Archive for May, 2006
05.31.06
Posted in Personal at 4:14 pm by Abbas
People have asked me what I will be reading this summer and I now have compiled a list for those whom are interested. I am not a fan of fictional novels, and more into realisitic books 
. These authors are amazing people and are one way or another gifted and blessed. If anyone wants to join me.. feel free to (maybe we can have weekly discussions).
Man and Universe by Shaheed Mutahari (r)
Our Philosophy by Shaheed Baqir as-Sadr (r)
Light Within Me by Allama Tabatabai’ (r), Shaheed Mutahari (r), and Ayatollah Khomeini(r)
Is there an Islamic Problem? by Dr Shahid Alam
These are not all the books, but these are my first priority, inshaAllah. All these books are heavy reads and involved a great deal of retrospection and reflection. Plus, I will also read al-Mizan, which is Allamah Tabatabai’s tafsir of the Qur’an. And lastly, I will also prepare for my GRE exams . Oh yea, almost forgot.. and also get a job.
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Posted in Personal at 4:00 pm by Abbas
This is a really nice picture. It looks amazing. May God bless the person who took it! This picture was taking from the Through My Eyes blog. It also contains other nice pictures and images, so take a peak inshaAllah. Can you guys figure out what verses/surah the picture is from?
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05.29.06
Posted in Current Events at 10:20 pm by Abbas
This past weekend a leading “authority” on ijteehad was invited to a “Shi’a” convention - UMAA. Mr. Khan has written outrageous articles and has made very ignorant statements in the past.
In an article written Dr. Khan, “Have Iraqis Voted for a Dictatorship?”, he compares Ayatullah Sistani (may Allah give him long life) to Saddam:
“The US-led invasion of Iraq may have replaced an overt and brutal dictatorship by Saddam Hussein with a covert and subtle dictatorship buy the Marja-e-Taqleed, Grand Ayatollah Ali Sistani—the highest-ranking Shiite authority on the planet.”
In another quote from article, Mr. Khan writes: “Ayatollah Sistani is manipulating the US occupation and the lack of a post-conquest plan at the Pentagon to orchestrate a Shiite revolution.”
Obviously, the tone of this article is not favorable towards Ayatullah Sistani (may Allah give him long life).
Complete article can be found at these links:
http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?p…13-2-2005_pg3_6
http://www.brookings.edu/views/op-ed/fello…han20050213.htm
Muqtedar Khan, the author of this article is advisory board member of the “Progressive” Muslims Union, North America (PMUNA).
Why was Dr. Khan invited over Shi’a intellectuals? No one really knows, but the organizers have a reputation of doing this every year.
I was not able to make it, but alhamdulillah Dr. Khan got what he deserved. The President of Jafaria Association of North America, one of the first Shi’a Muslim organizations in North America, stood up and asked Mr. Khan what he said about Sistani. Mr. Khan tried brushing the question off, but M. Khan did not reply.
Sayyid Istafa Naqvi said, “Let me tell you what said…” and read off the article Mr. Khan had written which compared Ayatullah Sistani to Saddam Husain.
Of the participants no one else raised their voice. In gratitude, I believe we should all owe Sayyid Istafa Naqvi a thank you for not shying away from standing up for the truth and exposing falsehood (and for cutting Dr. Khan’s speech short). You can send your email to info@jana.org.
Now, this organization must respond somehow. If a youth spoke up they could have been brushed aside; however, Mr. Sayyid Istafa Naqvi is not so easily dismissed.
For those of you who don’t know Sayyid Istafa Naqvi, he is one of the original pioneers of Shi’i Islam in North America. During the 70s, he, along with others, organized the first set of Majalis and Maderassa schools. These programs were initially held in a rented building in the United Nations. In 1982 he founded Jaferia Association of North America in his living room with several other NY/NJ/CT personalities. As an elected president of JANA since 1984 he organized the first Muharram Procession in the Northeast, now the longest running Procession in North America.
They (the organizers) tried to legitimize the organization–which has been very controversial from day one for inviting corrupt people (ie Paul Wolfowitz) –by inviting an influential leader in the community, but the plan back-fired. I think now is the time to act, and we must reform this organization, inshaAllah. The momentum is on our side.
I really hope Muqtader Khan becomes more cautious about what he utters. By insulting our marja he insulted the Prophet (a). Our marjas are our representatives of Imam Mahdi (a) and Imam Mahdi (a) is the representative of the Imams (a). And the Imams represent the Prophet (a). Whomever disgraces the Prophet (a), disgraces God.
I pray to God that the UMAA organizers, learned their lesson.
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05.25.06
Posted in Personal at 12:58 am by Abbas
Here are some nice pictures my friend photoshopped. All of these pics were real pictures taken from a digital camera. They look hott! These are some of my friends. And yes I am in there too.. for all those who know me or seen me you know who I am, for those that do not.. too bad .
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05.23.06
Posted in Uncategorized at 11:17 pm by Abbas
Finally, I am officially done with my last undergraduate exam! I just wanted to thank all those who supported me and all those whom I met along the way (you know who you are). I have learned a great deal from my experiences and interactions, alhamdulillah. Two more days until I graduate! I wonder how they will pronounce my name . I will be blogging much more frequently now, inshaAllah. Wish me success!
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Posted in Personal at 11:15 pm by Abbas
As I took my nap because I didn’t sleep last night, I went to the bathroom. I washed out and came out side and I saw a chipmunk on the stairway staring straight at me. At first I thought I was dreaming or something, so I continued walking and the little thing ran down the stairs! I was a bit astonished, it certanly woke me up. I closed all of the bedroom doors and I made my way down stairs. It was in a corner near a bunch of boxes, so I threw a bottle at it and it came out and then it saw me and went back. Anyway, I tried scaring it outta there and finally it moved into the main room. At this point, I had to go to the library, because I needed to study for a final that I had in a few hours. So I’m like “forget it…” I left the door sightly opened and left. Two hours later my roomie informs me that he saw the little thing leave. Thank God!
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Posted in Personal at 10:57 pm by Abbas
I was just reading the ahadith book, “Bundle of Flowers,” which is just a compilation of different traditions and sayings of the Prophet and the holy Imams. This hadith hit me, and made me ponder my current state, alhamdulillah.
Imam Baqir [a] said that the Holy Prophet [s] was once asked about the best servants and he replied:
“They are such that: when they do good, they are cheerful about it; when they do wrong, they seek forgiveness; when they are granted (something), they are thankful; when they are involved in a difficulty, they show patience; and when they become angry (with someone), they pardon.”
Khisal by Saduq, p. 317
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05.20.06
Posted in Personal at 4:11 pm by Abbas
We published our newsletter recently and someone made a very ignorant and arrogant remark as we were handing them out. They said something along the lines that he is not going to read the newsletter because he only wants to read literature by scholars of religion and he doesn’t want to waste his time. Actually, to be honest, I was not really that suprised, but just irritated. Unfortunately, this is how some Muslims think and this trend is growing rapidly.
This reasoning is very flawed. Maybe this individual should have said, “I will read it later, because I have other priorities to take care of first.” The newsletter is not where new ideas and ideologies arise. The articles contained in it are nothing more than a reminder, which is always beneficial and helpful. We need to encourage our fellow Muslims to write and think and reflect, so they may become great scholars and thinkers. Furthermore, we must investigate and verify information contained in any work (enjoining the good and forbidding the evil).
What.. are we going to complain only when something comes up and when people make a big fuss about it (like the Danish cartoons)? We need wake up.
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05.17.06
Posted in Essay at 10:44 am by Abbas
I wrote this essay for the newsletter. I am going to paste the entire essay for everyone to view. Its on islamic unity. Comments, feedback and discussion is always good and helpful.
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ISLAMIC UNITY: A COMMANDMENT FROM GOD
Unity is a pre-requisite to a group’s strength and potency. Unity is emphasized in the Qur’an and the traditions of the Prophet. God states in the Qur’an,
“And hold fast, all of you together, to the rope of Allah, and be not divided among yourselves.”
Muslim unity is based on two fundamentals. Firstly, to uphold the Holy Qur’an as the constitution of life, which dictates our actions and secondly, to accept our social responsibility towards each other as fellow Muslims. The Messenger of Allah (may Allah grant him peace) has said:
“Whoever does not care about the affairs of the Muslims is not one of them,” and, “Whoever hears a man calling ‘O Muslims!’ and does not respond is not a Muslim.”
He (may Allah grant him peace) also used the parable of the human body to describe the Muslim ‘Ummah’ or nation. He described that if one part suffers, the entire body will suffer. Furthermore, one of the greatest achievements of the Prophet (may Allah grant him peace) was to unite the hundreds of fragmented and hostile Arab tribes throughout the Arabian Peninsula into one strong nation. When he united them, he did not eliminate differences of opinion amongst them, but rather he enabled them to have dialogue with each other and come to a sense of mutual understanding and compassion. Under this notion the Ummah was formidable in the past and only with this understanding will it be able to return to a respected position among other nations of the world and play a significant role as it did in the past.
When properly channeled, the differences of opinion help contribute to the intellectual growth of the Ummah and reflect the vitality of Islamic culture. The competition amongst the different scholars in the different schools encourages them to strive with their maximum effort and ultimately help them reach the Truth. Diversity does not necessarily entail division, but is a part of unity just as it was during the time of the Prophet.
The enemies of Islam have taken full advantage of the volatile situation of the Muslims. Islamophobia is on the rise. Many Muslims live under military occupation or oppressive civil regimes. The concept or idea of unity in the Muslim world has been misunderstood and misconstrued by many, including even those within the Muslim community. Forging Islamic unity seems to be a very difficult and daunting task given the present state of affairs, however, it is definitely feasible and possible.
One may ask, “What does Islamic unity really mean?” Does it mean that one Islamic school of thought should be unanimously followed and others be set aside? Or does it mean that the commonalties of all Islamic schools of thought should be taken up and their differences be put away to make up a new denomination. Some groups promote forming a single ‘madhab’ or school of thought and some state we should abandon the madhab system altogether and just follow the “authentic” Quran and Sunnah. Both approaches are unrealistic and irrational in nature. Both go against the very foundation of the Quran and the Sunnah and hold the prospect of unification as a carrot on a stick, offering no real compromise and, therefore, no real solution. God states,
“O humankind We [God] have created you male and female, and made you into communities and tribes, so that you may know one another. Surely the noblest amongst you in the sight of God is the most God fearing of you. God is All-knowing and All-Aware” (Quran 49:13).
As we can see from the above verse, when true Islamic Unity is promoted, it does not advocate either of the aforementioned approaches. Muslims have many things in common, which can serve as the foundations of a firm unity. We all follow the five pillars of faith. We all strive to establish families and similar ways of bringing up children and burying the dead. Apart from minor affairs, we share similarities in all the aforementioned cases. We, as Muslims, also share one kind of world-view, one common culture, and one grand, glorious, and long-standing civilization.
Unity in the world view, in culture, in the civilization, in insight and disposition, in religious beliefs, in acts of worship and prayers, in social rites and customs can well turn the weakened Muslim world into a unified nation to serve as a massive and dominant power. This is parallel to what the Quran teaches us. The Muslims are brothers and sisters, and special rights and responsibilities link us together. So, why shouldn’t we use all these extensive facilities accorded to us as the blessing of Islam?
In true Islamic unity there is no need for Muslims to make compromises on the primary or secondary principles in religion, even if differences arise. Avoiding such issues is a mere misconception.
However, we must be genuine and sincere. We must avoid insulting and accusing each other and uttering fabrications, and abstain from hurting one another and going beyond the borders of logic, reasoning, and respect. The very least we should do is observe the limits that Islam places on us for interacting and inviting non-Muslims.
“Call to the way of your Lord with wisdom and good exhortation, and have disputations with them in the best manner… “(16: 125)
A scholar once said, “Sunni and Shi’i are like two streams that end in the same ocean and have originated from the same source.” We must come to an understanding that we live in a time in which all schools claim to follow the Quran and Sunnah. We must show respect even if there is a difference and we must return to the way of the Prophet (saw). The Prophet (pbuh) united the tribes into one nation, while acknowledging the myriad of differences and preserving the different customs, traditions and cultures. We must strive for the same ideals and unite like the Prophet and the Quran commanded us to.
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05.16.06
Posted in Personal at 11:54 pm by Abbas
Finding a job.. can be really irritating, frustrating, and stressing! Especially when you are about to graduate and getting married in a year.
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05.13.06
Posted in Personal at 11:14 pm by Abbas
After serving as the Muslim Students Association’s President for three long years I will be leaving due to graduation. Alhamdulillah, we have managed to put on good quality events with speakers like Hamza Yusuf, Hassanain Rajabali, Dr. Normal Finkelstein, Dr Shahid Alam, Adam Shapiro, Rabbi Dovid Weiss, Abdul Malik, Zayd Shakir, Maryam Shabani, and so forth, managed to get halaal food on campus, maintained regular jummah sessions, and increased our membership. However, there has also been some tension.
With the elections over, and the results in we will have a very interesting year ahead of us. We have three Salafis, two Sunnis, one Shi’a and a VP not yet chosen. I pray the unity continues and we continue to strive and make improvement.
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Posted in Current Events at 4:23 pm by Abbas
“… Yesterday he met with Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah, Hezbollah secretary general, for two hours. He actually asked to meet him before arriving to Lebanon. Anyways, after the interviews he said that Hezbollah had valid reasons to keep its weapons. He also said that Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah was “rational, smart, and an analyst of the lebanese situation. And I have learned a lot from him.”
Chomsky also visited the Chatila Palestinian refugee camp in Beirut… “
news story in Lebanese newspaper:
http://www.assafir.com/iso/today/local/1213.html (in Arabic)
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05.11.06
Posted in Personal at 10:51 am by Abbas
Will not be writing on the blog as much. I got a good deal of commitments to fulfill within next few weeks, final exams and graduation. InshaAllah, I will be back to regular blogging after then! Wish me luck and pray I do well!
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05.09.06
Posted in Current Events at 12:27 pm by Abbas
I found the letter President Ahmedinijad sent to Mr. Bush! This has been the first time since the Revolution an Iranian president wrote a letter to a high official in the US. The source of the letter is http://www.jana.org. It is long (only pasted excerpt from it) but its worth reading. He pretty much showed how we must take responsibility of our actions, must use rationality, and morality. He touched upon many issues from “WWII” to “War on Terror.”
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Mr George Bush,
President of the United States of America
For sometime now I have been thinking, how one can justify the undeniable contradictions that exist in the international arena — which are being constantly debated, specially in political forums and amongst university students. Many questions remain unanswered. These have prompted me to discuss some of the contradictions and questions, in the hopes that it might bring about an opportunity to redress them.
read more
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05.05.06
Posted in Personal at 3:24 pm by Abbas
Many people have been making false accusations from religious and personal affairs. Many make assumptions and start questioning a believer’s heart thinking they know what it is. Even with the most advanced medical technology (ie. x-rays) one cannot have full knowledge on a person’s intention. Every individual is different in their own way; some may seem harsh at times and some not, but this does not give us a reason to questions someone’s integrity. Lets stop playing God.
Even if we have doubt, we should make an attempt to seek clarification. And this does not neccesarily mean by approaching the person or approaching the people that this person associates it. This can easily be done through example. But a pre-requisite is that we must be sincere and genuine. Look at yourself in the mirror and ask youself that. Some of us are not, sometimes intentionally or unintentionally.
If one has a problem with someone, there should be an effort made to not involve others in the situation, because in most cases it will only escalate the tensions and make issues more complicated. And that means more people will get hurt.
We all need to look at the examples of the Prophet (as), and his beloved Ahlul Bayt (as). This is from “The Lantern of the Path,” by the 6th pious Imam, Imam Jaffer al-Sadiq (as). This is a short excerpt of his explaniation of “making accusations,” which we all need to work on not to do until we have clear proofs and evidence.
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In reality the claim belongs to the Holy Prophet’s (a), the Imams’ (a.s.) and the
truthful, and a man who makes a claim improperly is like the
accursed Iblis. He lays claim to devoutness while in reality he
contends with his Lord and opposes His command. Whoever
makes such claims reveals his lie, and the liar is not trustworthy;
whoever claims what is not lawful for him has the gates of afflic-
tion opened for him. Anyone who makes a claim will doubtless
be asked for clear proof, upon which he is shown to be bankrupt
and disgraced. The truthful person is not asked the reason for
his actions; as ‘Ali (a.s.) said, ‘No one sees a truthful person without
being in awe of him.’
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