Page 1 The Islamic Bulletin Issue 16 Vol. XXII, No. 27 in this issue Letters to the Editor.......................... 2 Islamic World News.......................... 3 Women in Islam................................. 7 How I Embraced Isalm........................ 9 Ask and He Gives............................... 11 Sayings of the Prophet (pbuh)............. 11 Cook’s Corner.................................. 14 Manners. .......................................... 15 Hadith Khudsi................................... 16 Ishtikhara.......................................... 17 Qur’an and Science. .......................... 18 Stories of the Sahabas........................ 20 Islamic Diet and Manners................... 21 It’s Their Miracle!.............................. 22 Islam 101.......................................... 22 Kids’ Corner. .................................... 27 A Sad Passing.................................... 30 Technology Review............................ 30 The 6 Year Old Hafiz. ....................... 31 The IslamIc BulleTIN P.O. Box 410186 San Francisco, CA 94141-0186 E-Mail: info@islamicbulletin.org Website: http://www.islamicbulletin.org Assalamu Alaikum! Dear Readers, Well, at long last summer has finally arrived! We hope you are all enjoying the many pleasures of warmweather and kids at home. Picnics, swimming, barbeques, vacations, travel.With this inmindwe have brought you topics and articles that travel well! We have packed so much into this special summer edition that it grew from24 to 32 pages! Lots of new ‘goings on’ here at The Islamic Bulletin! In 1991, we began the formidable job of compiling mosque locations for southern and northern California with driving directions. In this issue, we have included the new updated edition for those of you planning to travel. In Sayings of the Prophet (pbuh) we have focused on a Muslim’s responsibility to parents and mothers in particular; Qur’an and Science is featuring embryology. Islamic Diet and Manners talks about good Islamic table and eating manners. Hadith Qudsi presents just a few of the beautiful and very special hadith; Manners of theProphet (pbuh)coverswhat theProphet (pbuh)hadtosayaboutavarietyof subjects andgoodgeneral conduct amongMuslims.Wehave formattedit for framing if you like. AWoman In Islam is a verymoving and touching story by a womanwho has suffered many trials and tribulations for the sake of Islam ... her story is an inspiration to us all; HakimibnHazm, a close companionof theProphet (pbuh), who took twenty years to embraceIslam, isourguest inStoriesof theSahaba;andHowIEmbracedIslamis toldby a gentleman grippedby despair, alcohol anddemoralizationuntil Islamenteredhis life. A prescription for confusion and indecision on page 16 brings relief with Isstikhara; an amazing story comes to us from Bosnia about the mercy of Allah for a family driven from their home with It’s Their Miracle; in Islamic World News is an article on the changing face of Islam in America; and additionally, we have an interesting note about a six year old boy who is a hafiz that leaves us all saying “Masha Allah”! We have also brought you an excellent article on the realities of Islam for the new or non-Muslim who has been confused by media misconceptions. Read The Real Story on page 22. Brothers from the San Francisco area tell about their amazing trip to Nicaragua and about the forgotten Muslims who emigrated there. In the expanded Kid’s Corner, we have a challenging game for kids and their parents too. Canyouname the25Prophetsmentioned in theQur’an? This is a great traveling or car game, plusa real test of your knowledge.Cook’sCorner features twowonderful summer recipes sent in by our readers which are excellent ‘take along’ foods. Additionally, we would like to acknowledge and encourage our fellowMuslims who are incarcerated and the readers who have supported us with their subscriptions. We hope you all enjoy this expanded issue. - The Editor and Staff of The Islamic Bulletin
Page 2 Page 3 The Islamic Bulletin Issue 16 This is probably the strangest letter I have ever written, but here goes... I picked up your May 1998 issue of The Islamic Bulletin at a bus stop bench inMinneapolis whilewaiting to go home fromwork one evening. Thinking it was going to be a “hate filled terrorist devil-American” kind of thing, I started to read it just for fun, fully expecting to be horrified by its contents. What a complete shock when I started to see some of the principles Islam stands for. It was nothing like what I had been led to believe by the standard media hype about “Muslim Terrorists, etc”. I sawbeauty, grace, andmercy in the words of the Qur’an. Could this be a true representation of this ‘crazy Arab’ religion? Well, much to my surprise, I found out that not only is it not an “Arab” religion, but it certainly is not crazy. Nor is it ‘hate-filled’, but just the opposite! I saw tolerance, justice, guidance, fairness, understanding, and logic! My interest was piqued enough to actually go to the library on the weekend and obtain a copy of the Qur’an plus a few other books about Islam. You people are certainly keeping this wonderful gift a closely guarded secret! I have spent the last month reading everything I could on Islam and I think I am ‘hooked’. As a middle-class white American 40-something male, I am stunned that this has happened to me! With the freedoms and opportunities that America has to offer its people and a belief system such as Islam...it seems to me to be an unbeatable combo! I do not see any conflict between being an American with all of our cultural perspectives and following Islam. As amatter of fact, I believe that Islamcan offer Americans what has been missing for many of us from my generation...moral guidance, family values, honesty and integrity in daily life. I also believe that America has a lot to offer Islam if we take advantage of the good things this country has to offer - Freedom of religion, the Bill of Rights, etc. I can only see a benefit for Americans embracing Islam and a benefit to our beautiful country as well. Thanks so much for this ‘awakening’. It has changed my life. Sincerely, George Herbert Minneapolis, MN Response: Dear George, Thank you so much for your touching letter. The staff here at the Bulletin is very appreciative of your response and thank you for your contribution to the Bulletin. Letters To The Editor We are receiving many inquiries fromAmericans like yourself and many newconverts to Islam. This iswhywehaveexpandedThe IslamicBulletin to address the numerous questions we are getting regarding the basics of Islam. The demographics are definitely changing from what they were ten years ago. May Allah guide you and bless your efforts. - Editor Dear Editor, I am ten years old and I would like you to make the Kid’s Corner bigger andmore fun. I like it but I think you shoulddomore for us kids tohelpus learn about Islam. But my mom is sending a check with my letter so you will keep sending it to us. I hope I didn’t hurt anyone’s feelings by saying this. I got all the answers right in the last quizbut the answers for theblanks were not in order and at first I was confused, but then I figured it out. My little sister likes it too but I have to read it to her because she’s small. Thank you, Yasmina Howard Salt Lake City, UT Response: Dear Yasmina, Thank you for writing to us.We are always happy to hear about what our readerswould like in theBulletin. In this issuewehaveexpanded theKid’s Corner as you asked. We hope you like this months games. See if Mom or Dad knows all the Prophets! Also, one of the articles inWorld News is about anamazing6year oldboywhocan recite thewholeQur’an,which youmight like reading about. Maybe your momor dadwill have to help. Thank you again for your subscription and your comments. - Editor Dear Editor, I have recentlybecome interested in Islamand took threebuses andabout 3 hours to go to a mosque in Southern California where I live, with the idea of obtaining a Qur’an and other Islamic literature. When I arrived there, I found that the Mosque was closed but on the front step was a copy of your newsletter. I helped myself to one, thinking that at least it would be interesting reading for the long bus ride home. I was surprised to find that I could not put it down. It explained many things I wanted the answers to ...basic questions about Islam. I amenclosing the price of a subscription andwill look forward to future issues. Can you tell mewhere I can obtain a Qur’an and other material? Tammy Ortiz Los Angeles, CA Response: Dear Tammy, Weare sohappy tohear that you found theBulletin, enjoyed it, and found it of value. If youhave a computer and Internet access there are a fewsites for converts to Islamthat alsomay be of help to you. And Insha’Allah (that meansGodWilling)wewill haveour siteup soon.We are very impressed with your efforts to learn about Islam and the extent to which you went for the sake of knowledge. May Allah make it easy for you. Best Wishes, The Editor Need to contact us? Web Address: www.islamicbulletin.org E-Mail: info@islamicbulletin.org Editor, Islamic Bulletin P.O. Box 410186 San Francisco, CA 94141-0186, USA THE MUSLIM MAINSTREAM Islam is growing fast in America, and its members defy stereotypes. Reprinted in part from U.S. News & World Report In the polished wooden pews of a white-steepled New England church, the weekend congregation sits with heads reverently bowed. The town of Chelmsford, Massachusetts, is Yankee to the core, and so are most of the inhabitants. Like the sober, straitlaced Pilgrims 300 years before them, the worshipers here shun liquor, dress modestly, and feel uplifted when they call out “God is Great!” Unlike their Puritan predecessors, however, those gathered here address their Maker in Arabic: “Allah-u Akhbar!” They chant, in a call offered five times each day by Muslims from Maine to Alaska. Five to 6 million strong, Muslims in America already outnumber Presbyterians, Episcopalians, and Mormons, and they are more numerous than Quakers, Unitarians, Seventh-day Adventists, Mennonites, Jehovah’s Witnesses, and Christian Scientists, combined. Many demographers say Islam has overtaken Judaism as the country’s second-most commonly practiced religion; others say it is in the passing lane. Yet while Muslims make up one of the fastest-growing religious groups, largely because of immigration, they are among those least understood by their neighbors. Over half the respondents to a recent Roper poll described Islam as inherently anti-American, anti-Western, or supportive of terrorism--though only 5 percent of those surveyed said they’d had much contact with Muslims personally. And according to a draft report scheduled to be released this week by the Council on American-Islamic Relations, although the incidence of violence and harassment directed at Muslims declined 58 percent last year, discrimination reports increased 60 percent. In part, such statistics reflect attitudes shaped by Muslims who live across the globe rather than those who live across the street. Militant fundamentalists such as the late Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini of Iran (and a tiny minority of American Muslims) come from an extreme wing, rather than the more moderate center of the world’s 1 billion Muslims. But TV cameras and international showdowns raise the militants’ public profile. They overshadow the mass of American Muslims, who tend to vote Democratic on issues like immigration and affirmative action, veer Republican on “traditional family values,” including such topics as abortion and sex education, and live comfortably within the mainstream of society. The statistics also suggest that the United States must wrestle with a question that has challenged France, Germany, and other European nations as their Muslim populations have grown: Is America a nation based on Judeo-Christian values or on something more universal? Do we value cultural diversity, or merely tolerate it? As the country begins thinking about how the expanding Muslim population might change the nation’s sense of itself, the challenge will be to see Islam as it really is, rather than as people wish or fear. One of the most widespread misconceptions about Muslims here or abroad is that they are primarily Middle Eastern. Fewer than 1 out of 8 American Muslims (12.4 percent) are of Arab descent; other Middle Eastern groups like Iranians and Turks account for only a few additional percentage points each. On a global basis, there are about 100 million more Muslims on the Indian subcontinent alone than in all Arab countries combined. The two largest Muslim groups in the United States are native-born African-Americans (42 percent) and immigrants from South Asia (24 percent). America’s polyglot neighborhoods are home to Muslims of every conceivable background: Malays from Southeast Asia and Bosnians from southeast Europe, Songhai from the Sahara desert and Uighars from the Taklimakan desert. America is seldom so truly a melting pot as in her mosques. There is even a mosque on a Navajo reservation in New Mexico: Islam has a small but long-standing presence among Native American communities from the Plains to the pueblos. Islam, which stresses egalitarianism, has a special appeal for the marginalized, but the faith draws many converts from the white middle class: More than 80,000 of America’s Muslims are of West European background. When Mariam Agah (nee Mary Froelich) started questioning the faith of her birth, she was not only white and middle class...she was a Roman Catholic nun. At the age of 25, after seven years as Sister Frederick, she gave up her habit: “I was not convinced that Jesus was divine,” she says, “and that’s when I realized that I needed to leave.” That was 28 years ago. Agah got a job at an elementary school, and for a long time she taught and she thought. She read her way through many bookshelves of philosophy, and two works stood out: the Koran and the Autobiography of Malcolm X. “I continued my spiritual journey,” she says, “and it led me to Islam.” Jim Bates is another unlikely convert. In 1990, after four terms as a Democratic congressman from San Diego, he lost an election...and also lost his marriage, his home, and his sense of direction. Born and baptized a Catholic, raised Protestant in a series of orphanages and foster homes, then a loose follower of Unitarianism for most of his adult life, at age 50 Bates found himself searching, he says, for a truth that would never slip away. He found it through the faith of Pakistani-American friends he’d made during his tenure in Congress. Now Bates spends much of his time consulting, and the rest farming hay and raising quarter horses on a ranch in Idaho. ISLAMIC WORLD NEWS
Page 4 Page 5 The Islamic Bulletin Issue 16 The man who attracts the greatest following among American Muslims...black, white, or Asian...is a moderate who has left behind divisive doctrines the Nation of Islam upholds. Warith Deen Mohammed, an imam (leader of prayer) and the son and successor of the black separatist Elijah Muhammad, has up to half a million solid supporters, and perhaps 1.5 million followers more loosely affiliated. He has championed unity among Muslims of different races and made significant headway, though desegregation is still a work in progress. Two decades ago, he led most of his father’s radical Black Muslim flock into the mainstream of moderate Islam, and into the mainstream of everyday American life. “I’ve become almost a fanatical supporter of the United States government,” he told U.S. News. “To me, the vision of the Founding Fathers is the vision that we have in Islam.” Only a few months after the death of his father in 1975, ImamWarith shocked the faithful by renouncing many of the key tenets preached by Elijah Muhammad. Racially exclusionary rhetoric was jettisoned, as was the proposition that whites were “blue-eyed devils” created by an evil scientist named Yacub as a laboratory experiment. Imam Warith tossed out core Nation of Islam doctrines that are viewed as heresy by the rest of the Muslim world: for example, the belief that movement founder Wallace Fard was a manifestation of God and that Elijah Muhammad was his prophet. “He was like Dr. Frankenstein,” ImamWarith (born Wallace) says of his namesake. “He picked up some dead pieces here and some dead pieces there, put them all together, and breathed life into the creature.” In 1985 Imam Warith disbanded the Nation of Islam altogether, urging his supporters to attend any mosque they wished without regard to the race of the other congregants. Several splinter factions had already broken away: One was led by Farrakhan, who reestablished the old Nation and resurrected almost all of Elijah Muhammad’s doctrines. Wali Mutazammil, who had served as the Nation of Islam’s minister for public relations in Kansas City, Mo., remembers setting aside his initial reluctance and rejoining American society. A boxer who’d been the Marine Corps champion featherweight of 1970, Mutazammil had been drawn to the old Nation of Islam partly by the example of boxing legend (and Nation spokesman) Muhammad Ali. In 1976 Mutazammil and the rest of his Missouri congregation followed Imam Warith’s invitation to enter the mainstream Muslim fold. Having already studied some of the texts of orthodox Islam, he says, he was glad to be part of a worldwide community. Now Mutazammil runs a management consulting firm with business stretching from East Asia to West Africa. Three-time world heavyweight champ Muhammad Ali also renounced the old Nation theology in the late 1970s. Westerners tend to regard Muslim attitudes toward women as inherently discriminatory, but reality often differs from the stereotype here as well. “In the name of Islam, cultural habits have developed that suppress women,” notes Laila Al-Marayati, “and this needs to be dealt with head-on.” Born, raised, and still living in Los Angeles, Al-Marayati is a physician and past president of the MuslimWomen’s League. Throughout the world, she notes, women are denied equal rights of marriage, divorce, and property. But such discrimination, she and many other Muslims argue, is a not a reflection of the true spirit of the faith: “The challenge is to let Islam become a tool for elevating women rather than for oppressing them.” Perhaps the most persistent negative stereotype of Islam is that it is a faith of violent extremists, represented by a masked militant rather than the doctor or computer software designer living next door. It is a stereotype that stings: Muslims in America say they are more likely to be the victims of crime than the perpetrators. In a sense, American Muslims (many of them refugees from the regimes with which they are associated in the public mind) are held hostage to the behavior of Saddam Hussein and Hezbollah: Anti-Muslim violence in the United States rises sharply when tensions peak in the Middle East. Sgt. George Curtis feels a special pride in having defended the holy sites of Mecca and Medina from the forces of Iraq. He is the commander of an M1A1 Abrams tank at Fort Carson, CO, a veteran of the gulf war, and also one of the 10,000 Muslims serving in the U.S. military. He sees no contradiction in his roles, noting that the Army has provided special “halal” meals for him and has relieved him of daily physical training requirements during the fast of Ramadan. “Whether it’s Iraq or anywhere else in the world,” he says, “my first duty is to defend my country.” At a mall in Chantilly, Va., last January, all sides of American Islam were on display. It was Eid-ul Fitr, the festival that ends the fasting month of Ramadan, and the crowd in attendance was as multifaceted as any other mass of 15,000 people one could find. The prayer leader delivered his sermon in English--the only language virtually everyone present could understand. Somali immigrants in white robes and loosely coiled turbans rubbed shoulders with Philadelphia B-boyz in Kangol hats, Lugz jackets, and hip-sagging Tommy Hilfiger jeans. Veiled mothers bought their kids pink cotton candy and tried not to worry about the competence of the carnies wearily operating the miniature merry-go-round and the ferris wheel. The longest lines were for a gyroscope ride: Teenagers with scraggly beards and decorous skullcaps were strapped in place, and they grinned wildly as their world spun around and around. For these kids and their friends and classmates, it was just another all-American day at the mall. Islam and America? What would have seemed an impossible concept a decade ago is now becoming a reality. It is possible to live in the ‘Western’ world and uphold, maintain and promote Islamic living and ideals. It takes conscious and dedicated effort on the part of all American Muslims, but it is happening...right here and right now. San Francisco Muslims Visit Nicaragua Muslim immigration occurred in large numbers in Nicaragua in the late 1800’s. The majority of immigrants were originally from Palestine with Nicaragua in Central America the main country of resettlement. This constituted one of the biggest waves of immigration to Central America. It was followed by a second large group of settlers in the 1960’s, and again more recently in the 1990’s. The earliest wave of immigrants quickly lost their Islamic roots upon settling in their new country and consequently, one finds many Arabic and Muslim surnames but almost no Islamic traditions or practice. These groups quickly blended into the local population and adopted the local Christian heritage due to intermarrying and pressure of the government. Many of the family names encountered in Nicaragua are still common in Palestine today. There is almost no knowledge or practice of Islam in these communities... but the shadow of Islam endured. The second immigration group in the 1960’s were better educated, but not any more oriented towards Islam than the first. This group of immigrants was effected by two major events in Nicaragua: a major earthquake in 1972, and the Communist revolution in 1979. At that time, many of the former Palestinians immigrated to North America or returned to Palestine. Those that stayed suffered greatly and their families were further assimilated into the Christian faith. The latest and smallest group of émigrés was in the early 1990’s. Many of these were immigrants returning to Nicaragua who had since become more aware of their Islamic heritage from exposure in North America or Palestine. These immigrants also possessed a stronger Islamic identity than previous groups, enabling a reawakening of Islam by the community. To make matters more difficult, the Nicaraguan government bans all missionary groups from Pakistan, India and other Arab or Islamic countries. After receiving requests for help, a group of brothers from the San Francisco area made travel arrangements to Nicaragua to reintroduce Islam to these forgotten brothers and sisters. As the group contained Spanish speaking brothers with strong commitments to spreading the word of Allah, there was much excitement and anticipation upon setting out. THE AMAZING STORY IN CHINANDEGA While in Managua, the capitol city of Nicaragua, the group was told about a Palestinian elder, named Mukhtar, who had been in a coma for three weeks and near death. Be-fore going into the coma, this man had asked to be among Muslims as he died. He was located in the town of Chinandega, which is approximately 150 Km from Managua. Upon arrival of a brother from the small village, several of the brothers from the group accompanied him to the dying man’s home. As they traveled to the sick and dying man, the local brother explained some background of the family. It seems that the man assimilated into the culture of his chosen country and married a local woman who was very strong in her Catholicism. They had two sons and a daughter who were all raised Catholic and the wife was insisting upon the man’s burial as a Christian. As the brothers arrived in the small city, they were undecided as to whether they should go directly to the home of the elder, or first stop at the house of the driver, have lunch and pray Dhuhur (afternoon prayer) before proceeding to the man’s house and giving their full attention to his needs. It was decided to go directly to the stricken mans’ home before focusing on their own comforts. Upon entering his home, they were surrounded by a plethora of Christian statues and large crucifixes everywhere. They felt as if they had been transported into a church. Ignoring these, they approached the dying elder brother on whose face could be seen the trauma and torture of his sufferings. With his sons and daughter present they immediately started reciting “Surah Yaseen” and made a collective Dua for the old gentleman. They could see in the eyes of the sons and daughter the anguish and love for their father. At that moment one is filled with a sense of helplessness. “Then why do ye not (intervene when the soul of the dying man) reaches the throat...and ye the while (sit) looking on... But we are nearer to Him than ye, and ye see not.” (Qur’an 56:83-85) The group comforted these grown children with mention of the greatness of Allah and the principles of Islam, some points about the Prophet Issa (AS), and tried to give them a little of what they had missed of an Islamic upbringing. As they were listening, the oldest brother removed the cross from his neck and at once accepted Islam and said Islam in Nicaragua
Page 6 Page 7 The Islamic Bulletin Issue 16 the Shahada (declaration of faith), followed by his brother, and together they invited their sister to do the same, which she did. The Mother, listening to this conversation, became upset by what was happening and left the house.The brothers from SF then proceeded to their drivers house for a late lunch and Zuhur Salah along with the children of the dying man. It was the first salah for the children and they were instructed to make Dua (supplication to Allah) for their poor dying father who had been in a coma for three weeks. As the group prayed for the dying man with their hands raised to Allah, the phone rang ...the father had passed away...in peaceful repose. How thankful the brothers from San Francisco were that they had delayed Zuhur prayer and lunch for the sake of visiting the man who only had a short time left in this life. They all then returned to the elders home and started the process of an Islamic burial. The eldest brother, the first of the family to accept Islam, was able to perform a final service for his beloved father by Islamically washing and preparing him for the final internment with the help of the San Francisco brothers. The wife of the deceased man admitted that when she had left the house earlier, she had gone to her local priest and explained to him about this strange group of men who had arrived from nowhere and converted all her family and was in the process of burying her husband of many years Islamically. She explained to the priest what the brothers had been saying about Jesus and Islam. This priest agreed with the points the brothers had made and suggested that she submit to her husband’s wishes. During the burial, the son’s of Mukhtar were able to place him lovingly into his grave facing the Qiblah (Mecca) with their own hands and thus fulfilled their father’s dying wish...to be among Muslims as he died. The greatness of Allah allowed him to be buried as a Muslim, by Muslims, and with those Muslims being his own blood family. After the burial, the brothers from San Francisco stayed awhile and provided further Islamic information for the family. The family cleared their house of idols and crosses and made their big house into the ‘Mosque of Chinandega’. It was then that the mother, who was deeply touched by her husband’s funeral also accepted Islam before the brothers departed! There were other miraculous stories that came from the S.F. group visiting Nicaragua. Many stories such as these came from the San Francisco group to Nicaragua. Within the Islamic community of Managua there had been friction caused by business differences. The masjid was virtually empty during salah times when the group first arrived. Due to their efforts, a renewal of Islamic spirit and brotherhood ensued. The hearts of the Muslims of Managua were again united in brotherhood. As a result of their visit, many of the Islamic residents of Managua were again attending Fair and Isha prayer in congregation. The San Francisco brothers also provided a yearly prayer schedule which the Managuans hadn’t had previously, having to rely on a schedule which the Managuans hadn’t had previously, having to rely on a schedule they had received during Ramadan which they had not adjusted for the course of the year. These descendants of the early immigrants are hungry for information about Islam. Almost 60 people accepted Islam as a consequence of the group from San Francisco. Spanish Qur’ans and literature are continually in demand. It’s the responsibility of all of us to remember these Muslims far away. Please help if you can in our efforts to assist with Spanish language literature. There were many moving and some amusing stories of the San Francisco group as they continued on to El Salvador, Honduras, and Guatemala...watch future issues of The Islamic Bulletin for their adventures! One of the brothers of the San Francisco group visiting Central America was asked by his secretary to deliver some items to her mother, Mrs. Molina, then living in the little town of Granada, close to Managua, while on his dahwa trip. It seems that the brother’s secretary, a non-Muslim, had been getting some criticism from her mother and other members of her family for her Islamic leanings due to working for our friend. She was not eating pork anymore and she liked to read the Qur’an “because it made her feel good”. The mother had been accusing the good brother of ‘brainwashing’ her daughter. Well, the brother delivers the parcel to Mrs. Molina as promised and after a little friendly conversation, he realizes it is time for Maghreb prayer. He asks her permission to pray there, to which she accedes. After praying , our friend starts answering Mrs. Molina’s questions about Islam and before he knew it... she asked to become Muslim, made Shahada, and even asked him to speak to her neighbors and friends about Islam! A very enthusiastic convert! Well, needless to say...the brothers secretary no longer heard about ‘brainwashing’ from her mother, and was even a little surprised by this turn of events. Not too surprised, knowing this brother who is her boss! The problem though...now her mother is criticizing her again...wanting to know what is taking her daughter and son-in-law so long in accepting Islam too! AMIRAH’S STORY I have been asked many times for the story of how I learned about Islam and came to convert, so with the help of Allah (swt) I will make an attempt to share it. I was born to American Christian parents in the southern state of Arkansas in the United States and that is where I was raised. I am known as white-American to my Arab friends but Alhamdolilah, Islam knows no color, race, or nationality. I was raised in the country on a farm. My father worked on our farm and also preached in our local Baptist Church. Baptist is a sect of Christianity such as Catholics, Methodist, etc. They just have different doctrines. But basically they believe in the trinity and that Jesus (pbuh) was God’s son. My mother stayed at home as a homemaker. I am an only child. The town I was raised in was completely white-anglo and all Christian. There were no other religions or races within 200 miles of us for years, so I was never exposed to anything outside of our little town. I had always been taught that we were all created equal in the eyes of God. Later I found out that this was not really how my parents, family, or friends felt. But as long as these ‘other people’ didn’t bother them, then these were very easy words to speak. This would soon change. The first time I ever saw a Muslim was when I attended the University of Arkansas. I stared at the strange clothing the Muslim women wore and could not believe that they covered their hair. Being a curious person, I introduced myself to a Muslim girl in one of my classes the first chance I had. It was a meeting that would change the course of my life. I will never forget her. Her name was Yasmin and she was from Palestine. I would sit for hours and listen to her tell me about her country, culture, family and friends that she loved so much, but even more was the love that she had for her religion, Islam. Yasmin had an inner peace about her like no one I had ever met. She would tell me stories of the Prophets (pbut) and about the Oneness of Allah (swt). This was when I learned that they didn’t worship some other ‘God’, it was just that in Arabic, Allah meant God. Everything she told me made so much sense to me and was so pure. Even though I had never voiced this to any family or friends, I had never believed in the Christian concept of the trinity and why I had to pray to Jesus (pbuh) and not to God directly. Yasmin convinced me that Islam was the only true religion and also a way of life. The most important thing to her was not this life but the hereafter and that someday she and I would meet again in paradise. When she left to go back to Palestine we knew that we would probably never see each other again here on earth and she cried and begged me to continue to learn about Islam so we could meet again...in Paradise. I can still hear her words in my ears. Yasmin had called me Amirah the first time we met. Amirah means princess in Arabic. So when I embraced Islam, I chose this as my legal Muslim name in her honor. I am not a real princess, but Islam makes me feel as though I am. Two weeks after Yasmin returned to her country, she was killed by Israeli soldiers outside of her home. My soul mate was gone and I felt like a part of me had died. With Yasmin I had made friends with Muslims from all over the Middle East and I came to love the sound of Arabic. It was so beautiful, especially when I listened to them read the Holy Qur’an. I still love having someone read the Qur’an to me or listen to Quran tapes. Most of the time I have no idea what is being said, but in some way it still touches my heart and soul. I am learning to read Qur’an and write Arabic, and with time and practice I will, Insha’allah. After I left college and returned to my little community, I didn’t have the honor of being around Muslims any longer. But the thirst for Islam and the Arabic language never left my heart. This upset my family and friends greatly. Years later, Allah (swt) brought someone across my path that was a wonderful example of Islam and once again I began to ask questions and read everything I possibly could about it. For many months I read and prayed and finally on April 15th, 1996 I embraced Islam. It wasn’t one thing in particular that convinced me. It was everything about Islam that did and I will never give my Islam up. When my family and friends discovered that I was studying about Islam they became enraged and rarely spoke to me. But, when I embraced Islam (converted) they totally disowned me and even tried to have me committed to a mental hospital. They were convinced that I was crazy. They didn’t succeed, Alhamdulilah. WOMEN IN ISLAM Granada, Nicaragua
Page 8 Page 9 The Islamic Bulletin Issue 16 All of this was very destroying to me as I loved my family and friends with all my heart, and still do. Occasionally they will call and wish hell on my head...but even these calls have become less frequent. I just thank Allah (swt) that my Iman (faith) was strong. I spoke to my family two days after the bombing in Saudi Arabia. They called to tell me that my Uncle had been killed and that me and my terrorist friends were responsible, and that his blood was on my hands. I cried for days and days...but again my Iman stood strong and I continued. I have made repeated attempts to contact my family but still they refuse and have gone so far as to have their phone numbers changed. Some have even put legal restrictions on me so that I can not go near their homes, my mother being one of them. But Insha’allah, I will keep trying to reach them. It has been over 9 months since I have heard from them. About four days after the bombing, I returned from shopping and found the words “terrorist lover” spray painted down the side of my vehicle. When the police arrived to make a report I asked them to check for any damages that might have been done that would keep me from driving it to a place of safety...as I no longer felt safe in my home. They refused, stating that I could have had some of my terrorist friends plant a bomb for them somewhere on the vehicle. I could not believe what I was hearing. But things were only going to get worse. A lot worse. I was beaten and stabbed in a parking lot by a man one night. He was caught and is serving his punishment, doing community service picking up trash in the street, mowing the mayors’ yard and running errands. At least this is what I have been told. So many times I have had people from all over the world ask me where I was from, what nationality I was, etc. and so I said, “Muslim American” which I am. But I recently found some startling information. It seems that I have some bloodline in me that I didn’t know about and this is where my search begins: I finally discovered why I faced so many problems with my family on my choice to be Muslim. My real father is Kuwaiti. My real mother is American. I was adopted at birth by an American couple, the same one’s you read about in my conversion story. And although I still consider them my family and love them, I have a REAL biological family somewhere, and Insha’Allah I will find them. Here are the only details that I know...and as scarce as they are...I am bound to find my real father. My birth mother I recently learned died in Oregon in 1986. My real mother and father were married and living in Anaheim, California which is near Los Angeles. My mother was pregnant with me. During the last few months of my mothers’ pregnancy, my father had to return to Kuwait, as his mother had passed away. (May Allah bless her soul.) At some point my mother decided to give me up for adoption. We don’t know the circumstances for this decision. She called my father and his family in Kuwait and told them of her decision. At the time, my mother worked for an American couple who owned a business called “Tibia Ranch”, also located in Anaheim. This couple could not have children, and they approached my mother when they found that she was putting the baby up for adoption. She agreed to let them adopt. A few months later, on September 17th my real mother was admitted into the “Orange County Hospital”, in Los Angeles County, California under the woman’s name who was adopting me. Although this was very illegal, it was a common practice at that time. A very short time after my birth, my father returned from Kuwait and started his search for his child and wife. I was told that my mother divorced my father and left the state, never to be heard from again. I have to say that it hurts me deeply that someone could give up a child, knowing that the child was very much wanted by the other parent. I know my father wanted me because after he returned to the US the first place he went was where my real mother worked to inquire about her and the baby. He was told that they had no knowledge of either. My father was told this by the very people that had illegally adopted his child. My real father was also an acquaintance of an adoptive Uncle, from whom he also sought information. My Uncle was kinder to my real father than the others, but he did not provide any information either. My father continued to contact the people that had adopted me, only to be told, repeatedly, that they had NO information for him. At some point he became suspicious when he went to their business and upon seeing me, demanded to know if I was his child! He was told no of course, but my adoptive parents fearing what would be next, sold their business and fled to Arkansas. My real father continued to go to my Uncle pleading with him for any information, but none was given to him. Still, he continued to search and probe my Uncle, until my Uncles death, in 1995. My father searched for me for many years. I was told that he attended my Uncles funeral, and then went back to Kuwait some days later. The only other thing right now that I know about my real father is his name: KHALED AL-MAZIDI. Insha’Allah, some day we will meet. Editors Note: If you have any information you would like to share, please contact us at the Islamic Bulletin. In this issue of the Bulletin we would like to introduce you to a gentleman who rose from the depths of despair and darkness into the light of Islam. We hope you will find it as inspiring as we did. OMAR ABDUL SALAM February 1992...my wife and I are driving down Highway 80 [Northern California] heading back home to San Francisco after a weekend in Reno [a popular town in Northern Nevada for gambling casinos...little sister to Las Vegas] about a 5 hour drive from the Bay area. I’m in a severely distressed state of mind as I have lost about $350 which I cannot afford. More than the fact that I have lost playing poker is an undeniable sense of despair about my life and where my destination seems to be heading. For the past seven plus years my free time has been occupied by heavy liquor consumption on a daily basis. A situation which obviously needs correcting, but given my theological-philosophical point of view at the time, a day without drinking is not possible for me. As we near San Francisco a heavy thunder storm begins to pound into us. This is the first time I’ve seen a full blown storm in the Bay Area replete with numerous lightning strikes which can be seen flashing all around the valleys to the east and the ocean to the west. As suddenly as the storm hits, I am hit with a lightning bolt of undeniable realization....for me it’s over! My nights of drunken bitter meandering about the philosophical virtues of Jean Paul Satre, Nietzsche and Dostoevesky have brought me to a place of dark anguish and existential hopelessness. This is why I drink, I tell myself. I am convinced that there is no point to birth, life or death beyond this present reality. I cannot see investing a lot of effort in something which is as obviously finite as the human life-span. I can’t beat it so I might as well stumble about in a drunken stupor. So on this night, rolling down the highway amidst the thunder and lightning, I can sense for the first time that God is telling me “Enough is enough”. For you, it’s over. The following day at work, I go through the motions as usual, but I know that something is terribly wrong. At my lunch break, I tell the boss that I’m sick and head home. I’ve got to do something about this alcoholic condition. I read the phone book searching for a way out. I call a place in the Los Angeles area which offers a 30 day inhouse treatment program. This sounds plausible to me. When my wife arrives home, I lay out the whole scenario to her and in her wise and wonderful way she advises me to see what happens over the next two days. If I drink... go for the treatment. Keep in mind that this is the first night in over seven years that I haven’t had any liquor. I’m tense and nervous but agree with my wife’s idea. The next morning I tell my boss the story as my company insurance would have to cover the treatment program. I’m embarrassed, but relieved that I’m doing something about this problem. When I get home that evening, right on schedule, my sick alcoholic mind tells me, “Just go to the liquor store for a half-pint...you can ease off gradually and this will calm you down.” But this time I don’t go. As I sit on the sofa, head in my hands, lost in my own internal struggle, it hits me like a “bolt of lightning”! READ THE QUR’AN! As is my usual way, I don’t analyze this impulse, I just do it! As I read Surah Fatihah, tears well up in my eyes and Allah- blesses me with the sweetest of miracles!. I continue to read the sacred script for the next two hours until my wife returns from work. A transformation was taking place inside of me. Coming from me it doesn’t sound like much, but I proclaim to her and my work mates that I have become Muslim and have quit drinking. For the next eight months, I read the Holy Qur’an on a daily basis. I read everything on Islam that I can find. Understand that I had the Holy Qur’an (English translation) at home only because I had every other religious book that I knew of. I had read bits and pieces of it prior to Allah’s blessing me with the revelation, but I had also read the Bible, the Bhagivad Gita, numerous Zen texts, the Kabbalah, as well as all of the major Greek and existential philosophers mentioned previously. I had a large selection of books promising enlightenment to choose from. It was not mere chance that I picked up the Holy Qur’an that fateful evening. I had heard of people in life-and-death situations beg God to rescue them and they will follow whatever religion they are brought to. It seems that they invariably convert to Islam. This is the human beings natural religion. As the Holy Qur’an tells us, we are born Muslims...it is the parents that call us Jews, Christians, etc. For the first eight months I stumbled about praying salat in English, trying to practice my deen as best I could alone. At times I tried to reach out I would look through the yellow pages but the numbers I called [masjids] were either unanswered or I would be immediately invited to the mosque. I was too afraid of looking foolish in front of the ‘real Muslims” as I couldn’t even say “Assalamu Alaikum”. I had first become aware of Islamic conversion in America from reading about jazz musicians that I looked up to such as Yusef Lateef and Ahmad Jamal. I was a big jazz fan and a poor saxophone player myself. I knew of a number of African Americans who converted to Islam, but not many whites like myself. This made me hesitant to approach a masjid. I didn’t know what to expect. How I Embraced Islam
Page 10 Page 11 The Islamic Bulletin Issue 16 I asked for Strength.................. And Allah gave me Difficulties to make me strong. I asked for Wisdom................... And Allah gave me Problems to solve. I asked for Prosperity................ And Allah gave me Brain and Brawn to work. I asked for Courage................... And Allah gave me Danger to overcome. I asked for Love........................ And Allah gave me Troubled people to help. I asked for Favors..................... And Allah gave me Opportunities. I received nothing I wanted....... I received everything I needed. Allah answers my prayers. ON PARENTS In America there are many days set aside to honor and appreciate special people in our lives. Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, Memorial Day, Grandmother’s and Grandfather’s Day, etc. We do realize the significance of these occasions and the ideals and philosophies of setting aside certain days to recognize and appreciate these people. As for the appreciation of parents, it should be a daily recognition rather than a special occasion according to the Holy Qur’an and Hadith. We are taught that a Muslim should respect and appreciate his or her parents every day throughout the year. In the Qur’an, appreciation and treatment of parents is described beautifully in Surah Al-Isra in which Allah (swt) says, “Your Lord hath decreed that ye worship none but Him and that ye be kind to parents. Whether one or both of them attain old age in thy life, say not to them a word of contempt, nor repel them, but address them in terms of honor. And out of kindness lower to them the wing of humility and say: ‘My Lord! Bestow on them Thy Mercy even as they cherished me in childhood.’” (Quran 17:23-24) Recognition and respect of parents is mentioned eleven times in the Qur’an. In every instance, Allah reminds children to appreciate the care and love they received from their parents. In one aspect, Allah demands that children honor their parents by saying, “We have enjoined on man kindness to parents.” (Quran 29:8 & 46:15) This is stated again in Surah Al-Baqarah (The Cow) with, “And (remember) when We made a covenant with the children of Israel, (saying): worship none save Allah (only), and be good to parents...” (Quran 2:83) ...and in Surah Al-Nisaa (the Women), “And serve Allah. Ascribe nothing as partner unto Him. (Show) Kindness unto parents...” (Quran 4:36) ...and in Surah Al An’Am (The Cattle), Allah (swt) reiterates that people should honor and be kind to parents, “Say: Come. I will recite unto you that which your Lord has made a sacred duty for you; that you ascribe nothing as partner unto Him and that you do good to parents...” (Quran 6:151) It has been related that a person came to the Holy Prophet to take part in the Emigration (Hijrah) against the will of his weeping parents. The Holy Prophet told him to go back to his parents and come back only after pleasing them as he had made them cry. (Abu Dawood) In fact, Islam teaches us that respect for parents comes immediately after praying to Allah and before Jihad (struggle and striving in the way of Allah) ...this would indeed make it a very powerful and important injunction. This implies that we should take it not only as a worldly affair but as a religious duty also. Almighty Allah and His Holy Prophet have both laid much emphasis on obeying, serving and pleasing our parents. Sayings of the Prophet (S.A.W.) Finally after eight months of self-study and research, I called the Islamic Center of San Francisco and spoke to a brother there. He made me feel at ease, he spoke English clearly and he didn’t act as though I was another insecure American following a temporary religious whim. He invited me to the Friday night program at the Islamic Center in the area. This was November 6, 1992. I drove to the mosque following the brothers directions and arrived at 6:00 P.M. even though the ‘program’ didn’t start until 8:00 P.M. I wanted to ‘look before I leaped’. I was very nervous, but Alhamdulilah, Allah guided me out of my car and up to the front door. I was greeted by a brother named Muhammad and as I shook his hand, I felt not only welcome, but that I had ‘come home’ after 37 years of searching. I was then introduced to another brother who was a most knowledgeable and pious man who patiently instructed me in the requirements of the deen. He taught me how to make proper wudu (the act of cleaning oneself before prayer or the handling and reading of the Qur’an) and finally, he led me in reciting the Shahada (the Muslim declaration of faith) which was the single most significant moment of my entire life. May Allah make it easy for all people who seek His guidance to be as blessed as I was with so many understanding brothers and elders as I had, and continue to have the honor of knowing. They have been of immeasurable help in aiding me in the practice of the deen. Four months after officially taking Shahada, I spent the last ten days of Ramadan in the path of Allah, doing the work of dawah (inviting others to Islam). This gave me a real first-hand look at the beauty of this deen when practiced at what is our current best. As an ummah (brotherhood), I could not believe how I met so many pious brothers who were actually practicing their faith to the best of their abilities. Over the past 6 years I have had the blessing of being able to spend a week here or there in the path of Allah performing dawah, and I can say without a doubt that it is a sure way to increase ones’ iman (faith). All of us in the Ummah of Rasulullah (swm) have a responsibility and a duty to invite others towards the good and forbid the evil. May Allah guide us to a true understanding. If I may summarize, the deen of Islam (submission to the will of God) is the only religion. It was the religion of the prophet Abrahim (swm) when he had the blessings of revelation and destroyed the idols of his father and his fellow tradesmen. It was the religion of Moses (PBUH) when he received the law of Allah and defeated the army of Pharaoh. It was the religion of Jesus, son of Mary ((PBUH) when he healed the sick and confirmed the law of Moses, and when he foretold the coming of Muhammad (pbuh) and the final revelation until the day of judgement. Allah has blessed humanity with the miracle of the Holy Qur’an, a book which has remained unchanged since it was revealed to our beloved prophet Muhammad (swm), and will remain unchanged until Allah judges all that He has created. We have no excuses. The Holy Qur’an is a document that can lead to eternal paradise, Insha’Allah (If God wills it). It is a miracle which Allah in His mercy has bestowed upon mankind. We have the Qur’an, a miracle and blessing from Allah. We have the Sunnah (the actions) of the holy and final prophet Muhammad (pbuh). It lights the way to the path which is straight and leads to paradise and brings us closer to the one Creator. No other revelation or book or prophet is going to come to guide us. There is no need for any other instruction. We have it all in the Holy Qur’an. Where did we come from? Allah, Subhana’Allah (God is Awesome), created us to manifest His glory in this reality. Why are we here? To bring glory to the One true Creator of all things and to enjoin good (the Law of God) and to forbid evil. To fight our own desires and to bring the remembrance of Allah to mind. When tempted by Shatan (the devil) to invite all humanity towards the greatness of Allah. Where are we headed? To eternal paradise, Insha’Allah. How do we get there? By following the ways of the one who is an example by which to live. Allah in His Mercy and Grace has blessed us with Hadeeth of Rasulullah (swm) so we are able to find the way. It is often said that Islam is simple and we make it complicated. Let me tell you dear brothers, sisters and elders... Islam says it all! I wandered so long in the darkness of existential dead ends and esoteric thinking and the answer was there all along. I can’t say that my struggle came to an end when I converted to Islam. We all must continually strive to improve our faith and practice and shatain is ever vigilant to our weaknesses. But Allah in His Mercy has given us this light called the Holy Qur’an as a guide, His Beloved Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) in which to make it through this brief journey of life. May Allah increase all of our understanding, raise our Iman and Bless all who seek His guidance with the strength to live our deen to the best of our abilities. Asalamu Alaikum Omar Abdul-Salaam Daly City, CA Ask and He Gives The Prophet (pbuh) when asked “Which deed is most liked by Allah?” replied, “Prayers on time.” Then asked, “Which one next?” said, “Goodliness to parents”, then asked again, which next, replied, “jihad in the way of Allah”.
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy MTUxNjQ1