have not achieved since reading the last Harry Potter book.
The Hunger Games has something to offer everyone. Teenage readers can appreciate the action, adventure and romance. However, older readers will enjoy the conflicted and damaged characters in the novel, the subtle (and, admittedly, obvious) overtones of disestablishmentarianism, references to present day land occupation and echoes of war crimes.
Katniss is a rare breed of heroine in today's teen literature. She isn't pretty, graceful or feminine or perfect. She doesn't spend too much time mooning over men, either. She is gritty, determined and is often thrown into incredibly complex and interesting human and ethical dilemmas to achieve her goals. She is by no stretch of the imagination a good character, nor is she a bad character. She makes plenty of mistakes, but as readers you appreciate them. In Katniss we see, not ourselves, but an allegory for the lengths humanity will go to when all is taken away from them. I loved her as a character, though at times her narrative felt heavy she always progressed the story on with a realistic fervour.
The book is very much a social and political commentary packaged for teenagers. The people of the Capitol are extremely wealthy, arrogant and ignorant. However, the people who live in the outlying districts are starving, poor and are forced to work for goods that support residents of the Capitol's lifestyle. It's an extreme and localized parallel of what we experience in the world today, what with huge poverty gaps and extreme poverty prevalent today.
Collins stands out from her lambasted contemporaries, she has a strong voice and isn't afraid to deal with gritty issues that some of us find disturbing. Young people killing each other, extreme hunger and loss of humanity to just name a few. From an Islamic perspective, this book has a lot of merit for young readers. It teaches the basics of war and poverty, the problem with corporations and nuclear warfare in a way that both alienates and familiarizes the reader. It's an excellent crash course in world politics. As young Muslims, it’s incredibly important to be aware and gain an understanding and empathize with world issues. We need to strive to make the world a better place, and the starting point of spurring change is to create empathy for our fellow human being.
I'm glad that in an era where Twilight mania has gripped the nation, a book like this is capturing the minds of thousands of young people. While I do strongly recommend this book, I wouldn't recommend it for those of you who dislike reading about gory violence and murder.
Enjoy reading!
Ma'Salaam, Zainab
P.S. have any books you'd like me to review? Email me!
I can hear you now, "But Zainab! It's just a book! It's just for pure fun and enjoyment, it's not like I'm internalizing it!" . Well to you all I have to say is, books have a huge power over individuals. They can dissuade, assuage, and persuade; you can not deny the power of the book. We all are, after all, People of the Book. I'm not comparing the Qu'ran to such trash as the Twilight series, but I am acknowledging that all books contain within them the power to influence minds. Especially young minds.
Ah Twilight, where to start with you? I came across the novel through a recommendation from a friend when I was 14. Five, glorious, years ago. Initially, I was daunted by the size. But I ate it up. And the others after that. And after each one I was left in an almost dream like state. Every time I thought about Edward and Bella, about Jacob or Carlisle..oh! My heart would sing and I kid you not my pulse quickened. Everything about Twilight was perfect. I was convinced that I wanted a man like Edward. One who'd creep into my bedroom at night, who'd prevent me from doing what I wanted, who was just so gorgeous. And Bella! Why she was the perfect heroine, I could slip easily into her skin! I was fair skinned and dark haired, and she had no apparent personality so I could just impose my own on hers. It was perfect!
Then, Breaking Dawn came out. By this time I was in my first year of university and had forgotten the Twlight series (the horror! I know, I know!). Then I saw it on sale and thought, eh, what the hey I'll buy it, Biggest. Waste. Of. Money. Ever.
I'm not sure what happened to me from when I was 14 to 18, but apparently I had gotten what my mum likes to refer to as, common sense. I read the book and was immediately creeped out, disgusted and over all felt light-headed for entirely different reasons. I actually liked this? I thought to myself. I didn't even finish the book, just skimmed the final chapters.
I look up at the book now, sitting between my Christie and Taylor novels (much better fare for your brain, if you ask me). I'm glaring at it balefully. Why? Because this piece of garbage has brainwashed an entire generation of girls. My 12-year-old sister included. What is it about twilight I hate so much?
Well, allow me to list my grievenences (I could possibly have more than 99, but I'll only include the ones that don't involve swearing).
1.Bella Swan is a dangerous role model
Bella Swan, is perfect in every way besides the fact that she is oh so adorably clumsy. Moreover, any decision she makes on her own is immediately overruled by the men in her life. Time and time again, she is put in her place and told what is what by either Edward, Jacob or Charlie (her dad).
Bella also is the model of the perfect house wife. All she seems to do is cook, clean and be in love with Edward. She even forgoes her university education just so she can be a mother and wife to Edward and her daughter.
Now there isn't anything wrong with being a mother or a wife, but the way Meyer paints it, it seems that this is the only viable option for Bella. Similarly all the other women in the twilight series assume this singular housewife role. Teaching young girls that there is no point in going to University if you find the man of your dreams? That is dangerous. Young girls need to be taught that they have options and choices and that their life should never ever be determined by a man.
2.Edward needs a restraining order
Strange guy who doesn't talk to anyone outside of his family, creeps into girls bedroom to watch her sleep at night. Then proceeds to woo said girl by threatening her, then bringing her back. Forces girl to cut off relations with all friends, aside from the ones he choose for her. Leaves girl for a long spell, and she is in such a state she literally can not operate without him in her life. Then proceeds to fail to tell her that having sex with him can lead too demon offspring that will eat their way out of their mother's belly.
Right.
What a dreamboat.
3."Delusional, delusional, delusional." - Emerson Spartz, Mugglenet.com founder and webmaster.
Ok, so Emerson is referring to Harry/Hermione fans. But I'm certain he'd use the same term for the majority of Twlight fans. I have had encounters with some of the more extreme ones (and wisely kept my mouth shut), some of my own friends are twilight fans and cite it as a mere past time. That’s fine and all, they are well-adjusted and confident individuals who know that sparkly vampire boys are fiction not fact. What about the myriad of young girls like my sister? Or older women with self-esteem issues and an unhappy marriage? They are being fed this nonsense and I really fear for this generation. Twilight has, in my opinion, absolutely no redeemable values. In my mind, it is the equivalent of trash television. It is not well written, its message is poor and worst of all its enraptured millions of minds.
To me what is most dangerous is that the bad qualities that I have pointed out in both Bella and Edward are not glossed over, these qualities are encouraged in people. For women to be frail Stepford-esque housewives, and for men to be creepy stalkers. The language of romance has been utterly disregarded, there is no merit in this novel.
As Muslims, we should read all kinds of literature, not just exclusively Islamic literature. But the literature should be of some merit, go out and read Kipling, Rowling, Said, Bhaba! The Twilight series offers no intellectual merit, dear readers, it is the equivalent of toilet paper bound up in a glossy cover. If you have a copy lying around, and you're out of toilet paper- well you know what to do.
The most perfect role model for any of us is Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). He was sent to us as “a mercy for mankind” (Quran, 21:107). Through his example, we learn how to live our lives, alhamdulillah (praise be to Allah). As such, it is important for us to study him; to learn about his life and draw lessons from it so we know how to apply them to our own.
Of course, the best thing to do for this is to read the Quran or Hadith. I would also suggest reading a biography of the Prophet, peace be upon him.
Out of the biographies that I’ve read of him, my favourite is Muhammad (peace be upon him) by Martin Lings for a number of reasons.
First of all, Lings cites the Quran and Hadith every time he makes an assertion about the Prophet (peace be upon him)’s life. As such, there is evidence behind all of the statements Lings makes.
Second of all, Lings storytelling skills are above par; the reader is hooked from the first page. The following excerpt is about the conversion of Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) and is a great example of Lings’ captivating writing style:
There was no question of 'Umar's keeping his Islam secret. He wished to tell everyone, in particular those who were most hostile to the Prophet. In after years he used to say: "When I entered Islam that night, I thought to myself: Which of the people in Mecca is the most violent in enmity against God's Messenger, that I may go to him and tell him I have become a Muslim? My answer was: Abu Jahl. So the next morning I went and knocked at his door, and Abu Jahl came out and said: "The best of welcomes to my sister's son! What hath brought thee here?" I answered: "I came to testify to the truth of that which he hath brought." "God curse thee!" he said, "and may His curse be on the tidings thou hast brought!" Then he slammed the door in my face."
Also, not only does Lings write about the life of the Prophet (peace be upon him), but he also writes about the history of his ancestors from before he was born, and his descendents after he passed away. He also discusses religion before and after the life of the Prophet (peace be upon him).
As such, for anyone who hasn’t read this biography yet, I would strongly suggest that you pick up a copy and start reading!
Meet Balram Halwai, alias Munna, the protagonist in Aravind Adiga’s novel, The White Tiger. He is an entrepreneur, who grew up as a lowly villager and the son of a poor rickshaw-driver. When Balram finds out that the Premier of the State Council for China, Wen Jiabao, is visiting India to meet Indian entrepreneurs and hear their success stories, he takes it upon himself to write a series of letters to Jiabao to explain his own entrepreneurial success story and describe an India that is often glossed over, one that is seething with corruption.
Balram shares his reflections on society with Jiabao throughout the book, making readers reflect on issues that they would normally overlook. The following is one of Balram’s observations of society:
“The dreams of the rich, and the dreams of the poor—they never overlap, do they? See, the poor dream all their lives of getting enough to eat and looking like the rich. And what do the rich dream of? Losing weight and looking like the poor.”
Although this is a fictional novel, the story is realistic, as it describes the plight of many lower-class Indians who are trying to make a living. It goes beyond the India portrayed in most Bollywood movies, and takes more of a Slumdog Millionaire approach in bringing issues such as political corruption, poverty, education, ethics, and religion to light.
I would recommend this novel to anyone who is willing to learn about India and society at large through the eyes of a lower-class boy who strives to make a good life for himself despite the odds.
When you’re about to begin to do something that you’ll be doing regularly, for a long period of time (possibly the rest of your life) it usually follows that you’ll need some lessons on how to do it. Take driving for example. No one would ever get behind a wheel and just go- no matter how many people they’ve seen drive. There are rules to be followed, and while much of your learning will happen on the road, you have to start off with a basic understanding of these rules first. Many people will also take driving classes.
Similarly, when you get married, you intend to be married for the rest of your life, inshAllah. It’s not something you just do once and then live in bliss. Being married is a constant effort which, like driving, requires one to know the rules of the road and to obey those rules to the best of their ability. No one should jump into marriage thinking that having seen others who are married and how they live is sufficient.
Sunnipath.com, a website dedicated to making Islamic knowledge more widely available, offers a two-part course called The Successful Islamic Marriage. The first part of the course carries you through the most pressing concerns around marriage in the west today. Firstly, who should you marry and why? As the course progresses, students are taught their own rights in marriage(as the husband/wife), the rights of their spouses and how to deal with problems that commonly face married couples. The course teaches the fiqh of marriage in Islam, including important issues like separation and divorce.
It is taught online through a series of recorded lessons and live sessions for discussion purposes. The Ustadha, Hedaya Hartford, is also the author of books Initiating and Upholding an Islamic Marriage and Your Islamic Marriage Contract, which are included in the required readings for the class.
I highly recommend taking this course. Whether you’re already married, looking to get married or just interested in learning what an Islamic marriage should be made of, this course is a fun, interactive and easy way to start. May Allah SWT give you the tawfiq, ameen.
*Opinions presented in the articles may not reflect the opinions held by Keeping it Halal. They are the opinions of the author. *No content may be reproduced or altered without the express written permission of the KIH executive body.
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