Muslim Apple

I received one of the more interesting responses to the British documentary “Women Only Jihad” and a related post entitled “Women’s Jihad - Praying in the Masjid” from a sister in New Zealand. After encountering resistance from brothers at certain masajid and due to the lack of prayer space accommodations for women, some sisters have taken to praying outside at fajr on a mountaintop.

From Sister Fiona in her own words:

My story is from New Zealand.

A couple of us decided we’d pray on one of the beautiful mountains in our city (how appropriate to be on the sides of a volcano as the dawn light breaks into the sky). Most of our mountains scattered through the city are reserves and parks and public spaces.

We were seeking some way to show solidarity with, and respect for the indigenous people of Aotearoa New Zealand as their forefathers lost substantial amounts of land in the early years of European settlement. Auckland itself is built on 25,000 misappropriated acres.

Most of our Muslim population has arrived in the last decade and so this history is not known to them. It’s like the butler (the European style government) has opened the door and presented himself as the owner, so we want to get past that to meet with the host. As Allah (subhana wa ta ala) has said, we are made of many tribes and nations so we can come to know one another.

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Love of the Prophet sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam and his companions

I credit AlMaghrib Institute through each seminar but specifically through the Conquest: History of the Khulafaa seminar with simulating my love for and interest in learning about the Prophet sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam and his companions (may Allah be pleased with them all).

I converted to Islam simply because I believed in my heart that Allah the Exalted was true, one, undeniable, the creator and sustainer and not because I understood the role of the Prophet Muhammad sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam. I could accept that the Prophet Muhammad sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam was another prophet and man sent by Allah similar to Jesus, Noah, Abraham, and Moses.

Although my previous experience in Christianity had taught me about some other prophets, I knew next to nothing about the Prophet Muhammad sal Allahu alayhi wa salaam, his companions, and the those that followed them, and our scholars. And I had no great affection for them and wasn’t sure why I should pay particular attention to any of them. Read more »

The title of this post is a quote from Garrison Keillor, sometimes on my way back from fajr or on my way to work, I hear his Writer’s Almanac segment on NPR and he always signs off with that quote and I like it.

I am enjoying my quiet time and feel that it may be time for this phase of Muslim Apple to end as I’ve suffered a massive loss of focus on the direction of this blog. I’ve benefited tremendously from this blog, from the interaction and comments, and from the people that I have met in person and through the online community and I intend to continue reading other blogs using my Google Reader application.

There are so many people that stand out in my mind and I would like to thank and express my gratitude to them for their words, actions, and presence in my life, I don’t want to name names so I hope you know who you are and if you don’t you can just assume that you are included in that group.

I may return to write on this blog from time to time or even more regularly but for now I’m just going to be quiet.

If ever I have harmed you or offended you in any way, then please forgive me.

Be well, do good work, and keep in touch (through email, comments, Facebook, phone, etc.)

I received email from Amatullah (a regular here on Muslim Apple):

Inna lillahi wa inna ilayhi raji’oon. I wanted to let everyone know that my uncle who was in the hospital passed away this evening around maghrib time. All Praise and Thanks is due to Allah, Who has made us Muslims and caused him to die as one, and may He bless us to die as Muslims. Please keep him in your duaas, now that his akhirah has begun.

May Allah azza wa jal forgive him and all the deceased Muslims, may Allah ta’ala make their graves a garden from the gardens of Jannah, may He grant them firmness in the questioning and may He ta’ala grant them Jannatul Firdaws and save them from the fire. ameen

InshaAllah his janazah will be tomorrow after dhuhr at Dar Al-Hijrah masjid in Falls Church, VA. They pray dhuhr at 1:30 inshaAllah. For the brothers, inshaAllah they will move his body at 2 pm to the graveyard on Riggs road and New Hampshire (I believe it is George Washington Cemetary, Allahu ‘alam).

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AlMaghrib Institute is offering its one weekend seminar Love Notes: Marriage and Family Life taught by Shaykh Yaser Birjas in November at George Mason University. Don’t miss it.

General well-wishes for Eid and a reminder that just because Ramadan is over our duties are not, and a special shout out to his AlMaghrib Institute students. The video is below the fold. Read more »

Eid Mubarak on whichever day you celebrate!

Dar us Salaam, PGMA, ISB, and Dar al Taqwa are celebrating Eid on Friday while MCC, Dar al Hijrah, ADAMS Center, and ISWA are celebrating on Saturday, not yet sure about ICM.

Update: ICM states that there were zero credible sightings anywhere in the world so they are also doing Eid on Saturday.

The Friday group are using the opinion of the crescent moon being sighted anywhere in the world to determine the start and end of Ramadan while the Saturday group is solely using ISNA and the Fiqh Council of North America’s calculations.

Last year, I mentioned that I supported ISNA’s 5 year calendar but I’ve changed my opinion and have withdrawn my previous position.

Which day is your community celebrating Eid?

For more information on the celebration of Eid on possibly four days in the US, check out the discussion on Muslim Matters.

Don’t know much about Eid or want a quick refresher course, then check out this two-minute Eid 101 flash presentation designed by Muhammad Alshareef on his new FiqhFlash website.

Eid 101

Eid Mubarak!

Dar us Salaam in College Park and the Prince George’s Muslim Association in Lanham have come together in a spirit of unity and mutual cooperation to enliven the sunnah of having the eid prayer outside in Watkins Regional Park on Friday at 10AM. No more squeezing into all corners of the masjid including the hallways or jockeying for a prime prayer spot in the musallah.

In sha Allah, the Friday prayers will also be held at the park and there will be lots of food and activities for all ages. After the eid prayer, some are going to IHOP in College Park for a community brunch. And there may be house-hopping afterward.

May Allah accept our fast in this month of Ramadan, and our standing in prayer, and our dua, and our good deeds, and forgive our sins, and enter us into paradise and save us from the hellfire. Ameen.

Dar us Salaam in College Park now has an online option for paying the zakat al-fitr that is required of every Muslim. The money will be used to buy food items, which in turn will be distributed to needy families in the area.

The distribution by volunteers begins this weekend so pay or buy items early, and sign up to help distribute the items to individual families or to discreetly pass on the name of a family in need to the Zakat committee.

Zakat ul Fitr Online

From the Storehouse:

Pay Zakat al Fitr Now

Did You Pay Zakat al Fitr?