بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

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Jun 24 Transforming Your Reality Jun 17 A History of Muslim Americans’ Political Engagement Jun 17 My Brother is Gay: Navigating the Intersection of Religion and Family An interview with Imam Wesley Lebron Jun 10 Islam and the Romans: Early Muslim-Byzantine Interaction May 20 Reclaiming the Sunnah of Adoption and Foster Care: An Interview with Basmah Salam Apr 29 National Poetry Month: An Ode to Faith, Visibility, and the Conversations We Don’t Forget Apr 15 Beyond Ramadan: Taking Its Lessons Farther  Apr 15 The Power of Saying No: A Reflection on Boundaries

Tag: islamic circle of north america

  • ICNA-MAS Convention 2024: ‘Unshakable Faith’

    ICNA-MAS Convention 2024: ‘Unshakable Faith’

    Every year Muslims gather for the ICNA-MAS convention in Baltimore, Maryland. It is estimated that 30,000 Muslims will convene this Memorial Day weekend, May 25- 27, 2024, to bask in the beauty of the deen as one ummah. The Summer 2024 conference will bring together world renowned scholars who will present lectures and workshops on a variety of topics. The theme of this year’s conference is learning to live a life full of conviction and trust during turbulent times. The conference aims to orient hearts and minds by the idea that we must rely on Allah now more than ever as we witness a period of constant social, political, and personal unrest. This convention allows us the opportunity to refocus and ground ourselves in the teachings of Islam.

    In 2019, I attended the ICNA-MAS convention. I went to connect with old and new friends, listen to incredible lectures, and shop in the bazaar. I also attempted to get into the popular matrimonial event, but it was sold out because it was in such high demand! I was so impressed by the sheer number of Muslims attending the convention. People from across the country came together to learn with one another, network, and socialize.

    I remember my favorite part of the convention was getting to listen and interact in person with scholars that I follow closely on social media. This year, the discussions will be centered on some of the ongoing challenges Muslims are facing in America. The scholars will engage with the audience to discuss potential solutions within a practical and spiritual framework.
    In addition to programs offering religious knowledge per se, there are speeches and workshops on mental health, parenting and child psychology, finance, law, and education, all of course from an Islamic perspective. There are over one hundred breakout sessions including a special Youth Conference, an interfaith dialogue seminar, matrimonial services, hands-on workshops and a Qur’an Competition. It is highly suggested by convention organizers that one pre-register for things like the Qur’an Competition and the Matrimonial Event.

    For those interested in the Matrimonial event, take note that it will begin on Sunday, May 26 from 11 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. It’s important to go in with the understanding of how the event will work. Participants must provide accurate information and should not conceal or misrepresent any important information (e.g., previously married, divorced, children, country of origin, citizenship, etc.). ICNA cannot take responsibility for any false or misleading information provided by candidates. It is required that women are accompanied by their wali (parent or legal guardian) during the session. The parent(s) or wali should not interrupt the flow of the conversation but should be there to ensure Islamic etiquette. Most importantly, ICNA volunteers try their best to match everyone, but there are no guarantees in this process. There is an advantage to registering ahead of time in that your spot will be secured; slots may run out fast, and also the fee is more expensive if you register on-site.

    For the young children, between the ages of four to nine, one can register for childcare services. Parents can safely leave their children with dedicated staff while they attend sessions throughout the day. The children will engage in activities like a science show, arts and crafts, and a moon bounce. There is another program called Muslim Children of North America (MCNA) for kids between the ages of six to nine. The program will bring together children of all backgrounds to learn about Islam and engage in real-life concerns that they might encounter as young children. For middle school-aged children, Young Muslim Jr. (YMJ), is a program that will help them engage in project-based activities in their community, allowing them to grow deeper in their faith. This program includes a variety of activities including YMJ courses, Book Club, and Journey through the Qur’an. The full program can be found here.

    For middle schoolers and high schoolers who are interested in debate, there is the Muslim Youth Debate Tournament. This is a youth enrichment platform of the Mafiq Foundation that hosts parliamentary-style debates. The competing teams participate in a preliminary round of four virtual debates. Each debate consists of two pre-assigned topics and two topics given on the day-of. The top four performing middle school teams and the top four performing high school teams will be invited to compete in the semifinals and finals at the convention. It is necessary to register in advance and one can do so here.

    There is an opportunity for Muslim women to express themselves through the written word, in a Poetry Slam. Hosted by Strange Inc., a non-profit publishing house in New York, the Slam is an opportunity for twelve talented contenders to showcase their poetry skills and share their creative works in a safe space. They will be judged based on both the content of their work and their performance. There are two rounds of the competition. Interested participants must submit their work in advance, and only twelve winners will be invited to complete the final round on a live stage, on May 26, at 3:30 p.m. Those interested in performing should register here.

    Another interesting event that is part of the Technology Track Session is the Hackathon. The Hackathon aims to bring together community, innovation, and technology through a timed event in which teams or individuals work on creative projects to invent and generate new ideas to solve big problems. The Hackathon consists of designing, building, and presenting solutions to problems. The teams then pitch a final concept, prototype, or presentation to judges to demonstrate why their idea would solve the problem at hand. One can register in advance here. The Hackathon is part of a larger track of the conference where topics will include parenting in the digital age, responsible AI, robotics, and cybersecurity awareness.

    The number of opportunities to learn, grow in faith, network, and socialize are endless at the convention. Take advantage of the long holiday weekend and head to the ICNA-MAS Convention!

  • Serving the Mexican Community

    Serving the Mexican Community

    It was only four years ago that the first story about WhyIslam in Mexico was written, but many exciting events have transpired since then. The Mexican campaign began with a desire to deliver Islamic attire and literature to a growing community in Mexico City, Al Hikmah Center. Seven organizations joined forces to contribute to the cause, donating everything from Islamic CDs to siwaks. During her vacation, Nahela Morales, a Mexican convert, distributed the items to the Islamic community in June of 2012. The trip was so successful that it became an annual effort and each year expanded to cover more than five cities within the country.

    Interest really took off when well-known lecturers and personalities such as Nouman Ali Khan, Omar Suleiman, and Boonaa Mohammed endorsed the projects in Mexico. In 2013, Nouman Ali Khan even traveled to the Mexican state of Chiapas, to the Islamic village in San Cristobal de las Casas, as part of the second annual dawah trip to Mexico. He was so moved by the poor living conditions of the indigenous Muslim families that he filmed a video tour of a typical home, a humble structure with walls made of planks and plastic covering to keep out the rain, a tin rooftop, and a dirt floor. The video was released on WhyIslam’s YouTube channel and has over 215,000 views.

    The goal for that year was to begin plans to renovate the town’s masjid Al Kauthar. Through the use of social media and fundraising campaigns, Morales was able to gather over $30,000 for Islamic material and food for distribution during Ramadan, and the masjid renovation project. However, future goals were to offer continuous support to needy families in this sector and to provide home renovations and reconstructions. This sparked plans to launch Mexico Relief Project by Helping Hand for Relief and Development.

    In 2014 Boonaa Mohammed traveled with HHRD and film crews to Mexico to produce documentaries that bring the necessary attention to this cause.

    The Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, once advised Aisha when she desired to offer a gift to a neighbor, that she should give, “to the one whose door is nearer to you.” The idea of helping our brothers and sisters in Mexico is one that stems from neighborliness, in the sense that Mexico is one of only two countries which share a border with the US. It is also the largest Latin American country with the smallest Muslim population; however, the Muslims are growing in number and need assistance. Alhamdulillah, we have been blessed with the ability to aid our brethren so we ask for your continued support and prayers.

    We hope that you will enjoy reading some stories and informative articles from our Mexican and Spanish-speaking brothers and sisters, and that you will also remember them in your prayers. JazakumAllahu khaiyran.

  • La paz que faltaba

    La paz que faltaba

    Mi camino hacia el Islam ha tomado muchos giros y vueltas a lo largo de Latinoamérica y aquí en los Estados Unidos, donde finalmente me convertí en musulmán. Mis padres son de Chile. Eran refugiados políticos exiliados a México por ser socialistas. En los años 70, ser un socialista en América Latina era sinónimo de ser un rebelde. No había muchas opciones en ese momento; eras de la izquierda o eras de la derecha. En 1973, Chile sufrió uno de los más crueles golpes de estado que la humanidad jamás había visto. Mi padre fue encarcelado y torturado antes de ser exiliado. Unos meses después conoció a mi madre, que era también una refugiada política chilena. En 1976, yo nací en la Ciudad de México. Mis padres, mi hermana y yo vivimos relativamente felices como una típica familia mexicana de clase media, excepto por una cosa: mis padres eran agnósticos. No ser católico en México era casi impensable.

    En 1989, cuando la democracia fue reestablecida en Chile, mis padres decidieron regresar. En ese tiempo tenía 12 años de edad. Chile es un país pequeño dominado por una de las iglesias más conservadoras del mundo. Como en México, crecí rodeado de mensajes católicos en la radio, en la televisión, y en las calles. En mi propia inocencia, siempre me había gustado la idea de Dios, de un solo Dios, pero eso no era lo que estaba presenciando. ¿Cómo podría un chico de una familia agnóstica siempre creer en Dios? En mi casa ese asunto nunca fue un tema de conversación. “La religión es el opio de las masas”, mi padre solía decir. Sin embargo, con los años, mi deseo por una conexión espiritual siguió aumentando.

    Cuando era adolescente, fui expuesto a la Capoeira, una danza brasileña y arte marcial, durante unas vacaciones con mis padres en Brasil. En Chile, comencé a tomar clases de Capoeira que ayudaron a llenar el vacío de mi espiritualidad carente. En el año 2000, fui aceptado a la facultad de negocios en Chile y también estudié Capoeira todos los días. Mi vida se volvió muy ocupada, “demasiado ocupada” para la religión.

    En 2003, conocí a mi esposa, una hermosa mujer estadounidense que estaba enseñando Inglés en Santiago, Chile. Ella venía de una familia católica y por lo tanto me acercó más a la religión. En 2005, me trasladé a los EE.UU. y en el 2006 nos casamos en una iglesia católica en Richmond, Virginia. En 2008, abrí mi propio estudio para enseñar diversos estilos de artes marciales, el ejercicio y el baile. Ese mismo año, mi primera hija, Priya, nació, y en 2010 me convertí en propietario de una casa. En un período de sólo cinco años había logrado el “sueño americano”, cosas que algunas personas no logran en toda su vida. Sin embargo, aún algo faltaba.

    El 2012 fue uno de los años más difíciles de mi vida. Mi arrogancia me llevó a romper mi tendón rotuliano y tardé casi un año en recuperarme. Ese mismo año, mi segunda hija, Mireya, nació. En 2013, comencé mi búsqueda espiritual. Empecé a investigar la religión yoruba, la santería, pero no me sentí identificado con ella.

    En diciembre de 2014, pasé la Navidad con mi familia en Chile. Después de la cena de Navidad fui a mi habitación a dormir, pero quedé despierto sentado en mi cama. Los recuerdos de mi adolescencia y mi juventud vinieron a mí y comencé a llorar. Llore mucho. No recuerdo por cuánto tiempo, tal vez cinco o 10 minutos, pero recuerdo poniendo mis rodillas en el suelo y los brazos en una posición de súplica. Y me quedé allí, preguntando, pidiendo realmente, a Dios que me guiara y me ayudara a acercarme a Él. Después de eso, encendí la televisión y mostraban un programa sobre la vida de Jesús. Una gran cantidad de preguntas vinieron a la mente como, “¿Será él Dios”? Entonces busqué en Google la palabra “Jesús” y de alguna manera aterricé en una página de discutiendo Jesús y el Islam. Entonces investigué las palabras “Islam” y “Profeta Muhammad”. Al final, no pude dormir hasta las 5 o 6 de la mañana.

    Alrededor de las 11 de la mañana, me desperté. Mi madre me dijo que debí haber estado cansado por lo mucho que había dormido. Le dije entonces que yo quería convertirme en musulmán pero ella no me creyó. Cuando llegué a los Estados Unidos de nuevo, llamé a un amigo musulmán para ver si me podía llevar a una mezquita. Allí, sentí tanta paz y armonía. Luego, otro amigo, que es de Turquía, me ayudó a tomar mi Shahada, el testimonio de la fe. También conocí a un hermano de Gambia, un estudiante en mi estudio, que me ayudó a visitar diferentes mezquitas y reunirme con algunos imanes. Al llegar el mes de Ramadán, me di cuenta que estaba rodeado por una buena comunidad de hermanos para ayudarme en mi camino.

    Mi esposa ha sido un gran apoyo para mí. Hemos estado casados ya por 10 años. Me considero una persona impulsiva y solía enfadarme con ella por cosas insignificantes. Pero ahora trato de recordar este hadiz: “El hombre fuerte no es quien sabe luchar; el hombre fuerte es aquel que puede controlarse a sí mismo en un momento de ira”. (Sahih Bujari, Libro 73, #135)

  • Una Nueva Traduccion del Sagrado Coran al Idioma Espanol

    Una Nueva Traduccion del Sagrado Coran al Idioma Espanol

    Se despertó en mí el interés de hacer una traducción del Sagrado Corán que se preocupara me-nos por parecer árabe o por intentar imitar la calidad literaria del texto original, y estuviera pen-sada más en transmitir de forma correcta y directa todos aquellos significados, profundos y espi-rituales, pero también de un gran orden social, que había comprendido al leerlo y estudiarlo en su idioma original.

    –Isa García

    Un poco de historia

    Cuando acepté el Islam y lo asumí como forma de vida, estaba sediento de saber, quería conocer lo mejor posible la fuente primera del conocimiento, la revelación divina: el Sagrado Corán. Sabía desde el principio que el Corán fue revelado en árabe, y que este texto es original: ha sido pre-servado y mantenido intacto a lo largo de más de 14 siglos. Pero al no saber árabe, tuve que re-mitirme a diferentes traducciones que se han hecho al español.

    Lo que encontré llegó en ocasiones a decepcionarme, pues el texto aparecía muchas veces con-fuso o incongruente.

    Comprendí que esto se debía, principalmente, a dos factores. El primero, que muchas traduccio-nes han sido elaboradas por personas que no tenían el suficiente conocimiento del Islam, su mensaje y su historia, y que por ello confundían conceptos o incluso, en algunos casos de forma premeditada, trastocaban los sentidos para desacreditar al Islam y su libro sagrado.

    El segundo, que en su mayoría las traducciones son demasiado literalistas, imitan el estilo árabe en la traducción, no solamente en la expresión del significado sino en el orden mismo de las pa-labras, de modo que no se apegan a la gramática del español y por ello resultan confusas. A esto debe agregársele que algunas de las traducciones al español utilizan un lenguaje antiguo y lejano al que solemos utilizar en el continente americano, y que a la vez carecen en su mayoría de notas aclarativas sobre el contexto histórico o las implicaciones legales.

    Más tarde, cuando tuve la oportunidad de estudiar el idioma árabe y acceder a los significados del Sagrado Corán en su idioma original, comprendí que en la traducción me había perdido de mucho. Si bien es cierto que ninguna traducción podrá jamás acercarse a la belleza narrativa, poética y retórica del Corán, ni reproducir a la vez su sonoridad y las múltiples formas en que puede ser recitado, también es cierto que las traducciones, unas más que otras, fallan en trans-mitirle al lector la verdadera esencia del mensaje coránico.

    Esto despertó en mí el interés de hacer una traducción del Sagrado Corán que se preocupara menos por parecer árabe o por intentar imitar la calidad literaria del texto original, y estuviera pensada más en transmitir de forma correcta y directa todos aquellos significados, profundos y espirituales, pero también de un gran orden social, que había comprendido al leerlo y estudiarlo en su idioma original.

    Gracias a Dios pude por fin embarcarme en una traducción del Sagrado Corán pensada para la población hispanoparlante del mundo, pero principalmente para el público latinoamericano. Jun-to con un equipo de colaboradores expertos, he procurado poner al alcance de musulmanes y de no musulmanes, el mensaje del Islam de la forma más cercana posible a la revelación original en idioma árabe, pero utilizando a la vez un lenguaje sencillo y explicaciones claras de los términos, de manera que el contenido del texto resulte fácil de comprender.

    Antecedentes

    Si bien el Islam no es hoy día una de las religiones con mayor número de fieles en América Latina, se está expandiendo rápidamente por todo el continente. Ya existen mezquitas en todas las ca-pitales y ciudades importantes de Hispanoamérica y también está creciendo mucho entre la po-blación latina de Estados Unidos.

    Teniendo en cuenta la mala imagen que proyectan los medios de comunicación del Islam y de los musulmanes, contar con una traducción del Corán al idioma español que transmita de forma di-recta y sencilla el verdadero mensaje del Islam, cada vez se hace más importante y urgente por dos razones:

    Primera, porque los musulmanes que no conocen el idioma árabe necesitan leer los significados del Corán en su idioma para comprender y practicar mejor su religión, y así ser buen ejemplo de lo que es realmente un musulmán.

    Segunda, porque los no musulmanes que desean conocer el Islam necesitan tener una fuente confiable de información, que les permita formarse una opinión basada en lo que enseña real-mente el Corán, y no en estereotipos y concepciones erróneas que han permanecido durante siglos en muchas obras de orientalistas y en algunas de las traducciones del Corán.

    De ahí que el objetivo de esta traducción es presentar a los hispanoparlantes el verdadero men-saje del Corán, tal como ha sido conocido, entendido y practicado por los eruditos del Islam y por los musulmanes devotos durante más de 1.400 años, para ello se basa en un lenguaje claro, sen-cillo, directo y actual, pensando en el público latinoamericano.

    Distribución de copias impresas y versión digital

    El objetivo de esta traducción es su distribución gratuita para que de esta manera llegue al máxi-mo público posible.

    Para conseguir este objetivo se ha distribuido una versión digital en formato PDF, se ha agregado a distintas aplicaciones con múltiples traducciones y en breve saldrá una aplicación propia para lectura y audio.

    También se han hecho múltiples impresiones para su distribución gratuita. La primera de ellas fue de 50.000 copias de tamaño bolsillo para distribuir durante la Copa Mundial de Futbol en Brasil 2014.

    También se imprimieron 100.000 copias en Qatar para distribuir a nivel mundial, y en América La-tina se han hecho pequeñas impresiones en países como Bolivia, Colombia, Guatemala y México. En España ha comenzado un proyecto de distribución para el que ya han impreso 10.000 copias.

    Creo que es necesario que los musulmanes se unan y colaboren en la impresión de esta traduc-ción con el objetivo de acercar el mensaje del Islam a los musulmanes y no musulmanes.

    Sobre el traductor

    Isa García nació en Argentina, es licenciado en Lengua Árabe y en Teología Islámica de la Univer-sidad de Umm Al-Qura de la ciudad de La Meca en Arabia Saudí, especializado en la misma en los “Orígenes de las tradiciones Proféticas”. Cursó estudios en mediación y resolución de conflictos en Estados Unidos. Ha sido director del departamento de español en las editoriales International Islamic Publishing House y Darussalam, y de diferentes páginas web islámicas. Permanentemen-te dicta conferencias en diferentes países de América Latina y Europa, y en Estados Unidos. Ha trabajado como traductor del árabe y del inglés al español durante los últimos 15 años, y es tam-bién autor de obras sobre teología islámica y distintos temas sociales que afectan a la comunidad islámica. Fue nombrado por la revista The Muslim 500 como uno de los musulmanes más influ-yentes del mundo en los años 2013 y 2014.

  • Una Mision de Amor

    Una Mision de Amor

    A medida que inicié mi viaje más importante de Dawah a México, me puse a reflexionar y pensar en mis últimas tres misiones de divulgación. “¿Por qué era este el más importante?”, Me pregunté a mí misma, siendo que estaba viajando con menos equipaje y sola. Sin embargo, la respuesta era que iba para llamar a mi abuelita al Islam, mientras se encontraba en su lecho de muerte, y no sería algo fácil. Ver a mi familia angustiada y sentimental sería difícil, también. Hice este viaje en exclusiva para ella, para mi abuelita. Ella pidió verme y yo tomé esta solicitud como mi última oportunidad para transmitir el mensaje del Islam a ella. Mientras estaba volando sobre el Golfo de México le supliqué al Todopoderoso que abriera su corazón e hiciera que sus últimas palabras sean las mejores palabras, las palabras de Tauhid.

    Ha sido bastante tiempo desde que soy musulmana y he pasado por varias pruebas pero esta era la primera vez que Alá me estaba probando con la muerte. La muerte siempre parece estar tan lejos hasta que lo estás presenciando realmente. Para una conversa, la muerte es aún más aterradora y una de nuestras peores pesadillas. La idea de perder a un familiar me recuerda a nuestro amado Profeta Muhammad, la paz sea con él, cuando intentó llamar a su tío, Abu Talib, al Islam sin éxito.

    Hoy estoy experimentando esto con la posibilidad de perder a mi abuela quien me acogió desde los 3 meses hasta los 5 años. Durante visitas previas, nos habíamos sentado a conversar pero debido a su edad, siempre terminaba la conversación para evitar molestarla. He suplicado muchísimo, pidiéndole a mi Creador que me ayude con las mejores palabras para decirle. Como dije anteriormente, este viaje era diferente porque no llevaba 10, 11, o 12 maletas llenas de donaciones para los musulmanes de México, ni iba con un grupo de voluntarios. En el pasado, visitaba a mi familia por algunos días antes de visitar a las comunidades musulmanas para proporcionarles materiales islámicos, para dar una lectura o para ayudar a restaurar una mezquita. Sin embargo, me sentí más bendecida en poder compartir una conversación privada con este ser tan maravilloso quien me cuidó incondicionalmente.

    Al llegar, rompí en llanto viéndola tan débil, delgada y con oxígeno; como mínimo fue devastador. Una tía me aconsejó que saliera y me lavara la cara porque mi abuelita me necesitaba fuerte y no llorando. Cuando regresé al cuarto me fije en una pintura de la Virgen de Guadalupe, una imagen de María, la madre de Jesús, que es venerada e incluso adorada en México, y claro, me incomodó un poco porque la consideraba un obstáculo para mi misión.

    Mi abuela se despertó y al ver que yo estaba allí, ella sonrió y me pidió que me acercara. La abracé como siempre, apretándola con todas mis fuerzas. Ella gritó y dijo: “¡Tú me vas a romper!” Nos reímos y nos contemplamos la una a la otra. Yo le dije que la amaba y que todo iba a estar bien. Ella preguntó por mi hijo y le dije que estaba bien y en la escuela. Le dije, “Estoy aquí para ti, para cuidarte sin interrupciones, sólo tú y yo”.

    Mi visita fue corta pero pareció larga debido a los momentos agradables que pasamos juntas. Yo tuve la oportunidad de darle de comer, bañarle y durante todo tuvimos varias conversaciones acerca de la unicidad de Dios. Una hermana de la comunidad de la Ciudad de México llamada Nabíla se unió a mí para ofrecer su apoyo, el mejor regalo que Dios me envió, mashaAllah. Con su ayuda, pudimos hablar con ella y el resto de mi familia sobre el Islam. También durante su visita dimos Shahada a una joven local que se encontró con ella en el autobús de camino a verme. Al tercer día de mi visita, mientras la hermana Nabíla y yo salimos, el retrato de la Virgen de Guadalupe había sido retirado de la pared.

    La última noche que pasé al lado de mi abuelita le pregunté si creía en Dios como el Todopoderoso y el único Creador y ella me respondió que sí. Le pregunté: “¿Quién es Jesús?” Ella respondió: “Un mensajero de Dios”. Le pregunté si ella cree que él es el hijo de Dios, a lo que ella respondió que no. Trate de introducir la segunda parte del testimonio de la fe, pero ella se sintió abrumada. Me pidió que dejara las cosas así, ya que nunca había oído hablar del Profeta Muhammad, la paz sea con él. Al regresar a los Estados Unidos le comenté al imam local del incidente y él me informó que debido a su edad avanzada (104 años) y condición, fue suficiente, y Alá sabe mejor.

    Hoy me siento aquí muy agradecida por la oportunidad de completar esta misión y la oportunidad de ver a mi abuela por diferentes motivos. Fue maravilloso pasar tiempo con ella a pesar de que extrañe mucho a mi hijo, ya que nunca había estado lejos de él. Tampoco había visto a toda mi familia tan unida y dispuesta a escuchar lo que tenía que decir. Todos hicieron muchas preguntas y, por primera vez, después de todos estos años, sentí su aceptación y amor. Le pido a Dios que guíe nuestras familias, que nos dé la sabiduría para transmitir el hermoso mensaje del Islam, que los colme con la misma dulzura que hemos sido bendecidos y que nos permita vernos tanto en esta vida como la siguiente. Amen.

  • A Mission of Love

    A Mission of Love

    As I embarked on my most important dawah trip to Mexico, I began to reflect and think of my past three outreach missions. “Why was this the most important?” I asked myself, “I am traveling with the least amount of luggage and alone.” The answer was that I was going in order to call my elderly grandmother to Islam, while she lay on her deathbed, and it would not be easy. Seeing my family in distress and emotional would be hard, as well. I booked this trip exclusively for her, my “Abuelita,” my grandma. She requested to see me, and I took this request as my last opportunity to convey the message of Islam to her. As I was flying over the Gulf a Mexico I prayed for the Almighty to open her heart and make her last words be the best words, words of tawheed.

    It’s been quite some time since I became Muslim and I have been tested in various ways but this was the first time Allah was testing me with death. Death always seems so distant until you are actually experiencing it. As a convert, death is even more frightening, and one of our biggest challenges is losing a family member who does not embrace Islam. I am reminded of our beloved Prophet, peace be upon him, when he called his uncle, Abu Talib, to Islam, but to no avail.

    Today I am experiencing this with the possibility of losing my grandmother who took care of me from the tender age of 3 months until I was almost 5 years old. In previous visits we sat and had several conversations but due to her age I have always dropped the conversation to avoid upsetting her. I have made tons of du’a and asked my Creator to help me with the best words to say to her. Again, this trip was different because I was not carrying 10, 11, or 12 pieces of luggage full of donations for the Muslims in Mexico, nor did I have a group of volunteers. In the past I would come to visit my family a couple of days at a time before visiting Muslim communities to either provide them with Islamic material, give a talk, or help restore/rebuild a masjid. However, I feel more blessed to be able to have a one-on-one conversation with this wonderful woman who unconditionally cared for me.

    Upon my arrival, I broke down so see her so weak, thin and with oxygen; it was devastating to say the least. I was advised by an aunt to step out, wash my face, and come back. She told me that she needed me to be strong and not crying, so I did just that. When I came back to the room I noticed a huge poster of the virgin of Guadalupe, a depiction of Mary, the mother of Jesus, that is revered and even worshipped in Mexico, and of course, I was a bit bothered by it because I saw it as an obstacle to my mission.

    My grandmother woke up and when she saw that I was there, she smiled and asked me to come close. I hugged her as always, so tight and with all my might. She yelled and said, “You are going to break me!” We both laughed and gazed at each other. I told her I love her and that everything was going to be okay. She asked about my son and I told her he was fine and at school. I told her, “I am here for you, to care for you without interruptions, just me and you.”

    My visit was short but seemed long because of the quality time we spent together. I got a chance to feed her, bathe her and throughout all that we had several conversations about the oneness of God. A sister from the Mexico City community named Nabila joined me to offer her support, the best gift Allah sent my way, mashaAllah. With her help, we were able to speak to her and the rest of my family about Islam. Also during her visit we gave Shahada to a local young girl whom she ran into on the bus on her way to see me. By the third day of my stay, while Sister Nabila and I had stepped out, the poster of the virgin of Guadalupe had been removed from the wall.

    The last night I spent by my grandmother’s side I asked her if she believed in God as the Almighty and sole Creator and she said yes. I asked her, “Who is Jesus?” She replied, “A messenger of God.” I asked if she believed he is the son of God, to which she replied no. We tried covering the second part of the testimony of faith but she was overwhelmed. She asked me to leave it at that, since she had never heard of the Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him. Upon returning to the States I asked the local imam about the incident and he informed me that due to her advanced age (104) and condition, it was enough and Allah knows best.

    Today I sit here so grateful for the opportunity to complete this mission and the opportunity to see my grandmother on different grounds. It was wonderful to spend quality time with her even though I missed my son so much, as I had never been apart from him. I had also never seen my entire family so united and willing to hear what I had to say. Everyone asked tons of questions and for once, after all these years, I felt their acceptance and love. I ask Allah to guide our families, to give us the wisdom to convey the beautiful message of Islam, to shower them with the sweetness we have been blessed with, and to allow us to see one another both in this life and the next. Ameen.

     

  • Combating Domestic Violence as a Muslim Woman

    Combating Domestic Violence as a Muslim Woman

    Violence against women is a matter that should concern us all, yet it seems only a few people are concerned. Throughout the world, one in three women is beaten or suffers some type of abuse in her lifetime. According to data from the World Health Organization, 70 percent of women who are killed, die at the hands of their partner or ex-partner.

    Violence against women is present in all societies in the world regardless of political or economic system, regardless of social status of perpetrator or victim, level of education, ethnicity, financial situation, culture, or religion. This everyday reality is manifested many different ways and it takes place in a number of settings; and my own country, Mexico, is of course no exception. In Mexico, violence against women is a social problem that hides itself within the home. Many female victims of domestic violence live with their enemy in the same house and are exposed to danger day to day.

    I am a psychologist working for an institution that provides psychological support to women who have been victims of family violence. Every day I hear stories of how their husbands beat them, threaten them, are unfaithful to them, insult them, and sadly some women have also died while making an attempt tto escape the violence. This is a hidden reality many choose not to talk about. My work is a positive challenge in my life, alhamdulilah; it is what I love doing. I feel very blessed for having the opportunity to be able to listen to women who put in my hands their hope of coming out of a problem that affects their lives and the lives of their children.

    I am Muslim, Mexican and defend women’s rights. This probably comes as a surprise to many of the women who come into my office; some of them even think it is contradictory. “Are you telling me that it is not?” A woman once asked me, “How can a woman who covers her head out of submission (she said referring to my hijab), tell me how I can escape the violence I am dealing with, when she herself cannot escape her own submission?” I smiled smiled and answered her with confidence. My hijab is my best tool for giving dawah.

    In fact, it was my inconformity and sense of injustice regarding violence against women that brought me closer to Islam. I also had a wrong idea about the situation of Muslim women, which I see now reflected in the faces of many of my patients when they see me for the first time; many express their surprise, and others – even if they don’t say anything – have a look of astonishment or shock on their faces.

    I could say that I do see my old self mirrored in some of them; who I was when I first met Muslim women smiling and happy, when they talked to me about the value of women in Islam, when I read about the rights of women in Islam. I used to ask myself, “Is this possible?” trying to understand. And this is why I do enjoy so much explaining to them why I am a Muslim, with my own words and with my behavior.

    Islam came to complement my life and it has helped better understand the work I do. It helped me understand my own value as a woman. Men mistreat women because of ignorance and failure to properly understand power dynamics. Muslims, men and women, must work together to combat domestic violence.

  • My Advice to New Muslims

    My Advice to New Muslims

    Oftentimes when a person embraces Islam, he or she is unsure of what steps to take next. After much effort to arrive at the decision to proclaim the shahadah, the testimony of faith, with conviction and sincerity, their journey continues. Knowing where to go from there can help a new Muslim steer clear of hardships and misguidance. I am a Latino convert of over twenty years who has had a chance to study Islam and Arabic in the US and Saudi Arabia. In this article, I offer my advice to new Muslims.

    Learn About Allah

    The science which deals with this is called al-tawhid, which means “to single out Allah in worship”. Actually, al-tawhid is classified into three categories – tawhid al-rub?b?yah (singling out Allah in His Lorship), tawhid al-asm?’ wa al-sif?t (singling out Allah in His Names and Characteristics), and tawhid al-uluh?yah (singling out Allah in worship).

    Getting to know Allah is very important. Having newly entered Islam, one might still have a lot of misunderstandings about his/her Lord. In Islam, we recognize that our original state of being is one of not having knowledge, and Allah sent prophets to us to teach us about Allah and the correct way to worship Him. Allah says “We have sent to every nation a messenger (saying) “Worship Allah and avoid worship of other than Allah.” This knowledge is the most important thing a Muslim can learn and the first obligation upon him/her. One should be continually learning, recognizing, purifying, and acting upon tawhid.

    The first words uttered to enter Islam – “L? il?ha illa All?h” – are related to al-tawhid. These words are in fact a statement confirming al-tawhid. They should also be the last words a Muslim says just before he/she dies. That being the case, we can say that al-tawhid should also be the last matter in life.

    Learn the Qur’an

    Allah sent the Qur’an to us as a guide to live by, to judge by it, to recite it, to use it as a cure, to learn and teach it, to reflect upon its words, and to make it the center of our lives. Indeed, the Qur’an is one of the greatest miracles. We should spend time learning how to recite it in its original language. We should read its translation in the language we are most fluent and comfortable with. We should also invest time in our lives to familiarize ourselves with its verses. Indeed, every single verse is itself a sign (?yah) from Allah. It is Allah’s Message to us and instructions on how to live our lives and fulfill what Allah wants us to do.

    Start Praying Immediately

    Prayer is an essential part of Islam. The prophet (peace be upon him) said, “The covenant that distinguishes between us and them is the prayer, so whoever abandons it has disbelieved.” (Reported by Ahmad, Al-Nisai, and Al-Tirmidhi).

    Avoid Bad Company

    It is very important for new Muslims to stay away from bad company. Why do I say this? There are many negative and destructive behaviors that some people see as normal or even praiseworthy. Some individuals accept certain actions as being normal or acceptable; for example, dating and premarital sex, unnecessary intermixing of the genders, drinking alcohol and going to nightclubs, etc. These people have not yet understood the importance of living a pious life or felt the impact of establishing regular prayer. They may not even accept the existence of a Creator. This type of bad company might divert you – intentionally or unintentionally – from your new chosen life. They are not upon the correct path; so how can you expect them to aid you on the path that you have already chosen and recognized to be the one and only truth?

    Attend the Masjid Regularly/Get Involved

    Islam is a religion in which community is very important. Prayers are preformed in congregation five times a day. Males should try to make a great effort to attend all of these five prayers or as many as he can in the masjid if there is no difficulty in him doing this. Women are certainly allowed to pray in the masjid, but are encouraged to pray at home when children or other home matters demand attention. I would also suggest getting involved in whatever capacity you can at the local masjid.

    Learn Arabic

    Arabic is the language of Islam since the revelation was revealed through this language. Arabic is a universal language and is spoken by believers all around the world. The more we understand Arabic, the better we can understand the Qur’an.

    I would suggest learning as much of the Arabic language as possible. Focus on the correct recitation of the words, and on understanding their meaning.

    Additionally, one should not make it a stumbling block to learning or practicing the religion. At times, Muslims get diverted from other matters and may not even pray or memorize the Qur’an with the excuse that he/she has not mastered Arabic yet. Not knowing enough Arabic should never be used as an excuse for one to fall short in other areas.

    Learn the Seerah

    Muslims should learn about the Prophet Muhammad’s (peace be upon him) life. Seerah is the science which teaches about the life of the Prophet Muhammad. We should learn about his life and take lessons from it. We should also learn how he dealt with situations and try our best to model our lives according to his life. Indeed, Allah said, “You have in the Messenger of Allah the best example.” All of our actions in life should accord with his Sunnah (way of life, instruction, actions, and tacit approval).

    Learn About he Early Muslims

    There are often times where Muslims differ on issues related to the religion. Sometimes these differences are legitimate, and sometimes they are not. Allah says, “If you differ in anything, bring it back to Allah and his Messenger.” This means that we should resolve our problems by going back to Allah’s Qur’an, and in our times since the Messenger is not alive, we should go back to his Sunnah. However, there may still exist some differences of opinion on the interpretation of the Qur’an and Sunnah. Therefore, we should rely on the interpretation of the early Muslims, namely the Prophet’s Companions, their followers, and the followers of the followers. By this we can get the best and most accurate interpretation of Islam.

    If these early generations of Islam had a consensus on a particular matter, then it is not permitted to differ in that matter. If they differed on something, then the varying viewpoints are acceptable. We should never rely on our own opinion on things that have already been established or make it an issue of disunity among the Muslims.

  • The Missing Peace

    The Missing Peace

    My path towards Islam has taken many twists and turns throughout Latin America and here in the USA, where I finally became a Muslim. My parents are from Chile. They were political refugees exiled to Mexico because they were Socialists. In the 70s, to be a Socialist in Latin America was synonymous with being a rebel. Having political views that were left-leaning was very dangerous at that time. In 1973, a military coup d’état in Chile resulted in years of brutal political repression. My father was imprisoned and tortured before being exiled. A few months later he met my mother, who was also a Chilean political refugee. In 1976, I was born in Mexico City. My parents, my sister and I lived as a relatively happy, typical Mexican middle class family except for one thing: my parents were agnostic. To not be Catholic in Mexico was almost unthinkable.

    In 1989, when democracy was reinstated in Chile, my parents decided to return. I was a 12-year-old boy. Chile is a small country, dominated by one of the most conservative churches in the world. Like in Mexico, I grew up surrounded by Catholic messages over the radio, on television, and in the streets. In my own innocent way, I always liked the idea of God, of one God, but that was not what people believed. How could a boy from an agnostic family firmly believe in God? In my house that topic was never a theme of conversation. “Religion is the opium of the masses,” my father used to say. Over the years, my desire for a spiritual connection continued to increase.

    As a teenager, I was exposed to Capoeira (a Brazilian dance/martial art form) during a family vacation to Brazil. In Chile, I began taking Capoeira classes which helped to fill the void of my lacking spirituality. In 2000, I was accepted to the school of business in Chile and I studied Capoeira every day. My life became busy, “too busy” for religion.

    In 2003, I met my wife, a beautiful American woman who was teaching English in Santiago, Chile. She came from a Catholic family and thus, I came closer to the religion. In 2005, I moved to the USA and in 2006 we married in a Catholic Church in Richmond, Virginia. In 2008, I opened my own studio to teach different styles of martial arts, fitness and dance. That same year my first daughter, Priya, was born and in 2010 I became a home owner. In a period of only five years I had achieved the “American dream”, things that some people do not achieve in their entire life. But something was still missing.

    2012 was one of the hardest times in my life. My arrogance led me to tear my patella tendon which took almost a full year to recover. That same year my second daughter, Mireya, was born. In 2013, I began my spiritual-religious search. I started investigating the Yoruba religion, Santeria, but I did not feel identified with it.

    In December of 2014, I spent Christmas with my family in Chile. After Christmas dinner I went to my room to sleep, but stayed awake just sitting on my bed. Memories of my adolescence and my youth came to me and I began to cry. I cried a lot. I can’t remember for how long, maybe for five or 10 minutes, but I remember putting my knees on the floor and my arms in a supplication position. And I stayed there, asking, really asking, for God to guide me and help me to come closer to Him. After that, I turned on the TV and it was showing a program about the life of Jesus. A lot of questions came to mind like, “Is he God”? Then I googled the word “Jesus” and somehow landed on a page discussing Jesus and Islam. Then I researched the words “Islam” and “Prophet Muhammad.” By the end, I didn’t sleep until 5 or 6 am.

    Around 11am, I woke up. My mother said I must have been tired because of how much I had slept. I told her then that I wanted to become a Muslim but she didn’t believe me. When I arrived in America again, I called a Muslim friend to see if he could take me to a mosque. There, I felt so much peace and harmony within myself. Then another friend, who is from Turkey, helped me to take my Shahada, the testimony of faith. I also met a Gambian brother, a student at my studio, who helped me visit different mosques and meet with some imams. By Ramadan time, I realized that I was surrounded by a nice community of brothers to help me in my journey.

    My wife has been a tremendous support to me. We have been married for 10 years now. I consider myself an impulsive person and I used to get angry with her for insignificant things. But now I try to remember this hadith: “The strong person is not the good wrestler. Rather, the strong person is the one who controls himself when he is angry.” (Sahih al-Bukhari, Book 73, #135)

  • The Qur’an Opened My Heart

    The Qur’an Opened My Heart

    My name is Margarita Aguirre and I am from the city of Guadalajara in Jalisco, Mexico. I was born in the midst of a practicing Catholic family. I remember that while I was in high school, I had my first encounter with Islam without realizing it. On our school’s bulletin board, they displayed a “poem” that caught my attention. I remember jotting it down in my favorite poetry journal because I loved it. At the end of the poem, it simply read: “The Qur’an.” I thought that it must have referred to a book of poetry, and so I did not think to look for any more information.

    Years passed and again I came face-to-face with the Qu’ran. In my profession as a teacher, and until now, I have always been passionate about everything that has to do with history. Consequently, it was while I was reading about history that I learned about all the many world religions, including Islam. One day, I planned a lesson dealing with world religions for my students. It was during that particular class that I again found the word, “Qur’an” in the history books. Then I realized that this book was not a book of poetry, but rather a book that Muslims read, similar to the Bible for Christians.

    It was a huge surprise for me, because I used to think that the Bible was God’s only book. I recall that at the end of my work day, I went home and searched for what I had written in my journal all those years ago during high school, and I found it. It was then that I wanted to know more about Islam. That was the most striking incident that occurred which sparked my search for information about Muslims and Islam. In fact I did not have a good concept about Islam but I wanted to explore and understand the religion myself, and I wanted to know why Muslims also had a holy book.

    During my investigation I found an internet page with information about Islam. I really enjoyed reading the articles, and that is how I began learning. The site manager explained a lot about the religion and answered all my questions, dispelling any doubts. I would double check whatever the brother said, just to be certain, until one day I decided to download a copy of the Qur’an.

    In the beginning, this Qur’an contained a biography of the Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, and it impressed me. I finally learned firsthand about the person who had established the Islamic teachings. When I began reading the verses of the Qur’an, my heart recognized that they were God’s words; that I was reading the very words of Allah.

    I felt so moved that I could no longer resist the truth that my heart had acknowledged. This beautiful religion that has changed my life is a fountain of wellbeing and joy for the heart. God, in His divine wisdom has left us with all the knowledge we need in the Holy Qur’an and in the Sunnah of our Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him. More importantly is that it was in this religion that I finally understood God’s Oneness, and I learned how to love Him alone. I felt complete and I understood so many things. Islam perfected my soul and my feelings, and all my doubts were resolved, Alhamdulillah. And as Allah tells us in the Qur’an, “This is the Book about which there is no doubt, a guidance for those conscious of Allah,” (Qur’an, 2:2).

    My first Ramadan was about total surrender to God. I was very excited; it had only been two months since my conversion. I had declared my testimony of faith long distance with a Moroccan brother, because I did not know a single Muslim in Mexico. Later I searched for an Islamic community in my city, and to my surprise, I found other Muslims in Guadalajara. Until that time I had thought that I was the only one in Mexico! I was able to say the Shahada again with my Muslim sisters in the mosque. Alhamdulillah, it was a wonderful Ramadan for me, as I observed the fast, and not only did I leave food and drink during the prescribed times, but I also abstained from everything that was harmful to the soul, such as bad manners and evil actions.

    I give thanks to God for having guided me to Islam as my religion and way of life, for I have never been happier, alhamdulillah.