Explaining Islam through Adverts

It's certainly not unusual to spot billboards in Silicon Valley urging you to step into Fry's Electronics, shop at the Great Mall or buy a new Halloween costume.

But for the first time, billboards asking "Why Islam?" have sprouted up in San Jose, Santa Clara and Concord, along with a blitz of posters on buses and bus stops — a campaign to educate people about the religion and fight negative stereotypes. The ads offer free Korans and a toll-free number people can call to seek answers about the oft-misunderstood religion.

"The best-case scenario of this campaign would be to show the public that Muslims are hardworking, peace-loving family contributors," said Ahmed Khaleel, 30, of Santa Clara, the outreach coordinator for the Bay Area Chapter of the Islamic Circle of North America, which is sponsoring the "Why Islam" project. "Since Sept. 11, Islam has stood at the focus of negativism. Islam is not synonymous with terrorism."

The billboard campaign began in New York almost a year before the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001. Ironically, one of the campaign founders, Tariq Amanullah, died in the World Trade Center that day.

The message of the campaign is simply to show that Islam is quite similar to other religions.

To that effect, one of the billboards, along Interstate Highway 880 at Brokaw Road in San Jose, says Islam follows the teachings of "Abraham, Moses, Jesus and Muhammad.'' Some of the billboards are also in Spanish. (The billboards spell Quran with a "qu," though it's also commonly spelled "Koran.")

Each year, the billboard locations change slightly and are funded by local communities. For example, billboards dot highways in Chicago, Houston, Philadelphia, Boston, Tampa, Fla., and earlier this year in San Francisco. Neither the local nor national chapter of the Islamic Community of North America disclosed how much the entire campaign costs, or how many free Korans have been given away other than "in the thousands each year."

But Parkar did say that each billboard costs $1,000 to $5,000. Smaller ads may run between $200 and $500 apiece. There are four large billboards along highways in San Jose and Concord, eight bus-stop ads and posters in San Jose and Santa Clara, and 35 bus ads, according to campaign organizers. The ads began Aug. 31 and will run at least four weeks. Parkar said, on average, volunteers field 1,000 monthly calls to the 1-877-WHY-ISLAM hot line, and about the same number of e-mails to WhyIslam.org. In addition, Muslim communities also host open houses during the Ramadan-timed campaign. One such event is happening this evening at the South Bay Islamic Center in San Jose, and another on Saturday in Santa Clara at the Muslim Community Association.

Read the complete article here.

Hadith: No Good deed too small

The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said: “Do (good) deeds according to your capacity…God does not grow tired of giving rewards unless you tire of doing good…The (good) deeds most loved by God are those that are done regularly, even if they are small.”

Fiqh-us-Sunnah, Volume 2, Number 24

Dont Be Sad: Pre-ordainment

{No calamity befalls on the earth or in yourselves but is inscribed in the Book of Decrees — before We bring it into existence.} (Qur’an 57: 22)

The pen has dried, the pages have been lifted: all events that shall come to pass have already been written.

{Nothing shall ever happen to us except what Allah has ordained for us.} (Qur’an 9:51)

Whatever has befallen you was not meant to escape you, and whatever has escaped you was not meant to befall you: If this belief were to be firmly ingrained in your heart, then all hardship and difficulty would become ease and comfort. The Prophet (bpuh) said:

“Whoever Allah wishes good for, He inflicts him (with hardship).”

For this reason, do not feel overly troubled if you are afflicted with sickness, the death of a son, or a loss in wealth. Allah has decreed these matters to occur and the decisions are His, and His alone. When we truly have this faith, we shall be rewarded well and our sins shall be atoned for.

For those that are afflicted with disaster, glad tidings await them: so remain patient and happy with your Lord.

{He cannot be questioned as to what He does, while they will be questioned.} (Qur’an 21: 23)

You will never completely feel at ease until you firmly believe that Allah has already pre-ordained all matters. The pen has dried and with it has been written everything that will happen to you. Therefore do not feel remorse over that which is not in your hands. Do not think that you could have prevented the fence from falling, the water from flowing, the wind from blowing, or the glass from breaking. You could not have prevented these things, whether you wanted to or not. All that has been preordained shall come to pass.

{Then whosoever wills let him believe, and whosoever wills, let him Disbelieve.} (Qur’an 18: 29)

Surrender yourself: believe in preordainment, before pangs of anger and regret overwhelm you. If you have done all that was in your power, and afterwards what you had been striving against still takes place, have firm faith that it was meant to be. Do not say, ‘Had I done such-and-such, such-and-such would have happened’; rather say, ‘This is the decree of Allah, and what He wishes, He does.’

Source: Don't Be Sad - By Aaidh ibn Abdullah al-Qarni

Mohammad is the second most common name for new born boys in UK

Mohammed, in all its various spellings, is now the second most common boys' name in the UK, next only to Jack.

Jack and Olivia were the most popular names for babies last year - but the Office for National Statistics was accused of being "disingenuous" for listing various forms of Mohammed as different names.

Three variations of Mohammed originally featured in the list of the top 100 names released by the ONS, but none of them made the top ten.

Mohammed was placed 16th with 3,423, Muhammad 37th with 2,068 and Mohammad 65th with 1,100.

Figures for five other spellings - Muhammad (496), Mohamed (428), Mohamad (40), and Mohammod (10), were later released.

That made a total of 7,576 and put Mohammed and its alternatives ahead of the official second placed name, Oliver, of whom there were 7,413.

There were 8,007 Jacks, ensuring the name topped the list of boys' names for the 13th year running.


Learn more about Muslim Baby names here.

Hadith: Don't criticise food

The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) "never criticized any food (presented to him), but he would eat it if he liked it; otherwise, he would leave it (without expressing his dislike)."

Sahih Al-Bukhari, Volume 4, Hadith 764

Dont Be Sad: Do not be a mimicker

Do not transform yourself into someone who you are not: do not mimic others. Many are those that feign to forget their own voices, movements, idiosyncrasies, and habits, in order to imitate others in their ways. Among the consequences of such behavior are artificiality, unhappiness, and a destruction of one’s own entity.

From Adam to the last born baby, no two people are exactly the same in appearance. Why then should they be the same in mannerisms and tastes?

You are unique — none had been like you in the past and none shall be like you in the future. You are totally different from X or Y, so do not force upon yourself the blind following and imitation of others.

Go forth according to your own nature and disposition.

{Each [group of] people knew its own place for water.} - (Qur’an 2: 60)

{For every nation there is a direction to which they face, so hasten towards all that is good.} - (Qur’an 2: 148)

Be as you were created and do not change your voice or modify your walk. Cultivate your personality by following what is found in revelation, but do not render your existence void by imitating others and by depriving yourself of your individuality.

Your tastes and preferences are specific to you and we want you to stay as you are, especially because that is the way you were created and that is how we know you to be. The Prophet (bpuh) said:

“And let no one among you be an imitator of others.”

In terms of characteristics, people are like the world of trees and plants: sweet and sour, tall and short, and so on. Your beauty and value is in preserving your natural state. Our varied colors, languages, talents, and abilities are signs from our Creator, the Almighty, All-Glorious, so do not disbelieve in them.

Source: Don't Be Sad - By Aaidh ibn Abdullah al-Qarni

Iraqi shoe thrower Muntazer al-Zaidi inundated with offers and gifts

As his size 10s spun through the air towards George W Bush, Muntazer al-Zaidi – the man the world now knows as the shoe-thrower – was bracing for an American bullet.

"He thought the secret service was going to shoot him," says Zaidi's younger brother, Maitham. "He expected that, and he was not afraid to die."

Zaidi's actions during the former US president's swansong visit to Iraq last December have not stopped reverberating in the nine months since.

Next Monday, when the journalist walks out of prison, his 10 raging seconds, which came to define his country's last six miserable years, are set to take on a new life even more dramatic than the opening act.

Across Iraq and in every corner of the Arab world, Zaidi is being feted. The 20 words or so he spat at Bush – "This is your farewell kiss, you dog. This is for the widows and orphans of Iraq" – have been immortalised, and in many cases memorised.

Pictures of the president ducking have been etched onto walls across Baghdad, made into T-shirts in Egypt, and appeared in children's games in Turkey.

Zaidi has won the adulation of millions, who believe his act of defiance did what their leaders had been too cowed to do.

Iraq has been short of heroes since the dark days of Saddam Hussein, and many civilians are bestowing greatness on the figure that finally took the fight to an overlord.

"He is a David and Goliath figure," said Salah al-Janabi, a white goods salesman in downtown Baghdad. "When the history books are written, they will look back on this episode with great acclaim. Al-Zaidi's shoes were his slingshot."

From his prison cell, Zaidi has a sense of the gathering fuss, but not the full extent of the benefactors and patrons preparing for his release.

A new four-bedroom home has been built by his former boss. A new car – and the promise of many more – awaits.

Pledges of harems, money and healthcare are pouring in to his employers, the al-Baghdadia television channel.

"One Iraqi who lived in Morocco called to offer to send his daughter to be Muntazer's wife," said editor Abdul Hamid al-Saij.

"Another called from Saudi offering $10m for his shoes, and another called from Morocco offering a gold-saddled horse.

"After the event, we had callers from Palestine and many women asking to marry him, but we didn't take their names. Many of their reactions were emotional. We will see what happens when he is freed."

From the West Bank town of Nablus, Ahmed Jouda saw the incident on television news and felt so moved that he called together his relatives for a meeting in a nearby reception hall.

Jouda, 75, a farmer and head of a large extended family, convinced his relatives to contribute tens of thousands of dollars to support Zaidi's legal case.

Jouda himself decided to sell half his herd of goats; another man asked if he might offer a young woman from his family as a bride. Jouda said he would, if Zaidi was interested.

"I said we are willing to present him with a bride loaded with gold," said Jouda. "We are people of our word. If he decided to marry one of our daughters we would respect what we said.

"We are compassionate and supportive to the Iraqi people for what they have gone through.

"We are people who have tasted the bitterness, sorrow and agony of occupation too. What he did, he did for all the Arabs, not just the Iraqis, because Bush was the reason behind the problems of all the Arab world."

Zaidi's brother insists that no one put Muntazer up to such an act. But he revealed that Muntazer had told him he had pre-scripted at least one line ahead of the fateful press conference.

From the roof of his brother's new home, Maitham al-Zaidi said: "He always thought he would die as a martyr, either by al-Qaida or the Americans. More than once he was kidnapped by insurgents. He was surprised that Bush's guards didn't shoot him on the spot."

Muntazer al-Zaidi has told Maitham, and another brother, Vergam, that he is planning to open an orphanage when he leaves prison and will not work again as a journalist.

"He doesn't want his work to be a circus," said Vergam. "Every time he asked someone a difficult question they would have responded by asking whether he was going to throw his shoes at them."

Muntazer has alleged that after his actions he was tortured by government officials. Medical reports say he has lost at least one tooth and has two broken ribs and a broken foot that have not healed properly.

"He will stay in Iraq, but first he has to leave the country to get his health fixed," said Vergam.

In the run-up to his release, Maitham has a sense of the reception awaiting his brother.

"I feel like Michael Jackson at the moment. Everywhere I go, people are taking pictures of me and asking for my photo. If they do that for me, what will they do for Muntazer himself?"

Laylat Al-Qadr (The Night of Power)

Laylat al-Qadr ("Night of Power" or "Night of Destiny") marks the anniversary of the night on which the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) first began receiving revelations from God through the angel Gabriel. Muslims believe Laylat al-Qadr is one of the last odd-numbered nights of Ramadan. Some Muslims spend the last ten days of Ramadan in a local mosque. This practice is called "I'tikaf."

The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said: "Search for the Night of Power (Laylat Al-Qadr) in the odd-numbered nights of the last ten days of Ramadan." -Sahih Al-Bukhari, Volume 3, Hadith 234

A wife of the Prophet asked him what prayers she should say on Laylat Al-Qadr. The Prophet told her to say: "O God, Thou art forgiving and lovest forgiveness, so forgive me." Al-Tirmidhi, Hadith 641

"We have revealed this (Quran) in the Night of Power. And what will make you understand what the Night of Power is! The Night of Power is better than one thousand months. The angels and the Spirit (Gabriel) come down with every decree, by the leave of their Lord. That night is the night of peace, till the break of dawn." - The Holy Quran, Chapter 97 (Al-Qadr)

"We revealed this (Quran) in a blessed night (Laylat Al-Qadr); for We wanted to forewarn mankind. In that night every matter is decided wisely." - The Holy Quran, 44:3-4

Read more about this topic here.

Hadith: Love the poor

The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) recommended the prayer: "O God, I ask You for the ability to do good, to avoid evil and to love the poor."

Fiqh-us-Sunnah, Volume 4, Number 13A


The Prophet also told his wife: "If you love the poor and bring them near you. . .God will bring you near Him on the Day of Resurrection."

Al-Tirmidhi, 1376

Dont Be Sad: Repel boredom with work

Those who have nothing to do with their lives are the same people who spend most of their time spreading rumors and falsehood, mainly because their minds are devoid of beneficial thoughts:

{They are content to be with those [the women] who sit behind [at home]. Their hearts are sealed up [from right guidance] so they understand not.} (Qur’an 9: 87)

When you find yourself to be idle, prepare for depression and despair, because idleness allows your mind to wander in the past, the present, and the future, with all of their difficulties. Therefore, my sincere advice to you is to perform fruitful acts instead of being idle, for idleness is a slow and veiled form of suicide.

Idleness is like the slow torture that is inflicted upon prisoners in China: they are placed under a tap, from which a drop of water falls only after every hour. During the period of waiting between drops, many of them lose their minds and are driven to insanity.

Being inactive means being negligent of one’s duties. Idleness is an expert thief and your mind is its victim.

Therefore get up now and say a prayer or read a book; praise your Lord, study, write, organize your library, fix something in your house, or benefit others so that you can put an end to your inactivity. I say this only because I sincerely wish for your betterment.

Destroy boredom by working. When you apply this simple precept alone, you will have traveled at least fifty percent of the way towards happiness. Look at farmers, carpenters, and the bread-maker, and observe how, when they are working, they recite words as melodious as the singing of birds, because they are content. Afterwards observe yourself and how you toss and turn on your bed while wiping away your tears, always miserable, always torturing yourself.

Source: Don't Be Sad - By Aaidh ibn Abdullah al-Qarni