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Calgary Central Library Front Inside view
Issue 13 : March 2019
March is upon us by the mercy of Almighty Allah (SWT). As I look back to 3 years ago, we started a 4-page newsletter and called it Northwest Muslims, hoping to serve the North West community of Calgary. It seemed like a crazy idea at the time, for us few women who like to say something to our community. From only Allah’s (SWT) blessing Alhamdulillah in three years, it has grown into a magazine, not only read by people in Canada, but also read internationally. This is a humble effort carried out by our dedicated writers and editors who want to spread knowledge, awareness, critical thinking, tadabur and tafakur to the society.
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I also thank all of you, who read this magazine. When you guys read it and tell us about it, it encourages our writers and editors to make it better. We have issued it online to keep it Ad free, so anyone can enjoy. We are hoping to keep it that way. All of our team are volunteers and most of them don’t want to be named, that’s why you don’t see any names with our pieces. I would also like to thank our dedicated writers and editors who always make sure that issues come on time. I am grateful for our proof reader volunteers too. It is such a blessing when you guys catch the typos and mistakes, which we have missed.
This issue, we are going to share our thoughts on our lost art of wisdom as well as lost deed of “Tawasau Bil Haqq”. In the Tawasau article, you will find how your skills are much more beneficial to the world than once previously thought. You are also going to be indulged by the concept of moderation in Islam. You will see our youths, and nutrition feature as well. As promised last time, we bring to you in this issue an insight on Michelle Obama’s book “Becoming”. Part 2 "The call home - a journey to Hajj" is also part of this issue. We also like to share our insights about mindsets of the voting process. Enjoy and please send us a line for what you like or dislike and how we can make it better in the future. We also welcome writers to send us their pieces. Just note, all pieces will go through the editing process. See you again soon!
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Editorial ······································································ 2 Wa’tawasau Bil Haqq ·················································· 6 Wisdom, Our Lost Art ·················································10 Proximity Based Voting ··············································14 Moderation In Islam ···················································16 Every Purchase Is a Choice··········································18 Nutrition In Muslim Society········································20
Begum Pura································································22 The Call home - A Journey to Hajj ·······························24 Prophet Noah ·····························································32 Masjid ·······································································34 Why I love My Name ·················································35 Book Review ······························································33 Back Page ···································································34
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Editor-in-Chief Shaista Khurshid
Editors & Writers
Contributors Ahsan Ayub
Afshan Habib
Misha Ayub
Shazia Aamir Rabia Khan Beenish Khurshid
Amina Bajwa
Layout and Cover Shaista Khurshid
Submissions, Comments and Advertising: Email: newsletter@ianwc.ca Š Islamic Association of NW Calgary
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Surah Al-Asr is the 103rd Surah of the Noble Qur’an. This Surah was revealed to the Prophet (SAW) in the earliest period of his Prophethood in Makkah. Although it is one of the shortest Surahs of the Quran, Imam Shafi (RA) said that if people were to only reflect on Surah Al Asr, it would be enough to guide humankind. Here in the very beginning, Allah (SWT) takes an oath by the “time” that humankind will be in a loss if they do not have these four qualities. An Oath is taken when one is testifying for something or to remove doubts for a skeptic audience. Ancient Arabs had a unique way of using the oath. Whenever they wanted to announce something to get people’s attention they would take an Oath. So, it was like a news alert like “Listen Up”. So, Allah SWT is taking an Oath by Time to emphasize the importance of this message. To avoid total loss, the first quality one must have is to have faith (Iman), second quality is to do righteous deeds (amal e saleh), the third quality is to encourage each other to truth (watawasau bil haqq) and the fourth quality is to urge each other to have patience (watawasau bis sabr). One point to be noted is that there is no either-or in these qualities mentioned in this Surah. The letter “wa” is used in between the four qualities. This means it is imperative to have all the four qualities, otherwise one will be in a total loss. The word “Asr” means absolute time – it means that before creation there was no time. The meaning of time became relevant after Allah “created” creation. We should never curse time as Allah SWT created time. Some people tend to curse time and say “time did this and this”. It is Allah who is in total control of time and the fate of every human being. So, if we curse time we are indirectly blaming Allah SWT for our fate. Allah swears by time that it is running out. We are in a continuous state of loss, yesterday will never come back. Allah SWT gave us guidance in this Surah and why we must practice these four principles in our lives and to study the reasons why time is relevant to our loss. The word “Asr” is referred to the middle and afternoon prayer when we are caught up in the material world and are so busy in our jobs or studies. In our neglect, we miss our Asr prayer as we fail to prioritise our commitment to our Creator. We forget Who provides our rizq. (Continued on page 7)
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(Continued from page 6)
We all know this short Surah and majority of us know the meanings of faith, good deeds and how to be patient. But one thing we don’t pay enough attention to, is the third quality in this Surah, which is, Watawasau bil Haqq. In this article, I want to elaborate on the third quality mentioned in this Surah which can save humankind from total loss. Too often we do good deeds, like Sadqah, Hajj
and prayers and extra Tahajjud prayers and think the story ends here and we have fulfilled our commitments to Allah SWT. So first we have to understand what is Watawasau Bil Haqq? The word (tawasau) is a unique word and it’s about taking action with sincerity, urging and encouraging each other. The word comes from nasiha and wasiha to urge each other to do good. The meaning of Haqq is very extensive. Its meaning includes a whole range of activities, from giving sincere advice (also a Sadqa) on a personal basis to calling people to truth, giving Dawah, enjoining good and forbidding evil on a communal basis. We have this misconception that spreading Islam is a duty for the Scholars and Religious leaders. It’s a duty for every single Muslim. How many times have we read about “Amar Bil Maroof and Nahi an Almunkir” (Command good and forbid evil) and thought about its meaning?
In the Quran, there are about two hundred verses telling us to be kind and compassionate towards each other. Allah SWT loves us, we are His favourite creation. Allah SWT is Ar-Rahman and Ar-Raheem. The most Merciful, the most Compassionate. He loves people who are kind and compassionate. So, the first thing one should take away from this is to be kind and compassionate towards each other. In our speech, in our actions and in all our dealings with each other. Urging people to be merciful to each other and just towards each other, keep promises
with each other, or be on time. Persuading people to seek real knowledge. Urging people to smile more and talk in a good tone. And to preach all this with love and compassion for your fellow Muslim. This is Amar bil Maroof. Deen Islam is Haqq and from Haqq comes Huqooq. To care for your parents, your wife, your children, your relatives and your neighbours. To look after their rights. Telling people to respect each other and not backbite, slander or gossip. Every Muslim is honored and is chosen by Allah SWT. So, backbiting is like dishonoring your fellow Muslim. Alhamdulillah most of us are good Muslims and we try to stay away from haram activities, but do we ever raise a finger whenever we see any one doing a bad deed? No, we always look the other way thinking who cares this is not our matter. We have made Islam “a mind your own business” type of religion. If (Continued on page 8)
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(Continued from page 7)
someone is doing injustice to someone, do we stand behind them and do our best to restore justice? How often do we practice this in our lives? Do we stand witness for Haqq? Like the person mentioned in Surah Yasin. He was a Muslim secretly but when the people wanted to kill the three prophets, he came out in the open. The people went after him and killed him while the three prophets left the area. Muslims in our society have become indifferent and insensitive. People don’t stand up for the rights of others. They see injustice being done to others and stay indifferent. If we see anyone doing something bad, we will look the other way. We won’t even bother to address the problem. This is happening on a personal as well as communal level. One brother not giving the inheritance share of his father to his own brother, and the rest of the family is not at all bothered and just stays indifferent. No one coming forward to restore justice. On a communal level favouritism going on at organizations irrespective of a merit system and still people are scared to say anything because people who are doing favouritism are rich and powerful. The concept of Emaan, we think is just saying Kalima, just like the Bedouin used to do in prophet SAW times. This is only verbal attestation. This is not Emaan being internalized.
People think that if they pray regularly and fast and do Hajj they have a ticket to Jannah. People forget that these are obligatory duties only and we have to do much more to get Jannah. Allah SWT is warning us in Surah Al Asr that until and unless we have these four qualities, all of humankind are in total loss. In short, as Allah’s best and favorite creation we have to exert ourselves more by becoming aware of others’ rights [huqooq] on us, and strive to please Allah not just by performing timely prayers but also by offering timely help to those who desperately need it. Otherwise, if we delay such good and kind deeds, it may be too late to help and too late to save ourselves. So this short surah is a timely reminder to catch time while we still can and use it for the betterment of ourselves and others before time runs out and we are left, God forbid, with nothing except loss.
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Volunteer Appreciation Night On Saturday February 23, Islamic Association of North West Calgary hosted a potluck to appreciate our volunteers, who have helped the association with many events and activities in the past year. The goodwill of donors and volunteers is essential for the success of our mosque and community.
North Calgary Mosque Potluck On Sunday February 24, a potluck was held, where members living in North Central Calgary came together to discuss the need and opportunity to build a place of worship in the North Central Calgary area. As there is expected to be significant growth in North Calgary, especially north of 144 Ave, we are working on finding opportunities to meet the needs of our growing community. If you are interested in joining the committee, please email panorama@ianwc.ca . 9
Ayah: Sahih International:
“He gives wisdom to whom He wills, and whoever has been given wisdom has certainly been given much good. And none will remember except those of understanding.� (2:269) What is wisdom? Wisdom is usually described as one’s ability to make good and correct judgments and decisions. Some say that having wisdom is the ability to speak or act at the right moment and at the right time. Others may add to wisdom as the skill to get good deals for their economic growth. Some may argue that it is to steer the opponent in your favor. Others may use it to gain knowledge and make the best use of it. It could be that wise is the one who can
predict the best for himself and when problems happen, act the way to maximize the benefits. Those traits might be considered conventional wisdom, but some of it might be shrewdness. It is not necessarily positive and not wisdom. Humans are complex creatures, especially when it comes to dealing with others. They also tend to be biased by their knowledge, environment and upbringing. They are profoundly dictated by their abilities and emotions. They also bend to circumstances. Since they are social creatures, they tend to gravitate towards the keeping of the social ties which although is a positive trait but can veer them to unjust or favoured decision making. Also, being complex, makes hu-
mans multi-faceted. We wear different hats at the same time on our heads. Not only on our physical selves but also on emotional and spiritual selves. Likewise, the common human is vastly different from other humans. Thus, making us similar in many ways and different at the same time. This is the diversity, Allah has created for us. Since we are different in many aspects, this necessarily means that we must have unique needs. Likewise, we have distinctive thinking, articulating, believing and understanding abilities. As well as, having different desires and capabilities. When people form families with these (Continued on page 11)
Photo by Alexandra Seinet on Unsplash
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(Continued from page 10)
different traits, it brings out variety and complexities in societies. That’s why when these unique traits are transformed into cultures, they form dissimilar cultures from each other. Excluding our differences, our core basic needs and desires are the same. Humans need food, shelter, sleep, a decent social structure, and the place where they can grow, and feel free to live a peaceful life. We tend to be the same when it comes to core beliefs. On the other hand, the unique needs and environment which surrounds any society dictates the development of cultures. It is developed around the capabilities, knowledge and understanding of the people living
there. Inimitability and similarities of human and uniqueness of culture developed around them also dictates how people feel around different situations. So, wisdom is to understand and access each situation independently, while considering multiple aspects. Moreover, understanding the requirements of each facet. Then judge unconditionally with compassion and advise responsibly with kindness. This is no doubt, hard for a person. That is why, wisdom is uncommon. But wisdom like knowledge can be learnt from the people, situations, cultures, religion, nature and more when someone wants to put their head to it. This world is full of knowledge about how people have dealt with different situations and their results. No two situations are similar, but one can draw parallels from it. Consider the ayahs of the Quran which describes nature, like honey bee, trees, mountains and so forth. There are various analogies, stories, examples from nature and people, dispersed in various chapters of the Quran. Idea is to investigate, why Allah wants us to show these. What was the purpose of filling Quran with random examples from nature? Or they aren’t as random as we think. They are there so we try understanding ourselves, to purify ourselves, or to gain wisdom. Purification would be like standing in front of a mirror with ability to see inside mind and soul. It lets you see your skills, strengths, weaknesses and gray areas of your mind and soul. It is to understand where the potholes are and where are the cliffs. What desires are open and what are hidden. It is to see-through us, compassionately as well as non-judgementally and to understand who we are. Therefore, when we see through ourselves, we get to know ourselves. When we know ourselves, we know our pitfalls- this helps us to understand other humans as well. So, when we judge or give advice to anyone, we do it with wisdom and understanding. So, wisdom would be to analyze the situation’s every angle, every turn and every bend. To make a decision with sound judgement and compassion disregarding any ego or self-righteousness coming in (Continued on page 12)
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(Continued from page 11)
the way. That’s why, when we read Quran, we see that wisdom pouring out at every corner. To gain purity, we need to teach ourselves Quran and wisdom.
Sahih International: “Our Lord, and send among them a messenger from themselves who will recite to them Your verses and teach them the Book and wisdom and purify them. Indeed, You are the Exalted in Might, the Wise." (2:129) To treat people with mercy and compassion, we need to have wisdom. Inspirational as it is, Prophet Muhammad’s (SAW) life was full of wisdom. There are many examples from his life which shows his wisdom. Allah has sent prophets to teach humankind wisdom along with the book; the intention is to purify humankind. The wisdom of the Prophet (SAW) was not only in
decision making but also in how he dealt with friends, family, acquaintances and enemies. He gave advice according to the person’s capabilities, skills, understanding level, and willingness. Thus, never burdening anybody. The idea was to bring people closer to Allah thus helping them purify themselves, the way they can. Therefore, no two people get the same answer. Because even though the situation might be similar on one face, it could be vastly different on another. Like in these three cases: Narrated by Abu Ayyub Al-Ansari: A man said, "O Allah's Apostle! Inform me of a deed which will make me enter Paradise." The people said, "What is the matter with him? What is the matter with him?" Allah's Apostle said, "He has something to ask (what he needs greatly). The Prophet said (to him) (In order to enter Paradise) you should worship Allah and join none in worship with Him: You should offer prayers perfectly, give obligatory charity (Zakat), and keep good relations with your Kith and kin.” (Sahih al-Bukhari 5983) Narrated by Abu Huraira: A man said to the Prophet, "Advice me! "The Prophet said, "Do not become angry and furious." (Continued on page 13)
Photo by Alexandra Seinet on Unsplash
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(Continued from page 12)
The man asked (the same) repeatedly, and the Prophet said in each case, "Do not become angry and furious." (Sahih al-Bukhari 6116) Abu Barzah al- Aslamee related, he said, "O messenger of Allah! Show me a deed that will put me in Paradise or benefit me." He replied, " Remove harmful things from the path of Muslims." (Al-Adab Al-Mufrad 228)
In the above three situations the questions were almost same, but answers were hugely differently from each other. The reason is the wisdom of our Prophet. He’d assess the situation, abilities and circumstances of that person, and give equally beneficial answers to each of them. Thus, one aspect of wisdom is to read between the lines and understand things fully. Though whenever we might use our wisdom, the intention should be to purify, not to state our points and win the war and not to serve self righteousness. In conclusion, Islamic wisdom is devoid of conformity or a one size fits all approach. It is as diverse as humans are. Likewise, this individualized approach causes closeness to Allah with the whole heart because the individual is given solutions to his problems and concerns with wisdom tailored to them. It is not a given generic approach but an individualized methodology that leads society to grow with better understanding of situations and individuals. This methodology also increases mercy and compassion among people. If we adopt even moderate amount of wisdom from Quran, Sunnah and the society we live in, in our daily lives, we will be successful and influential in this world. We should ask Allah to give us wisdom by saying: “Rabbi habli hukman wa al hiqni bissaliheen.
"O my Lord! bestow wisdom on me, and join me with the righteous; (26:83)
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Elections are coming up. In many of Calga-
but vocal sub group. And isn’t it selfish though,
ry’s riding, we see “ethnic” candidates. Often,
to be voting just for what’s best for “me”, and
these candidates are backed by huge support
not what’s best for the country? If we are
from their cultural communities. The Sikhs will
wealthy, we want lower taxes. If we are poor,
back the Sikh candidate, the Hindus, the Hindu
we want more subsidies. If we own a business,
candidate. The Asians, the Asian candidate,
we want tax cuts. If we work an odd job, we
and the Muslims, the Muslim candidate.
want the minimum wage raised, and unions to
This is because we all want someone in office
be backed.
who represents us, understands where we are
So if everyone is voting for their own person-
coming from, and what our needs and perspec-
al needs and wants, elections become a con-
tives are and we all want to support a fellow
test of wills. Which population is strong and
brother or sister in his/her initiative. It seems
large enough to beat out all other populations,
like only the right thing to do. But take one step
and install their preferences above all else. All
back, and the potentially toxic ramifications of
the while ignoring the real pervasive problems
this “social proximity based
that affect the society as a
voting” become apparent.
whole.
Elections become about
To take an example, we’re
the dominant ethnicity of the
stuck fighting over the last
riding. Ridings are won by
piece of chicken, because
parties
to
that is what is in front of us,
“ethnic” issues in certain rid-
it’s what we see, and it’s what
ings. Issues like increasing
we want. But the rice has fin-
by
pandering
immigration quotas for family sponsorship.
ished, there is none in the back, and the chick-
Something that doesn’t affect the vast majority
ens are dying because they are not being tend-
of canadians, but is a major issue for a small
(Continued on page 15)
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(Continued from page 14)
ed to. So no food tomorrow I guess? When politics becomes about winning, about pandering to the electorate to win, and to vote for what’s best for “me”, it becomes a fairly toxic playing field of mud slinging and self-interested arm-wrestling. What politics should be is a discussion of ide-
as. A discussion of what the pressing, long term problems are in the country, even if no one knows how to solve them. It should be about
3. As a leader, people will hear you, see you, respect you, and follow you. So lead with the best example, in character, in practice, in words, deeds, decisions, and the like. 4. Stand for values, even if it means you lose. 5. Make elections about sharing your ideas about the world, and not about winning a
position or title. 6. Get practical. If you’re proposing a solution to a problem, find out from the experts how character, doing what’s right, and doing what is
feasible that problem is, and work with peo-
best for the most amount of people.
ple to propose realistic and practical solu-
So I request the many Muslims who are running for the federal and provincial elections this year, and their Muslim volunteers and supporters:
tions. 7. Step outside the box of your ethnic community. Learn about everyone and their needs
8. Most of all, I would encourage people to
1. Vote for what you believe in
vote for people, platforms, and ideas that
2. Learn about your neighbours. Find out what
they believe in. Not just for people because
the worries are in their life. So that you’re
they happen to be in your social or ethnic
voting not just for what is best for you, but
circle.
for what is best for the most vulnerable and
9. Let’s do our part in trying to make the world
weakest amongst us (people who often
a more rational and better place this election
don’t have the time, energy, or luxury of vot-
season. Vote with conscience. Vote in-
ing).
formed. Vote. 15
According to Prophet Muhammad PBUH, following his sunnah and leading a life of balance and moderation based on his sunnah along with obligatory acts of worship is more meritorious and praiseworthy than practicing worship alone. This is illustrated from the following hadith. At the time of the Prophet (saw) a group of men got together and one of them said “I will pray at night and nev-
er sleep”. Another said, “I will fast and never break my fast”. A third said, “ I will never marry women”. The Prophet (saw) came to them and said: “Are you the people who said such and such things ? By Allah, I fear Allah more than you do and I am most obedient and dutiful among you to Him, but still I observe fast and break it, perform salat and sleep at night and take wives. So whoever turns away from my Sunnah does not belong to me”. [Al- Bukhari and Muslim]. This hadith shows that Prophet Muhammad SAW expects us to follow his Sunnah, and balance deen (faith) and duniya (world), rather than go to extremes in religion like the above example.
In the Quran Allah says: “O you who have believed, do not put [yourselves] before Allah and His Messenger but fear Allah. Indeed, Allah is Hearing and Knowing”. [Surah al-Hujurat 49:1]. This ayat advises the believers to not go ahead of the Prophet of Islam but to revere him because he was the means through which Allah chose to convey His last message and because, “he [the prophet] does not
speak from his desires; verily, what he says is revelation from [God]”. [Surah-an-Najm 53:3]. Islam expects us to apply the same concept of moderation in our dealings with others. Allah SAW says in the Quran :
“ So by mercy from Allah [O Muhammad] you were lenient 16
with them. And if you had
been rude [in speech] and harsh in heart, they would have
disbanded
about
you.
So
from pardon
them and ask forgiveness for them and consult them in the matter. And when you have decided, then rely upon Allah. Indeed, Allah loves those who rely [upon Him]. [Quran 3:159]. In the above ayah, Allah has characterized us as the just community, which means that moderation should be seen in all of our acts. Islam expects us to adopt a pleasing and modest behavior with others. The holy Prophet (PBUH) acted as a role model in every aspect of life and was always at the top of good manners while dealing with others. Hazrat A’ishah narrated Hazrat Muhammad (PBUH) as having said : “Gentleness does not enter anything except that it beautifies it and harshness does not enter anything except that it disfigures it”. [Muslim]. The concept of moderation in Islam is the golden principle that binds one to adopt this sense of balance in every action whether it is religious, social, individual, or collective. It also shows that exaggeration in religion, which is trying to do more than what the Prophet (saw) did, is going beyond
the limit set by Allah, just as being neglectful of religion is falling short of the limit set by Allah while staying within the limits set by Allah, as exemplified by His Prophet (pbuh) is the true religion. In conclusion, a balanced and moderate person in religion and worldly relationships is more praiseworthy and successful in the sight of Allah (SAW) and His messenger PBUH, than one who goes to extremes or one who is negligent. May Allah (SAW) give us the will to understand and apply this principle in life. Ameen. References 1.
www.quranreading.com/blog/the-concept-of-moderation-in-islam/
2.
http://islamqa.info/en/answers/9466/what-is-moderation-in-religio
3.
http://sunnah.com/riyadussaliheen/1/143
4.
Bilal Philips explanation of first verse of Surah Al-Hujurat.
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We are influenced by what is available for purchase, but what we don’t realize is how the seller is also influenced by our choice of purchase. Every purchase is a choice. But more so, every choice is an act of influence. With every dollar we spend, we give the seller incentive to produce, or make available more of the same product. As with every dollar withheld, the seller and producer is discouraged. There was a time in Canada when finding halal cheese, halal chips, halal cookies was a struggle. Just 15 years ago, I remember my mother writing down phone numbers on labels, going home and asking the cusrepresentative gredients
in
vegetarian or or not. Within the
we saw a sigin
labeling
ingredient try-wide.
tomer
service
Al-Qura’n
whether the in-
“And give the relative his right, and [also] the poor and the traveler, and do not spend wastefully. Indeed, the wasteful are brothers of the devils, and ever has Satan been to his Lord ungrateful. And if you [must] turn away from the needy awaiting mercy from your Lord which you expect, then speak to them a gentle word. And do not make your hand [as] chained to your neck or extend it completely and [thereby] become blamed and insolvent. Indeed, your Lord extends provision for whom He wills and restricts [it]. Indeed He is ever, concerning His servants, Acquainted and Seeing.” (17:26-30)
the item were
came “soy leci-
not, alcohol free
span of 5 years,
nificant
change
practices,
and
sourcing, indus“Lecithin” thin”,
be-
“pepsin”
became “bacterial cultures”, and so on. The effect was palatable. And within another 10 years, we saw hijabs become readily available at almost every retail store, as “scarves”. Today, we see openly labeled halal products, and halal meat sold in almost every major food chain store in almost every major city country-wide. We see Muslims openly represented in media, and Hijabi or modest models and fashion lines becoming available. We’re even starting to see interest free home loan options starting to become entering the mainstream with Lease to Own programs becoming more widely available, and halal mainstream investment options such as ETFs (TFSAs too). This all points to buyers influence. In a hyper-consumerist society, it will be interesting to see what the effects of Marie Kondo philosophy will have on our collective psyche. Will we truly limit
our valuables to items that we truly value, or will we use this keep less and let go philosophy to buy 18
more and trash more?
As Muslims, we know the importance of understanding the right balance between miserliness and excess. Islam encourages us to spend, but spend moderately. “ And [they are] those who, when they spend, do so not excessively or sparingly but are ever, between that, [justly] moderate“ (25:67) If we spend wisely, and spend our wealth more freely on what Islam asks to make important to
us: social welfare, taxes, charity, education, and we focus on the principles of Islamic spending give what is due, pay the la-
bourer his wages before his
sweat dries, etc. I think we’ll
find ourselves buying less,
spending more, and asking
sellers and producers to fo-
cus on what we value most -
respecting workers, modes-
ty, health, etc. This means being less stin-
gy - not buying something
because it is the cheapest
version of the thing I wanted
to buy - but doing some re-
search in advance to see
which company states, and lieve in. Which company pays
complies by the values I bePhoto by Atem Bali on Unsplash
their workers a fair living
wage. Which company pro-
vides job security to its em-
ployees. And which company
is set on increasing share
prices and maximizing profits and dividends. This also means spending less and buying less in general. Do you really need two of that. You have the one thing, do you really need another that does something just slightly different? Your
phone is two years old. Does it really need an upgrade, or will a repair do? I think with this shift in attitudes, we can see a shift in social and economic dynamic as well. Islam doesn’t ask us to hold our fists and not spend at all. In fact, it asks us to spend, but in moderation. Let’s practice this wisdom in the best way possible, and spend freely when it matters, but withhold when maybe we really should. Let’s follow our conscience first, despite how much our desires may call us. Let’s change the world, one purchase, or lack thereof, at a time. A reminder. I know I’ll need it next time I head off to the mall!
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According to a study published in The Ameri-
ensures we have a lot of carbohydrate intake,
can Journal of Clinical Nutrition, Indian and
which, as we all know, accumulates inside our
Pakistani women living in North America are
bodies and turns into fat very quickly.
at a significantly higher risk of developing
Fortunately for Muslims, we are given a
some form of cardiovascular disease - such as
whole month each year to improve our life-
increased risk of heart failure, heart attack,
styles! We are ordered to not eat or drink an-
high blood pressure, etc., than North Ameri-
ything from sunrise to sunset, which auto-
can women. A similar study published in the
matically results in a controlled intake of
British Medical Journal came up with the
what’s eaten throughout the day. And fasting
same results for Indian, Pakistani, and Bangla-
for such long periods of time also conditions
deshi men when compared to European men.
our bodies to want to eat less food - that is,
These disturbing results are attributed to a
our overall appetite is lowered which ensures
variety of factors, but the main factor is life-
we don’t eat more than physiologically neces-
style. Lifestyle includes physical activity, die-
sary.
tary habits (what is eaten, how often is it eat-
A study published in the Public Library of
en), extracurriculars activities (going for mov-
Sciences (PLOS One) presented significant
ies, concerts, etc.), and others. The results re-
beneficial changes in systolic blood pressure,
ally shouldn’t be surprising keeping in mind
body weight, waist circumference, and high-
the amount of oil, ghee, and butter most of us
and low-density cholesterol at the end of
South Asians are so fond of using in most of
Ramadan, in its 65 participants.
our food. Parathas, halwa/puri, butter chicken, and all the deep-fried foods such as samosas, are all major contributors to an increased risk for heart diseases. In addition, relying so
heavily on rice and bread for daily nutrition
While beneficial, we cannot disregard the extremely unhealthy eating habits we develop during Ramadan, where we eat much more than required as soon as we hear the Maghrib 20
adhan. Since many of us overeat during Iftars; we are lethargic through the day and don't consume suhoor. A majority of us don’t capitalize on the wonderful opportunity Ramadan provides us with to turn our unhealthy lifestyles into healthy ones, by indulging in overeating during the Iftar, being lethargic during the day, and by not consuming a healthy Suhoor. With some will, it can be very easy to exploit this month to become healthier individuals with healthier lifestyles even after the month. This can be done by switching to low-fat, lowcarbohydrate, high-protein, and high-fiber diets. Transferring to brown rice from white, pita from naan, air-fried samosas from deep-fried (samosas still aren’t the healthiest option but obviously we can’t let them go), and, last but not the least, water or freshly squeezed juices from fizzy drinks are the easiest habit changes to live healthier lives and lower risk of cardiovascular diseases! Thus from adopting such healthier choices we ensure that we remain healthy and disease free for longer so we can eat to live not live to eat. Happy healthy eating :)
21
Calgary is a beautiful, marvellous place to live and raise your family. The only downside is its boom bust economy. That is why, every few years, Calgary sees new sets of people with bright eyes to join in but sadly leave a few years later because they have lost their livelihood and cannot continue to make a living. As gloomy as it is, the culture of this conundrum is unfazed. No matter how we think, humans for their survival, have moved across lands and sea for the best and safest living conditions and for consistent food supply for their offspring. Depending upon the type and place, if they find it, they will move. A new phenomenon for Calgarians is appearing, which is well known to Canada as well as the world. It started affecting people when Middle Eastern countries started offering jobs to foreigners. Men moved there for jobs, while the other half of the conundrum is left at home to cope with the problems unaided. We call this effect as “Begum Pura”.
sacrifice greatly for the well-being of their family. It is a tough life for both parents where the wife must wear all hats and husband must miss out all the pleasure of raising his kids. The resulting pieces, the children, are left without their fathers being there to raise them and see them grow. Along with that, they miss all the joys of parenting which their fathers can bring into their lives. The sad thing about this venture is that when people live in a long-distance relationship, they sometimes have to live in two completely different environments. Therefore, when couples live half-lives for many years or for a lifetime, they steadily grow apart. When they meet after a long time they seem not to get hold of their old passions. They become roommates and live like that for rest of their lives or else they (Continued on page 23)
Let me explain the history. A place in Mississauga, Ontario, was nick named “Begum Pura” “where wives live”. The reason being that, in this area of Mississauga, most of the families were women living alone taking care of the kids, while their husbands worked overseas. Often in this process both halves of a couple
Photo by Shirly Niv Marton on Unsplash 22
(Continued from page 22)
separate. Calgary like one of many cities in Canada has suffered a serious blow of job losses during two consecutive recessions. This affected not only primary industries, it also tiered down to the secondary and tertiary industries as well. A rough estimate was once around 80,000 primary industry employees, who lost their jobs. This continued recession has a devastating effect, not only on our economy, but also on the life of Calgarians. Calgary seems to not have fully recovered yet. Even though people are working hard to return it to its original glory, it has roadblocks after roadblocks. We can draw humor from this phenomenon, from the fact that as most of the women are living at home, they are finally in-charge of the house and can do whatever they want. They do not have to pick up after their husband’s nor must they cook endless dishes to please. Also, there is a little they have to do about the likes or dislikes of their husbands as they can tackle that later when they visit. Finally, the queen-bed belongs to the queen, the wife. The same story goes for men. They are al-
so now free from the clenches and tight grips of their wives and finally can watch hockey in peace and noise. But apart from humor, this situation is serious and is affecting a lot more people and children than it seems. The after effects of this could be more devastating. We might need more mental health, childcare, divorce or separation services, since people living apart from this odd kind of relationship may break down often. The other outcome could be that the people who left the city which they call home, may not return since they know Calgary has lost it’s flare more than once and will continue to do so. Unless a concrete strategy is drawn, and we get back to the drawing board and brainstorm ideas for sustaining this city, people will keep leaving. The easier way would be to create permanent and sustainable jobs for everyone. This way we don’t have to worry about people leaving their homes and living half lives, mourning the loss of other living-half and thus creating Begum Pura after Begum Pura. Instead, we can continue to be a great part of this big multicultural abode we call Canada.
Photo by Nicholas Swanson on Unsplash 23
[This article continues from The Call Home Part 1,
which can be viewed in the January 2019 issue of the NW Muslims].
We packed our backpacks, and headed to
the beds needed to be folded to make
Mina in the morning. Our tent / camp was
space for prayer, we would need to wake
fenced-in with a metal gate. As we entered,
each other up early to be able to make wu-
the alleyways led every which way, nar-
du), the privacy at the door, the sadaqah,
row, flanked with tall white tents on either
the air conditioning, and set about our
side. Our tent was in a quiet alley - the sur-
business. I played moderator/translator
rounding tents were mostly empty. The
between the French-speaking Arabs from
room was small, about the size of 2 or 3
Montreal, and the English speaking Paki-
bedrooms, and was intended to fit over 40
stanis from Toronto - a game that was both
women. Our foldable cushion sofa-beds
entertaining but stressful. But Alhamdulil-
were just wide enough to fit me, too short,
lah, everyone got along, and we were able
and definitely not wide enough for most
to compromise enough to allow everyone
women. We got organized: arranging the
the space to be comfortable.
beds, the prayer times and procedures (all Mina Camp Women’s Area
The bathrooms were small, few, busy, old-
fashioned (think squat), had Muslim showers, and were clean. You had to time your visit, keep your wudu, and forget about showering except at odd hours of the night or early morning - the rush was too great. (Continued on page 25)
24
(Continued from page 24)
countries like Lebanon, Pakistan, Jordan, and
The workers were Saraiki speaking tempo-
Bangladesh. They didn't have the security,
rary foreign workers (Kharji) from Pakistan
protection, surety, or comfort that I had. This
who worried about Saudi's new restrictive
camp wasn't temporary for them. This was
immigration policy, working illegally, and
their life.
having to go home. The food was - abundant
It was a sobering thought. May Allah have
- to put it politely. How anyone can be ex-
mercy on all of our destitute and homeless
pected to eat so much is beyond me. 6 piec-
brothers and sisters around the world.
es of chicken on a bed of
The morning bus took
fragrant and flavourful
us to Arafat before Fajr.
rice (my mouth still wa-
And I have to say, it was
ters as I recount this
a
tale), dessert and drinks
Hall� (Outdoor lawns I
on the side is what we
had attended weddings
were served in one of
at in Karachi growing
our meals. It crossed a
up) like no other. Lights
“Shaadi
line for many of us, and so we started shar-
strung from poles. Mist sprayed by pipes un-
ing, two or three to a plate, and the men
der the lights. A coffee/tea bar. Luau-esque
gathered the unused boxes, and went out
bathrooms. Green carpeting. The large tents.
and distributed them in the street. But even
The
there, food, or lack of it, did not seem to be
Astaghfirullah simultaneously. Is this Arafat?
anyone's pressing concern.
food.
I
thought
Subhanallah/
We prayed Fajr (I was surprised to see how
Still, Mina had the distinct feeling of a ref-
many men from our western camp did not
ugee camp. A very cosy, air conditioned, well
understand the basic principles of congrega-
-fed, no worries refugee camp, but a refugee
tional prayer, like recitation out-loud and the
camp nonetheless. I thought of all my broth-
formation of lines), and then rested while
ers and sisters from Syria, Palestine, Iraq,
(Continued on page 26)
Myanmar, and Afghanistan who had fled to 25
waiting for Zuhr. Our group guide gave us a
to Muzdalifah. I napped. A young child
Khutbah - in Arabic, then another in English,
came to me, begging. I asked where her
then another in Urdu (unfortunately for the
mom is. Another came with her mom. She
French-only speakers, there was no French
had her daughter beg from me. It was clear
Khutbah).
that this was a begging ring. I became upset
We then began our Zikr and Duas. Al-Hajj
at the thought that this child was being
Al-Arafat. Hajj is Arafat. Standing and beg-
taught to beg, in a country so prosperous as
ging God from Zuhr to Sunset is the rite of
Saudi Arabia. It felt wrong. But I gave any-
Arafat.
ways - for Allah said not to turn away one
I decided to stay in the tent, and offer sa-
who asks.
lat from there. But my God, that tent and it's air conditioning was a fitnah. Intoxicatingly drowsing. Try as I might, sitting, standing, lying down, I could not keep my-
“And as for the petitioner, do not repel
self awake. I would lose consciousness right
[him].� 93:10
in the middle of a Du'a or a verse. So I faced my options - stay in the shade and risk losing Arafat, or face the heat and gain my Hajj. I left the tent and joined my brother in
the heat with my spray bottle, and made Du'a till sunset. Many men and women in our group had succumbed to the deep drowsiness of the tent, so before sunset, we went to wake everyone up, so that everyone in our group could catch Arafat. And the sun set. We waited for our bus to arrive to take us 26
So I gave to the mother. She insisted her
I fell asleep.
daughter take it. But I wasn't donating to “feel good” about helping a little girl - that begging tactic angered me. Children shouldn’t have to beg, I said, not knowing if she would understand me or not, placing the Sadaqah firmly in the mother’s hand.
Infographic:
In the morning, we made the long journey back to Mina by foot, only to continue by foot to Jamarat for the first stoning, and then continue further by foot and taxi back to Makkah to perform Tawaf, Sa’i and exit out of Ihram while the government took care of sacrificing and donating our Hajj Qurbani.
At Muzdalifah, our spot was full, so we
By the second Tawaf and Sa'i, I had again
camped out in the median between two roads. I fell asleep quickly, and felt very
lost my voice. I was exhausted. We took a
break between Tawaf and Sa'i and went back to the hotel for a nap. Ahida Aunty, another one of my adopted mothers, was with us this time. She was tired too. But despite her age, she had more energy than me! The Yemeni Corner became an important much at home. Under the stars. Destitute. In
concept for Ahida Aunty. Between the Yem-
a strange and foreign place, with strangers.
eni Corner of the Kabah, and the black stone
But very much at home. At once it became
it is Sunnah to recite the Dua
clear to me how the homeless felt. We didn't
“Lord, grant me in this life what is good, and
have walls and roofs protecting us. But
in the hereafter what is good, and save me
somehow, that made me feel so very close
from the fire of Hell.” (2: 201)
to Allah. The only thing I had now was my
The Yemeni Corner became important for
sleeping bag, my backpack, and Him. And so
me as well, as I couldn't help but think of the 27
(Continued from page 27)
Ruqaya Aunty got lost once in the alleys. We
people, just south-east of us, in whose name
made 2 more trips to the jamarat. As I was
and honour the corner was named. They are
throwing each stone, I felt the weight of a
starving. Yet we ate beyond abundantly. The
sin leave. Like I was crushing, and forcefully
hypocrisy of this pilgrimage stabbed at me,
abandoning Shaytan’s call. The final step to
and I asked God to accept our journey, de-
the purification that is Hajj. We took our
spite our failings to the people of Yemen.
backpacks with us the last Jamarat, because
[Did you know: Matchmaking is prohibited in the state of Ihram?]
from here we headed straight to Makkah. A long taxi ride later with our two favourPrayer At Hara’m Courtyard
May Allah have mercy on them, guide those people, Muslim and Non-Muslim who oppress, and show us all, the Muslim Ummah, the way to gaining the nearness of Allah (SWT). At nightfall, we headed back to Mina as a group for 3 nights, where Pakistani Aunties played their hand at matchmaking
(I
ite elderly uncles led us exactly in the wrong
thought by going in a French group I’d be
direction. We got a taxi going away from the
saved, but not my luck!).
Haram instead of towards it! We ended up
Shaytan tests us in the worst of our times. When we are tired. When we are struggling. He challenges our faith, and weakens it. The best recourse is to remember Allah, renew faith in Him, and conviction of belief in Him, the Hereafter, and the principles and tenets of Islam. Islam is like a stream of water. When you turn away from it, you pain and struggle and suffer. But when you turn towards it, you feel satiated and satisfied.
missing Maghrib, reaching Azziziya before the taxi finally was able to turn around and get us to the Haram! The three young Saudi women in the back of the taxi van were very kind, fanned us, and shared their candy.
(Continued on page 29)
28
Lord of The Worlds, our Creator. With every
(Continued from page 28)
Alhamdulillah we were home. We got to
step, we submit our lives to His decree. But
the Haram just in time for Isha, and prayed
today, as we made the farewell Tawaf, I had
in the courtyard
a different realization. This black box that we
The next day we spent shopping for our
circumambulate, it is empty. “La Ilah�. There
loved ones before our bus took us to Madi-
is nothing in it. We as Muslims pray towards
nah. We performed Tawaf-ul-Wida (the fare-
an empty black box. We bow five times a
well Tawaf) on the ground floor - I wanted
day to it. We circumambulate it. The ridicu-
my brother to experience being near the
lousness of it, when put that way, made me
Kabah.
smile. Especially as, circumambulating on
When we had circumambulated the Kaa-
the main floor, we dealt with people who
ba earlier on in Hajj, I had this realization:
would cut straight across the force of people
We are all circling something in our lives.
performing Tawaf to touch the Kaaba. Or as
Love, happiness, pleasure, false gods, our
people aggressively pushed each other,
own importance, like the forefathers of Mu-
without care for those ahead or behind, the
hammad (SAW) used to do. Circumambu-
elderly, the young, the short.
lating, day in day out, all of our lives. But as
What is your Tawaf worth, if you cause
Muslims, performing Tawaf, we choose to
hurt to other Muslims along the way? What
have our lives circle around Allah (SWT), the
is your life worth as a Muslim, if you hurt others along the way? How often to do we
Inside Jamarat Bridge
hurt others along the way, thinking this is the way of Islam? Is this is the right thing to do? Clearly I was incensed by the time our Tawaf was complete. My brother looked for Zamzam to bring as I scoped out a spot to (Continued on page 30)
29
(Continued from page 29)
most knowing of who has strayed from His
pray our Nafl prayers. There was some water
way, and He is most knowing of who is
that was spilled on the ground. I thought
[rightly] guided.” (16:125)
“Should I do something about it?”. And
This couple had invited me back to the
while I was still thinking, a middle aged cou-
path of Islam, in the best of ways. They had
ple had already gone in search of a cleaner,
reminded me of the righteousness, and the
guarded the spill, and brought her to the
goodness of so many of the Muslims I knew.
spot and had it cleaned. They didn’t want
While Hajj reminded me that Islam not only tells us to shed our false idols and live our lives in servitude only to the One, but Allah invites us to the best ways, even in the hardest of times and trials. Whether in a refugee
anyone to be hurt by the spill.
“La Ilahha IllAllah”. “There is no God, but
I thought back to my life, and the many, many Muslims, practicing Muslims, believ-
God alone.”. There is no God in the Kabah,
ing Muslims I had encountered in my life
other than the One God, the Omnipresent,
who had hurt me badly, so much so that
the One who sees all, hears all, and knows
just the memory of my encounter with
what is in our hearts. The one who sees us
them still hurts today. I thought of how
circumambulating, and knows our inten-
foolish this practice of Islam was. Eagerly
tions. The one who brought us the Mercy to
circle an empty black box seven times, hurt
Mankind, Muhammad SAW, and taught us
others along the way, and believe that by
the best of ways to live, and the best of ways
performing this act, you will be saved. How
to live with each other, the best Ikhlaq, char-
was Islam then better than any other reli-
acter.
gion, and their misguided practices? Is this
“Invite to the way of your Lord with wisdom
what Islam was about? The argument of
and good instruction, and argue with them
the Atheists became increasingly clear to
in a way that is best. Indeed, your Lord is
me.
(Continued on page 31)
30
(Continued from page 30)
camp, homeless, travelling, hungry, tired, Allah (SWT) and His beloved Prophet Muhammad (SAW) invite us to the best way. They invite us to ways that take us away from creating harm in the world, by forbidding things like forbidding alcohol, gambling, and fornication, and towards things that create good in the world, things like removing harm from someone's path, sheltering an orphan, and giving in charity. Subhanallah. And soon, we got on a bus to Madinah. I was thankful for all the people I had encountered, and all the lessons I had learned at Hajj. I was even more thankful of having my sins forgiven - it felt like a weight off my shoulder. And yet still, I had a renewed and deep sense of love, for Allah (SWT), for His beloved Messengers, and for
the believing and obedient people. Goodbye 5-star meals of the Middle East. Goodbye Kabah. You will be missed, but you will always remain in my heart (hopefully the latter more than the former). Thus, we had accomplished an enormous task successfully. We had completed one of the fundamental pillars of Islam by completing our pilgrimage to Mecca and Medina, two of the holiest cities for us Muslims and seen and circumambulated the sacred Kaaba which is the house of God. And along with the gentle and not so gentle of God’s creation, we had made the journey all Muslims are expected to make at least once in their lifetimes.
31
Allah’s (SWT) sent many prophets to this Earth.
a pair of each species of animals before the
All of them were tested one way or another.
great flood was unleashed. Nuh (AS) did what
They were faced with many hardships. Nuh (AS)
Allah (SWT) had asked him to do and began to
or Noah was another such prophet. He was
build a giant ark. Since there was no sea or
born to Lamak in the tenth generation of Adam.
large body of water, only a small river, people
He was told by Allah (SWT) to preach Islam, yet
laughed and made fun of him for making such a
his people turned towards idolatry. They tor-
large boat in such a small area. As soon as his
tured him and made fun of his family. They
task was completed, he tried to convince the
laughed and ridiculed him. His people treated
people to come onboard, except all he got was
him with hostility and obstinacy. As time
laughter. Three out of four of the Prophet’s
passed, the people grew stronger and stronger
sons came on the ark, in addition to a small
and Prophet Nuh’s (AS) job got harder. Eventu-
number of true believers and a pair of each spe-
ally, when the Prophet couldn’t handle the
cies of animals, as instructed. As soon as Nuh
heavy burden, he complained to Allah (SWT)
(AS) entered the ship, heavy rain began to fall
about them. Allah (SWT) replied by saying that
from the sky and springs erupted from under
the people residing in the Prophet’s community
the Earth’s mantle. The water continued to rise,
have extended beyond their limit and soon a
and people ran to the tallest trees and higher
powerful punishment would be inflicted upon
grounds. The water didn’t stop, engulfing eve-
them, which would give them a lesson for the
rything in its way, including those temporary
future. He said that a giant flood will engulf and
sanctuaries. Many civilians reached desperation
destroy all the nonbelievers, along with their
and began to repent in hope to board the ark,
possessions and false gods.
yet it was too late. The ark was built to defend
Allah (SWT) instructed Nuh (AS) to build a large boat and allow all believers onboard along with
itself from the strong waves and pressure of the (Continued on page 33)
32
(Continued from page 32)
water. With that all the non-believers and everything they had was destroyed. It is believed the flood lasted about 150 days. As the water receded, the ark came to a rest on Mount Ararat, which is a volcano near current-day Turkey. The survivors came out and expressed their gratitude towards Allah (SWT) and his mercy. Nuh (AS) is believed to have lived for 950 years and left an impactful legacy. His eldest surviving son went to settle in Europe. His descendants are known as the Japhetic race. The Prophet’s middle son stayed in the middle east with his father. His descendants are known as the Semitic race. The young-
est son decided to travel southwest and settled in what is now Africa. His descendants are known as the Hematic race. To this day, we can take lessons from this story, especially how we should always have strong faith in Allah (SWT) through good and tough times. That is the story of Prophet Nuh and how his people led to their own destruction.
BY: Misha Ayub
33
One of the important places for a Muslim to go to, is a Masjid which literally means ‘place of
prostration’ being Allah (swt)’s house. The Masjid is also a safe place for a Muslim to visit and worship Allah (swt) and learn about Islam. The Masjid should be used to encourage people and the youth, to use it as a place of worship and gathering. What if, Masjid is trying to enhance its aesthetical structure to get people in, by putting pressure on their wallets. How insensitive is this. The Masjid should be a place to gather and worship but not necessarily in an architectural marvel. Instead, the Masjid should focus doing programs which enhance the lives of Muslims and community at large. They also must make this as an epitome of volunteer and community work. The leaders of the
Masjid should focus on people and especially youth. They should make programs to attract youth to come to the Masjid and enjoy being there. The fact of unnecessarily embellishing of the facility is not a clever idea. Furthermore, putting restrain on the wallets of congregation, is not good either. Therefore, visitors of the Masjids should be encouraged. Also, modesty of all sorts, including the aesthetics of the Masjid should be keenly observed. The sum of people coming, should be urged, instead of expanding the infrastructure of the building. By: Amina Bajwa L.A. California
34
I love my name. I just love it! And as a Canadi-
PIZZA AND YOU GOT FRENCH FRIES IN-
an-Muslim with a non-Canadian Muslim name,
STEAD?? ”.
everytime someone from outside of my culture says my name, I fall in love with it even more!
Passion aside, it does bother me still that the
You might be wondering what my name is; a
way most people know me isn’t actually my
name that is deserving of SUCH high praise...,
name - or anyone’s name, for that matter. I’ll
It is… *drumrolls*... irrelevant. I’m not saying
break the tension - I’ll tell you what my name
my name is “irrelevant” - that would be a really
is, and that would help all of you maybe un-
silly name; I’m just saying that it’s really not
derstand a little better why I care so much
relevant for this piece. And if it wasn’t clear
about mispronounced names. I’m Ahsan - and
enough, I don’t actually love my name. I mean
you need to break it down phonetically to see
don’t get me wrong, I do; I don’t have a prob-
how people who don’t know how to say my
lem with it, per se but I just love it when it’s
name the right way say it. I’ll let you do it on
mispronounced - and believe me, 9/10, it will
your own since the breakdown is slightly….
be mispronounced. Unless your name is Sa-
rude. Long story short, whether you’re “AA-
rah, or Aisha (Ayesha), or Adam, or Harris, or
med”, or “OO-mer” or “MERE-ee-em” or “Fa-
Ali, or Muhammad, you know very well what
TEE-ma”, you’re better off officially changing
I’m talking about; you have experienced the
your names to something easier. As such, all
same pain as most of us less-fortunate have.
the guys shall therefore be called Ali and all
You have never gone to Starbucks and need-
the gals will be called Sarah!
ed to repeat your name thirty-six times before settling on “John”; nor have your teachers ever called you by a mutated version of your name throughout your time in school. I know some of you are thinking “But but..., Mr. Writer -man..., you get used to it. It isn’t that big of a deal, you’re overreacting!”, and I’d reply “No, Mr/Ms Reader-man/woman! It is my name and
Written by,: An Ali
I want people to say it the way it was meant to be said! Also, I’M NOT OVERREACTING,
HOW WOULD YOU FEEL IF YOU ORDERED 35
Our book club’s latest pick this time was “Becoming”: the memoir by former first lady of the United States, Michelle Obama. Our book club ladies were, like always, enthusiastic about reading it. Though our book club meeting is yet to be materialized and their opinions upon this book
yet to be discussed, this is my take on this book, so far. So let’s start. This book is the account of the life she once lived as the process of becoming who she is today. Michelle expertly puts her life account of growing up. She shares her observations, her experiences about what she felt growing up in the neighborhood which was mostly black and then moving to the mostly white male dominated world of Princeton. Her parents, like most parents, worked hard all their lives to make the lives of the children better. She recounts her father’s journey through MS, and how she felt. The memoir also beautifully portrays the efforts of her mother to make their household as best as possible. The enormous contribution of the people around her was brilliantly placed. As you swim through the information, you will notice subtle remarks as opinions, which keep you reading and thinking. She also acknowledges the people around her who carefully contributed to the different skills and wisdom she now possesses. When she observes the different statuses and struggles of minorities and majorities, she confers that the prevailing political and social order or the system is designed to help those people excel who are already affluent and influential, while poor and minorities are ingeniously set
aside. She also saw delicate and open treatment of minorities as less important and therefore oppressive. Once, her college counselor told her that she wasn’t Princeton material, despite seeing her good grades. She also pointed out that minorities are put on hold or on the back burner when it comes to affluence and influence. You’re going to find this book relevant if you’re a minority or were ever a minority in a country. Her struggles of living and growing up as a black kid is relatable to many minorities in America or elsewhere. Even though she was blessed to have stability all around her, she still felt the (Continued on page 37)
36
(Continued from page 36)
difference. She also gives an account of the diverse nature of the people she met. As she puts in, she met many people who are stuck in their ways and live a static life forever. However, a few of them are those who bulldoze all the stereotypes and force themselves to become someone and bring change into the world. She also learned that most of the people in the world do not have the luxury to have a meaningful life as they are stuck paying bills and struggle to survive. In contrast, she feels blessed and very lucky that she could lead herself to where she wanted to be.
As humans we are also shaped by many people including our parents. They made us who we are now. It’s their uncondi-
tional support and advise
which shaped us to live a
good life and make better
decisions. It is the enormous
silent force of the society
which can make us or break
us. Regardless, every experi-
ence, every encouragement,
every advice, is special and is
there to make us into the per-
son we are. I would like my-
self to sit down someday,
open my life’s memory lane
and remember the moments,
the people, the care, I was
lucky to receive. Then thank
them silently if they passed
away, or applaud them amia-
bly, if I still can. If none can
happen, at least I can silently
make a dua or two for all
who made us into who we
are, and not forget to thank
Allah for giving these bless-
ings to us.
Overall, if you are looking for some kind of whirlwind romance or fairytale life, you’re setting yourself up for heartbreak. Instead, if you want to read about her real life, her opinions and understandings of herself and her surroundings, you are on good track. There will be plenty of instances where you want to underline the quote and want to think about it. You’re going to feel the gratitude she expresses into her writing. You’re going to see this where she mentions the amazing help from the lots of people she came across with. These positive people had helped make her into the strong woman she is today who can explicitly make her decisions and help others as well. You’re also going to smile at many of the instances. This is the story of her life, just like our stories, our heart breaks, our accomplishments, our journeys through the ups and downs of life.
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Photo: A view of Calgary from one of the windows of Calgary Central Library © Islamic Association of North West Calgary 38
