"Alhamdulillah!"
Sometimes I don't know what else to say... Sometimes my heart is so filled of love for Allah, the deen, and my brothers and sisters that I do not know what else to say but "Alhamdulillah!" As I sit here now writing I am listening to the "Qur'an in Taraweeh." I am a bit overwhelmed by the beauty of the Qur'an, but why shouldn't I be as these are the words of Allah (SWT). If I wasn't writing I could watch the video feed and read the english subtitles, but just listening to the words is a spiritual experience.
I have been thinking about writing this blog post for some time. At times I think it is a good idea, then other times I wonder if I can convey into words how I am feeling, and if I can't, will readers just laugh? Well, I decided I don't care. It is my blog and in I will post my thoughts and if people don't care for it...well, there are countless other blogs to read.
What I have been feeling is a sense of calm, that finally I am at peace spiritually. It was a long road filled with many, many trials. None more trying than my own Islamophobia. Masha'llah, my heart was opened when I investigated and found the truth about Islam. But this is beyond my initial feelings about the deen, this is about the belief that everyone is born a Muslim. I truly understand that now. I feel that by reverting I am back in the religion I have been longing for all my life, the one I was born into.
But my thoughts go deeper than what I have been writing. I guess it is harder to convey that I thought. It is hard to express feelings of the heart when I hear a recitation of the Qur'an, or listening to nasheeds, or the feeling of brotherhood I have when praying with my brothers. It is an underlying contentment, an underlying self knowledge that this is my deen which has been in my subconscious all my life. The feeling of familiarity when I look at pictures of masjids, or pictures of the Ka'bah. I guess it is too hard to express into words.... Insha'Allah, maybe other brothers and sisters will understand and be able to help express the right words.
One thing is for certain, I will never say I am a 'convert' to Islam. I will proudly say I am a revert to the one true religion.
Allahu Akbar!
Wednesday, February 20, 2008
Saturday, February 16, 2008
A Rant...
Originally, I was going to write about an ignorant article about Muslims and valentine's day, but as I thought more about it, the broader the topic became, hence the title: a rant.
I receive emails from a conservative political site called Human Events. For the most part it is a pretty decent site/weekly paper with the exception of a couple of columnists; one being the Islamophobic kaffir, Robert Spencer (ie: Jihad Watch). Once a week they send out a top ten political stories of the week along with a lead in article.
This weeks article was written by Spencer denouncing, that some countries in the Middle East, set some laws in effect regarding valentine's day. Of course, the fact that Muslims don't practice christian "holiday's" means nothing to Spencer, who used this incredibly trivial matter to spew his venom against Muslims. In his twisted mind, Spencer equates Muslim countries enacting laws not allowing Muslims to commit shirk as strapping on a bomb and killing people.
While most of his article is trying to make something out of nothing, it was maybe his final paragraph which sums up his stupidity best:
"But will there be any Western leaders willing or courageous enough to cast off their multiculturalist shackles and give those people heart -- during this Valentine’s Day week -- by affirming that our struggle is one for simple joy in existence, against those who would rob us of that joy?"
Give me a break! As I posted in a couple of replies: "So what? What effect does Saudi Arabia's, or Kuwait's law have upon anyone else in other countries?" Answer: it has no effect. For those who want to read the whole article, and the subsequesnt replies from the lemmings, here is the link:
http://www.humanevents.com/article.php?id=24996 . Masha'Allah, there were several sane replies backing Muslims and their right not to participate in pseudo-christian holidays. I cannot wait until next month, when Spencer most likely will write how bad it is that Muslims do not get drunk in "honor" of the christian saint patrick. /sarcasm]
As I read the replies, I was getting angry at the ignorance of the statements. Here are a couple, which will emphasize a point I will get to afterwards:
"I am not expecting the Muslim World to "embrace" our holidays-- but to merely RESPECT them!" Uh, we do...in all non-Muslim countries. Why should Muslim countries have to "respect" christian holidays?
"This is NOT about Valentine's day!!! this is about FREEDOM!" Uh, this article is about valentine's day. Maybe that poster should read the title again: "No Valentines For You!"
Now, a couple of posts from people who get it:
"There is nothing in their culture or religion that would suggest that it mean anything to them. It's Christian-based. How many of their holidays do we celebrate?"
"I'm not sure why anyone would expect the Muslim world to embrace a Christian psuedo-holiday based on a person who may or may not have actually existed and of whose works we know almost nothing. It's like expressing surprise that they don't keep a Christmas tree in Mecca."
...and finally, one Islamophobic post which sums up a majority of the posts from the article:
"The only way Americans and the civilized world can get back their freedom and peace is to go into world war three, nuke the middle east and ban islam forever in the rest of the world. Hopefully this might happen as early as 2010 AD. Islam is nothing but trouble and has been imported in this country by the evil Saudi Arabian desert bunnies."
Not withstanding the post above, the point that seems to make me particularly angry is the point that these people want, and would, impose their imperialist point of views on Muslims. They claim they are a christian, God loving people, yet the intolerance and hatred of Islam and Muslims is mind boggling. It is also not very christian-like. One might say it is a very hypocritical attitude!
My head hurts from having re-read 12 pages of replies, most from Islamophobic lemmings. As I stop shaking my head in disbelief, I realize that some of the replies from that article, and the many others on Islamophobe sites, come from complete ignorance of Islam. To make my case, here is part of a post from the valentine article: "their religion gets in the way of every thing they do. ..." It is clear from that post that the author has no idea about Islam, and how it is a complete way of life.
I guess, as my rant comes to an end, my final words are these: Muslims should try and continue to educate the ignorant, insha'Allah. As we debate them in the streets, may Allah hold our tongues from tossing out insults, which only works against us. Insha'Allah, may we be able to articulate our love of Allah to the non-believers in such a way that their hearts may become open.
Allahu Akbar.
I receive emails from a conservative political site called Human Events. For the most part it is a pretty decent site/weekly paper with the exception of a couple of columnists; one being the Islamophobic kaffir, Robert Spencer (ie: Jihad Watch). Once a week they send out a top ten political stories of the week along with a lead in article.
This weeks article was written by Spencer denouncing, that some countries in the Middle East, set some laws in effect regarding valentine's day. Of course, the fact that Muslims don't practice christian "holiday's" means nothing to Spencer, who used this incredibly trivial matter to spew his venom against Muslims. In his twisted mind, Spencer equates Muslim countries enacting laws not allowing Muslims to commit shirk as strapping on a bomb and killing people.
While most of his article is trying to make something out of nothing, it was maybe his final paragraph which sums up his stupidity best:
"But will there be any Western leaders willing or courageous enough to cast off their multiculturalist shackles and give those people heart -- during this Valentine’s Day week -- by affirming that our struggle is one for simple joy in existence, against those who would rob us of that joy?"
Give me a break! As I posted in a couple of replies: "So what? What effect does Saudi Arabia's, or Kuwait's law have upon anyone else in other countries?" Answer: it has no effect. For those who want to read the whole article, and the subsequesnt replies from the lemmings, here is the link:
http://www.humanevents.com/article.php?id=24996 . Masha'Allah, there were several sane replies backing Muslims and their right not to participate in pseudo-christian holidays. I cannot wait until next month, when Spencer most likely will write how bad it is that Muslims do not get drunk in "honor" of the christian saint patrick. /sarcasm]
As I read the replies, I was getting angry at the ignorance of the statements. Here are a couple, which will emphasize a point I will get to afterwards:
"I am not expecting the Muslim World to "embrace" our holidays-- but to merely RESPECT them!" Uh, we do...in all non-Muslim countries. Why should Muslim countries have to "respect" christian holidays?
"This is NOT about Valentine's day!!! this is about FREEDOM!" Uh, this article is about valentine's day. Maybe that poster should read the title again: "No Valentines For You!"
Now, a couple of posts from people who get it:
"There is nothing in their culture or religion that would suggest that it mean anything to them. It's Christian-based. How many of their holidays do we celebrate?"
"I'm not sure why anyone would expect the Muslim world to embrace a Christian psuedo-holiday based on a person who may or may not have actually existed and of whose works we know almost nothing. It's like expressing surprise that they don't keep a Christmas tree in Mecca."
...and finally, one Islamophobic post which sums up a majority of the posts from the article:
"The only way Americans and the civilized world can get back their freedom and peace is to go into world war three, nuke the middle east and ban islam forever in the rest of the world. Hopefully this might happen as early as 2010 AD. Islam is nothing but trouble and has been imported in this country by the evil Saudi Arabian desert bunnies."
Not withstanding the post above, the point that seems to make me particularly angry is the point that these people want, and would, impose their imperialist point of views on Muslims. They claim they are a christian, God loving people, yet the intolerance and hatred of Islam and Muslims is mind boggling. It is also not very christian-like. One might say it is a very hypocritical attitude!
My head hurts from having re-read 12 pages of replies, most from Islamophobic lemmings. As I stop shaking my head in disbelief, I realize that some of the replies from that article, and the many others on Islamophobe sites, come from complete ignorance of Islam. To make my case, here is part of a post from the valentine article: "their religion gets in the way of every thing they do. ..." It is clear from that post that the author has no idea about Islam, and how it is a complete way of life.
I guess, as my rant comes to an end, my final words are these: Muslims should try and continue to educate the ignorant, insha'Allah. As we debate them in the streets, may Allah hold our tongues from tossing out insults, which only works against us. Insha'Allah, may we be able to articulate our love of Allah to the non-believers in such a way that their hearts may become open.
Allahu Akbar.
Wednesday, February 6, 2008
Odds & Ends....
From time to time, when I feel I have somethings to write about but do not think they require their own individual post, I will write up an "Odds & Ends" posting, insha'Allah.
Today I am writing about a couple of events which happened recently. First, I experienced discrimination of Muslims based on looks. I was in Dallas to visit a friend of mine for his wedding. On the Sunday I was returning to Chicago, Dallas was having heavy fog. The shuttle company called and I left for the airport earlier than expected. In my shuttle was another gentleman flying back to Chicago on a different flight. Since we both got to the airport earlier than planned we decided to fly stand-by on the next flight out.
While standing against a wall, near the counter waiting to hear if our names were called, a couple of Muslim brothers drove by in an airport transport cart. Both were black, neatly dressed, except one was wearing a kufi. It was based on this quick observation as the cart went by us, that the "gentleman" next to me said, "Now that makes me nervous." I looked at him and asked him "why is that?" He disregarded my question and I did not push the issue since this person was clearly an Islamophobe.
Another recent incident I could title, 'Yes, white people are Muslims.' It happened at the Islamic Foundation where I take my new Muslim classes on Sundays. On this particular Sunday I arrived after their first Dhuhr prayer. A brother eyeballed me as I came through both sets of doors and, even though he was holding the collection box, he called out to me, "Can I help you?" I replied, "Assalaam Alaikum, no brother...I am here for the new Muslim class." He replied "Wa'alaikum assalaam" and went back to his collections. But this was not the only incident that day where brothers assumed because I was white that I was not a brother. I gave 'salaams' to a brother as I entered the bookstore and he just replied "Hi." After looking around I was waiting at the counter when a brother from the ICN masjid I regularly attend walked in the bookstore door. He saw me and we exchanged 'salaams' and talked for a moment. After the other gentleman saw this, then he gave me 'salaams' and shook my hand.
Now, I bear no ill feelings toward my brothers. I understand from my readings why this happens. Still, it would be nice for the brothers not to be so judgemental based on my skin color/ethnicity...especially when I am giving 'salaams' inside the masjid.
Alhamdulillah! Subhan'Allah! Allahu Akbar!
Today I am writing about a couple of events which happened recently. First, I experienced discrimination of Muslims based on looks. I was in Dallas to visit a friend of mine for his wedding. On the Sunday I was returning to Chicago, Dallas was having heavy fog. The shuttle company called and I left for the airport earlier than expected. In my shuttle was another gentleman flying back to Chicago on a different flight. Since we both got to the airport earlier than planned we decided to fly stand-by on the next flight out.
While standing against a wall, near the counter waiting to hear if our names were called, a couple of Muslim brothers drove by in an airport transport cart. Both were black, neatly dressed, except one was wearing a kufi. It was based on this quick observation as the cart went by us, that the "gentleman" next to me said, "Now that makes me nervous." I looked at him and asked him "why is that?" He disregarded my question and I did not push the issue since this person was clearly an Islamophobe.
Another recent incident I could title, 'Yes, white people are Muslims.' It happened at the Islamic Foundation where I take my new Muslim classes on Sundays. On this particular Sunday I arrived after their first Dhuhr prayer. A brother eyeballed me as I came through both sets of doors and, even though he was holding the collection box, he called out to me, "Can I help you?" I replied, "Assalaam Alaikum, no brother...I am here for the new Muslim class." He replied "Wa'alaikum assalaam" and went back to his collections. But this was not the only incident that day where brothers assumed because I was white that I was not a brother. I gave 'salaams' to a brother as I entered the bookstore and he just replied "Hi." After looking around I was waiting at the counter when a brother from the ICN masjid I regularly attend walked in the bookstore door. He saw me and we exchanged 'salaams' and talked for a moment. After the other gentleman saw this, then he gave me 'salaams' and shook my hand.
Now, I bear no ill feelings toward my brothers. I understand from my readings why this happens. Still, it would be nice for the brothers not to be so judgemental based on my skin color/ethnicity...especially when I am giving 'salaams' inside the masjid.
Alhamdulillah! Subhan'Allah! Allahu Akbar!
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