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A'salaam alaikum wa ramatulahi wa barakatuhu. In sha Allaah  this finds you all in ever increasing emaan and may Allaah grant you any blessings in this Ramadan. 

This is my third Ramadan and alhamdulillah aside from a small set back thanks to my body, it is going surprising well (it's only my 2nd day of fasting so far but in sha Allaah it can only get easier from here, right??).

Anyway, I love coming to the masjid during non-prayer hours. It is so relaxing and calm. I am the only sister here right now. As I sit on the slightly worn looking, green floral rugs of our sisters prayer room, with my Holy Qur'an in my lap, I can hear the muffled discussions of the brothers through the door and every now and then the ringing of the doorbell, signaling that someone else has arrived. The only other sounds that can be heard are the soft ticking of the clock and the quiet hum of the air conditioner. There are no bleachers, no pews. Only a handful of chairs dot the back wall of the room. Peaceful. Serene. 

In approximately two hours, the scene will change. The rooms will start to fill up with brothers and sisters of all ages, all eager for the Adhan of Maghrib prayer, signifying that it is now time to break their fast. The air becomes static with anticipation as everyone waits as patiently as they can for those melodious words of the muezzin (caller). Lively. Excited. 

I was terrified to step foot into the masjid just over two years ago.. Afraid of what other sisters who had been Muslim for far longer than I had might say. But today as I sit here in this most amazing of buildings, the most beautiful of rooms, I look around me and listen to the sounds of the masjid. I am no longer scared to walk through the doors, or to enter the sister's area. Sitting here in quiet reflection, in the soft, airy fabric of these clothes, in the space between these walls, in the comfort of Islaam, and in my faith in Allaah the Most Merciful, and Most Forgiving, I am home. 

Ramadan: The Most Holy of Months

Asalaam alaikum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuhu. I pray that this finds you all in good health and ever increasing eemaan. As the holy month of Ramadan approaches, I thought that I'd write something explaining a little about what it is and its significance.

The month of Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic calendar but because Islam follows a lunar calendar rather than the Gregorian one, the dates change every year. The observance of fasting from dawn to dusk during Ramadan is one of the five pillars of Islam and is obligatory for all adult Muslims except those who are ill, traveling, breastfeeding, pregnant, diabetic or menstruating. While fasting from dawn to sunset, Muslims refrain from consuming food or drink, smoking, sex and in some cases, swearing. Food and drink is served before sunrise (suhoor) and after sunset (Iftar) and varies from place to place on what is served. In Islam the reward for fasting is great but during this month the rewards are multiplied, and fasting often includes an increase in salat (prayers) and reading/reciting the Qur'an.

The month of Ramadan is that in which was revealed the Qur'an; a guidance for mankind, and clear proofs of the guidance, and the criterion (of right and wrong). And whosoever of you is present, let him fast the month, and whosoever of you is sick or on a journey, a number of other days. Allah desires for you ease; He desires not hardship for you; and that you should complete the period, and that you should magnify Allah for having guided you, and that perhaps you may be thankful. (Qur'an, 2: 185) It is believed that the first revelation to Muhammad was sent down during the month of Ramadan. Furthermore, Allaah proclaimed to Muhammad that fasting for His sake was not a new innovation in monotheism, but rather an obligation practiced by those truly devoted to the oneness of God.

Ramadan a time of spiritual reflection, improvement and increased devotion and worship and Muslims are expected to put more effort into following the teachings of Islam. The act of fasting is said to redirect the heart away from worldly activities, its purpose being to cleanse the soul by freeing it from harmful impurities. Ramadan also teaches Muslims how to better practice self-discipline, self-control, sacrifice, and empathy for those who are less fortunate; thus encouraging actions of generosity and compulsory charity called zakat.

Hilāl, or the crescent, is typically a day (or more) after the astronomical new moon. Since the new moon marks the beginning of the new month, Muslims can usually safely estimate the beginning of Ramadan. However, to many Muslims, this is not in accordance with authenticated Hadiths stating that visual confirmation per region is recommended. The consistent variations of a day have existed since the time of Muhammad.

While the entire month is holy, there are a couple of days (or sets of days) in particular that are given particular significance. Laylat al-Qadr, which in Arabic means "the night of power" or "the night of decree," is considered the most holy night of the year. This is the night in which Muslims believe the first revelation of the Quran was sent down to Muhammad stating that this night was "better than one thousand months [of proper worship], as stated in Chapter 97:3 of the Qu'ran. Also, generally, Laylat al-Qadr is believed to have occurred on an odd-numbered night during the last 10 days of Ramadan, i.e., the night of the 21st, 23rd, 25th, 27th or 29th.

The holiday of Eid al-Fitr, "festivity of breaking the fast" marks the end of Ramadan and the beginning of the next lunar month, Shawwal. This first day of the following month is declared after another crescent new moon has been sighted or the completion of 30 days of fasting if no visual sighting is possible due to weather conditions. This first day of Shawwal is called Eid al-Fitr. Eid al-Fitr may also be a reference towards the festive nature of having endured the month of fasting successfully and returning to the more natural disposition (fitra) of being able to eat, drink and resume intimacy with spouses during the day.

In all, the month of Ramadan is important for many reasons and there are a lot of things that go on and I would like to take this opportunity to invite all non-Muslims to attend a Friday service and prayer or an Iftar dinner during this most holy of months. Go with an open mind, an open heart and a willingness to learn something new about the beautiful religion of Islaam and in shaa Allaah be able to pass along the knowledge to someone else.

Ya Allaah make what is difficult easy and what is easy keep it easy. May we be granted many blessings of Allaah, Most Merciful, Most High, Most Generous, during this holy month of Ramadan and may we live to see many more in sha Allaah.

Support from my Sister

A'salaam alaikum wa ramatulahi wa barakatuhu. My sister wrote this for me when I was having somewhat of a bad day and I wanted to share it with you all. Thank you, Jacque. It's as beautiful as you and it means a lot to me. 

"My sister is Muslim" is usually a sentence I utter when someone asks what I think of "Islamists" or "dirty Muslims" or "sand niggers." 

"My sister is Muslim and I love her."  That's what I think of it.  No one usually presses the issue. Some appear uncomfortable.  I don't know if they think that maybe I am Muslim as well, since she is, or if they're suddenly afraid they've offended me (I'm offended because of how you are asking the question because I'm a person and you are talking about other people). Some, I can see, are surprised to hear me say it.  Some appear confused.  I am clearly Caucasian and most see primarily the European descent.  A few pick up on something else that doesn't "seem" European to them.  I usually explain we have a good mix of Native American blood as well.  Most know I'm from Oklahoma originally.  None of this explains the wayward sister who chose Islam.  

I think I knew the choice before many others.  My sister has a tendency to ask for an opinion when she has almost decided herself (or completely decided, but hasn't figured out how to announce said decision).  She asked me around Thanksgiving a few years ago.  

"What do you think of Islam?"  

She had been taking classes at university about religion, sociology, etc., similar to classes I'd taken.  

"I think of Islam about what I think of all other organized religions:  It has some good parts.  Those parts can be amazing.  It has some parts that I don't agree with personally.  There are people who take it way to an extreme and out of context, like many other religions. There are people who give it a terrible name.  There are people who give a good positive name."  

I never asked what she thought of my answer.  I didn't need to know her opinion of my response--she knows I've never been the religious type despite having familiarity with many religions.  She knows that.  She also knows I am a philosophy major and I love research.  I started studying Taoism and Buddhism at fourteen.  I researched Paganism in its various forms about the same time.  I've researched Christianity and have a bizarre fascination with Gothic churches and the activity of the Catholic Church since before the Holy Roman Empire.  I want to be allowed into the Vatican's libraries to study the manuscripts.  I want to sit in wonder in the same room as the Dalai Lama.  I've researched Judaism.  Qabalah.  Ancient Greek and Roman mythology and philosophy have always held a special place.  The various tribal religions across the worlds are fascinating.  Religions and cultures mesmerize me.  I'm not religious, though.  

"My sister is Muslim."  

This has not changed our relationship.  I worry about her safety more since she reverted.  Not because she cannot take care of herself. but because ignorance leads people to fear, anger, and hatred.  I want to protect her from harm.  I want to hold her gloved hand as she walks veiled in public so she has something to which she can direct her frustration and anger.  If it means squeezing my hand, so be it.  I want to be able to look someone in the eyes and say, "She's my sister.  You wouldn't judge me as harshly as you judge her by looking at me and you don't know anything about me.  You would likely assume that I am more like you than she is.  Why is it acceptable in your mind for you to judge her when you know nothing more about her personhood than you do mine?"     

I want to be the one who explains that the covering of one's body is not necessarily a bad thing.  This is one of the more extreme things Americans see when they see Muslim women.  Why is it so acceptable to Americans to show so much skin?  Yes, the adage "sex sells" is prevalent, somewhat true, but is it necessary?  I was once told that I am "too smart to be as pretty as I am" by another woman.  Or maybe she said I was "too pretty to be as smart as I am."  Either way, why is it one or the other for us?  Why can't we listen to what a woman says?  Why can't we accept that women can be beautiful, intelligent, compassionate, empathetic, courageous, etc.?  Why do we judge women by their measurements and by only that which we can see? Why is covering oneself so restrictive and so controversial?  Why do little girls perceive that their value is based on their bodies and dress bodies they don't yet have?  What would happen if we encourage more modesty of dress and more presentation of mind?  Why is revealing our bodies the way to protect ourselves from judgment of others, when it opens us up to physical assault?  I want to be able to spark those thoughts in others, but especially now that my sister, who is physically beautiful, is covered and no longer has that to protect herself in our society.  Instead, she stands out whether fully veiled or in her scarf. 

Now, she is a target.  She has a brilliant mind.  One that she probably never received much credit for possessing because she was the beautiful blonde in our family, who inherited all the genetic ability to be buxom as well.  She knows so much more than she lets on and she thinks so much faster than most people believe. She is immensely compassionate. Covering her body, one would think would allow her more freedom to express those thoughts and her compassion as people who not be distracted by the amount of cleavage or the size of her ass.  They don't see that.  They don't see what I see.  

"My sister is Muslim."

She is not a terrorist.  She is not a jihadist.  She is a mother of two boys.  She is a wife.  She is a daughter, a sister, an aunt.  She also happens to be Muslim.  She chose Islam (or it chose her).  She did not marry into it.  She is not married to someone from KSA or elsewhere in the Middle East.  She is a hard worker.  She worries about what her family thinks.  Her family worries they might lose her.  
Her nineteen year old self would not recognize her now. She has become the woman that was always inside her, who was waiting to appear.  Waiting for the frivolity of life to pass.  Waiting for an opportunity to say, "You are so much, much more than you have been.  You can do great things.  You need the mechanism and the inspiration to do so.  You need to feel whole. Find that."  She did.  

"My sister is Muslim."

A Firm Foundation

Asalaam alaikum wa ramatullahi wa barakatuhu. In sha Allaah you all are doing well. I feel like it has been forever since I have posted. Also, I feel like I jump around quite a bit in my topics so I apologize for that, entries really just come to the page as ideas come to me. Mashallah I have noticed many views from around the world, many of those are from fellow Muslim brothers and sisters, there are many here as well who may or may not know much if anything about Islaam past what I write. So, today's post is mainly for them, and in essence will be starting at the very beginning, giving a foundation to be built upon and to clarify some of the terms that I have previously used and will continue to use in the future. In sha Allaah it be of benefit to anyone who reads it.

Just as a well built building has a firm foundation to stand on, Islaam is guided by five pillars that are the basis of the whole religion and are mandatory for all believers. These are all integral parts of a Muslim's life.

Shahada is the declaration of faith; that there is one God, Allaah, and Muhammad is His messenger. Normally recited in Arabic as "la ilaha ila-ilahu muhammadun rasulu-llah (There is no god but Allaah and Muhammad is the messenger of Allaah)", it is essential to become Muslim and convert to Islaam. (I had never spoken any amount of Arabic before the day I spoke those words).

Salat is the Islamic prayer. Done facing the Kaaba of Mecca, the most holy site in Islaam, salat consists of five daily prayers; Fajr (sunrise), Dhuhr (noon), Asr (afternoon), Maghrib (evening) and Isha (night).  Washing for purification before prayer is called wudu, there are specific movements and postures to do for each prayer and each different prayer has a prescribed number of repetitions. Also, while prayers can be done nearly anywhere, the mosque is the preferred place to offer them.

Zakat is the charitable giving based on a person's accumulated wealth. It is mandatory for all Muslims who can do so and is considered each person's responsibility to ease economic hardship of others and lessen inequality. It consists of giving a portion of one's wealth (if able) for the poor or needy such as debtors or travelers. Muslims may also donate as an act of voluntary charity called sadaqah. There are five principles that must be followed when donating zakat as well. These include: the giver must declare to Allaah their intentions in giving the zakat; it must be paid on the date that it's due; after the offering, the payer must not exaggerate spending their money outside of their usual means; payment must be in kind (if a person is wealthy, they donate money but if a person is not wealthy they must make up for it in other ways such as good deeds and good behavior towards others); and the zakat must be distributed in the community in which it was taken.

There are three types of fasting recognized in the Qur'an; ritual fasting, fasting as a compensation for repentance, and ascetic fasting. Ritual fasting is obligatory during the month of Ramadan. During this month, Muslims must abstain from consuming food or drink and other sins from dawn to dusk and is required for all who have reached puberty unless he or she has a medical condition that prevents it. The purpose of the fast is to bring the individual closer to Allaah and to seek forgiveness from Him and Him alone, to express gratitude to Him, atone for their sins and remember the needy. Also during Ramadan, Muslims are expected to more closely follow the teachings of Islaam by refraining from violence, anger, envy, greed, lust, profane language and gossip, as well as avoiding all obscene or irreligious sights and sounds. It should be noted that pre-pubescent children, those with medical conditions, elderly people, and pregnant, breastfeeding or menstruating women are not required to fast. If a fast is missed it should be made up as soon as possible but at least before the next Ramadan.

The final pillar is hajj. This is the pilgrimage to the holy city of Mecca in the Islamic month of Dhu al-Hijjah* and all able-bodied Muslims must make at least once in their lives. Both men and women dress in Ihram clothing which consists of two white sheets and includes the rituals of walking seven times around the Kaaba, touching the Black Stone, traveling seven times between Mount Safa and Mount Marwah, and symbolically stoning Shaytaan (Satan) in Mina. The pilgrim is called a haji and is honored among the Muslim community. Hajj should be an expression of ones devotion to Allaah and not as a status symbol or means to social gain. Therefore, the believer should evaluate their intentions for making the pilgrimage and should lead to constant striving for self improvement.

*Islam uses a lunar calendar and not a Gregorian calendar, therefore the exact months of each year change with the phases of the moon.*

There you have it everyone; the basics of the foundation of Islaam and of every Muslim's life. I know that for many of you who may read this, it is nothing new to you and that is fine. For the rest of you, I truly hope that it helps to clear up and questions and give a basis for understanding the religion itself in sha Allaah. As always, feel free to leave questions or comments because I love hearing from you all!