Wednesday, February 28, 2007

The Secret Room

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Here is an interesting article about a unknown ancient prayer room that was found near the Wailing Wall. Apparently, the Israeli government knew of it over two years ago, but didn't want it to become public for fear of Muslims demanding that it be declared a religious holy site. Kind of shady right. Nevertheless, it still makes an interesting article. This has been this months moment in Islamic history.

Tuesday, February 27, 2007

The 72nd Excuse

As Muslims we are told to offer 72 excuses for a person, but I think that both Bill Maher and especially Ayaan Ali are very firmly at he 72nd excuse. I am not qualified to declare someone a munafiq, but I would think that Ms. Ali who was born a Muslim seems to want to promote distortions about Allah (SWT) and HIS Prophet (PBUH). She speaks well, but her words and viewpoints are damaging because she reinforces the position of the misinformed. Congressman Issa, was only slightly better. He came off as a true politician. He appeared to be trying to hedge his bets on all sides. He didn't want to appear to be over supporting or over alienating his Muslim constituents. Bill Maher, who I once had an once of respect for speaking his mind, seems to leaped into lunacy with the looseness with which he refers to God. The good thing is that as long as we have breathe in our lungs, the doors of tobah are open. Check out the clip for yourself.



Monday, February 26, 2007

15 Minutes of Fame



The seems as though no one really gets more than 15 minutes of fame anymore, even "Islamic Terrorist". The next global enemy is emerging in the global media. Maoist are being billed by the media as the Chinese version of "Islamic Terrorist". They are suppose to be political dissidents that use violence to support their antiquated political beliefs. This will be the pretext for conflict with China, and since most Americans are geographically challenged they will discriminate against all Asians...wait they already do that..except the Japanese. Nevertheless, soon the heat will be off of Muslims worldwide and we will become the Russians, misunderstood and a reluctant ally in the global battle against the Maoist want to destroy our way of life. The downside is that there will be no more Chinese food sold here and we will only be able to buy freedom shrimp fried rice and orange chicken.


This storyline sounds eerily familiar.....huh, it must be the after taste of the freedom shrimp fried rice.

The Muslims Are Trying to Kill Us!!!



I am glad that some people are beginning to notice the idiocy in labeling every crime that has the remotest connection to Islam as an act of terrorism. Articles are abound, that try to link the DC snipers and the synagouge shootings in Seattle a few years ago as unlabel "Muslim" terrorist acts. The flaw in this and other claims is that although the suspected culprits have Arabic sounding names, they were not Muslims. One was a member of the nation of Islam and the other was a Christian.
So take this as your official warning, if you are going to commit a crime (and you shouldn't because they are haram) change your name John/Jane Smith so that they don't tack a terrorism charge to your other crimes. Who new j-walking was a terrorist act.....wait was that light green when I entered the crosswalk?

Friday, February 23, 2007

Thursday, February 22, 2007

Time to Face Our Fears

It is important to face your fears whatever they are.


Wednesday, February 21, 2007

Reaching Out

http://www.dw-world.de/image/0,,1221407_4,00.jpg

The U.S. is trying to reach out to European Muslims. This is cool and all, but what about the Muslims here. Reach out to us somewhere other than the "random security checks" at airports.

Tuesday, February 20, 2007

The Media Is Trying to Destroy Us....Maybe



The community of Muslims in Kansas City has decided to be proactive about their unfair treatment/ discrimination by their fellow citizens. They called the press, invited them to the mosque, and then called them out for the perpetuation of negative Muslim stereotypes. They said that they live boring, ordinary lives, but the media portrayal of Muslims makes non-Muslims think that we are all terrorist or parts of sleeper cells. I applaud their actions, and I'm surprised that the media even showed it. I know of brothers who have tried similar things here, but the media just edits it out.

Monday, February 19, 2007

Food for Your Soul.....Eat!

What Really Matters on the Day of Judgment








Play your Role





The Price of Paradise


Thursday, February 15, 2007

List Of The Most Influential Muslims


Yusuf Islam


A British website has compiled a list of the Most Influential Muslims in Britain. Needless to say it is an interesting concept, but I'm not sure that I would want to be on this list (assuming of course that I had some influence and that I was British). From a vanity/ego standpoint, making this list seems very cool, but the odds are that the compilers/publishers of this list are non-Muslims so they won't really know who the most influential people are. They will likely list Muslims who have become captain's of industry or are popular personalities (not saying that these people don't have influence), but the most influential people within Islam, regardless of nationality would begin with Muhammad and all other Prophets of Allah(PBUT), the rightly guided Caliphs, the other Sahaba's, the Tabieen, and subsequent scholars. I'm not trying to sound super-righteous, but the influencer of a Muslim should be a person that can lead a person to the edification of their Deen/Iman/Taqwa. I have yet to meet a person that can do that based solely on their chosen profession.

On a lighter note, the other potential draw back to being on the list is that it could serve as hit list (that's just the paranoia talking....or is it?).

Wednesday, February 14, 2007

Smart Enough to Recognize a Stacked Deck

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The military is complaining that they are having trouble recruiting Muslims into the military. Previously, I wrote of the concerted effort that was being made to get Muslims and Arabic speakers into the military. I don't know why Muslims would not want to join the military, after all, it turned out so well for James Yee, but then again we all can't be officers, chaplins, and graduate from West Point. Somehow I feel, that if you are a Muslim in the military you can still get the same treatment,even if you are enlisted. Many reasons are given for why Muslims don't join the military in groves, but I think that the simplest is that Muslims are generally smart enough not to place themselves in a passive agressive environment where they will suspect to peers and superiors regardless of their actions.

Tuesday, February 13, 2007

Modern Spanish Speaking Muslims

Jesus Marti

Not only the rise of Islam is gaining attention, but especially the rise of Islam among Hispanic Americans. This diversification is good not only for Muslim communities across the nation, but it
also gives a face and voice to Islam in communities who only exposure to the deen is via the images and coverage of the media.

Friday, February 09, 2007

Little Mosque #4

Here is the weekly dose of Little Mosque on the Prairie...commercials and all.










Thursday, February 08, 2007

Micheal the Muslim?

Jermaine Jackson has went public that he wants his brother to become a Muslim. There is no better opportunity to erase the mistakes of your life. In all honesty, I didn't know that Jermaine Jackson was a Muslim. I thought that he was part of the Nation of Islam. I guess that the NOI detail that protects them in public must have thrown me off. In any event, Alhamdullah if Jermaine is a Muslim and Alhamdullah if Micheal and the rest of his family takes shahada.

The Muslim Mayor



The Mayor of Macon,GA has taken shahada and become Muslim. I guest that this goes to show that you never know how or when Allah will choose for someone to become Muslim. TAKBEER!!!

Wednesday, February 07, 2007

Muslimgate 2007


Well it turns out that story leaked about Mr. Obama attending a madrassa and being a Muslim was a hoax. What I slight took offense to was the degree to which he denied being a Muslim. His people said "To be clear, Senator Obama has never been a Muslim, was not raised a Muslim, and is a committed Christian who attends the United Church of Christ in Chicago,". I might be hypersensitive, but that statement in conjunction with notion of a Muslim being president, gave me the impression that Americans only trust Christians to run the country. Not for nothing, I think that the whole Manchurian Candidate reference was a little over the top also. Then again, if someone accused me of being Christian, I would probably protest to a similar degree. I would just try to use more tact.

Is This Egypt or England? No Niqab Either Way



I don't like it when sisters who choose to wear niqab, have a hard time in western society, but I understand it. My Christians see it as foreign and they may lack a working concept of modesty since it has not been the social norm for generations. What I don't understand is when historically and predominantly "Muslim" nations begin to adopt these attitudes, and begin to make it hard for sisters who choose to wear niqab, to do so.

Tuesday, February 06, 2007


Converts to Islam [illustration]

At the pace that Europeans are converting to Islam, it may not take until 2046 for the first European Muslim nation(not including Turkey...if it ever fully joins the EU).



What about My Holidays

Reading the Quran
Reading the Quran
(Kathleen Cook/Special to The Morning Call)


Muslims across the country are being more assertive and seeking parity as far as holiday observance by local school districts. This could be a good thing or this could be a bad thing. As long as Muslim students have the ability to celebrate their Eids without it being a detriment to them academically, we should probably be content for now. Making Eids a holiday in which school is closed would benefit those that are non-Muslim, especially since we are not in a predominantly Muslim nation.

Monday, February 05, 2007

Much To Do About 5 Feet



I think that the whole story about the female worshipers at the Islamic Center of Tucson now being able to see the Imam has been blown out of context. Believe it or not, this story has garnered national and international attention, and unfortunately it has been used to perpetuate the image of Islam oppressing women. Out of all of the interviews given about the opening of the curtain I noticed somethings were absent.
First of all, either it was edited out or not mentioned that women are not required to attend Friday prayers while it is required for men. This would explain why the mens side is larger. Also, as far as I know, when the ICT was constructed the majority of the Jummah congregation consisted overwhelmingly of men. Second, there is also a portion of the woman who preferred the concealment because it allowed them to attend to their small children during the khutbah.
I personally feel that the solution was equatable, but not worthy of all the attention given to it( oddly enough this topic was addressed on Little Mosque a few weeks are it happened in Tucson). I fear that such attention primarily serves to re-enforce negative stereotypes that may be true of some nationalities, but not true of Islam. Articles that about Islam that say that the men are disappearing and that women are taking the forefront only serve as a divisive mechanism within the Ummah.

As a side note, I hope that some of the same sisters that exhibit so much zeal in establishing their Islamic rights within the mosque, use that same zeal to encourage sisters outside of the mosque. By this I mean it is disheartening when sisters nearly give themselves whiplash while snatching off the their hijabs after salaat so that they can blend in with their non-Muslim counterparts.

First Muslim President of the U.S. ?



There has been a whirlwind of sensationalism about potential presidential candidate Barak Obama being Muslim. Republicans and Hillary Clinton (an odd couple) has been accused of leaking that Obama was raised as a Muslim by his stepfather and attended a madrassa in Indonesia. Presidential fear-mongering U.S. style.

Friday, February 02, 2007

Little Mosque on the Prairie Episode 3

At the risk of appearing to be the Little Mosque of the Prairie Channel, here is episode 3...commercials and all of course.






Thursday, February 01, 2007


The plot for 24 has drawn much criticism for it's portrayal of Muslims as terrorist. Personally, I don't know why people are shocked. 24 isn't the first or last media representation of Muslims in this manner. Furthermore, we are talking about the FOX network. What more do you really expect from the home station of Bill O'Rielly? I don't think that this one show is going to make people suddenly wake up with an epitome and say "Hey, I think that all Muslims are terrorist!". People who feel that way, felt like that before the show started and those who use it as a pretext for their bigotry would find another vehicle to justify their views if the 24 plot was different. The bottom line is, that to effectively combat negative stereotypes we let our neighbors know that we are Muslims and be exemplars of Islam. Other than that, what can you really do besides give more publicity to the show, and all publicity is good publicity from the show business point of view.

Halal in U.S. Fast Food



Halal has finally started to penetrate the fast food market in the U.S. It has existed for years in major Muslim communities. Primarily in local or chain eateries that are owned by Muslims. In many areas, especially Florida, chain fast food businesses are beginning to see the value in offering halal food.