ISSUE NO. 01 - January 2021

In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful

All praises are due to Allah. Alhamdulillah sisters, this is a wonderful project and may Allah reward all of you for your hard work and your contributions. This is the definition of Allah’s promise of mankind being the best of all creation:

“Indeed, We have dignified the children of Adam, carried them on land and sea, granted them good and lawful provisions, and privileged them far above many of Our creatures ” (Quran 17:70)

I hope the readers enjoy the artwork and pieces. There is a lot of talent and creativity throughout this magazine and we hope you are all excited to go on your own journey and find your potential This magazine also shows that we are bound for greatness; you are able to achieve your dreams and accomplish any and all goals while being a practicing and exemplary Muslimah. Never forget your worth and your greatness, especially as a Muslimah May Allah bless every single one of you for being a part of this, having read or enjoyed it, and may we all reach Jannah to talk about these days. Ameen.

Si l

Harun O Rashid MUNA National President

Assalamu Alaikum Wa Rahmatullahi Wa Barakatuhu,

Assalamualaikum Young Sisters!

Alhamdulillah, alhamdulillah, alhamdulillah. I am grateful to Allah for the ability and tawfiq He has given us to complete this project Without Allah’s grace, it would have never happened. Jazakillahu khairan to all the sisters in creating this amazing project

Every single sister has worked very hard; you have all executed this project beautifully. We also thank all the sisters for contributing their work as you all are exceptional artists and writers. Sisters, we hope that you enjoy these artworks as much as we have

This magazine will demonstrate the abundance of talent amongst us and encourage us to become the best version of ourselves. We all hold remarkable talent and potential that have yet to be manifested It most importantly exemplifies that as Muslimahs, we can do anything we put our minds to and within the Islamic boundaries. Don't forget who you are or your history such as the great Ibn Sina, Imam al Ghazali, Al Khawarizmi, Ibn Tamiyyah etc.

There’s so much talent in all of us and may we all learn to hone it as the incredible Muslimahs we are InshAllah we learn more about ourselves and we strengthen each other through our deen and our expression. As Imam Al Ghazali said, “The true greatness of man lies in his eternal progress ”

R d

Rokeya Rahman Rina National Director of YS of MUNA

WELCOME

To TRAVELERS: A YS MUNA Publication

Once the prophet ﷺ told his companions, "I am not in the world but as a rider seeking shade under a tree, then he catches his breath and leaves it '" (Sunan Ibn Majah)

We are travelers on this Earth and our home is Jannah It is where we came from and it is what we all subconsciously seek on this Earth The Earth makes us feel restless and empty, and humans over the years have tried all kinds of things, sometimes spending their whole lives trying to fill the emptiness and satisfy our longing for something more As Muslims, we know that what we are seeking is Allah and His Paradise

We have named our publication Travelers because we hope it can bring us together as travelers from Jannah, seeking our way back, so we can remember our true purpose and help each other out during this journey with whatever bits of knowledge and insight we can share with each other, just like good travel companions do

May Allah bless our travels here on this earth and bring us all safely back to Him, and to our home in Jannah Ameen!

CONTACT US: TRAVELERS

Young Sisters of MUNA ysmuna.national@gmail.com

EDITORIAL ROKEYA RAHMAN

Editor

In Chief THE TEAM

Rokeya Rahman

Fatema Siddiqa

Ishmat Tamima Maliha Gul Momena Siddique Safiyah Chowdhury Angela Mamun

PHOTOGRAPHY & ART

Young Sisters from all around the US

COVER PHOTO & TOP PHOTO

Fabiha Anjum, NYC

"Quranic Gems" by Ismat Begum 01

"Sujood" by Samihah Sirajul Islam 02

"My Mission" by Hafizun Kumkum 03

Interview with Maliha Gul 04

"For the Love of God" by Maliha Gul 05

Interview with Firoza Akter 06

"Generation Gap: Is it a strength or is it a weakness?" By Rokeya Rahman

"Asma ul Husna: Al Hameed" By Nazifa Rahman

Sunnah Foods by Ishmat Tamima & Momena Siddique

Book Reviews by Momena Siddique & Safiyah Chowdhury

"A Poem For All The Muslim Girls In The World" By Safa Rahman

"Death: A Gate To The Unseen World" By Nazira Rahman

QURANIC GEMS

Ismat Begum, New Mexico

When people dive into the ocean of the Quran, they come out with valuable gems. Dr. Fadel Al Samarrai is one of the divers, who dedicated his life to digging out the invaluable gems of the Quran for ordinary people Dr Samarrai is an Iraqi professor who works on the linguistics of the Quran He has a video series named ‘Quranic Gems’ on Youtube; one of the most beautiful gems he explains is the virtue of parents in the eyes of Allah SWT

In Surah ‘Abasa and Ma’arij, Allah talks about our situation on judgement day. In Surah ‘Abasa, Allah said we will run away from our brother, mother, father, spouse, and children on the day of judgement [1]. We will run away because we will not want to give our portion of good deeds to them The person we love most in the world will be worthless on the day of judgement In Surah Ma’arij, Allah said, we will bargain our children, spouse and relatives to save ourselves [2] Notice that Allah did not mention mother and father here as he mentioned in Surah ‘Abasa

Dr Al Sammarai says why did Allah not mention parents in Surah Maarij as he did in ‘Abasa even though both scenarios are about our situation on the judgement day. He explains that in ‘Abasa we were running from all of our loved ones, but in Ma’arij Allah is talking about the ransom

Quran 6:162

Allah does not care if we are trying to use our brother, spouse, children, or the whole world as bargain but he will not tolerate using our parents We will evoke the anger of Allah if we want to use our parents as ransom because it means we are saving ourselves by sending our parents to the hellfire which is the ultimate disrespect to them

Allah ordered us to do Ihsaan (best treatment) to our parents in dunya, and He expects us to do the same in Akhirah Hence, we will wish to use everything and everyone in the world as ransom, but we will not dare to mention our parents It is forbidden for us to disrespect our parents in here and the hereafter [3].

The comparisons between these two Surah shows the status of our parents If we want to earn the love of Allah, we must love, respect, and obey our parents

If you want to learn more about the gems you can check out the links below.

References:

1 Sura Abasa (80), On the Day a man will flee from his brother (34) And his mother and his father (35) And his wife and his children, (36) For every man, that Day, will be a matter adequate for him (37)

2 Sura Ma’arij (70), They will be shown each other The criminal will wish that he could be ransomed from the punishment of that Day by his children (11) And his wife and his brother (12) And his nearest kindred who shelter him (13) And whoever is on earth entirely [so] then it could save him

3 The Quranic Gems, https://www youtube com/watch? v=ebk7jH2rLcA

Photographed by Fabiha Anjum, NYC

my prayer, my worship, my life, and my death are all for Allah— Lord of all worlds.

Abu Huraira reported that the messenger of Allah said:”The nearest a servant comes to his Lord is when he is prostrating himself, so make supplication (in this state).” (Sahih Bukhari)

The Prophet (SAW) said: “The key to Paradise is prayer; the key to prayer is wudu (ablution).” (Musnad Ahmad)

your bedroom windows face west a pre dawn lightning storm pulses across the sky weeps the thrum of soft rainfall you wash your heart with your back toward the windows kneeling forehead nose palms toes pressed to the ground water and the water 4 a.m // sujood

SAMIHAH SIRAJUL ISLAM, NYC

MY MISSION

BY HAFIZUN KUMKUM, VIRGINIA

O! My Allah

O! My Lord

Make my heart open and broad

Save my Iman from fitnah Increase my good deed And give me hasanah

Make me honest Truthful and kind Make me a good person for all mankind

The Qur'an is a mercy and a light Teaching mankind what is right

We are human beings We should be kind We are not supposed to Have an upset mind

What is a message That the Qur'an gave us The Qur'an gave us messages That is a must

It will be meaningful We have a mission For a successful Akhira And a full submission

O! Allah give me

Guidance and strength Save me from the enemies And Shaytan's friends

Photographed By Maimuna Islam, NYC

Sister Maliha Gul has been involved in MUNA ever since she was a child. Maliha tells about the insights and what she gained from being a part of the Young Sisters of MUNA.

Was MUNA a positive or negative experience for you?

MUNA has always been a very positive experience for me. We didn't really have any relatives in America when I was little, so all the aunties and uncles and the other kids of the organization kind of felt like an extended family to me

When anyone was sick in our family, it was always aunties from the organization that would come to visit us or cook food for us, if anyone needed help they could come to us and we would do the same for them Being a part of MUNA, was like being a part of a big family.

What do you love about MUNA?

What I love the most is the sisterhood I think just the idea that we all love each other for the sake of Allah, is my favorite thing about it There's so many sisters that I only see rarely at national events but they still feel so close to my heart

The fact that Allah put this love for each other in our hearts because we are all working for His cause, even though we may not even know each other well, is definitely my favorite part Also the warm hugs that we always give each other (though we can't do that now because of the current situation)

What would you advise the Young Sisters today?

Being part of a social organization is really important, especially at a young age when we are concerned about fitting in and belonging somewhere Growing up as a female, Muslim, and things like wearing hijab are important experiences and it's a lot easier to go through when there are other girls going through the same things as you. It's much easier to practice Islam and strive to be a better Muslim when we have a system of people supporting us For all the Young Sisters, I would like to tell everyone to keep it up! I know we're all working hard despite the fact that most of our events are now taking place online and we can't see each other in person, which is a large part of what we do.

Photographed by Fabiha Anjum, NYC

FOR THE LOVE OF GOD

BY MALIHA GUL, NYC

My tears they keep me warm On cold nights My heart, It sends blood Rushing to my face Pumping fast Desperate to keep All of me Warm, And sheltered From the cold night

It is He who created me In this way Piece by piece With love In every corner of my body So that I may be comforted So that I may be warm

On those cold nights it is He who Commands my heart to beat It is He who sends blood rushing It is He who warms me and shelters me It is He who promises a better future It is He who commands me to live

So I do.

P h o t o g r a p h e d b y R e z w a n a S i d d i q a , B u f f a l o

Sister Firoza Akter is the YS National Joint Director. She's been with organization ever since she was eleven or twelve and it's been more than twenty years she has been a part of MUNA.

How has MUNA affected your life (e.g. personal/family life)?

I was a student, a mother, and a part of the organization; I was able to juggle all three jobs because of the organization as it had taught me fierce and strong skills Alhamdulilah, because of Allah’s blessing, I even earned a good GPA; it was all by the help and blessings of Allah I actually never attended the English medium institutions in Bangladesh but I just began to go to school and study and alhamdulillah it was not so hard

I would take my kids everywhere I went and sometimes I would ask friends to take care of my children I didn’t have my parents with me so I couldn’t leave my children at home with them but I did have sisters part of the organization who helped me out But I made sure they learned that I would never leave them so everywhere I went they went with me My children are aware of what happened and the struggles I endured to ensure I received my education without neglecting them

It was very hard though, my kids were loud and playful so it was hard to keep them seated When my husband would speak at events, I would have to keep watch of my children but they needed to learn

If I stayed home, my kids would've never learned about Islam and I would also stop being a part of the organization

I met other sisters who had active kids but they didn’t take their kids to programs and events because they were afraid their kids would be too loud and messy However, by the time their children became quiet it’d be too late to teach them Islam

If only the quiet kids were allowed, it would be only one or two parents

In the end, I learned that sometimes life will be very hard but all we need is Allah’s help

"ALL WE NEED IS ALLAH'S HELP."

By Fabiha Anjum, NYC Bottom Photo

By Fatema Siddiqa, Buffalo

Why is organization important? What would you say to the young sisters of today?

Organization is the most important part of our lives. Here, we meet people who fear and love Allah and these people will guide you for the rest of your life. They are like fragrance stores where you walk into one of these stores and while you might've not used one, the fragrance travels with you; good companionship is like a fragrance that will rub off on you and influence you in the best ways. Meeting these people and becoming friends will lead you to make better decisions, help you check and balance your life and teach you accountability.

At the end of the day, you are reminded you have to answer to Allah. Nonetheless, satan will always try to catch you, no matter how good we are, but making these bonds can lessen his grip on us. Through these bonds, we can remember our purpose, learn from each other, and improve our imaan. Sometimes it feels like we ’ re learning the same things and nothing new but at least you weren’t doing something that displeases Allah. You are constantly shown the truth; you will be asked by Allah for your worldly life.

Top Photo

GENERATION GAP:

BY ROKEYA RAHMAN RINA

“You don’t understand me.” “You don’t know what struggles I am going through.” “You can’t force me to do it.” “This is my life; you cannot make me be someone I don’t want to be.” “Oh, please stop, this is so annoying ”

“Yes! I do, but you don’t respect me as a parent.” “But you should do this because this is better for you”. “You don’t have enough experience ” “You don’t know what’s good for you ” “You have to listen to me because I am older than you.”

These are some common statements we usually hear around us, outside or inside of our own home. Complaints come from both sides: parents and children. Sometimes we just say, “Oh well, this is because of ‘generation gap’ But what exactly is a generation gap? Is it only the differences between ages, perspective, experiences, expectations, characteristic, or behaviors in people? Can these differences be a challenge? Or could it be a strength? Is it possible to decrease this gap and how? We will examine these questions below.

Generation: Definition and Traits

According to the Encyclopedia, “a generation is comprised of a group of people born around the same time and sharing certain formative experiences The concept of generations has been used by social scientists, historians, and anthropologists to explain social change over time and to identify differences within social groups”. It also states in the Encyclopedia, “Anthropologists have focused on generations principally in terms of genealogy, the structure of kinship, and aging In Social scientific perspective, “generation is a cohort of people who identify with each other based on common experiences”

For example, there are six living generations in the United States They are: Traditionals (were born between 1927 1945); Baby Boomers (born between 1946 1963); Generation Xers (1964 1979); Generation Y/Millennials (1980 1999); and Nexters/Founders/Gen Z (2000 Present)

Each generation is shaped by the time, the crisis, or the advancement of technology they went through For example, the Traditionals were shaped by the Great Depression and World War II and Generation Xers were influenced by the growing access to higher education On the other hand, Millennials are part of technology and social media growth.

Since they had different life experiences and exposure to different social construction, their viewpoints, perspective must be different. However, it doesn’t mean that one generation is not form fitting to the other

Where is the Gap?

Many times, we find difficulty working with people from different age groups. We hear complaints from both sides. From my experience, the most noticeable differences found between older and younger generations are:

Language barriers

Technology usage

Power struggles

Cultural differences

Parenting philosophies

Perception or different viewpoints about life, religion, marriage education, etc. Work ethic and mannerisms

There is no doubt about these visible differences between generations Now the question is: is having these differences good or bad? Is there any positivity among these gaps that can create a joint force for our family or community?

What can we do as a member of different generations?

In order to decrease this gap and increase our combined strengths, we, especially the Muslim community, must work together We must throw away our egocentric mentality and find a common ground to tighten our support system The followings are some of the steps we can take:

1. Acceptance and Understanding: Young and older generation need to be considerate and understand each other’s background, the culture of practices, and generational phenomenon. We must increase our understanding that every generation must pass their own circumstances or socio economic and political situations by which their characteristics are impacted In fact, it might look very odd to one generation to others, but the way we talk, dress, handle things, study, interact with others or express our love is a unique characteristic of each generational trend.

IS IT A STRUGGLE OR IS IT A STRENGTH?

GENERATION GAP

BY ROKEYA RAHMAN RINA

2. Open Dialogue: Communication eliminates many misunderstandings. Older generations should explain the reason behind any expectations before giving strict directions or impose any demand. Ongoing communication among family members, community, or within organization must be maintained to decrease problems

3 Respect and Respond: Showing respect toward each other will create a positive and uplifting environment

Respect is not only for elderly people. Respect must be shown toward men and women of any age, even toward young children. Instead of an outburst as a reaction, we must practice how to respond in a positive way to resolve a conflict

4. Acknowledgement: Each generation consists of many strengths We must acknowledge those strengths and use them as a force to thrive For example, an event can be done successfully when we will be able to use the Baby Boomer’s higher power, Generation X’s education and knowledge, and the Millennial’s technology skills.

5. Eliminating the Power Struggle: Many times, we see when a young person becomes a leader or high official, it tends to be very difficult for the older generation to accept it or follow their leadership and vice versa It seems like both generations underestimate each other’s knowledge and skills They find it difficult accepting each other’s work ethic However, we should keep in mind that the power struggle will not bring success and peace but conflict The elders should open doors to our youth to lead, and the youth should respect the wisdom and experience of the elders. Each generation can learn and benefit from another generation.

6. Honor Independence: The youth today wants their own space and independence We should honor that as parents, leaders, or supervisors Instead of imposing our own choices, let them choose their own career, education path, or their own way to handle things The youth generation generally doesn’t like to receive advice, so give them the opportunity and space to nurture their own creativity. Children should not be intimidated for their mistakes. The youth should be treated with respect and dignity as well as the elders

7 Role Modeling: Grandparents and parents should be a role model for young children We must practice religious rituals and values with sincerity As an elder role model, we should practice justice, truthfulness, and piousness before expecting perfection from the youth Our footprint will be their guidance, so be sure to spread positivity through your actions before expecting positive actions from others The righteous traditions of the pious forefatherswillbeaguideforyoungergenerations

8. Changing of Mindset: Bridging between generation gaps will depend on how willing we are to close this gap If we have a continuous negative mindset about it and considerthegenerationalgapasahugeobstacle,thisgap will increase and cause more conflict Keeping an open mind will help us to move forward to better our community Therefore,wemustchangeourfixedmindset andbewillingtobuildthisbridge

To reiterate, living in a multigenerational society has its pros and cons In order to close the generational gap, we must focus on the pros by acting on them These actions, such as keeping an open mind, communicating, showing respect towards each other, and acknowledging the struggle from both sides are some ways we can close the gap

Even though we complain so much about the generational gap, at the end of the day, we still feel connected, happy, and loved when we spend time with our family We still love listening to our parent’s, grandparent’s words of wisdom We feel satisfied when taught by a knowledgeable, educated, and loving teacher or professor In conclusion, each generation comes with their own unique contribution to society and we should respectit

Sources: 1 2 3 4

Bridging the Generation Gap By Dr Muzammal H Siddiqi, Khudbah at ESOC,May30,2008

Generation Gap: Is it a Problem in our Muslim Community? By Sheikh KifahMustapha,May22,2007

How the Generation Gap Affect Religions Around the World Posted on WisconsinMuslimJournal,August3,2018

The Six Living Generation in America By Dr Jill Novak, University of Phoenix RetrievedonMay7,2019

THE VIEW

I N - C L A S S V S . R E M O T E L E A R N I N G

Safiyah C., 21, Long Island, NY

I realized that virtual learning allowed me to ask more questions in class without the fear of being judged by other students. However, I think there was an emotional gap which resulted in teachers not being able to understand each student’s state They seemed to be a little out of touch Students were, therefore, less receptive to the information being taught.

Ishmat T., 18, Queens, NY

Personally, the transition to virtual learning has been relaxed for the most part, mainly because of the flexibility with timing Commuting to and between classes tends to take up much of my day, leaving me too exhausted to continue working when I arrive home. Additionally, being introverted, I’m more comfortable and confident when speaking virtually In the long run, however, I think remote learning would deter students from developing social skills necessary for real world situations, as the distance between students, staff, and peers, limits the development of conversation and communication abilities, which are necessary for pursuing career opportunities.

Fatema S., 20, Buffalo, NY

Virtual learning has been quite useful and helpful for some of us. For some of us, usually, weather, transportation, and scheduling is a problem but during this quarantine, these are no longer issues In addition, some students deal with anxiety or loneliness while at school but now it hasn’t been much of a problem because they are comfortable at home Being in the virtual setting has created many more advantages such as eating breakfast, eating meals on time, spending more time with family, feeling safe, and other conveniences However, it’s not the same for everyone

Maliha G., 25, Brooklyn, NY

I’m currently teaching and there are definitely benefits and drawbacks to both. What I miss the most about in classroom teaching is being able to see my students in person and have small conversations with them before and after class As a student though, remote learning is sometimes much more convenient, which means I can use the time I would have spent commuting to class instead to study, or do other things

ArtGallery

I created this piece about the Uyghur people to show their closeness and colorful culture. In the piece I show a loving couple in a crowded bazar. Many friends and family gather at the bazar to spend time together. But sadly this is not the reality anymore. These Muslims are being put in CONCENTRATION camps and are being abused and tortured. They are banned from practicing their beloved religion and are being taken away from their families

At the exact moment you are reading this, there is a genocide occurring in China. China is trying to erase our Muslim brothers and sisters. As Muslims and humans, we MUST stand up and know about injustice that is occurring. Please don’t continue to stay silent and uninformed about this serious crisis. We need to learn more about what is going on and stand up for our Muslim brothers and sisters. As Muslims we are “one body”, we MUST stand up for one another I only gave you an introduction to this horrific situation Please do what you can to spread awareness

Summaiyah Karim | Beautiful Uyghur People, 2020 Ink and watercolor

Fatema Jannat Tania

Grand Prismatic Spring, Yellowstone National Park (2020)

Art medium

r t G a l l e r y

Fatema Jannat Tania

Nightfall (2020)

Art medium

A S M A U L - H U S N A

BY NAZIFA RAHMAN, ALABAMA

Allah (swt) has beautiful names Asma ul husna. One of His most beautiful names is Al Hameed. Allah is the most worthy of praise, even if people don’t praise Him as much as He deserves Hamd is to praise and thank the one who is worthy of praise in a beautiful and honest way It should not be fake, but it should be loving

Sometimes we see people praising others for something they don’t deserve to be praised for For example, when people are praised for their physical appearance They didn't choose those physical characteristics, so when they are praised, that is not hamd

There are different words for that kind of praise. Allah is Al Hameed because He deserves praise and thanks. Al Hameed also means the one for whom is all praise, always and in all matters, no matter what the condition is or whatever is happening in the world Any praise that is given also belongs to Allah

For example, if someone teaches you something, they deserve praise, and Allah also deserves thanks because He sent that person to you and allowed you to benefit from it

Whenever you are praised for your looks, Allah also deserves thanks because He is the one that has given you beauty Allah is deserving of so much praise and thanks because He gave us life and everything we need to survive and enjoy life.

You may have realized that whenever I define the word Hamd, I say praise and thanks, not just praise, The word Hamd encompasses both meanings, praise and thanks, If you see a nice house, you won’t thank the house, you will just praise it. If someone does you a favor, you will most likely just thank them, not praise them. But Allah is deserving of both praise and thanks, because He is the greatest, and because He gives us so many blessings Think about it the next time you say Alhamdulillah or recite surah Fatiha

Sunnah Foods: Dates

BY ISHMAT TAMIMA, NYC

'Abdullah b Umar reported that Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said:

There is a tree amongst trees, the leaves of which do not wither and that is like a Muslim; tell me which that (tree) can be? The people began to think of the trees of the forest Abdullah said: I thought that it could be the date palm tree, but I felt hesitant (to say that) They (the Companions) then said: Allah's Messenger, (kindly) tell us which that can be? Thereupon he said: It is the date palm tree. I made a mention of that to 'Umar, whereupon he said: Had you said that it meant the date palm tree, this statement of yours (would have been dearer to me) than such and such things (Muslim)

HealthBenefits

According to healthlinecom, dates are nutritious, providing carbs, fiber, protein, potassium, magnesium, copper, manganese, iron, and vitamin B6 They are also high in antioxidants and fiber (7 grams of fiber in a 3.5 oz serving).

Fiber aids digestion and can be used to prevent blood sugar levels from spiking high after eating

Dates have a low glycemic index (GI), which measures glucose levels

Dates are high in disease fighting antioxidants. Dates have been shown to promote and ease natural labor

Maryam bint Imran was instructed by Allah (SWT) to consume dates during the birth of Isa (AS) to ease her labor pains and aid in delivery Modern experiments show that dates help with dilation and reduce bleeding.

The Prophet ﷺ was reported to have initiated the custom of feeding newborns a small amount of chewed dates to reduce pain and heart rate

Dates were loved by the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ.

It was narrated that Anas ibn Maalik (may Allah be pleased with him) said: "The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) used to break his fast with fresh dates before praying If there were no fresh dates, then with dried dates, and if there were no dried dates, then with a few sips of water."

(Narrated by Ahmad (12265); Abu Dawood, 2356.)

It was narrated from Salmaan ibn ‘Aamir al Dabiy that he heard that the Prophet ﷺ said: “When any one of you breaks his fast, let him break his fast with dates for that is a blessing; if there are no dates then with water, for that is a means of purification” (Narrated by al Tirmidhi, 658)

The most precious date to the Prophet ﷺ is the Ajwa date, a curled, round and black type of date Prophet Muhammad ﷺ once said: "Respect date palms, which are your relatives [aunt] Because the first date tree was created with the same mud from which Adam was created" He implies that the date is the best of fruits known to man

coconut date balls

Servings: 12 Ingredients

10 12 medjool dates

2 cups pecans Pinch sea salt

¼ cup desiccated coconut

Instructions

Pit the medjool dates and soak them in warm water for 10 minutes until they soften. Place the pitted dates and pecans in the bowl of a large food processor.

Blend on high until a thick “dough” is formed and the mixture feels sticky. Scoop about 1 2 tablespoons of the mixture and use your hands to roll it into a ball If you have time you can let them set in the fridge for 5 minutes.

Recipe Source: “COCONUT DATE BALLS {3 INGREDNETS ONLY} ” FEELGOODFOODIE, 29 MAR 2020, HTTPS://FEELGOODFOODIE NET/RECIPE/COCONUT DATE BALLS/ CLOSEDELETEEDIT

Roll the energy bites into desiccated or shredded coconut pressing gently so they adhere.

Photo Source: Feels Good Foodie (www.feelsgoodfoodie.net)

p p pumpkin!

“The Holy Prophet ﷺ amongst other foods, liked pumpkin.” (Tirmidhi)

Anas b Malik reported that a person invited Allah’s Messenger (may peace be upon him) to a meal I also went along with him He brought soup containing pumpkin. Allah’s messenger (may peace be upon him) ate that pumpkin with relish. He (Anas) said: “When I saw that I began to place it before him, and did not eat it (myself) It was since then that pumpkin was always my favorite [food]” (Muslim, Book 23, Hadith 5068)

Anas (ra) reported that “The Prophet ﷺ used to like pumpkin. He was brought some food and invited to eat. I picked up the pumpkin on the plate and put it before him because I knew he liked it” (Tirmidhi)

into pieces I asked what that was for He said: ‘Something we put in our food to increase it’” (Tirmidhi, Ibn Majah)

So if we look into the health benefits of pumpkin→ according to Healthline (www.healthline.com), "9 Impressive Health Benefits of Pumpkin," pumpkin is highly nutritious and particularly rich in vitamin A, It is also one of the best sources of lutein and zeaxanthin, two compounds linked to lower risks of age related macular degeneration (AMD) and cataracts. Additionally, it contains good amounts of vitamins C and E, which function as antioxidants and may prevent free radicals from damaging your eye cells Pumpkin is a weight loss friendly food because you can consume more of it than other carb sources such as rice and potatoes because it is a lesser calorie food.

What’s more, pumpkin is a good source of fiber, which can help curb your appetite It is also good for the Skin!

PUMPKIN SOUP RECIPE

RECIPE SOURCE: KARIMAH BINT DAWOUD, HTTPS://KARIMAHSCUISINA.COM/

INGREDIENTS

Recipe serves 2 • Cooking time 45 mins • Vegetarian/Halal

• 2 5 carrots, peeled and roughly chopped

• 2 medium onions, peeled and quartered (+1 for caramelizing)

• 3 stalks celery, roughly chopped

• 1 2 cups of chopped, de seeded pumpkin (keep the seeds)

• 1 parsnip chopped (optional)

• 3 5 cloves of garlic, chop and leave for 1 minute to process

• 3 fresh parsley stalks

• 1 teaspoon crushed black pepper

• 1 teaspoon of sea salt

• 1 3 dried bay leaf

• 1 teaspoon crushed cumin seeds (jeera)

BUKHARI VOLUME 7, BOOK 65, NUMBER 348.

PREPARATION

Put all the ingredients except the pumpkin into a large saucepan and cover with water.

Bring to the boil. Cover and simmer on medium low heat for 20 30 minutes.

Let the vegetables cool for 5 minutes Take out the bay leaves and then blitz with a hand held blender or pour into a jug blender and blitz until smooth

Pour the soup back into the saucepan and add the pumpkin chunks Cook on medium heat and covered for another 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, shallow fry a sliced onion in vegetable oil for approximately 5 minutes till it starts to brown.

Add cumin seeds and fry and stir till golden brown. Set aside on a plate.

Now add 2 tablespoon of pumpkin seeds to the pan and fry till they begin to pop and turn light brown Be careful not to burn them

Ladle the soup into a bowl, add the onion cumin masala, sprinkle with pumpkin seeds and add a splash of olive oil Serve with lemons wedges.

As narrated by Anas who said, "I saw the Prophet being served with soup and containing gourd (pumpkin or squash) and cured meat, and I saw him picking and eating the pieces of gourd."

PhotoSource:KarimahCuisina(https://karimahscuisina com/2012/10/19/pumpkin soup for the prophet/)

YS OF MUNA EVENT HIGHLIGHTS

Cultural Programs

Mother Daughter Event

Virtual Graduation Ceremony

Fun Outings (e.g. Picnic, Beach Day, Touring)

Community and Social Work (e g Hunger Van)

Leadership Training MUNA Convention

Youth Conference

Weekly Halaqas

Virtual National Eid Reunion

THE POWER OF NOW

AUTHOR: ECKHARD TOLLE

the past and/or future? Have you ever felt that your mind has taken over your life? Or, have you ever wanted to buzz off the many random thoughts buzzing in your head and take back control over your mind? Well, this book is one of those self help books which gives practical tips in helping to train the mind and tells us the importance and power of being in the present.

As a Muslim, I feel the necessity to know how to do so in order to accomplish my duties. Because let's be honest We as humans tend to create our own messes and overthinking, to mention only one way, just exacerbates our issues, where we let our own thoughts run wild rather than making the best of the very moment we are in

The author goes in a question and answer format and provides strategies derived from religious teachings; mostly from Christianity but also include teachings from wise men, such as monks

When I finished the book, I was actually kind of like, “that’s it?” because I was expecting the extraordinary But, the author does say to take a break or pause after reading some passages throughout and to practice the tips given And in those moments of pausing, I could not Describe how amazing it felt Especially the moment I was trying to be a watcher of my own thoughts!

The author says, “material gratification is external, but happiness is eternal.” He relates a story, which the monks tell when talking about happiness. A story of the musk deer derived from a poem by Kabir, an earlier mystic and poet The tale describes the musk deer picking up an irresistible scent in the forest and chasing it, trying to look for the source, not realizing that the scent was coming from its own pores

In the same way, we humans are searching for happiness, when it is found within us

Momena Siddique, Buffalo

WITH THE HEART IN MIND

AUTHOR: MIKAEEL AHMED SMITH

I want to challenge our modern day notion of intelligence a little bit. Should it not be part of intelligence to know what is true and what is false? How come when we bring the most “intelligent” people of our day to mind, we can almost always predict correctly that they are agnostics or atheists? That they deny Al Haqq, our Creator Or, how is it that religious people are thought to be the most irrational and unintelligent people?

If you were to imagine the ideal or “perfect” person, what kind of traits would you say this person has? You would likely say that the perfect person has to be intelligent. He or she might even be a genius. He/she knows history like the back of his/her hand, He/she's a polyglot or a noble peace prize winning physicist. Such is how our society has taught us the requisites of being an admirable person or at least, a smart one. However, the Prophet (pbuh) was illiterate! He does not, by today’s standard, even fulfill the most basic criterion for being amongst the educated elite. Does that mean he was deficient in his intelligence? ﻪﻠﻟﺎﺑذﻮﻌﻧ .Of course not.

So, perhaps we got our definition of intelligence all wrong. As with all beliefs that we ’ ve been taught and ideologies we just soaked like a sponge, we want to use the filter of Islam and examine its contents to see if it truly aligns with the Quranic paradigm and how our Prophet (pbuh), the most beloved to God, lived In Shaykh Smith’s book titled With the Heart in Mind, he tackles this exact misconception and encourages us to construct a new framework for intelligence one that looks at the Quranic and prophetic paradigm of perfected intelligence This new framework incorporates emotional intelligence and moral intelligence

"As with all beliefs that we’ve been taught and ideologies we just soaked like a sponge, we want to use the filter of Islam and examine its contents to see if it truly aligns with the Quranic paradigm..."

Book Review

Even a glance at the table of contents of Shaykh Mikael Smith’s book, one can see how comprehensive this new framework for intelligence is. He breaks up his book into four parts: ‘Aql, emotional intelligence, moral intelligence, and radical change: How EQ leads to real transformation. Individual sections range from “body language”, “physical touch”, “parenting prophetically” to “developing moral commitment” and “moral sensitivity”

"Emotional intelligence" is my personal favorite as it includes my favorite narrations of the Prophet (pbuh) with others and his compassion, empathy, and care for those around him. Shaykh Smith uses Howard Gardener’s theory of Multiple Intelligences, and in particular, hones in on inter and intrapersonal intelligence, or how well one is able to “notice moods, temperaments, motivations, and intentions in one’s self (intra) and in others (inter)” (63) Here, he emphasizes that to be understanding of others, one must first possess a deep understanding of one’s own state Intrapersonal awareness gives way to interpersonal intelligence which is important in delivering the message of Islam to others.

He endorses a kind of recentering of moral ideals and breaks up our biggest priorities into the following: to calibrate our moral compasses according to Prophetic ideals, to have a strong commitment to follow these ideals, develop a moral sensitivity that can tell right from wrong, to develop moral problem solving abilities so that one can know how to apply ideals in difficult situations and to be morally assertive in order to advocate for these ideals (pg 143).

Overall, the author’s writing is scholarly without being dry and intellectually stimulating. This book may still be a little dense and conceptual but that being said, I highly recommend this book for sisters who are heavily involved in da’wah. This framework is the key to how we can avoid feeding our own ego and causing people to feel marginalized in our communities while spreading Islam. On the other hand, if we fail to act according to the moral commandments of Allah but we are still charming and endearing (emotional intelligence without moral), we are not calling people to Islam but the worship of ourselves

It is clear how much effort the author put into this work from his references of medieval Islamic philosophy to modern academic research on psychology. The depth and breadth of this work make it possible for the reader to gain a more holistic understanding of what it means to be a “rational” Muslim without the pressure to fit the Western godless idea of an enlighted individual.

In “Moral intelligence”, the author looks at the historical understandings amongst Islamic thinkers on how we come to know right from wrong, or good from evil

"[When it comes to da’wah,] if we fail to act according to the moral commandments of Allah but we are still charming... we are not calling people to Islam but the worship of ourselves"

Safiyah Chowdhury, Jamaica

A POEM FOR ALL THE MUSLIM GIRLS IN THE WORLD

SAFA RAHMAN, NJ

I am a Muslim And I wear Hijab No, I'm not forced to But I choose to.

I wear it with courage, love and pride But there are days I wish I can hide People make fun, laugh and stare And I tell them to back off only here and there Yes, I'm American

Born and raised Pittsburghese American And yes, Hijab wearing American I too love my Freedom. Freedom to Practice My Faith But time to time

I almost feel I am committing a crime. Is it too much too ask? Hijab, it's my look

DEATH: A GATE TO THE UNSEEN WORLD : PART 1

BY NAZIRA RAHMAN, ALBAMA

Belief in the Hereafter and Akhira is a part of our faith It is very important to know what will happen to us during and after our death because death is unavoidable

In Arabic, death is known as تﻮﻤﻟا. All living things die when Allah orders the تﻮﻤﻟا ﻚﻠﻣ (Angel of Death) to take their soul, so Allah knows when and how a person dies. The Angel of Death knows us better than anyone else because he knows when and where we are to die His main job is to take away our soul, and he can enter any place to take it

The Angel of Death will be able to take a good person ’ s soul away easily, but taking a bad person ’ s soul away will be more difficult. From the hadith, we know a good believer’s soul will come flowing like a drop of water flowing from a cup, while an angel will pull out a disbeliever’s soul with great violence When the soul leaves the body, a person dies and becomes nothing but flesh and bones

After the dead body is buried, the corpse under the soil will rapidly decay until all that remains is pieces of bones. The bones will vanish after hundreds or thousands of years. All that will be left will be the “tailbone”, or the coccyx The reason the coccyx remains is that on ﺔﻣﺎﻴﻘﻟا مﻮﻳ (The day of Resurrection) people will sprout out of the coccyx like it is a seed

Most people fear death and try to avoid it But trying to avoid death is pointless because everyone will die no matter how careful you are and there is nothing you can do about it. A believer shouldn’t fear death because death is when the believer meets Allah The time is set for the journey to ﺔﻨﺟ (Paradise)

In this life, we can’t see Allah, His prophets, messengers, or great people of the past, but in the Hereafter, we can In the Hereafter, we can’t get sick, tired, sad, or suffer pain as we can now. Death is actually the moment when the next life starts. That is why we shouldn’t fear death. However, we should be careful and make sure we are not doing bad deeds because bad deeds lead to bad deaths and good deeds lead to good deaths

It is said that during the time of Prophet Sulaiman (مﻼﺴﻟٱ ﻪﻴﻠﻋ), a man noticed the Angel of Death staring at him. He was afraid the angel was coming for him and he didn’t want to die yet, so he rushed to Prophet Sulaiman (مﻼﺴﻟٱﻪﻴﻠﻋ) and said, “Please use the gifts Allah has given you to send me to the other side of the world immediately ”

Prophet Sulaiman (مﻼﺴﻟٱﻪﻴﻠﻋ) took pity on him and sent him to India in a split second. When he got there, the Angel of Death was there to meet him. “I’ve come to take your soul,” he told the man. “How did you find me and why were you staring at me in Jerusalem,” stammered the man “I was surprised to see you there because Allah has told me to take your soul in India,” the Angel of Death replied

Photographed by Naima Ahmed, Jamaica