In all honesty, this hot topic debate does not look like one that will cease to exist in the near future. The issue of Niqab has gone beyond differences of opinion amongst the Muslim scholars but has now turned to the differences of opinion of the wider world. One question we need to ask ourselves is, whether the common people, or laymen agree with the wearing of Niqab being a given right to the Muslim woman or whether it’s an obstacle to all.

No government should be in a position to legislate what women should and should not dress, especially one that likes to pry into the wardrobes of women. One thing we should expect from western nations is to uphold their democratic values and promoting freedom.

By N. Adan

Elementary schools are next. In East London to celebrate Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgenders History Month, primary school students watched a special adaptation of Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet renamed Romeo and Julian. Stories covered in the lessons at George Tomlinson School included a fairytale about a prince who turns down three princesses before falling in love with one of their brothers and the tale of Roy and Silo – two male penguins who fall in love.

We as parents cannot remain passive about this. Even if you are not a parent and especially if you are a youth group leader, you need to make parents in your life aware of this issue. Many parents are not aware of this movement or think will not affect their child. This lax attitude leads to us holding our heads when it is too late. I’ll tell you how it personally affected me. I attended an all-women liberal arts college in Wellesley, Massachusetts. During our first year orientation, we gathered in the common room where mats were laid out of us. A senior asked us to lie down on the mat and close our eyes. Scared to death, at 17 fresh of the plane from Lahore, Pakistan, I had no clue what they expected from us. It wasn’t anything promiscuous, God forbid. They just asked us to close our eyes and imagine a world where daddies were only married to daddies and mommies were married to mommies and if I was a little girl in that world, who liked the little boy across the street but I couldn’t because mommies could only marry mommies. Very innocent, the words.

Those words stuck with me, I still remember them after 17 years. Once you have the vocabulary to talk with children about homosexuality, it becomes very easy says Dr. Justin Richardson, a Harvard-educated psychiatrist and director of Columbia University’s Center for Lesbian, Gay and Bisexual Mental Health. Richardson says educators need to aid the pre-homosexual child with a supportive school environment, paving the way for his later coming out. He claims that a child’s sexual orientation is determined very early in life around four years of age, so why not prepare the pre-homosexual child for the inevitable. This was him speaking 10 years ago at a teachers conference. This agenda is at work in our public school system. Unless Allah (SWT) sends His help or some azaab (Aa’oodubillah), this fitnah is very real.

In my orientation, I also heard a young, black woman talk about her life as a poor, black, gay teenager. I met many intelligent women who were kind and gentle and gay. I remember being admonished by the several housemates for thinking that homosexuality was a mental abnormality akin to physical abnormalities. I was figuratively ‘hypnotised’ into believing that it was natural for 10% of the human race to be homosexual and they couldn’t control themselves. That December when I went to visit my parents over winter break, my sister snapped me out of my brainwashed state. She said ‘Apa! Listen to yourself.’

In psychology, the study of brainwashing, often referred to as thought reform, falls into the sphere of “social influence.” According to Julia Layton, author of How brainwashing works, “social influence happens every minute of every day. It’s the collection of ways in which people can change other people’s attitudes, beliefs and behaviors. For instance, the compliance method aims to produce a change in a person’s behavior and is not concerned with his attitudes or beliefs. It’s the “Just do it” approach. Persuasion, on the other hand, aims for a change in attitude, or “Do it because it’ll make you feel accepted/good/happy/healthy/successful.” The education method (which is called the “propaganda method” when you don’t believe in what’s being taught) goes for the social-influence gold, trying to affect a change in the person’s beliefs, along the lines of “Do it because you know it’s the right thing to do.” Brainwashing is a severe form of social influence that combine­s all of these approaches to cause changes in someone’s way of thinking without that person’s consent and often against his will.”

I was 17; away from home but brimming with the confidence that children raised in a Muslim country exude. Now imagine your middle schooler or your teen. Her politically correct classmates surround her; she doesn’t know what to say when her honor society buddy starts exhibiting ‘homosexual’ traits. Imagine being a student whose religion teaches her that homosexuality is a sin being in that environment. Being judged by their peers because they did not remain silent in support. If you disagree with homosexuality you are called a bigot or a homophobe. Your teachers and mentors who instruct you from 8 in the morn to 3 in the afternoon, framing their lessons around Day of Silence. The adolescent culture is liberal, and adolescents desire to fit in. The vast majority of conservative teens does not feel comfortable vocally opposing their culture and will not do so. We as adults, often don’t have the guts to speak up against homosexuality, let alone teenagers.

Alan Chambersis, a gay man who overcame unwanted homosexuality and started a family and author of Leaving Homosexuality says:“The Day of Silence leads to a slanted discussion about homosexuality. … because students are being bombarded from every side on the issue of homosexuality …seemingly the only voices that are allowed or respected in the public school system are those from a pro-gay side. It’s important for everyone to have a voice on this issue and for every opinion to be expressed. If one side is going to be expressed, then the other should be as well.”

As a Muslim, I sympathize with others who suffer discrimination but agree with following stance.“Day of Silence participants claim they seek to end discrimination. There is, however, a problem with the way “discrimination” is defined in public discourse today. Groups like GLSEN believe that statements of moral conviction with which they disagree constitute prejudice or discrimination. While relentlessly promoting this view, administrators are never asked to provide evidence for the dubious presuppositions on which claims of discrimination are based. They are never asked to provide evidence for the arguable claim that homosexuality is equivalent to race; or that disapproval of homosexual conduct is equivalent to racism; or that homosexual impulses are biologically determined; or that the presence of biological influences in shaping desire renders a behavior automatically moral. The time is long past that parents demand justification for those claims.

If we allow schools to define discrimination so expansively as to prohibit all statements of moral conviction, character development is compromised and speech rights are trampled. And if administrators continue to define discrimination in such a way as to preclude only some statements of moral conviction, they violate their pedagogical commitment to intellectual diversity and render the classroom a place of indoctrination.”

Think of your 15-year-old cousin, who can’t have girlfriend because it is against our deen, is teased at school, called a pansy and wonders whether he is. We need to talk about this, tell them that Allah loves them and if they are having these feelings then they need roohani-spiritual help. Not shun them and turn them over to the wolves, force them out of the folds of Islam.

Some people worry that them taking a stance will adversely affect their children’s grades- What kind of Muslims are we raising? ‘cowardly conformists’ or those who follow the footsteps of the Sahabah. We need to teach them to stand up for their beliefs even if they have to sacrifice something. If the teacher does punish them in some way, this is unethical and the parents should take it to the school administration.

“O you who believe. Ward off from yourselves and your families a Fire (Hell) whose fuel is men and stones, over which are (appointed) angels stern (and) severe, who disobey not, (from executing) the commands they receive from Allah, but do that which they are commanded.” [Quran At-Tahrim 66:6]

Most of the following material is from a website sponsored by Pro-Family groups calling for national support for Day of Silence Walkout. (www.doswalkout.net) Unfortunately Muslim organizations, media groups and masjids have shied away from supporting this cause. So spread the word on your masjid lists, Muslim websites etc.

Parents must actively oppose this hijacking of the classroom for political purposes. You can help de-politicize the learning environment, which is paid by taxpayers money, by calling your child out of school if your child’s school allows students to remain silent during instructional time on the Day of Silence.

If students will be permitted to remain silent, parents can express their opposition most effectively by calling their children out of school on the Day of Silence and sending letters of explanation to their administrators, their children’s teachers, and all school board members. One reason this is effective is that most school districts lose money for each student absence.

School administrators err when they allow the classroom to be disrupted and politicized by granting students permission to remain silent throughout an entire day.

Day of Silence – What Should Parents Do?

1. Call your local schools and ask whether they permit students or teachers to remain silent in the classroom on “Day of Silence.” IMPORTANT: Do not ask any administrator, school board member, or teacher if the school sponsors, endorses, or supports DOS. Schools do not technically sponsor the Day of Silence. Technically, it is students, often students in the gay-straight alliance, who sponsor it. Many administrators will tell you that they do not sponsor the DOS when, in fact, they do permit students and sometimes even teachers to remain silent during instructional time. Also ask administrators whether they permit teachers to create lesson plans to accommodate student silence.

2. Find out what date the event is planned for your school. (The national date in 2010 is April 16, but some schools observe DOS on a different date).

3. Inform the school of your intention to keep your children home on that date and explain why. Download the sample letter from www.lordsfavors.wordpress.com or from www.doswalkout.net

4. Explain to your children why you’re taking a stand:
a. Homosexual behavior is not an innate identity.
b. No matter what factors may influence homosexual feelings, freely chosen homosexual behavior is immoral and should be resisted.
c. Homosexuality is not equivalent to race.
d. Disapproval of homosexuality is not equivalent to racism; nor is it hatred; nor is it bullying; nor does it constitute an incitement to violence. It is permissible and ethical to express disapproval of homosexuality. Just because someone may feel bad when hearing that someone disapproves of homosexuality does not mean that disapproval is cruel or wrong.
e. No school should support a view of homosexuality that is unproven and controversial, and that is physically, emotionally, and spiritually destructive to individuals and society.
f. No school should allow instructional time to be politicized.

By Hena Zuberi Siddiqui

Right click and save target as - Sample Letter

This is a quote that I had put up on my Facebook status as some motivation for myself. First of all, this status was not posted as an attack to anyone in specific, but rather a reminder to all of my Muslim brothers and sisters, and to myself. It’s not just for sisters because sometimes this is a tendency that is common among some brothers as well.

Marriage comes with a LOT of responsibilities, and especially for the sister, it is a lot of new responsibilities, including things such as cooking, cleaning, laundry, taking care of husband, children, and juggling work and school all at the same time. However we know that da’wah is encouraged, if not obligated (however you look at it) for every Muslim. In fact, some scholars say that one of the reasons we are allowed to stay in a Non-Muslim country is by doing da’wah.

Now coming to da’wah and practical steps and examples:

1. There is a saying that behind every great man is a great woman. One of the best ways we can do da’wah is by supporting our husbands in their da’wah works. If you look at Hajar, the wife of Ibrahim alayhissalam, her effort as a wife and a mother has left a legacy that will be remembered for the rest of time. Support his work, provide encouragement, and constructive criticism, and do not become a hindrance in his efforts.

2. We take our examples from the greatest women in history, the Mothers of the Believers, ie, the wives of the Prophet Muhammad (saws). They took care of the household and did much more than us, yet they were leaders in doing da’wah. Aisha, for example, was one of the greatest scholars of the time. At the same time, we have to take note that despite his (least to say) BUSY schedule, the Prophet (saws) took the time to help his wives around the house with chores. This just goes to show that household responsibilities are not just for the wife, but for the husband as well. And if both the husband and wife are involved with dawah work, then it is crucial that both spouses share the work in the house, so that the wife is not doing everything on her own.
3. A lot of people, when they ask “what is the main responsibility of a wife?”, are told, “their family”. However, as one scholar pointed out, this answer is incorrect. A woman’s first responsibility is to be a servant to Allah. Now, as a married woman, ONE of the ways she can fulfill this responsibility by being a good wife and mother, educating her children and bringing them up to be Muslims. This is an example of how she can do dawah at home. However, this requires effort. It’s not just about cooking and cleaning- it’s about educating oneself as best as one can in order to raise children as good Muslims and Muslimahs.

4. Practical examples of what married Muslim women living in America today can do in terms of da’wah:

a) The Internet- It is such a blessing that we have this medium we can use for da’wah purposes. Lots of American Muslim women have been very active in the dawah front using the Internet as a tool. And this does not even require them to leave their houses: check out a few of these websites that are run by Muslim women in America, all of whom are married and close to our age:

http://iamsheba.com/

http://www.habibihalaqas.org/

http://www.muslimahsource.org/

numerous female authors writing for http://muslimmatters.org/

b) Seeking knowledge- Alhamdulillah, we are living in times when knowledge is coming to us, instead of us having to travel miles to seek it. As a married couple, we should try to devote some of our free time to attend circles of knowledge together. In addition, numerous Muslim women have been starting their own halaqahs and classes. If you take a look at Al Huda Institute (http://www.alhudainstitute.ca/), it has been established by Muslim married women, and mashaAllah, they are doing an amazing job at producing women who are educated in the field of Quran. There are sisters in our own community who are married, are professionals, going to school, and have children who are hosting sisters study circles at their homes, including fiqh classes, tajweed classes, etc. All it takes is a few sisters to get together and agree to do something for an hour once a week.

c) Community work- when people think of da’wah, this is the first thing they think of and say to themselves, “I don’t have time for it.” But community work does not have to complicated such as leading an organization or serving on the board of an organization. It can be something simple like volunteering one night at a community event, designing flyers for an event, going to Downtown with the MSA for an hour once a month to give food to the needy, etc. Two of my good friends in Memphis are two of the best volunteers I have ever worked with- each of them are married, one is a mother of two, and both are either working or going to school.

At the end of the day, Allah knows our schedules and He knows how busy we are. At the same time, if dawah is something we are passionate about (which I hope we are), then some of the steps that have to be taken include:

a) Making du’a to Allah to help us in our endeavours (esp, during Tahajjud)
b) Discussing with our spouses how both individuals can share work in the house so that both are able to do some dawah work (again, it can be just going and volunteering or teaching for an hour once a week).
c) Manage our time more wisely- can I wake up an hour earlier today to finish school work and the laundry so I can attend an hour long halaqah in the evening? Maybe instead of a movie, I can go to the soup kitchen today with a local group to serve food to the needy, etc.

In conclusion, remember that Allah will judge us according to our intention and our efforts, for He (swt) has promised us in the Qur’an, “”Never will I allow to be lost the work of any of you, be he male or female” (Surah Al Imran: 195). Never think that what you do is miniscule, because on the Day of Judgment, Allah may just make your scales abundantly heavy because of your struggles. I hope this helps somewhat. Again, nothing is to be taken personally. This advice is to myself first and foremost, and may Allah forgive me if I said anything wrong or anything to hurt anyone’s feelings.

———–
Mehreen Khan’s hometown is in Memphis, Tennessee. She frequently works with the Muslim youth and volunteers for several Islamic organizations. She also teaches various Islamic Studies topics to the women and youth in her local community. She will be graduating this year with a BS in Elementary Education.

Disclaimer- These points are a basic compilation from my own personal experience as an educator, youth coordinator, and being a youth in America. They are not meant to cover every aspect of the work but rather bring light to some key areas. It serves as a way to measure our commitment and effectiveness. Also, please note these points are assuming that you have already attached yourself to a group or jama’ah (if you have NOT what are you waiting for????).

(In a powerful wrestling match announcer voice) – “Introducing TEN QUALITIES OF A YOUTH DA’EE”

A GOOD YOUTH DA’EE :

1. KNOWS TO USE TECHNOLOGY WELL

The days of antennas and cassette tapes are slowly fading into a museum showcase of the past. If you have not yet embraced the world of technological growth and think you will be effective without it – you need to wake up. A youth da’ee is well versed in cell phones, video game systems, movie players, the internet, and basic office applications. I’m not saying you must transform into a technology nut. However, if you are unfamiliar with the basic ins and outs of equipment, you will find it hard to cope. This also includes social networking such facebook, twitter, blogs, youtube, and the many ever expanding arsenals of tools. The reality is that technology works. So learn to master it. Always ask yourself how can I use this technology to accomplish the goals of our group?

2. HAS RELIABLE TRANSPORTATION

An entire point dedicated to transportation? Yes, it is THAT important. Independence and movement are critical for a da’ee. You can be prepared in every way, but if you are not present you are not productive. So learn how to drive well and navigate directions and maps. Invest in a GPS, budget for gas, make your car comfortable with prayer mats, snacks, and lecture series, and embrace the road. If you are in an urban area, this may mean learning the train system or bus schedule. Regardless, be safe, say your dua, travel in groups whenever possible, but don’t miss any endeavor because of transportation. The work needs you too much.

3. IS UPDATED ON POP CULTURE & CURRENT EVENTS

Now it is not expected for you to know all the birthdays of Brad and Angelina’s children and every title of the tracks on the newest Mariah Carey album (in fact I’d be concerned if you do) BUT you should not be living in a cave either. Educate yourself on popular figures and popular trends –especially if you are expecting to relate to young people. Yes, that means you may need to look up who is Lady Gaga and figure out what is “Dancing with the Stars” or what is Call of Duty Modern Warefare II. Entertainment and celebrities are a huge part of American culture and the youth are surrounded by this all the time. Also, be educated about current events so you can converse and share with others. Lastly, be aware of some of Islamic pop culture as well. I recommend if you are able, attend at least one convention a year to learn about what’s what on the Muslim scene (ISNA is one of the best for these purposes). Did you see the newest Kareem Salaama video (do you know who he is)? What are Baba Ali’s newest business ventures? Did you hear about the recent research study by Georgetown University on the 500 Most Influential Muslims in the World? An effective da’ee is aware about all these and more.

4. IS HEALTHY, FIT OR ATHLETIC

Simply put, you need to be strong. The Prophet (SA) said “A strong believer is better and closer to Allah than a weak believer.” It is part of the Sunnah and a characteristic of a Muslim. Also, sports are a huge deal in American society. An athletic da’ee (especially with boys) has a better chance of relating to a large amount of youth. Besides this, the Islamic work will take physical demands on your body and if you have a weak immune system and tire easily, it will catch up with you. Fitness and exercise is also a great stress reliever and developing a regular schedule will inevitably improve your capabilities and mental health, not to mention enriches your life.

5. KNOWS TO NAVIGATE THE MUSLIM COMMUNITY

The Muslim community is no cake walk in the park, in fact is more like a walk on the I-95 highway, blind-folded, walking on stilts. There are many different types of ideas, cultures, and beliefs people have about the way Islam should be practiced. An effective da’ee does not get lost in the confusion. Take time to learn about the various groups one will encounter and know where you or your group stands on certain practices (Yomul Nabi, Ashuraa, extremism, etc). By learning you will avoid many hassles and unnecessary drama and therefore move closer to reaching your goals. Know which Masajid are in the area and the type of leaders that run the community. This insight will come in handy more than you would believe.

6. HAS EXCELLENT MANNERS AND BEHAVIOR

If you want to win the heart of anyone you must have superb adab (manners and etiquette). This is the personality of an Islamic Worker. Learn how to give and return salaams with warmth. Be aware of other’s sensitivities and always be polite and kind. This will reflect your sincerity. It is also showing the youth an example they can emulate because when people know better, they do better. Imam Malik’s mom told him, “Learn from his (the shaykh’s) manners before you learn from his knowledge.” Always be respectful especially with the really young, really old, and the learned amongst us.

7. IS ORGANIZED

A da’ee understands the urgency of the work they must embark upon. Therefore, they take pains to keep good files, records, and systems for dealing with junk (junk emails, junk items, and junk people). Create effective spreadsheets and databases of your resources and personnel. Also, find what time management techniques work for you and implement them. I personally use the daily planer method. Invest into learning about new ways to manage time well such as using the GTD (Getting Things Done) System.

8. IS A POSITIVE AND MOTIVATIONAL PUBLIC SPEAKER

Giving speeches is one of the biggest fears people face but it still remains one of the most useful talents a leader can possess. If you plan to work with youth, it will require you to put yourself in vulnerable positions. This means speaking in public and conducting classes, etc. It is important to work on your social skills as this comes natural for some more than others. Remember, you are trying to persuade somebody that your way is better, so you must believe it! Learn techniques to motivate and inspire others. Remember, practice makes perfect!

9. PRAYS FAJR

Now you are probably wondering, why only Fajr? Shouldn’t we pray all our prayers? Yes, you should, and pray them well. But there is something symbolic and special about Fajr. What is it? This is because Fajr prayer teaches us discipline, time management and commitment. It does all that in five minutes a day. It also transforms your day and reminds you what you are fighting for. If you are having a hard time coping, work to improve your Fajr prayer.

10. IS CREATIVE!

We are dealing with people who converse with others across the world, transports messages with the tap of a finger, and has memorized hundreds of songs and lyrics. This is a generation where information is their language. They are intelligent, REALLY INTELLIGENT. Don’t mistake that for a moment. They are also suffering from the idea of entitlement. Everything is available to them, and quite often, with doing very little to deserve it. We need to understand our demographic and work hard to surpass their expectations. Anything ordinary can become extraordinary with a little effort and creativity. An effective youth da’ee always has something up their sleeve to grab attention and capture interest. Remember it is the details that tend to make the difference. Work hard to think outside the box and always ask yourself, how I can leave an imprint that will help them remember my message (Google “Made to Stick”).

Work hard and remember that nobody said it was going to be easy. This is our lifelong struggle and contribution. But the irony of it all is that once you’ve made the decision to really try, YOU WILL LOVE IT!

Young people are amazing creations and will fascinate you if given the attention and training. Don’t give up on them. One child changed represents an entire generation. Make your niyyah firm and let the deeds begin to pile on that scale, one day at a time.

Any more ideas? Please share in the comments below!

Wardah K . aka Lady Insight born in NY and raised in South Florida where she currently resides. She is passionate about her faith and her field of education. She is actively involved in a youth organization called FAYM (Florida Association of Young Muslims) created to teach, mobilize and inspire the young people to rise up and become active and contributing citizens and human beings. Currently, Wardah attends Florida Atlantic University pursuing her degree in Secondary English Teacher Education.

Sometimes the noise distracted me. That Thursday, the music was unbearably loud, so I lost myself to thoughts. I wondered if I – if this generation of us, was responsible enough, wise enough, and sincere enough to carry the trust.

That same trust that we are trying to be a part of is the same one the mountains had rejecting carrying. Is it too big of a commitment?

After all, the best of mankind has already existed. The best women, and the best men. The mothers of the believers, and the prophets and messengers – they have all been here, walked on the soil, breathed the air, worshiped Allah, carried the trust, and went back to our Lord.

Maybe we ought to feel grateful that they have come and been already, before us, to lay us a clear and lucid path. We need not wait for guidance. It has come. Maybe we ought to be grateful that we are given a chance to dignify our souls by modeling our existence after these great people, who were great for Allah, with Allah and by Allah.

“Oooh, a Quran, can I have one?” I turned red as I realized I had been day dreaming. “I’m so sorry, of course you may have one!” Her earnestness was magnified by her smile. “And I don’t mean to offend you, but why do you do this? Why do you stand out here and tell people about your faith?”

I grinned. The exuberant college student made my day that Thursday.

Give thanks for the time – it lands us in magnificent opportunities, Alhamdulilah.

Noha A.

1. Get Involved.

Dip your foot into everything your school has to offer. Join the service club, student council, yearbook staff, or theater. Play a new sport, or even take some atypical classes like another language, computer science, creative writing, or military history. If your school offers it, do it. Test yourself to your limits; if it gets too overwhelming, drop it, but only if it’s really too overwhelming. Remember: The Messenger of Allah (SAW) said: ‘Seeking knowledge is incumbent upon every Muslim.’ It is especially important for you as a Muslimah to keep yourself busy for many reasons:

1. You will always have a good excuse as to why you don’t go to parties and whatnot. This seems like a terrible reason to participate in activities, but it comes in handy.
2. Being involved with so many activities forces you to learn how to manage your time properly.
3. You will meet so many different types of people who will give you a glimpse of the real world while keeping you in your safe bubble.
4. You will learn so much about so many different things that you might never have thought you would enjoy. Hey, maybe you decide you actually like journalism class and want to pursue it in college. You’ll never know if you don’t try.

2. Don’t Socialize.

What?! Become a loner?? Yes. I’m completely serious. Speaking from my experience and others’, it is absolutely not worth it at all to deliberately go out and make friends. Be friendly, but not too friendly. Have a group you hang out with, but don’t go out of your way to hang out with them. Remember: In Surah Aal-Imran, Allah says: ‘Let not the believers take the disbelievers as Awliya (supporters, helpers) instead of the believers, whoever does that will never be helped by Allah in any way” (3:28). Here are some reasons why:

1. Your ‘friends’ will start doing things you don’t approve of (like dating, going to dances, drinking), and you’ll end up rejecting all their invitations anyway.
2. You’re a Muslimah. You wear long clothes in the summer and starve yourself for a month. You wear a towel on your head and you don’t touch boys. You’re weird. Face it, non-Muslims whom Allah hasn’t guided won’t truly understand you. But don’t fret; you don’t need them. Remember: The Prophet Muhammad (SAW) said: ‘Islam began as something strange, and it shall return to being something strange, so give glad tidings to the strangers.’
3. Non-Muslims really are too much of a distraction. Focus on your studies and you’ll find you won’t even have time for them.

3. Give Da’wah.

Whether you like it or not, you are an ambassador for our religion and it is your duty, as it is the duty of all Muslims, to educate your school community about Islam. Remember: In Surah An-Nahl, Allah says: ‘Invite to the Way of your Lord (ie. Islam) with wisdom and fair preaching, and argue with them in a way that is better. Truly, your Lord knows best who has gone astray from His Path, and He is the Best Aware of those who are guided’ (16:125). You’ll find that you’ll start learning more about your own deen and iman as you teach others about it. But for the real question, how you go about doing this:

1. If you’re not the only Muslim in your school, start a Muslim club or a high school chapter of the MSA. Check this out: http://www.msanational.org/files/matf/MSA_Guidebook-FINAL.pdf
2. Don’t be afraid to tell people you’re Muslim or to tell them about Islam. Let everyone know you only eat kosher not because you’re vegetarian, but because you’re Muslim. You don’t eat in Ramadan not because you’re not hungry, but because you are fasting. You wear loose, long clothes not because you’re perpetually cold, but because your God told you to. Be PROUD to be Muslim, and don’t hide behind the cultural taboo of speaking about religion.
3. Spark assemblies and interfaith meetings, set-up display cases, invite Muslim speakers, host Fast-a-thons, do something! Believe me, with the help of Allah, anything is possible.

4. Become BFFs with your Teachers.

Okay, now you definitely think I’m nuts. First I tell you not to make friends with your peers, but then I tell you to make friends with your teachers?! Yes, because trust me, the better the relationship you have with your teachers, the more helpful they can be to you’it’s kind of the exact opposite of your classmates. Remember: In Surah Az-Zumar, Allah says, ”Say: ‘Are those who know equal to those who know not?’ It is only men of understanding who will take heed’ (39:4). I’m not saying you should all be brown-nosers or suck-ups, I’m just telling you to milk your teachers for all they’re worth. So, what are they worth?:

1. They have a tremendous wealth of knowledge about not just the topic they teach, but about life. Ask them for advice. The more you go to them for help, the more they’ll want to help you.
2. You’ll get brownie points, big time. Teachers are humans too, and they like to be treated like that. Besides, you might learn something new on the way.
3. They control your grades. If you go to a big public school where it’s easy to get lost in the crowd, that’s exactly what you’ll be: lost in the crowd. You want your teachers to be able to attach the name on your paper to your face, and hanging out with them is the best way to do this.
4. College recommendations! Enough said.

Insha’Allah, I hope you find this article beneficial for your high school career. If I have said anything correct it is only from the grace and mercy of Allah (SWT), and if I have said anything incorrect, I ask you to forgive me for it is only from my own shortcomings and ignorance.

Aatifa Shareef

Aatifa just graduated from The Columbus Academy in Gahanna, OH. She was an editor of her high school yearbook, The Caravel, and a chair of the Muslim Enrichment Club of Columbus Academy (MECCA). Insha’Allah, she will be attending Northwestern University in the fall.

Photo Credit: chrisbevan

]]> http://www.muslimahsource.org/activism-media/muslimahs-guide-to-high-school-survival/feed/ 5 http://www.muslimahsource.org/activism-media/international-elimination-of-violence-against-women/ http://www.muslimahsource.org/activism-media/international-elimination-of-violence-against-women/#comments Wed, 25 Nov 2009 22:06:46 +0000 Guest Authors http://www.muslimahsource.org/?p=1305 Rule Number 1: Never sit in the front of a cab.

I broke the rule; that was just the first one that night. Initially, it seemed like my only option. There was a slightly older woman in the back and as I waved down this cab, she showed no signs of budging to give me room. I broke the rule thinking, “Oh, well… I don’t want to seem rude to her and move her over and its not like I am completely alone with the driver.” In situations like that, take the extra moment to be rude…even if its in the middle of heavy traffic and the world around you doesn’t want to wait.

After a very short ride, he let the back-passenger out. At this point, I should have moved to the back.

Rule 1b: Never sit in the front; especially if you are alone.

Yet again, I stayed put thinking, “My destination is less than 5 minutes away, why bother?” In situations like that, always bother.

I was aware now though, that I was alone. I started making du’a that the journey would end safely and that I wouldn’t regret my poor judgment. He picked up another young woman passenger and she joined us in the back. I was relieved to have her there, although I was unnerved when she began humming songs and giggling flirty with the driver.

She was also let out just down the street. It seemed like my destination was further than I thought, or he was taking more back roads which I had never seen. This was common, because you can never see all the streets and know all the roads that lead to your destination. However, veering away from the main roads with bright lights and swarms of people made me tense up even more. I continued to pray and hope that nothing horrible would happen. We pulled up to my destination, a large shopping mall on a busy night. The hustle, crowd, and lights…calmed me and I quickly took out my wallet from my backpack in front of me to pay him. I even opened up my door.

Rule 2: Get out of the car and THEN pay the driver.

Suddenly I felt a hand in my lap. He was reaching into my backpack trying to dig out anything valuable. He pulled out my mobile phone and realizing I caught him, hid it in his side. I was flustered and said, “That’s mine.”

He argued.

I told him to give it back.

He refused. I wanted my phone. He glared back at me and said, “Get the **** out.”

I wouldn’t get out…my mobile phone was the only connection I had to anyone there, or back home. He insisted I get out by pushing me out the door. Where was my pepper spray?!? I stayed put and now at a total loss for words and weapons, I did the only thing I knew how: scream. Whether or not it was sensible, it was most definitely audible. People from all directions and across the median from busy traffic, came running towards the cab. He was pushing me harder to get out, but I kept screaming until I almost tore apart my vocal cords. Then, as suddenly as it began, he threw the phone at me.

I was surprised, grabbed it and jumped out. He shut his door and sped away.

“Wait,” I thought, “I didn’t give you the fare…”

All the people that had gathered, looked concerned and worried. An older woman approached me and although I had been very composed during the ordeal, I now could hardly hold myself up and needed to cry. I leaned against a parked car and gasped for air. The worried faces got even more worried as they saw me break down. Sharing that incredibly intimate moment with 50 strangers was another first of the night.
I mumbled, “I’m okay.” I realized they might think he sexually abused me. So, I said again, sobbing, between gasping breaths, hoping to preserve my dignity, “I’m okay… he didn’t hurt me. He tried to steal my phone and he pushed me. ” They all seemed a bit more relieved. A young man came running up to us, pushing through the crowd, “I have his license plate number! Do you want it?”

It was such a strange feeling hearing the question. There was recourse! Although I hated what had happened, I didn’t want to forget and hide. I felt bold and took down his license plate number. Pulling myself together, I took it down, thanked them for helping me and walked across the street to the mall. I walked away… although I broke some rules that night, he had no right to intrude on my property and space. No person has such right over others. However, I take personal responsibility because otherwise, how else could I even think this could be prevented? We must always take personal responsibility because that is empowering ourselves and taking control of our situations.

Women all around the world suffer from horrible acts of violence committed against them. Ones which they cannot walk away from. In 1999, the UN General Assembly designated 25 November as the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women. Violence against women and girls is a problem of pandemic proportions. At least one out of every three women around the world has been beaten, coerced into sex, or otherwise abused in her lifetime – with the abuser usually someone known to her.

Women’s activists have marked 25 November as a day against violence since 1981. The date commemorates the brutal assassination of the three Mirabal sisters, political activists in the Dominican Republic, in 1960 on orders of Dominican dictator Rafael Trujillo (1930-1961).

Governments, international organizations and NGOs are invited to organize activities on the day to raise public awareness of the problem. The International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women also launches the 16 Days of Activism against Gender Violence, which runs through 10 December, Human Rights Day.

Safety precautions and action items:

1. Arm yourself with knowledge of your surroundings. Memorize the du’as for leaving your home, traveling, and fear. Use as needed. Always be aware of where you are and who is around you. Make conscious choices and efforts to avoid suspicious streets and people. Trust your gut.

2. Literally arm yourself with legal devices to help you in a dangerous situation (pepper spray, safety whistle, self defense classes).

3. Travel in groups: especially when out in new or unfamiliar areas, and after dark. There is a reason they say there is power in numbers.

4. Read up on more simple safety tips in dangerous situations. We all believe it can’t happen to us, but it happens everyday.

5. Join the [16 Days of Activism Against Gender Violence Campaign]

MashaAllah!

JazakumAllah khair to all those of you who nominated us! Please visit the site now to submit your votes. Polls close end of day Friday, November 27, 2009 – 9 pm (Fri) PST, 12 am (Sat) EST, 5 am (Sat) GMT.

But we want to make this Ramadan/Eid a blast with beautiful and creative da’wah (outreach).

We know our actions speak WAY louder than our words, and we’ve already exhausted our vocal chords at every opportunity–describing the wonderful and colorful ethnic foods, community gatherings, and heightened worship for Muslims in this amazingly blessed month with our co-workers, neighbors, and friends of other faiths.

We need positive, kinesthetic activities that provide opportunities to celebrate and learn about Ramadan for our children at home, our local youth groups, and even charity organizations…and did I mention we’re still on a budget?

We need to promote hunger awareness, find an attractive means to explain what Islam is all about, and find some halal fun time with our girlfriends who are fasting alongside us in this joyous month.

And our wonderful Prophet asws taught us words that are reiterated by so many of the wisest Muslims in our blessed community—Tahaado, Tahabbo… “Give gifts to one another and you will love one another” (Bukhari).

So, the answer?

Make Some Edible Da’wah!

Step 1 – Consider the questions below when creating your overall theme:

- Who are you making these treats for? Coworkers?  Co-Muslims?  Neighbors?  The relationship you have with the recipients of these beautiful gifts should, in part, dictate your overall theme.   Also, who are you making these treats with?  If you’re doing this project with children, take their opinions into consideration!  Do they have a favorite theme they’d like to use?

-  What is the message you are trying you promote? Would you like to simply wish a blessed Ramadan, include a few key pearls of Islamic wisdom for your fasting siblings in faith, or explain what Islam is all about in a few words to your neighbors?  Please keep in mind that for legal reasons you should not proselytize (openly promote faith) in the workplace.  The below example I made for my co-workers and my students and I kept the message universal (world hunger) and steered well away from any religious language.

-  What tiny treat would you like to use for your crafts? Do you bake ooey-gooey should-be-world-famous brownies?  Mouthwatering fudge?  What about lemon tarts?  I used baklava because I have a great family recipe (photographed below), but anything homemade gives a very sweet impression (pun intended), although I’m sure you could get away with just buying a bunch of fresh sugar cookies at your local deli.  Also keep in mind your time concerns and budget—baking an already-prepared box of cupcake mix is much easier, cost-effective, and foolproof than making baklava from scratch!

-    What color theme would you like to use? Oh, don’t we love colors!  The best thing about these fun treats is that you can actually make them as professional—or as fun and cute—as you’d like.  A lot depends on what kinds of supplies you choose to purchase and make sure to pay attention to the details!  The below examples are more whimsical, as I work at a community college and the atmosphere is pretty laid back.

Step 2 – Gather Supplies.

Ok, so now that you’ve set a theme it’s time to get the goodies.  What you’ll need:

-    Prepared bakery food of choice

-    Colored Cellophane Wrap

-    Matching Napkins

-    Ribbon

-    Of course, scissors, hole puncher, and access to a printer

Step 3 – Design your gift tags!

I’m not much of a graphic designer myself, but if you search the web you can find many appropriate pieces of artwork that you can use to design little gift tags on your computer with a simple Ramadan Message.  Take your computer art to your local Kinko’s or print them on your home printer (I put eight to ten on a page), cut, hole-punch, and you’re almost ready to begin with the fun!

Remember to keep your theme in mind as you’re creating your template.  You can use a more ethnic theme, like the one to the bottom (image used from a screen saver found at www.imuslimz.com):

Or, you can have a little fun with color with something like this quirky design to the bottom (the Ramadan buttons were taken from www.silverenvelope.com):

You can also use photographs of flowers, nature, or even personal pictures that you have taken.  If you have kids, I recommend having them draw up Ramadan art cards and then scanning their artwork (if you can).  When you scan their work onto the computer, you can then use it as a colorful backdrop to create very personalized Ramadan tag’s for the family—and I’ve tried it…they come out looking gorgeous!

One thing to keep in mind when making your design is to always leave room for where the hole-punch will go.  In the above green design, I punched holes to tie ribbon at the bottom left hand corner, which is why it’s blank in that region of the design.  In the colorful design to the right, I simply left enough space at the top to hole punch right in the center of the corkboard above the button.

Just keep in mind that whatever your design is will basically make or break your overall theme—so if you’re going for a professional black-and-white, you may not want to find fruity pictures or images that may be beautiful but are mis-matched.

Step 4 – Get bakin’!

For this craft escapade, I made two trays of baklava: one with roughly thirty pieces and one with forty.

In all honesty, I’ve tried using our secret family recipe and trying low-fat or non-sugar (Splenda, gah!) variations of this blessing-from-Allah-of-a-sweet, but nothing does it justice.

My advice?  DON’T experiment with new creative recipes or variations of tried and true recipes at the last minute.

I went with classic ingredients and the tray you see to your left was dubbed by my diabetic-slash-former-chef father the “best ever made.”  Now, I know he’s A. Biased because I’m his daughter and B. Previously deprived of baklava for years now because of his condition, but the feedback certainly gives you warm fuzzy feelings.

So think of those warm fuzzy feelings while you bake, and good luck making a recipe of something that rocks—even if it’s those oh-so-easy-to-make-gooey-(halal)-crack brownie boxes!

Step 5 – Prepare Supplies.

This is the part where you cute squares of cellophane a little larger than the size of your napkins, like so:

Then, you cut pieces of ribbon and, if you’d like, curl them with the scissors, as displayed below.

You also prepare your little gift tags—cut, hole-punch, and thread with the ribbon:

And—one of my favorite parts—roll up your little napkins like scrolls and make sure to tie them before they unroll!  The image to the left is the little napkins, and what I found out the hard way is that most people eat their baklava, throw away the napkins assuming they’re just scrolls for décor, and then approach me asking if I have any (yes, you guessed it) napkins.

Spare yourself the heartache and tell your gift recipients right off the bat that the decorative scrolls are also functional.  Please.  You didn’t spend that dollar in the Party City clearance rack for nothing, did you?

Step 6 – Make a Demo:

I always make a demo before I get started, just to make sure I’m not missing something.  Here’s the first little before:

…And then a little after!  If you’re the kind of person who wants to make sure everything is absolutely perfect, you may want to make your demo before Step 5 so that you can make sure you’re cutting the cellophane at the right size, using the right colors, etc.

Step 7 – Portion out your sweets and begin wrapping!

The wise will heed—it’s much more time efficient to set up an assembly line type of workstation for these sweets.  This way, if you’re working in a group you can also delegate various tasks to different people and everything should go like clock-work.

Step 8 –Trouble Shooting:

Running out of ribbon?  Gift tags?  Anything is possible.  I ran out of colored cellophane and guess what I had to use (hint: look above).

…Can you find the oddball out?

The main thing to keep in mind is that these are fun and you can’t be too picky.  I wished mine had come out more uniform, more photo-worthy, more “insert-random-criticism-here.”  But the main thing is to lighten up and appreciate your work, regardless of how “perfect” it could have, would have, or should have been!

Step 9 – Lastly, enjoy your work and happy gifting!

And more colors!

The End

]]> http://www.muslimahsource.org/wellness-health/edible-dawah-crafting/feed/ 7 http://www.muslimahsource.org/activism-media/muslim-youth-rebuild-new-orleans/ http://www.muslimahsource.org/activism-media/muslim-youth-rebuild-new-orleans/#comments Thu, 27 Aug 2009 20:22:25 +0000 Muslimah Source http://www.muslimahsource.org/?p=1088 Young Americans are often not regularly involved in community service. Not due to apathy, but to the fact that the channels of encouragement and opportunity aren’t easily accessible. The Muslim community in America is no exception. Chances are your average 17 year old is not going to wake up one morning and decide on his or her own to fix the steps of that dilapidated home he or she passes by daily on the way to school. However, when that same youngster is approached with the chance to join an organized effort to help those in need where all that’s required is that he/she commit to showing up ready to work, it’s a different story!

I had this in mind when I joined the support team of the Baton Rouge, LA chapter of ICNA Relief USA. This local branch largely operates to implement disaster relief programs to victims of the region’s storms in addition to providing assistance to local Muslims that have come upon hardships.

During this time, my fellow colleagues and I were impressed by the positive difference that was made by the groups of young volunteers many of whom not old enough to vote that traveled to our region to work on rebuilding projects for days at a time. These teams came representing their faith and various Christian churches that organized these missions. I wondered what motivated these youngsters to volunteer so much of themselves what kind of skills were required to do what they did, but even more I wondered “Why not us?”

Inspired by these groups, fellow support team members Yasmeen M., Zainab H., and I aimed to create a local volunteer database consisting of active young Muslims that will be ready to respond to the call of duty when the need arises. We wrote letters, sent emails, orally spread the message, and even borderline harassed people into signing up. The reply was hardly as enthusiastic as we were hoping it would be, but that didn’t discourage us.

Our first assignment came out of an emergency situation that involved an elderly, disabled Muslim brother. This brother is a war veteran who moved from New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina and his current residence needed a substantial amount of work before it can even be considered livable. We had days to form a team out of our generated list of contacts. On the morning of Sunday July 19, 14 cheerful volunteers showed up at the agreed meeting spot outside of the ICNA Relief offices. Many of them weren’t sure what we were doing exactly; some even came wearing expensive designer shoes and bright lip glosses. However, the most obvious accessory adorned was the ready-for-anything attitude! It was definitely an encouraging site to see.

“It was extremely touching to step back for a moment and look around the room at our team subhanallah we were a group that embodied the beauty of the ummah through our diversities in race, age, and background and we were all coming together to work hand in hand for the sake of Allah (swt). It was nice to see that despite the fact that none of us knew the brother personally before that day we felt a strong connection to him and desire to help him because of our bonds to him through Islam alhamdulilah” recalled co organizer Zainab H.

The small team moved to our destination on a street that just the week before was the site of a fatal shooting. Across the street from the brother’s home was a Methodist church whose congregation was beginning to disassemble and go home. The sight of us encircling the brother’s home to survey the property and generate a game plan caught their curious attention.

During the next 6 hours the volunteers under the instruction of a volunteer professional carpenter pulled nails, stripped walls, removed debris, and nailed sheet rock to the walls. They were on ladders, squatting to the ground, and working hand-in-hand to get the job done. For most of us the experience was different from anything else we’ve participated in the past.

One of the most rewarding aspects as co-organizer was realizing that the experience created awareness of the importance of community service as Muslims in the hearts and minds of these volunteers. “This is my first time volunteering with a project like this. This experience made me more open-minded in doing more projects in the near future” stated volunteer and University of New Orleans senior Rhonda S. Recent high school graduate Aysheh Z added “I recently helped package senior boxes at the local food bank with a group of friends from school but the experience I had working with ICNA really did change my outlook on volunteering.”

Despite the material difference the team was able to make at the end of the day, it was obvious this job was far from done. Although the volunteers were definitely exhausted, their resolve was never stronger. After having spent half of their day on the site the volunteers couldn’t help but internalize the mission and made it their own. This fueled an undeniable urge to want to come back and finish the job, their job!

The volunteer team returned to the same site two weeks later as the second volunteer project. It was inspiring to witness some of the new young faces brainstorming and initiating discussions regarding future projects that could be done to benefit our community. It felt great as organizers for us to be able to step back and let the creative juices of the younger generation flow and take on proactive roles in these efforts as they discussed potential projects for the future.

During a later discussion the volunteers were asked what they would like to communicate to other communities interested in getting involved in such projects. LSU Sophomore Razan A. stated “Other communities should know it isn’t that hard to get the community together and set up a volunteer project, get a few to spread the word, set a date, and watch how you’ll enjoy having your community work together in a beneficial way.”

Co-organizer Zainab H later reflected upon the projects. “These type of activities are almost of more benefit to the worker than to the one the work is done for, because it creates a sense of fulfillment within you to do something this for the sake of Allah (swt). As Muslims we see our brothers and sisters live under hardship and difficult conditions overseas, but we tend to forget that there are people who we need to reach out and help in our own communities especially since our religion emphasizes taking care of your neighbor. It’s also a part of our religion to reflect on the blessings we are given and to be thankful, and an experience like things make you realize how much you take for granted and how much you have to be grateful for.”

To find out more about past or upcoming projects check out the ICNA Relief USA Volunteers Facebook group page. If you’re interested in starting a similar volunteer team and projects in your own community and would like some guidance, feel free to contact us at support.la@icnarelief.org.

Facebook Group: ICNA Relief USA Volunteers

Asma Alsalameh