Asalaamu alaikum,
Welp, I’m off for a week or so but enjoy this random act of beauty. See ya!
انا مشغولة
June 30, 2009 at 12:50 pm (Dunya Moment)
What happened?
Suddenly, it’s Tuesday.
Suddenly I had an Arabic class last night. I had a dinner with my boss’ family.
I did have a tajweed class, right? Yeah, Saturday. And I went. Good. I did the laundry some how and cleaned the apartment. Oh yeah, my friend from South Africa stopped by.
And I had to pack my stuff for Morocco. But I also ate Morocco food a few nights ago. Wow, it was good but what night was that? What happened to the time? Did I sleep it off or eat it off?
Oh, I tried sushi for the first time in my life. It was okay. Oops, I got homework to do.
::::insert me pondering:::::
So this is what happens when you finally get a life! LOL 
MJ’s Death as Bread and Circuses
June 28, 2009 at 9:35 am (Deen On, Dunya Moment)
In the manner of Elvis or the Beatles, Michael is unwittingly both a cause and a symptom of America’s national obsession with celebrity, currently on display in the American Idol mania. Celebrity trumps catastrophe every time. Far too few of us make any attempt to understand why jobs are drying up, why mortgages are collapsing, why we spend half-a-trillion dollars to service the interest on the national debt, why our government’s administration, despite being elected on an anti-war platform, is still committed to two unnecessary and unjust wars waged by the earlier administration, wars that continue to involve civilians casualties on an almost daily basis. Instead, we drown in trivia, especially trivia related to celebrity. And the response to Michael’s death is part of the trivial pursuits of American popular culture. The real news about death in America is that twenty Iraq and Afghan war veterans are committing suicide every day. But that does not make the front page nor is it discussed as seriously as the King of Pop’s cardiac arrest.
Brothers and sisters, take heed of the Destroyer of Delights. We shall all taste death.
Michael Jackson
June 28, 2009 at 6:51 am (Arts)
There’s not much I can say.
And of course, I’m sad because such a talented and giving man suffered many trials through his life. I always admired him as an artist and philanthropist. God Most High blessed him which such a momentual talent. Talent is a gift but it’s also a trial. Unfortunately, having such a talent can create jealousy in weak souls who fail to see the beautiful abilities of God’s creation. May God bless his family and friends, especially his young children.
I don’t have much more to say so I’ll let the words of Imam Zaid Shakir speak for me.
Philandering Governor
June 28, 2009 at 6:12 am (Stupid Juice)
You see, Republicans, this is why people don’t take you seriously when you guys start rambling about morality and values.
COLUMBIA, S.C. – A top South Carolina Republican leader says philandering Gov. Mark Sanford should resign and practice the philosophy he’s preached of holding GOP leaders accountable. Glenn McCall is one of the state’s two national representatives to the Republican National Committee. He’s also a county party chairman and said Thursday that party members want Sanford out.
McCall says Sanford repeatedly has said party leaders should be held accountable for not upholding the GOP’s principles. And McCall says the married father of four should be held to the same standard.
The governor returned Wednesday from an international trip to see his mistress in Argentina. Hours later he publicly revealed that he’s been having an affair for the past year.
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Hmm, I wonder if Stephen Colbert will reconsider labeling Mark Sanford the most boring governor.
“You’re like a manila envelope taped to a beige wall. You’re like walking, talking Ambien.” LOL
We Children of the Revolution
June 25, 2009 at 5:58 am (Oppress This!)
(Like I said before, at least they have the courage to change their society. What did we do back in 2000? Exactly.)
In 1978, people gathered in every major Iranian city to express conviction in their ideals of freedom, social justice, equality and democracy – ideals that for them were equally “Western” and “Iranian”. Thousands of people gathered daily in street protests and demonstrations, and my father took me to many of these. As a child, I remember two slogans vividly: “Marg bar diktator” – “Down with the dictator” – and “Allaho akbar” – “God is great.” Back then, the “dictator” of the first chant was clearly the Shah himself, whose autocratic attempts to crush dissent stood against both liberal notions of freedom and Islamic hatred of tyranny (the Shah’s prohibition of the veil, for example, angered both these groups.) As for the chant “God is great” – so often associated with religious fundamentalism in the Western media – it meant, simply, that no matter how great rulers think they are, God is greater, and the struggle for freedom is always spiritual as much as it is political. I remember clearly how my father, a fervent secularist, embraced that chant then, just as now, as a statement of his belief in the inevitability of the people’s power. In those days, he’d lift me and call me his “revolutionary child.” I remember staring around at the crowd and seeing children like me everywhere, perched on shoulders or carried in their parents’ arms.
******
The Iranian Revolution ended on February 11, 1979. At least, this was the date that Khomeini’s followers used, and which we celebrated in school as “The Islamic Revolution’s Victory Day.” In fact, for many Iranians, February 11th was not an ending at all, but simply the point at which the non-religious alternative to the Shah’s regime collapsed. It was, in short, the moment when Khomeini triumphed over his opposition, not the moment when the goals of the revolution were attained. For us, the bloodstains in the streets that were the symbol of a people’s hope in democracy had nothing to do with Khomeini’s “Islamic Republic.” Of course, many Iranians, including those around me, were religious. And yet, few of them understood what Khomeini’s political model meant for them. All around me, I heard adults say, “Our revolution has been hijacked.”
Don’t look behind the curtain
June 23, 2009 at 6:55 am (Anti-War, Oppress This!, Waging Peace)
Don’t notice the puppetmaster! It takes away from the illusion of the show.
I hope America stays out of this. America can’t solve everybody’s problems. It should not be the police of the world. And the last time America got “involved” it led to reign of a brutal dictator and the Iranian Islamic Revolution.
Stay out of it! (Wait, they’re already in it).
Are Iran’s protests manufactured?
Yes, up to a one-and-a-half million protesters flooded the squares of Tehran but they represent a mere drop in the ocean out of a population of 66.5 million. Secondly, so far there has been no proof of vote-rigging.
Thirdly, it isn’t inconceivable that President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad gained 63.5 per cent of the ballot. Not only does he have a strong following among the poor, with 33 per cent of Iranians living below the poverty line, but in 2005 he received 62 per cent of votes while running against reformist candidate Mohammad Khatami.
As noted in a Financial Times editorial earlier this month, “Change for the poor means food and jobs, not a relaxed dress code or mixed recreation & Politics in Iran is a lot more about class war than religion”.
While the suspicion of opposition supporters is understandable, could there be anything in the government’s claims of meddling by the US and Britain? Although US President Barack Obama has taken a verbal back seat throughout, there are certainly numerous precedents.
A few examples of such US interference are Ukraine’s Orange Revolution, Georgia’s Rose Revolution and, of course, the CIA-backed overthrow of a democratically elected Iranian president in 1953.
The CIA’s record of attempting to change Latin American regimes is also well documented. Furthermore, in this particular case, the US has a very strong motive for fomenting turbulence in Tehran.
Former US assistant treasury secretary and award-winning columnist Paul Craig Roberts makes the case that the US may be escalating discontent in Iran in a recent column titled “Are the Iranian election protests another US orchestrated ‘Colour Revolution’?”
You may get the impression from Twitter that young Iranians are overwhelmingly in support of the protesters, but only a comparatively wealthy or educated third enjoy computer access.
Moreover, Mousavi began his campaign at a very late stage. In truth, though, we are unlikely ever to know the truth one way or the other.
!رجب… شعبان… رمضان
June 23, 2009 at 6:42 am (Deen On)
I don’t know about you but I can’t until Ramadan gets here because I need it BADLY!
This nafs is so dang big and it needs a Ramadan beatdown.
Mirage
June 22, 2009 at 9:19 am (Izzy Mo in Dubai)
I almost can’t believe that within a few weeks, I would have completed one year in this country. One year. Those first few months dragged with one culture shock moment slinking slowly to the next. It’s almost been a year and I still can’t put my finger on how I really feel about this place. After all the struggles, I have to admit that I like it here.
But that doesn’t mean I like everything. Telling people that I like living in Dubai, (or the Middle East) brings out too many arguments. I’m not supposed to like it here. LOL. And to be honest, I think I’ve been blessed with an attitude and disposition which enables me to live in most places. Even though some of my friends complain about this country, they struggle to find ways to stay. Because in the end, at least for us, the benefits of living here help us to deal with the nagging setbacks.
After living in Louisiana, Georgia and Mississippi, I think I’ve learned that cities are basically like people. You may not like every personality trait in your friends or family, but you are able to look beyond it and see the whole human being. Whenever I read an article about Dubai, the writer always goes off into the extremes. It’s either a vacuous, materialistic, autocratic hellhole or a modern, slick, new-age paradise on earth.
Why can’t they look at Dubai as if they are looking at any other city? And the leaders of this emirate will have to get used to criticism, whether it’s fair or unfair. Any city that seeks worldwide attention is bound to get some criticism. One thing that does seem to make this place so unique is that I’ve never seen a city be so good for some and so awful for others. Some people come here and they flourish within a short period of time. And I’m not talking about the privileged White expats. I’m talking about Arab and South Asian professionals who suddenly find themselves making more money than they could have ever imagined. And for others, either because of bad luck or shameless exploitation, get eaten alive and sent back to wherever they came. I’ve rarely seen such wealth and poverty existing side by side.
Dubai’s hypocrisies never bothered me too much because—well, I’m a New Orleanian. One writer mentioned that my city was a successful marriage between Heaven and Hell. So gay clubs located just a skip and a hop away from St. Louis Cathedral didn’t faze me. There was nothing shocking about your most ardent Bible thumpers getting drunk on Saturday night and still managing to make it to church on Sunday morning. Knowing that in Dubai, “gay behavior” and prostitution is punishable yet silently condoned doesn’t shock me. Like the many Christians I knew who wept in church and slept around with everything in sight, so are there Muslims who are just as hypocritical. (Oh, wait, did you think that Muslims were immune to hypocrisy? You so silly!)
But despite all this, despite the images of Holly/Bollywood celebrities and five star hotels…
Despite the images of unwashed, destitute South Asian laborers who toil to build these megaskyscrapers and malls…
There’s another image that overlooked by the media because it’s not glamorous or controversial.
There’s millions of us, hovering somewhere in the middle class, who are just trying to live. We’re not here to get drugs, or to be filthy rich, or get “lucky.” A lot of us are running away from the financial crises of our respective countries. We’re trying to live a decent life with decent wages. And we’re trying to save a little money before we finally decide to leave. Some of us are just here for two years and some end up staying beyond 20. While there could be many improvements made in a lot of areas, we also admit that the deal we got was much better than what our home countries were offering. And most of us are not rich and sexy, or destitute and struggling, so nobody notices us.
How long am I staying? Honestly, I have no idea. A professor told me what her father told her before moving to Sharjah. “Okay, you have to know that if you move to place within your mid to late twenties, you will probably end up settling there, whether that was your intention or not.” Who knew that she would get married to a local and have a baby? That’s something to think about. I’m playing this all by ear since making concrete plans don’t seem to apply after you’ve graduated from college.
I just have a few words of advice for anyone who plans to move here.
This place is dunyalicious. Don’t, I repeat, don’t get caught up in it and spend like crazy. Pleaaaaaaaase, don’t. Save some of that money. Don’t go buck wild and invest in everything out here and start buying junk you don’t need. Why go for a huge villa if a one or two bedroom apartment is cheaper and you get to save some money? Who are you trying to impress? Understand the concept of delayed gratification. Just as this place offers competitive salaries, the malls, hotels and restaurants are competing to get that money back! Don’t get seduced by the easy credit. So many, many, many people got messed over because of their own irresponsible financial habits. NO ONE told them to rack up $30,000 of debt because of designer clothes and trips around the world! Beyond the necessities, try to maintain a realistic payable amount of debt. It’s bad enough that people get into debt just so they can pay rent and school fees. Don’t go into debt over garbage. If you can, get a loan from your company rather than the bank. They may deal with you with more equity since they know you ain’t going anywhere.
Oh, and another thing. Don’t hestitate to get “Imperalist” if you have to. That’s my funny way of saying that being American out here carries its own unique form of wasta. It doesn’t compare to the wasta of Emiratis, but it does mean that you aren’t totally powerless to the whims of this society. I hate to say it but having that blue passport can make a world of difference. It ain’t fair and I suggest that you use it wisely. Some people here are pushy and you can’t allow them to walk over you because they will make you into a virual doormat. I noticed that for some of the bureacrats here, nothing is more weird than seeing a woman in hijab, who looks North African, has a European birth name and she’s giving them salaams! Kelly is supposed to be the name of a perky blonde, not a Mozzie chick. Plus, said Mozzie girl is carrying an American passport. It just never ever dawns on them that I’m a convert! Never! (Despite all these Western, English speaking Muslims living here!) And when I start speaking Arabic to them, the culture shock moments are gonna get even funnier.
But understand that this only works if you are complying with the law. Don’t get “imperalist” on somebody when you’re obviously wrong or doing something stupid. Just admit your mistake and be friendly. You’d been surprised how nice law enforcement officers can be, if you are nice to them in return. But once you break the law, your little wasta is gone. That’s how arrogant Western expats get thrown in jail.
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I’m sitting here writing about Dubai without even thinking about my trip to Tangier!
Am I going to Morocco, insha’Allah? I guess I won’t believe it until I’m at the airport.
10 Effective Ways for Muslims to Ruin Their Lives
June 21, 2009 at 12:16 pm (Neurotica, Stupid Juice, The Umma, Why They Hate Us-The Muslim Edition)
Number #2
Stick Your Head In The Sand!!!!!!
That’s right. If something evil or unjust is happening in the community, ignore it. If there’s a philander preaching on the minbar, overlook it. If you know some dayiee has wives and girlfriends all around the world but he’s lecturing about marriage and commitment, just pretend like you don’t know. After all, we’ve all see what happens to people who actually suggest that we call an evil for what it is and try to do something about it. THEY GET EATEN ALIVE!!!!!!
Just keep saying to yourself, “Everything’s fine.”
“It’s not that bad.” Or here’s a good one. “That could never happen to me.” Because everyone knows that an abused woman, man or child got in that position because they deserved it. Somehow, they did something to earn it. Especially if it’s a woman. (Read #1 again).
So you see a sister and she’s got weird bruises on her arm and face. Just pretend not to notice. You see a child who is getting slapped by a teacher, WHATEVER. After all, kids can be difficult. But understand this; sometimes ignoring the problem is not good enough. It’s not enough to pretend not to notice. You have to do one better.
You have to defend the perp.
So if a dude is doing something really, really, REALLY haram like not paying child support and leaving his wife in legal limbo while he marries somebody else, protect him! Defend him. Why defend the values of Islam when its better to defend the façade of the community? Why speak up for justice and fairness when it takes more mental gymnastics to pretend like our community is hunky dory. Don’t condemn him. Condemn her. (Blaming women is so much easier, refer back to #1). We have this carefully constructed façade to maintain (even though we ain’t fooling anybody!).
Of course, such tactics can only come back and bite you in the tuckus. After all, remember the silence that led to the death of our sister Aasiya Zubair (may God have mercy on her and grant her the highest rank in Paradise). Such is the sacrifice of Muslims who choose to stick their heads in the sand and hope that the problem will magically disappear. God willing, despite your willingness to ignore the problems staring at you dead in the face, one day your child won’t come home and stay that her teacher dragged her into a closet and grabbed her in “that place.”
(May God help us to live like lions and not like ostriches, AMEEN!)
