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Tag: Islam

  • Spanish: Como yo me converti al Islam

    Es difícil creer que diferente era mi vida hace solo 3 años. Alhamdulillah, Allah me ha bendecido guiándome al camino recto. Mi historia fue escrita por Allah, glorificado y alabado sea, y lo que pasó fue por Su Voluntad.

    Al principio del 2009, yo asistí a una boda en una iglesia católica, subhanAllah; yo no sé que pasó durante esa ceremonia que me hizo cambiar, pero cuando yo salí de esa iglesia ese día, yo supe que ya no quería ser cristiana. No sabía lo que quería ser, pero sabía que no quería ser judía ya que el proceso de conversión al judaísmo era muy largo y complicado.

    Tenía una amiga musulmana durante ese tiempo y yo pasaba mucho tiempo con ella. Fui testigo de la unión de su familia durante el mes de Ramadán, y era algo que siempre me llamó la atención y me gustaba. Yo me senté frente a mi computadora un día y busqué por Google, “cómo alguien puede hacerse musulmán”, y me sorprendí al aprender que lo único que requiere son unas pocas palabras.

    Le conté a mi amiga musulmana y a su familia que yo quería ser musulmana y ellos se emocionaron muchísimo. Me regalaron un Corán, pero sinceramente, no lo leí casi. Yo sabía, sin embargo, que me quería convertir, diciendo el shahada (el testimonio de la fe) antes del Ramadán del 2009.

    Todo comenzó un día en junio. Cuando regresaba de un viaje a Los Ángeles y estaba caminando hacía mi carro; fue en ese momento que me sentí animada y sentí un sentimiento de certeza absoluta, el 100%, que yo estaba lista para tomar mi shahada. Yo no sabía mucho sobre el Islam en ese punto, pero estaba implantado en mi corazón desde ese momento que yo tenía que ser musulmana. El siguiente viernes tome el shahada. No supe cómo rezar hasta el primer día de Ramadán en el 2009.

    Afortunadamente, después de Ramadán, al fin de octubre, encontré el centro M.E.C.C.A. y el programa para los nuevos musulmanes. Ha sido un viaje maravilloso desde entonces, y lo demás es parte de la historia. ¡Alhamdulillah, todas las alabanzas son para Allah!

    Yo soy una terapeuta de movimiento y nutricionista que ha estado en la industria de la salud y el mantenimiento físico por más de 20 años. Yo manejo un negocio exitoso de entrenamiento y nutrición en Manhattan. Mis estudiantes me han apodado la “Sargenta Hiyabi.” También soy la instructora del grupo “En forma para Alá,” una clase de ejercicio y fortalecimiento que se lleva acabo semanalmente en el Centro MECCA en Manhattan.

    Yo soy considerada la “Sheikha” del mundo de la salud y el ejercicio por mi aprendiz, y soy la directora de Nadoona, una organización sin fines de lucro que promueve la buena salud y el ejercicio. Yo manejo los programas individuales para el cambio de imagen corporal de Nadoona.

  • Spanish: Dawah En Mexico

    Spanish: Dawah En Mexico

    El 26 de junio de 2012, en cuanto Nahela Morales-Essouiri descendió de su avión, ella y su hijo, Andrew, caminaron a través de las puertas de llegada del Aeropuerto en la Ciudad de México. No estaba segura de qué podía esperar de este lugar que alguna vez llamó su casa. Visitando su país natal por segunda vez como una mujer musulmana con velo, Morales estaba en una misión especial.

    Morales, al igual que otros inmigrantes latinos en los EE.UU. que han aceptado el Islam, estaba ansiosa de presentar y hablar del Islam a los miembros de su familia en su país de origen y disipar estereotipos comunes y conceptos erróneos. Ella también se ofreció para llevar material esencial islámico y donaciones monetarias a la naciente comunidad musulmana en la ciudad de México. Su viaje comenzó a las 3 am en su casa en Union City, Nueva Jersey, donde se preparaba para ir al aeropuerto de Newark para abordar el vuelo de las 6 que se conecta en Detroit, Michigan, y que la llevaría a su destino.

    No estaba segura de qué podía esperar de este lugar que alguna vez llamó su casa. Visitando su país natal por segunda vez como una mujer musulmana con velo, Morales estaba en una misión especial

    Arreglos previos se hicieron con el líder religioso del Centro Islámico Al-Hikma, en la Ciudad de México para recoger las siete bolsas adicionales que Morales había preparado con los materiales educativos y la ropa donada por musulmanes en los EE.UU., especialmente para este viaje. Conoció al Imam Isa Rojas y a su esposa, Moserratt Pimentel, por primera vez en el aeropuerto y les presentó el equipaje. Ella fue recibida luego por los miembros de su familia quienes la llevaron a la casa de sus abuelos, donde se quedaría durante sus vacaciones de tres semanas.

    Al día siguiente, después de realizar la oración de la mañana en la habitación de invitados, recuerda, “Me senté a llorar allí por un tiempo, reflexionando sobre todos los aspectos de mi viaje del día anterior … la lucha, y el esfuerzo para el traslado del equipaje y por conseguir un carro en el aeropuerto mientras la gente miraba y aún así ser capaz de sonreírles a ellos como nuestro Profeta Muhammad (que la paz y bendiciones estén con él) nos enseño, asegurándome de que el equipaje (que se perdió) llegaría a tiempo, y escuchar a la gente susurrando, ‘wow, habla un español perfecto’, y los cientos de miradas … eso fue todo muy fácil,
    Lo que fue devastador, según Morales, fue la inmediata respuesta de su familia a su atuendo, “Mi abuela diciéndome que ella no quería verme con ‘esa cosa en mi cabeza porque eso no se usa aquí’ la noche anterior frente a la prima que me había atacado físicamente hace unos años debido al hiyab (islámico velo) no fue (fácil) “.

    El comentario de su abuela de 103 años de edad, trajo de vuelta los recuerdos amargos de Morales, quien había recibido críticas de su familia cuatro años atrás por abrazar la fe musulmana, que la obliga a rezar cinco veces al día ahora y ponerse un pañuelo en la cabeza y a vestir prendas para cubrirse la figura. Aunque Morales creció durante años en la casa de sus abuelos en Cuernavaca, Morelos, ahora era una desconocida en su patria porque ser musulmana.

    En 1979, la madre de Morales asumió el riesgo de entrar en los EE.UU. ilegalmente y sola, dejando a su hija pequeña detrás en México bajo el cuidado de su abuela, para buscar una mejor forma de vida. Cuando Morales tenía 5 años de edad, ella se reunió finalmente con su madre, que se había instalado en Los Ángeles, California. Después de la Reforma de la Inmigración y la Ley de Control que fue aprobada en 1986, la familia pudo solicitar la amnistía y obtener la ciudadanía.

    A pesar de ser ciudadana de los EE.UU., Morales todavía se sentía como una extranjera. A la edad de 12 años, volvió a visitar la tierra que le dio los años más memorables de su vida, y ella siguió visitando a menudo a partir de entonces, incluso después de mudarse a la Costa Este en 2001.

    Sin embargo, esta visita más reciente fue como ninguna otra, “Me prometí a mí misma que yo estaba allí con un propósito y lo iba a llevar a cabo no importaba el cómo”, dijo Morales, “El propósito era mostrar a mi familia que mi fe estaba aquí para quedarse, y no era solo una tendencia o una fase de un pensamiento, sino como algo muy fuerte, firme, y verdadero, y lo más importante, que yo estaba allí sólo para transmitir el mensaje, y no para convertir a nadie. “ Como Secretaria y Coordinadora Nacional de Dawah en Español para WhyIslam, un proyecto del Círculo Islámico de Norte América, Morales estaba más que preparada.

    Una de sus tareas diarias en la oficina de WhyIslam en Somerset, Nueva Jersey, es tomar las llamadas de la línea telefónica 1-877-WhyIslam, donde la gente de todos los credos en los EE.UU. y Canadá llama para hacer preguntas sobre el Islam. El proyecto se anuncia en todo el país, en línea, a través de la correspondencia, y vallas publicitarias invitando a los estadounidenses a obtener respuestas. Este tipo de proyectos son desconocidos o se encuentran en etapas tempranas que apenas comienzan en México, pero Morales espera cambiar eso.

    El año pasado, cuando Morales comenzó a planear su viaje a México para visitar a sus familiares, llamó a la mezquita cercana al hogar de su familia. Después de hablar con el imán Isa Rojas acerca de las necesidades y recursos que hacían falta en el Centro Islámico Al Hikma, habló con amigos y colegas y formaron una red en línea llamada “Unidos para el Dawah en México”. Junto con WhyIslam y otras siete organizaciones islámicas que se ofrecieron como voluntarios para ayudar a Morales en su viaje, proporcionaron numerosos recursos incluyendo, ropa islámica para los nuevos conversos necesitados en La Ciudad de México, folletos y CD´s de audio sobre el Islam, libros para niños islámicos, y artículos de tocador.

    Esta fue una colaboración sin precedentes de organizaciones islámicas en los EE.UU. con el fin de asistir a una creciente comunidad musulmana en América Latina. Con hispanos convertidos al Islam en aumento en los EE.UU. desde el 9/11, de acuerdo con estadísticas e Informes de The American Mosque Report 2011, muchos de estos nuevos conversos, al igual que Morales, se están involucrando en la propagación islámica y la hacen llegar a sus familias en casa.

    Tania Cantú, una conversa española y madre de cuatro hijos que viven en San Antonio, Texas, es fundadora de Muslimahs Covered With Care – Musulmanas Cubiertas Con Cariño o (MCWC) una de las organizaciones que se han adherido a “Unidos para el Dawah en México”. MCWC se especializa en la asistencia a mujeres musulmanas necesitadas y conversas de todo el mundo, con modestos atuendos. Ellos reciben donaciones de dinero y ropa y las distribuyen en los EE.UU., Canadá, Europa y Australia.
    A través de MCWC, Cantú desea llegar a las nuevas convertidas al Islam para apoyarles, durante un tiempo, ya que ella siente que están en su momento más vulnerable, “Cuando me convertí al Islam viniendo del catolicismo mi familia me acuso de rechazar nuestra cultura a causa de sus ideas erróneas sobre el Islam”. Cantú recuerda haber recibido un vestido islámico por primera vez de una amiga musulmana después de su conversión en junio de 2006, durante el mes de Ramadán, un gesto que inspiró su obra.

    Después de escuchar sobre el viaje de Morales a México, ella se acerco inmediatamente: “Hemos estado trabajando juntas en algunos proyectos y a principios de este año, la hermana Nahela compartió conmigo las noticias acerca de ir a México para visitar a su familia. Nos habló de su gran deseo de proporcionar al Centro Masyid Al Hikmah con elementos muy necesarios. Esta fue una de nuestras muchas metas, el visitar países lejanos donde la demanda (de vestimenta islámica) es alta. Fue una gran oportunidad para MCWC extender la mano y ayudar a las mujeres musulmanas en México”.

    Algunas de las organizaciones que contribuyeron con material fueron, Islam en Español, Hablamos Islam Niños, Radio Islámico, y NHIEC, que recaudó $ 1000 para el Centro Hikmah y que los presentó con una placa conmemorativa en reconocimiento a sus esfuerzos de Dawah en México.

    Morales pudo entregar todo al Centro Islámico y reunirse con el imán Isa Rojas y miembros de la comunidad, además pudo impartir clases a las hermanas asistentes sobre higiene femenina islámica, asesorar a las mujeres musulmanas en varios temas, y participar en una feria educativa en la capital para disipar los estereotipos negativos sobre el Islam. Morales también alentó a los miembros de la mezquita de crear un comité de divulgación. Sintió que su participación en la creciente comunidad islámica mexicana fue un éxito, pero en relación con su propia familia fue el reto más grande.

    Sin embargo, durante su estancia de tres semanas, las cosas empezaron a cambiar. Su tío le sorprendió cuando le confesó que había comprado el Corán unas semanas antes de su visita y otros familiares comenzaron a preguntarle a ella sobre el Islam.
    “A los pocos días de mi estancia, sentí que todo el mundo estaba más a gusto y las preguntas comenzaron a fluir en todas direcciones. Las preguntas nunca se detuvieron o tal vez lo sentía de esa manera porque siempre me encontraba explicando algún tema en alguna conversación para aclarar conceptos erróneos que tenían”. La prima que le había insultado antes y arrancado el velo, ahora le compro algunos regalos como velos para vestir. Y cuando su sobrina de 8 años se puso uno de los velos de Morales por curiosidad, los familiares sonrieron y dijeron que “se veía preciosa”.

    Las oportunidades para hablar sobre el Islam no se detuvieron solo en la casa de su familia. Mientras se encontraba admirando lugares turísticos en México, Morales fue abordada también por extraños que querían aprender sobre el Islam, “Me daba cuenta cuando les sonreía, algunas mujeres se iluminaban con unas enormes sonrisas en sus caras y admiraban mi atuendo, señalándolo o ellas venían hacia mí y en un Inglés limitado que decían ‘Muy beautiful’.”

    Ella Llevaba folletos de WhyIslam y CD’s islámicos educativos en español para entregar a cualquier persona que tuviera curiosidad. Uno de los aspectos más destacados del viaje, según Morales, fue el tener la oportunidad de posar al lado y tomarse una foto con una monja mexicana, una meta que quería alcanzar para señalar que la modestia es mutua, tanto en el catolicismo como en el Islam. La foto se difundió después de que Morales la publicó en Facebook y espera que sirva como un recordatorio de lo que los musulmanes y los latinos tienen en común.

    Incluso después de su regreso de México, Morales sigue colaborando con la comunidad en México y organizaciones islámicas como MCWC en los EE.UU., para facilitar la distribución de recursos a los musulmanes en México.

  • Spanish: Encontrando a Dios y un Proposito en el Islam

    Me llamo Martha Guadalupe, soy ecuatoriana, vivo en Nueva Jersey, y desde el año 2003 soy musulmana, Alhamdulillah (todas las alabanzas a Allah).

    ¿Por qué acepte el Islam? Es algo curioso; cada vez que me preguntan por qué me convertí en musulmana, tengo diferente historia que contar. Es que no alcanza el tiempo para decir todo. He visto un título en Facebook que me llamó la atención y dice, “Buscando la felicidad, encontré el Islam”. Yo puedo decir que buscando a Dios, lo encontré en el Islam. ¡Alhamdulillah!

    Otro caso curioso es que no fui yo la que busque esta hermosa religión al principio. Mi familia y yo nos habíamos alejado de la religión católica definitivamente, pero yo nunca deje de adorar a Dios, de rezarle, de pedirle que guiara a mis hijos por cualquier medio que les permita llegar a Él y que no los abandonara. Tenía la certeza de que Dios siempre nos cuidaba y ÉL era el Único que nos daba todo.

    Es así que un día 11 de Septiembre del 2001, mi hijo Hernán (el primero y ya estudiante universitario) nos visitó en la noche y nos dijo a mi esposo y a mí que aceptó la religión del Islam. Yo, en mi ignorancia le dije, “¿que es eso?” Él me dijo que es la verdadera religión de Allah, y recuerdo que le dije, “si ese es el camino que te lleva a Dios, pues bendito sea ÉL, y que te guie siempre”, y lo abrace.

    Fue mi hijo mayor quien trajo a la casa la religión del Islam. Un mes después de que se convirtió en musulmán, mi segundo hijo lo hizo también, Alhamdulillah. Entonces comencé a informarme de la existencia de esta religión. Hernán me contaba la historia del Profeta Muhammad (que la paz y bendiciones de Allah sean con él) y que él fue el último y el sello de los Profetas. Al principio yo pensé que era extraño porque para mí, en ese tiempo, el último profeta fue Jesús (que la paz y bendiciones de Allah sean con él).

    Siempre que podía, Hernán me enseñaba lo que es el Islam. Me comencé a preocupar porque en una de esas charlas me contó de los castigos que vamos a sufrir todos si no obedecemos las Leyes de Dios. Eso me llenaba de miedo y temía a Dios más que nunca. “¿Qué pasa si yo no sigo lo que Dios quiere, qué pasa si no tengo tiempo, qué pasa si no despierto?”, me decía. Esto fue una de las cosas que me llevó a pensar y meditar sobre lo que era mejor para mí. Quería ser una buena sierva para que Dios no me castigara.

    Dos años más tarde acepte esta hermosa religión. Ahora soy musulmana y muy orgullosa de serlo, Alhamdulillah. No digo que fue fácil al principio; fue duro el cambio, pero Allah hace fácil lo difícil y he podido salir adelante rompiendo barreras y obstáculos. Sé que Allah me guio siempre, pero durante un tiempo estaba ciega. Hoy todo está claro y soy muy feliz al saber que soy una sierva humilde de Allah; de Él venimos y a Él regresaremos.

    Desde que soy musulmana, me dedico a rezar y a seguir la Sunna, o las enseñanzas del Profeta Muhammad (que la paz y bendiciones de Allah estén con él), y también manejo un negocio. Siempre me gustó la costura y hacía ropa para niñas, pero lo deje por el espacio de 11 años. Cuando pare de trabajar en una compañía privada, me decía, “Si Allah me sacó de este trabajo que fue muy bueno, es porque tiene algo mejor para mi”.

    Fue así que descubrí que podía coser ropa para mis hermanas musulmanas, cuando en una conversación, las oí mencionar que quisieran comprarse ropa islámica que vendían por el internet pero era demasiado cara. Entonces les sugerí, “Si ustedes quieren yo les puedo hacer a un precio mucho más bajo, Insha’Allah”. Con la ayuda de Allah y mis hijos, decidí abrir mi propio negocio, al que le llamamos “Modasty Designs”, Alhamdulillah. El negocio ha tenido éxito a nivel nacional por medio del internet y conferencias islámicas, y sobretodo por musulmanas en mi localidad que me buscan para que les haga la ropa. Siempre es un placer para mí y aquí estoy para el servicio de nuestra comunidad, Insha’Allah. Que Allah nos bendiga, proteja, y guie siempre.

    Amen.

  • Spanish: El inicio de mi nueva vida

    Cuando me encontraba estudiando en el colegio, el deseo de saber sobre todas las religiones me llamó bastante la atención. Una de las razones fue que empecé a leer la Biblia. Lamentablemente en cada una de ellas encontraba asuntos que se contradecían, hasta llegar al momento en que no creía en ninguna religión y pensé: “Seguiré adorando a Dios a mi manera.” Mi búsqueda había durado 2 años y todo cambió cuando encontré en el internet una página de Islam donde estaba escrito, “Diálogo entre un cristiano y un musulmán”.

    Sinceramente era la primera vez que yo escuchaba acerca de las palabras “musulmán, Islam, y Corán”. Al leer eso lo primero que quería era conseguir un Corán para estudiarlo más a fondo y, Alhamdulilah (Alabado sea Alá), cuando lo tuve en mis manos no pasaron ni 3 días para que yo ya quisiera hacer mi testimonio de fe. Al leer el Corán, inmediatamente supe que era un libro imposible de ser escrito por un ser humano, ya que sentía que Alá conocía todo acerca de la humanidad, como en algunas ocasiones se dirigía a cada uno de nosotros y no dude en ningún instante que era el Mensaje Final, como había dicho el Profeta Muhammad –que la paz y la misericordia de Alá sea con él- el último ladrillo de una serie de Profetas y Mensajeros mandados por Alá a toda la gente.

    Alá –Glorificado y Exaltado Sea- me bendijo al otorgarme una oportunidad de ir a estudiar a Medina, Arabia Saudita, luego de que mi mamá y mis hermanos aceptaron el Islam 3 meses después de mí. Ahí permanecí durante ocho años y estudié Leyes Islámicas, o Sharia. Esos años han sido los más bonitos de mi vida, y mejor aún cuando mi esposa se fue a vivir conmigo y nació nuestro hijo, Ismael.

    Hace 3 años regresé a México y nos falta mucho por hacer en cuanto a Dawah se refiere, pero Alá –Majestuoso Sea- nos ha agraciado con un buen grupo de hermanos y hermanas dispuestos a trabajar por Su causa, dispuestos a sacrificar de nuestros bienes y tiempo para propagar este bonito Mensaje, a través de clases, conferencias, reuniones, y esfuerzos. Siento que se está logrando, Alhamdulilah.

    La historia del  Islam en México

    La historia del Islam en México se puede decir que es nueva, porque a diferencia de otros países del continente americano donde está registrado que hubo migraciones de miles de personas de países islámicos hacia América y estos fueron bien recibidos; en México hubo muchos obstáculos para que esto llegara a pasar, ya que no se veía bien a gente con diferente tipo de cultura a la ya establecida en ese entonces.

    De la misma manera la religión católica siempre ha tenido un papel muy importante dentro de México, tanto a nivel político como social, de esta manera es conocido como uno de los tres países con mayor número de católicos en el mundo. De la misma manera en que podríamos encontrar mezquitas en un país islámico; en México se pueden encontrar iglesias, ésta es otra razón por la que puede ser que el Islam no haya florecido con la llegada de los antiguos migrantes, debido a que encontraban un territorio fuertemente arraigado a las costumbres de los cristianos, donde a quien llevara otro tipo de creencia de seguro que se encontraría en diversas adversidades para seguir con su religión.

    Poco a poco los migrantes fueron perdiendo su lengua, cultura y religión, al casarse con no-musulmanas y que los hijos crecieran en la escuela con una educación católica. Solo bastaba que muriese el padre para que el Islam se dejara de practicar en la casa y se encuentran historias de familias musulmanas, que posteriormente sus nietos llegaron a ser sacerdotes o monjas respectivamente.
    A finales de los años 70´s hubo más apertura nuevamente para la llegada de extranjeros, pero muy poco se sabe acerca de los que eran musulmanes y siguieron con su religión.

    Con la apertura de representaciones diplomáticas de países islámicos se percibió una presencia más palpable dentro de la comunidad islámica, de hecho, una de las embajadas prestaba un espacio para orar en ella los rezos de los viernes alrededor de mediados de los 80´s. También en esos años empezó la construcción de la primera mezquita en México por parte de los shia en la ciudad de Torreón, terminándose en 1989.

    El Dawah en México

    Si se habla de los musulmanes y los centros islámicos actuales en México, necesariamente se deben de mencionar a personas como Omar Weston, pieza clave para el inicio de la Dawah (propagación) dentro del país, pues fundó una de las primeras páginas del Islam en el internet en español, fundó un Centro Islámico en la capital, y actualmente dirige un Centro fuera de la ciudad en Morelos. De la misma manera se debe mencionar a los musulmanes de Chiapas y los diversos grupos que hay dentro de ellos pues lamentablemente están divididos por problemas sectarios.

    En México se podría decir que hay alrededor de 5000 musulmanes, alrededor de 5 a 10 mezquitas a lo mucho y como es un país que cuenta con 32 Estados y una capital, donde en muchos de ellos solo hay pequeños grupos desde 20 hasta 10, 5 o 1 un musulmán o inclusive ninguno. La mayoría de los extranjeros que vienen tienen un proyecto a largo plazo de hacer un buen negocio y después regresarse a su país, sin tener como objetivo alguno el interés de hacer una escuela o mezquita para que sus hijos puedan permanecer en la religión, pues tienen el pensamiento de “¿Para qué? Si yo me regresaré de donde vine”. Esta es una de las razones por las cuales no se cuenta en todo el país con un cementerio para los musulmanes, una mezquita grande que represente al Islam como se debe, y si a eso le agregamos la falta de sheikhs (eruditos) que enseñen la religión, pues solamente hay un licenciado de estudios islámicos en todo el país, como es el caso de su servidor (Isa Rojas) –que me considero un estudiante- y a parte la mala situación económica del país, esto nos da una breve reseña de lo que se puede encontrar.

    Pero, Alhamdulilah la gente llega a nosotros cada vez más para abrazar el Islam, de cada 5 personas, una es mujer, y tenemos más oportunidades dentro de las universidades, escuelas, ferias, y exposiciones para hablar sobre esta bella religión que tanto le hace falta a nuestro pueblo mexicano, que sin duda ha sido engañado y abusado durante mucho tiempo por los malos ejemplos de líderes y organizaciones religiosas de otras creencias, haciéndoles perder la esperanza de volver a Alá.

  • Book Review: Islam: An Essential Understanding

    When the author, Dr. Manzoor Hussain, an American Muslim, found his fellow Americans laboring under many misconceptions and misunderstandings about the Islamic faith, he concluded that Islam was the most misunderstood religion in this country and he decided to do his part to help educate his fellow citizens about it. His response was to write a book titled “ISLAM: An Essential Understanding for Fellow Americans.” The book has recently been published by Vantage Press.

    Some Americans have been led to believe that Allah is different from the Judeo-Christian God they worship, that Islam is a cult, or that Muslims are idol worshipers.  In this book, the author makes clear that Muslims, like Christians and Jews, are monotheists and they worship the One and the Only God, the God of Abraham, Moses, and Jesus.  Dr. Hussain effectively points out the special relationship that Islam has with Judaism and Christianity, explaining that the Muslims believe in, honor, and respect all Prophets of God mentioned in the Torah and the Bible, and all Revelations from God, albeit in their original and unadulterated form.

    The other subjects covered in the book include the Islamic beliefs, rituals of worship, the significance of the Qur’an and Sunnah, the moral and ethical values taught by Islam, and Islam’s contribution to civilization. He gives a summary of the history of Islam and how it has produced some of the greatest thinkers in astronomy, mathematics, physics, medicine, law, philosophy, and other disciplines.

    The author does not shy away from discussing the most misunderstood and sometimes controversial subjects including the idea that Islam was  spread by the sword; the status of woman in Islam; terrorism, extremism, and Islamic fundamentalism; the real meaning of Jihad; the tragedy of 9/11; and the current wave of Islamophobia in America. All these issues are explored in a thoughtful and informative way, clarifying many misconceptions about Muslims and Islam.

    The book is well-referenced with both Muslim and non-Muslim sources.  A well-organized glossary of Arabic terms is provided for readers.  ISLAM: An Essential Understanding for Fellow Americans is very educational for Muslims and non-Muslims alike, clearly explaining the faith of Islam in uncomplicated language. It aims to foster greater understanding, and it can be used as a textbook or a reference book for religious studies at the university level.   Additional information about the book and about the author is available on the website www.islamforamericans.com.

  • How to be a Muslim in America?

    In a Q&A session with the Islamic Circle of North America (ICNA), Prof. Tariq Ramadan answered questions on how Muslims in a western society could proactively give back to their societies without sacrificing their Muslim faith and identity.

    Q: Having experienced the consequences of asserting Islamic identity by being banned to the US, how would you encourage American Muslims to assert their Muslim identity despite the challenges they may face?

    I would say that there’re many levels, and I really think that we have to be really cautious not to be assertive because we are resisting. We should be assertive because we want to be who we are and we know what Islam means for us.

    So the starting point is not because having been banned or because I’m facing many different attacks coming from westerners or from different circles in western societies.

    I think that our strength is mainly to come back to the fundamentals of the Islamic faith, and the tradition and ‘Aqida(creed), which is really this connection with God.

    I have one fear with Muslims living in the West and living in the States, for example. What I’m saying is two things; some are going very far into spirituality, and even Sufism, and “This is Islam”, and “This is the only way to be good Muslims”. On the other side, we have people very much against the system, struggling for rights and politics. And it is as if there’s a gap between the two.

    But to be a Muslim and to assert your identity is to be both at the same time, is to really know the very essence of Islam, which is to purify yourself and to come back to this closeness to Allah, to God, and to try to understand that at the end of the day all our life is a struggle for peace, and the most important peace is the inner peace.

    By saying this we come with values and understanding the oneness of God: At-Tawheed; is a reconciliation between you and Him (God) which means between you and yourself because the knowledge of God is between you and your heart:

    “… and know that Allah comes in between a man and his heart” (Al-Anfal 8; 24).

    This is one thing.

    Islam is visible through your actions and behavior, on the civil ground, on the social ground at both the individual level and the collective level

    For a Better World

    On the other side, we are doing all this to change the world for the better. And to change the world for the better means to change the United States of America for the better, is to be a contributing force to the best of values and justice, equality and empowerment, for Muslims.

    So, because I know the meaning of being at peace with God and to try to promote justice, that I’ve been struggling for my rights in this country by saying ‘what you are doing is wrong’, because at the end of the day nothing is wrong in me supporting Palestinians, for example, because I will keep on supporting them whatever is going to happen, because this is justice; because these are oppressed people, and this is what we have to do.

    So this mindset is important because you are not assertive against, (instead), you are assertive for: for your values, for some objectives: it’s more justice in the United States of America, it’s a democracy, but still not a perfect democracy. When you are an African American in this country you are still facing injustices. When you are poor, you are facing injustices. So the civil rights are an ongoing struggle in this country. It’s not because your president now is an African American president that everything is solved. That’s not true. It may be a symbol, but a symbol could hide the reality and not express it.

    So I would say this is where the Muslims should be, and that’s why they have to be assertive.

    Thus, by doing these two things that are very important to me; never to nurture a victim mentality. We are not victims. Life is a test:

    “He Who created Death and Life that He may try which of you is best in deed” (Al-Mulk 67; 2).

    Islam is visible through your actions and behavior, on the civil ground, on the social ground at both the individual level and the collective level

    So, life is a test. Your life and death are tests, so you have to face up to the challenges of these tests. You have to be the subject of your own history. So by being American; by being citizens in these countries it’s not to say ‘Oh, we are victims. You don’t like us, so we are going to withdraw, or to show you a nice face of spiritual things, for example. That’s not right. The nice face is there, but it should be visible through your acts and behavior within the society. Because in Islam, faith is visible through your actions and behavior, on the civil ground, on the social ground at both the individual level and the collective level. So this is one dimension; so no victim mentality.

    Stick to Your Values

    Another thing, which is quite important as it is also what I’m seeing in many western societies as exactly the same in the United States of America, is this mindset of being minority; ‘Oh we are minority in the society’.

    No, our values are majority values. So, as citizens we have to come and speak about justice, we will be understood by anyone as we do speak for justice for all, justice for every one; man and woman, black and white. Anything which has to do with justice we are for it, against, you know, torture, extraordinary rendition, wrong laws against immigrants …all these are our struggles.

    So, I would say here that we have to come with something which is a majority mindset, which is we are talking to the whole of the United States of America as a majority with our majority values, and this is where we have to be constructive.

    Q: Do you think there are ways for Muslims to be integrated into the society without just being assimilated?

    Once again, it’s always a question of terminology; what does it mean to be integrated?

    For me, it’s over. The religious and cultural integration is done. You, your organizations, all what you are doing is just showing that you are Americans, you have just to be accepting the fact that you are American Muslims or Muslim Americans. That’s not the problem. What I’m saying now, and I’m always repeating this, because you have always people who say ‘You Muslims have to integrate’. And by using the term they create the problem. And we have to do exactly the opposite, because the success of integration is to stop talking about integration. That’s over now.

    Let us talk about the real challenge which is contribution. It is what we have to do; we need to contribute. Our contribution to this society should be on many levels. And once again, not only on the social ground, but also on the spiritual ground; with ethics. Our distinction should me a moral ethical distinction, and not only distinction in the way we dress, because the way we dress is just showing what we believe in. These are values, we speak about dignity, we speak about the self. We are saying to the people your value is not in what you have, but your value is in what you are.

    So this is the way we dress. We are sending a message. So, I would say that this is something which is really important in our presence in the United States of America and in the western societies.

    So to let people know say ‘OK, look, if you want me to integrate by being lesser a Muslim and more an American, it’s over; you’ve lost the struggle.’ All the people who are now settling are willing to be both fully Muslim and fully American. And this is what we have to do.

    Our distinction should be a moral ethical distinction, and not only distinction in the way we dress

    But we also have to say to the Muslim ‘be careful. Don’t fall into the trap of this American dream that as you are settling down in the United States making money forgetting about values and principles.

    And if you look at the reality of the Muslim community in America we can say that there’s a gap between the new immigrants, the new American citizens outside the inner cities they are making money building big mosques, while in the inner cities we have African American Muslims very poor, marginalized in this society. And they are saying to this society you are telling us that we have to integrate? We are native Americans; we have been here for centuries.  It might be exactly the opposite, that the United States of America should integrate the Muslim presence, not Muslims to be integrated. This is something that we also have to tell the people.

    So, it’s also a very important intellectual struggle, an intellectual Jihad which is really to resist this use of wrong terminology used to create problems that are now solved already.

    Q: ICNA has multiple programs catering to the society at large, how important are these programs? Also, how do you think this would play into creating that Muslim identity?

    First, of course I’m supporting this because I really think this is what we have to do. I would start with a comprehensive picture is that for the Muslims not to be only visible when we speak about Islam. It’s when we speak about human beings we are here. This is what it is to be a Muslim. It’s really this. This is the essence of Islam.

    Be Proactive

    So when we speak about being Muslims in this country; in the States, it is really to be involved in all the discussions. We speak about schools we have to be involved in anything which has to do with education, not by saying ‘Oh, we are going to create our Islamic schools’.

    That’s fine. Do your Islamic schools, but what about the state system? What about the schools and the curriculum, what we are teaching?

    When we speak about social problems; marginalization, poverty in this country, this is supposedly the biggest and the richer country in the world. Despite that, if you go and see how people are living, you have poverty and things that are unacceptable. So we are speaking about human dignity. That’s what we have to be involved in; we have to be struggling against anything which has to do with poverty. In Mauritius, for example, we started a big campaign (a Jihad) against poverty because this is the right way of using Jihad-against poverty. Our enemy is not non-Muslims. Our enemy is anything which is wrong. So this is something that we have to do as well.

    When we speak about family, we Muslims are very quick to say family is very important. OK, but what is happening in the rich countries, about divorces and kids not knowing how to deal with authorities and transmission. What about fatherhood? We speak very much about women, and we are right to do that, but we also have to speak about fathers because it’s very difficult to be a father in western societies, all this question of being a presence of going along your own kids.

    Let people see you as an American- a Muslim American dealing with everything and not only with Islam.

    So, this is where the Muslims should be; everything that has to do with being a citizen or being a human being. So, this is a comprehensive approach. Let people see you as an American- a Muslim American dealing with everything and not only with Islam. Because if you come only when we speak about Islam on the domestic side or in the international scene, we are perceived by definition to be on the defensive; you come only when we speak about Islam. So, this is something that we have to do.

    The second point which is important is all the work that you are talking about; solidarity work and telling the people if you want to ask about Islam just come to us and we supporting the poor, the needy people. This is all fine, but it has to be part of something which is an overall vision. And the overall vision is when we speak about contributing we are not only talking about solidarity, it’s not only humanistic or humanitarian work. It’s also about rights, it’s dealing with rights. This is to be assertive. It’s, for example, very good to speak about democracy, but the way it is implemented is quite important. So when you are black man or black woman in this country, because you don’t have enough money sometimes, you are facing wrong implementation, it is discrimination on the job market, in housing. So this is also where we all have to be; is to assertive by saying ‘we are doing this for the sake of the country’.

    For the Sake of Humanity

    So, it’s not only to come with the big heart. It’s to come with a very demanding intellectual struggle on anything which has to do with our rights, our citizenship, our dignity. And then solidarity work should be involved into this. My fear here is really to see Muslims coming with all solidarity work during Ramadan and this solidarity thing. It’s all fine, but if we go behind it it’s as if we want to show the people that we are nice, that we are kind, that we care. That’s all good if and only if we are saying we have a heart and we have requirements as well; that we have claims, we want to be treated with dignity –and not only us but every single human being.

    The last dimension of all this work is also to be involved in things that are essential for our time. I don’t see enough Muslim contributions into something which has to do with global warming, with ecology, with the way we treat animals, for example. And that’s what we have to be self critical. In Eid-Al-Adha, for example, the way we treat the sheep, the way we are slaughtering, we have to ask ourselves: ‘is this the right way to do it?’

    Because we are very strict on the technicalities –as saying when slaughtering, “Bismillah, Allahu Akbar” (In the name of Allah, Allah is the Greatest). But on the way we treat animals, that’s wrong. That’s not the Prophet’s message. So to be self critical as the Prophet, peace be upon him, told us to treat animals with dignity.

    So we can’t send a message to the people that we are strict on technicalities and not deep on teachings. So, all these things are quite important. So, of course I would support what’s done, but I would want it to be within something which is a vision, with multiple, multi-faceted vision including all things altogether.

    Q: How do you envision the American Muslim community to be like ten years from now?

    Look, in my last book (What I believe) I’m saying it’s not a question of ten years, it’s going to be a question of two generations at least. We are going to face challenges and it’s not going to be easy. Because as you can see after 9/11 it has been more and more the case. Yet, before that it was already there. It is that we are perceived as the other; so an outsider within or an insider that is still perceived as a foreigner. And this is the very essence of the question; it is how we really deal with that.

    I would say that it is a question of time. That’s why I’m always saying that we have to normalize our presence without trivializing it. Meaning by this, it’s normal to be an American Muslim but we have an ethical distinction, and this is not to trivialize our presence. That’s what God say:

    ‘Thus, have We made of you an Ummah (nation) justly balanced, that you might be witnesses over the nations” (Al-Baqarah 2; 143).

    So, I think it’s not going to be easy, you are going to face in the States challenges and campaigns against this Muslim presence.

    Embrace the Challenge

    Listen to what is said by some trends in the States about what’s going in Europe, trends who are coming mainly from the States, saying: ‘Oh, in Europe we are now dealing with Arabia with Islam is silently colonizing Europe because of the numbers. And exponentially the fact that Muslims are going to grow and being a very effective presence. So they are sending a message which is this is very scary.

    At the same time in the States they are watching Muslims, and sometimes monitoring them. So, I would say to Muslims this is not going to be easy, but you have the choice, you will have what you deserve. If you are assertive, confident with your own values and you know that you are not coming here to be “the other”, but to be here is to be among the people as an American providing this society with the best values and the best behavior. This is where you have to be assertive.

    Your spirituality, your heart, yourself; don’t forget yourself into the society, and don’t forget the society because you care about your own self. So it’s always a balance. And then give. You are what you give, and you are what you are in the same time. This is the very meaning of being a Muslim: “those who believe and do good deeds.” (Al-Baqarah 2; 25). This is the balance.

    It’s not going to easy, you’ll have people if you are here to please them you’ll never be at peace with your own self, because life is not to please the people. Life is about His satisfaction, and you know that when you please God you will be respected by the people. This is the very meaning of being with God.

    And then the second thing which is also important is whatever are the critiques and the people rejecting you, at the end you’ll find that within this society many people are starting to listen. Many Americans know something is wrong in the whole discussion. So they are listening to Muslims, they are listening to us, they want to know who are these fellow citizens trying to be, quite vigilant with their own values. So, it is up to us to do the job; it is to just to stop putting ourselves into something like we are not liked in this country.

    If we respect ourselves we are going to be respected. It’s not going to be easy, it’s going to take time, effort, patience, perseverance and endurance, and this is life. And if we think about what happen for other Muslims in other situations and in time, they were facing much more than what we are facing. So, we still have the resources to do what we have to do Insha’Allah.

  • The Complete Islamic Personality

    The Complete Islamic Personality

    It is well known and understood that Islam is a holistic system that impacts all areas of a person’s life. We hear this often but do we really know what this means and how it plays out in our lives? On this topic, Imam Hasan Al-Banna has a beautiful and instructive statement about being intent on reforming ourselves. He says, “A Muslim should strive to attain a strong body, good character, cultured thought. He should be able to earn a living, have pure belief, and correct worship. He should be able to control his desires, be careful about his time, organized in his affairs, and beneficial to those around him. These comprise the duties of every Muslim as an individual.” These ten points provide a well-rounded approach to personal development according to the teachings of Islam.

    Everything that we do is in the service of Allah (SWT), and what He requires from us is the intention and striving to bring about benefit to ourselves and all of humankind

    According to the above quote, the first strength necessary for a complete Islamic personality is physical strength. Our health is a blessing and responsibility from Allah subhanahu wa ta`ala (exalted is He) and the quality with which we take care of it affects all areas of our lives. If we are healthy, we have greater clarity of thinking, more energy, and enhanced emotional stability. Conversely, when we neglect our health, we fall victim to physical maladies like fatigue or lethargy, psychological issues like anxiety or depression, and spiritual struggles. For these reasons, good health is foundational in the development of the well-rounded Muslim personality.

    From good health comes the second strength which is an outward manifestation of a quality relationship with one’s Creator — good character. The Arabic word mat?n means good but also firm. We can infer from this dual meaning that strong character must demonstrate itself not only in times of ease but also when things are difficult. When things are easy, it is no great challenge to maintain good conduct and treat people in the best way possible; but in the face of hardship, fatigue, frustration, disappointment, anger, and an array of other emotions, the fortitude of one’s character is put to the test. The person who has firm character can withstand these tests, but the one who is only putting on a show will eventually be exposed for who he really is.

    Time is life itself and the person who squanders time is squandering opportunities to develop the self and purify the heart

    The third strength necessary to build a strong Muslim personality is intellectual and educational rigor as the basis for attaining enlightened and refined thought. This is of utmost importance as many times this strength is neglected by people who are perceived to be “religious.” Islam is a system of life, informed by the teachings of the Divine, and embodied in the real-life example of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). Yet, to understand and apply Islamic teachings in a manner that goes beyond blind faith or superficial understanding, one must develop the intellect. Then one learns to think critically, cultivates powers of discernment so as to properly perceive what has value and what has priority, and comprehends the best ways to apply Islamic wisdom and practical solutions to problems facing humanity.

    The fourth type of strength necessary to build a strong Muslim personality capable of serving Allah and serving Islam is financial strength — being able to earn a living. It is very difficult to contribute to the well-being of society when one’s financial situation is so dire that he is primarily occupied with essential issues like food, clothing, shelter, and health care. A Muslim must always seek financial stability and sufficiency so that he can be independent and able to devote time and other resources in his service to Islam. Whether poor or affluent, all should seek some sort of financial stability.

    After mentioning physical, intellectual, and character strength, as well as financial stability, Imam Al-Banna then moves on to point out the importance of pure belief and correct worship. These are the basis and backbone of the first four strengths. Eman and ibabah are the sources by which the Muslim finds his or her direction in daily living and the kind of relationship with the Divine that is required to face the difficulties that come with service to the Truth. They constitute the well which quenches the spiritual thirst of the heart in its search for its natural inclination.

    Hasan al-Basr? said, “O Son of Adam! You are nothing but a compilation of breaths and with each breath that passes, a piece of you is gone.”

    The mission — to be of service to the Truth — requires much from the individual so dedicated, and herein lies the appropriateness and necessity of the last four characteristics. Firstly, the Muslim is constant in fighting his or her base desires. In the struggle to worship Allah (SWT) and live a righteous life there are endless difficulties and tests. These tests are sometimes very clear and open, but sometimes very subtle. They can be tests of our sincerity, whether our ego seeks excessive praise and aggrandizement, whether we are given to conciliation or argumentation, and countless other provocations by the lower self. These tests cannot be overcome except through a never-ending process of learning to control — to moderate, elevate, and channel —one’s desires.

    The next two of these characteristics are to be strict with one’s time and organized in one’s affairs. Time is life itself and the person who squanders time is squandering opportunities to develop the self and purify the heart. In this regard, Hasan al-Basr? said, “O Son of Adam! You are nothing but a compilation of breaths and with each breath that passes, a piece of you is gone.” The well-rounded Muslim will also find that his or her responsibilities always outweigh the amount of time available. For this reason, the Muslim is always strict with his time and organized in her affairs so that they can reap the most benefit from this life before meeting their Lord in the next life.

    The last characteristic is to be beneficial to others. We do well to reflect deeply on this. Everything that came before is lost if we are harmful to those around us. The scholars of Islam have said that the core objective of Islam is to produce benefit. Everything that we do is in the service of Allah (SWT), and what He requires from us is the intention and striving to bring about benefit to ourselves and all of humankind.

    May Allah (SWT) help us to embody these characteristics and bless us with the capacity to manifest Islam in all of its wonderful beauty.

  • Family Life in Islam

    The late Imam Apha-Him Jobe served on the ICNA National Shura. He was widely known across Muslim communities in North America for his taqwa, humility, knowledge, and wisdom. Born in Gambia, he was educated at Ummul Qura University in Makkah, Saudi Arabia. He passed away in a car accident in 1997 on his way to an ICNA Educational Retreat in Atlanta, GA.
    Actively aiding Muslim communities and Islamic organizations across the continent, his works will continue to inspire generations of Muslims and non-Muslims alike, InshaAllah. May Allah grant him Paradise. Ameen.

    The topic of this article is Nizam-ul-Qusra-fil-Islam, which means “family life in Islam”. Let us picture a triangle with the husband at the highest point of the triangle, the wife and children on the other two points. This triangle is a very important triangle in life that consists of three members in one home. The origin of the family goes back to the beginning of the creation of Adam (pbuh). Adam, the father of the human family, and his wife Howa were the first family. Allah (SWT) says in Surah Al-Nisa, “O mankind, be mindful of your duty to your Lord, who created you from a single soul and from that soul, he created its companion and from the tooth he created countless men and women” (Al-Quran, 4:1). Allah is explaining to us the process of creation with Himself being the only one who supervises that process.

    We as Muslims have to be careful of how to maintain family life because, without the family, we cannot establish our social life. Family is the fundamental unit of our social life, which is founded on principals drawn by Shariah.

    Family has many functions to perform in the life of individuals and in society. Family is not only for the purpose of procreation, but has objectives for preservation and continuation of the human race as well. Procreation must have an established structure to come into operation, but if we do not establish the structure, we are going to have chaos in the operation. To operate the family, men and women and children are all in need of a permanent and lasting institution in order to fulfill their duties. To fulfill these duties, we need an institution called a home, or manzil, where one can dwell in relaxation, calmness, and security, and with this home, we need a leader to help establish family life.

    The Husband

    The leader of the household is the man in the family. A man has to be a husband before he introduces himself as the leader of the house. At the top of the triangle, he must have a companion, so in search for a companion, he must descend the hill. His coming down is a noted gesture or signal of harmlessness, because he has reached out to look for his mate. He cannot live life up there in isolation and arrogance.

    A man also must be a husband before he can become a father. He is the father who is appointed by Allah (SWT) to be the protector and maintainer of the family. Allah (SWT) says in Al-Quran in Surah 2, ayah 24 that men are the protectors and maintainers of women. However, a man must have high character to be the protector, security guard, and maintainer of the family. He has to acquire the characteristics of a “Qauwaam”, which signifies a person who takes the responsibility of safeguarding the interest of all people. “Qauwaam” is not just being the husband, but it is taking responsibility for safeguarding the entire family.

    Man, who is at the top of the triangle, has a duty to build the house that will be the center of family life. Men have to build the institution, which includes not just the physical structure, but the relationships and psycho-emotional stability of the family. Other important parts of the building are kindness and love. If there is no love, there is no family, because love is the root of sincerity. It is not enough to just love oneself, but a person has to share love by loving Allah and loving everyone for Allah. The Prophet (pbuh) said if you love, love for Allah; if you hate, hate for Allah. Then hate, love, kindness, and psycho-emotional stability must be established for Allah in the family as a firm, stable family building. An issue with stability is that we are living in a period of cultural crisis where one can see community life today founded on race, birth, tribe, and geography. But, if we check Al-Islam, community life is based on the unity of purpose, not based on color or race. These are three fundamental bases: Unity of Purpose, Love, and Faith. So, it is important to love faith, because race, language, and place of birth are rational in nature, but not a fundamental base for the building of a family.

    The Wife

    The role of the woman in the family is extremely important, because a good wife is considered to be the best blessing one can ever achieve in this life. Allah (SWT) is the only one who can stand by Himself; all of us, however, are in need of a companion. If the man and woman stay in their corners of the triangle, then they remain incomplete. But to complete the self, they have to come together in marriage where one half has a connection with the other half.

    The Prophet (pbuh) made women integral to his plan for Islamic education. He declared that seeking knowledge is an important duty of every Muslim male and female. Ayesha (R) used to praise the women of the Ansaar for not shying away from learning and comprehending the deen. Women need to take on that position to learn the deen because they are the mothers of the Ummah.
    Women at the time of the Prophet (pbuh) had become so keen to acquire more knowledge that they came to him and said, “O Messenger of Allah, you are always surrounded by men, and we cannot reach you.” They asked the Prophet (pbuh) to appoint a day for them to learn from him. Not only did he do that, but he sent some representatives to go to the women to teach them like Umar Ibn Al-Khattab and Ubaid-ul-Muqam (R).

    Women must realize that they are the root of the family. If they have educational and social skills, then they are the strongest root and have prepared themselves well to impart this knowledge to their children. They will be able to see the fruits of their striving reflecting in their children and in the entire family. Calmness, love, tenderness is in their hands, yet it is their responsibility to be the managers of the home. When the management is in their hands, they have to learn more about how to build the family. If you have a manager who cannot manage, the whole operation can fail. This is why it is important for women to continue to learn how to manage and build the family with their partners.

    Why is Marriage Important?

    A good and sound community can only grow if a man and woman are bonded in a soul relationship through the sacred contract called marriage. Marriage is a social institution as old as the human race itself. Allah (SWT) is the founder of the family, and Adam and Howa were members of the first family structured by Allah (SWT). He created Howa from Adam, which indicates that there is no superiority or inferiority in the family. As soon as a man comes into marriage, his entire life depends on that decision to step down to take responsibility. Some men do not assume responsibility after marriage and continue to live their lives in isolation at the top. This non-family-oriented behavior results in abuse in families. Therefore, taking on the role of a husband with a companion is vital to the success of the human race.

    The Prophet (pbuh) warned us and said that a man can marry a woman for her wealth, novelty, family, or religious quality. The Prophet (pbuh) said, “Blessed and fortunate is he who chooses his wife for religious qualities.” Religion—piety and God-consciousness—is the jewel to look for in a potential spouse. The reason that this is so is because religion is the focus of the marriage. Husband and wife must observe the cardinal purpose of their union, which is “Ibadathulla-hi-Subhanathullah”—marriage is an “Ibadah”, and the love and enjoyment in marriage is an “Ibadah”.

    Besides Ibadah, what is marriage? Marriage is righteousness, kindness, consideration, good manners, and generosity. Generosity means spending on family members. It is important to give, but not to count how much one gives. Marriage is also about dignity, honor, and respect, which includes self-respect as well as respecting others. There is no superiority or inferiority in marriage, but, instead, there is equality, justice, love, integrity, patience, courage, and modesty.

    Marriage is not about individuals, but it is about the entire home. It even goes beyond the home, by being an important social institution. Marriage perfects the human personality for the individual as well as society, and it secures happiness with prosperity for the individual as well as the society as a whole.

    Foundations of a Marriage

    Marriage is a very serious commitment based on the first quality we will discuss, honorable intention. One cannot marry periodically or temporarily, but must have the intention of marrying forever. Marrying someone for a short time, which is called “Mutah”, is not acceptable in Islam. When the parties enter into a marital contract, the intention must be clear to make the union permanent.
    Now, the second quality that a marriage is based on is fair knowledge of each other. It is important to have a basic understanding of one another and not to marry based on a picture or through the telephone. We cannot trust the voice or expressions, but must sit with this sister or brother to get to know him/her (obviously through Islamic means with appropriate chaperones present). This will allow the person to demonstrate his/her internal self, and of course all of this must be done within the Islamic context.

    The third quality a marriage is based on is compatibility. A husband and wife have to make sure that they have some kind of closeness in attitudes, and being flexible for each other is important. Compatibility on major things is necessary. This will become easier when they have love for each other, and then they will be able to adjust themselves to live together in tranquility. If you put the husband and wife together, but they do not have compatibility, then it will cause damage in the family; therefore, it is vital to find a companion with that compatibility.

    The fourth basis for a marriage is a reasonable dowry. There is no marriage without a dowry. There are many situations about dowry during the time of the Prophet (pbuh). One situation that is brought up often is when a woman came to the Prophet (pbuh) and wanted to get married. She asked Rasulallah to marry her, and he was quiet. Then a man said, “Yaa Rasulallah, if you don’t to want to marry her, I want to marry her.” The Prophet asked the woman if she would marry him, and she said yes. Then, the Prophet asked the man what he had to give to her. He had nothing. Prophet (pbuh) asked him to recite a portion from Quran, and then married them based on ilm, and the recitation was her dowry. This Hadith is Sahih, but the Hadith is not a standard. We should examine the dowries of Aisha, Fatimah and others around the Prophet (pbuh) and use those as standards. If the sisters believe in Allah (SWT) and follow Him, then they deserve to have the highest dowry in the world. But, it must be a reasonable dowry.

    The last basis for a marriage is good will. Every man and woman must marry with good will, ability, capability, and strength. So, these are the five fundamental basics to a marriage commitment that must be established for the marriage to be successful.

    Rights and Obligations Parents

    Now, let us move on to the rights and obligations of each member of a family. Allah addresses the rights of parents in the Quran. Allah says, “Your Lord has decreed that you worship no one but him and that you be kind to parents” (Al-Quran, 17:23). Here, Allah (SWT) says to be considerate, kind, and loving to one’s parents.

    Then, He says “whether one or both of them attain old age in your life, say not to them a word of contempt.” Allah says to be kind to them, and, in addition to this, to not use harshness by using words of contempt, which includes body language. Sometimes people do not talk, but their body language is communicating a particular message. For example, when a mother requests something from her son or daughter, it is important for the child not to roll his/her eyes or to refuse to get up, but to be prompt in fulfilling this request.

    “And address them in terms of honor…” This means that we have to address our parents in terms of respect. We cannot address our father and mother by raising our voices even if we are upset or if they are wrong about something. We must address them in terms of kindness and to use very pleasant language as well.

    “Lower to them the wings of humility” means to be humble towards them. Lowering the wings of humility can be humbleness and help as well, just like the birds lowering their wings to cover their babies. We have to do the same thing and demonstrate like the birds that are lowering their wings to cover the babies when the weather is cold. When the situation is difficult, it is important for us to cover our parents, support them with kindness, and not to feel proud of supporting them. Lowering the wings means to listen to them when they are talking and to lower our voices.

    Making dua for our parents is, no doubt, a duty that we have, and the best dua is to say “My Lord, give my parents mercy as they cherished me in childhood.” This is the dua Allah (SWT) has chosen for children to say for their parents. When the parent was strong and the child was helpless, parents were giving up a lot of time, energy, and money. All of their life is about their children and how to raise them. Therefore, as children, we must constantly make dua for them.

    The Prophet (pbuh) said that you and your wealth belong to your parents. It is not about if we want to help them, but we have to. Even if they have the money, we still must be there for them. The Prophet (pbuh) said to one companion who asked him, “Who deserves my companionship more than anyone else?” The Prophet replied, “Your mother deserves your companionship more than anyone else.” In addition, we must remember the famous hadith of the Prophet (pbuh) when he said, “Your mother” and was asked, “Who else?” He said, “Your mother” and was asked, “Then who?” He said, “Your mother”. When he was asked the same question again, he said, “Then your father.” Even with the father, he said “then”, and did not say “and” your father. The conjunction is different. The conjunction of “and” is parallel, but “then” is after the effect: then your father. This places the mother before the father three times.

    The Prophet (pbuh) was asked, “What are the greatest sins in life?” He said, “To associate anything or anyone with Allah is one of the greatest sins in the world. The second one is to boycott your mother.” It is important to respect one’s mother whether she is kafir or Muslim. A part of respect is sitting with her and listening to her stories, because a person’s mother is the one who can tell him/her of the first moments of his/her life.

    Children

    Now, let us discuss the rights of children. The first right of a child is to have a good mother. So, for men, it is important to remember that marriage is not just to obtain a companion, but to earn a mother for their children. Choosing a good person as a wife will benefit the child. The second right is for the child to live life, which makes abortion haram. In the stage of procreation, no matter if it is within 40 days, it is abortion because it is cutting the process of life. Allah says in the Quran that when Allah seals the egg in the womb with the sperm to fertilize it, that is the beginning of the process of life.

    Another right that children have is the right to be given a meaningful, beautiful name. Also, circumcision is the right of the male child, because it is part of cleanliness. Companionship is among the rights of children as well—it is important not to isolate children, but to play with them instead and to answer any questions that they may ask. The next right that a child has is to an education, which is the most important aspect of human society.

    The last right of the child to be discussed is their right to be disciplined. The children may not want to be disciplined, but it is their right. It is essential not to confuse punishing and disciplining. Punishment is the attitude of mothers long ago when humans could not talk, so they would beat their children. That is why, when a mother abuses her children, she has failed because she has not expressed herself properly. This kind of punishment is not part of the Islamic raising of children. Discipline, the correct form of rearing children, is part of education; to discipline is to educate and to tell the child what is right and what is wrong.

    Reminder

    Recall in mind that marriage is a decent human companionship authorized by Allah (SWT), so we must turn to Him for guidance. Allah (SWT) says, “O you humankind, fear your Lord, and be mindful for your duty towards your Lord” (Al-Quran, 4:1). Allah (SWT) says “Itaqullah”, meaning “Fear Allah”. This is the main fundamental principle in marriage and family life—to fear Allah alone and live life based on this beautiful quality of taqwa.

  • Islam in Europe: A Forgotten History

    When we study European history, it generally traces the roots of Western civilization to the Greeks and Romans, followed by a dark period called the Middle Ages in which Europe languished in gloom. We are told that this bleak era eventually gave way to the Renaissance after Europeans rediscovered their classical Greek and Roman scholarship. This movement became the precursor to the modern world as we know it today: progressive, technological, scientific – confirming the assertion that almost all great inventions have had their origins in the Western world.

    Yet, this narrative of history doesn’t answer many crucial questions: Was all of Europe covered with a dark cloud during the Middle Ages? How was the rest of the world faring at the same time – did any inventions take place in any other part of the world or Europe?
    How did the Europeans rediscover their classical roots? How did this regained scholarship enable Europe to emerge out of darkness and achieve all the greatness that it has?

    This is where another – seemingly disconnected – history steps in. It is an account that neatly fills in all the missing gaps and crevices in the history of Europe as it is taught – yet, sadly, this record is usually expunged from history books.

    Europe: Re-Visiting History

    Europe itself is often thought of as Eastern and Western Europe, which goes back to the time of the Holy Roman (Western) Empire and the Byzantine (Eastern) Empire. The Eastern countries consist of Belarus, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, Ukraine, among others, on its north side and the Balkans – such as Greece, Albania, Bulgaria, Montenegro, Serbia, Romania, Hungary – as well as Turkey to its south. The Western nations include Spain, Italy, France, Germany, Austria, England, Sweden, Norway, and Denmark. Russia is considered a Euro-Asiatic state.

    The Islamic empire had spread into Eastern Europe first through Turkey and then into the Balkans as well as eastern Russia; the fall of Constantinople in 1453 A.D. established the Ottoman rule in Southeastern Europe. The fact that many of their counterparts today (such as Bosnia, Kosovo, Albania, Bulgaria, etc.) boast either an Islamic identity or a Muslim majority vouches for this reality.
    As for Western Europe, Muslims occupied Spain in 711 A.D. and made inroads into France soon thereafter; however, they were decisively driven out of France in a series of battles by Charles Martel by 800 A.D. Muslims also ruled southern Italy for about a 200 years between the ninth and eleventh centuries, although it was sometime in the thirteenth century when all Muslims were expelled from Sicily, an island off the coast of Italy.

    Spain

    After a coup overturned the Umayyad rule in Damascus in 750 A.D. and the victors massacred the royal Umayyad family, Abdul Rahman, the lone surviving relative of the caliph, escaped. He traveled south to North Africa, narrowly missing his pursuers, and eventually entered Muslim Spain, a pro-Umayyad constituency which at the time was beset with infighting and rivalries. By 756 A.D., he had united the different factions under his leadership and re-established Umayyad rule in far-away Cordoba in Spain, also known as al-Andalus.

    This marked the beginning of a glorious era in which al-Andalus became known, on the one hand, for its architectural grandeur, aesthetic gardens, intellectual achievements, scientific inventions, and cultural advancements, and on the other, for a spirit of tolerance and mutual respect among people of differing faiths, also known as convivencia.

    At a time when Western Europe was, quite literally, plunged in darkness, there was street lighting and running water in Cordoba. The Great Mosque of Cordoba dazzled its visitors with its intricate calligraphy and imposing arches. Cordoba’s sprawling gardens, and the later cities of Madina al-Zahra and al-Hamra, showcased the power, splendor, and luxury of Muslim Spain.

    The Umayyad rule lasted through the 11th century, followed by North African Muslim rulers reigning Spain until the 13th century. Infighting and rivalries had reduced their unity to individual kingdoms which enabled the northern Christian rulers to regain those territories. At this point, Cordoba was lost and Toledo became the next major Muslim city. However, Muslims soon lost Toledo as well, and the last Muslim stronghold in Spain was Granada where Muslims continued to rule for the next two centuries, until Queen Isabella and King Ferdinand conquered it in 1492 – incidentally, the same year when Christopher Columbus discovered the Americas.

    Sicily

    The Emirate of Sicily, located in the south of Italy, was a part of the larger Islamic Empire from the ninth to the eleventh centuries, under a variety of rulers. Under Muslim administration, Sicily flourished: its population doubled, people of different ethnic and religious backgrounds co-existed harmoniously, agriculture prospered, exports increased, and irrigation systems improve. The conquerors redistributed large estates into smaller holdings, spurring an end to the economic and social depression. Many new crops were introduced such as cotton, hemp, date palm, sugar cane, mulberries, and citrus fruits. Related industries grew, such as textiles, sugar, rope-making, matting, and paper (which was later introduced to Europe via Sicily). Sicilian silks were also internationally known for their fine quality and beauty.

    Muslims lost Sicily to the Normans in the late eleventh century, but continued to live in the multcultural island peacefully. The Normans preserved the Muslim heritage so much so that Arabic continued to be the lingua franca in Sicily for the next 100 years. King Roger II spoke Arabic and employed Muslim scientists and architects in his court; Muslim soldiers were also a part of his army. He continued to use the agricultural and industrial methodologies adopted by the former Muslim rulers of Sicily. Palermo, the Sicilian hub under Muslim rule, was maintained as the capital under the Normans. Roger II commissioned al-Idrisi to draw a world map; it proved to be the most advanced ancient map. Al-Idrisi also compiled the greatest geographical treatise of the Middle Ages, known as the Book of Roger.

    Ibn Jubair visited Sicily in the late 12th century after being shipwrecked on his return from a pilgrimage to Mecca. He was very surprised by the warm reception he encountered at the hands of the Normans. Of Palermo, ibn Jubair recounted, “The capital is endowed with two gifts, splendor and wealth. It contains all the real and imagined beauty that anyone could wish. Splendor and grace adorn the piazzas and the countryside; the streets and highways are wide, and the eye is dazzled by the beauty of its situation. It is a city full of marvels, with buildings similar to those of Cordoba, built of limestone… There are so many mosques that they are impossible to count. Most of them also serve as schools. The eye is dazzled by all this splendor.”

    Unfortunately, this spirit of convivencia did not last. As with Spain, all Muslims were evicted from Sicily and by the end of the thirteenth century, only the traces they left behind showed in Sicilian architecture, Arabized words in the now-Latinized language, and the Arab-style outdoor marketplace, among others.

    Muslim presence in Spain and Sicily left indelible marks on the architecture, sciences, philosophy, literature, and astronomy of Western Europe – even though, quite unfortunately, much of it has been forgotten.

    The Seeds of the Renaissance

    Islam encourages the gathering of knowledge and the use of reasoning. In the Qur’an, God repeatedly urges humans to use their intellect and thinking skills so that they may differentiate between truth and falsehood. Furthermore, Islam is a universal religion – not for a few chosen people or tribes, but for all people and for all times.

    With this collective and inclusive outlook, Muslims began to gather any and every scholarly work they could lay their hands on – be it Greek, Persian, or Indian – as the Islamic Empire grew. They, then, commenced the scrupulous task of translation and, afterwards, busied themselves in its study. Moreover, they initiated the procedure of verifying ancient beliefs and often postulated alternate theories regarding core issues, complete with extensive testing of their ideas. In fact, the scientific process of observation, hypothesis, experimentation, and conclusion was first fully introduced by the Muslims.

    For instance, Ibn al-Haytham (c. 965-1039), who studied light and wrote The Book of Optics, believed that human beings are flawed and only God is perfect. To discover the truth about nature, Ibn al-Haytham, a devout Muslim, reasoned that one must eliminate human opinion and allow the universe to speak for itself through physical experiments. “The seeker after truth is not one who studies the writings of the ancients and, following his natural disposition, puts his trust in them,” he wrote. “But rather the one who suspects his faith in them and questions what he gathers from them, the one who submits to argument and demonstration.”

    Spain and Sicily provided two major points of contact between Muslims and the rest of Europe. Interaction between Muslims of these two states and the rest of the Western European bloc took place as a result of Crusades and other battles, alliances, and intellectual pursuit. In fact, Spain became the prime channel through which advancements in a variety of fields from all over the Muslim world reached Western Europe. Some westerners visited Spain and were enthralled by its beauty, commitment to scholarship, and convivencia. They decided to stay, learned Arabic, and began translating Muslim scholarly works into Latin. Gerard of Cremona (c. 1114–1187) was a prolific translator who translated some 87 Arabic books into Latin, including the texts of al-Khwarizmi, al-Farabi, ar-Razi, among others. Michael Scot (c. 1175 – 1232) was another such individual who went on to become the librarian for King Frederick II’s vast collection of Arabic works in Sicily.

    European depiction of the ar-Razi, in Gerard of Cremona’s “Recueil des traités de medecine” 1250-1260. Gerard de Cremona translated numerous works by Arab scholars.

    Such exchange facilitated the transfer of knowledge from Spain into the rest of Western Europe. Many Muslim scholars were given Latin names such as Avicenna (Ibn Sina, c. 980 – 1037), Rhazes (ar-Razi, c. 841-926), and Averroes (ibn Rushd, c. 1126-1198); their works, as translated in Latin, became widely available. For instance, Ibn Sina’s Canon of Medicine set the standard for medicine and was in use in Europe for 700 years. Ar-Razi, the greatest physician of all times, accurately differentiated between smallpox and measles and prescribed treatments; in addition, he discovered numerous compounds and chemicals including alcohol and kerosene, among others. Ibn Rushd provided a line-by-line commentary of Aristotle, convincing his readers that belief in both faith and reasoning is possible – leading to a rift between the powerful clergy and the intellectuals in Western Europe, which in many ways became the basis for the Renaissance.

    The crankshaft was invented by al-Jazari (c. 1136-1206) of Anatolia, an essential component of machines enabling modern life, and it began showing up in Europe soon thereafter. The great works of Jabir ibn Haiyan (c. 721-815) brought new concepts of chemistry to Europe and ibn Haiyan was known as the father of chemistry and alchemy. Al-Zahrawi (c. 936-1013), the father of modern surgery, designed and invented surgical tools still in use today.

    The Muslims also bequeathed a perfected astrolabe to the Europeans which became the chief navigational tool in Europe until the 18th century. Muslims made further astronomical achievements by venturing to show how lunar and solar eclipses take place and calculating the earth’s diameter and circumference to a remarkable degree of accuracy – at a time when Europeans thought the Earth was flat. Al Khwarizmi’s findings introduced the most advanced mathematics to Europeans, who in turn called him the father of algebra and coined the term “algorithm” after him; he lived from about 780 to 850 A.D.

    Ibn al-Haytham’s research in light and optics resulted in the invention of the camera obscura – a phrase which incidentally is derived from the Arabic ‘kamra,’ referring to a room. He determined that light travels in straight lines and thus is able to project it onto a wall in a darkened room through a hole. “Five hundred years before Leonardo da Vinci, he delves into things that will later be attributed to the great Italian and to Kepler and Descartes, when in fact they, like some Renaissance and post-Renaissance thinkers, are really replicating or building on what the great Muslim scientists had established long ago,” remarks Michael Hamilton Morgan in Lost History.

    Together, this compendium of Muslim scholarship provided the seeds of the coming Renaissance in medieval Europe. However, when it did come, followed by the Age of Enlightenment, and the scientific and industrial revolutions, much of the acknowledgement and credit was forgotten and what remained was the belief that Europe had miraculously reawakened to its classical Greek roots after a long sleep.

    Contemporary Choices: Confrontation or Convivencia?

    Sadly, today, the world is rife with a different kind of environment, one of confrontation than of convivencia and Muslims today are too often seen more in the light of terrorism than illuminated by their glorious past.

    Rather than acknowledging and crediting Muslims for their great service to the rebirth of Europe, its countries are at present busy with either lampooning Muslim beliefs and their Prophet (pbuh), or banning minarets and Islamic-style dress. Instead of reestablishing the Andalusian and Sicilian models of convivencia, they are set to marginalizing a significant minority in their midst.

    It can only be hoped that today’s Europe will reawaken to the reality of its past and recognize the immense debt it owes to Muslim erudition – and enfranchise its European Muslim population rather than alienating them.

  • From Mulberry to Silk: The Journey of Islam in China

    China is sometimes referred to as a “riddle wrapped in an enigma”. A nation with an ancient civilization that is one of the fastest growing economies of the modern world, a people steeped in history that also carry the promise of the future, and a country that is at once associated with rising skylines and dingy sweatshops, China is a complex confluence of modernity and tradition, of inspiring creativity and shocking repression. A little known aspect of the Chinese story is the fact that Islam is an integral part of Chinese history and culture, and of the country’s religious landscape.

    Patience is power; with time and patience the mulberry becomes silk, say the Chinese. A brief study of the history of Islam in China upholds the wisdom in this ancient proverb. From a small delegation of Muslims sent to China by the Caliph Uthman in 650 AD, to a multi-ethnic community that has 42,371 mosques , the journey of Islam in China is a story of faith, peaceful preaching and patient struggle.

    Early History

    According to popular Chinese Muslim history, Islam came to the country through a delegation led by Sa`d ibn Ab? Waqq?s, the maternal uncle of Prophet Muhammed (peace be upon him), less than twenty years after the Prophet’s demise. Emperor Gaozong of the Tang dynasty, known for its cosmopolitan outlook, received the envoy and ordered the construction of the Memorial Mosque in Canton, the first mosque in the country.

    Islam in China
    is growing at a phenomenal pace
    that is at par with the growth of Islam worldwide!

    Although modern historians have not found evidence of Waqqas himself having visited China, the arrival of Muslim diplomats and merchants to China during the Tang era (618-907 C.E.) is widely accepted. The historian Thomas Arnold writes in “The Preaching of Islam: A History of the Propagation of the Muslim Faith”:

    Around the mosque built by their founder the little colony of Arab traders grew and flourished living in perfectly friendly relations with their Chinese neighbors, their commercial interests being identical….This Muslim community thus settled in Canton speedily multiplied partly through new arrivals, partly by marriage with the Chinese and by conversions from among them.

    By the beginning of the Song era (960 – 1279 C.E.), Muslims had grown to be influential in the import/export industry. The Director General of Shipping was consistently a Muslim during this period. During the Yuan Dynasty (1271–1368 C.E.) founded by the Mongols, a significant number of Muslims settled in China. The Mongols forcibly relocated Muslim immigrants by the hundreds of thousands from Western and Central Asia, with the intent of using their services to administer the growing empire. These included craftsmen, artists, architects, engineers, medical doctors and astronomers, as well as administrators and officials who were posted to government positions throughout China. These men married local women, and were able to pass on their faith and religious practice to successive generations.

    Ibn Batutah, the famous Muslim explorer, visited China in the middle of the fourteenth century. He describes a hearty welcome he received from his co-religionists, adding that “…In every town there is a special quarter for the Muslims inhabited solely by them where they have their mosques; they are honored and respected by the Chinese.”

    During the Ming Dynasty, which ruled China from 1368 to 1644, Muslims continued to maintain their influence in government. The Ming Dynasty founder Zhu Yuanzhang had six Muslims among his most trusted generals. One of them was Lan Yu who, in 1388, led the imperial Ming army in a decisive victory over the Mongols. It was this victory that effectively ended the Mongol ambition to re-conquer China.

    The faith and patience of Chinese Muslims have ensured that over the centuries, the mulberry of Islam is slowly turning into gleaming silk.

    The Muslims, during the Ming era, began to culturally and linguistically assimilate into the wider Chinese culture. Mosques began to resemble traditional Chinese architecture. This era is sometimes referred to as the Golden Age of Islam in China.

    Unfortunately, the Qing Dynastic rule (1644 – 1911) that followed the Ming era was punctuated by periods filled with tumult and oppression for Muslims, resulting in the suppression of revolts through mass extermination of Muslims.

    After the Qing Dynasty fell in 1911, Sun Yat Sen established the Republic of China along secular lines, and Muslims were able to practice their faith. However, during the Cultural Revolution in China (1966 – 1976), religion in all its forms was brutally suppressed, which included the defacement of mosques and other places of worship.

    Islamic Revival in China

    Today, Islam is experiencing a modest revival in China. According to data provided by the San Diego State University’s International Population Center to U.S. News & World Report, China has 65.3 million Muslims . Chinese Muslims attend the Hajj, or annual pilgrimage to Mecca, in large numbers, and a range of Islamic educational institutions have been developed to meet the needs of the growing community. Besides local institutions, a number of Chinese Muslim students have travelled abroad to study at international Islamic universities in Egypt, Syria, Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, Iran, and Malaysia.

    Jackie Armijo writes in the Harvard Quarterly on Islamic Education in China:
    “Over the past twenty years, throughout all of China (except for Xinjiang), mosques have organized classes in Arabic and Islamic studies for all members of their community, from three-year olds in pre-school programs, to eighty-year old retirees determined to study the Qur’an and learn about their faith in their twilight years. In addition to government-run Islamic colleges, communities have also established independent schools.”

    Chinese Muslim women are playing an extraordinarily active role in the revival of Islamic education in China. They are not only gaining Islamic knowledge through public and private Islamic colleges, but also travelling abroad to study Islam overseas. Some are establishing schools for girls, especially in the poorer Muslim regions of China.

    Chinese Islamic Culture

    Inevitably, Muslims in China have over the centuries, developed an indigenous Chinese Islamic culture, often synthesizing elements of Chinese culture with their Islamic forms. Mosques in Western China have traditional minarets and other elements of mosque architecture seen in other parts of the world, like the Id Kah mosque pictured above. However mosques in Eastern China, resemble pagodas, and represent traditional Chinese architecture with its emphasis on symmetry.

    Chinese restaurants run by Muslims serve halal Chinese food that adheres to Islamic dietary laws. Chinese Muslims have even developed their own form of Arabic Calligraphy, known as Sini. This form of calligraphy is used extensively in mosques in eastern China.

    The extent to which Islam is interwoven into China’s national fabric can be gauged from this quote from the Aramco World Magazine special issue on “Muslims in China”, where John Lawton writes:
    Bin Lanzhou (Lanchow), on the banks of the Yellow River, cradle of Chinese civilization, a Muslim mosque and madrasa seminary stand side by side with Buddhist shrines in White Pagoda Park. And in the park each morning, hundreds of rhythmically twisting Chinese do their daily Tai Ji workout – daily gymnastics – just as devout young Muslim clerics begin a day of study and prayer.

    At Xian (Sian), formerly Ch’ang-an, “City of Eternal Peace” and capital of 11 dynasties, the Great Mosque, the largest mosque in China, is proudly displayed to visitors as part of China’s national heritage – along with the life-size terra cotta army of Emperor Qin Shi Huang-Ti.

    At Turpan oasis, on the edge of the Gobi Desert, teenagers turn their Mao-style peaked caps back-to-front to pray – foreheads to the ground, facing Makkah (Mecca) – in a mosque resembling a Qing (Ch’ing) Dynasty pavilion.

    In recent years, the Xinjiang province of China has been in the news due to political unrest fueled by ethnic tensions between Uyghur Muslims and the Chinese authorities. The unrest is marked by a harsh crackdown of the East Turkestan independence movement.

    The Future

    The Chinese federal government has relaxed some of its earlier repressive policies with regards to minorities. Muslims are now playing an increasingly active role in local administration. There are gains in cultural freedom as well, with the ability for Muslims to print newspapers and books, and to produce television programs and films in their own languages.

    Rapidly expanding ties between China and several Muslim countries will continue to influence the growth of Islam in China. Outside of China, UAE is the largest trade hub for Chinese goods. In recent years, China assisted in the establishment of an Islamic bank in Bahrain that will engage in Shariah-compliant real estate investments in China.

    Islam in China is growing at a phenomenal pace that is perhaps at par with the growth of Islam worldwide. Key accomplishments of the Chinese Muslims, include not only the establishment of indigenous Chinese Muslim institutions, but also scholarly achievements such as the translation of the Holy Quran into Mandarin and other languages spoken by Chinese Muslims such as Hue, Kyrgyz, Kazak, Uzbek, Uigur, and others.

    Indeed, the faith and patience of Chinese Muslims have ensured that over the centuries, the mulberry of Islam is slowly turning into gleaming silk.