Growing up as a Muslim in today’s society is particularly difficult, especially in non-Muslim countries. I was once a teenager not too long ago and I do understand the trials one has to go through when going to public high schools. I am not going to write about “how to go through high school with no sins”; you and I, we all know that is practically impossible. The problems all of a sudden do not come to a halt as soon as you graduate high school and go off to College, University, Work (or whatever you decide to do), they just keep getting bigger.

When someone asks the general group of students, “What is the main problem with youngsters of today, in an Islam understanding?” – What are the most common answers?

-Girls/Boys/Dating
-Music
-Drugs
-Alcohol
-Clubs/Parties
-Clothes/Beards
-etc…

These are probably the most common answers anyone will ever get, but are these the actual problems? They are really not, they are all the result of a bigger problem: weaknesses in one’s imaan. I am not implying that my imaan is on spot, definitely not! Everyone has problems in their imaan, your imaan fluctuates; protecting it from the lowest levels is what matters. And Allaah subhana wa t’Alaa made it so easy for us, the only one thing that literally takes you out of the folds of Islaam is shirk.

Why do we become so vulnerable to the life of this dunya when we know it is the shortest travel of our lives? As Allaah azza wa jal stated in the Qur’aan, Surah Al-Baqarah Ayah 86:

Those are the ones who have bought the life of this world [in exchange] for the Hereafter, so the punishment will not be lightened for them, nor will they be aided.

We know what is to come after but yet we cave in to the short pleasures of this world acknowledging the haram that accompanies it. The dreamland, which is this life has successfully kept us hypnotized with all the shiny glittery stuff handed straight to us and with Shaytaan’s deceitful whispering in our ears constantly – do we forget that other voice we hear telling us to go against those deceitful word. That other voice is the helping voice given to us by our Rabb; He appointed everyone an angel who whispers good when the Shayateen whisper bad.

Why were we created? The answer to that question is what puts everything in perspective, and Allaah subhana wa t’Alaa clearly and explicitly states the purpse in the Qur’aan,  Surah Adh-Dhariyaat, Ayah 56:

And I did not create the jinn and mankind except to worship Me.

It does not get clearer than that. This does not imply that Allaah expects you to pray 24/7 – there are millions and millions of forms of worship. The easiest and most pleasing one is doing everything for the sake of Allaah alone. Keeping your intentions cleaned and renewing them.

This life is not everything; in fact it is nothing. Anything in this life that takes us away from our main purpose of life is bad for our imaan, and whatever brings us to our purpose of life is good.

Build your relationship with Allaah, learn about His deen – because, how do you possibly build a relationship with someone if you do not know anything about them?

If it was not enough for Bin Laden to be found in Pakistan, Pakistan itself keeps getting attacked by its own people. On Sunday, May 22nd, 2011, Pakistan’s Naval Base (Mehran Naval Air Base) was bombarded with attacks with armed men who were able to destroy two P-3C Orion Helicopters within just a matter of few minutes. What does the International community think about this? The fact that the base which is responsible for keeping the country safe is so easily penetrable, then where do the citizens of that country feel safe?

Obviously, for those who were watching this happen in action live on TV, noticed that the initial reaction of the Pakistani Navy was just mere flabbergasted-ness; which did give the attackers a more head start then that of which had already been gained.

The Pakistani Navy has assured time and time again after this terrorist attack that most of the attackers were caught, dead or alive; the one’s which they have alive, the Navy did not release a number of how many, will be brought to justice.

P-3C Orion Helicopters are the Navy’s eyes and ears, one of their most prized possessions. The fact of the matter stands that the attackers went straight for the Helicopters primarily and then started destroying the rest of the naval base. The aircrafts that were destroyed were “gifts” from the US military to Pakistan in June 2010; Pakistan will be receiving eight more by 2012.

There are two guesses as to who this can be:

1.       Taliban

2.       India

Whoever it may be did hit a main target.                                                             

Philanthropist: an individual who seeks to helping out in charitable ways; especially in the way of generous donations of money to causes that will help the greater good. Who qualifies as a philanthropist? Who decides that someone can qualify as a philanthropist? Is it a universal decision? Or do some certain people decide that someone is a philanthropist? Of course, you and I can agree that being beneficial via charitable means is an honor also if the personnel is aiding the education system. The education system, especially something so grand as post-secondary education, should have an organized curriculum that would be of use to a society in the near future by providing well-educated and informed students who are ready to make a change in the world for the greater good.But then why are educational systems turning into corporate takeovers?  Surely, a school as esteemed as the University of Toronto would never allow something like this to happen on their watch… What? … They have? The “Munk Centre of Global Affairs”? Peter Munk, is the president and owner of Barrick Gold Mining Corp, the largest mining company in Canada and one of the biggest in the world; with 11 locations in North America, 6 in South America, 1 in Asia, 5 in Africa and 6 in Australia Pacific – which makes it 29 mining locations all over the world. Also take this in:
          -approximately 140 million ounces of proven and probable gold reserves
          -6.5 billion pounds of copper reserves
          -1.07 billion ounces of silver
Don’t believe me? Check it out on the official website:

http://www.barrick.com/GlobalOperations/default.aspx.

Which obviously meant that Mr. Munk has a lot of money to throw around; so he decided to throw some towards UofT – with conditions of his own. There has been a lot of debate occurring at the University in accordance to Munk’s association to the school now. Many conflicts revolve around this donation.

Munk donated $35 Million, which will be donated over an extended period of time. Munk wants his own say with what will be taught in the school and wants “to discuss the programs, activities and initiatives of the School in greater detail.” Basically, what Munk wants to be taught at the school will be taught otherwise there maybe consequences, such as withholding the donation money.

Munk’s mining corporation is accused of human rights violations, labour violations and environmental devastation. Gold mining itself is known to be the most environmentally damaging industry in of itself; they use cyanide and other such harmful chemicals which have connections to diseases, it contaminates the water and disturbs wildlife. Not only this, but destruction of many unspoken villages and displacement of communities, killings of anti-mining activists and destruction of agriculture.

Students are worried about what kind of influence this man will have on the teaching of such an intricate subject of Global Affairs. These factors concerning Munk are shocking, will it actually have an effect on the academia at UofT?

Tehniat Khan likes to be referred to as "Tehn Khn," but KIH did not allow her to do so - which is fine by her. 

Tehniat is acquiring an Honours Degree at York University double majoring in Psychology and Fine Arts. She began writing around the age of 13; loose narrative articles and began painting in Grade 9. Tehniat was not even aware of the fact that she was capable of painting till her Grade 9 art teacher pushed her. She is very thankful to Allaah for showing her this because these are the areas in life where she finds it the easiest to be herself.  Alhamdulillah.  

P.S. If you want to find her on Facebook (since that is what everyone does now) it is under "Tehn Khn".

“The burqa is not a religious symbol it is a sign of enslavement. I want to say this solemnly, the burqa will not be welcome on the territory of the French Republic. We cannot accept in our country women imprisoned behind the mask deprived of all social life of their identity,” Nicolas Sarkozy.

When the ban against niqaab first came forth; I was personally in a state of shock. Did this actually happen? How could this have happened? This is not for real, they will probably just uplift it by tomorrow night. And I believe that I was not the only person to be shocked by this; maybe this is why so many are having such a late reaction to it. I do not know what happened to finally make this hit me - and why do we just get over it and move on? This is not something small, this effects all Muslims.

Non-Muslim men were fighting against Muslim men because Muslim men are the one's who are looked upon as the oppressor's and oppressing Muslim women; now the ironic part of that statement now has become that non-Muslim men are oppressing Muslim women.

Maybe it was the ignorant Feminist groups speaking up against niqaab; they truly are ignorant. Feminist groups can speak up for a woman being the sole decision maker when it comes to abortions, due to the fact that it is HER BODY thus she should have right to it. Then how dare they speak against another woman’s right over her own body.

Or maybe it was the picture I saw of a niqaabi sister who had the courage to walk out in public with her niqaab on after the ban was implemented, being grabbed by a bunch of men. How dare they touch her?! Seeing that picture enrages me! What are my sisters in France doing that is so reprehensive that these strange men believed it was their duty to grab her and force her into a police car?

Injustice.

It boils me inside knowing that the government of France has taken away the right of a Muslim woman to wear a niqaab. The “Feminist” groups in Europe are arguing against the veil because covering up should not have to be a symbol of piety. Of course it is a symbol of piety! It is also a symbol of modesty and chastity; I believe many people may argue against me if I state this, BUT did The Prophet(sal Allahu alayhi wasalaam)'s wives not wear it? Is anyone going to argue with the Roman Catholic nuns and tell them not to cover themselves? Or would they rather argue with the Orthodox Jewish women?

Another thing that really confuses and frustrates me is, why are their "Muslims" who are pro this ban? With all due respect, but what happen to ONE ummah? Subhan'Allaah.. Did you not read the Qur'aan and the beautiful words of Allaah Ar-Rahmaan in His book? 

It is clear that the ban on niqaab is not in particular about the niqaab. How about talking about the real issue at hand; the real issue at hand is Islamophobia. This is a blatant attack on Islam administered by a government which calls their country “Democratic.” It was a cheap and disgusting shot.

It was done through a group of white men in their nicely ironed suits attacking a bunch of women in a minority group within that country; on a matter which they know little to nothing about.

A woman’s wardrobe is no place for any strange man to speak of. Ahlie Bro?

Men will allow women to walk the streets naked but if she wants to cover herself up then they have a problem and feel that she is oppressed. Why is it that these people only see Muslim women as oppressed or imprisoned by their husband? When she tells these people that she decides to cover through her own reasoning, then they believe she is an extremist or that there is something wrong with her state of mind!

If they want to be real, let us talk about all these other REAL issues occurring that should have much more precedence than a niqaab:

Am I the only one that finds this ban ridiculous? 

What are they going to ban next? Muslim men growing beards? 

May Allaah azza wa'jal make it easier on my sisters in France. May He, As-Salaam and Al-Muhaymin, ease their pain and hardships; give them the courage to stand against this preposturous ban which has absolutely no solid base. May Allah, Al-Jabbar, show the ignorant and transgressive ones the wrong that they have implemented on innocent lives.

May, Al-Qadir, unite the ummah and may Al-Ghafoor forgive our sins.

Ameen!

For Al-Haqq will always bring forth the truth. And Al-Fattaah will open another door for the troubled Muslims. 

I would like to end off with these three verses from the Kitaab of Al-Hakim:

"...Allah intends for you ease and does not intend for you hardship..." [2:185].

"And whoever fears Allah - He will make for him of his matter ease." [65:5].

"...Allah will bring about, after hardship, ease." [65:7]