SUNDAY SCHOOL I MAGAZINE
TABLE OF CONTENTS COMMUNITY+EDUCATION+FAITH
05 EDITOR'S NOTE On a recent journey to Mt. Yeoman for 30 days, Elite Runner editor in chief Joseph Russell has something to share how this issue came to life.
10 PERFORMANCE SECTION A story of a retired athlete on pursuing and finishing his ultimate race. He has been called the world's most marketable athlete of his time.
13 THE GOOD FOOD For maintaining energy to repairing muscles runner and chef Isaac Mills shared some healthy diet plans on how to get that extra mile.
40 EXCLUSIVE!
THE ULTIMATE MOVE FOR POWERFUL LEGS 18 RUN WITH PURPOSE Great runners do it with a purpose in order to do better and finish every single race. A simple question for all the runners, why do you run?
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ULTIMATE MOVE FOR POWERFUL LEGS
BEST FOOD FOR RUNNERS
Running requires you to be both strong and quick. Here are some leg exercises to build bigger quads, calves, glute and hamstrings.
For maintaining energy to repairing muscles runner and chef Isaac Mills shared some healthy diet plans on how to get that extra mile.
27 1000 MILES The most awaited event of the year for the runners. Find out the big challenge this time and you might just win a big prize.
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Editor’s Note In this issue
Student Selections Finding Spirituality Through Trust Zahra Musabji
Life can get hard, it feels like nothing is going as it should and you feel like you're doing something wrong in every action you do. It happens, and sometimes we feel like there is no way to fix this. However while we are going through this tough period we can be comforted by the words of our Holy Prophet Muhammad (AS) “Amazing are the affairs of the believer: everything for [the believer] is good [a blessing.] and this does not apply to anyone, except the believer.” This is to remind us that we do not know or see Allah's plans, and what he has in store for us, we may have a negative outlook on your situation but you need to trust God and you will realize that surely he is always putting us in the best position that will help us succeed, grow and prosper in this world and the next. Having true trust in Allah [Tawakul] is being able to recognize that there are going to be certain things that we will be unable to control so we are going to have to trust Allah and his plans for us. When there are things you can control you should try to put your best effort out there. Just always know that God is always helping us and has a plan for us. Adapted from a reflection by Sheik Fayiaz Jaffer
Article on Climate Change Batool Alzurufi
As some of you know, flowers have started to grow in Antarctica. Now, many might not think too much about this, but this is detrimental. Plants in Antarctica are growing more frequently due to climate change, which could represent a potential tipping point for the region’s changing ecosystem. The warming weather could even lead to invasive species taking over the continent and pushing out native plants. This could have a large scale domino effect, disrupting the balance of the local environment and ecosystem. By throwing our weather and climate systems into chaos, global warming is making extreme events like floods, droughts, hurricanes, and tornadoes more frequent. At the end of the day, our own actions will come around to us. It’s important to keep in mind that Allah has created this world and everything in it. It’s important to take care of this Earth and the creatures living in it. Not only are we affecting ourselves, but we are destroying the beautiful planet Allah (SWT) has gifted to us. This is why we should take responsibility for our actions and take care of the home Allah has given us. We can do something as simple as taking shorter showers or recycling correctly. We should also educate ourselves on what is happening to the environment and how we can help improve our home.
Palestine Will Be free Adyan Amdeen In the land where dreams once bloomed, A misfortune unfolds, a tale of gloom. Thousands of kids, lives lost, In Palestine’s heart, a heavy cost. Israel’s grip, a weight unfair, Palestine’s cries fill the air. But hope still flickers, bright and true For Palestine’s dream of freedom, anew. Children’s laughter silenced, tears shed, Their innocence lost, their futures bled. Yet their spirits soar, rising high, As they yearn for freedom, reaching the sky.
Bait Ul Ilm Hosts Annual Milad Un Nabi Event On October 1st, 2023, Bait Ul Ilm Sunday school held it’s annual Milad-eSadeqain ceremony. This event was hosted by Sunday school’s practicum students which consists of students from Grade 11-12. The Milad allowed for students to learn and appreciate Islam outside of classroom learning.
During the ceremony, students were able to participate in cake cutting, along with a Quran recitation by Grade two students. After the Quran, students participated in recitation of manqabat, poetry, and speeches. After recitations, students engaged in a fun round of trivia hosted by
Sabikah Musabji, grade twelve, and Zainab Najfi, grade eleven. The event then concluded with recitations of Ziyarat and Dua Al-Faraj. During the last school year, practicum students were allowed to plan a Milad commemorating the birth of Imam Ali (A.S),
but this year marked the first time practicum students planned the Milad commemorating the birth of Prophet Muhammed (S.A.W) and Imam Jafar as-Sadiq (A.S). This Milad served as an activity for practicum students to learn the responsibility of planning a Milad. “Last year, I had requested that the students of practicum have more activities that they could oversee and be responsible for,” said Amira Ghadeer, Sunday school teacher. “ I felt like the students needed to learn how to plan the Milads because they are our future generation, and soon it will be their responsibility.”
“Practicum students went through a lot of effort in order to prepare for the Milad. Most of the decisions concerning the Milad were made independently by students.
“I was very excited for the chance of being able to participate.” -Batool Alzurufi “Really, the kids are on their own for the most part,” said Ghadeer. “...There’s a little oversight, but they are the first in making their choice[s].”
The students started planning on what would be recited and who would be reciting two weeks prior to the event. “I had to prepare to be the MC,” said Batool Alzurifi, grade 12. “I had to come up with a script a long time before the event. It was a little difficult because the list of who was reciting and what was being recited kept changing. But overall, I felt very excited for the chance of being able to participate. Overall, the Milad was received very well among students and parents. Many students felt pride in seeing their siblings and friends recite on stage.
“I was very proud seeing [my brother] up there, because I heard him practicing a lot inside our house and he was practicing in front of me,” said Eesha Naqvi, grade 12. “I was very happy when he went up there and spoke. While this was the first event coordinated by practicum students this year, there are high hopes for future event
“I really hope that..the practicum kids are enjoying running the Milads, and that the young kids who are listening will want to eventually be like the practicum kids and run the Milads themselves,” said Ghadeer. “My hope is that the parents enjoy it as well from the perspective that it’s the students and their children who are doing everything, and appreciating their value.”
If you would like to participate in future Sunday school events, please contact Sunday school administration at info@baitulilm.org.
BAIT
UL
ILM
HOSTS ANNUAL PICNIC
On October 8, 2023, Bait Ul Ilm Sunday School held its annual Sunday school picnic. During the picnic, Sunday school students and families were able to enjoy a variety of activities, including carnival games, balloons, prizes, a bouncy house, pinatas, clothing vendors, and fresh barbecue. The picnic held some of the same activities as previous years, such as the carnival games and dessert contest. Most of the carnival games were built by volunteers, and inspired by traditional picnic games.
FAMILY
“The carnival games were actually games that we built and have used for the past few years,” said Amira Ghadeer, Sunday school teacher. “My favorite was the fish game, it was definitely fun to make. But the bucket game is the one that I grew up playing when I was a young kid.” The carnival games were well appreciated by Sunday school students. “The games were so fun and thrilling,” said Zahra Khawari, grade ten. “I loved seeing the younger kids enjoying the games and collecting the prizes.” Besides games, the Sunday school administration continued the tradition of the dessert competition. There were many entries into the contest, including brownies, halwa, rice pudding, and many other desserts. “I really liked being a judge for the dessert contest because I got to eat food and it was really yummy,” said Maaria Tahir, grade eleven. “My favorite dessert was the brownies.” Some new activities were introduced into the picnic as well, including relay races which were open to both students and parents.
“We wanted to do something a little different to include the older kids,” said Ghadeer. “They want to run around, do something besides the games. So with that in mind, we organized relay races and minute-to-win it games with scooters and cup stacking.”
“We originally intended on painting sunsets, however some kids mushed up all their paint together and made barf green and put it on their canvases,” said Kazmi
Moreover, a variety of art activities were provided to students this year. One of the activities was painting classes provided by a Sunday school student, Zarah Kazmi, through her non-profit organization called Paint for Peace. “Paint for Peace is a nonprofit organization that I co-founded with my sister,” said Zarah Kazmi, grade twelve. “This organization is focused on teaching people how to use creativity as a method for expressing their creative outlet, and trying to make an impact in the world. That is why we came to the picnic, to help students channel their creativity.” Many kids took the chance to make their own artistic creations.
Another new activity introduced this year was a community rock garden. During the activity, students were able to select their own rock and paint it to their desire. The rock garden was an idea that the picnic organizers have been wanting for a long time.
“The rock garden is really something I’ve been wanting to do for the last three years, and finally we had some opportunity to do it,” said Ghadeer. “ I basically want the Bait Ul Ilm community to be a family; whoever they are, whatever their background. I want them to be creative in whatever they do. I thought this would be a good way for people to get connected, by looking at everybody else’s artwork and their own artwork and just kind of being proud of it as they come into the masjid every Sunday.”
The rock garden was also enjoyed by many students. Many students took the chance to paint multiple designs.
“ I basically want the Bait Ul Ilm community to be a family; whoever they are, whatever their background.“ -Amira Ghadeer “I painted two rocks,” said Hooriyah Abbas “I painted one purple, and then one with my initials. I really liked painting.”
The picnic concluded with lunch provided by Sunday school administrators. Fresh chicken, hotdogs, and burgers were barbecued by volunteers. Moreover, salad, snacks, sodas and coleslaw was provided as well. If you would like to participate in future events at Bait Ul Ilm Sunday school, please contact Sunday school administration.
Global Corner A Brief Historical Summary of the Israel-Palestine Conflict On Oct. 7, Hamas, a militant group located in Gaza, Palestine, launched an attack in southern Israel, starting a conflict that has currently led to over 20,000 deaths on both sides. However, while it may seem that the conflict started on Oct. 7, the conflict between Israel and Palestine has been going on since the founding of the state of Israel. Zionism, Jewish nationalist movement that has had as its goal the creation and support of a Jewish national state in Palestine, originated in eastern and central Europe in the later part of the 19th century.
PIC
Prior to World War I, Zionism represented only a minority of Jews. However, since then, Zionism has grown and Palestinians are being slaughtered, driven from their homes, and forced into unlivable conditions as a Jewish national state grew and colonized the area. On November 2, 1917, Britain’s foreign secretary, Arthur Balfour, wrote a letter addressed to Lionel Walter Rothschild, a figurehead of the British Jewish community. The letter, now known as the Balfour Declaration, committed the British government to “the establishment in Palestine of a national home for the Jewish people” and to facilitating “the achievement of this object”. Notably, the letter failed to address the Palestinian Arab natives who made up 90% of the population. Palestine was among former Ottoman territories placed under UK administration by the League of Nations in 1922. Between 1923 and 1948, the British Mandate, incorporating the Balfour Declaration, facilitated mass Jewish immigration, confiscating Palestinian land to give to Jewish settlers.
On November 29, 1947, the United Nations passed Resolution 181, which called for the partition of Palestine into Arab and Jewish states. The plan allotted 55% of Palestine to the Jewish, including a large percentage of the fertile arable land of the region. The plan was never implemented. The British Mandate expired May 14, 1948. Even before this, starting in 1947, ethnic cleansing of the Palestinian Arabs began. For the next two years, over five hundred Palestinian villages and towns were destroyed in what is known as the Nakba, or “catastrophe. In April 1948, more than a hundred Palestinians were killed in the village of Deir Yassin. In more than seventy massacres, over 15,000 Palestinians were killed. An estimated 750,000 Palestinians were forced out of their homes. Over 78% of Palestine was captured, the remaining 22% divided up into the West Bank and the Gaza Strip. Egypt took over the Gaza Strip, and in 1950, Jordan began its administrative rule over the West Bank.
In November 1966 an Israeli strike on the village of Al-Samū in the Jordanian West Bank left 18 dead and 54 wounded, and, during an air battle with Syria in April 1967, the Israeli Air Force shot down six Syrian jets. Egypt, Syria, and Jordan began mobilizing troops, with Iraq joining the alliance. Early on the morning of June 5, Israel staged a sudden preemptive air assault that crippled the Egyptian and Syrian air forces. In three days, Israel took over the Gaza Strip and the Egyptian Sinai Peninsula. On June 9 Israel launched an assault on Golan Heights, capturing it from Syria. Egypt, Syria, and Jordan faced over 18,000 casualties combined. This was later known as the Six-Day War (June 5-June 10). The first Palestinian Intifada (civil uprising) erupted in the Gaza Strip in December 1987 after four Palestinians were killed when an Israeli truck collided with two vans carrying Palestinian workers. It was characterized by mobilizations, mass protests, and civil disobedience. 1,070 Palestinians were killed by Israeli forces during the Intifada, including 237 children. The Intifada ended with the signing of the Oslo Accords in 1993 and the formation of the Palestinian Authority (PA), an interim government that was granted limited self-rule in pockets of the occupied West Bank and Gaza Strip. In 1995, Israel built an electronic fence and concrete wall around the Gaza Strip, snapping interactions between the split Palestinian territories.
The second Intifada began on September 28, 2000. Clashes between Palestinian protesters and Israeli forces killed five Palestinians and injured 200 over two days. Israel reoccupied areas governed by the Palestinian Authority and began construction of a separation wall that along with rampant settlement construction, destroyed Palestinian livelihoods and communities.
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Settlements are illegal under international law, but over the years, hundreds of thousands of Jewish settlers have moved to colonies built on stolen Palestinian land. The space for Palestinians is shrinking as settler-only roads and infrastructure slice up the occupied West Bank. The remaining Palestinian Arab population is forced into densely populated isolated enclaves with little in terms of resources. In the years since, Israel has launched five military assaults on Gaza: in 2008, 2012, 2014, 2021, and most recently, 2023. Thousands of Palestinians have been killed, including many children, more than 1.9 people displaced, and tens of thousands of homes, schools and office buildings have been destroyed. As the conflict continues to unfold, keep the history of the conflict in mind when talking ab Israel and Palestine.
Halal Eats ChiTea Review Zarah Kazmi
Image sourced from Instagram @officialchitea
You may be familiar with the popular burgers and boba establishment making waves in suburban Schaumburg. Chi-Tea is the go-to place for enjoying delicious burgers and refreshing boba drinks in a beautiful atmosphere. With a previous location in the western suburb of Lombard, this addition of this new location will surely bring new dining opportunities for Muslims in the Chicagoland area. The restaurant's popularity, especially amongst Chicagoan Muslims, is easily understandable—it stands out in the Schaumburg area by providing both zabiha halal options and a diverse range of boba flavors. According to Chi-Tea’s mission statement, they seek to “[provide] gourmet style food, fries, and a large assortment of bubble tea drinks.” Given the considerable excitement surrounding Chi-Tea, there were high expectations from many, and a small group of Bait-ul-Ilm girls were eager to give the restaurant a try.
Regular Mango-Peach Boba Drink with Strawberry Popping Pearls: 8/10 Despite having heard rather negative reviews, I was excited to buy a boba drink with so many options for flavors and toppings. Personally, I’m not the biggest fan of tapioca pearls, so I decided to avoid those in my order, and I'm so glad I did! The drink was the perfect amount of sweetness, and was really cold and fresh. My only complaint was that the drink was really filling, so it made trying out their food afterwards a little difficult. Personally, I want my drink to be a light treat to sip at while I eat my main dish, but Chi-Tea begs to differ! Also, there were a lot of popping pearls in the tea, more so than normal, which made tasting the tea itself a little difficult when all I could taste was the strawberry pearls. All in all, I would still give the boba a 9/10 for versatility and flavor!
Seasoned Fries: 6/10 The fries were crisped perfectly, and the serving sizes were amazing! However, for being called “seasoned”, the fries didn’t really taste like much. If I had known I would need to bring my own masala for the seasoned fries, I would have just made fries at home! Also, while the serving size was hearty, the pattern of staff first putting a cup inside a brown paper bag, and then haphazardly filling the bag with fries made the dish difficult to share, especially considering the seasoned fries are rationed to serve two people. Despite these flaws, the fries were cooked well and tasted fine, earning a 6/10.
Image sourced from officialchitea.com
The Angry Birds without Pickles: 8/10 The Angry Birds without Pickles: 8/10 Although it was my mother’s order, my friends and I ended up eating most of this delicious mix of fries and bite-sized spicy chicken pieces. Even weeks later, I can’t stop thinking about how delicious the chicken was. Unlike the seasoned fries, the chicken was bursting with spice and flavor, and I had to chug down a few sips of my boba in between every piece. The only complaints I had was that the chicken was a little on the dry side, and the fries lacked any flavor at all, but this delicious meal still earned an 8/10! Overall, there’s so much to try at ChiTea. With diverse flavors and toppings, a wide range of spice levels, and delicious zabiha-halal meat items, everyone will be able to find something they enjoy! If you would like to check out ChiTea, make sure to visit 602 W Wise Rd, Schaumburg, Illinois 60193
Should Your American and Muslim Identities Remain Separate? Yes, they should remain separate Zainab Girniwala and Eesha Naqvi
Being a Muslim is exclusive Because of Who You worship, who you don't worship, how you worship, and where you seek guidance. there is no ethnic or racial measure. Many of us have gone through lectures of how we should retain the information passed down through our family, such as cultural foods, and clothing. However, the current issue is one regarding assimilation, or completely giving up ones culture for another in order to retain uniformity. We know, according to our own Sunday school teacher, well learned, and studied in the Hausa, Sheikh Arastu, that uniformity is not equal to unity. Though we have settled to be American, we must also make sure that our faith is not one that is lost in the midst of many others.
This is one reason that America became the great world power after European power fell. They accepted many different communities, and help promise for better lives. However, because of the abundance in cultures and faiths, one had to be the most powerful. This ended up being what is called American culture. In the holy and sacred text, the Quran, our men are told to lower their gaze and retreat if a woman is dressed indecently in front of him. However, when this is today's trend, it becomes harder for people to follow this ruling. Another inconvenience to consider is peer pressure. Even America, said to be one of the most diverse societies on the planet has it’s limits. There is a saying that states we are only as strong as our weakest link.
If this is true, then we have much ground to cover as a whole. Assimilation is completely giving up ones original culture, but here are 3 main causes for this. Choice, necessity, or force. The choice in the main focus, and the biggest problem of the 3. If someone is even just sneered as that walk past, say a woman with a hijab, it can lead to overthinking. When your are pressured to do something, if you give in, it will be a choice. Choosing is a choice. and to be able to assert your choice, especially if you want to be able to keep practicing your faith in peace, you need solid grounding. This will not come if you have merged your western life and your Muslim life into a grey area, one where there are constant battles because of the changing norms and values.
No, they should not be separate Sabikah Musabji and Tuba Sarwar
According to Paul Galloway, author at Muslim Matters, it is more natural for our communities psyche to make peace with the fact that our American identity is not necessarily modified by our Muslim identity, nor is the opposite necessarily true either. In other words we have multiple identities. If you are an American, that is a fact, it is one part of your total identity. It is the part that pertains to your nationality and some elements of your culture. If you are a Muslim, that is your religious identity, a choice you make due to Allah’s (SWT) mercy and guidance. This means any American can be a Muslim. It places our faith as a set of beliefs and values that gives us a source of morality, guidance, pride, and the confidence to share our beliefs, talents, and gifts with all Americans.
If different parts of our identity are different and diverse within themselves, then your identity is only one thing. Meaning that you are Muslim and American identities are combined to make your ideals, norms, values, and other elements of culture true to you. For example, Muslim Americans overwhelmingly Embrace both the Muslim and American parts of their identity. According to a survey conducted by the Pew Research Center in 2017, 9 in 10 Muslims say that they are proud to be American (92%).
Nearly all participants (97%) of the survey say that they are proud to be Muslim. Muslim Americans also see themselves as integrated into American society and other important ways. Even if they believe they stand out in America, such as a distinctive appearance choice, 4 out of 5 say that they are satisfied with the way things are going in America, and six in 10 say that they have a lot in common with most Americans. If this is true, then why should our both of our identities, or identifications, stay separate?