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American Muslim Woman Blog
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Friday, May 2, 2008
Who Speaks For Islam
I always get this question. Here is a book to check out.
Survey: 'What a Billion Muslims Really Think'
Farjana K. Godhuly
Muslim men take part in a special morning prayer in Dhaka, Bangladesh. A new book presents the findings of
a six-year, 50,000-interview Gallup survey of Muslim populations in 35 countries. AFP/Getty Images
Read an Excerpt
One survey actually found that 90 percent of respondents said Americans were friendly. What's interesting
is that most of these people have never met an American...”
Dalia Mogahed, co-author of 'Who Speaks for Islam?'
Talk of the Nation, March 3, 2008 · When the Gallup organization asked Muslims around the world and Westerners
what they admired most and least about the West, both groups gave the same answers: They admired Western technology and democracy,
but were disappointed by the breakdown of family values and morality.
Who Speaks for Islam? What a Billion Muslims Really Think is a book that presents the findings of a six-year,
50,000-interview Gallup survey of Muslim populations in 35 countries.
Dalia Mogahed, co-author of Who Speaks for Islam?, discusses what the survey concludes about how Muslims view
democracy, women's rights and radicalism. The poll posed some tough questions:
Is Islam to blame for terrorism?
Why is there so much anti-Americanism in the Muslim world?
Who
are the extremists?
Where are the moderates?
What do Muslim women really want?
"Shortly after 9/11, we asked Americans what they knew about Islam and Muslims and their views and values," Mogahed says.
"And we found that 54 percent said they knew either nothing or not much. ... Then in early 2007, we asked the same question.
Now, this is after two wars, a great deal of media coverage on Islam and Muslims, and this time, 57 percent said they knew
either nothing or not much."
Dalia Mogahed talks with guest host Ari Shapiro and callers about the findings of the comprehensive study.
Excerpt: 'Who Speaks for Islam?'
by John Esposito and Dalia Mogahed
“Nearly one-quarter of Americans say they would not want a Muslim as a neighbor; less than half
believe U.S. Muslims are loyal to the United States.”
“We surveyed a sample representing more than 90 percent of the world's 1.3 billion Muslims, making
this the largest, most comprehensive study of contemporary Muslims ever done.”
NPR.org, March 4, 2008 · Introduction: Islam's Silenced Majority
What many saw as an ongoing conflict between the United States and parts of the Muslim world intensified dramatically after
the horrific events of 9/11. Violence has grown exponentially as Muslims and non-Muslims alike continue to be victims of global
terrorism. Terrorist attacks have occurred from Morocco to Indonesia and from Madrid to London, and wars in Afghanistan and
Iraq rage on. As of this writing, war and terrorism have claimed hundreds of thousands of lives since 9/11; the vast majority
of victims have been civilians.
As we cope with savage actions in a world that seems ever more dangerous and out of control, we are inundated with analysis
from terrorism experts and pundits who blame the religion of Islam for global terrorism. At the same time, terrorist groups
such as al-Qaeda beam messages throughout the world that demonize the West as the enemy of Islam and hold it responsible for
all the ills of the Muslim world.
Amid the rhetoric of hate and growing violence, manifest in both anti-Americanism in the Muslim world and in Islamophobia
in the West, discrimination against, or hostility toward, Islam or Muslims has massively increased. In the aftermath of 9/11,
President George W. Bush emphasized that America was waging a war against terrorism, not against Islam. However, the continued
acts of a terrorist minority, statements by preachers of hate (Muslim and Christian alike), anti-Muslim and anti-West talk
show hosts, and political commentators have inflamed emotions and distorted views.
The religion of Islam and the mainstream Muslim majority have been conflated with the beliefs and actions of an extremist
minority. For example, a 2006 USA Today/Gallup poll found that substantial minorities of Americans admit to harboring
at least some prejudice against Muslims and favoring heightened security measures for Muslims as a way to help prevent terrorism.
The same poll found 44% of Americans saying that
Muslims are too extreme in their religious beliefs. Nearly onequarter of Americans, 22%, say they would not want a Muslim
as a neighbor; less than half believe U.S. Muslims are loyal to the United States.
Are the negative perceptions and growing violence on all sides only a prelude to an inevitable all-out war between the
West and 1.3 billion Muslims? The vital missing piece among the many voices weighing in on this question is the actual views
of everyday Muslims. With all that is at stake for the West and Muslim societies — indeed for the world's future — it is time
to democratize the debate.
Who Speaks for Islam?: What a Billion Muslims Really Think is about this silenced majority. This book
is the product of a mammoth, multiyear Gallup research study. Between 2001 and 2007, Gallup conducted tens of thousands of
hour-long, face-to-face interviews with residents of more than 35 nations that are predominantly Muslim or have substantial
Muslim populations. The sample represents residents young and old, educated and illiterate, female and male, and from urban
and rural settings. With the random sampling method that Gallup used, results are statistically valid within a plus or minus
3-point margin of error. In totality, we surveyed a sample representing more than 90% of the world's 1.3 billion Muslims,
making this the largest, most comprehensive study of contemporary Muslims ever done.
After collecting vast amounts of data representing the views of the world's Muslims, we pored through that data for answers
to the questions everyone is asking: What is the root of anti- Americanism in the Muslim world? Who are the extremists? Do
Muslims desire democracy, and if so, what might it look like? What do Muslim women really want? The concept of this book is
simple: With these questions in hand, we let the statistical evidence — the voices of a billion Muslims, not individual "experts"
or "extremists" — dictate the answers.
Gallup's research produced a number of insights, but the most important was this: The conflict between the Muslim and Western
communities is far from inevitable. It is more about policy than principles. However, until and unless decision makers
listen directly to the people and gain an accurate understanding of this conflict, extremists on all sides will continue to
gain ground.
The study revealed far more than what we could possibly cover in one book, so we chose the most significant, and at times,
surprising conclusions to share with you. Here are just some of those counterintuitive discoveries:
Who speaks for the West?: Muslims around the world do not see the West as monolithic. They criticize or
celebrate countries based on their politics, not based on their culture or religion.
Dream jobs: When asked to describe their dreams for the future, Muslims don't mention fighting in a jihad,
but rather getting a better job.
Radical rejection: Muslims and Americans are equally likely to reject attacks on civilians as morally
unjustified.
Religious moderates: Those who condone acts of terrorism are a minority and are no more likely to be religious
than the rest of the population.
Admiration of the West: What Muslims around the world say they most admire about the West is its technology
and its democracy — the same two top responses given by Americans when asked the same question.
Critique of the West: What Muslims around the world say they least admire about the West is its perceived
moral decay and breakdown of traditional values — the same responses given by Americans when posed the same question.
Gender justice: Muslim women want equal rights and religion in their societies.
R.E.S.P.E.C.T.: Muslims around the world say that the one thing the West can do to improve relations with
their societies is to moderate their views toward Muslims and respect Islam.
Clerics and constitutions: The majority of those surveyed want religious leaders to have no direct role
in crafting a constitution, yet favor religious law as a source of legislation.
Excerpted from Who Speaks for Islam?: What a Billion Muslims Think by John Esposito and Dalia Mogahed,
©2008 Gallup Press. Reprinted by permission of the publisher.
Friday, April 25, 2008
Finally, someone heard us!!!
Jihadist’ among words struck from official lexicon
By MATTHEW LEEThe Associated Press
WASHINGTON | Don’t call them jihadists any more.
And don’t call al-Qaida a movement.
The Bush administration has launched a new front in the war on terrorism, this time targeting language.
Federal agencies, including the State Department and the Department of Homeland Security, are telling their employees not
to describe Islamic extremists as “jihadists” or “mujahideen,” according to documents obtained by The Associated Press. Lingo
like “Islamo-fascism” is out, too.
The reason: Such words may boost support for radicals among Arab and Muslim audiences by giving them a veneer of religious
credibility or by offending moderates.
For example, while Americans may understand “jihad” to mean “holy war,” it is in fact a broader Islamic concept of the
struggle to do good, says the guidance prepared for diplomats and other officials tasked with explaining the war on terror
to the public. Similarly, “mujahideen,” which means those engaged in jihad, must be seen in its broader context.
U.S. officials may be “unintentionally portraying terrorists, who lack moral and religious legitimacy, as brave fighters,
legitimate soldiers or spokesmen for ordinary Muslims,” said a Homeland Security report titled “Terminology to Define the
Terrorists: Recommendations from American Muslims.”
“Regarding ‘jihad,’ even if it is accurate to reference the term, it may not be strategic because it glamorizes terrorism,
imbues terrorists with religious authority they do not have and damages relations with Muslims around the world,” the report
says.
Language is critical in the war on terror, said another document, an internal memo titled “Words that Work and Words that
Don’t: A Guide for Counterterrorism Communication.”
The memo was approved for diplomatic use this week by the State Department, which plans to distribute a version to all
U.S. embassies, officials said.
At least at the top level, it appears to have made an impact. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, who once frequently
referred to “jihad” in her public remarks, does not appear to have used the word, except when talking about the name of a
specific terrorist group, since September.
The memo also draws heavily on the Homeland Security report that examined the way American Muslims reacted to different
phrases used by U.S. officials to describe terrorists and recommended ways to improve the message.
Because of religious connotations, that report, released in January and obtained by the AP this week, counseled “caution
in using terms such as, ‘jihadist,’ ‘Islamic terrorist,’ ‘Islamist,’ and ‘holy warrior’ as grandiose descriptions.”
“We should not concede the terrorists’ claim that they are legitimate adherents of Islam,” the report said, adding that
Osama bin Laden and his adherents fear “irrelevance” more than anything else.
“We must carefully avoid giving bin Laden and other al-Qaida leaders the legitimacy they crave, but do not possess, by
characterizing them as religious figures, or in terms that may make them seem to be noble in the eyes of some,” it said.
A DO’S AND DON’TS LIST Advice from the National Counterterrorism
Center:
•Don’t use the term “jihadist,” which has broader religious meanings beyond war, or “mujahideen,” which refers to holy
warriors.
•Do say “violent extremist” or “terrorist.”
•Don’t use the term “al-Qaida movement,” because it gives al-Qaida political legitimacy.
•Don’t use “Islamo-fascism” and other terms that could cause religious offense.
•Do use the term “totalitarian.”
•Don’t label groups simply as “Muslim.”
•Do use descriptive terms to define how a group fits into society. For example: South Asian youth and Arab opinion leaders.
•Don’t use “caliphate” when explaining al-Qaida’s goals, as this has positive implications.
Friday, April 18, 2008
How can we have peace when this type of suffication is occuring? Wake up America!
Carter calls Gaza blockade a crime and atrocity
By Jonathan WrightThu Apr 17, 4:00 PM ET
Former U.S. President Jimmy Carter called the blockade of Gaza a crime and an atrocity on Thursday and said U.S. attempts
to undermine the Islamist movement Hamas had been counterproductive.
Speaking at the American University in Cairo after talks with Hamas leaders from Gaza, Carter said Palestinians in Gaza
were being "starved to death," receiving fewer calories a day than people in the poorest parts of Africa.
"It's an atrocity what is being perpetrated as punishment on the people in Gaza. it's a crime... I think it is an abomination
that this continues to go on," Carter said.
Israel has been blockading Gaza mort of the time since Hamas took control of the impoverished coastal strip in June last
year, allowing only basic supplies to enter.
Israel has not accepted Hamas proposals for a truce including an end to Hamas rocket attacks on Israel and to Israeli attacks
on Hamas personnel in Gaza and the West Bank. Israeli officials say a truce would enable Hamas to rearm.
Carter said Israel and its ally the United States were trying to make the quality of life in Gaza markedly worse than in
the West Bank, where the rival Fatah group is in control.
"I think politically speaking this has worked even to strengthen the popularity of Hamas and to the detriment of the popularity
of Fatah," he added. The United States has been trying to achieve the opposite outcome.
"EXAMPLE TO BE EMULATED"
Carter, who helped make peace between Egypt and Israel while president in the 1970s, said the Hamas leaders he has met
so far told him they would accept a peace agreement with Israel negotiated by Mahmoud Abbas -- the Fatah leader and Palestinian
president -- if the Palestinians approved it in a referendum.
Israel and the United States say they refuse to deal with Hamas as long as the Islamist movement does not recognize Israel's
right to exist and renounce violence.
But Carter said Hamas, which won Palestinian parliamentary elections in 2006, had to be involved in any arrangements that
could lead to peace.
"One of the reasons I wanted to come and meet with the Syrians and Hamas was to set an example that might be emulated by
others... I know that there are some officials in the Israeli government that are quite willing to meet with Hamas and maybe
that will happen in the near future," he added.
Carter's talks in Cairo were with former Palestinian Foreign Minister Mahmoud al-Zahar and former Interior Minister Saeed
Seyam, who did not speak to reporters.
Zahar and Seyam came to Cairo on Wednesday after the Israeli authorities refused to let Carter into Gaza from the Israeli
side. Carter has already met a West Bank leader from Hamas and is expected to meet overall leader Khaled Meshaal in Damascus.
Earlier on Thursday, Carter met Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak. No details were available from either side.
(Writing by Jonathan Wright; editing by Will Rasmussen and Jon Boyle)
Wednesday, April 16, 2008
In recognition of the Pope's visit:
Islamic leaders and scholars from around the world last
October signed the first-of-its-kind “A Common Word Between Us and You” open letter
intended to promote understanding between Muslims and Christians. Towards that, I welcome Pope Benedict XVI on his first papal
visit to the United States.
While
that letter, which was well received by the pope and other world Christian leaders, recognizes the differences between our
two faiths, it also states: “[L]et our differences not cause hatred and strife between us. Let us vie with each other only
in righteousness and good works. Let us respect each other, be fair, just and kind to (one) another and live in sincere peace,
harmony and mutual goodwill.”
Let's
pray that this happens.
Tuesday, January 22, 2008
Syed Farrukh Shabbir Second Anniversary of his Passing
It's hard to imagine, but it has been two years today. It seems appropriate to share the scholarship information that
is being mailed out today. Please say a prayer for his soul.
January 22, 2008
Dear Senior Scholarship Counselor,
My name is Mahnaz Shabbir
and my family along with the Crescent Peace Society last year established a memorial scholarship
in the name of my husband Syed Farrukh Shabbir, M.D.
Enclosed you will find background information,
essay directions and the essay form for the Syed Farrukh Shabbir, M.D. Memorial Scholarship. This is a 500-word essay contest.
Please communicate the availability of
this scholarship to your college-bound graduating seniors. The deadline for submission
is March 31, 2008. First place scholarship is $500. This year, we are
able to offer a second place scholarship award of $250.
Please note this is a blind contest, i.e.,
the judges will not know the name of the students nor the school.
If you would like me to send you an electronic
documents, please email me and I would happy to do so. If you should have any
questions, please contact me at 816.213.2536 or at Mahnaz@shabbiradvisors.com.
More information can be found at www.communitypeace.com. Thank you for your cooperation.
Sincerely,
Mahnaz M. Shabbir
Syed Farrukh Shabbir, M.D. Memorial Scholarship
First Place $500 Scholarship and Second Place $250 Scholarship for a College Bound Graduating Senior 2008 est. 2007
Syed Farrukh Shabbir,
M.D. was a physician who practiced in the greater Kansas City area for over 27
years. He was married to Mahnaz Shabbir and had four children, Ali, Adil, Abbas and Ahmed.
During his lifetime, he was active in the community serving the health care needs at various hospitals, universities and in
his own private practice as a psychiatrist.
In addition, he
was involved in working with people of many faiths not just in the health care area, but also in community activities. Unfortunately,
his life was cut short on January 22, 2006 at the age of 57 after fighting a debilitating autoimmune disease called wegener's granulomatosis.
In his memory,
the family has started the Syed Farrukh Shabbir, M.D. Memorial Scholarship through the Crescent Peace Society.
This scholarship will be awarded to a college bound graduating senior who has written
the most compelling essay about the importance of peace and understanding in a pluralistic world. This 500-word essay contest
is open to any graduating senior from a high school located in the greater Kansas City area.
This is a blind essay.
The judges will not know who has written the essay. In order to keep the essay blind, students need to submit their essay
with the enclosed cover sheet. The essay itself should only include the Student’s ID number and the Student’s High School
code (the code that is used on ACT/SAT tests). This information should be located in the header of the essay. The cover sheet
should be stapled on top of the submitted essay.
Essays should be mailed to Syed Farrukh Shabbir, M. D. Memorial Scholarship, P.O. Box 23175, Overland Park, Kansas 66283. The deadline is March 31, 2008
(postmark).
The winners will be
announced the first week of May and awarded at the student’s high school awards ceremony. The winners will also be invited
to the annual Crescent Peace Society dinner held in the fall.
For more information,
please contact Mahnaz Shabbir at 816.213.2536, Mahnaz@shabbiradvisors.com or www.communitypeace.com.
Syed Farrukh Shabbir, M.D. Memorial Scholarship est. 2007
Cover Sheet
(all information needs to be filled out to be considered for the scholarship)
Student Name:______________________________
High School Name:
_______________________________
High School Address:______________________________
High School Scholarship
Counselor’s Name:_________________________
High School Scholarship
Counselor’s Phone number and email address:
Phone No._______________________
Email:_____________________________
Student’s School
ID #_______________________
High School Code
#_________________________
Student Contact
information:
Phone Number:_________________________ Email:______________________
Home Address:______________________________
___________________________________________
I release Crescent Peace Society to publish my essay in
the Kansas City Star and other publications.
Student’s signature:______________date:____Parent’s
signature:__________date:___
Note:
The essay should only include the Student’s ID number and the Student’s High School code (the code
that is used on ACT/SAT tests). This information should be located in the header of the essay. The cover sheet should be stapled
on top of the submitted essay.
Essays should be mailed to Syed Farrukh Shabbir, M. D. Memorial Scholarship, P.O. Box 23175, Overland Park, Kansas 66283. The deadline is March 31, 2008
(postmark).
(Attach your essay to the cover sheet)
Monday, September 17, 2007
Ramadan, A Renewal Month
(reprinted
from 2004)
As I think of this article about
Ramadan, my first thoughts are not positive ones because it brings memories
of discrimination that I faced as a child while growing up. It was Ramadan
1972 in Willingboro, New Jersey.
I was in the sixth grade, something happened that altered how I thought of myself. My cousins had just emigrated from India. One of my cousins was in the same grade.
My cousin’s teacher wanted to
know why he wasn’t eating. Not satisfied with the explanation of the Islamic fasting month, the teacher came to my classroom
and demanded, “Why isn’t your cousin eating?” I explained Ramadan
as best as a 12year old could while also wishing my cousin didn’t go to my school. It was at that moment that a sentence
was handed down to me. A sentence that said, I Am Different.
For years I struggled with “being
different”. As I grew older, the meaning of Ramadan became clearer and
now I look forward to this time of spiritual growth. Yet, not much has changed in regards to education of non-Muslims about
this month.
Today, I know there is a need
for tremendous education of our school systems, employers and neighbors. A couple of years ago, I developed a fact sheet that
I presented to the School Superintendent and the principals of the school district that my children attend. You will find
this fact sheet after this article. Copy the page and hand it out to non-Muslims. Please consider sharing this with your children’s
teachers, principals and superintendents.
Also, please consider hosting
an iftar at your work. Invite your boss and your fellow employees. Host an iftar for your neighbors. Host an iftar for your
children’s friends. Share with them the meaning of Ramadan, our holy
month.
When I was growing up, I had to
deal with “being different”. Now our children are dealing with our religion being portrayed in a negative way due to others
using the name of our faith incorrectly. Let us welcome the month of Ramadan
with the Prophet’s sermon below. We need to give our children the tools to feel confident about who they are and that starts
with us being leaders in various communities today.
About the Author: Mahnaz Shabbir lives in Stilwell, Kansas. She is a first
generation American Muslim Woman. Her parents immigrated to the United States in the 1950s from India. She was born in Philadelphia and has lived in the Kansas City area for the last 28 years.
She is the mother of 4 boys-second generation Americans. She is the President of Shabbir Advisors, an integrated
strategic management company that focuses on strategic management and diversity training. She is past President of the
Heartland Muslim Council.
The Sermon Given By The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him)
On The Last Friday Of Sha'ban
On The Reception Of The Month of Ramadan
O
People!
Indeed ahead of you is the blessed month of Allah.
A month of blessing, mercy and forgiveness.
A month
which with Allah is the best of months.
Its days, the best of days, its nights,
the best of nights, and its hours,
the best of hours.
It is the month which invites you to be the guests of Allah
and invites you to be one of those
near to Him.
Each breath you take glorifies him;
your sleep is worship,
your deeds are accepted
and your
supplications are answered.
So, ask Allah, your Lord;
to give you a sound body
and an enlightened heart
so
you may be able to fast and recite his book,
for only he is unhappy who is devoid
of Allah's forgiveness during this
great month.
Remember the hunger and thirst of the day of Qiyamah (Judgment)
with your hunger and thirst;
give
alms to the needy and poor,
honor your old,
show kindness to the young ones,
maintain relations with your blood
relations;
guard your tongues,
close your eyes to that which is not permissible for your sight,
close your ears
to that which is forbidden to hear,
show compassion to the orphans of people
so compassion may be shown to your orphans.
Repent to Allah for your sins
and raise your hands in dua during these times,
for they are the best of times
and
Allah looks towards his creatures with kindness,
replying to them during the hours
and granting their needs
if he is asked...
O
People! Indeed your souls are
dependant on your deeds, free it with Istighfar (repentance)
lighten its loads by long
prostrations;
and know that Allah swears by his might:
That there is no punishment for the one who
prays and prostrates
and he shall have no fear of the fire on the
day when man stands before the Lord of the worlds.
O
People! One who gives Iftar to a
fasting person during this month will be like one who has freed
someone and his past
sins will be forgiven.
Some
of the people who were there then asked
the Prophet (s): "Not all of us are able to
invite those who are fasting?"
The
Prophet (s) replied: "Allah gives
this reward even if the Iftar (meal) is a drink of water."
One
who has good morals (Akhlaq)
during this month will be able to pass the
‘Siraat’...on the day that feet will slip...
One
who covers the faults of others
will benefit in that Allah will curb
His anger on the day of Judgment...
As
for one who honors an orphan;
Allah will honor him on the day of judgment,
And for the one who spreads his kindness,
Allah will spread His mercy
over him on the day of Judgment.
As
for the one who cuts the ties of relation;
Allah will cut His mercy from him...
Who
so ever performs a recommended prayer in this month
Allah will keep the fire of Hell away from him...
Whoever
performs an obligator prayer
Allah will reward him with seventy prayers [worth] in this month.
And
who so ever prays a lot during this month
will have his load lightened on the day of measure.
He
who recites one verse of the holy Qur’an
will be given the rewards of reciting the whole Qur’an during other months.
O
People!
Indeed during this month
the doors of heaven are open,
therefore ask Allah not to close them for you;
The doors of hell are closed,
so ask Allah to keep them closed for you.
During this month Shaytan (Satan) is imprisoned
so ask your Lord not to let him have power over you."
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Ramadan: A Fact Sheet For Teachers and Parents
Islam is one of the world's major religions, and
is the final link in the Judeo-Christian-Islamic tradition of monotheism (belief in One God). Islam has two major religious
celebrations.
One of them, known as Eid al-Adha (Festival of
Sacrifice), takes place during the time of the Hajj, or annual pilgrimage to the city of Mecca (in modern-day Saudi Arabia).
The other celebration occurs after the completion
of Ramadan, the Islamic month during which Muslims (believers in Islam)
fast daily from dawn to sunset as part of an effort towards self-purification and betterment. This holiday is known as Eid
al-Fitr (Festival of Breaking the Fast).
The
Lunar Calendar
Among the most important duties for a Muslim is
fasting during the Islamic month of Ramadan, which is the ninth of the
twelve months in the Islamic lunar calendar.
Muslims use a lunar calendar for many of their
religious observances. A new month in the lunar calendar is determined by the appearance of a new crescent moon.
As a result, dates of events in the Islamic lunar
year "move forward" about 11 days every year.
The
Importance of Ramadan
Ramadan is important for Muslims is because it is believed to be
the month in which the first verses of the Holy Qur’an (the divine scripture) were revealed by Allah (God) to Prophet Muhammad
(570-632 C.E.).
Muslims consider the Qur’an to be God's speech
recorded in the Arabic language, and transmitted to humanity through Muhammad, who is considered the last of the prophets.
This tradition of God-chosen prophets or messengers
is believed to include such figures as Adam, Noah, Abraham, Moses, David, and Jesus.
During Ramadan, Muslims fast from dawn to sunset every day. This means not consuming food and drink, including water,
during the daylight hours.
For married adults, it also includes refraining
from marital relations during the hours of fasting (i.e. the daylight hours).
In the Arabic language, fasting is known as Sawm.
Muslims arise early in the morning during Ramadan to have a pre-dawn
breakfast meal, known as Suhoor. At the end of the day, the fast is completed by taking the Iftar meal, which usually includes
dates, fresh fruits, appetizers, beverages and dinner.
Why
Muslims Fast
For Muslims, fasting has a number of benefits:
1. It helps one to feel compassion for those who
are less fortunate and underprivileged, since each day Muslims feel greater appreciation for what they have as a result of
feeling hunger and thirst.
2. It allows one to build a sense of self-control
and willpower, which can be beneficial throughout life in dealing with temptations and peer pressure. Through fasting, Muslims
learn to control their natural urges such as hunger and thirst, and thus are able to better resist temptations for things
which are not necessary, such as drugs or other unhealthy or harmful substances and behaviors.
3. It offers a time for Muslims to "purify" their
bodies as well as their souls, by developing a greater sense of humility, spirituality and community. Ramadan is a very spiritual time for Muslims, and often they invite each other to one another's
homes to break the fast and pray together. A greater sense of generosity and forgiveness is also characteristic of this time.
As with other duties in Islam, fasting becomes
obligatory (i.e. one becomes accountable) after the age of puberty.
Eid
al-Fitr
After the end of Ramadan, a very festive and joyous holiday is celebrated by Muslims, known as Eid al-Fitr [eed ul fit-ur], the
Festival of Breaking the Fast. On the day of the Eid, Muslims attend
special congregational prayers in the morning, wearing their nicest clothes.
After the completion of prayers and a special sermon,
Muslims rise to greet and hug one another, saying "Eid Mubarak," which means "Holiday Blessings."
Later on, Muslim families visit each other's homes,
and have special meals together. Children are often rewarded with gifts, money, and sweets. Lights and other decorations mark
the happy occasion.
Monday, July 2, 2007
Remembering July 4
I wrote this article in 2002. It was the cover story of the Kansas City Star on July 4. It still has meaning today.
AMERICAN FREEDOM
“…One nation under God, Indivisible, With Liberty and Justice for All”.
As a first generation
American Muslim, as a mother of an Eagle Scout (and one in the wings), as a woman and as a child of immigrant parents, I revel
in these words. These words brought my parents from India
looking for the American Dream. A dream of opportunity in a country where if you work hard, you can be successful. A dream
of practicing your faith without persecution. A dream for a better future for you and future generations. A dream of justice
no matter what you looked like, no matter what your religion is no matter your name origin.
For the last 50
years, my family has done just that. They have worked hard, contributed to the communities and have attained many goals that
would not have been reached in other countries. The second generation is now entering adulthood—living the American Dream-we
hope.
From our history
books, we know that some Americans have not been able to fully participate in America’s
Freedom. Different minorities e.g., American Indians, African Americans, Japanese Americans, and Jewish Americans over the
course of time have experienced injustice in bias, bigotry and racism. To me, I feel the American Muslim community’s freedom
is being targeted.
Should the 7 million American Muslims be targeted because the terrorists
who attacked our land used the name of religion in committing these horrendous acts? Since then, numerous hate crimes are
being reported, properties destroyed, lives taken, and name-calling is rampant. I’ve noticed that it isn’t fashionable to
criticized some of our government’s current actions. Twice, people have suggested that if I didn’t like it to go back to my
country. My country? Excuse me, this is my country.
Does the current
situation and the new FBI regulations have me concerned? Am I worry about my freedom? My answer to both questions is yes,
but I do have hope and an awareness that there are many Americans who take pride when we put our hand over heart and recite
the Pledge of Allegiance, “…One
nation under God, Indivisible, With Liberty and Justice for All”.
About the Author: Mahnaz Shabbir
lives in Stilwell, Kansas.
She is a first generation American Muslim Woman. Her parents immigrated to the United
States in the 1950s from India.
She was born in Philadelphia and has lived in the Kansas
City area for the last 21 years. She is married and the
mother of four boys-second generation Americans. She is the Vice President for
Strategic Planning and Business Development at Carondelet Health, a Catholic health care system in Kansas
City, Missouri. Her article, “ I am an American Muslim Woman” has appeared in
The Kansas City Star.
Saturday, June 16, 2007
When the Moors Ruled Spain
3:58 pm cdt
Sunday, May 27, 2007
I Can't Believe This One (Or maybe I can)
Does US insecurity put liberty at risk?
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By Kambiz
Fattahi
BBC News, Washington |
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