Naeem's Blog

Hate is a powerful emotion. It stirs up images of rage and violence. It reeks of loss of control. It places one in a position of arrogance and certainty, distancing one from humility and modesty.

Its one thing to hate on issues of black/white, but really, how many of those are there?

I'm talking about hate when it comes to the gray areas. I'm very cautious in opening my jar of hate on any debatable issue. I reserve my feelings of hate for the truly evil abominations, such as rapists, pedophiles, capitalists, MSM, and the sort.

So when it comes to my relationship with America, I don't consider it love-hate. Its more a like-dislike thingie.

And so, to prove that my recent post on why I can't love America wasn't rooted in any irrational hatred against the US, I decided to counter with a list of reasons why I don't hate America:

Because it's essentially a meritocracy. You work hard, you do well. You slack off, you pump gas.

Because rule of law not only exists but is the societal norm. The exception occurs when the law is broken, as opposed to the other way around. Yes, I realize I’m working with pretty low standards here (read Muslim world).

Because of American higher education. Eventhough their primary and secondary schools suck bigtime, the universities are the best in the world.

Because cleanliness is contagious. Americans have pride in keeping their communities and surroundings clean.

Because Americans are polite. 'Thank you', 'please', 'nice to meet you', holding the door open, letting you merge in, waving as you pass by – all small acts of kindness and politeness which reveal a desire to be nice to their fellow human.

Because the underprivileged and the outcast and the neglected of society are given due attention. Whether it’s the handicapped or the divorced mother of three or the ex-con trying to get his life back, America gives them the opportunity to be more than just a burden on society.

Because their anti-immigrant xenophobia is nowhere close to the levels seen in many European countries. Immigrants aren't cordoned off into ghettos, but are actually given the opportunity to integrate into greater society.

Because Muslims are more free to practice their religion in America than most anywhere else in the world. Sad but undeniably true.

Tried to add more to this list, but struggled to come up with anything else.

Suggestions?

Recently a commenter on this blog was questioned on her choice of screen name (hijabisoverrated) and I wanted to chime in on the matter. I can't speak to the motivations of the sister, but I must say that I agree with the sentiment expressed in the name.

Muslims have for too long missed the forest for the trees. We've become so preoccupied with the minutiae of fiqh, aqeedah, hadith, tafseer that we've missed the greater purpose, living a life to please Allah (swt).

Of course aqeedah and fiqh are important, but they are means to a goal, not the goal itself! Were we merely created to master every minute detail of how to tie our turbans? Will our lives be judged based on how we answer the question, where is Allah?

I remember one Imam saying that we will never achieve success until we get out of the bathroom. He was referring to the incessant focus placed on fiqhi issues, such as going to the bathroom.

Hijab is another one of those issues that we all need to get over. Let's move on folks. Let's talk about wider social issues such as education, standing up for the rights of the oppressed (both locally and internationally), fighting against economic injustice, fighting for international justice, countering secularism and liberalism and their evil sidekick capitalism. And let us stop with this ill-advised obsession with peripheral issues.

Its all about misplaced priorities.
Looking 'Muslim' is more important than Acting Muslim.
Talking 'Muslim' is more important than Walking Muslim.

Outward expressions of superficial value have been given priority to the more substantial realms of inner purification and social activism. And why not? The former are quicker to carry out and easier to judge than the latter.

I believe there is a balance between the micro (individual) and the macro (society). Since we've lost control over our macro, too many of us have relegated our lives to dominating the micro, explaining our imbalanced infatuation with personal expressions of piety, resulting in major bouts of hypocrisy and self-righteousness.

Finally, I'm not as pissed as her, but Achelois has a nicely written rant on a similar subject.

I’ve been seeing highlights of the French Open on the news and I got to thinking. Am I the only one who thinks those skimpy tennis outfits worn by the women are totally sexist?

How come the men get to wear knee-length shorts and short-sleeve shirts while the women have to scamper around in tight-fitted tank tops and ultra short mini-skirts? Do the women get some sort of competitive advantage running around in lingerie? If that were the case, I’m sure the men would be playing in speedos.

I’m not even making some Islamic hijab-based argument for covering up. I’m just talking about wearing the same gear the men are wearing.

Tennis seems to be the only sport that has such clothing-based gender discrimination. Basketball, softball, soccer, track and field – all sports wherein women don the same uniforms as their male counterparts.

And truly indicative of their warped sense of morality, these folks ballyhoo the equal prize money as a sign of advancement in gender equality (eventhough women play three sets while men play five!), all the while ignoring the more sexist clothing arrangements.

Warped indeed!

Many activists talk about women being their own worst enemy in the fight against patriarchy and misogyny, referring to cases where women themselves perpetuate social and cultural norms antithetical to gender equality. Choosing to objectify one’s body surely places one into this category.

These female tennis players are equally guilty of sabotaging the women’s rights movement as the Pakistani mother who forces her daughter to return to her abusive husband in the name of preserving family honor.

Shame on these women and shame on the tennis world (organizers, sponsors, and spectators) for allowing such sexism.

when I invite you to my house for dinner and you have the gall to ask me who else is coming.

And you're a pompous, self-centered orifice in the rear end if your acceptance of my invitation is then *dependent* on how I answer your stupid question.

Please do us both a favor and tell me you can't make it by pretending your kid is sick.

Inspired by Organic's recent post I love America, I put together these thoughts. I can't love America not for lack of trying.

I really want to love America as it’s the closest thing to a home that I have. I can't call Pakistan home as I've never lived there. And no matter how long I live here, I can never call Saudi Arabia home. So America was and has always been my only hope of having a home in this life.

But it just ain't happenin'. I can't get myself to love America.

Because America constantly thumbs her nose at international attempts at global civility. From the Kyoto treaty to the Ottowa Treaty (banning land mines) to the International Criminal Court to the latest effort to ban cluster bombs – she's proven to be a poor citizen in the neighborhood called Earth.

Because Americans so easily allow themselves to be deluded by their leaders, happily choosing to turn a blind eye and instead indulge in their opium.

Because Americans have accepted their luxuriously unsustainable standard of living no matter what the cost to the rest of the world.

Because Americans choose to constantly live beyond their means, riddling themselves with debt beyond comprehension. Crass consumerism gone wild.

Because I read Howard Zinn's "The People's History of the US", a book that every American should read.

Because I watched The Story of Stuff, a video that every American should see.

Because American democracy is a sham that it paradoxically touts as the pinnacle of human civilization.

Because the homosexual way of life is being peddled as an acceptable social norm, as opposed to relegating it to the seedy underbelly of society where it's always resided.

Because of the in-your-face hypocrisy displayed on a daily basis in the world of international politics (Saddam is evil dictator, Musharraf is good dictator).

Because American capitalism sucks. The rich keep getting richer and the poor keep getting poorer (Exxon’s first quarter profit - $11billion, Shell – $9billion...that’s profit in THREE MONTHS folks!).

Because of Gitmo Bay and the entire Chaplain James Yee fiasco (where the government unsuccessfully tried to pin adultery and porn charges on him after their initial charges of espionage and treason failed).

Because America has/had the potential to be a positive force in the world, but screwed it up.

And the list goes on...

Sitting in a fancy Chinese restaurant in a booth surrounded by enormous fish tanks, we're all mesmerized by the colorful fish swimming around us.

Ree looks behind me and lets out a loud laugh and says, 'Look Naeem, those two fish behind your head. They're...they're...uhmmm...copulating.'

Copulating? I look at her with a that's-the-best-you-could-come-up-with? look.

So both kids turn and ask 'What? Where? What's going on?'

I'm stumped to explain and so I look at Ree since she's the one who mentioned it. Her evil smile turns to a look of confusion.

Then Humza blurts out 'Yeah I see them Mimi. Look there. I see the fish.'

Startled at Humza's 'discovery', I ask him, 'What exactly do you see Humza?'

'I see the two fish over there, copying each other. They're copying, just like Mama said. Right Mama? '

With a deep sigh of relief, she looks at me and replies, 'Right Humza. That's exactly right, they're copying each other.'

Saved by sweet childish innocence!

As I lay here at the feet of the man I love, I wish to share with you my tale. It is one that billions have read, but none have ever heard.

Today I wish to break my silence.

Mine is the story of search. Search for peace. Search for fulfillment. Search for completion. And it is only now, in the most miraculous of circumstances, that I can confidently declare that I have concluded my search.

My mother, God bless her soul, had always counseled me to keep righteous company. She realized how malleable we are as a species, thus she constantly enjoined me to follow good people. She was always keen to add that serving an honest, sincere man is the greatest blessing in all of Allah's universe.

I never appreciated her advice when I was young for I despised that bitch of a mother. She had wasted away her life doing no good and now had the audacity to counsel me.

Judge me not, dear reader, for I have always loved her to my feeble bones, but I wish to be open and honest with you. Many of my afflictions and sufferings are due to her poor mentoring - that I cannot deny.

And so I rebelled as miserable youth are so want to do. I resulted in exactly that which my mother warned me against. Sadly, I had to experience some vile, wicked men in order to fully appreciate what my mum advised me.

For years I was ashamed of my tragic circumstances. I was embarrassed by all my misadventures. My mother had passed away and no one was there to watch over me, so I naively turned to all sorts of men.

Men who led me astray. Men who called me the most base of names, men who starved me, kicked me and abused me. Men who made me carry out the vilest of deeds. Men who cared not for me, but for my utility.

I would run away from them, looking for that 'good company' that my mother's voice would always beckon to, only to wind up in the same tragic circumstance. If you wish for ever anyone to educate you on the importance of keeping the right circle of companions, I am at your service dear reader.

My associations with these people carried with it unfortunate burdens. The sight of me would encourage a barrage of insults by mothers as they would scurry away their little children. Strangers would abuse me purely due to the company I kept. The places I would venture with these men ensured that I would remain a creature of great disrepute.

Or so I thought.

Redemption is truly at the feet of Allah's Mercy. I am living proof.

I found the man of my dreams, at whose feet I currently rest, by mere happenstance. I was rummaging through a pile of rubbish one evening, whimpering over my latest mishap, when I saw a group assembled behind one of the homes.

I had vowed to avoid such gatherings as nothing but trouble had come from them. Fortunately curiosity (or was it fate?) got the better of me and I quietly strolled over to listen in on their conversation. And immediately it struck me that this lot was different from all the others.

Their talk was not of the standard fare – finding some women, drinking, gambling, wasting the night away – acts which, only now that I have removed myself from that cesspool of degeneration, come across as extremely lowly and depraved. Their words were gently uttered with strong convictions yet sincere humility. They carried themselves with the utmost dignity with nary a sense of pride. And what they spoke of rang musically through my ears.

The eldest of them, maybe in his mid-30's, was very animate (in a hushed manner) in denouncing the errant ways of their elders. He called upon his mates to reject the idolatrous traditions of their people. And when he pronounced the name of Allah, that magical name I had heard from no one except my mother, I immediately knew I had found my calling.

After a life of being in the wrong place at the wrong time with the wrong people, it was not chance that Allah blessed me with this moment. All those mistakes, all my suffering, all my pain was designed just to get me to this singular moment. With a teardrop of melancholy sorrow, followed by a teardrop of reserved joy, I resolved then to accompany this group and never leave their company.

Once they adopted me into their ranks, I fell in love with the youngest of them. His soft demeanor was like no other I had ever seen walking the Earth. He was kind and compassionate and treated me with the utmost respect. And it was he who convinced the others to allow me to join them in their trek to the cave.

Since that night, I have dutifully remained by his side and my loyalty has been duly rewarded with the most noble of rewards - none other than having been immortalized in the holy book of Allah:

Thou wouldst have deemed them awake, whilst they were asleep, and We turned them on their right and on their left sides: their dog stretching forth his two fore-legs on the threshold... (18:18)

(Some) say they were three, the dog being the fourth among them; (others) say they were five, the dog being the sixth,- doubtfully guessing at the unknown; (yet others) say they were seven, the dog being the eighth. Say thou: "My Lord knoweth best their number; It is but few that know their (real case)."... (18:22)

What great act did I, a measly canine, carry out to deserve the eternal celebration of my existence by the Creator of the universe? What deed did I perform to deserve the honor of being mentioned in the same breath as this esteemed group of youth?

I state with the utmost humility that I did nothing but commit to the company of these righteous youth and you, dear esteemed reader, with the countless other reciters of the Holy Quran are witness to my humbled fame.

Do not for a moment take my tale as a short-lived moment of entertainment. The lessons in my story are plenty for all to benefit from. I shall leave it to you, fair reader, to glean what you may from my tale.

The Muslim Link paper reprinted my post on the New Opium of the Masses and it got an interesting reply by one Peter Stanton:

"Naeem has gone off the deep end. With online porn, nude bars, Girls gone wild, drugs, alcohol and rampant extra marital sex, sports entertainment is the least of threats to our youth and families.

Watching and participating in sports in moderation is part of American culture Naeem. You have not provided a valid reason for why Muslims should remain separate from this activity."

I gave a short reply on the Muslim Link website, but thought it prudent to give a lengthier response here.

Peter is correct that social ills such as online porn, drugs, and extra-marital sex are much more serious than sports entertainment. In fact, if I were ever to counsel an individual who is partaking in those major sins, I may suggest sports as an intermediate alternative.

However, my target audience for my original post was not those unfortunate souls engrossed in such contemptible acts. My audience was the larger majority of practicing American Muslim (especially youth) who find sport entertainment to be a legitimate social outlet.

"Watching and participating in sports in moderation is part of American culture Naeem."

So what? Since when is that a criteria for accepting or rejecting a practice?

Besides, 'moderation' is a relative term. What is moderate to you, may seem extreme to me and vice versa. So let's refrain from using such subjective terms.

"You have not provided a valid reason for why Muslims should remain separate from this activity."

Not sure if you read the article, but I clearly stated several reasons, namely the idol-worshipping of the star athletes, the squandering of valuable resources into mega-stadiums, and most importantly the diversion from life that entails the following of a sport.

And let's not even get started on the insanity fueling Fantasy Leagues...

The fact is that the sport entertainment industry is not what it used to be – an afternoon out at the ballpark bolstering the father-son bond or a guys night out at the soccer pitch.

It has morphed into a multi-billion dollar juggernaut that not only consumes endless time and money, but also distracts the public from issues directly affecting their welfare.

Moderation is the last word that one associates with this industry.

When I first read the scrolling news flash at the bottom of the TV screen '22 foreign nationals killed in wave of violence by disenfranchised mobs in South Africa', my first thought was of black South Africans attacking white expats.

'Oh crap, these blacks are gonna catch some serious hell from the local authorities for daring to raise a hand to the white expats', I said to myself.

I thought the police would enforce harsh curfews, carry out mass arrests, prop up check points at every intersection, maybe even threaten a state of emergency – all to ensure the complete and utter safety of their precious expats.

And if the South African authorities weren't doing enough, the governments of the foreign nationals would surely intervene, ranging from diplomatic pressure to emergency airlifting of their citizens.

Fortunately we were spared the horror of such a tragic turn of events.

Because the foreign nationals being killed weren't European or American. They were African blacks, mostly from neighboring Zimbabwe, as well as Malawi and Mozambique.

That's why the police crackdown never came to be.

That's why police hell wasn't let loose on the culprits.

That's why more than 20,000 of these foreign nationals have fled their homes instead of waiting for the government crackdown on these mobs.

That's why these 'foreign nationals' are huddled in tents surrounding local police stations out of fear for their lives, instead of living comfortably in their homes, secure in the knowledge that the government will do anything and everything to ensure their safety.

That's why 20 more have died since the original outburst last week (total now stands at 42).

Its just another case of black-on-black violence. No biggie.

Oh wait, the police finally showed up, NINE DAYS after the violence started. But this Reuters piece correlates their sudden arrival at the scene with the drop in the value of the South African currency as well as the potential damage to their bid for the 2010 soccer World Cup.

And ELEVEN DAYS later, the army has been deployed to help quell the violence.

This is 21st century civilization. Yay for humanity!

These pictures are proof:

On our recent road trip to Dubai, my kids went from one extreme (climbing road-side sand dunes) to another extreme (posing next to ice sculptures in the Mall of Emirates’ artificial snow slopes).

I also wanted to contrast the simplistic, yet beautiful, desert colorations in this father-son pic:



with the loud, in-your-face, prissy greenery of this father-son pic. I believe you’ll concur with me that desert brown is where it’s at and lush green is so 90’s. :-)

Sorry MamaParo, even you'll succumb to the alluring traits of the desert within all of us. :-P

Load shedding.

For those of you in the dark (har har...get it?), load-shedding is the governmental act of intentionally turning off the power in order to relieve the stress on an overburdened infrastructure.

Thankfully, they're gracious enough to spread the misery throughout the entire day, so the suffering isn't concentrated.

But it sure does suck.

I was actually surprised that load-shedding took place in the capital city of Islamabad. After every three hours, they would have one hour of power outage. However, it was much worse in the rural areas. In Gujrat, where my parents live, twelve hours out of the day saw them with no electricity.

Ouch.

Now I wouldn't mind if it were being carried out as some 'Go Green' environmental campaign. In that case, I would proudly wear the sweat patches under my armpits as badges of honor. But sadly, its simply a case of administrative mismanagement by a government that wastes away billions on its military while neglecting its peoples.

Pakistan Zindabad!

I will preface this post with a disclaimer. I do not wish for the destruction of the US. While I am thoroughly disgusted by so many of the actions and policies of its government as well as so many of the materialistic ways of its consumerist society, my disgust is similarly directed to so many of our own Muslim nations, who are equally misrepresented and equally decadent.

My sincere wish is for a shift in the balance of global power; a shift where power is spread amongst a handful of powerful nations, as opposed to concentrated in the hands of a single superpower which sadly has displayed utter recklessness and mismanagement of that weighty responsibility.

That being said, I wanted to bring your attention to three articles that are ominously pointing to a humbling of the US:

I was really fascinated by this LA Times piece highlighting the reverse trend in global economics where Chinese businesses are actually finding it cheaper to run their operations in the US.

Talk about trading places.

"Liu Keli couldn't tell you much about South Carolina, not even where it is in the United States. It's as obscure to him as his home region, Shanxi province, is to most Americans.

But Liu is investing $10 million in the Palmetto State, building a printing-plate factory that will open this fall and hire 120 workers. His main aim is to tap the large American market, but when his finance staff penciled out the costs, he was stunned to learn how they compared with those in China.

Liu spent about $500,000 for seven acres in Spartanburg -- less than one-fourth what it would cost to buy the same amount of land in Dongguan, a city in southeast China where he runs three plants. U.S. electricity rates are about 75% lower, and in South Carolina, Liu doesn't have to put up with frequent blackouts."
(h/t Neatorama)

And here is an article from CommonDreams discussing the impending demise of America's superpower status (incidentally coinciding with Russia's rise) due primarily to its oil addiction.

"...the U.S. Department of Defense is the world’s single biggest consumer of petroleum, using more of it every day than the entire nation of Sweden...the United States is importing 12-14 million barrels of oil per day. At a current price of about $115 per barrel, that’s $1.5 billion per day, or $548 billion per year."

And finally, there's the ailing US dollar. This article from the Telegraph states the obvious that the biggest players in determining the fate of the dollar are not Americans, but the Chinese and the Gulf countries.

Geopolitically speaking, its very disconcerting that China has such a large role in financing America's debt (nearly one trillion dollars in US bonds). There was even talk last year of China possibly exercising this 'nuclear option' by selling off its US dollar assets. Of course that would spell economic suicide to China, but they have far less to lose than America.

If the US were ever to suffer a demise, I would prefer it to go the way of Britain, where it was able to retain a dignified standing in the world, as opposed to an outright devastation followed by years of reconstruction – as was the path forced upon the likes of Japan, Germany, and Russia.

Just saying...

(BTW, Sorry I haven't replied to any comments...travelling and will be back in a few days. I appreciate everyone's thoughts)

I recently ran across this verse from the Quran:

"and worship thy Sustainer till death comes to thee" (15:99) [Asad translation]

Although the last word in the verse (Yaqin) literally means 'certainty', the most popular interpretations have it alluding to either death or the Day of Judgment.

This got me thinking how the meaning of this verse would considerably change if it were taken literally: "And worship your Lord until you attain certainty."

I read the verse as a command from our Creator, Who is most aware of our inner workings, to struggle through any existential doubts and reservations by continuing in our acts of obedience and worship.

When we feel down and out, beaten down by the trials and tribulations of life, having hit a spiritual road block, doubting the purpose of life, doubting our Creator, questioning His Love, questioning His Wisdom – we are to maintain our worship and He will make that commitment to worship a means of our attaining the much-needed comfort that is brought by certainty.

I don't see this doubt that occasionally creeps into faith as being such a bad thing. It’s a force that strengthens and fortifies one's convictions, sometimes through a process of needed adjustment and revision.

And it's in that light that I sometimes read the story of Prophet Ibrahim (saw) when he gazed upon the Sun, the Moon, and the Stars as possible objects of worship. The doubt projected by him did not posit him into the folds of the disbelievers, but it increased him in his belief of the One.

Doubt is the vaccination (in the form of a virus) injected into the body to strengthen the immune system of certainty. Doubt is the manure used as fertilizer to aid the growth of the beautiful flower of certainty. Doubt needn't be discouraged and rejected, but can actually be used as a tool to further one's faith.

And the proper way to deal with this doubt is not to abandon your Lord, but rather to uphold the relationship of servanthood and permit Him to return you to the blessed realm of Yaqin.

My scattered thoughts on the going-ons of Burma (I can't call it Myanmar - my childhood Quran teacher's from Burma, so I'll stick to that name) and its cyclone tragedy:

How the hell is Burma being compared to Somalia?? I've read that in various occasions, most notably this Slate piece which had the headline 'The Next Somalia?'.

Although there isn't any explicit explanation for such a comparison, I'm guessing its the proposed idea being kicked around that the UN should militarily intervene for humanitarian purposes and overthrow the Burmese junta that is denying international aid to the cyclone victims. They're comparing that to the military intervention (more like invasion) in Somalia last year where neighboring Ethiopia (under direct orders from the US) overthrew the UIC (Union of Islamic Courts) who themselves had taken over the inept puppet government and established peace and some sense of order.

Its obvious to any objective observer that the Ethiopia/US invasion of Somalia had nothing to do with humanitarian purposes. I've posted about this before, so I won't rehash that argument.

But I must admit that the situation in Burma is ripe for such a humanitarian invasion. If reports are accurate and the junta is in fact denying aid out of paranoia and distrust, then I do believe that intervention (military or otherwise) is justified and even necessitated.

This is not about arbitrary calls for women's rights or hypocritical denunciations of un-democratic rule - tactics used by the US and gang to carry out their imperialistic policies. This is about the most basic of human rights - the right to life. If the government is jeopardizing the lives of its citizens and enacting laws and policies blatantly endangering their health and safety, its the duty of every nation to stand up against this injustice.

This is not about freedom of speech, freedom of thought, freedom of religion, or any of these other freedoms that are politicized by the West in their hunger for global resources. This is about protecting a people who cannot protect themselves against the oppression of their own rulers.

That being said, I will also opine that this endless campaign to demonize the ruling junta is probably being spearheaded by Burmese pro-democracy opposition groups with Western governments and media-outlets (check this one-sided Time article) more than willing to play their role as lackeys and stooges (see Iraq and Ahmed Chalabi's Iraqi National Congress who played the US and media like a violin in fomenting Saddam's overthrow).

So let's critically analyze the crocodile tears being shed by these critics of Burma's military leaders.

Burma has allowed aid from China, India, Turkey, and others while rejecting assistance from most western governments who had vocally denounced their suppression of pro-democracy Buddhist monks. So how come these western governments, if they are sincere in their wish to help the victims, don't simply send the aid via China or India?

Or maybe just go straight to food-drops, bypassing airspace authorization from Burma? They've never cared for airspace authorization when it comes to dropping bombs, so how come that's such a big deal when dropping aid?

Seems to me if there's a will, there's a way. No need for all this media hoopla and grandstanding...

And of course there is that double-standard thingy with the US. I vividly recall the US refusing Katrina aid from Cuba and Venezuela. So why are they acting surprised when Burma isn't accepting aid from the US, Australia, and company?

Methinks Burma isn't the only one politicizing this tragedy.

So yeah, I'm advocating military intervention if the junta doesn't wise up and place the interests of its suffering population ahead of its political ambitions - but not by the UN or the US (but who else is there?...sigh). They've proven that they can't act in the interest of the oppressed (see Serbia, Somalia, Darfur, Iraq, Afghanistan), choosing their own interests and alliances before all else.

Whenever we drive from Riyadh to Madina, we've always wondered about the sudden black terrain that we hit near the outskirts of Madina. The shift is quite dramatic, from the expected light-colored sand and dirt that we see most of the way to the pitch-black lava fields that suddenly surround both sides of the highway.

And so it was pretty cool when I stumbled upon this satellite image of the area:

Bonus points to Cellar IotD for having finally provided me a scientific explanation to the phenomenon:

"The western half of the Arabian peninsula contains not only large expanses of sand and gravel, but extensive lava fields known as haraat (harrat for a named field). One such field is the 14,000-square kilometer Harrat Khaybar, located approximately 137 kilometers to the northeast of the city of Al Madinah (Medina). According to scientists, the volcanic field was formed by eruptions along a 100-kilometer long north-south linear vent system over the past 5 million years; the most recent recorded eruption took place between 600 - 700 A.D. Harrat Khaybar contains a wide range of volcanic rock types and spectacular landforms, several of which are represented in this view."

Scholars in the science of purifying the self (tazkiya-an-nafs) have counseled that attaining Jannah (heaven) is a two-step process. First, step on your nafs. Then step into Jannah.

Sitting with some friends the other night, the discussion of the Mawlid (celebrating the Prophet's birthday) came up and seeing that the brothers were salafis, their aversion to the practice came as no surprise to me. I normally tend to avoid such discussions (as experience has taught me no good comes when ignoramuses discuss such nuanced subjects), but since all of us are close friends with a positive feel for each other, we indulged each other.

While they were convinced in the error of my ways, I was simply looking for them to accept the possibility of a difference of opinion on the matter. But the strength of their convictions would allow no such thing.

It never ceases to bother me to what extremes we are willing to take our convictions. The brothers, with the utmost respect and dignity, expressed how I was so blatantly rejecting the 'truth', that I was so clearly in the wrong, that I was so obviously misguided (on this matter).

And this attitude is obviously not confined to one group.

In fact, the next night I was sitting with a brother (affiliated with the Tablighi Jamaat) who found it necessary to share his strong feelings against the 'deviant' scholars who allow eating meat/chicken in the West. He was stubbornly adamant that they were without a doubt mistaken and wasn't willing to accept any other possibility.

[Quick digression: Why is that Pakistanis are so insistent on this issue of NOT eating the meat/poultry in the West? When we were younger, we would make fun of this stick-up by saying the shahada of every Pakistani has the added portion "and McDonald's is haram". Pakistani dude may drink beer, womanize, cheat on his taxes, but will NEVER, EVER eat non-zabiha meat!]

This bothers me. The convictions expressed by these brothers allow no room for any other possible opinion. They have established an area of 'unquestionable convictions' which doesn't allow for any divergent views. For me to voice a conflicting opinion is tantamount to 'rejecting the truth', their truth. (In their defense, they all acknowledged that there are many issues on which permissible differences can occur – just that the issue at hand wasn't one of them…..hmmmm, who is to decide that?)

This is why I so much like the term 'Arrogance of Certainty' (h/t Muse).

But in reality, am I any better? I too have my personal realm of 'unquestionable convictions', such as Tauheed (belief in Allah), Prophethood of Muhammad (saw), belief in the after-life, and so on. If anyone were to question those convictions with countering opinions, I would be forced to judge them as being misguided and mistaken. Otherwise, what do I stand for?

So am I not equally arrogant in my certainty?

To what extent can we make claims of certainty to our convictions?

The drought here in Riyadh continues with no real hopes of any serious rainfall this season, especially with summer right around the corner. So lets do the next best thing - watch a video of the kids playing in last year's plentiful rain. :-)

Enjoy!

Having grown up in the US, I've always understood that sitting in the front passenger seat ('shotgun') is more desirable than being in the backseat. However, if ever the situation arose where I had to choose between myself sitting in the front or an elder, I would respectfully take the back seat.

However, the same is not applicable in Pakistan. In fact, it’s quite the opposite.
When I returned to Pakistan in 1997 for the first time since 1984, I was ignorant of the local customs when it came to seating arrangements in the car. And so when my father and I approached the car, I naively insisted (thinking it to be respectful) that he sit in the front passenger seat and I would sit in the back. He declined, which I interpreted as a gesture of humility on his part and so I kept insisting, until he basically told me to just shut up and get in the front.

It was later that I realized that sitting in the back is a sign of respectability and even status. And it's not out of any elitism that prohibits them from sitting next to their 'menial' drivers. In fact, even if my brother and I were to get in the car with my father, we would both sit in the front with my father in the back.

As most of you know, it’s the exact opposite in the US, where I have countless times given up the front seat out of respect for an elder.

I wonder if this is the case in other countries/cultures…

-----

And then there are the taxis here in Saudi. Back in America, the norm is to jump into the backseat of a taxi. And so, the first time I flagged down a taxi here in Riyadh, I instinctively got into the back. The Indian driver politely mentioned that I could sit in the front, but again out of ignorance of local customs, I thought it odd and simply ignored his request. I immediately sensed the discomfort in his facial expression.

I learned that male passengers are expected to sit in the front seat, next to the taxi driver. To sit in the back is sometimes seen as a gesture of arrogance and self-importance with a tinge of untrusthworthiness (is that even a word?) and it doesn't go over too well with the local drivers.

I find these cultural idiosyncrasies to be subtle pointers indicating the social mores of the various cultures.

That being said, just don't ask me what I would to do if my father and I were to ever take a taxi in Riyadh. :-)

I found these two articles:

"Does going to Mecca make Muslims more moderate?"

A very interesting study done of Pakistani Hajjis and how their perspectives tend to be more understanding and compassionate (think of Malcolm X) after having extensive dealings with Muslims from all over the world.

"US Teen abstinence programs failing"

I'm very intrigued by this topic of teen sexuality and how best to address it. Here in Saudi, where the in-your-face culture of sex is absent, teen sexuality is still a problem - teen pregnancies and STD may not be as prevalent, but are replaced with issues such as homosexuality or pedophilia.

Many Muslims tend to believe that gender segregation would solve all such problems, but Saudi Arabia is proof that isn't the case. I guess, like tackling most other social ills, a strong foundation based out of the home is a good start...

When I was young, sufficient for me was the usage of fear and punishment as a deterrent from committing wrongs. In my oh-so-simple outlook on life and Islam, punishment in the hellfire was all I needed to intellectually dissuade me from partaking in the haram (not that I always conformed to what I was convinced of).

Divine threats of eternal punishment, prophetic traditions detailing the various torments, and weekly khutbahs lecturing on the chastisement of the afterlife – all cemented in me that most base of human instincts: self-preservation.

My faith was built on a foundation of saving my hide. Oh and that other pillar of sensual pleasure, promoted by the hedonistic images of heavenly pleasures. That didn't hurt either.

But as I matured, my motivation for avoiding the forbidden and practicing the commendable had less to do with base desires (fear and lust) and more to do with my relationship with Allah (swt).

Don't get me wrong - such motivational tools are not to be disparaged, for surely the masses are influenced by both the carrot and the stick. Allah (swt) Himself promotes this methodology as the Quran is replete with verses reminding us of the pleasures of Heaven and the punishment of Hell.

But I personally found it lacking, even problematic, for a relationship of love to be fostered in the shade of heaven and hell.

This transformation in my relationship with Allah (swt) bears an uncanny resemblance to the one cultivated between a child and his parents. During the younger years, the child is taught to obey through a combination of strict discipline, positive encouragement, and lots of toys. As the child becomes an adult, those ‘gimmicks’ are replaced with a mature relationship based on deep-seated love and genuine respect between parent and child.

So when tempted to look at something inappropriate, my incentive to look the other way comes less from fear of punishment than from fear of that dark spot on my heart, fear of falling a degree away from Allah (swt), fear of displeasing Him, disappointing Him.

And when I bite my tongue and swallow my anger, its not for the reward of palace made of gold or an everlasting supply of Cocoa Puffs, but for the chance that Allah (swt) is smiling at me, proud of me, maybe even complimenting me to His company of angels.

Now *that* is a reward worth struggling for.

Disclaimer: I dare not claim to be on some sort of higher ground on the evolutionary scale of spiritual development. I fully recognize the possibility of a simplistic desert Bedouin or an illiterate village farmer having a stronger relationship with Allah (swt) based purely on desire for heaven and fear of hell. Those are legitimate devices to achieve the pleasure of Allah (swt). I have simply found them to be insufficient for my personal journey back to my Creator.

Whenever I see people who are wholly dedicated to getting their physical bodies in shape, I can't but help wonder if similar efforts are being put towards their spiritual bodies.

Don't get me wrong – striving for and maintaining a healthy body is a commendable goal. It requires both discipline and dedication that are truly admirable.

But it really pains me when those same individuals are giving only a fraction of that effort towards their spiritual selves.

The similitude of embarking on such misplaced priorities is like the traveler who foolishly puts so much effort into refurbishing his hotel room – furnishing it with new fixtures, painting it anew, and buying appliances – while neglecting his permanent decrepit home, which is unfortunately suffering from negligence and carelessness.

How foolish for us to focus so much of our energies on our temporal bodies while forgetting our eternal bodies?

Nothing wrong with keeping a tidy hotel room, but let's not forget the maintenance required of our dilapidated dwellings of permanent residence.

Better yet, forget maintenance - let's try some major renovation, maybe even total reconstruction, of our run-down homes.

Scene 1:

'Abujee, what does the middle finger mean?'

And so the intellectual duel began between a 7-yr old boy and his 34-yr old father.

'Huh?' The question truly startled me as I was caught off guard with Humza's innocuous question.

'Is the middle finger bad?'

Deep breath. This is definitely not THE talk. Let's see if I can deal with this in a mature, adult manner.

'Uhmmm...What do you mean? It's just one of your fingers. In fact, it’s the longest one. Pretty neat, eh? heh...heh', I shrugged with a nervous laugh that probably didn't convince my young opponent.

'Well, my friend Osama at school told me it means something bad.'

Stupid Osama's – always causing unnecessary trouble for us Muslims!

'Hah! What does he know!', I replied waving my hand with an air of arrogance.

'His older brother told him.'

Stupid older brothers - When have older brothers ever taught their younger siblings anything of value? (I speak from experience being the oldest of three boys)

Quick, I need to think of an answer befitting my status of know-it-all father.

'Hmmmm..Just ignore him. Its nothing. Don't worry about it.'

Yeah that's right, I totally wimped out. I dodged it like Bush and the draft.

Hey, cut me some slack people, I was under some serious duress.

Seriously, I avoided telling him that it's a bad thing, because I'm not comfortable in empowering him with the knowledge of 'silly' bad things. Of course I teach him about the serious stuff (lying, cheating, etc.), but I figured that if I simply avoided delving into details when it comes to such silly things, the issue would fall by the wayside, never to rear its ugly head again.

Ahhh...the innocence of naiveté.

Scene 2:

Humza and Maryam are going about their daily routine, arguing and fighting and whining, while I'm going about my business trying to ignore their racket. And then out of nowhere, Humza, who is now sitting besides me on the couch, gets fed up with Maryam's teasing and ferociously yells out her name 'MiiiiiiiMiiiiii' (her nick is Mimi).

I look up and I see his fiery eyes with his face contorted with anger and frustration and I notice his left arm fully extended with his middle finger pointed right at Maryam. And he wasn't even doing it the 'correct' way, but was pointing it at her like some magic wand ready to unleash his rage. And he kept it pointed at her shamelessly, until I interrupted his focused stare.

Trying to hold back my laughter, I make my serious father face, 'Excuse me, Genius. What do you think you're doing?'

'I'm giving her the middle finger, like we do in school.'

'And why are you doing that?'

'Cause I'm mad at her.'

'And is that a nice thing to do?'

'Well, you said it was nothing.'

Doh! Pardon me while I go remove the egg from my face.

…

So it seems that he interpreted the gesture to be a way of expressing anger.

After I told him to lower his arm, I explained to him that it’s a bad thing and he shouldn't do it again.

So here are two lessons for all you young/future parents:

1. Never hesitate to educate your children about bad things, especially when they ask you about them.
2. Don't take lessons on parenting from me.

Although I must admit, I'm not convinced with rule #1. As the list of "Don'ts" gets longer and longer, the kids have more options to pick from. So I rationalize that if they don't know that some silly behavior is bad, they'll never think to indulge in said behavior, right?

For example, if they don't know that saying 'Up Yours' or 'Screw You' are bad, they won't think anything of them. But once they realize they are bad words, might they be tempted to make use of them?

So the question arises, is it better to educate them about bad words and bad gestures hoping they never use them or should we turn a blind eye, hoping they will do the same?

I think I'll adopt the 'Don't ask, Don't tell' policy. If they never ask, I'm never telling.

Haaretz is reporting Netanyahu as stating the following:

"We are benefiting from one thing, and that is the attack on the Twin Towers and Pentagon, and the American struggle in Iraq," Ma'ariv quoted the former prime minister as saying. He reportedly added that these events "swung American public opinion in our favor."

Please tell me that nobody is actually surprised by this news?

Well, it does add a new twist to the international outcry against the Palestinians who celebrated in the streets after the 9/11 attacks. While they were foolish enough to celebrate in the aftermath of the attacks, seems like Netanyahu and Co. are celebrating years later.

When faced with one of life’s countless difficulties, we are simultaneously faced with a choice. While the choice of the test is often out of our control, our reaction to it is not. And as we react, we are able to determine the purpose of the test.

In the first case, the response to the test can range from out-of-control anger and rage to helpless depression and self-pity. This response is filled with abuse of others and of the self – verbal abuse, physical abuse, even suicide. This response is typified by an overall loss of faith in Allah (swt) resulting in extreme actions of despair and hopelessness.

Due to the ill-fated response of such an individual, the nature of the test becomes manifest. It becomes evident that the tribulation was a punishment sent down from Allah (swt).

In the second case, the person patiently perseveres through the pain and suffering of the trials. Constantly biting one’s tongue, finding solace in one’s tears while praying to Allah, fighting away the urge to breakdown while confiding to a loved one, swinging between the highs and lows of maintaining faith in the Almighty – actions of a very human, very vulnerable believer. Thoughts of partaking in haram actions may cross the mind, but are thwarted by faith and trust in Allah (swt).

Most of us respond in such a manner, displaying our brittle humanity when confronted by an unexpected downturn of events. And it is because we have struggled through such difficulties that Allah (swt) rewards us by washing away some of our sins. It is these tests that become a means of expiation for past wrongs.

So what else remains? How else can one react?

I’m glad you asked, dear reader, for this last category is reserved for the special ones, the rare individuals who have transcended their humanity and soared to heights that even angels dream of.

These are the people who delight in the trials and tribulations of life. They realize the true nature of life and its difficulties. They may cry and weep out of worldly sorrow, but spiritually they are shedding tears of joy. Their faith never wavers; rather it is emboldened as they interpret the test as a gift sent from Allah (swt). They see it as a blessing from Allah (swt) – “My Lord, You have not forgotten this pitiful soul. You have provided me with yet another chance to come closer to You.”

And when the reaction is in such a manner, the test is but a means to raise the status of the individual. Allah (swt) in His Infinite Wisdom has not sent the test to cause pain or anguish, not to wipe away past sins, and surely not to punish; but to reward and honor this beloved servant by raising him, bringing him closer to the Divine Presence.

Dare I suggest that maybe one day you and I can both enter the hallowed grounds of this category?

(That is, if you haven’t already)

The sports entertainment industry is a beguiling evil. I kid you not.

Many of you may laugh at me for suggesting this, but I sincerely believe that sports entertainment needs to be outrightly rejected by Muslims and concerned citizens the world over. I come to you not as a self-righteous, preachy know-it-all, but as a humbled, recovering sports addict.

I'm referring to the multi-billion dollar industry that has been erected around sporting events. The enormous waste of resources that goes into the sports industry is unfathomable – the time, the money, the emotions, the brain cells.

I'm not referring to the commendable engagement in sports activities for the purpose of health or amusement. Also, I'm not discussing the obviously illegitimate activities that are all-too-often associated with sports entertainment, such as gambling and alcohol.

My qualm is with the seemingly innocent spectatorship of these sports. This includes the idol-worshipping of star athletes (which admittedly is not limited to sports, but reaches heights not seen in other entertainment industries), their enormous places of worship (stadiums), the immense waste of money in support of this cult, and most important of all, the purposefully created distraction from reality crafted by their ministers (sportscasters and analysts) and the like (sponsors, team owners, even politicians).

You see, watching sports for the actual fan is not merely limited to the few hours of the actual game. The real fan passionately follows the sport, follows the team, follows the players – they become emotionally invested in the sport. This includes memorizing team statistics, the schedule of games, and the team roster, following the latest developments on ESPN, and analyzing/discussing every possible storyline for the next game with friends and strangers alike.

The sport industry, backed by the advertising money of corporate sponsors, has transformed the star-athletes into god-like figures, by elevating their every mundane act into a heavenly performance. It's not only about *playing* like Mike, but *being* like Mike. And because Mike (or Kobe or Ronaldo or Beckham or A-Rod) is a clean, upstanding athlete participating in the harmless activity of sports, many Muslim parents view such imitations as innocent and benign (while similar worship of actors or singers would be deemed unequivocally Haram).

And then you have their temples. The billions of dollars spent on the stadiums boggles my mind - billions that could have been more effectively spent on inner-city development or improved educational systems or countless colleges and vocational schools.

Spare me the crap on how these stadiums inject invaluable economic growth to the inner-cities. The generated revenues go straight from the pockets of the rich spectators (who are able to afford the extravagant ticket/food prices) to the pockets of the filthy rich owners of the teams and stadiums, with a few crumbs falling to the ushers, security guards, and other minimum wage positions needed to maintain these temples of sports idolatry.

And then there's the business of sports paraphernalia. From trading cards to autographed balls to that oversized 'We are #1' sponge hand, this market is huge. It redirects hard-earned middle-class incomes to frivolous, foolish purchases of team jackets, jerseys, and the sort. Is it me or is it insane to see a sports jersey being bought for $100?

And then there is the intellectual and spiritual drainage associated with these activities. Many Muslims consider watching a two-hour Hollywood movie a questionable activity, but will never think twice about watching a three-hour football game (oh and don't forget the one-hour pre-game show). The sports event is justified as a Halal entertaining break from the stresses of life.

And it's this need for a diversion from 'life' that needs to be countered.

One reason for the Islamic prohibition of drugs and alcohol is the suspension of reality that is a consequence of their consumption. As mature, responsible adults, it is our duty (to ourselves, our families, and to our fellow man) to remain cognizant of our actions and our surroundings. By doing so, we are to constantly strive to become closer to the Ultimate Reality (swt).

Instead, we have become preoccupied with ways to distance ourselves from reality, thereby distancing ourselves from *the* Reality (swt).

Divorced from reality, these devotees are more concerned with the injury to their home team's starting quarterback than the broken leg suffered by their neighbor. Overzealous fans shed tears over their team's latest playoff loss while maintaining a dry eye at the news of their coworker's death. The potential of the new season is embraced with more fervor than the warm embrace of a loved one. The signing or drafting of a superstar to one's favorite team is akin to a new addition in the family. Geographical knowledge of cities around the nation (or the world) is solely a product of sporting events hosted in those cities. Checking the headline news means tuning into ESPN SportsCenter.

In the film Gladiator, Senator Gracchus, when contemplating on the introduction of games and festivities in the Colosseum, stated, "Rome is the mob. Conjure magic for them and they'll be distracted. Take away their freedom and still they'll roar. The beating heart of Rome is not the marble of the Senate, it's the sand of the Colosseum."

Keep the people preoccupied with their sports and they will turn a blind eye to the insidious machinations of their leaders.

That sentiment stands true today.

If Marx were to analyze the current socio-econo-political landscape, he would adjust his infamous line 'Religion is the opium of the masses'. Sports entertainment has clearly taken its place.

Perpetual dhikr (divine remembrance) defines our state of being.

We are commanded to be in constant remembrance of Allah (swt):

"O you who have attained to faith! Remember God with unceasing remembrance," (33:41)

"He is successful who purifies himself, and remembers the name of his Lord..." (87:14-15)

"Those who believe, and their hearts find satisfaction in the remembrance of Allah: By remembering Allah, truly satisfaction comes to the heart" (13:28).

How odd then that we put off this dhikr when the times are tough. We convince ourselves that we have more important worries to attend to. 'When things settle down, I will return to my dhikr.' 'My mind is too stressed right now for any worship.'

How strange that when we need dhikr the most, it’s the first thing to go. After all, its not wajib (obligatory), its only 'extra credit', no?

Medicine is of no use to the healthy individual. Only when he is sick and in pain is the medicine to be administered. How strange that we have the cure to our ills and are only willing to utilize it when we are healthy?!

The need for constancy in dhikr cannot be overstated. Through the good times and the bad. Through busy times and down time. Through spiritual highs and worldly lows. From before engaging in the most profane of acts (copulation) to after the completion of one of the most sacred (Hajj).

How else can we explain Allah's command to perform dhikr even in the most dire of situations – on the battlefield:

O ye who believe! When ye meet a force, be firm, and call Allah in remembrance much (and often); that ye may prosper (8:45)

Having never been in the line of fire, I can only imagine the tension and gravity of the moment. Bullets flying, bombs exploding, death ominously hanging overhead. And yet, we are expected, nay commanded, to remember Allah in those difficult circumstances.

What then of our daily lives when we are in the safety of our homes?

When I ponder over that verse it becomes evident that no excuse is acceptable for passing a single moment without the remembrance of the Divine.

Let us redefine ourselves with constant, unconditional Dhikr of our Creator.

Check out this site called Whoopy. It’s a compilation of pictures from cities all over the world. You select a city and all the pics associated with that city will come up. There's some amazing pics of places from all over the world. I looked up Riyadh, Lahore, and Istanbul and found some truly amazing pictures.

Here is a video of the most 'vicious' hockey fight ever. You will be thoroughly entertained. :-)



And sticking to the sports theme, here's a funny video of a football quarterback who needs to learn a thing or two about celebrating a touchdown.



Finally, here's an amazing video from Tokyo. Thankfully Hajj isn't ever that crowded and tight.

The Sultan of the times was traveling with his lavish entourage and passed through a small impoverished village. He approached the spiritual leader of the locality and offered him assistance.

'Old man, wish for anything and I will grant you'

'Of what benefit to me is the slave of my slave?'

'What foolishness do you utter?'

'I have conquered my nafs and transformed this world into my slave. You, on the other hand, are nothing but a slave to your passions and this world. Thereby, you are a slave of my slave and so I have no need of your hollow offer.'

What is it with this whole evil eye obsession? Especially with women. This one family was coming to visit us the other day and my wife frantically came to me urging me to read Quran over the entire house and kids. Seems that the lady guest is very envious and tends to give the evil eye.

What.Ever.

Thank god men aren't as jealous and envious of each other. I don't know many men who really care that you're making more than them or driving a fancier car or wearing nicer clothes. Although I have heard that some men (*cough* my brother-in-laws *cough*) wish they had my good looks, but I won't dwell on those sad saps.

I understand that the evil eye exists (after all, its existence is acknowledged in our deen), but I always feel that women take it to too far, constantly in fear of getting the evil eye, wary of associating with those known to give the 'ain (Arabic for 'evil eye').

I don't mean to gloss over the dangers of this sin, but I'm always amused by the extreme measures taken by some women when it comes to this issue.

Am I alone in thinking this?

Having said that, let me conclude with a lighter look at this issue (and just to appease you ladies, I'll use two men in the story):

There was once a young, pious man (hmmm...let's just call him Naeem) who constantly prayed in an isolated cave outside of town. He would religiously withdraw to the quiet spot, performing long acts of deep worship and contemplation.

After one such session, he heard a booming voice, "Oh Naeem, make a prayer and it shall be granted." Startled, he quickly prayed, "Ya Allah, please bless me and my family with abundant sustenance so that we can dedicate our lives to worshiping and serving You."

And so it was that Allah (swt) blessed his family with abundant wealth. True to his word, Naeem used that wealth for the purpose of worshiping his Lord. His family joined his efforts and they all became known throughout the town as charitable, merciful people.

So one day, a close friend came to visit Naeem (ohhh...let's call him Saleem) and asked him what the secret was to his good fortune. At first Naeem hesitated, but seeing that Saleem was sincere in his query, he confided with him the secret of his success.

Saleem decided to follow the same route and for years toiled in deep meditation and worship in the same cave that Naeem used to visit. Eventually one day, a voice declared to him, "Oh Saleem, make a prayer and it will be granted."

With tears of joy streaming down his cheeks, thrilled at the acceptance of his long struggle, he raised his hands and prayed, "Ya Allah, I am so grateful to You for accepting my efforts, so I will make my request short and simple. Please put an end to the wealth You have bestowed upon Naeem."

:-)

We all know the story of Abraha and the battalion of elephants that he employed to destroy the Kaaba. Sura Fil in the Quran is dedicated to recounting his foolish antics and the ensuing punishment from Allah (swt) - a brigade of birds armed with powerful pebbles.

The miracle (and its poetic justice) is how the tiniest of birds with the tiniest of pebbles were able to destroy the mightiest of armies.

The lesson is not one for the history books. The tale of this assault on the house of Allah lives on - every single day.

Let us begin by reflecting on how Allah Himself declared the heart of the believer to be His blessed home:

"Neither the Heavens nor the Earth could accommodate Me, but the heart of my servant is a house for me."

And it is this very house of Allah, the precious heart of the Mumin, that is constantly being attacked by shaytaan and his mighty forces.

And Allah has armed us feeble humans with seemingly insignificant (to us) pebbles to fend off this ferocious army - pebbles with the same miraculous powers of the pebbles in Sura Fil.

Performing good deeds, busying the tongue with the constant remembrance of Allah, and of course the ever-powerful dua’a. They may seem petty and trifle, but these pebbles have the power to wipe out the dark forces of Shaytaan.

Let us protect the house of Allah inside all of us, in the same manner that Allah (swt) protected His house in Mecca.

When I first read this piece at HuffPo I didn't think much of it. I actually brushed it aside thinking it a sad fulfillment of our dear Prophet Muhammad's 1400 year old prophecy (Muslims will one day be as the foam on the ocean – in such great volume but of little weight/value). It even depressed me a little when I thought of the vast potential that is being squandered on a daily basis.

But it was only when I read Br. Dawud's entry on this topic that I felt inspired to turn my frown upside-down. If nothing else, this news ought to be used as an opportunity for praising and glorifying our Creator. I really like how he cited Sura Nasr as a reminder of what we all should do when reminded of the masses entering the folds of Islam.

At the end of the day, no matter how miserable our plight may seem, there are over a billion people that have recognized the truth of our Creator and His beloved messenger.

So let us put aside all the negativity permeating our daily lives and celebrate this news with an extra prayer or some extra dhikr, preferably in the company of family or friends – spread the Good News!

And you see that the people enter Allah’s religion (Islam) in crowds, So glorify the Praises of your Lord, and ask for His Forgiveness. (110:2-3)

I was going through some old pictures from the past few years in Saudi and I ran across some from a road trip to UAE.

The drive from Riyadh to UAE used to go through Dammam (straight East to Dammam and then shoot South to get to the UAE border). But recently, they built a nice two lane road straight from Riyadh to the border. The only problem with the road is the intense shifting sands typical of the desert, but problematic when you're driving through it.

So I wasn't surprised when I saw the first major sand dune in the middle of the road:

Note the dot in the middle of the picture. That's an oncoming truck. When confronted with such a sand shift, we'd simply have to wait for any oncoming traffic and then drive around the pile of sand.

But what was interesting was the various tactics used to battle the extreme desert winds. Here is a picture of a front-loader being used to push the sand off the roadway. It really amused us as we were used to seeing such equipment employed for clearing out snow back in the US:



(Speaking of which, the parallel between sand and snow is very striking. For example, a snow blizzard and a sand storm are equally blinding. Also, the phenomenon of the shifting sands taking over the desert highways is similar to what happens in upstate NY (and other northern regions) where a strong wind following a heavy snowfall results in 'snow dunes' appearing on recently-cleared roads.)

Another fascinating approach to controlling the rolling sands was to pour tar onto the dunes, thereby solidifying them:



And of course, no road trip in KSA would be complete without the ever-present camel. Thankfully the major cross-country highways (Riyadh-Jeddah, Riyadh-Dammam) are fenced off and the once-serious concern of smacking into a camel has been eliminated. But since this road to the UAE border is fairly new and seldom used, the fences haven't been placed, thereby allowing us the pleasure of meeting Mr. Camel up-close:

The other day, Humza threw a fit and barked out ‘I don’t love you!’ Its not the first time he’s said that nor do I guess it to be the last. In fact, it’s pretty typical of children to say such words in times of stress and anger. But it got me thinking.

While children may blurt out those words without meaning it, what if a mature loved one were to say those same words? That would be mind-boggling and absolutely heart-breaking.

For example, even during the most tense of times, my wife has never expressed such a feeling. The worst she’ll do, in the aftermaths of an argument when I try to cajole her, is refuse to say ‘I love you’. But she’ll never go so far as to say ‘I do NOT love you.’

Those are two very different sentiments.

The negation of one’s love is so much more powerful than its affirmation. Its like the Shahada which centers on the forceful negation of any other deity. The negation is a conscious act of rejection, a deliberate act requiring effort, a violent act dispensing with the status quo, an act of choosing nothing over something.

[Of course, the beauty of the Shahada is that once you choose nothing (there is NO God), it is completed with the most perfect of affirmations (except Allah).]

Relationships may become stale and lifeless, but most partners will continue to express their love for each other. But only when a catastrophic event occurs (infidelity) or the build-up of a long negative trend (abuse), will one side be emotionally charged enough to declare ‘I do NOT love you.’

That being said, let us contemplate on the instances where Allah (swt), the most Loving, has gone against His very own loving nature, and has pronounced to the universe whom He does NOT love. What has caused Him to utter such strong condemnations?

Allah does not love the transgressors (2:190, 5:87, 7:55)
Allah does not love the ungrateful, wicked one (kaffar, atheem) (2:276)
Allah does not love the disbelievers (3:32, 30:45)
Allah does not love the oppressors (3:57, 3:140, 42:40)
Allah does not love the one given to treachery and depravity (khawwaan, atheem) (4:107)
Allah does not love those who squander, waste (7:31)
Allah does not love the treacherous, deceitful (khaa-ineen) (8:58)
Allah does not love the arrogant (16:23)
Allah does not love the one given to treachery and ingratitude (khawaan, kafoor) (22:38)
Allah does not love those who exult in their riches (referring to Qarun and the like) (28:76)
Allah does not love those who spread mischief (28:77)
Allah does not love the arrogant boaster (31:18, 57:23)

Let us ponder and reflect. Let us hope and pray. Let us dread and fear ever falling into the category of those whom Allah does NOT love.

I find all the above to be referring to characteristics that have become ingrained in the person, not just one time occurrences - in much the same way that Allah’s love is unique to those who have embodied certain positive characteristics.

(BTW, I found it interesting that the trait of treachery and deceit (kha-in, khawwan) was mentioned three times, on par with more well known offenses such as transgression, oppression, and disbelief.)

Here is a tale of a child raised by his widowed mother in the time of the great Hasan al-Basri. She was a pious, devout Muslim who would regularly attend Imam Hasan’s Quran dars. She valiantly tried to raise her son on the correct path, but unfortunately when he reached the age of adulthood, he gained control of his inheritance and fell in with the wrong crowd.

With seemingly limitless funds at his disposal, he sinned his youth away.

And all throughout, his mother, a devout servant of Allah (swt), would constantly implore him to return to the right path. But he constantly refused, choosing instead to follow his nafsi whims and desires. Many times she brought him to Hasan al-Basri, who would calmly and politely admonish him, but to no avail. Even the words of the great Imam could not bring about the desired affect.

Years passed and Imam Hasan grew to tire of his wayward shenanigans and resolved that maybe Allah (swt) had simply not written for the boy to be guided. Yet, the mother remained steadfast, as only a mother could, in her wishes to reform her one and only child. Every morning, when he would return from his nights of mischief, she would call on him to make amends with his Creator and return to the path of righteousness.

As he got older and due to the effect of his foolhardy ways, sickness befell him and he became bedridden. Having squandered his wealth, seeing the weakness of his once sturdy body, and with death lingering around the corner, only then did he realize the error of his ways.

His unrelenting mother was by his bed, reminding him that it was never too late to repent. Even though his worldly life was wasted, he still had the chance to salvage his afterlife with sincere atonement, she repeated to him.

Sensing his mortality, his heart finally softened and he responded with a query, “After a life of sin, I don't know how to repent. Can we go to Imam Hasan?”

Sensing a bit of hope, she excitedly replied, “My dear son, you are too sick to walk and I am too old to carry you, but I will rush and beckon him to come here.”

When she reached him and requested his company with her son, he remembered the countless failed efforts and quickly wrote him off, “My dear sister, I have the Quran lesson for which I must prepare. Over a thousand students will come and I owe it to them to properly present my lesson. Besides, your son has consistently ignored my advise, rejected any efforts to reform and basically rejected the message of Islam so many times that I fear he is beyond assistance.

“Should I not spend my time for those who are coming to seek the knowledge, who have shown a keen interest, who are trying to please their Lord? I’m sorry but at this time, I really cannot make it.”

Dejectedly, she quietly whispered to him, “Then at least when the angel of death visits him, can you come to our home and lead the Janaza prayer over him?"

He sharply rebuked her, "Throughout his entire life, I have never seen your son pray a single prayer, fast a single day, attend a single Juma’a. I fear that he has left the ranks of the Muslim and thus, I am sad to say that praying over him would not be permitted."

With a broken heart, she returned home to inform her dying son of the tragic response by Hasan al-Basri. Upon hearing that even the great Imam Hasan refused to pray the Janaza over him, he burst into tears and made his dying wishes, "Oh my mother, I have lived a life of shameless sin and indulgence. I have wronged everyone that I have known. I have disappointed you and I have disappointed my Lord. So please, when I die please do not bury me in the company of Muslims, for I fear that they will be undeservedly disturbed by my cries of pain and misery."

And with his weeping mother by his bedside, he continued, "And before you bury me, please take my corpse, tie it to the wild dogs on the street, and let it be dragged through the streets where my final fate in this life will match my eternal fate in the hereafter."

With that he breathed his last breath.

And at that same moment, a knock came on the door. Startled, the grieving mother got up to answer it and found Hasan al-Basri standing there. He explained, "As I was preparing my lesson, I fell asleep and it was then that I heard a voice say ‘Oh Hasan, what kind of wali are you of Mine, that you have refused to pray the Janaza over another wali of Mine?’"

I updated my blogroll to reflect some interesting blogs I've come across:

Umm Yasmin
UberPost Blog
The Great Theft (Charles's Blog)
JDsg's Blog

And I also added a new section for Saudi Bloggers. Enjoy!

=======

Here's a hilarious cartoon (originally printed in South Korea):

It was only after I stopped laughing that I realized the subtle racist implications, namely the stupidity of the black character versus the ingenuity of the two white guys. Did anyone else pick up on that?

And was the oriental partner aware of the smarter solution (thus revealing his own hidden racism) or was he simply as foolish as the black man?

Or am I simply over-analyzing this cartoon?

(h/t Neatorama)

=======

Finally, here is an interesting personality experiment. Look at the twirling lady below and see which way she's turning:



Basically, if you see her turning clockwise, you're a genius with a bright future. But if you think she's turning counter-clockwise, you're a failure doomed to be a loser for the rest of your life.

Guess which way I saw her turning? :-)

Seriously, here is what the experiment tells us:

If clockwise, then you use more of the right side of the brain and vice versa.

Most of us would see the dancer turning anti-clockwise though you can try to focus and change the direction.

LEFT BRAIN FUNCTIONS (Counter-Clockwise)
uses logic
detail oriented
facts rule
words and language
present and past
math and science
can comprehend
knowing
acknowledges
order/pattern perception
knows object name
reality based
forms strategies
practical
safe

RIGHT BRAIN FUNCTIONS (Clockwise)
uses feeling
"big picture" oriented
imagination rules
symbols and images
present and future
philosophy & religion
can "get it" (i.e. meaning)
believes
appreciates
spatial perception
knows object function
fantasy based
presents possibilities
impetuous
risk taking


(h/t to Umm Yasmin)

Br. Charles over at his thought-provoking blog, The Great Theft, has brought up a very relevant issue for American Muslims (AM). In the second half of this post (which I will rag on him for making too long...trust me bro, people (meaning me) have very short attention spans...), he addresses several important points, the most important being the way we Muslims approach socio-political issues in America.

He calls for us to decouple the unnecessary appellation of ‘Muslim’ whenever addressing issues that affect our everyday lives. He takes us to task for voicing our opinions only on domestic matters that affect our Muslim identity (education, financing, war on terror, civil rights, outreach) while divorcing ourselves from issues that affect our American identity (healthcare, economy, social security, gentrification, crime, environment).

Now I’ll acknowledge that we are progressing away from this narrow way of thinking. It’s safe to say that the AM community has matured from its original stance (embodied by the immigrants of the 60’s and 70’s who never felt at home in America) where the only concern was with overseas Muslim issues. I do believe that the current generation understands (contrary to what Charles, Tariq, and others may claim) that Palestine and other foreign policy issues are not the sole issues of concern for the AM community.

That being said, the AM community has a long ways to go and Charles has introduced a most essential concern to the discussion – the misguided need to appropriate every issue into a Muslim issue:

“It has become quite clear to me that Muslims, specifically American Muslims, have attempted to sculpt and take ownership of a concrete set of issues, thus naming them 'Muslim issues', and subsequently garner support on those issues from all Muslims but in doing this they alienate the support of non-Muslims.”

While we can continue expending our energies towards developing our local Muslim communities, we must also incorporate other wider social issues such as education, parenting, crime, drug usage, abstinence, unemployment, and so on. Our participation in addressing these societal issues does not require for them to be ‘Muslim’ concerns. They are American issues and as American Muslims, we need to step up and take an active role.

The narrow mindset that one is lesser of a Muslim for volunteering at the county school board or a public shelter for abused women than with the masjid Dawah committee or Muslim youth group needs to be replaced with a more inclusive thinking that allows us to see all these acts as sincere forms of worship.

And let me be clear that taking the ‘Muslim’ out of our socio-political discourse does not require that we take the Islam out of it.

A commenter politely chided me in a recent post, asking how I am any different from the whiny complaining Ummah that I chose to whine and complain about. He asked how I would address this problem and so I felt it worthy to respond with what I thought would be an ideal approach.

In this blog, I have purposely avoided preaching absolute solutions to our problems as I believe such recourse would oversimplify the complex issues – for simple solutions to complex problems reflect a gross misunderstanding of the problem.

I'm not convinced that there is any single perfect solution or movement or ideology. Although I may have chosen a path I believe is most optimal to pleasing Allah (swt) and realizing the purpose of Islam, I'm not arrogant enough to believe that it is THE path.

Therefore, my sincere advice to anyone and everyone who is willing to listen is to educate yourself, formulate personal convictions, and WORK tirelessly towards realizing those convictions.

I would rather see someone take up political activism (a route with which I am not convinced) and dedicate his/her life towards those beliefs than see someone intellectually convinced by my personal arguments, but do nothing for that effort.

There is simply too much lethargy in our Ummah. We have perfected the useless art of argumentative discussions and counterproductive polemics. We have become experts at tearing apart other ideologies and lambasting differing viewpoints.

But we have nothing to show for it.

So whether its committing to social work at the local soup-kitchen or spending 40 days with the Tablighi Jamaat or teaching Islam to new converts or organizing weekly Dhikr sessions, I say just do it.

Act upon your convictions.

I support all forms of upright, sincere action, regardless of whichever affiliations or denominations they may be aligned with. We need to live our convictions. We need to breathe our convictions, every day, every moment, be they political, theological, spiritual, or social.

Final Note: Those of you who may counter that all my efforts are directed towards my family, I say get a life. Everyone has a family and everyone is committed to their well-being. That doesn't preclude real activists from acting upon their convictions.

Same goes for those losers who try to convince themselves that their 100-hour work weeks are for the sake of Allah as the money they are earning is needed by the community for its advancement. Puh-lease! In reality, these folks have made their careers into their lords.

Sadly, we seem to have also perfected the art of self-delusional cognitive dissonance.

Here's a nice feel-good post by Sr. IzzyMo on three different Muslim Homecoming Queens.

I really liked this neat 'Math and Love for God' post by Br. Darvish.

Finally, I thought this was a good reminder by Br. Yursil on the simple, yet profound, nature of the Mawlid.

When I first read CNN’s report on the FBI agents injured at the Islamabad restaurant, my first reaction was ‘What the hell were American FBI agents doing in Pakistan?’

Then I remembered that the two nations have a shared history where US resources (read CIA) were intimately involved with Pakistan in fighting the Cold War in the 80’s and the war on terror this decade (In the three years before the attacks of September 11, Pakistan received approximately $9 million in American military aid. In the three years after, the number increased to $4.2 billion - Wikipedia).

The Pakistani military has been a loyal customer of the US military industry complex, even getting shafted in 1990 when they paid $658 million for 28 fighter jets, but got neither the jets nor their money back due to America’s embargo against them for their nuclear weapons program. In actuality, that broken transaction pretty much sums up their one-sided relationship (unless you consider the critical role that Pakistanis play in sustaining America’s taxi and pizza delivery industries as a fair reciprocation).

So I googled ‘Pesky Americans sticking their fat noses into Pakistan’ and lo and behold, it came up with this WashPo piece explaining what the FBI agents were doing in Pakistan:

“a seven-member FBI team tasked with investigating bombings in the city of Lahore was in Islamabad at the time of the attack…The U.S.-led task force was called in to assist with an investigation into two coordinated bombings Tuesday in Lahore. At least 28 people were killed and more than 170 injured in an attack at the headquarters of Pakistan's Federal Investigation Agency.”

The Naeem of old would have gone off on the intrusive nature of the FBI’s activities with its overtones of paternalistic meddling and how America still retains its colonial master mindset. However, I’ve since learned rule number one in international politics - that every nation, especially aging superpowers who are constantly looking over their shoulders, will do whatever it takes to hold on to their power.

The sooner we come to terms with certain universal truths such as cellphones are the devil’s creation or men need women just as much as women need men or back hair is once again cool (folks, you heard it here first!) or more relevant to this post - America will always interfere in the affairs of sovereign nations as long as it involves safeguarding their superpower status, the sooner we will be able to redirect our energies away from reactionary tactics and towards a more proactive mindset revolving around core issues such as education, social reform, and women rights.

So the new Naeem says ‘oh well’ when he reads about the FBI in Pakistan and instead focuses on his little circle of influence.

Over the past 5 years that I’ve been in Riyadh, I’ve been party to a most common expat pastime – bitching sessions. Almost every sitting with western expats is guaranteed to have some complaints about life in Saudi Arabia. From the annoying exit/entry visas (required every time you wish to travel outside KSA) to the haphazard bureaucracy in the various ministries to the crazy driving on the streets to the inhumane treatment of labor workers, everyone has something negative to say.

At first I enjoyed piling on to this very easy target – for sure, life seems very strange to a first-time visitor. There was a guilty pleasure in sitting with others and sharing the frustrations of this new life.

But at some point, it all started to feel hypocritical and counterproductive. Here we are reaping the benefits from our Saudi hosts and all we have to share are negative criticisms about how life here doesn’t stack up to life back home.

This hypocrisy especially hit home when I saw this same habit in the non-Muslim expats, but in a more vile and sinister manner. While my fellow Muslims and I were critical of life in Saudi, we always concluded with the acknowledgement of the blessing of being in a Muslim society. On the other hand, many non-Muslims oozed with imperialistic hubris, constantly deriding the Saudi persona as backwards and doomed to irrelevance without the white man’s assistance.

So I’ve taken a stand on not being so critical of life in Saudi and have encouraged others to do the same.

I see this attitude reflected on the larger Ummah, as typified in the streets of the Muslim world, where every corner coffee shop is teeming with talk of conspiracy theories and backroom machinations. All this bickering and complaining reflects very poorly on our collective psyche.

We have instilled into ourselves the permanent victim mentality. The fingers are always pointing outwards, looking for someone else to blame, never taking the time for any serious internal self-evaluation, never taking the effort to make lemonade out of our God-given lemons.

In fact, this same censorious attitude is found in many Hajjis, who find it very difficult to get beyond the overcrowding, lack of hygiene, and myriad difficulties associated with the Hajj. Blame is recklessly thrown around from the Saudi government to the Hajj operators to the countless illegal pilgrims.

I must admit that after my first Hajj, I was similarly disappointed with all the human elements of the Hajj and returned with mounds of negativity. It was only during my second Hajj, when I witnessed some fellow pilgrims in my group constantly bickering, that I realized how disgustingly whiny we have become as an Ummah.

For too long I would constantly lament at the unjust depiction of Muslims in the media, the all-too-obvious Muslim dehumanization and vilification by the West. I would rush to call out the double standard and the sheer hypocrisy. But to what end? All this whining does nothing the change the nature of the ignorant.

Surely there is a time and place for constructive criticism, but sadly that is an art form long lost on our Ummah. It's so much easier and self-gratifying to complain and drown ourselves in our miseries.