I have a problem. I love to bake. And when I get an impulse to bake something it is almost impossible to shake it. Now, the problem is, since I bake so much I often run out of staples (butter, eggs). So this leads to frantic internet searches for substitutions and alternate recipes. Sometimes these turn out to be total flops. Other times they actually turn out good enough to make again (butter-less, egg-less, oatmeal raisin cookies anyone?). But never in a million years did I think that one of these frantic searches for lack of ingredients on hand would lead me to my perfect chocolate chip cookie recipe.

In the years I’ve been cooking, I’ve tried many many chocolate chip cookie recipes in search of “the one.” I tried refrigerating the dough, using pudding in the mix, changing the oven temperatures, but they were never just right. The pudding one tasted too much like vanilla. Others were too cakey, some were hard as rocks, others didn’t keep well. I had almost given up until I stumbled on this recipe two years ago.

Now I know that everyone has their preferences when it comes to chocolate chip cookies but to me this cookie is perfect. For starters from start to finish it takes less than 30 mins. Second, it doesn’t require any fancy ingredients, just what you would normally have on hand. And most importantly it has the right texture. It’s not thick but it’s also not paper thin. The edges have a slight crunch to them without the cookie being dry. And the inside? The inside is a perfect combination of ooey gooey chewy goodness. I mean, how can you go wrong with a recipe that calls for just as much chocolate as it does flour??

Ingredients:

• ½ cup butter
• ½ cup packed brown sugar
• 1/3 cup granulated sugar
• ½ tsp vanilla
• 3 tbsp water
• 1 cup flour
• ¾ tsp baking soda
• 1/3 tsp salt
• 1 cup chocolate chips
• ½ cup nuts (optional)

Preparation

1. Heat oven to 300 degrees
2. Beat softened butter and sugars until well blended
3. Add in vanilla and water and mix until smooth
4. Mix baking soda and salt into flour and incorporate into butter mixture
5. Stir in chocolate chips and nuts (if using)
6. Drop dough by tablespoons full onto baking dish 2 inches apart.
7. Bake in preheated oven for 14 minutes or until the edges begin to brown. (If you’ll notice in the pictures above the bottom and edges are barely browned. If you over bake you will end p with a delicious cookie that is crispy all the way through.
8. Allow to cool slightly on baking sheet and enjoy!

Recipe originally from myrecipes.com.

By Sarah Hassaine-Nadoona Exercise Consultant

“What do you want to do?”

“I don’t know, what are you thinking?”

“We can grab dinner or dessert?”

“Yeah let’s do dinner and then grab coffee or something?”

“Ok, cool.”

And so it goes right?

I think we all have this conversation at least once a week while coordinating a social outing with a friend. It can be on the phone, via email, chat or text.  Doesn’t matter the medium – the end result tends to be the same.

My goal in the next few minutes as you read this article is to hopefully change the outcome of this conversation, at least occasionally.

Culturally, our social and family lives tend to revolve around food.  When we reunite with family and friends it’s always around a meal.  It’s what brings people together.  Globally this is the case, families and friends gather for dinner and sit for two to three hours just talking, sharing stories, and eating.  Our social lives are dictated around meal times. The Prophet peace be upon him taught us that there is blessing in eating together, but we’ve taken things to a whole new level!

Below are the most popular options that we consider when meeting up with a friend:

-          Dinner and a Movie

-          Dessert and a Movie

-          Dinner and Dessert

-          Dessert

-          Mall and Lunch and Coffee

-          Mall and Coffee

-          Mall and Dinner and Coffee

I think you see the trend!

Essentially my main concern here is that our friends and our choices can lead to weight gain because our choices tend to revolve around food.  Our families and friends can make us “fat”/”fatter.” And of course, eating out all the time is not the healthiest of options.  Food outside the home tends to be higher in calories, in sodium, and in fat, making a healthy life style more challenging to achieve.  It is essential to recognize that we are greatly affected by the people we surround ourselves with.

Picture this: You are an avid and dedicated smoker and all your friends smoke.  You want to quit. You decide to quit.  However you stick to it throughout the week but as soon as you get together with your friends and they all light up their cigarettes, you cave in.  It is hard to be the odd man out and the desire is just too strong.  One puff and you feel great again, and then the guilt of caving into a cigarette washes over you and you console yourself that you will “quit next week” and resume lighting up.

The exact same scenario can be applied to healthy eating and to maintaining a balanced lifestyle.

I have had many clients that have told me it’s hard to not eat in certain settings due to the comments people make.  One woman relayed that everyone at her office grabbed fast food every day for lunch together and so she would feel left out if she did not go with them.  When she started bringing her own lunch, they all attacked her for “trying to be healthy” and teased her food choices.  This was real distressing and she could not stick to her regimen for a long time.

This is often the case: donuts at work, candy jars in the reception area, company birthdays and lunches; and then with friends, an occasion to hang out and splurge – there is always a party or invite of some sort. It is said that people can gain up to 15 pounds a year due to food available at work.

We face a lot of temptation on a daily basis and the will that needs to be in place to withstand all the options has to be very defined and sure of its conviction.  It is never easy when you are a guest in someone’s home and they keep piling more food on your plate and you “have” to eat it because its rude not to.  Or when all your friends are grabbing dessert at the Cheesecake Factory and that White Chocolate Raspberry has your name on it too. Or when all your friends are ordering the Penne Bolognese and suddenly that Asian Chopped Salad no longer seems appetizing.

Psychologically, we push what we may want, or know we may need, out the window for another day.

But why?

There is no better time than the present to withstand the pressures. The temptations will always be there – the hope is that your inner strength will become laden with a set conviction of what you do need. Once you stand for it, you will feel stronger and better about yourself.

While being different amongst your family and friends is hard, the satisfaction you will feel for standing up for yourself and for your needs will outweigh the momentary bliss that sets in when you cave in for the food item you ordered/ate while with them.  In the end, you will be respected for standing up for yourself.  If people do make comments – it is often out of jealousy, admiration or their own insecurities.  At the end of the day, true friends and loved ones will support your choices no matter what.  You just need to respect yourself.

Here are some options to consider when planning to see a friend that span outside the options of just food:

-          Walk in a park

-          Walk in a museum

-          Walk on the beach/river/body of water

-          Do an exercise or yoga video together

-          Go take an exercise class together or go to the gym together

-          Take a dance class

-          Walk and shop (shopping burns calories! Yeah!)

-          Bake and cook together (a lean, healthy meal of course )

When ordering at a restaurant/café with friends, try to stay away from:

-          Anything creamy and cheesy

-          Thick dressings (stick to vinegars or just olive oil and vinegar)

-          Red meats

-          Fried foods

-          Free bread and chips that are endless and free at the beginning of your meal

-          Ordering an appetizer and a big meal

-          Finishing your plate if it is too much food  – get a to-go box (you can even ask the waiter to box half your meal and bring you the rest so you’re not tempted to eat the whole plate)

-          Butter sauces

-          Rich desserts (hey I am a girl – I love dessert, order something light and split with friends!)

Fun Nadoona Fact: The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “Food for one is enough for two and food for two is enough for three and food for three is enough for four.” [Ahmad, At-Tirmidhi, An-Nasaa'I, Ibn Majah – Hadith sahih]

-          Thick white processed breads (ask for whole wheat)

-          Creamy drinks (get tea and add milk)

-          Condensed or evaporated milk

-          Soda!

If you take away one thing from this article – it’s this: your friends and family can make you fat, but you are in charge of letting that happen.  Temptations will always be there but how you face them can be a determining factor on your health and active lifestyle.  Your challenge is how you answer this question the next time you are planning to meet up with a friend: “So what do you want to do?” You got this!

Lasagna appears to require a lot of time and hard work but in reality a lot of the components can be made ahead and it can easily be doubled to make an extra meal. One pan of lasagna usually serves us for 2 meals so what I like to do is double up on the ingredients and make a second pan at the same time. The second one gets popped into the freezer and is ready to pull out for a quick meal when you’re in a rush or are having one of those, “what in the world should I cook for dinner?!?!” days. So, that way 1 afternoon of work gives me 4 dinners!

The steps can be broken down into 3 categories: Sauce, ricotta filling, and layering. In total you’ll spend about 40 minutes in the kitchen; the rest of the day you’ll just spend drooling over the smell as the sauce bubbles away.

Place you’re noodles to boil while you prep the rest of your ingredients

You might need to put the spinach a little at a time so it can wilt down.

The spinach is done as soon as it’s wilted down to less than half it’s size.

While the spinach is cooking add the ricotta, egg, salt and pepper to a bowl. Add in a bit of Parmesan as well if you like.

Mmmmmm! This is definitely the yummiest layer.

I’m not a fan of using a lot of pots and pans so once the noodles are done and out of the pot I add in a bit of oil and the meat.

Mix the meat so it loosens up and releases it’s juices

Add in the chopped onions and mushrooms

After you add in the garlic, tomatoes, and seasonings the sauce will simmer on the stove for a few hours until it thickens up an the flavors develop.

You can chop, shred, or slice your cheese. The end result is all the same! Usually I go for shredded but thought I’d try a different approach this time.

The amount of ricotta filling is up to you but this is probably my favorite part of the whole dish

At this stage you can cover it and save it for later or bake it straight away

Nothing yummier than a fresh pan of lasagna with some garlic bread and salad!

————
Ingredients:

• 9 lasagna noodles
• 2 bags of pre-washed spinach (or 1 big bundle)
• 3 cloves of garlic chopped
• 1-2 containers of Ricotta
• 1 egg
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1-1.5 pounds of ground beef
• 1 onion chopped
• 1 cup chopped mushrooms (optional)
• 2 cans of tomato sauce OR 1 can of sauce + 1 can crushed or diced tomatoes (really any combination of fresh, canned, or sauced tomatoes works)
• 1 TBSP sugar
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp pepper
• 1 tsp oregano
• 1 tsp Italian seasoning
• 2 cups shredded, chopped, or sliced Mozzarella cheese
• Parmesan cheese

—-
Directions:

1. Cook the lasagna noodles according to package directions
2. In a skillet heat olive oil and add 3 cloves chopped garlic. As soon as they become fragrant add the chopped spinach and allow it to cook down. If the spinach is too much for the pan wait a moment till it cooks down and add more. Salt and pepper to taste.
3. While the spinach cooks down add the ricotta, egg, and salt and pepper to a bowl. Once spinach is cooked down let it cool then add to the ricotta mixture. Mix and put in fridge.
4. Once noodles are done remove from the pot and place it back on the stove.
5. Brown the ground beef.
6. Add the onions and mushrooms and saute for a few minutes more. Salt and pepper as needed.
7. Add the garlic and mix in till fragrant. Add the tomatoes/tomato sauces + the seasonings.
8. Let it simmer for a few minutes then taste and adjust flavoring as needed. Note that the flavor will develop as the sauce simmers for an hour or two.
9. Cover the sauce and allow it to simmer for a few hours. In the meantime shred/chop/slice your mozzarella.
10. When everything is ready pre-heat the oven to 375. In glass 9×13 in pan ladle a thin layer of sauce (so the noodles don’t stick) and then add 3 lasagna noodles. Add a layer of sauce + cheese. Follow this with a second layer of noodles. Spread the ricotta mixture on top then add the final layer of noodles. On the top add the final layer of sauce + cheese.
11. At this point you can cover it and freeze it or refridgerate it for later use. If you are baking it now lightly grease a sheet of foil paper, cover, and place in the pre-heated oven for 20 minutes covered followed by 20 minutes uncovered.

Servings 8-12.

Not too far away in Alaska, a scaled red salmon slithered and writhed upstream. The fish danced its way across rocks and its gleaming body charged up and up and up.  What a strange sight it seemed. The salmon that tried and succeeded to swim against the currents.

The Alaskan salmon is a fascinating creature that can offer us points of wisdom through its life. The salmon hatches into fresh water at the spawning ground from where it swims downstream to live and grow. The fish adapts to survive in salt water, schools with other salmon, and swims to the Gulf of Alaska and Bering Sea. Here, the salmon grows until it reaches adulthood and knows when it is time to spawn and return back to where it was born.

Now comes the time in the journey when the salmon must exert most effort to swim back upstream and reach the spawning ground. The salmon’s body once again adjusts to return back to fresh water. The journey involves pushing against strong currents and even leaping over waterfalls. The salmon that succeeds in reaching the spawning grounds gives birth to her eggs. Within the next two weeks, the salmon dies from the wearying journey that guided her to her place of birth.

There are two main lessons that we can learn from the Alaskan salmon’s life:

Don’t be afraid to swim against the current and remember your goal

The beauty of Islam is that we can worship Allah through everything we do. Allah (SWT) created the role for the salmon to swim upstream and lay its egg. This is the salmon’s job and it fulfills this goal till the end of its life. What about our goals and aspirations? We should remember that we have a goal on this earth too and it is the worship of Allah (SWT). The transient quality of this life is a factor one always needs to keep in  their mind, which makes it easier to challenge the status quo.

The young girl’s hands tremble as she struggles with a blue hijab pin. “What will my friends say…what if people start treating me differently?” The girl thinks as she dons the hijab in front of the mirror and the image of her friends surfaces into her mind. She sits down on her bed and glances at the Qur’an that graces her night stand. Her fingers lightly skirt the edges of the cover. A feeling of contentment washes over her as she thinks, “you’re doing the right thing and you will always have Allah.” The girl sinks her feet into her shoes and glides out the door.

The statement “majority is authority” is drilled painstakingly with a hammer and nail to emphasize that if one goes against the majority then they are not an ‘insider’ and should be devolved into the ‘other.’ It is often difficult to challenge the view of the majority especially if it goes against ones beliefs.

“We buy things we don’t need with money we don’t have to impress people we don’t like.” 
― Dave Ramsey

The goal to please people will never be achieved because people can never be entirely pleased. Before the young girl wore the hijab, her family always commented on her hair and the type of clothes she wore. After she crowned her head with the soft silk cloth, the twitters of her family and friends reached a new pitch, “why are you hiding your beautiful hair? I can’t see your face properly.”

Islam allows us to focus past the material, past the wealth, the facade, the masks and realize the true goal of our lives: the worship of Allah SWT. And no one said it would be easy. Wearing hijab or niqaab, praying in public at the time of prayer, stopping family or friends from backbiting – these are action points that one needs to hold on to, which rattles the majority but at the end of the journey who is it better to please? People? Who will always find faults in all circumstances. Or Allah? the One who created us and the One whose pleasure will never fail us.

The majority of people will bend and twist a person until they begin to drift away from Allah. The majority seem like the authority. However, remember the goal of sincere worship to Allah and remember He will not leave His servant. The waves will overpower and the currents too strong for oneself to reach for a root to clutch onto. Though like the salmon who tried and tried and swam till she reached the spawning grounds, Muslims cannot lose hope and give up. The thought that “I tried my best to obey Allah SWT’s commands in face of difficulty” should be of some comfort because what is this life but a struggle and the ultimate resting place is paradise.

Leave a good legacy

The salmon’s struggle and striving had a purpose and what they leave behind is a new generation of salmon that will continue the same journey their mother went through. Humans want to be remembered after they are gone – everyone wants to leave a legacy in some form. Whether through charitable work or a kind gesture. As Muslims, our goal should be towards leaving a good athaar (traces). Going against the majority is a constant struggle and there will be days when one will feel overwhelmed by the crashing waves and strong current. There will be days when one looks in the mirror and asks, “Am I doing the right thing?”

The salmon’s journey parallels a metaphorical journey for Muslims that shows how this world is a test and as Muslims, we should never give up hope in ourselves and others. Always remember the power of du’a and the fact that if people abandon you there is One who will never abandon you and that is Allah SWT.

Fatima A. hails from a country that is not short of snow, igloos, and Tim Horton’s. Fatima is pursuing an undergraduate degree at the University of Toronto in Political Science and History. Her past-times include continuing her studies of Islam, attempts at making complicated desserts, and hanging out with her nieces.

An ordinary heroine is Ameena Jandali.  I’ve respected her eruditely outspoken demeanor, mothering style (since she did not let being a mom limit her activism) and Islamic character.  She has been a huge asset to the Muslim community in the Bay Area and I wish there were many more “Ameena Jandalis”.   From the late ‘80’s, when she was at UC Berkeley (Cal) herself, through the early 90’s, and over the past decade when her own children attended Cal she facilitated Cal students with guidance, support and meaningful activism for those many years.

Why should there be more Ameena Jandalis?  She has used her education at Cal as a springboard for activism and social justice.  She has lectured not only at Cal, but at the Graduate Theological Union, the University of California at Berkeley and Davis, SF State, USF, UCSF, and numerous other universities and colleges.  The bio from the ING website describes how Ameena has represented and explained Islam in countless venues.

Since 1993, she has delivered hundreds of presentations in schools, colleges, universities, churches, and other venues on Islam and related subjects. Her speaking engagements have included repeated lectures at UC Berkeley, UC Davis, Sacramento State, St. Mary’s College, San Jose State, San Francisco State, Los Positas College, Diablo Valley College, as well as lectures at Stanford, Santa Clara University, University of San Francisco, California Institute of Integral Studies, School of the Pacific, Cal State Hayward, Chabot College, Ohlone College, San Francisco City College, Sacramento State, Sonoma State, University of Colorado, Boulder, and Texas A & M. She has also delivered cultural competency trainings to a variety of healthcare providers, including repeated trainings at Kaiser, UC San Francisco and Sutter-Alta Bates. She has conducted trainings for dozens of police departments throughout the Bay Area, and conducted a weekly class for the SFPD over an entire year. She has appeared on numerous television and radio programs, including KPIX, KPFA, and KQED. She has presented on a variety of interfaith panels and events, including conferences and series through the Graduate Theological Union in Berkeley. She has also been a frequent guest at conventions, seminars, and other forums, speaking on a variety of topics relating to Muslim outreach, family, and the environment. She currently team teaches a class on Islam at San Francisco City College. She received her M.A. in Near Eastern Studies from the University of California, Berkeley, and B.A. in History from the University of Illinois. (1-ING website)

As a founding member, trainer, speaker and Content Director of ING, Islamic Network Group, she has been a voice of educational reform of Islam in high school and middle schools, preventing ignorance before it begins.  Here are some excerpts from Richard Scheinin, a writer from the San Jose Mercury News.  The article is entitled “Speaking about Islam.”

In California, it has been almost 15 years since educational reforms set academic instruction about religion firmly into the world history and social sciences curricula, so that children will understand how major faiths have shaped history and civilization. Many non-public schools also observe these guidelines. . .

Since the reforms were made, ING has become a success story: Two Muslim women in Silicon Valley have built a one-of-a-kind educational group, spinning off a network of 18 affiliated, Islamic speakers bureaus in 12 states, from Arizona to Nebraska and New York, as well as two in Canada.

With so many affiliated bureaus cropping up during the past two years, ING has become a prototype: It doesn’t proselytize, it describes the faith, and it emphasizes the commonalities among Islam, Christianity and Judaism… The Muslim community already had its political and civil rights advocacy groups. Education was the missing piece. In 1993, they established Bay Area Media Watch, which attempted to monitor — and educate — local media about coverage of Muslims and Islam. After three months, they changed the name to Islamic Networks Group and began to focus on education in schools…

Even with the help of assistants, the two founders work 60-hour weeks, and still haven’t been paid a penny — by choice…

After nearly a decade of hard work, Jandali is encouraged: “For a lot of people, when we walk in the room, it’s the first time they’ve met an American Muslim. Just humanizing this very mysterious religion for them, it’s a positive thing. It’s a pleasant surprise for them that Islam is not just this horrible, violent religion that oppresses people.”…  (2- San Jose Mercury News)

My kids and many other children in the state of California (and other states) who are in middle school and high school benefited from the work of Ameena Jandali and Maha ElGenaidi.  In the present dark climate demonizing Muslims and Islam, Ameena Jandali is a bright ray of light.  She is a living example of a refreshingly outspoken educated American Muslim woman to many youth in Californian classrooms.

Ameena is also active in many other venues, as an avid environmentalist who is known for enforcing recycling and composting rules at community events, speaking out against domestic violence and the oppression of women, and advocating for oppressed communities in the U.S. and in Syria where her husband is from originally.  She is also involved in her son’s school where she volunteers and serves on the PTA.  Ameena also sits on the One Nation – Bay Area Community Advisory Council.  One Nation is an organization which aims to reduce public misperceptions about Muslims in cities across America through civic engagement. (3- One Nation)

What would the world be like with more Ameena Jandalis?   Let’s reflect what she has accomplished: empowerment of Muslim women through association of misogyny with pre-Islamic ways rather than Islamic ways, educating people about Islam in California curriculum by founding and strengthening ING, being an example of religious tolerance in American society by actively representing Muslims by participating in interfaith dialogue.  God Willing, a person like Ameena Jandali will be just another ordinary heroine from Cal, but for now, she is an American Muslim pioneer.

References:

1. “ING Staff.” Islamic Networks Group. Web. <http://www.ing.org/index.php/staff>.
2. Scheinin, Richard. “Speaking for Islam: Schools Have Questions About Muslims, and Bay Area Volunteers Have Answers.” San Jose Mercury  News. Web. <http://www.zawaj.com/articles/speaking_islam.html>.
3. The Civic Engagement Initiative. OneNationFoundation.org. May 2009. Web. <http://www.onenationfoundation.org/>.

Photo Courtesy: Michael Macor, San Francisco Chronicle

Teaching both men and women

The teaching offered by the muhaddithaat was not restricted to other women, but extended to male students as well. Since the time of the Companions, it has been a well-established practice that women modestly obscured behind the screen may teach hadeeth to male students. Al-Suyuti records this: ‘The ancestors learnt ahadeeth from Aishah and other mothers of the believers, while they narrated hadeeth from behind the curtain.’  {Suyuti, Tadreeb al-Rawi vol. ii, p. 28}
Al-Sakhawi relates how Aishah and other women Companions used to teach from behind the screen.’ {Sakhawi, Fath al-Mughith, vol. ii, p. 211}
On certain occasions, however, where there was no possibility of any private interaction, they could teach directly, without a screen. This is illustrated in the account of how Ibn Rushayd studied under Fatimah al-Batayhiyyah in the mosque of the Prophet.

Teaching in homes

Students would also gather in the homes of many women scholars. Usually the female students would be inside the house directly in front of the teachers, while the male students would remain outside, positioned so as to be able to hear and put questions. One famous teacher who conducted her teaching in this way was Zaynab bint al-Kamaal, who narrated from a large number of teachers. One of her students, Imam Dhahabi, describes her as soft-spoken, patient and polite in manner. He tells how the students of hadeeth crowded around her house, and how she would teach them through most of the day. {al-Durar al-Kaminah, vol. ii, p. 117}

Teaching in mosques and schools

Schools and mosques were also used as teaching venues. One muhaddithah who taught in the mosque of the Prophet in Madina was Umm al-Khayr Fatimah bint Ibrahim bin Mahmud al-Batayhi. Among her teachers were: the famous narrator of Sahih  al-Bukhari, Abu Abdillah al-Husayn ibn al-Mubarak bin Muhammad al-Zabidi (546–631 AH); the Hanafi shaykh, Mahmud bin Ahmad bin Abd al-Sayyid al-Bukhari known as Ibn al-Haasiri (546–636 AH); and Abul-Qasim `Abdullah bin al-Husayn bin Abdillah ibn Rawahah al-Ansaari (560–646 AH). She taught hadeeth in Damascus and other places. Imam Dhahabi, Imam Subki, Ibn Rushayd Sabti and many other great scholars studied under her. Ibn Rushayd came all the way from Fez to do so at a time when she taught in the Prophet’s mosque in Madinah. He recounts how she would lean on the wall of the tomb of the Prophet facing the head of the Prophet. Here she wrote ijazah for him with her own hand. Ibn Rushayd studied under her the  in the treatise Juz Abil-Jahm and others. {Mil al-`aybah, vol. v, p. 21–25}

Part II

After understanding the problem, how then do we learn to care for ourselves? First, realize that we have a choice not to participate in the culture; we can reclaim our bodies and redefine beauty for ourselves. Beauty is not a scarce resource; there is more than enough for everyone. As one sister put it, “ALLAH MADE ME BEAUTIFUL! He made me without any physical deformities that would make people think I was ugly in the traditional sense of the word, but even if I did have physical deformities, even if I had a full grown beard coming outta my chin, I WOULD BE BEAUTIFUL BECAUSE ALLAH MADE ME THAT WAY AND NO ONE HAS THE RIGHT TO QUESTION THE BEAUTY OF ALLAH’S CREATION!!” Allah created each and every one of us perfectly and beautifully, just how He wanted us.

People often think that in order to take care of their bodies they have to hate them, as if hate will motivate them to eat healthy and work out. This is like saying in order to do well in school you need to have no interest in the subject matter. It makes no sense: why would you take care of something you hate? Actually, self-love encourages excellent self-care, and this hateful thinking is also totally un-Islamic. Loving Allah’s magnificent creation is a way of showing love and gratitude to Allah.

As many women said in the survey, Allah entrusted us with our bodies, and it is our responsibility to care for that trust. This includes meeting our bodies’ physical needs, like nourishment, sleep, movement, etc., but also not hurting ourselves and treating our bodies with love, dignity and respect.

We need to take the focus off of weight and weight-loss. Many sisters talked about feeling fat, or wanting to lose weight. About 95% of people who lose weight on a diet regain it¹. Weight loss is not a sustainable goal for the vast majority of the population, but everyone can improve their health. Also focusing on weight excuses thin people. Healthy behaviors are healthy for everyone, and unhealthy behaviors are unhealthy for everyone, regardless of body size or shape.

Enjoy eating healthy. Overeating, under eating and eating a lot of less nutritious food does not support the care of the trust Allah gave us. The goal is to feel good, so when you are hungry, eat what makes you feel good, and stop when you are satiated. Dieting and restricting lead to unhealthy cravings and binging, so instead of outlawing foods, try to choose more nutritious foods. For some, learning how to eat this way can take a lot of time and practice, and patience, so have fun experimenting and pay attention to how different foods feel in your body.

Find enjoyable movement. Exercise is very health promoting, and just half an hour of moderate exercise three times a week is enough to reap the benefits. The RSF is one option, and if that works for you, great. However, the environment at the RSF does not exactly cultivate body love and self esteem. If that type of environment is not helpful, don’t go. Find something else you enjoy and that leaves you built up and feeling good. Even just walking around our beautiful campus three times a week is enough. Then, instead of focusing on target heart rates and calories burned, focus on the miracle that is you. Pay attention to how perfectly Allah created your body. Thank Allah and thank your body for being so perfect and amazing. Remember, the point is sustainability; if you enjoy eating healthy and moving your body, you are more likely to do it consistently².

Stop feeling guilty. All Allah asks from us is that we try move in the right direction. We don’t need to have arrived at some illusive notion of perfection. Allah loves it when we fall short because shortcomings are opportunities to see what doesn’t work, learn what does, and draw nearer to Allah. So be forgiving to yourself and others.

Support one another, stay positive, and watch what you say about yourselves and each other. Sometimes people can trigger bad feelings in others without even intending to, as one sister said, “even when people just discuss being healthy it will trigger other thoughts about my body not being perfect” If you talk about being, fat, ugly, or needing to go to the gym, you could inadvertently be really hurting someone else.

Although this article addressed women, all of these issues are very real for the men of our community. 15% of people with anorexia or bulimia are male³, and the toll this is taking on Muslim men should not be ignored. Men also have a choice not to participate in the devastating and destructive culture. It is possible for everyone to redefine beauty for themselves, their spouse, and their children. A beautiful dua of one of our sisters is, “O Allah make me beautiful to YOU.” And really, what else matters.

There is definitely more to be said about these issues. This is not an end, but inshaAllah the beginning of a larger conversation.

Originally published in Al-Bayan, UC Berkeley Muslim student publication

And each time someone says this, the underlying message is clear:

Because you are “pointing out others’ sins,” you must think you’re better than everyone else.

Then comes the oft-repeated question the sister asks to point to her own humility and non-judgmental nature when seeing others’ faults or sins…

“Who am I to judge?”

…

Allah says,

“You are the best nation produced [as an example] for mankind. You enjoin what is right and forbid what is wrong and believe in Allah.”
—Ali ‘Imraan, 3:110

Although this ayah was revealed specifically in praise of the generation of the Prophet, sallallaahu’alayhi wa sallam, and his Companions, the general meaning is relevant to all believers: What makes believers distinguished above all others is that they live their lives enjoining what is right and forbidding what is wrong (commanding the good and forbidding the evil).

It is interesting to note that Allah mentioned this praiseworthy trait before mentioning even emaan itself. Therefore, as is well-documented from the earliest Muslims, it is an obligation upon all believers—whether “righteous” or “sinful”—to command the good and forbid the evil.

The Prophet, sallallaahu’alayhi wa sallam, made this obligation quite clear in the famous hadith collected by Muslim:

“Whoever among you sees an evil action, then let him change it with his hand [by taking action]; if he cannot, then with his tongue [by speaking out]; and if he cannot, then with his heart – and that is the weakest of faith.”

And “whoever” means just that—whoever.

In other words, the minimal requirement to speak out against wrong is that you see it occur (or that you are fully aware of its occurrence). It matters not whether or not you consider yourself righteous or sinful.

And, let’s be truthful here, what believer could ever claim to be righteous? The claim itself is contrary to righteousness.

In reality, nearly all believers view themselves as sinful.

Righteousness is something we strive for.

…

Given the clear obligation upon all believers to command the good and forbid the evil, it is not correct to abandon this obligation by saying to oneself…

Who am I to judge? I have no right to tell anyone right from wrong. I myself am sinful.

When said in response to a fellow Muslim fulfilling her duty to speak out against sin, this in itself is a form of casting judgment (on the one speaking out)—as well as blocking the good and enjoining what is wrong.

In a hadith collected by Muslim, the Prophet, sallallaahu’alayhi wa sallam, defined kibr (pride or arrogance) as “rejecting the truth and looking down on people.”

Imagined humility intended to absolve ourselves of Islamic responsibility involves both aspects of kibr: rejecting the truth regarding our Islamic obligation to speak out against sin, and looking down on those people who are fulfilling their Islamic obligation (despite their human faults).

…

But isn’t it wrong to speak out against sin while you yourself are sinful?

Allah says,

“O you who believe, why do you say what you do not do?
Most hated in the sight of Allah is that you say what you do not do.”
—As-Saff, 61:2-3

“Do you enjoin right conduct on the people and forget [to practice it] yourselves, yet you study the Scripture? Do you not understand?”
—Al-Baqarah, 61:2-3

From these ayaat from the Qur’an it is clear that Allah detests that we call others to what is correct while we ourselves do not act upon that righteousness.

However, do we actually imagine that Allah will love us more if we neither call to righteousness nor behave righteously ourselves?

For surely, the one who is calling to righteousness is doing at least one thing right while the one who is not calling to righteousness is doing two things wrong: She is remaining silent in the face of sin, and she is engaging in sin.

Allah says,

“And as for those who believe and do righteous deeds, He will give them in full their rewards, and Allah does not love the wrongdoers.”
—Al-Baqarah, 61:2-3

Therefore, the message to us is not to leave any deed of righteousness that we are doing (even if it is merely calling others to good) but to strive to better ourselves by acting upon that righteousness.

And, certainly, this effort is a lifelong struggle—for all of us.

…

Amongst the immense “pearls of wisdom” we can learn from Allah obligating all Muslims to command the good and forbid the evil is this: Naturally, if we speak about something good, our hearts will make us reflect on those words. This reflection is actually the reason it is so difficult to speak out against wrong while knowing we are ourselves sinful.

However, Allah does not allow us to wriggle out of that guilt by engaging in more sin. He obligates us to address that guilt by engaging in more righteousness.

Surely, no one has drawn closer to righteousness by adding more sins to their account.

And our “imagined humility”—which allows us to reject the truth and look down on others—is a sin itself.

Moreover, by blocking the good of a person calling to righteousness (by countering their efforts with questions like “Who are we to judge?”), we are adding yet more sin to our records.

Not only are we distracting sinful Muslims from hearing what may inspire them to change, we are also implying that the one enjoining good is self-righteous and judgmental.

Thus, we are guilty of the very things for which we claim disdain—being overly judgmental and prideful.

In Islam there is no humility in saying “Who am I to judge?”

…Unless it emanates from the depths of our hearts when we see our brother or sister struggling in sin—and guides us to speak wisely and gently when we correct them.

For surely, one day, that same brother or sister may need to correct us.

Visit ummzakiyyah.com or themuslimauthor.com and join Umm Zakiyyah’s Facebook page.  Also, see the live-action book trailer for her latest novel Hearts We Lost and find out more about If I Should Speak–The Movie.

Copyright © 2011 by Al-Walaa Publications. All Rights Reserved.

First, let’s look at how the body reacts when you’re fasting. So what happens is that since your body isn’t receiving substance to convert to energy (ie. food), the body dips into stored energy to get what it needs to keep going. So it’s inevitable, that you will lose weight. In fact, modern research has shown that fasting on alternate days can help people lose weight…but not for long. In one study, people who followed an alternate-day fasting diet shed weight, even when they ate all they wanted on the non-fasting days. However, they could not maintain the weight loss over time. You see, our bodies are genetically programmed to combat the effects of fasting. When you eat less food, your metabolism slows down to conserve energy. So then, when you go back to your usual diet, your lowered metabolism may cause you to store more energy, meaning that you will probably gain back the weight you lost and possibly even put on more weight when eating the same calories you did before the fast.

So hold up, the Prophet peace be upon him steered us to a path of pudgy waistlines and muffin tops? WRONG! Our consumer, wasteful society is what steered us all wrong. There’s an interesting point that I think most of us have overlooked. So we have all heard the hadith in reference to portioning our stomachs with 1/3 with food, 1/3 with air, and 1/3 with water. But can you narrate to me the first part of this hadith? The hadith actually begins:

“The son of Adam does not fill any vessel worse than his stomach. It is sufficient for the son of Adam to eat a few mouthfuls, to keep him going…”

Of course the Prophet peace be upon him knew his ummah and could not just stop there. He then continued:

“..If he must do that (fill his stomach), then let him fill one third with food, one third with drink and one third with air.” Narrated by al-Tirmidhi.

I have yet to meet someone who actually willingly abides by the first portion of this hadith. And unfortunately, rarely meet people who even abide to the second tier. Most of us are somewhere near the characteristic described in this hadith:

Ibn ‘Umar narrated that the Prophet (PBUH) said: “The believer eats in one stomach whilst the non-Muslim eats in seven.” Narrated by al-Bukhaari and Muslim.

And with our portion sizes drastically increasing over the years, and the idea of buffets and filling your stomach to the point where you can’t breathe, we need to be cautious of this characteristic that the Prophet peace be upon him warned us about.

So what does this all mean?? Now in the case of the aforementioned studies done on the people who fasted alternate days, they couldn’t maintain the weight because they eventually ceased to continue fasting on alternate days. Now, ready for a subhanAllah moment? The Prophet peace be upon him taught us that the best fast was that of Prophet Dawud (or David), and that it was every other day or alternate days. If you did that, you surely would keep those extra pounds off for life. But is that why our beloved Prophet Dawud fasted the way he did? Putting weight loss aside, studies of fasting in both rodents and humans appear to indicate a connection between calorie restriction and longevity. In one study of overweight men and women, a calorie-restricted diet improved markers of aging, such as insulin level and body temperature. Fasting might also improve longevity by delaying the onset of age-related diseases including Alzheimer’s, heart disease, and diabetes. Wow, so fasting can actually give you all these other benefits? Is that why the prophets fasted?

Look, the fact of the matter is, if Allah commanded or recommended us to do it, you bet it’s darn good for you, whether you think so or not. The people in the time of the Prophets knew nothing about insulin levels or what or who Alzheimer even was (maybe because he wasn’t born yet). But bottom line, the reason that they fasted was to worship the one who created them. Not only did the Prophet peace be upon him fast, he ate foods that were good for him and never filled his stomach, all for who? Allah. Because think about it, when we are fasting in Ramadan, no matter how juicy that burger looks, or how golden those fries look, or how decadent that chocolate looks, you would never think to defy the commands of Allah swt and eat them. Even if you are not exactly the most obedient of Muslims year round, it’s just that special air that exists in Ramadan where you can control these desires. So if we can do it in Ramadan, why can’t we do it year round?

So as for the verdict, what does Nadoona, your resource for health and fitness, think about fasting to lose weight? If you’re looking for a quick fix, prepare yourself to be disappointed by any and every weight loss mechanism out there. If you’re looking to transform your lifestyle all together, then yes, you should definitely integrate fasting. The Prophet pbuh told Abu Hurayrah to never give up fasting 3 days out of each month.

It was narrated that Abu Hurayrah (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: “My close friend [the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him)] advised me to do three things which I will not give up until I die: fasting three days of each month, praying Duha, and sleeping after Witr. Narrated by al-Bukhaari and Muslim.

There is another hadith that adds that fasting 3 days of each month is equal to fasting for a lifetime. Because each deed is worth 10 times its like, so if you fast 3 days in a month, then multiply by 10, that’s 30 days a month…so it’s like fasting your whole life!
So let’s hit 2 birds with one stone, why not set a dual intention. Fast to first and foremost please Allah, then secondly to lose weight. Oh but wait a second, could you not then set your intention to lose weight and to be healthy, in order to more efficiently fulfill your duties to Allah swt. So your intention again goes right back to pleasing Allah swt. Totally full circle stuff right there!

So what can you do to improve your health habits right away?

Nadoona Prescription:

For the super dedicated and ambitious: Fast every other day and do not fill your stomach when you eat.

For the dedicated and ambitious: Fast Mondays and Thursdays and do not fill your stomach when you eat.

For the above average Muslim: Fast the sunnah days keep yourself in the 1/3 food, 1/3 water, 1/3 air tier.

The bare minimum: Fast Ramadan and make a conscious effort to reduce your food intake.

Don’t overcomplicate things. Remember that Allah is who orders the food that you eat to nourish you, and if Allah wished, he could command the foods to not give the body nourishment. Set your intentions right and inshAllah, Allah will take care of the rest.

-Nadine Abu-Jubara
Executive Director
Nadoona
www.Nadoona.com

Why I Took Off Hijab©

By Umm Zakiyyah

“Wearing hijab is making a big statement,” the woman said.  “I don’t want to be a hypocrite.  I know I don’t represent what hijab stands for, so I took it off.”

It’s one of the most heartbreaking things to hear a Muslim say…

That in an effort to avoid hypocrisy, she [or he] has decided to openly disobey Allah…

…And they imagine that by leaving off this visible symbol of Islam, they’re doing a favor to the “image” of Islam…

…

All Muslims can relate to the feeling of insincerity and hypocrisy.  After all, who of us is without sin?

But making the conscious decision to add one more sin to our record to rectify that troubled heart is not going to solve our problem.

In fact, it only adds to our hypocrisy…

…And to displeasing Allah.

What then are we seeking to gain when we engage in open sin to avoid hypocrisy?

…

We all know that Islam means submission to Allah in belief and action, and one who submits to Allah through belief and action is called a Muslim.

In contrast, nifaaq (hypocrisy) means the profession of Islam through speech and action while knowingly concealing disbelief (kufr) in the heart; and the one who does this is a munaafiq.

However, in its lesser form, nifaaq is behaving in a manner that opposes what one professes to believe.  This hypocrisy can take the form of any speech or behavior that conflicts with one’s belief system or religion.

In a hadith collected by Bukhari and Muslim, the Prophet, sallallaahu’alayhi wa sallam, said,

“The signs of the hypocrite are three:  When he speaks, he lies; when he makes a promise, he breaks it; and when he is entrusted with something, he betrays that trust.”

…

When a person openly professes, “Laa ilaaha illa Allah,” he is stating that he recognizes not only that Allah—God, the Creator—is the only one worthy of worship, but also that he himself will live a life that respects that Tawheed (Islamic monotheism).

In other words, the shahaadah of the Muslim is a person’s official promise to Allah to submit to Him alone for every moment that Allah grants him on this earth.

In response to this testimony, Allah entrusts the reciter with the greatest gift—the greatest amaanah (trust)—that any human could be granted in this life:  Islam.

Allah says,

“O you who believe!  Enter perfectly into Islam, and follow not the footsteps of Satan.

Verily, He is to you a plain enemy.”

(Al-Baqarah, 2:208)

Thus, by professing belief, we are obliged to follow Islam kaaffah—perfectly—completely and wholeheartedly.

Therefore, anyone who says Laa illaaha illa Allah, has made a covenant with Allah to submit to Him and to not break that covenant.

Allah cautions us,

“Those who break Allah’s covenant after it is ratified, and who sunder what Allah has ordered to be joined, and do mischief on earth: These cause loss (only) to themselves.”

(Al-Baqarah, 2:27)

…

What then does it mean to be a Muslim?

Allah says,

“And they say: ‘We hear, and we obey’…”

(Al-Baqarah, 2:285)

And He also says,

“And say to the believing women that they should lower their gaze and guard their private parts [from sin], that they should not display their zeenah (beauty and ornaments) except that which is apparent; that they should draw their veils (khimaar) over their juyubihinna (necks, bosoms, bodies)…”

(An-Noor, 24:31)

And…

“O Prophet! Tell your wives and daughters, and the believing women, that they should cast their outer garments (jilbaabs) over their persons [when going out].  That will be better [for them], so that they shall be known [as believers] and not be annoyed.

And Allah is Oft- Forgiving, Most Merciful.”

(Al-Ahzab, 33:59)

…

Therefore, one of the obvious manifestations of hypocrisy is to say in front of Allah “I am Muslim” then openly and consciously betray even one aspect of what that means…

How then can a woman remove the hijab to avoid hypocrisy?

How then can any Muslim say to the Creator, “I hear your command, O Allah!

And I disobey!”

If it is truly hypocrisy you wish to avoid, dear sister or brother, reflect on this…

The hypocrite has three signs…

1. 1. When he speaks he lies…

“I submit to Allah in my belief and actions.”

1. 2. When he makes a promise, he breaks it…

“I promise to submit to You, O Allah, until I die!”

1. 3. And when he is entrusted with something, he betrays that trust…

Allah says, “O you who believe, obey Allah…!”

…

But, then, aren’t we all hypocrites?  After all, who of us doesn’t fall short of submitting to Allah completely, fulfilling the covenant of Tawheed, and fulfilling the amaanah of true faith?

No one.

But this is nothing new…

All of the children of Adam fall into sin…

..the Prophet taught…

…But the best of those who sin are those who constantly repent.

…

It is well-known in Islam that tawbah (sincere repentance) requires that the repentant leaves the sin, regrets the sin, and resolves to never do it again.

And if he happens to fall into sin again, he repeats the tawbah…

By leaving the sin, regretting the sin, and resolving to never do it again…

How then can a woman avoid hypocrisy by doing the exact opposite?

By embracing the sin, publicizing the sin, and resolving to repeat it over and over again…

…

Dear sisters, the difference between the hypocrite and the truthful Muslim is this…

The hypocrite engages in lying…

…By professing Islam while openly engaging in sin.

While the truthful Muslim engages in honesty…

…By professing Islam and openly avoiding sin.

Even as she, like all humans, will inevitably fall into it.

And the only “image” the truthful Muslim worries about is her image in front of Allah…

…And is etched in the record that the angels are recording.

…

Wearing hijab is a big statement.

And I don’t want to be a hypocrite…

So I turn to Allah in repentance for ever falling short in reflecting what it stands for.

For I know that it is only Allah alone Who can fully represent perfection.

Umm Zakiyyah is the internationally acclaimed author of the If I Should Speak trilogy and the novels Realities of Submission and Hearts We Lost.  To learn more about the author, visit themuslimauthor.com or join her Facebook page.

Copyright © 2011 by Al-Walaa Publications.  All Rights Reserved.