Izzy Mo’s Blog

Salaam alaikum,

OKAY!

I’m moving tomorrow so I’ll be offline for a while.  Y’all got my number.  Well, some of y’all got my number.  I’ll probably get online at work but for now, I gotta figure out which company offers service in Jackson, MS. 

Anyhoooooo!

Salaamz

Izzy Mo 

kuficallah

Originally uploaded by Izzy Mo.

Another one I’m working on…but it’s on hold until the move. :::Sigh::: My inner critic is annoying me.

lilgirlOriginally uploaded by Izzy Mo.
Salaam alaikum

This is going to be the last flickr show for a while. Okay, maybe within a few weeks. This set includes pictures from the eid breakfast at the Muslim Community Center of Fayetteville, Georgia and the Eid prayer over at the local skating ring. You can see the little girl’s breakfast was finger lickin’ good. There’s also pictures from Masjid al -Farooq in ATL with the cool bronze domes and some pictures from the Eid and Middle Eastern celebration at Georgia State.

Eid in ATL

dhikrallah

Originally uploaded by Izzy Mo.

A painting that I’m working on for a show. Insha’Allah, I’ll get in but everyone has different taste. It’s the word Allah, written almost 30 times in a forward, backward and upside down position. Hence the pattern of repetition. It still needs work but I just wanted to give you a preview.

izzymosword

Originally uploaded by Izzy Mo.

Salaam alaikum

Allahu akbar!!!!!Yeeeaaaaaah! I got me some swords!!!!

Izzy Mo secret: I luuuvvvvv swords. Why? Maybe it’s my obsession with martial arts films, Chinese calligraphy and samurais. Maybe it’s because Asian culture compares the art of the sword to the art of calligraphy. I dunno know. All I know is that stepdude shares my obsession so he hooked me up with some swords!!!! Hey, I gotta protect myself out there in Mississippi!

Kewlest Eid gift ever!

(for any anti-Islamic trolls, stepdude is Catholic so don’t try to connect his love of swords and other weaponry to Islam, m’okay?!)

Have a Blessed Eid

Originally uploaded by Izzy Mo.

Happy Early Eid!!!!!!!

DSCF1153Originally uploaded by Izzy Mo.
Salaam alaikum,

I’m assuming that this is my last stint in Georgia for a while. Oy, maybe I’ll have more showings in Georgia in the future. :::sniffle::

I will be showing my artwork at the….(drum roll please!)

The Georgia State University Eid Celebration
and Middle Eastern Cultural Festival!

It will be Wednesday, October 25th, from 3-6 pm

The Courtyard Festival will be from 10-2 pm where there will be henna, a bake sale, calligraphy and an info table. The 3-6 pm showing in the Court Salon (Student Center) will have a showcase of handicrafts, music and art.

This event is sponsoredby the Muslim Student Association (MSA) and the Middle Eastern Socio-Political Association (MESPA). Insha’Allah, I’ll see some more Georgia Muslimeen.

******

Oh, this week I’m moving to Jackson so I’ll be off the internet on the 26th. After that, it may be a while until I get back on. I hopin’ it will only be for a week but with these companies, ya never know. But you know how to reach me.

Lanterns

Originally uploaded by Izzy Mo.

Why don’t we take Eid al Adha as seriously as Eid al Fitr? I know it’s because we feel it when we stop fasting after Ramadan but…isn’t Eid al Adha longer and isn’t it considered a bigger Eid than Eid al Fitr? 

The Fiqh of Eid

The Signifigance of Eid al Fitr

Fiqh of Eid al-Adha

Wikipedia:  Eid al Fitr

Eid al Fitr greeting cards
 

Lantern 1

Originally uploaded by Izzy Mo.

Salaam alaikum,

As the Eid is quickly approaching, I wanted to know what do you guys do to make the Eid special?  I really want to get some feedback from those of you with children.  I also want to hear from those living overseas.  How does your country celebrate Ramadan and the Eid? 

Do you go all out with decorations and if so, what kind do you use?  Paper lanterns?  Really blinged-out expensive lanterns like the one on the right?  Pictures of beautiful masajid around the world?  Shinny banners and calligraphy?  Or do you decorate at all?

Do you and your family and/or friends go out to dinner or eat dinner at home?  Do you go to the mall?  Do you give the kids money and candy?  How about henna parties?  Do marriages begin to take place during this time?  How does your community celebrate this special time?

I’m trying to get some ideas and also a little bit of hope that American Muslims are making the Eid special enough.  Our children are bombarded with Halloween, Christmas and Easter.  All these holidays, which have pagan roots, have been co-opted by corporations in order to sell unnecessary things.  So how are we creating fun and beautiful alternatives to consumer culture holidays? 

You guys already know what I would do but I haven’t had a chance to really try out my ideas for various reasons.  One:  would the masjid let me and a group of other people decorate the masjid without any problems?  Two:  would they give us the funds to get the decorations?  Three:  would the community like it or not because not everybody wants that kind of stuff?  Four:  what kind of entertainment could be provided for the children without too much stress or worry on the parents. 

There’s a lot of issues involved.  This year, I just did the usual.  I gave some kids some boxes with candy in them and made some Eid cards.  Oh wait, I did make those boxes for you guys throughout the month!  Jazak Allah khairn!  I would like to try out my ideas but since becoming Muslim, I’ve been celebrating Ramadan in different places.  New Orleans, Atlanta and now it looks like I may celebrate next Ramadan (insha’Allah) in Jackson.  I just worry that our youth may feel like the Eid can’t hold a candle to other holidays. We can make it just as beautiful but not as cheap and commercial as the other holidays.  We can emphasize spiritual activities while coupling with games and fun time.  And we can decorate without getting silly or tacky. 

Anyhoo, give me some feedback when you can. 

Lantern 2Originally uploaded by Izzy Mo.
Salaam alaikum,

A new blog post is coming up soon but I thought you just might enjoy a small flickr show of these beautiful glowing lanterns.

Oh and I hope we all catch the baraka of Laylatul Qadr!

http://www.flickr.com/photos/98756806@N00/sets/72157594336097241/show/