Sunday, June 25, 2006

The Lack of Muslim Financial Institutions

I have been doing some research on financial assistance for Muslims students and apparently I have come to 1 simple conclusion:

There is NO Sharia way for Muslims to get student loans from without having to pay interest!

This is something that has been bothering me recently because it affects me personally. Upon complete of my undergraduate studies from public university where the tuition is very affordable – I was and continue to be faced with a dilemma: How to pay for my graduate studies at an expensive school without having to take out interest based loans?

Ok, so I didn’t get any scholarships and grants from the school but still – many students who do get them do still take out a lot of loans. This predicament is particularly depressing for Muslim students wishing to pursue higher education because we cannot take loans out since they have interest (riba) components to them – even the Federal Stafford Loans have interest on them after 6 months of graduation and that means you better pay off that loan of multiple thousands of dollars within those 6 months or else the government will start putting interest on your payments.

Many students who wish to find ways to attend their graduate studies are forced to take interest based loans. I know smart undergrad from my school who told me that he knew very well that what he was doing was haram – but it was the only way he could pay for Med school since he could never come up with 30k in cash in a matter of a few months.

I knew that he was distressed by it and I could tell in the extra time he would spend in duaa …

All this makes me ask? Why don’t we have Muslim Financial Institutions that will help Muslim students find Islamic Sharia ways to pay for their education as opposed to taking interest?

I mean interest is no ordinary sin; its one of the major sins!

It’s a greater sin than drinking alcohol, gambling, Lying about Allah and His Messenger, Bearing false witness, Committing suicide, Wrongfully consuming the property of an orphan, and so many more…

http://www.themodernreligion.com/misc/hh/major_sins.htm


I only hope that one day inshAllah I can help in some way to resolve this absurd predicament facing Muslim Students in the West and even in many Muslim countries!

Wednesday, June 21, 2006

In my Mind

I have been feeling the duality of my essence lately. I used to feel this way alot back when I was younger but I overcome and came to terms with it a few years ago... but I dont think I truly overcame it all since it still lingers within my psyche.

I remember taking a course on African American Narratives and in that class we read DuBois who wrote about the Negros' double consciousness and Ellison who spoke about their invisiblity... Reading their works was a powerful moment in my own short life because it helped me key in on what was afflicting many Muslims in the West; especially my own experiance as a Muslim in the West.

For instance, the if you take the word Negro out the second word of this statement and insert Muslim... It would make just as much sense...

""the [Negro (originally)] Muslim is a sort of seventh son, born with a veil, and gifted with second sight in this American world, -a world which yields him no true self-consciousness, but only lets him see himself through the revelation of the other world. It is a peculiar sensation, this double consciousness, this sense of always ooking at one's self through the eyes of others."

Likewise also consider Ellison's statement...

""It goes a long way back, some twenty years. All my life I had been looking for something, and everywhere I turned someone tried to tell me what it was. I accepted their answers too, though they were often in contradiction and even self-contradictory. I was naive. I was looking for myself and asking everyone except myself questions which I, and only I, could answer. It took me a long time and much painful boomeranging of my expectations to achieve a realization everyone else appears to have been born with: That I am nobody but myself. But first I had to discover that I am an invisible man! "

I as a Muslim, I had rendered myself invisible within my own psyche... even now; after the answers have come to me its sort of odd feeling in my mind as well. I never expected the after-thought effect to so subtle... and simple. I guess I was always looking for the initial high like it would be drug but didnt like the low points of fluctuating eman.

Saturday, June 17, 2006

The Catholic Church Changing Before Our Eyes

When I have given Dawah to non-Muslims in the past, one of things I always make sure to highlight is that our prayers to God are in the original form he revealed them to us. I especially make this point to Christians because their texts have changed so many times in the past. Its no surprise when I read that Roman Catholic bishops in the United States voted yesterday to change the wording of many of the prayers and blessings that Catholics have recited at daily Mass for more than 35 years.


Some of the changes they did adopt are minor, but in other cases Catholics will have to learn longer and more awkward versions of familiar prayers. For example, instead of saying, "Lord, I am not worthy to receive you," in the prayer before Communion, they will say, "Lord, I am not worthy that you should enter under my roof." […]

"This translation will affect the worship life of every Catholic in the United States and beyond," said Bishop Donald W. Trautman of Erie, Pa., chairman of the bishops Committee on the Liturgy and a vocal critic of the Vatican's translation who insisted on amending it. […]

The Rev. Lawrence J. Madden, director of the Georgetown Center for Liturgy in Washington, said: "In hewing to the Latin more closely, it's making some of the English awkward. It isn't the English we speak. It's becoming more sacred English, rather than vernacular English."
Father Madden said, "That's one of the reasons why a large number of the bishops up to this point have been opposed to the translation, because they're afraid this is going to distance the liturgy from the people."


The unfortunate thing about all of this controversy about whether it should be more accessible English or Latin is the ignored fact that the original Bible is written in Greek, Aramaic, and Hebrew; Not Latin! Hence, it makes me wonder what purpose this will serve since at the very best they are trying to match English to Latin, with the inherent assumption that the Latin is in perfect snyc with the original Greek, Aramaic, and Hebrew.

I remember in a linguistics course I took, we actually used the Bible to examine language variation over time! For instance, The Lord’s Prayer , which is one of the most common and well know prayer amongst Christians and non-Christians (largely due to the pop culture of Thanksgiving & Christmas) has changed drastically over history. Below you will see examples of the Lord’s Prayer from Old English, Modern, and Late Modern English.


Old English
Lord's Prayer I (Exeter Book,10th c.)
1 [....]g fæder, þu þe on heofonum eardast,
2 geweorðad wuldres dreame. Sy þinum weorcum halgad
3 noma niþþa bearnum; þu eart nergend wera.
4 Cyme þin rice wide, ond þin rædfæst willa
5 aræred under rodores hrofe, eac þon on rumre foldan.
6 Syle us to dæge domfæstne blæd,
7 hlaf userne, helpend wera,
8 þone singalan, soðfæst meotod.
9 Ne læt usic costunga cnyssan to swiðe,
10 ac þu us freodom gief, folca waldend,
11 from yfla gewham, a to widan feore.

Modern English
The King James Bible (1611)
Our father which art in heauen, hallowed be thy name.
Thy kingdome come. Thy will be done, in earth, as it is in heauen.
Giue vs this day our daily bread.
And forgiue vs our debts, as we forgiue our debters.
And lead vs not into temptation, but deliuer vs from euill: For thine is the kingdome, and the power, and the glory, for euer, Amen.

Late Modern English
The Alba House New Testament (1970, tr. Condon)
Our Father in Heaven,
let your holy name be known,
let your kingdom come,
and your will be done,
on earth as in heaven.
Give us today the bread that we need,
and forgive us our wrongs,
as we forgive those
who have done wrong to us.
Do not lead us into trial,
but save us from evil.



It’s interesting to note the changes overtime, especially as a Muslim. Its not even as if this a Muslim or non-Christian scholar revealed this truth but something that has been documented by Christian scholars. I know others have blogged about the origins of Christianity recently with all the hype about the Da Vinci Code but I’ll just say that anyone who believes that the Bible is the infallible “word of God” should consider these historical changes.

Sunday, June 11, 2006

The hourglass

Who am I to say you are mine?
Our lives are sand that slips through an hourglass of time,
Where I am but one speck,
a mere memory that drips and flows in this river.
Do I have a right to disturb the universe - prevent your pass?
Here comes another turn of the hourglass,
Perhaps if it is meant to be,
We shall meet at last.

Saturday, June 03, 2006

Spirituality Project: An Nawawi’s Forty Hadith

In the last few days, I have been thinking about the decline in my spirituality. This is not to say that my spirituality has only declined in the last few days, but rather to point out that in these last days I have been thinking about the rusted heart I have been carrying around in my chest.

I suppose it goes back more than year or two ago, when I started wearing the beard. As any Muslim these days, when we spot a Muslim with a beard we give them a sort of status that they are “spiritual” or firm on their faith. I suppose I feel into that trap of thinking that with the beard I will somehow be transformed into the perfect believer .

If things were only that easy. Instead I realized that looking like a Muslim is the easy part; living like a true Muslim (one who submits to the will of Allah) is the most difficult thing. For me, I realized this quickly, which is a blessing because some Muslims do not come to this conclusion. Yet I am not happy with just acknowledging a problem...

I want to work towards self-improvement and after many failed attempts in terms of spiritual projects and routines; I am beginning a simple spiritual self-progress program.

I will be reading and providing a summarized commentary of what scholars have said about Imam An Nawawi’s Collection of Forthy Hadith . While I want to stick to explaining what the scholars of Islam have said about the ahadith, I will try to make a connection to their relevance in contemporary affairs.



Imam An Nawawi’s Introduction


To proceed: It has been transmitted to us on the authority of Ali bin Abi Talib, Abdullah bin Masud, Muadh bin Jabal, Abu al-Darda, Ibn 'Umar, Ibn Abbas, Anas bin Malik, Abu Hurairah and Abu Sa'id al-Khudri, may Allah be pleased with them all, through many chains of authorities and in various versions, that the Messenger of Allah, sallallahu 'alayhi wasallam, said:

"Whosoever memorises and preserves for my community forty hadith concerning matters of this religion, Allah will resurrect him on the Day of Judgment in the company of jurists and religious scholars."


Imam Nawawi notes that the scholars of Hadith are agreed that it is a weak hadith despite its many lines of transmission.
However, Imam Nawawi points out that the scholars of Islam are agreed that it is permissible to put into practice a weak hadith if virtuous deeds are concerned; despite this, Imam Nawawi does not rely on this hadith but on the Prophet, sallallahu 'alayhi wasallam, having said the sound hadith:


"Let him who was a witness among you inform him who was absent"


These are reasons alone for anyone to value the study of hadith and Imam Nawawi rightly asserts that “every person wishing to attain the Hereafter should know these hadith because of the important matters they contain and the directions they give in respect of all forms of obedience, this being obvious to anyone who has reflected upon it.”

Reflecting on these words of advice, I think about the lack of knowledge in terms of hadith amongst Muslims these days. I myself do not know any hadith memorized in Arabic. The knowledge I do have of them in the English language is just the hadith without even knowing them precisely word-for-word.

Another important thing to mention is that Imam Nawawi tried to include only authentic hadith in his collection but he included two weak hadith (no. 30 and 41).

Hadith No. 1: Actions are judged by intentions




It is narrated on the authority of Amirul Mu'minin, Abu Hafs 'Umar bin al-Khattab, radiyallahu 'anhu, who said: I heard the Messenger of Allah, sallallahu 'alayhi wasallam, say:

"Actions are (judged) by motives (niyyah), so each man will have what he intended. Thus, he whose migration (hijrah) was to Allah and His Messenger, his migration is to Allah and His Messenger; but he whose migration was for some worldly thing he might gain, or for a wife he might marry, his migration is to that for which he migrated."

[Al-Bukhari & Muslim]


The scholars of Islam, such as Al-Imam al-Shafie said: “This Hadith is one third of the knowledge of Islam; related to about 70 topics of Fiqh.” Indeed the great scholar of Hadith, Imam Bukhari put this as the first hadith in his Sahih. Ibn Rajab has stated that, “the action itself contains what leads to its acceptance or rejection, according to the intention behind it. Also, the reward or punishment that will follow an action is tied to the intention that led such an action to be good and accepted, or evil and reject.”

There are three benefits from this hadith:
(1) Niyyah (intention) is part of Iman. Niyyah is an action take by the heart (not the tongue – meaning do not utter your intention out loud and announcing it aloud is an innovation).
(2) Actions will be accepted or rejected according to the niyyah that precedes them given that the act is halal to begin with.
(3) Muslims who seek to perform acts of worship must do so with good intention.

To me, this hadith presents a concept that I never appreciated fully and am constantly struggling to perfect. My intention for the sake of Allah. A remember the shock when I learned that Riyyah was a form of shirk! I was afraid that I had preformed that in many of my daily acts of worship towards Allah and had gotten nothing in return.

Perhaps more so in our society, we cannot tell whose intentions are true. I give most people the benefit of the doubt but only Allah knows best.

Friday, June 02, 2006

Currently Listening to...

Saad Al Ghamdi's 'Ghurbah'. Its always nice to listen to it on a rainy new york Jumuah afternoon... sends a mellow vibe through the air.

The version I linked is a little fast paced than one I usually listen to, but either one is nice.


Ghurabaa`, ghurabaa`, ghurabaaa` ghurabaa`
Ghurabaa`, ghurabaa`, ghurabaaa` ghurabaa`
غرباء ولغير الله لا نحنى الجباة
Ghurabaa` do not bow the foreheads to anyone besides Allah
غرباء وارتضيناها شعارا للحياة
Ghurabaa` have chosen this to be the motto of life
غرباء ولغير الله لا نحنى الجباة
Ghurabaa` do not bow the foreheads to anyone besides Allah
غرباء وارتضيناها شعارا للحياة
Ghurabaa` have chosen this to be the motto of life
-------------------------------------------------
إن تسأل عنّا فإنّا لا نبال بالطغاة
If you ask about us, then we do not care about the tyrants
نحن جند الله دوما دربنا درب الأباة
We are the regular soldiers of Allah, our path is a reserved path
إن تسأل عنّا فإنّا لا نبال بالطغاة
If you ask about us, then we do not care about the tyrants
نحن جند الله دوما دربنا درب الأباة
We are the regular soldiers of Allah, our path is a reserved path
-------------------------------------------------
Ghurabaa`, ghurabaa`, ghurabaaa` ghurabaa`
Ghurabaa`, ghurabaa`, ghurabaaa` ghurabaa`
لن نبال للقيود بل سنمضى للخلود
We never care about the chains, rather we'll continue forever
لن نبال للقيود بل سنمضى للخلود
We never care about the chains, rather we'll continue forever
فلنجاهد ونناضل ونقاتل من جديد
So let us make jihad, and battle, and fight from the start
غرباء ... هكذا الأحرار في دنيا العبيد
Ghurabaa`, this is how they are free in the enslaved world
فلنجاهد ونناضل ونقاتل من جديد
So let us make jihad, and battle, and fight from the start
غرباء ... هكذا الأحرار في دنيا العبيد
Ghurabaa`, this is how they are free in the enslaved world
-------------------------------------------------
Ghurabaa`, ghurabaa`, ghurabaaa` ghurabaa`
Ghurabaa`, ghurabaa`, ghurabaaa` ghurabaa`
كم تذاكرنا زمانا نحن يوم كنّا سعداء
How many times we remembered a time when we were happy
بكتاب الله نتلوه صباحا أو مساءا
In the book of Allah, we recite in the morning and the evening
كم تذاكرنا زمانا نحن يوم كنّا سعداء
How many times we remembered a time when we were happy
بكتاب الله نتلوه صباحا أو مساءا
In the book of Allah, we recite in the morning and the evening
-------------------------------------------------
Ghurabaa`, ghurabaa`, ghurabaaa` ghurabaa`
Ghurabaa`, ghurabaa`, ghurabaaa` ghurabaa`
غرباء ولغير الله لا نحنى الجباة
Ghurabaa` do not bow the foreheads to anyone besides Allah
غرباء وارتضيناها شعارا للحياة
Ghurabaa` have chosen this to be the motto of life
غرباء ولغير الله لا نحنى الجباة
Ghurabaa` do not bow the foreheads to anyone besides Allah
غرباء وارتضيناها شعارا للحياة
Ghurabaa` have chosen this to be the motto of life
إن تسأل عنّا فإنّا لا نبال بالطغاة
If you ask about us, then we do not care about the tyrants
نحن جند الله دوما دربنا درب الأباة
We are the regular soldiers of Allah, our path is a reserved path
إن تسأل عنّا فإنّا لا نبال بالطغاة
If you ask about us, then we do not care about the tyrants
نحن جند الله دوما دربنا درب الأباة
We are the regular soldiers of Allah, our path is a reserved path
-------------------------------------------------
Ghurabaa`, ghurabaa`, ghurabaaa` ghurabaa`
Ghurabaa`, ghurabaa`, ghurabaaa` ghurabaa`
قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم : بدأ الاسلام غريبا وسيعود غريبا كما بدأ فطوبى للغرباء
The Prophet SAW said "Islam began as something strange, and it will return as something strange the way it began. So Tooba for the Strangers"