I Love Islam - January 2012 by MBMuslima Magazine

mbmuslima MAGAZINE

ISSUE#twenty9

The magazine for those who choose to define themselves through the Creator, not the creation

aha IllAllah Ashado an la Il na wa ashado an Rasoolullah♥ r A d a m m a h u M

La Ila h La Ila a IllAllah ♥ h La Ila a IllAllah ♥ ha Ill Allah ♥

T A W H E E D

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The global contemporary magazine for Muslim women (and men too) that keeps the guidelines of Islam embedded in every single page, between every single letter. FOUNDER Sister Yasmin Essa

RELATIONSHIP SPECIALIST Sister Tayyaba Syed

KID’S SECTION CONTRIBUTOR Sister Meriam Essa

ASSISTANT EDITOR Sister Nur Soliman

MARRIAGE SPECIALIST Sister Fatima A. Khan

FREESTYLE COLUMNIST Sister Jennifer Fawzy

LAYOUT & DESIGN Sister Yasmin Essa

HALAL CULINARY SPECIALIST Sister Yvonne Maffei

FRENCH COLUMNIST Sister Khadijah Egkf

COVER PHOTOGRAPHY Clarita | Dreamstime.com

BROTHER’S AMBASSADOR Brother Kyle Smith

CONTRIBUTING POETS Noor, Maria, Nagheen, Ayah, Maryam

VISUAL ARTS INTERN Umm Turaab

PARENTING COLUMNIST Sister Ameera Rahim

Ill Allah n la Ilaha Ashado a ado anna wa as h as oolullah♥ mad Ar R m a h Mu

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Brother Gareth Bryant Chaplain Wilfredo Amr Ruiz

La Ila h La Ila a IllAllah ♥ ha IllA La Ila ha Ill llah ♥ Allah ♥

T A W H E E D

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR admin@mbmuslima.com WRITE FOR MBMUSLIMA admin@mbmuslima.com SUBSCRIBE TO MBMUSLIMA www.mbmuslima.com ADVERTISING advertising@mbmuslima.com

Copyright Modest Beautiful Muslima© Magazine 2009-2012 Reproduction or redistribution of anything from MBM requires proper credit to be given. mbmuslima.com

Arabic Caligraphy by Umm Turaab, MBM’s Visual Arts Intern

MBMUSLIMA READER CONNECTION MBMuslima asked: Why do you love Islam? You answered:

MBMuslima asked: What is your favorite ayah? You answered:

“I love Islam because it has transformed me into a strong, proud African-American woman. It helps and motivates me to continue to grow. Islam has given me freedom that I never knew before and bestowed dignity upon me. I love Islam because Allah chose me to be a Muslimah and what could possibly be more amazing than that! Allahu Akbar!” - Sister Karimah Bint Abdul-Aziz

Sarah Cabelitta 55:13

“Without it, I'm nothing.” -Sister Fifi Islaih “I love Islam because I have spent a good portion of my life searching for God and the right religion. Then in May of this year I went to an Islamic website and my search was finally over! All my unanswered questions about Allah, Isa and the prophets and life in general were all answered and my anxiety about death was taken away.” -Sister Dawn Marie Donivan

Wan Syahiirah 2:152 George Bohlender 2:286 Emma Apple 33:35 Bint Abdulkabir 2:255 Zainub Mansoor 8:46 Get up. Get the Quran. Look up these ayahs.

Want to be in the next MBMuslima Reader Connection? Step 1) Like our fan page: www.facebook.com/mbmuslimamagazine Step 2) Stay active & answer our questions via commenting Step 3) Get all excited when you see your name in our next issue :) mbmuslima.com

January 2012 4

2012 Editorial Calendar January: I Love Islam February: 40 Inspiring Muslims Under 40 March: Salah/Prayer April: Jihad May: Happiness June: Marriage & Love July: Ramadan Prep August: Ramadan/Eid September: Time Management October: Holistic Health & Healing November: The Youth December: Faith, Skepticism & Rejuvenation

MBMuslima’s Favorite Quotes of the Month “When you depend on human love, it fizzles and fades. And hurts. But when you take it for what it is: a temporary gift from God–a loan–you can finally learn to enjoy it.” -Yasmin Mogahed “There is One who never changes.” - Ustadh Usama Canon “Translate your love into a language heard by the deaf and actions seen by the blind.” -Ustadh Usama Canon “God is with the broken-hearted. When your heart breaks, it’s a good thing – the breaking of the heart is what opens it up to the light of Allah. The dunya is designed to break your heart, to crush it.” -Shaykh Hamza Yusuf

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llah ♥ a IllA h ♥ h a l I lla La a IllA ah ♥ h a l I All La ha Ill a l I a L

Ashado an la Ila ha IllAllah wa as hado an na Muhammad Ar Rasoolullah♥

T A W H E E D

CONTENTS signature items 3 MBMuslima Reader Connection Why you love Islam & your favorite ayah

4 Favorite Quotes of the Month 5 of our favorite quotes about Islam & love Yasmin Mogahed, Usama Canon & Hamza Yusuf Quotes. What’s not to love?

6 From the Founder Sister Yasmin shares her personal experience on learning to love Islam

7 Inspirational story from Founder This will get you opening your Quran pronto, inshaAllah

8 From the Assistant Editor “Love of a Belief & a State of Believing” Sister Nur’s perspective on loving a faith

relationship

14 Superfood: Peppermint

9 Hajj and Marriage

This month’s superfood is the perfect boon for those prone to cold & flu symptoms

TightKnot gives us live, unexpected & real details of going to Hajj with the hubby

9 5 Minutes with Fatima A. Khan As always, we are impressed by Fatima’s lovely, delicate & awesome advice

spirituality & everyday life 10 Religiosity vs. Spirituality Brother Gareth shares some real talk on how religiosity & spirituality are one in the same

11 Convert Corner Brother Kyle shares personal experience & great tips for fellow converts

11 Quran Challenge Inspired by Emma Apple’s favorite ayah, we have a very beautiful ayah for you to learn

the arts: visual, vocal, culinary 12 SubhanAllah (Poem)

brother’s section 15 Common Workout Mistake Brother Kyle tells it like it is, as he shares some insider tips to a common pitfall brothers fall into while hitting it hard at the gym

15 How to Gain Knowledge Together Brother Kyle shares a quick & easy tip to cultivate brotherhood & increase knowledge, all while working on your jump shot

parenting & children 16 Raising Healthy Muslim Children In her column, Modern Muslim Parenting, Sister Ameera shares some great tips, pulling experience from her preIslamic childhood

17 MBMuslima’s Kid’s Corner 10-year old Meriam shares some funny jokes she has adapted to suit a Muslim ear

Written by 6 young sisters, this poem magnifies the beauty of Allah ta3la’s creation

real world

12 Art & Intellect with Umm Turaab

Chaplain Wilfredo Amr Ruiz shares his perspective of Christmas

Umm Turaab shares with us the internal & external beauty of Al-Qareebu

12 French Onion Soup Sister Yvonne Maffei of My Halal Kitchen never fails to impress us with her recipes

fashion 13 Ribbon-Wrapped Bangles Perfect for Muslimas of all ages, we guarantee you’ll try this & love this, bi`itnAllah!

health & well-being 14 Fitness: Super*Muslima January’s fitness move of the month is perfect for the winter, as you can do this right at home. Guaranteed to work your muscles & keep you in shape mbmuslima.com

17 Islamic Christmas

18 Influence Sister Jenn talks about how important influences are

international 19 For our French Readers In her French column, Sister Khadijah closes out this issue with some French tongue on loving Islam

Are you subscribed for 2012? MBMuslima to your doorstep 12 times a year! Save $18 a year off cover price U.S. Residents: $5/month U.K. & Canada: $8/month International: $12/month

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Islam

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Islam

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FROM THE FOUNDER Bismillah Al Rahman Al Raheem In the name of Allah, the Most Beneficent, Most Merciful. Assalamu alaykum wa RahmatUllahi wa Barkatu, May the peace and blessings of Allah SWT be unto you, Welcome to the I Love Islam Issue of MBMuslima! We are so glad you found us. We pray that you leave this issue feeling appreciative, refreshed, inspired, creative, and faithful. Dear Readers, Take a moment and thank the Creator of the Heavens and the Earth for allowing you to be reading this magazine. Hold on, let me explain. Don‟t thank Him in regards to this magazine specifically. Rather, thank Him for allowing you to be in His remembrance, right now. I mean let‟s be real. Out of all the things you could be doing right now—out of all the things you could be reading or viewing—He has chosen to reserve you to be in His remembrance. Go ahead. Take a moment and thank Him. We‟ll be waiting right here for you when you are done.

I remember a time in my life, just a few years back when I was not in remembrance of Allah subhana wa ta3la. This phase lasted about a few years, and I was undoubtedly in the darkest years of my life. I was the furthest thing from it. Sometimes I think about those times. The times when Quran was not in my heart, when Allah ta3la was not on my mind, and when my tongue had forgotten a long lost friend named thikr. I was so far away and I continued to run away from Islam. I got really far, but somehow, someway, only through the sheer mercy of Allah aza `wa jal, I ran right back into Islam.

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That‟s the mercy of Allah ta3la. A human being who is spiritually 7 anorexic, as I was spiritually anorexic will refuse all spiritual nourishment of Him. They will push Him away, as I had pushed Him away. They will do these things, as I had done these things, when the thing they need most, that I needed most, is none other than Him. So what does He do? He accepts a silent, oppressed cry for guidance inside of you that you are not even aware of. He accepted my silent, oppressed cry for guidance inside of me that I was not even aware of. He accepts it so much so that He brings you back to Him, as he brought me back to Him. I remember being so out of it all that I didn‟t even know the answers lied in the Quran. Sure, I had studied Quran to a certain extent, and I had a decent amount memorized, but I had never learned the love of Quran. I searched for happiness in the darkest of places, yet Allah ta3la still opened up a beam of light for me. I remember being at one of my lowest lows one night and f eeling completely empty inside. I could not

sleep that night, but something inside of me, through His mercy pushed me to grab the Quran. I was naive though, I didn‟t open it to read from it. But I felt a magnetic attraction to it. That night I fell asleep in tears, with the Quran in my arms. That night marked a personal spiritual journey that began to flourish inside of me, through the will of Allah ta3la. Through this long, uphill journey, I was placed back on His most miraculous path. Now, looking back, I can only say alhamdulilah. I am indebted to Allah ta3la, as we all are. I still stumble, fall, and am learning. I am very blessed to be on this path, walhamdulilah, and I pray that Allah ta3la will allow my heart to remain steadfast on His religion. Ameen. I was born Muslim, raised in a very good Muslim household and taught Islam, but I still fell off the path, as many Muslim youth are falling off this path. I think many times what is missing in teaching Muslim youth is the idea of loving Islam. It is so important, I can‟t even emphasize it enough. We have such a beautiful religion and we need to teach our youth how to love it. We need to teach them how much they need Islam. We can not expect them to

love it unless we present it in a loving matter, such as the way of our beloved Prophet, may the peace and blessings of Allah subhana wa ta3la be upon him. May Allah ta3la allow this issue to be a means to increase the love of His deen in the eyes of each reader. Jazakum Allahu khairan. Enjoy the issue. Sister Yasmin Essa, MBMuslima‟s Founder P.S. As always, your comments, criticism, and suggestions as an MBM reader are highly appreciated, encouraged, and valued. By the will of Allah SWT, let us all engage in a deep, collective search for truth, guided by the primary sources of Islam: the Qur‟an and Sunnah. As always, JazakAllah khair for being an MBM reader—the magazine would be nothing without you.

Have you opened the book of Allah ta3la today? One of my 9th grade students really touched me. For each class, I use the last 5 minutes to have the students grade what they thought of the class on a piece of paper. They rank the class on a scale of 1-10, write a sentence on something they liked, and write something that could have been improved. This young student probably has the least knowledge of Islam in comparison to the other students, but her fitrah is amazing. That day, our class was all about the Quran as a Miracle. In her feedback, she wrote "Everything is amazing. Can I please borrow the Quran? Thank you!" Furthermore, when I handed her a Quran the following week, she was filled with joy.

This young girl is truly a blessing from Allah subhana wa ta3la. She is likely the only student in my class who does not own a Quran at home, but subhanaAllah, she is magnetically attracted to it. I share this as a short reminder to myself and to all of us who have MULTIPLE Qurans in our home, but don't open it nearly as much as we should. Alhamdulilah, may Allah subhana wa ta3la grant us hearts as pure as hers.

#Not your average 9th grader

May she be of Allah's most righteous servants.

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Please open the Quran today even for 1 ayah or 1 page. When you do open it, make a dua for this young sister.

Ameen.

From the Assistant Editor By Sister Nur Soliman, MBM’s Assistant Editor

Image: Bmkaysym | Dreamstime.com

Early Christians adapted the Greek concept of γάπη (agape), or unconditional love to apply to their love of God. There is nothing more beautiful beyond loving our Creator, Allah subhana wa ta3la. Religion is a comfort, a consolation, and a steering paradigm to many of us, alhamdulillah. We find it a lighthouse and haven in a fickle world. Instead of seeing religion as static, rigid, nondynamic and unchanging, the miracle of faith shows one that religion is truly a live, breathing paradigm of life— a constant anchor of consolation and strength, if one is careful to maintain their faith (iman). The strength of our faith (iman) is directly proportionate to the actions, words, and intentions of our worship (‘ibada). When we do longer prayers, perform sunna prayers, fast on Mondays and Thursdays, read a little more dua’ before we sleep, we contribute to the strength of our faith. When we seek to purify our heart through acts of kindness to our parents, giving to the poor, or devoting ourselves to our studies/ work, this in turn contributes to the fortitude of our faith. The more that we strive and struggle to purify our hearts, the closer we are to reaching an inner sense of devotion. This inner

Allah mbmuslima.com

sense of devotion manifests itself as a spiritual love that is more beautiful than anything we can experience in this dunya. To love Islam, then, is not to love a people, an ideology, or a material concept. It is a love like agape. It is an all-encompassing, infinite love that celebrates and adores a loving God, Allah subhana wa ta3la and the religion we have chosen to follow. In turn, this has c au s ed u s gr e at p e ac e an d enlightenment, or itmi’nan wa huda. This deen is a beautiful deen that we have, and we should embrace and celebrate it as a way of life. It should be something that stays with us in the mosque and outside the mosque—in our every waking and sleeping moment. It is not a love that should separate us from others of faith, nor should it become a defensive „love‟ of Islam as property, as ownership, or as „territory‟ that makes us better than others. Rather, it should be a love that is alive and breathing, that motivates us to go on struggling to better ourselves, improve our iman and worship, and purify our hearts as we live in this world. I live in Kuwait, near Iraq and Saudi Arabia. Our Islam here has a

decidedly Gulf flavor in the way people pray and devote themselves to fasting in Ramadan, or in the prayers that intersperse every other word in their conversations. Here Islam reflects the warm hot desert, the quiet nights, the simple scent of wood smoke and incense, the austere, clean edges of their homes and the shore, and is usually without the exuberant outward emotion of other cultures. When I was sixteen, at our local interfaith and intercultural awareness center, we once met an older gentleman who, in his conversation, summed up the very core of my relationship with Islam, and filled me with such joy since then. He said, deen-na hiluw, or “our deen is good!” Ordinary words in both Arabic and English, but he said it so sweetly that his affection for his deen was infectious, and I caught his enthusiasm, which has stayed with me ever since. May Allah subhana wa ta3la guide us to love Him and love His Prophet Muhammad sallallahu 'alaihi wasallam and guide us to live beneath the all-encompassing love of His beautiful deen, insha’Allah.

Islam

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relationship Brought to you by Tightknot: A marriage blog for Muslim Women

By the Grace and Mercy of Allah, my husband and I were given the invitation to perform Hajj this year. You will be amazed at what you are about to read. This was the first time we were going to be away from our kids for such a long span of time. The husband stayed strong; I cried hysterically as we left the kids behind. The flight there was nice. Baba Longbeard fell asleep before take off. When I got over my initial excitement, I then fell asleep as well. When we woke we talked here and there about our anticipation and what not. Let me rewind a little bit. I had a completely different impression of what Hajj and marriage is like prior to this trip. I thought we would be constantly together, going through so many spirtitual and emotional highs, he would protect me in the crowds at all times, be my savior and companion at all times, and it would be like this spiritual honeymoon for us (without the honey). So anyways, we get to our stopover and then he goes his way with his friends and I go my way with my friends. We eat separately and then the husbands help carry their wives carry-on bags down a big flight of stairs. (Very manly, I know). Then we get to our gate and the men in the group decide to go shower and dress in their ihrams. We wives wait and wait and wait. They finally come back shining in white and then we ladies went down to change. The showers happen to be available so we decided to go turn by turn. Then we went and prayed in the airport musallah. We didn‟t realize how much time had passed. Our husbands came looking for us

completely frazzled and worried. We wives just kind of laughed it off. They were acting a bit over-protective but it was cute. At Jeddah airport we sat for a while waiting for our bus to arrive. Again he sat with the men and I sat with the women. The bus ride was segregated as well, men in the front, women in the back. We finally get to our hotel in Makkah. I stayed with three of my friends and he stayed with his buds. I saw him again right before we were going to start our umrah. Our first umrah together was very stressful. I was having some issues which led us to be separated from our group. We ended up doing our umrah on the main floor finally after Isha. I was an emotional mess. Doing tawaf around the Ka‟ba is one of the most unique forms of ibadah ever. You feel like you are in a trance walking in circles reciting various dhikr and du‟as that come in your heart sometimes even feeling like a zombie worshipper. People around you are chanting and moving the same way. It kind of also feels like the Day of Judgment. He didn‟t hold on to me to protect me amongst the crowds. Instead he walked in front of me and I just held on to the strap of his backpack. Sa‟ee is very tiring but I t h ink it ‟ s a very spiritu ally enlightening experience. Baba Longbeard had me recite du‟as outloud as we performed Sa‟ee. That was nice. The rest of the week we saw each other at either breakfast or lunch time or during brief group gatherings. He did his thing and I did mine. To be honest, my most favorite ibadah moments were when I was not with him.

Read more great marriage articles at http://tightknot.wordpress.com/

In Madina we were separated majority of the time too. We would come together to eat every so often, but at worship times we were on our own. Again, I liked that too. Mina, Arafat, Muzdalifah all had the same pattern. He did his thing and I did mine. It wasn‟t until the whole group left and we got to stay behind and spend some extra days in Makkah that we spent proper time together. I actually got tested with my health those days and didn‟t get that much time in the Haram. One afternoon I was in bed in our apartment outside Makkah. Baba Longbeard had gone back to the Haram to take care of some things. That is when it hit me that no one is there for you except Allah. Allah knows I was there, by myself, yet I didn‟t feel alone. Allah was with me as He always is, and from the beginning of our existence to our end it‟s only Allah who is with us. For over three weeks I was not a wife or a mother or a daughter or a sister. I was simply a worshipper, serving my true purpose of why I was created. So what‟s the point of all this? There really wasn‟t much of Hajj and marriage in my experience. I realize that Hajj is a means to bring you back to your Creator, not bring you closer to others, not even your spouse. Yes, Baba Longbeard and I had a lifechanging experience, but we had two separate experiences and that‟s okay. I am so grateful to Allah for hosting us in His Home. He is the Host of All Hosts. May He preserve our iman and put barakah in our lives and marriages and families in this life and the next. Ameen.

Marriage Tip of the Month: It‟s okay for spouses to have separate experiences, especially spiritual experiences. While you may experience these separately, they ultimately bring you closer together , bi`ithnAllah.

Five Minutes with Fatima A. Khan, relationship coach, MBM’s Marriage Columnist "It's a new calendar year and you will notice a flood of resolutions coming from everyone. It could be keeping fit, remaining healthy or looking better. Let's get to the heart of the matter: what one action that you will take right now, will be the best gift that you can give your soul? What will bring you closer to your Rabb? There must be something you can do at this very instant, forget your new year resolution, or keeping it up for even a month. Take that one step to connect your soul to your Rabb right now, and reflect upon how it makes you feel. It is this feeling that will replace your calendar, and mbmuslima.com bring you back to your Rabb, where you belong, each time."

www.lifepepper.org

Religiosity vs. Spirituality: What’s the difference?!!! 10

spirituality & everyday life

Image: Alexander Oshvintsev | Dreamstime.com

By Brother Gareth Bryant

A great deal of people, especially Muslims, have been taught or and lead to believe that being “spiritual” is not the same as being “religious”. I hear this from all types of people, from all spheres and all types of religious backgrounds. My whole intention and point to writing this article is to show people that there is in fact a direct correlation between a person‟s spiritual aspect and their external ritualistic religious actions. Let‟s start off with a very simple message from the Qur‟an that will give us a pretty good premise into the discussion of comparing/contrasting “spirituality” and “religiosity”: (1) By time, (2) Indeed, mankind is in loss, (3) Except for those who have believed and done righteous deeds and advised each other to truth and advised each other to patience. Surat Al-‘Asr, Ayat 1-3, Chapter 103, Verses 1-3 Now, let‟s critically analyze what is mentioned in these verses, particularly when it comes to the correlation between belief and action. When Allah subhana wa ta3la mentions that people are at loss, “Except for those who have believed and done righteous deeds”, we have to really examine what “have believed” is and what “righteous deeds” are. Now, it should be pretty obvious, when comparing and contrasting two paradigms like “spirituality” and “religiosity,” that “belief” falls under “spirituality” and “righteous deeds” falls under the umbrella of “religiosity”. However, what‟s more important than knowing this is the simple fact that Allah subhana wa ta3la purposely chose to group both “belief” and “righteous deeds” in pairs. Allah subhana wa ta3la does this, actually quite often, in the Qur‟an. Pairing things together indicates that whatever two things mentioned together have some sort of bond with one another. For example, Allah subhana wa ta3la mentions the Night and Day in pairs quite often, as well as the Heavens and the Earth, the Male and the Female. Allah subhana wa ta3la even mentions the Jinn (a creation of beings, created from smoke-less fire) and the Human in pairs, to display their dual purpose, "And I did not create the jinn and mankind except to worship Me.”Surat Adh-Dhariyat, Ayah 56, Chapter 51, Verse 56 Likewise, when Allah subhana wa ta3la mentions “belief” and “good-actions” in a paired construct, it‟s done deliberately, establishing a symbiotic relationship between the two. This is one of many proofs, which confirm, beyond the shadow of a doubt, that “spirituality” and “religiosity”, in practicality, are the same. To put it very simply: Any and all beliefs, concepts, thoughts, statements and actions have a direct effect on an individual‟s relationship with Allah subhana wa ta3la, their Creator. The same applies the other way around: the relationship with one‟s Creator, Allah subhana wa ta3la, has a direct effect mbmuslima.com on an individual‟s beliefs, concepts, thoughts, statements and actions. There are also immense proofs from the Prophetic Tradition of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) which also confirms the symbiotic

relationship between “spirituality” and “religiosity”. Some examples from the Prophetic Tradition concerning the relationship between “spirituality” and “religiosity”:The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said, “And there is a piece of flesh in the body that when it is correct, the entire body is correct and if it is corrupt, then the entire body is corrupt, it is most definitely the Heart.” Sahih Bukhari Volume 1, Book 2, Number 49 He also, said that, "When a believer sins, there is a black spot on his heart, and if he repents and asks pardon his heart is polished; but if he repeats it, it increases till it gains the ascendancy over his heart.” (Tirmidhi). Now, in a religious context, which is obviously being projected in these two respective Prophetic sayings, it is indicated that both “Spirituality” and “Religiosity” not only define one another and complement one another, but they also directly affect one another. Let‟s analyze the true meaning of “Heart” in both of these prophetic statements: It is very clear that Muhammad (peace be upon him) was not at all referring to the physical heart when he mentioned that “if it is correct, then the entire body is correct” and “When a believer sins, there is a black spot on his heart.”, simply because a person can have a perfectly healthy physical heart and still be an unhealthy individual, and “black spots” don‟t appear on physical hearts. Rather, in fact, the “Heart” that is being referred to is the spiritual heart. Let’s use one last example: Muhammad (peace be upon him) said, “"Between a person and kufr (disbelief) and shirk (associating partners with Allah) is the abandonment of the prayer." (Sahih Muslim). The Arabic word for Prayer is Salah, which is derived from the Arabic verb “Salla” which means “To praise”, which in turn is actually derived from the Arabic verb “Wasala”, which means “To connect”. This is why knowing the Arabic language is so important. By definition of the Arabic word Salah, we learn as Muslims why the five daily Prayers are the most important actions of worship. The five daily prayers represent our direct connection to Allah subhana wa ta3la, our Creator. There are several Muslim sectarian groups, who use the differences between spirituality and religiosity to justify separating them in practicality. There has been this centuries-long gimmick known as the “spiritual path” that many have adopted, while attempting to give the implication that spirituality and religiosity exist to function independently of one another, which is simply not true. Also, there are some who take the position that not only does religiosity and spirituality function independently, but that they don‟t affect one another at all. The following verses from the Qur‟an and prophetic statements have already quelled those arguments. For the sake of proof, I‟ll present an everyday organic, natural proof to what I‟m saying.

Let’s take a look at the Creation: Allah subhana wa ta3la says in the Qur‟an, “Indeed, in the creation of the 11 heavens and the earth and the alternation of the night and the day are signs for those of understanding.” Surat Ali`Imran, Ayah 190; Chapter 3, Verse 190 Let‟s look to one of the most dominant creations of Allah subhana wa ta3la that we know about, the sun. When we analyze the sun, let‟s observe what it truly is, relative to its chemical-composition. The sun is actually a star, among billions of stars in our universe. It‟s just that the sun of our solar system is the largest star around. But, now, let‟s observe the chemical composition of a star, what is a star inherently? A star is actually a gigantic cosmic version of a bonfire. So, let‟s look at fire. There are two components to

fire: the flame and the heat. Relative to our discussion, the flame itself would be spirituality and the heat would be Religiosity. Now, merely using basic-intelligence, is it even realistically possible in this material-existence, to separate/ isolate flame from heat or heat from flame? So, since we all know that one cannot separate flame from heat or heat from flame, then why is it so believable that one can separate their religiosity from their spirituality or their spirituality from their religiosity? My final point is for each of you to ask yourselves, after the presentation of the following info....what is the difference between “religiosity” and” spirituality”?!!! #I’m just askin’!!!

For more info. on Brother Gareth‟s writing, visit: http://www.garethbryant.wordpress.com

Convert Corner by Brother Kyle Smith As most of us know, Islam is not the religion of Arabs. Rather, it is the religion of all races and e t h n i c i t i e s . F r o m my experiences, I have noticed that many Americans are unaware of this. I can‟t claim to know exactly why certain individuals are unaware of this, but I can make some inferences: (1) Individual‟s put things in a box and don‟t care to open that box. Meaning if they only see Arab Muslims on TV, then their idea of a Muslim always has to be an Arab. (2) Sometimes individuals just have no idea what Islam or Muslims are because they have had no exposure to Islam. For example, during my freshman year of college, I thought that Islam and Muslim were two different religions, walahi! As stated earlier, Islam is not the religion of Arabs; rather it is the religion of all races and ethnicities. Being that I am of European descent, and my name is not a Muslim name, I often receive greetings such as Merry Christmas. On December 26, a woman asked me, how was your holiday? Most likely, she thought that I was a Christian. Now she just asked me how mbmuslima.com my Holiday was, she didn‟t

say Merry Christmas or anything. Since she did not name a particular Holiday such as Christmas, I did not have to say” I am not Christian”. I could have just said “it was good thank you for asking me”, and then walked away. However, I saw this as an opportunity for dawah. I told her “My holiday was good, it was in November”. Then I told her that I was Muslim. She seemed shocked (probably because of my name and skin complexion), yet happy for me. I then proceeded to tell her what Eid al Adha is all about, and I connected it to the similarities in the Bible. Dawah is not always that easy. Often times, individuals do not care to listen about a religion that is foreign to them. However, when the opportunity presents itself, we need to take advantage of it. An example is my situation on December 26. The fact that we are converts, in and of itself is a form of dawah, because it shows that a normal average Joe type of person can accept Islam. We need to use the fact that we are a convert to our advantage by seizing the opportunity to give dawah when the opportunity it presents itself.

spirituality & everyday life

Quran Challenge Take the time to learn, memorize, and internalize the tafsir of this beautiful ayah in January, bi‟itnAllah.

.-.-.-.-.Bismillah alRahman alRaheem.-.-.-.-.-. Indeed, the Muslim men and Muslim women, the believing men and believing women, the obedient men and obedient women, the truthful men and truthful women, the patient men and patient women, the humble men and humble women, the charitable men and charitable women, the fasting men and fasting women, the men who guard their private parts and the women who do so, and the men who remember Allah often and the women who do so - for them Allah has prepared forgiveness and a great reward. Sahih International Translation(www.quran.com/33) Good resources Quran.com | IslamicNature.com | Tanzil.net |QuranExplorer.com

Art & Intellect with Umm Turaab

POETRY: “SubhanAllah” By Noor, Maria, Nagheen, Ayah, & Maryam The world is full of wonders on which we ponder, We see different miracles wherever we wander. Wind's breeze, rustles itself through beautiful luscious green trees. From the brilliant stars to every drop of dew, incredible in every form, the old and the new. Allah created the Sun and Moons, and mighty glaciers and sandy dunes. SubhanAllah, His birds are beautiful, All the wonders in the world make up the family of nature.

For the sake of helping each other to continuously please Allaah, Let us remember to prioritize Allaah (Al-Qareebu, The Near) in everything, and then He will take care of you. He, Al-Qareebu, is The Near. Be certain that Allaah, subhaanahuu wa ta'aalaa, is close to everybody. His servants know that being close to them is through His Knowlowegde, Awareness, Seeing, Witnessing and Ecompassing. When they supplicate to Him they are certain that He hears them. They know that He is the One Who answers and they know that whatever condition they maybe be in and wherever they are, Allah is Near, Al-Qareebu. His servants realize that He knows each thought and and intention, so they strive with each beat of their heart to do everything for His sake and purely for Him only.

By Sister Yvonne Maffei, MBM’s Halal Culinary Specialist A good soup always makes me feel warm inside and warms up the kitchen while it‟s cooking—especially when it‟s cold outside. This recipe serves 2 but can easily be doubled, tripled & quadrupled. Here‟s a quicker version of French Onion Soup than in Julia Child‟s book I used (Mastering the Art of French Cooking, Fortieth Edition, Vol. 1 by Julia Child, Louisette Bertholle and Simone Beck, p. 43-45). It‟s Emerille Lagasse‟s recipe found on the Food Network website: Substitute ½ cup red grape juice for the sherry and remember to use only your own homemade chicken and veal stock, made from dhabiha halal animals. If you don‟t have that, use a halal canned or carton broth (let me know if you see that in any stores), or a can or carton of kosher stock or broth. You can also use beef stock instead of chicken or veal stock but the taste will be a bit more “meaty”. And you can also just use one type of stock (i.e. only chicken as opposed to the combination), just make sure the stock is dark. Don‟t make this dish if you will only be able to use water- it just isn‟t worth sacrifice in taste. Let me know how your soup turns out…Bismillah and Bon Appetit! Yvonne Maffei is a food writer, recipe developer and the publisher of MyHalalKitchen.com, a halal food blog that offers recipes, tips and halal cooking techniques to readers.

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Bangles made by Meriam Essa Photography by Sarah Essa 13

*adapted from Embellishing Techniques and Projects by Kayte Terry

Materials Needed * Plastic or wooden bangle * Approximately 2 yds. (1.8m) of ribbon for each bangle Note: Amount of ribbon needed depends on width of ribbon * Hot-glue gun and glue sticks 3 Easy Steps to Fabulous Step 1) Heat up hot glue gun. Apply a dot of hot glue to inside of bangle. Carefully press ribbon end into glue, firmly adhering to inner bangle Step 2) Tightly wrap ribbon around bangle, adding dots of hot glue to inside of bangle every few wraps. Make sure ribbon lays flat on surface of bangle as you wrap. Step 3) Dot inside with hot glue, and adhere end of ribbon on inside. Best thing about these? Fabric covered bangles donâ&#x20AC;&#x;t make the loud noises that regular bangles do. Perfect for Muslimahs looking to play it fashionable, yet low-key & modest.

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health & well-being

A good sense of balance is required to do this exercise, be patient if you do not get it the first time, and do not get discouraged. This workout is perfect for increasing core stability and endurance in the joints; it also strengthens the core muscles in your thighs.

Fitness Move of the Month 14

Image: Dreamstime.com

Make sure to do this exercise on a padded exercise mat or a soft carpet, this will prevent you from hurting your knees.

1.Proceed to the floor on all fours 2. Contract your abs. stretch out your right arm in front of you, while extending your left leg out behind you. Make sure that you keep them as straight as you can without locking your elbow or knee. Use your abdominal muscles to avoid arching your back-this will reduce risk of injury. You should feel your muscles working in the thigh or your extended leg. To maximize results, point your toes-this will make your muscles tenser. Make sure that you keep your head and neck even with your back. This will prevent you from twisting your neck. 3. Begin to return to the initial start position and repeat the process with the opposite leg and arm. Number of reps: Beginners, hold the position for 12 seconds then alternate, but if you feel comfortable, move your arm and leg in and out to maximize the workout.

*Adapted from Faye Rowe’s ‘Superman’ from her book 6 Minute Morning Toning

SUPERFOOD OF THE MONTH

-Contains menthol, an oil that clears congestion from colds & chest infections -Promotes the secretion of digestion juices -Promotes healthy blood, strong bones & teeth

PEPPERMINT *-Calming -*Anti-inflammatory *-Indigestion remedy

mbmuslima.com *Adapted from Charlotte Haigh’s The Top 100 Immunity Boosters

3 easy ways to get peppermint in your diet: - Add fresh leaves to salads - Add fresh leaves to hot tea - Add fresh leaves to dish of your choice for flavor

Image: Anna Romanova | Dreamstime.com

Nutrients: Vitamin B2 Vitamin B3 Vitamin C Vitamin E Beta-carotene Folate Calcium Iron Magnesium Volatile Oils

brother’s section 15

By Brother Kyle Smith, Brother‟s Writer One of the most popular exercises is the lat pulldown. It does not matter what time you go to the gym, the lat pulldown machine will be taken! That is how popular it is. While the lat pulldown is a very popular exercise, it is also one of the exercises that brothers often execute incorrectly. Lat pulldown is an exercise where an individual is seated with a bar above his/her head. The individual uses their latissimus dorsi muscle to pull the bar down to about their chest area. As stated earlier, many brothers do not execute this exercise properly. Many brothers use a swinging motion, and use their body weight + momentum to pull the bar down. This swinging motion totally defeats the purpose of the exercise. That is because when an individual uses their momentum + body weight to pull the bar down they are not using their latissimus dorsi muscle to perform the exercise.

Some tips to perform this exercise correctly:

* Select a weight that you can handle. The biggest reason why brothers use a swinging motion to pull the bar down is because they try to be Superman by doing too much weight. Selecting a weight you can handle will make it much easier to perform the exercise correctly. Remember, you only want to use your latissimus dorsi muscle (muscle in your middle back) to pull the bar down, not your body weight/ momentum. *Keep your chest out and shoulders back. This will help you in using your lats to perform the exercise. *Make sure that your legs are locked in properly. You can ensure this by making sure the leg holders are pressing tightly. This will provide further help from swinging.

Begin with bismillah, and you will be one step closer to achieving your fitness goals, inshaAllah.

How to Gain Knowledge Together Image: Softdreams | Dreamstime.com

By Brother Kyle Smith, Brother‟s Writer

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Knowledge sessions such as halaqas are so important for the Muslim ummah. Halaqas are a great opportunity for a Muslims to attain knowledge. Halaqas are also a great opportunity to create brotherhood/ sisterhood. However, it is not always easy to begin a brothers‟ halaqa. Therefore, try to establish weekly/bi weekly basketball games, or some other sports activity. A lot of brothers love to play sports. Brothers will also see this as a great opportunity for exercise. After a couple weeks of playing these activities, brothers will begin to bond with one another. After bonding, it will be much easier to set up a knowledge session such as a halaqa.

Image: Alexander Ryabchun | Dreamstime.com

Common Workout Mistake made by Brothers

I remember growing up in a non Muslim household and how we had such grand times at Christmas and other holidays. As a child, some of my fondest memories were those moments. Upon taking my Shahadah, I realized that we do not have to lose our zeal and happiness for celebrating Eids and Ramadan. We can bring much joy to these days!

parenting & children

Raising Healthy Muslim Children 16

Image: Marzanna Syncerz | Dreamstime.com

By Ameera Rahim

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Make our holidays exciting. SubhanAllah, my children have decorated the house every single Eid, with beautiful art work around the house. As a family, we are always very excited about Eid. If you want to buy your children Eid gifts, it is a great gesture. For our family, we have not done gifts, but have made our homes extra lively and more exciting at the time. We sing songs, do special homeschooling lessons and it becomes a big deal in their life. The children love when Eid and Ramadan come around. At Christmas time, they think the lights on the street are

for Eid. Every time they walk down the street and see Christmas lights they joyfully sing "Eid Mubarak" all the way home. They don't long for those days of Christmas and Halloween because our holidays are exciting. I have seen many people take their Shahadah and act like they lose their joy and animated nature. No! SubhanAllah, we have much reason to celebrate. Knowing we follow the true religion, we should celebrate every day! We should be excited and share this excitement with our children.

MBMuslima Kid’s Corner By Meriam Essa

Knock knock Who's there Canoe Canoe who Canoe pray with me? What does the pink panther say when he steps on an ant? "Dead ant, dead ant, dead ant, dead ant dead ant dead ant de dead aaaaaaant de de de dead ant!"

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Knock knock Who's there Ketchup Ketchup who Ketchup on your good deeds!

I learned the importance of doing especially when watching other Muslim children grow up to see that their childhood has been somehow not as lively and exciting as non Muslim children. This does not have to be the case! Our religion is such a beautiful religion and it's the true religion. We should teach our children from a young age to be excited and proud about being Muslim. We should show them that there is so much to be excited about. We have to put that dedication and energy into it, knowing there will be so much to get out of it. There are many ways to improve the childhood of our children and allow them to have wonderful memories to pass on to their children. Tips from Sister Ameera on how to raise healthy, Muslim children below:

Teach. How will our children know how wonderful this deen is, if we do not teach them the beautiful history of Islam? As parents, it is part of our duty to teach our children about the deen. The Messenger of Allah salallahu alayhi wa salaam said: “All of you are shepherds and each of you is responsible for his flock. A man is the shepherd of the people of his house and he is responsible. A woman is the shepherd of the house of her husband and she is responsible. Each of you is a shepherd and each is responsible for his flock.” (Sahih Bukhari)

Knock knock Who's there Olive Olive who? Olive Prophet Muhammed (PBUH)! Knock knock Who's there Boo Boo who? Why are you so sad? Allah loves you!

Continued from Page 16 Arrange a special time in your home to talk about Islamic role models and talk about 17 the life of the Prophet salallahu alayhi wa salaam. Your child is never too young to learn about our beloved Prophet salallahu alayhi wa salaam. Make salat together and play Islamic trivia games. This is a great way to promote bonding and a love of Islam at the same time. The Prophet Muhammad salallahu alayhi wa salaam is reported to have said "No father has given a greater gift to his children than good moral training." (Tirmidhi) What we teach our children has a lot of weight on how they view Islam. Teaching does not have to be boring. It can be creative, fun, and is good for their spiritual growth.

Community Closeness. One thing children enjoy is being with other children. I know for many, it is also comforting to see someone that is like them or looks like them (wearing hijab, kufi, etc). Parents should set up some events at the Masjid for the children to be together. Sisters can have a sleep over so other Muslim girls can get to know each other and even dress up. Muslim boys can get together with the brothers and go camping or have many other events. It is important to be with those whom you love, as we are all brothers and sisters in Islam. It should always be joyous occasion and one that will boost your Iman. Even as adults, when we go to Islamic conferences we gain a sense of peace and good energy because we are amongst our brothers and sisters in Islam. Children should have the same experience. This will also teach them that they are not alone in Islam.

Live Islam. It is very heartbreaking for me to see Muslim children not raised Muslim. You would never know the difference between them and other non Muslims. Be consistent! As parents, we are the example. We need to make our prayers on time, read Quran and truly live an Islamic life. We lead by example and our children imitate us. As mothers, we should promote, wear and be proud to wear our hijab and pass on that feeling to our daughters and make sure they not only wear it, but truly love and appreciate its meaning. We do not want to tell them one thing and do completely the opposite. Parenting is a rewarding job, and it is one we will be asked about on the Day of Judgment. You truly get what you put into it. We must constantly ask Allah ta3la to guide our children ourselves as parents. Oh Allah, allow us to give our children the tools to love their self, their Lord, their community, and their deen!

real world

â&#x20AC;&#x153;Islamic Christmasâ&#x20AC;? By Wilfredo Amr Ruiz, Muslim Chaplain, Attorney & Political Analyst

There is no such thing as an "Islamic Christmas." In Islam the nativity of Jesus and of any other prophet is not customarily commemorated. However, it cannot be interpreted that Jesus the Son of Mary (Issa ibn Maryam) has little significance or no relevance in Islam. Actually, it is just the opposite. Jesus is recognized in the Qur'an as the Messiah, the Creator's Word and a Spirit coming from Him. Jesus is also mentioned at least on twenty five occasions in The Book (Quran); he is the Creator's Word for the Muslims, for Christians and for humanity as a whole. Muslims believe in him, love him, and honor him. A Muslim can't profess Islam without accepting the fact that the Messiah was born from the Virgin Mary, and that he returned the sight to the blind, that he healed the lepers and even resurrected people from death. Moreover, Muslims await the second coming of the Messiah as a fulfillment of the signs of the Last Day. Regarding his miraculous birth, the Qu'ran narrates the transcendent annunciation dialogue between the Angel Gabriel (Jibril) and Virgin Mary: "She said: When shall I have a boy and no mortal has yet touched me, nor have I been unchaste? He said: Even so; your Lord says: It is easy to Me: and that We may make him a sign to men and a mercy from Us, and it is a matter which has been decreed. So she conceived him; then withdrew herself with him to a remote place" (Qur'an; Surah 'Mary'; 19: 20-22) mbmuslima.com

The message of mercy for humanity that Jesus represents in Islam makes the Muslims feel a sense of belonging for Jesus, the Spirit and Word coming from the Creator: "...the Messiah, Isa son of Mary was a messenger of Allah, and His Word, which He sent down to Mary, and a Spirit from Him." (Qur'an; Surah 'The Women'; 4:171) Jesus belongs to all Muslims because of what the struggle with his people represents; it resembles that of many Muslims today. His call against corruption of the Children of Israel, for truth and justice, still resonates in the same soil on which he walked and where he was prosecuted, mistreated and condemned. The same land where both Christians and Muslims, followers of the Messiah, still struggling against discrimination and prosecution as they are expelled and displaced from Jerusalem at this very moment, witnessing giant separation walls as tall as three story buildings that divide their communities. Their access to their places of worship is limited either by age or by restraining physical accesses to their Mosque. Recently an official at the Israeli run Jerusalem City Council's Planning and Construction Committee, Sasson Gabai, called for closing the al-Aqsa Mosque for all Muslim worshipers in an attempt to pressure Muslims into accepting the demolishing of the bridge of the historic al-Magharba Gate that leads to the mosque. Specifically he stated that "all entrances leading to the alAqsa Mosque must be closed to Muslim worshipers until the Islamic Waqf Department agrees to the demolishing of the bridge". Yes, this is happening now in the land of Jesus' footsteps. The Palestinian Christians live also analogously bad experiences. You can not contain your

tears reading Reverend Mitri Raheb books "Bethlehem Besieged" and "I am a Palestinian Christian". Both are moving narrations on which he uncovered some of the Palestinian Christians' torments, agonies and continuous suffering in an occupied Palestine. The sad reality is that Christian and Muslim housings is no longer welcomed nor permitted in the Holy City of Jerusalem. We must highlight that Christian and Muslim communities were living together in these lands for generations experiencing a great degree of acceptance and tolerance. It is such a case that every day at around 4 am Waheeh Nuseibeh walks the Old City of Jerusalem to the Church of the Holy Sepulcre. Once there, he takes a nearly twelve inch long iron key, walks up the stairs and wide opens the full-size wooden doors of the venerated place. Various Christian denominations ceded this key, and the responsibility that it carries, to the Nuseibeh family. The Nuseibeh's, a Muslim family, have upheld their obligations and responsibilities towards their Christian neighbors for over eight hundred years; and continue to pass it on generation after generation. Christmas cannot be fully observed and celebrated without stopping to meditate on the injustice suffered in the same land that Jesus walked. Undeniably Jerusalem is the holy city for the children of Abraham and as such all of them shall be allowed to live and worship there. Anything on the contrary is an affront to the most basic principles cherished by Jews, Christians and Muslims. Our prayers offered for a peaceful Christmas season to all Christians and for a peaceful Hanukkah to the Jewish community; both of them our cousins.

real world

INFLUENCE 18

By Jennifer Fawzy, MBMuslima Freestyle Columnist You may not realize it, but your every day thoughts and actions are based upon the influence of someone or something. Have you ever stopped to think about why you chose your career path? Do you ever wonder why you drive that particular car brand? Why do you listen to that type of music? No matter the specific answer to these questions, they were all based on influence.

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Influence is a powerful force. Essentially influence is the ability to persuade people to think, behave, or act (i, e action) in a certain way. Influence in the form of peer pressure can be harmful, but used properly; peer pressure can also do a great deal of good! My mother used to always tell me to be careful of whom I associated myself with. To this day, I heed her words. I understand that simple bit of advice as more wisdom of how to live my life. For instance, I do not go to bars because I have no interest in drinking. As a rule, the only people who would go to bars are those that drink. As a person who does not drink, I do not want to place myself in an environment (or situation) surrounded by alcohol and those who drink it because I do not want someone to persuade me to even drink a sip. Alcoholism starts with a single sip. That sip started with a thought that produced the action. The thought (core) was placed in your mind from influence. Maybe someone will tell you that one glass of wine won‟t hurt, and somehow your mind will begin to rationalize and justify drinking one glass. Personally, I do

not want to start that domino effect. As I mentioned earlier, as a rule, the only people who go to bars are those that drink. I am aware that there are except ions. Generally, exceptions pose themselves in all areas of life, too. Keep in mind though, that the exceptions in life are usually a minority, and a rule governs the vast majority. I just use the bar scenario as an example, but we have all been persuaded to do something good or bad at one point in our lives. Often enough, it takes time for behaviors and actions to become a habit. Some ideas are reinforced in our minds regularly and consistently. Therefore, we must be mindful about what we allow to influence us. I read an article on MSN related to Muslims a few months ago. As usual, I scroll down to the comments section to read what the readers have to say. This quote from a man really disturbed me: “Why don’t I ever see Muslims at baseball games? Or having an ice cold one [beer] at the club? They do not integrate with society. They must have something to hide.” Obviously this man has succumbed to believing anti-Islam propaganda that has been propagated by the media since 9/11. This is another example of society‟s negative influence. This sort of influence has manifested in the form of a stereotype that makes people believe and think in a particular way. Stereotypes are not based on facts, they are only stigma. I had some difficulty logging into News vine to respond to his post, so I was unable to do so. If I were able to reply to him, I would have simply said this: Your opinion should have been backed up with knowledge. If you had any knowledge of Islam, you would understand that Muslims are commanded to avoid sin. Muslims are forbidden to drink

alcohol of any kind, and they are not to engage with the opposite sex in a manner that is restricted which is why they would not be at night clubs. You may have seen Muslims at baseball games, but they are ordinary people like you. They do not wear poster boards that say,”Look at me, I‟m Muslim.” However, if we surround ourselves with those who incorporate Islam as their lifestyle, then this will foster positive influence in our lives. Islam imparts healthy boundaries that need to be followed. There is nothing wrong with separating yourself from people who do drugs, participate in illicit sexual acts, or harm others. Islam is supposed to set us apart from the „world‟ just as light is separated from darkness. You do not have to consume yourself with worry about what others will think of you if you do not conform to their lifestyle. I can tell y o u t h at f ro m exper ienc e. Experience has been a priceless teacher to me. If you encircle your mind on the things of Allah, it will develop into beneficial thoughts, actions and eventually habits. Your righteous deeds can spread to others which will help to eradicate negative influence. That would not only be good for you but it would also be very profitable for society. I ask that you perform prayers to Allah for he is the Ultimate Guidance. He can help you to be more careful of what influences you. I also ask that you treat other amicably and be proactive in strengthening your knowledge. Peace.

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By Khadijah Muslimah, MBMâ&#x20AC;&#x;s French Columnist 19

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WORDS EXPLAINED FOR THE NON-MUSLIM

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InshaAllah Simply translated from Arabic to English, InshaAllah means „God willing‟. This is a very commonly used phrase, as Muslims believe God has power over everything.

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JazakAllah khairan Simply translated from Arabic to English, jazakAllah khairun means „May Allah reward you for the good”. This is commonly used to thank someone or to acknowledge someone‟s effort.

ha IllAllah Ashado an la Ila na an do ha wa as Rasoolullah♥ Ar ad m am uh M

La Ila h La Ila a IllAllah ♥ ha IllA La Ila ha Ill llah ♥ Allah ♥

T A W H E E D

MashaAllah Simply translated from Arabic to English , MashaAllah means 'Whatever Allah (God) wills'. Often, it is used as an expression of delight or achievement.

SubhanAllah In Arabic, SubhanAllah means „Glorious is Allah”. This is used when praising God. It is also commonly used as a exclamation like “Wow!”. Masjid The Masjid is simply the Arabic word for Mosque. Many Muslims refer to the Mosque as a Masjid. Masjids are primarily used for Salah (Prayer) Subhana wa’ta3la Arabic Praise used after the name of Allah meaning „glorious and exalted is He” Hijab Headscarf prescribed to Muslim women for modesty purposes Shahadah Declaration of Islamic faith. Assalamu Alaykum May peace be unto you.

Top 40 Inspiring Muslims Under 40

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Sisters

Brothers

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. 15. 16. 17. 18. 19. 20.

Yasmin Mogahed Ahlam Hassan Yasemin Kanar Sakina Dada Saba Gul Fatima A Khan Suzy Ismail Leena Butt Hala Amer Mona Hassan Uzma Bawany Ali Tasnim Nazeer Soha Mashal Amina Sayeed Haleh Banani Panzu Shanze Heather Anen Lina Idelbi Leticia Abdullah Remziya Suleyman

Nouman Ali Khan Khalid Latif Yousef Erakat Hamzah Moin Abdullah Jangda Aman Ali Usama Canon Yaseen Poonah Yasir Qadhi Javed Ali Muhammad Alshareef Abdelrahman Murphy Emad Hamdeh Salman Ravala Qasim Basir Ashfaq Mohiuddin Islam Elfayoumi Boonaa Mohammed Sharif Aly Sameer Sarmast

Top 40 will be featured in February issue, inshaAllah