Jum3ah

Today is Friday, the "holy day" for Muslims. I am in a new city, helping a friend of mine, and while they were at work I decided to find a masjid (proper Arabic for "mosque") and go to Jum3ah (when writing an Arabic word in English - numbers are used to represent letters that do not exist in the English language: 3 = "ein") or Friday Prayer. Fortunately, there was one within WALKING distance of their house - which in America has NEVER happened to me. I was so happy! 

I took a walk and ended up there very early because it was closer than I thought. The masjid was still locked up! I saw a brother walking in, he was African-American and his name was Ali.

"Assalamu alaikum, sister," he said. "Come, come. You can enter through this door. Where are you from?"

I answered.

"I used to be on the police force there!" he said.

"What do you do now?" I asked.

"I am a US Marshall," he said with this bright grin on his face. "Ironic, isn't it? A Muslim, US Marshall."

I had to laugh. He led me through the masallah (where prayers are conducted) to the area where men and women can make wudu'.

Wudu' is a ritual that Muslims perform to wash up before prayer. Cleanliness is of the utmost importance in Islam. Especially given that Muslims believe that when they stand together to pray, they are literally, standing in the presence of God. I made my wudu' and came back to the masallah.

"Assalamu alaikum," said a gentlemen dressed like an imam. (An "imam" is the Muslim title for our religious leader - much like "priest" or "rabbi" or "father"). It turns out he was. He was an older gentlemen, probably right around his 50s. He looked like such a kind soul.

"This sister is visiting us," said brother Ali.

"Welcome, sister," said the imam.

I thanked them both for their assistance and making me feel welcome and went to take advantage of being there so early by reading the Qur'an.

Masjids have a male and female prayer section. I was in the woman's section and then I hear a polite knock on the door. I look up and its the imam. "Assalamu alaikum, sister. Then in Arabic, he says, "Do you speak Arabic?"

"Yes," I answered in Arabic.

"Where are you from?" he asked.

I told him and then I asked "and you?"

"Syria," he said. "Would you like some tea?"

"Please." I answered.

In my head, I was smiling and thinking, "Where are all those critics now? The ignorant ones that say Arab men treat women badly or say that Islam doesn't respect women or treats women as second class citizens ... where are they? Why can't they witness an ARAB IMAM make me tea!"

He left and timidly re-appeared a few moments later with a light knocking on the sister's entrance with the hot tea.

"Please, come and drink," he said.

I closed the Qur'an I was reading, got up and sat with him outside. We sat and talked about where we were from, about our lives, our families as Muslims started to file in for Friday prayer.

"Assalamu alaikum," they would stop in and say.

"Wa alaikum assalam," we would answer and then go back to our conversation.

He was a very kind, gentle spoken man. The congregation was not huge, but large enough given where I was in America. It was nice because no nationality was dominant. Indians, Malaysians, Indonesians, Pakistanis, all types of Arabs, white American converts, African American converts, Latino converts. It was amazing!

They were a tight knit community as well. Everyone calling out the other and giving salaams by name and they made me feel most welcome.

It was a great day! A day that broke through the stereotypes I attempt to break through every day I walk out of my front door and here, in this little community, you could see the "truth" with you own two eyes. It was refreshing.

I hope that, should I visit my friend again, I will have the opportunity to visit this masjid again. I truly felt the presence of God there - in the purest form. Several people looking past their own cultures to come together as one "ummah" (Arabic for community) to worship and praise the one God in unison. Not as black or white, Arab or non-Arab, man or woman ... but as one voice - the central theme of Islam.

Thanks for your comments!

Islam does not "designate" someone with the phrase, "Prophet." God gives them that "title." So, I suppose, to answer your question this is not a man-made process and therefore is nothing like Catholics and canonizing saints and nothing like Mormons either.

It is said, and widely accepted in Islam, that there were THOUSANDS of prophets. Given that there is a verse in the Qur'an that states that "God sent a prophet for every tribe on Earth."

There are only 28 listed, by name, in the Qur'an.

Of those 28, there are 5 who are "heavy hitters" as they were also "messengers" in addition to their prophethood. These 5 are Noah, Abraham, Moses, Jesus, and Mohamed (pbut). These men came down with "books" that made the most changes to the world and added to the message that preceded their own.

Notice I say "ADDED." Each message (text) was revealed to correct the people or remind them of the message of those past. None of the prophets came up with a "new" message. Mohamed reiterated the message of Jesus. Jesus reiterated the message of Moses. Moses reiterated David and David reiterated Noah (pbut).

Does that answer your question tatortots71?

Note: (pbut) = peace be upon them - said after prophet's names as a sign of respect in Islam

As for "Hadith," it is another source important in Islam. The Qur'an is believed, by Muslims to actually BE THE words of God. God revealed these verses to the Angel Gabriel (may God be pleased with him) and the Angel Gabriel took those words to the Prophet Mohamed (pbuh) to deliver to the people. There is a verse in the Qur'an that states that for everything not found in this text or for any clarification for that which the people didn't understand, they should look to their prophet (Mohamed (pbuh) in this case) for answers.

Those answers to questions and a living document of how the prophet Mohamed (pbuh) lived his life, so we could emulate him - as he is our teacher, were recorded. Those records are called "Hadith."

After the prophet Mohamed (pbuh) died, unfortunately people tried to take advantage to restore "tribal traditions" that Islam had eradicated by stating "I heard the prophet say ..." Obviously, those sayings were untrue. To me, this seems to repeat the history of what I believe "Saint" Paul did to the message of the prophet Jesus (pbuh).

For hadith, the person who reported it (meaning the source) is just as important as the words itself. In the sunni tradition, "Al-Bukhari" and "Muslim" are the two strongest sources and therefore held in high regards as true "hadiths" or sayings or actions of the prophet Mohamed (pbuh). Shi'ite tradition have their own sources as well. Other hadith reported by obscure people are considered "weak" or not well supported and therefore, might be false.

So, as Islam teaches, one must ask questions and conduct research before just following blindly.

Becca, I hope that answers your question.

Please, anyone out there, PLEASE keep asking questions! Together we will all learn something new and hopefully have a better understanding of one another.

How about we start from the beginning?

Since the hope is that I will help educate people on Islam, I have been thinking where does one start? Given that my hope and is to show people that we have much more in common than we have in differences, how about we start with the very first man, and first prophet of Islam - Adam (pbuh)?

Just a note - as a Muslim - we hold all prophets with the utmost respect. This is shown by saying "Peace Be Upon Him" after we state their names, which is notated in writing with "(pbuh)."

I am sure I'll need to take this in parts, given that this story is the beginning of several things. It is the beginning of:

1) Mankind (first man, first woman)
2) Life on this Earth
3) The "fight" of good vs. evil

For the most part, the "story" is the same between Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. God created Adam (pbuh) from dust/clay. He breathed life (the soul) into Adam (pbuh). Adam (pbuh) had something that no other creation of God's had - the ability to reason, which equals free will.

(Hadith - Sahih Al-Bukhari)
"God created Adam from a handful of dust taken from different lands, so the children of Adam have been created according to the composition of the land. Therefore, from mankind we have white, red, black, and yellow ones; we have good and evil, ease and sorrow, and what comes in between them."

(Qur'an - 38: 71-72)
"Truly, I am going to create man from clay. So, when I have fashioned him and breathed into him his soul created by Me, then you (angels) fall down to prostrate to him."

So far, all three monotheistic faiths are on the same path.

Help a Brother Out!

Today's entry is more of a reminder that God works in mysterious ways than a "lesson."

I had a horrible day yesterday! I got some bad news on a personal note and then as I was reeling from that, trying to process the information, I got a phone call. It was United Airlines, telling me my flight home for the weekend, my father's birthday, has been canceled!

I was on the phone, trying everything in my power to get on another flight. I finally got one, but from an airport far, far away. Instead of being thankful that I was going to be able to go home, I got upset about the money it would cost me to take a cab there. Sadly, we find ourselves caught up in the material things too easily.

The cabbie came and picked me up. We exchanged plesentries, but my head was in my hands. I was upset and my mind was going a mile a minute. I called my mother and left her a message to inform her of my flight changes. He must have heard me say "Assalamu alaikum ..." or perhaps he assumed, because I was speaking Arabic, but he said "Are you OK, sister?"

I raised my head from my hands and looked up at him, a bit surprised. He said, "You are Muslim, right?"

"Yes," I answered.

"Can I tell you something, sister?"

"Sure," I answered.

"I can say this to you because, as a Muslim, you will understand what I mean. I was just talking to my brother and telling him that I was worried about my business. Today has been very slow. A few dollars here, a few dollars there. He reminded me that I should be thankful, so I said 'alhamdulilah' (Arabic for Thanks be to God or Thank God). I hung up with him. A few minutes later, I got the call to go pick you up and here you are, going a far distance." He grinned and then his face lit up as he continued, "And your a sister giving to your brother."

I felt foolish. I smiled back at him and whole-heartedly replied, "Alhamdulilah."

"I am sorry that you had a rough day sister, but there is always a reason. Today, it seems that I am your reason. You had to go down your rough path today in order for you to be in the position to help me now. And who knows? Maybe there is something bad that is going to happen and God averted your course, so you would not meet with whatever bad thing. Now insha'Allah, everything will be fine for the both of us."

I couldn't stop smiling, sheepishly, but smiling none-the-less. "You are right, brother, thank you for reminding me of what is important and of God's mercy."

As I got to the airport, finally, I was no longer upset about the money. In fact, I decided to exercise another one of Islam's lessons - giving to those in need. I handed him more than enough and like a true brother, he thanked me and didn't bother counting it. He just said "alhamdulilah" and put the cash in his pocket.

He helped me with my bags and wished me a safe journey. "Remember sister, this life is merely a test for the true believers. God tests you because he loves you."

I wanted to cry. I felt a huge, emotional release, and suddenly things didn't feel so heavy. "Thank you brother, for reminding me of what's important. God sent you to me today, as the sign I needed."

He seemed happy with this statement of mine. "He sent us to each other. Assalamu alaikum."

"Wa alaikum assalam."

And with a kind wave of his hand, he was gone. The feeling in my heart, however, is still with me, and I hope it never leaves.

There is NO Compulsion in Religion

To me, this is one of the most fundamental and important lessons in Islam:

Qur'an (2:256) "There is no compulsion in religion, for the right way is clear from the wrong way. Whoever therefore rejects the forces of evil and believes in God, he has taken hold of a support most unfailing, which shall never give way, for God is All Hearing and Knowing."

Islam is NOT the "religion of the sword." In the verse above, God states that you cannot force someone to believe or force someone to practice. Again, the only thing you can do is lead by example. SHOW people the "right way" from the "wrong way" by your own actions and hopefully, other's watching you will say "I want to be like that." Is that not the only way to truly lead?

Power hungry people, whether that be Bin Laden, Pat Robertson, Jerry Falwell, Pat Buchanan, some "mufti", those people take the words of God, from whatever book and twist it to meet their own agenda.

One must educate and read these texts, themselves, and use their own brains to decide and interpret what God meant and then apply it to one's own life. I am not saying all religious leaders are evil, as those above are usually exceptions, but we as followers are responsible too. I think we've forgotten that.

Read, educate yourself, practice yourself, and then you'll educate others in society by your actions. Be the best you can be on all levels - that is all God asks of us and that's all I ask of myself.

Why Write?

I write in an attempt to dispel stereotypes.

If anyone out there is reading this and has a question about Islam or "Arab" culture, please post it and I'll do my best to answer. There are no "stupid" or "offensive" questions.

I am a strong believer in the fact that we learn by challenging what we are taught and told to accept. I want this to be an open forum where any question can be asked. I believe your curiosity will allow me to further educate myself, because I am sure that I will not always have an answer and may have to do some research of my own.

One of the greatest summaries of Islam I've ever read is found here:

http://www.spiritual.com.au/articles/religion/islam_ffares.htm

There are a couple of things, that I'll chalk up to writing style (word choice, etc), that wouldn't be the way I'd put it - but over all it is a great start!

The prophet Mohamed, who was illiterate himself, spoke very highly of the importance of seeking knowledge.

(Hadith)

"A Muslim who meets with others and shares their burdens is better than one who lives a life of seclusion and contemplation." (Muslim)

This means one who shares knowledge is better than one who simply worships God in a vacuum. It is not enough to pray in a corner night and day. This is not what God wants of us. Honesty, yes. Loyalty, yes. Devotion, yes. Faith, yes. Do nothing else with your life, but worship Him, no. Muslims (and good people in general) are taught to lead by example.

My "burden" is that terrorists hijacked Islam on 9-11. This is my meager attempt to help set the record straight.

Islam is not a religion of:

- Hatred
- Seclusion
- Racism
- Genderism (is this a word? eh, ya'll know what I mean)
- War
- Violence
- Terrorism
- Extremism

The word "Islam" stems from two Arabic root words:
1 - "aslama" - which in English can closely translate to "submission" or "surrender"
2 - "salaam" - which in English can closely translate to "peace"

So how can a faith, named after submitting or surrendering oneself to God Almighty, alone, be evil? What "warrior" or "war monger" or "terrorist" is taught to submit?

Being a "Muslim" means "one who submits or surrenders to God."

Islam is a guide to live one's life. It teaches moderation and discipline. Yes, there are verses that deal with the topic of war, but they are often taken out of context or mis-translated entirely.

And, if we are to be fair, there are several verses in Psalms (the Book of David - which Muslims believe in and adhere to), the Torah (the Book of Moses - which Muslims believe in and adhere to), and the Bible (the Book of Jesus - which Muslims believe in and adhere to) as well.

We have to view things, not only in context, but research why these verses were revealed. Most of the time, those versus served a specific purpose to that time and should serve as a historical marker - NOT A ROAD MAP for today!

I'm sure I'll be writing more on these topics ... but we'll save that for another day.

Interfaith Prayer Service and Vigil for Palestinians

I needed to go show my support, however futile my efforts might be. Knowing that I'd feel sympathy, pain, frustration, and sadness for the state of mankind - I was dreading it.

I got into my car and ended up at a building that most people (these days) would say a Muslim wouldn't enter - a church. The interfaith service included a Rabbi, a Reverend, and an Imam. The Imam was stuck in an airport due to security issues with his name, imagine that in a post 9-11 world. The hosting Christian congregation were sheepishly asking the Arabs they didn't know, "Excuse me, are you Muslim?" They were trying to find someone to speak in place of the Imam.

"Yes, I am," I answered, "why?"

"Could you help us out? The Imam won't be able to make it. He is stuck in an airport. They won't let him fly."

I smiled sheepishly. "Isn't there anyone else? An elder?"

"We will keep asking around," he said. "But would you consider saying a few words?"

"If there aren't any other options, sure" I said.

I was nervous. Not because of speaking in public, I'd been doing that since I was in secondary school, but because my accent in Arabic, especially Qur'anic Arabic, is not perfect. I know this may seem silly, but I guess I am just a little bit shy about reciting what Muslims believe to be the actual words of God and not doing it correctly.

Another Muslim sister came to me, she was Palestinian. She was an older woman, probably in her mid to late 50's. She was short, stout, and had a kind round face - made all the more noticeable given that she wore a hijab (head scarf) and glasses. She smiled at me and said, "I'll find a verse to recite if you handle the message portion." She had an accent in English. It seems we had similar concerns.

"Is there no one else?" I asked again. "I don't feel that I am qualified to address these folks, especially given that the other speakers are a Rabbi and a Reverend."

"Do your best," she said, "that is all Allah (Arabic for God) asks of us and that is all any person can ask of you."

I felt slighly ashamed of my reluctance. "You're right sister. I will do my best."

On the program, I jotted a few notes and was thanking God that I used to compete in extemporaneous speech.

The service began, I'd say there were about 150 people in attendance. Jews, Christians, Muslims .... Arabs, Jews, Whites, Blacks, Latinos, and Asians ... all sitting there as human beings for a common cause - to end the occupation of Palestine and the specifically the suffering in Gaza.

Time seemed to fly by and then it was our turn. The sister took the mic first, reciting this Qur'anic verse (49:13):

(translated here)

O mankind! We created you from a single pair - Of a male and a female and made you into nations and tribes, that ye may know each other not that ye may despise each other. Verily the most honored of you in the sight of God is he who is the most righteous of you. And God has full knowledge and is well acquainted with all things.

"It is a beautiful verse and most relevant to our gathering today," I started my message with. I would be lying if I said I could remember, verbatim, my speech. After all, none of it was planned. What I do remember, is that I spoke about focusing on our likenesses versus our differences.

"We are all children of Adam and we are all descendants of Abraham and we're all following an Abrahamic faith. We all believe in the prophets and books of Dawood (David) and Musa (Moses) and we're all tailoring our prayers in order to be respectful and mindful of the other's in this room. We can only hope that other's outside of this church will learn from our example today. The lessons and morals that bind us, far out weigh the thoughts and practices that divide us and yet, we tend to explore our differences with a magnifying glass."

I spoke of Palestine, the American government, and having a strong voice and raising it to speak out against the human rights violations and the crimes that violate international laws and UN Security Council's laws. I spoke for freedom and the right to life, liberty, and property. I spoke from my heart and yet I tried to hold back the anger I felt - the frustration that made my voice shake as I was on the verge of tears.

I thanked those there for doing what they felt was right - for speaking their minds and hearts and for being tolerant. I thanked them for their voices and for their presence. I thanked them as my brothers and sisters in faith of the one God we all worshiped. I ended with "Assalamu Alaikum. Shalom Alahom. Peace be with you."

The Reverend spoke after me. Then we sang a hymn. Then we headed to the Israeli Embassy to protest. As I was walking out of the church, the Rabbi and Reverend stopped me to thank me for stepping up to speak. "I think you missed your calling," the Rabbi said. You were very informative and passionate but you managed to stay respectful and inclusive of the other's in the room ."

"Thank you, sir," I answered. I could feel the blush rise up to my cheeks. He smiled, "Shalom" he said. "Salaam," I answered.

One can only hope that today is just the beginning. That people will continue to try to focus on what is right and righteous in a manner that unites us as mankind versus divides us into nothing more than races and creeds and tribes.

One God. One voice. One kind. One world. We are all people of the book.

Peace be with you.