Letter from the President

Fellow Muslim Wolverines, The other day, I found myself enjoying the last of the warm weather on a bustling diag. As I walked across, I couldn’t help but feel somewhat wistful. It’s been a familiar feeling lately. Us seniors tend to be fatalistic about every experience we have in Ann Arbor, finding every moment bitter-sweet in the impending doom of graduation. I dragged my feet a little hoping to embed the image of the Diag in my heart—every occupied bench, every blade of brilliant green, every crimson leaf. Perhaps it was being in the heart of campus or maybe it was that sense of imminent loss, but my mind wan-dered to the beginning of my journey in this great town. I remembered that first Sacred Time Project in November of 2008 when I visited on a whim with some notions of escaping Missouri floating vaguely in my head. Although that weekend, being a catalyst to my move to Ann Arbor, changed my life, I didn’t remember much about it. I didn’t remember how organized it was or was not, I didn’t remember the food that was served, I didn’t even remember the topic of the conference. One thing did stand out in my memory: when I walked up to that registration table to give my name and receive a folder, I was met with an attentive smile and a “welcome to U-M”. Later, other MSA sisters echoed those sentiments in both words and actions. When they decided to follow the Saturday night lectures with a satisfying round of Bubble Tea, they invited me along. Far from relegating me to that corner dedicated to the girl no one knows, they engaged me in conversation. People wanted to know my name, my interests, my background, my story. There I had been, 650 miles from home sitting around women I had only just met yet feeling warm, accepted and welcome. A month later I had left my hometown of a decade and hitched my wagon to this community; I have never regretted that decision. On that warm October day, as I contemplated the breath-taking grandeur of the Diag, I wondered how life would have been different had I not encountered those sisters. Had their warmth not beckoned me into a leap into the unknown, would I still have been standing on the Diag that day? Still immersed in thought, I looked up suddenly to see a sister I recognized. She had come to the mass meeting, but no other MSA events since then and I found myself unsure of her name. I grinned at her and waved enthusiastically, all the while mouthing out “salaam”. If I have learned anything in the past three years, it’s this: Events don’t build community. When we take a moment to give enough of ourselves to affirm each other, we create something that cannot be faked by even the biggest crowd: a genuine connection. In those spaces of mutual vulnerability and acceptance grow the types of friendships that can instruct us on how to be the best versions of ourselves. This has been my experience in this community of Michigan Muslims. It is a connection I have yet to experience anywhere else and I will miss it even more than the twinkle of the brass “M” on a warm October day on the Diag.

Eman Abdelhadi

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risaLah staffLayout

Eman AbdelhadiNoor Haydar

Views expressed in the Risalah do not necessarily reflect the views of the University of Michigan Muslim Students Association.

ContributorsKinza Ilyas

Adjanni DixonYunus ShabandriEman Abdelhadi

Omar MalasTala Dahbour

PhotosAnnie Sajid

Omar ShaikhNoor Haydar

ContributorsSarah Abe

Gibrael BarlaskarMSA Schwab

Adam SiddiquiMariem Qamruzzaman

Osama El-Sayed

CoPy editorsEman Abdelhadi

Noor Haydar

Ramadhan mwenesi The MSA is blessed every year with some amaz-ing members, but every so often a particularly selfless, warm, and humble individual comes along that reminds us all of why we love being Muslim. This year, that person is Ramadhan Mwenesi. With his immense composure and a smile so dangerously smooth he had to get a license to use it, Ramadhan was an easy choice as the Master of Ceremo-nies for A Walk in My Shoes. And if that didn’t convince you of his charisma, he was also selected as the Master of Ceremonies for the upcoming Fastathon on November 3rd. To be held only a week after AWIMS. Yeah, I know right? A regular at all things MSA, his Mini-Qiyam talk in early October is now regarded as the standard of excellence for all Mini-Q speakers. To describe to you just how epic of an individual Ramadhan really is, I’ll end on a story that happened as I was typing this: Seeing the name Ramadhan Mwesi on my computer screen, a random brother walking by me in the fishbowl said, “I love Rama-dhan. He’s just one of those people, when you see him in a room, it puts a smile on your face.”

msaers of the month

Cover PiCture exPLained: msa bros PLanking at the big house

After MSA volunteers helped clean up the Big House after the annual Big House Big Heart Run (10/9/2011), they decided to plank on the field. If it felt as good as it looks, you are some lucky bros!

PLanking: The art of planking is to lay horizontally across any object or the ground with their arms by their sides, aiming to occur in daring situations or a brotherly display of core-strength..

Look at that mad-man planking that parking meter!

Coneing: The new ‘planking.’ The art of grabbing a McDonalds ice-cream cone from the ice cream end just to weird out the McDonalds Worker. can also be done various other ways such as scooping

the ice cream onto you face for warrior paint.

LAST BUT NOT LEAST.....the newest fad:

deening: Better than planking; better than coning. ‘Deening’ is a phenomenon spreading like a california wildfire and executed by blasting Native Deen songs while doing random things. get on the boat quick while it lasts, the cool will be over as soon as bieber gets wind of it. bit.ly/deening

Betul tataR Who said freshmen couldn’t make a splash? Betul Tatar has certainly shattered that myth in a few short weeks in the MSA. Since that first weekly meeting, she’s become a regular face at events and MSA initiatives. Her contribution goes far beyond attendance, however, as she quickly secured the co-chair position for MSA’s first ever Alternative Spring Break trip scheduled for this Winter semester inshallah. Her enthusiasm, persistence and dedication has made her an invaluable asset, without whom this community would not have been the same. She joins us this semester all the way from Turkey as an international student, but it already feels as though she’s been a part of this community forever! Thanks for all that you do Betul, may Allah reward you!

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By: Gibrael Barlaskar Shaykh Zakariyya was born in the village of Kandhla (in Uttar Pradesh, India) on Ramadan 10, 1315 ah (February 12, 1898 CE). His lineage continues all the way back to Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him), the great Compan-

ion of the Messenger (upon him be peace). At the age of twelve, Shaykh Za-kariyya trav-eled with his father to Maza-hir ‘Ulum. There, under his father, he advanced his study of Arabic, tackling many classi-cal texts on Arabic mor-phology, grammar, literature, and also

logic. But by the time he was seventeen, hadith became the main focus of his life. He studied five of the six authentic books of hadith with his father, and then he studied Sahih al-Bukhari and Sunan al-Tirmidhi (for a second time) with the honorable Shaykh Khalil Ahmad Saharanpuri. Out of his immense respect for hadith, Shaykh Zakariyya was extremely particular about always studying the hadith narrations with wudu’. We can see the importance of gaining knowledge with proper etiquettes, and the blessing that Allah gives in those who gain knowledge for His sake, whether it is the knowledge of Islam, or knowledge within the University. Before his death, Shaykh Khalil Ahmad expressed his desire to write Badhl al-Majhud, and he sought Shaykh Zakariyya’s assistance as his right-hand man. This experience revealed Shaykh Zakariyya’s gift of penmanship and, further-more, expanded his insight in the science of hadith. Here, we see the importance of service to our teachers, whether it is something small, or something as big as co-authoring a research paper. We must be at their service for the sake of Allah(SWT). In 1345 ah, he traveled to Madina Munawwara, the city of Allah’s Messenger (upon him be peace) where he

resided for one year. There he taught Sunan Abi Dawud at Madrasa al-‘Ulum al-Shar‘iyya. While in Madina, he began working on Awjaz al-MasalikilaMuwatta’ Imam Malik, a com-mentary on Imam Malik’s Muwatta’. He was twenty-nine at the time. This shows that age has nothing to do with success. No matter how young we are, if we have ambition and the right intentions, there is nothing that can stop us from truly succeeding. Shaykh Muhammad Zakariyya had extreme love for the Prophet (upon him be peace) and the blessed city of Madina. His students have related that whenever the death of the Messenger (upon him be peace) was mentioned during a lecture on Sunan Abi Dawud or Sahih al-Bukhari, his eyes would well up with tears, his voice would choke up, and he would be overcome with crying. This shows the extreme im-portance of gaining the love of the Prophet(S) and embody-ing the Sunnah to such a degree that we adhere to the Sunnah in all small matters and connect to Allah(SWT). He had always hoped to meet Allah while in the city of the Messenger (upon him be peace); Allah granted his wish. He died there on Monday Sha‘ban 1, 1402 ah (May 24, 1982 CE) and was buried in Jannat al-Baqi‘, in the company of the Companions and the noble family members of the Messenger (upon him be peace). Shaykh Zakariyya wrote many works both in Ara-bic and Urdu. A number of them treat specialized subjects intended for scholars, and the rest have been written for the general public. His first written work was a three-volume commentary of the AlfiyyaIbn Malik (on Arabic grammar), which he wrote as a student when he was only thirteen. His written works amount to over one hundred and made it pub-licly known that he only published his works for the sake of Allah’s pleasure. Hence, his books have gained overwhelming acceptance throughout the world, so much so that his work Fada’il al-Qur’an (Virtues of the Qur’an) has been translated into eleven languages, Fada’il Ramadan (Virtues of Ramadan) into twelve languages, and Fada’il al-Salat (Virtues of Prayer) into fifteen languages. An example of his hadith work is Awjaz al-Masalik ila Muwatta’ Imam Malik: One of the most comprehensive commentaries on the Muwatta’ of Imam Malik in terms of the science of hadith, jurisprudence, and hadith explication written in 18 volumes in classical Arabic and written over a span of 30 years. This won the praise of many Maliki schol-ars. May Allah give us the spark in our hearts to truly gain knowledge and embody the knowledge we gain for His sake, to serve those who have served us by giving us knowledge, to serve humanity and contribute to the betterment of society with the knowledge we gain, to purify our intentions, to per-fect our character, and to embody the Sunnah of Prophet(S) in all matters whether they be big or small even at the time of death.

sPotLight on a sChoLarshaykh aL-hadith muhammad Zakariyya kandhLawi

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By: Tala Dahbour & Saher Rathur We recently had the pleasure of attending the Muslim Student Association’s panel of converts who told us their unheard stories. The event took place on Thursday, October 6th in the Union at 7pm. The panel consisted of six converts including: Christina Rountree, Chris Abdurahman Blauvelt, Ed Renollet, Brad Bren-nan, Mohammed Langston, Sarah Abe, and Amber Saunders. As Muslims who were born into the religion, it was a very eye-opening experience listening to their individual paths towards Islam. It’s safe to say that there was not one moment of dullness as each person brought their own entertaining personality to the table. Specifically, we enjoyed Christina Rountree’s comedic narrative of how she converted and later reverted. Not afraid to speak out, she demonstrated how, even after converting, life-long Muslims were the ones to drive her away from Islam. It taught us that we have a responsibility as brothers and sisters to make the transition for a convert an easy one. Also, Ed Renollet gave an incredibly chilling account of having visions that would eventually lead him to an epiphany while studying Islam. The rest of the panelists gave equally fascinating stories. Convertsations proved to be a re-markable event, those that did not attend truly missed out.

By: Sarah Abe

From my perspective as a panelist, watching so many people come together as a community to hear about the issues converts face and what we can do to provide support was inspiring and uplifting. Alhamdu-lilah, I’ve always felt blessed to have the opportunity to share in the sisterhood at U of M, and seeing so many people gather to learn how we can strengthen our community through mutual support was inspiring. Although the event specifically targeted converts, the issues of stereotyping and exclusion are not specific to people who have converted from a different faith to Islam; they effect us all. Whether an individual is a new convert or a lifelong Muslim, community support is an essential component in continuing to grow in and strengthen our iman. Everyone has the right to be rec-ognized, respected and valued, and looking at issues of rejection and acceptance through the eyes of a convert is but one way to address the obstacles that face us all. The support I gained from the U of M com-munity following my conversion was one of the greatest blessings I have ever received. In the face of disapproval and scorn from my friends and family, the MSA provided a tight-knit support group that made it possible to stand in the face of adversity. For me, the light of Islam has always been reinforced by the bonds of brosterhood (that’s right, brosterhood; a new term coined by Nader Hakim referencing both brotherhood AND sisterhood), and Conver(t)sations was yet another manifestation of that light. I’ve heard multiple people say that once we leave U of M, we’ll miss the com-munal bonds we have. It really is a unique experience, and the blessings we share are abundant and vast. So insha’Allah, when we leave this U of M community and spread out around the world, we will remember these blessings and use the lessons we learn at Conver(t)sa-tions and beyond to benefit not only ourselves and our immediate friends, but to increase and build the com-munity wherever we go.

Conver(t)sations refLeCtions

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MSA Schwab Week 1: The Imam Selection Dance

By: MSA SchwabThe MSA Schwab is a group of Veteran MSAers who have taken the time to think about and evaluate some of the MSA’s most

identifiable features, and are passing that information to you. Their message is simple: “Arm yourself with Knowledge.”

We can only imagine that even standing in the sister’s front row often means you are missing out on one of the classic pre-salah MSA rituals, the Imam Selection Dance (ISD). Well known for its chaos, the MSA ISD has gained fame in recent years due to some particularly scrappy brothers and has even been the subject of a Michigan Muslim Banquet sketch performed by the sisters. To an outside, 3rd party observer, the ISD can appear like a small skirmish; brothers shoving each other, yelling their opinions, and if a particular Irish brother is a member of the festivities, performing spin-moves. Particularly considering that this frenzy comes immediately before salah, which in contrast is very orderly and refined, the ISD is difficult to understand for those who have never actually partici-pated. Thus, in the first installment of The MSA Schwab, we dissect the origin and elements of the infamous MSA Imam Selection Dance. Origin: The Imam Selection Dance is a formality expected before any salah in a large congregation almost without exception. Even an Imam of a masjid will often offer one of the elder community members in the first row the opportunity to lead before starting prayer. An important exception is Taraweeh; a small scuffle in between every two Ruk’as is a little unbefitting the Ramadan atmosphere. Also Friday Prayer (I can only imagine the argument during the first and only Jummu’ah ISD: “Bro, are you serious? I just gave the khutbah…”). But unlike in most congregations where the Fiqh rules of Imam selection are followed and thus before the ISD even begins everyone knows who will end up leading (the one who owns the house followed by the most Fiqh knowledge followed by the most Qur’an knowledge followed by age, etc.), the MSA tends to just kind of wing it. As a result I’ve been a part of unsuccessful ISDs that ended in the brother who is wearing shorts and can’t speak Arabic leading.

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into soCiaL media? ConneCt with msa! @MichigAnMuSliMS u-M MuSliM StudentS’ ASSOciAtiOn

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stages

Row Arrangement: When you are standing in the first row during a big MSA event, you know what you are getting yourself into. Even if you have never led before, you are very aware of the possibility of being asked to lead and then getting shoved forward to the Imam position. Those who want to be Imam tend to squeeze into the first row while those who just want to pray in the first row for the reward have to have their guard up. For this reason, the Imam Selec-tion Dance actually begins when the first row is being developed.

motivation: The next stage is largely internalized. Members of the ISD will decide how interested they are in leading.

The vast majority will fall under the “I don’t really want to lead but if I’m selected by a majority I’ll do it.” That is generally safe, humble territory to be in. On one side of the spectrum are the “Even if the front row turns into an

offensive line, forcing me to stay at the front to lead, I won’t lead if someone more qualified is around.” Hence spin-moves. On the other side of the spectrum are the “I want to lead SO BADLY. My sura Zumar now sounds just like

Imam Shuraym’s and I want to put it to good use.” Nomination: During the Iqama, veterans of the ISD, whether or not they are interested in leading, are scanning the first row for potential candidates/competitors. A quick, ceremonial and uneventful ISD occurs when the first of the two nominees (who wanted to lead) offers the second (who didn’t want to lead) the opportunity only to be themselves pushed forward. In this case the ISD goes straight from nomination to humility (see the next stage) to selection – easy-peasy. More complicated ISDs occur when 3-4 candidates who are impartial are selected, a majority isn’t reached, and a fifth candidate enters the fold who REALLY wants to lead but for whatever reason is just not getting nominated (Most MSA Imams would be lying if they say they have never been that 5th candidate). In cases like these we proceed to the next step. Humility: This is a critical, often neglected part of the Imam Selection Dance. Candidates or first row par-ticipants humbly recommend someone else besides them to lead. If you really want to lead but you forget this step,

you will likely not be selected. Again, in the non-MSA setting few ISDs don’t go from humility to selection.arguments/rebuttaLs:

During this stage the ISD becomes a little bit rowdy. Vying for a particular candidate, candidates and partici-pants produce reasons why one person should lead over another. Good reasons tend to overlap with the actual fiqh (he knows the most Qur’an). Bad reasons are often logical, but would never occur outside of an MSA ISD. Exam-ples include, “He hasn’t led in a while,” “He made us wait super long while he made wudu,” and “His beard looks like Mr. Miyagi’s.” Some of the more bromantic arguments include, “His voice is softer,” “He’s the nicest one here,” and “I love it when he leads.” There are some pretty mean arguments as well, but they tend to only get mentioned when salah is done in between Halo/mafia rounds, i.e. “You’re wudu is probably bad,” “Oh you’re gonna lead just like you led your team just now?” and “You’re probably gonna take long in sujood to make du’a you don’t do so bad this next time.” It should be noted that it is largely taboo to argue on your own behalf.

royaL rumbLe: If the Imam Selection Dance takes longer than 40 seconds, you can count on it breaking out into a fight. Even as The MSA Schwab, we don’t fully understand what motivates the mosh-pit to start, how it gets so barbaric at times, and how we still manage to have a spiritual salah at the end of the battle. To draw a comparison, this part of the ISD is similar to Marshall Law, aka whoever has the guns (pun intended) decides what ends up happening. On average, this part will only last about 10 seconds or so, but during the free-for-all people can get shoved, pulled forward, and dropped to the ground while the 2nd row looks on with silent approval. In the end, one person stands in front of the first row.

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(continued from page 6) sPortsmanshiP:

A very brief but important element of an Imam Selection Dance that goes to Royal Rumble, the sportsman-ship stage is simply when the brother now in the front acknowledges his defeat and smiles at the cheerful faces of the winners of the Rumble. Without this stage, everyone who just abused the Imam to get them to lead would look like total jerks. In a few rare cases when the candidate REALLY doesn’t want to lead, this stage is skipped and the candidate attempts to refuse the post and return to the front row, reinitiating the Royal Rumble phase, which largely ends in their eventual selection.

seLeCtion/aCCePting the aPPointment: At the end of the festivities, the now appointed imam takes his place at the front of the congregation. Whether in triumph or defeat, both ways he calls “Allahu Akbar” to initiate prayer and the mood returns to the peaceful mood felt during the Iqama prior to the start of the Imam Selection Dance. Besides for the confusion clearly expressed on the face of every non-MSAer and all of the sisters (just speculating), it’s as if the ISD never happened. Be sure to tune in next month when we analyze another MSA ritual, the Post-Jummu’ah Restaurant Run (Ahmos for the brothers and La Pita for the Sisters). Knowing about the Ahmos effect can help you from falling asleep at the wheel of your car; this is

information you need to know. This is The MSA Schwab reminding you to arm yourself with knowledge.

Quran CornerBy: Adam Siddiqui

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As part of the Hajj season, an important story that comes to mind is that of Prophets Ibrahim (A) and Ismail (A). The examples of both of these Prophets illustrate the importance of sacrifice. When Ibrahim (A) saw himself sacri-ficing Ismail (A) in his dream, he did not doubt or question it. Rather, he exemplified obedience by being willing to sacri-fice his own son. In his Tafsir, Maariful Qur’an, Mufti Shafi Usmani explains that is is significant Ibrahim (A) saw this in a dream because it made him realize “he was…commanded with…slaughter-and he was all set for it literally and compre-hensively” (Maariful Quran 462). Mufti Usmani explains that this made Ibrahim (A)’s task more difficult because if this order came down in another form, it may have given Ibra-him (A) reason to believe the command would be abrogated. This willingness to sacrifice is also important because Ismail (A) was a son that Ibrahim (A) had “so wistfully prayed for” (Maariful Quran 462). This made the thought of sacrificing Ismail (A) more difficult because of this attachment. Yet, Ibrahim (A) still followed through with his order. This test was also a trial for Ismail (A). When Ibra-him (A) put the need to please Allah (SWT) above his own desires, and told Ismail (A) his dream, Ismail (A) responded by saying “Oh my dear father, do what you have been ordered to do” (37: 102). It is hard to imagine one’s father willing or ready to sacrifice him or her. However, Ismail (A) displayed maturity and the ability to place Allah (SWT) over everything else, including his own life. Rather than complain, Ismail (A) instead continues by saying, “you will find me, Insha Allah, amongst those who are patient” (37:102). This illustrates that not only was Ismail (A) ready to be sacrificed, but did so with patience and humility. Mufti Usmani writes that by using the phrase “among those that are patient”, Ismail (A) implied that

there were others before him who also dealt with their prob-lems patiently. This shows that Ismail (A) did not see himself as unique or special regarding sacrifice. In terms of our lives, this story is important because we can learn from the sacrifices of Prophet Ibrahim (A) and Ismail (A). Everyone knows best what sacrifices are needed in his or her life, and our challenges are best met in the manner of Ibrahim (A) and Ismail (A). When Ibrahim (A) was hold-ing a knife, ready to kill Ismail (A), Allah (SWT) revealed, “O Ibrahim, you did make the dream come true. This is how we reward those who are good in deeds” (37:110). An animal was then sent down to be sacrificed instead of Ismail (A). Because Ibrahim (A) and Ismail (A) proved themselves ready to go to any lengths to follow Allah (SWT)’s orders, Allah (SWT) re-warded them by providing them with the animal. The sacrific-es we need to make may, and likely will be, difficult. However, we must always keep in mind that if we follow through with these sacrifices despite our personal misgivings and deal with our problems patiently for the sake of Allah, we will be re-warded by Him as Prophets Ibrahim (A) and Ismail (A), insha Allah.

Alumni Spotlight: Mona Rafeeq, Class of 2006Current City: Chicago, IL Attorney at Law

By: Mariem Qamruzzaman As the Michigan Muslim Alumni Foundation gets ready to launch its alumni mentorship program next semester, I look back on my own Big Sib mentor, Mona Rafeeq, who I continue to keep in touch with to this day. It wasn’t the encouragement she gave me when I first marched up to the steps to the Michigan Daily office or the sympathy I received when doing my Stats 350 homework, but it was the advice she bestowed on me when I began working in Washington, DC that I found the most valuable. Life post-graduation is like ventur-ing into uncharted waters—whether working or going to school—it takes major adjusting when you have no large MSA support group and your friends move on to new places. Having someone to prepare you for that experience is truly beneficial. I talked with Mona to ask her what makes a mentor so special.

MQ: Why did you sign up to be an alum mentor?MR: The MSA has been a big part of my life, especially when I was there, navigating my way through campus through the lens of MSA was something I remember really fondly. Also, the connections I have made have helped me in other ways. When I went to Wisconsin [for law school], I met someone who helped out at MSA East Zone and she met a bunch of Michigan people, and she said if I had any ques-tions I could just call her. It was nice to go to a completely random place and know someone with Michigan ties. Basically, MSA was just a huge part of my life, and I want to help promote Michigan Muslims. I have no money, but I can contribute my time instead. I want to pay it forward.

MQ: How did your Big Sib, Rima Makhiawala, help you?MR: When I first came as a freshman, I was very shy and kind of awkward around new people. I was living in the dorms, and I knew I wanted to be in the MSA because my sister told me it was like a family, but I didn’t know how to go about meeting people. Rima would always invite me to things and always had a smile on her face. She was the chair for Community Affairs, and I was really interested in vol-unteering, so it was the perfect way of doing something I really love and meeting new people.

MQ: What was your experience like being a Big Sib?MR: As a big sib, it was nice because I always wanted a younger sister. It’s just fun to have someone to show around. Basically I just love the whole MSA community. In college, I was like, “Oh MSA? Okay, I’m there.” I just wanted to be part of every single thing. Because I had such a great big sib, I wanted to pass on the energy that she had, and the friendship, and her welcoming attitude. I think it’s important for MSA to have that environment. Everything that Rima had passed on to me, I wanted to pass on to other people.

MQ: What strengths were you able to impart to your Lil Sibs?MR: Most of my lil sibs became my close friends. I tried to be really welcoming, and I think that’s the reason why we did become friends. We had similar values and senses of humor. Abeer was really into politics, so I suggested she get involved with the MSA political com-mittee. The other thing I shared with my lil sibs was that MSA has something for everyone, but you don’t want your entire experience to be just the MSA. I also wanted to show my lil sibs that there are ways to be part of the MSA and be active, but have other things that are going on at the same time.

MQ: How would have an alum mentor changed your college experience?MR: [U-M MSA Alumni] are the people who had the same experiences you had as a student. When we are on campus we can lose sight of reality. They help you figure out what things are realistic to do after college and what you can do in school to get there. Networking is so big these days, especially in this economy. It’s really hard to figure out how to network, especially if you’re shy like I was. Having a Muslim mentor is really good. They can tell you how to navigate the rest of the world when you’re out of the Michigan bubble. That’s what I wish I had as a student, and students there now would be really lucky to have it.

MQ: Now for a fun, random question. What was your most embarrassing/craziest memory from your time at U of M?MR: I think it was spring semester when the Detroit Pistons won the championship. All of the girls were in one apartment, and we all watched together. Everyone was decked out in Pistons colors. Afterwards, we went outside and it was crazy. We sat in the back of a truck to go to Pizza House, and there were tons of people in the street who were yelling. Everyone was out celebrating, and it was probably one of my favorite memories.

miChigan musLim aLumni foundation

Mentorship Program: More than 20 alumni have signed up to become men-tors for next semester’s mentorship program. Stay on the lookout for more information in the Spring. If you have any questions, contact the alumni

eboard at msaalumni@umich.edu or Annie Sajid, the MSA External VP & MMAF liaison at qsa@umich.edu

Muslim Chaplain: The Michigan Muslim Alumni Foundation and MSA Board of Trustees have been working towards establishing the first Muslim

Chaplain position at U-M. Do you have questions about the work that has been done? Are you wondering how a chaplain could support Muslim students on campus? Email your questions to msaalumni@umich.edu and

we will include answer in our next Risalah column.

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By: Adjanni Dixon IRC recently put on an event in which members of the Harvest Community Church came to Jummah to understand Islam and our congregational prayer. Of course MSA had to return the favor and attend their service that following Sunday. I didn’t really know what to expect since all churches are different and practice in different ways. The turn out on MSA’s part was good—representin’ like always. We were welcomed with open arms and the organizers even created a ton of—actually more like 4— handouts outlining their practice and the “why’s” and “how’s” of their worship. Although the details are hazy since the event was a few weeks ago, I remember a video about H-games was both awesome and a great idea. All the life groups got together and played Olympic styled games against each other. This year the winner got a trophy, bragging rights, and a $50 gift certificate to B-dubbs. The church members invited me and I went. The life group I participated in actually WON! It was a great Saturday, lots of fun and crazy excitement. But back to the Sunday service, it featured a play on stage about the distractions of everyday life and how they can cause one to slip from the path of God. I felt the play had many parallels to what we as Muslims try to achieve; a closer relationship with Allah. We can also be distracted by many things as we try to get closer to Allah which creates a struggle to stay on the path to

Allah. The play was beautifully done, at the end the main character was able to get back on the path to God. Throughout the service many songs praising God and Jesus where sung. It definitely was an environ-ment completely opposite of Jummah. On the one hand I loved the songs since music touches you in a different way than silent contemplation, but at the same time the words of the music sometimes did not coincide with my personal beliefs. Finally the service started, it was definitely intense. My favorite portion was a video they played at the beginning. The service was about our Idols in the 21st century. The clip was a comparison between Idol worshipers—Mayan I believe—and football in the pres-ent—Notre Dame anyone? I am sure the good majority of us have some type of addiction—which some might not even realize—but the main objective of the sermon was to make everyone recognize that the endless amount of time we spend playing video games, being on tum-blr, twitter, Facebook, surfing the internet, youtube-ing, talking with friends, etc. is taking us further and further away from the true reason of why we are all here on this Earth in the first place; to worship Allah. The pastor was definitely a good speaker and passionate. I just wish I could have gone to listen to the 2nd part of the sermon the following Sunday…but unfortunately I forgot.

my time at the harvest Community ChurCh

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By: Kinza Ilyas After seven books and eight movies the Harry Potter series finally ended on July 15th 2011. So did the last movie live up to the high standards? Totally!! The movie starts out where it last left Harry, Ron and Hermione. They are still in search of Volde-mort’s Horcruxes (the objects that help him be immor-tal). A plus side to this movie is that it is not filled with unnecessary bickering between the three friends and it moves at a fast pace. The special effects were amazing and yeah it was annoying that they did not engage in actual combat and only fought with wands, but they are wizards (and witches) for crying out loud! How else are they supposed to fight the Dark Lord? Vodemort is still as evil as ever before and has become very merciless to his followers. This shows that the people who follow shaytan are doing so out of blindness and that shaytan will turn on them in their time of need. Voldemort’s worst deceit in the movie was when he had Nagini (the snake) attack Severus Snape.

His followers could argue that he is only doing bad to protect himself in the movie but what was revealed about Snape after his death just made people wish he was still alive. Some unexpected things from this movie came from the character of Neville Longbottom (the name makes me laugh). After not having had as much expo-sure in the last movies it was nice to see that he finally grew a backbone (no, for reals he got taller!). Neville and Ginny replaced Harry as the rule breakers of Hog-warts, they continued to have Dumbledore’s Army meet-ings and they found new secret passages to Hogsmeade. The best part was when Neville refused to join the dark side and stood up to Voldemort. The look on Volde-mort’s face was the scariest thing ever! Actually anyone without a nose is pretty scary.

movie tafseerHarry Potter and tHe deatHly Hallows: Part 2

(continued from page 9) The most important thing that can be gotten out

of this movie is how strong a mothers love is for her child. It is Lily’s love that protects Harry and that is why he is not killed when Volde-mort tries to kill him when he is a baby. In addition, it is Malfoy’s

mom who helps Harry’s plan succeed since she lies to Voldemort about Harry’s death. This part was pretty sweet since you do not generally expect the Malfoys to

do anything to help others, but Narcissa helps Harry just so she can get information from him about her own son Draco. Another really great scene involving motherly love is when Mrs. Weasley (Ron and Ginny’s Mother) battles with Bellatrix Lestrange after Bella tries using one of the unforgivable curses on Ginny. Best line is when Mrs. Weasley said “Not my daughter, you b****h!” From this the viewer really gets a sense of what happens when you mess with a mother bear and Mrs. Weasley got applause from the theater audience. Guys remember to love and respect your mother for heaven lies under her feet! Gosh! It’s so hard to not give away the end-ing, but this is a must-see movie that can be enjoyed by everyone (even if you are not a crazy Harry Potter fan). The entire series got a special tribute at the Teen Choice Awards and this movie got the “Choice movie of the summer” award. For all those who have not watched it yet or want to watch it again (and again) it comes out on DVD on November 11th.

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#MuslimProblems If you having dunya problems I feel bad for you son. I got 99 problems but Islam ain’t one.

#thatawkwardmomentwhen u gotta ask the ppl at subway to change their gloves for u cause they just made a ham sandwich #gross #muslimproblems

today, before my friend lead prayer, he asked “any requests?” #mylifeismuslim

@MuslimGrlProblem it’s not always about getting married #muslimproblems

@MuslimGrlProblem Love that day where we ask white ppl to fast for charity in secret hopes that they convert. They don’t. #buteveryonefeelsmorecultured #yay

How to seamlessly escape awkward Gchat moments: "brb. I have to pray" #nevercomeback #MGS #Muslimgirlsolutions

@MslimGuyProblem At MSA events I deliberately go on the girls side to get food #theyalwayshavemorefood #FitnaPoliceafterme #relax #imjusthungry

Follow @MuslimGrlProblem, @MslimGuyProblem, @HijabiGrlPrblms, @muslimprobs for more hilariousness.

For the past two years I had been hearing about halaqas (from my sister) with no clue as to what they actually were. So when I finally got time to attend one I was pretty darn excited! Shaykh AbdulNasir Jangda is an instructor at Bayyinah, which is an organization that excels at offer-ing Arabic education. His specialties are Hanafi fiqh, Tafseer, and Arabic language; he gave the halaqa here at UM on the topic “Seeking True Treasures: The Virtues of Pursuing Knowledge.” Shaykh AbdulNasir started off by talking about the importance of properly understanding what is writ-ten in the Quran. He said that Muslims should take their time to learn the Quran (which was pretty ironic since he memorized the Quran in one year). He emphasized that knowledge which is great in quantity but not in quality is not as beneficial. We should improve the qual-ity of the knowledge that we possess in order to get a better understanding of our deen. Another really great point he made was that we should schedule our day around prayer instead of scheduling time to pray around our schedule. This past

weekend I was at a wedding and I saw two kids (about 10 years of age) praying together in a corner. It was the sweetest thing ever and it reminded me of what Shaykh AbdulNasir had said. This point has really struck me since I realized I do not schedule my day around prayer and I will make it a point to do so in the future. Junior Anum Chaudhry says that her favorite part was learning the real meaning of the word “zidni”. “We always think that it stands for ‘increase my knowl-edge’ but now I know from the halaqa that it actually means: increase me.” The Arabic words for, “My Lord! Increase my knowledge” are rabbi zidni ‘ilma. This halaqa was short but it got across a good message and left the audience wanting to hear more. As a first halaqa, it was definitely a good experience and I am glad that I attended. If you were not able to attend or just want to know more about Shaykh AbdulNasir, you can watch his videos on: www.youtube.com/Bayyi-nahInstituteHis lecture can be heard at: http://bit.ly/Halaqa2

Abdelrahman Murphy’s halaqa is also online! http://bit.ly/Halaqa1

review: seeking true treasures haLaQa with shaykh abduLnasir Jangda

By: Kinza Ilyas

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Abdullah ibn Haarith(RA) reports, “I did not see anyone who smiled more than the Prophet(S)” (Tirmidhi)

The first meaning of the hadith is that Prophet(S) smiled more than he laughed. No other per-son was seen whose smile was more than his laugh. In a further hadith which is reported from that same Sahaabi, this has been clearly elucidated. The second explanation is that Prophet(S) besides being naturally worried, smiled and appeared cheerful so that the Sahaabah(RA) might feel at ease and comfortable. This is the pinnacle of humbleness and good character. Many times it so hap-pens that a person is sad and worried, but to keep others happy, or for some other reason one has the opportunity to meet that person cheerfully. We should take it upon ourselves, even in stressful times of exams and papers to smile at one another to keep each others’ hearts at ease. Those who have in their hearts a mark of love experi-ence this many times.

Amrah(RA) reports that someone asked ‘Ayesha(RA). “What was the usual practice of Prophet(S) at home?” She replied: “He

was a human from among other humans. He himself removed the lice from his clothing, milked his goats, and did all his work

himself ”(Tirmidhi). He was a human from among other humans’ means as the common people: he mostly did his house-hold chores himself. He did not have pride or feel ashamed to do the household work or fulfil his needs. In a hadith it is stated that the work that was done by the common people in their homes, was also done by Prophet(S). In some ahaadith, examples of the chores are also given as in the hadith under discussion. In the ahaadith it is also stated that he sewed his clothing him-self, he repaired his shoes, mended his clothing etc. After taking these two basic ahadith into ac-count, we can see the importance of humbling ourselves in front of one another and making each other comfort-able with the deen of Islam. Also, we see the benefits of not having any form of pride in our heart because of the blessings that Allah has given us.

heLPing of hadithBy: Gibrael Barlaskar

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faLL fLavorson a money & time budget

CoRn & ButteRnut squash ChowdeR

Prep Time Total Time Yield15 minutes 40 minutes Serves 4

IngredIents

2 tablespoons vegetable oil1 1/2 pounds butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and cut into 1-inch chunks (about 5 cups)1 medium onion, chopped1 box (10 ounces) frozen corn, thawed OR 1 can of corn1 1/2 teaspoons curry powdersalt and ground pepper to taste3 cups water1 Maggi cube1/2 cup heavy cream OR 1 cup of milk

dIrectIons

In a large heavy pot, heat oil over medium-high; add squash and onion. Cook until onion is soft, about 6 minutes. Add corn and curry powder; cook until curry is fragrant, about 2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Add water and Maggi and simmer until squash is tender, about 25 minutes. In a blender, blend half the soup until smooth. Return to pot and stir in cream or milk; heat through over medium-low (do not boil). Special touch: add 1 cup of raw, headless, peeled shrimp. Cook for 3 minutes. It’s fast, easy, and delicious!

Altered from: http://www.marthastewart.com/

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aLL men (exCePt PaLestinians) are Created eQuaLBy Suha Najjar (republished from www.diagdissent.com)

“Article 3 Of The Universal Declaration Of Human Rights states: Everyone has the right to life, liberty and security of person.” This past summer, I was in Jabalia, Gaza visiting my uncle’s home. It was about 2:15 am, and my 3-year-old cousin, Susu, thought it would be funny to start throwing peaches at me. Meanwhile my mother, brother, sister, uncle, and his wife, were count-ing down the last minutes until the electricity was supposed to come back on. We had gone 11 hours straight without electricity that day. Suddenly, for the third time during my 2-month-long visit to Palestine, the sound of an explosion rung in the living room. For a second, I thought that the missile had hit our building, but then I remembered the descriptions my friends and family had given me when explosions hit nearby. Shaking walls, shattered glass, and blinding dust were all a part of their vivid recounts, something that not many people around the world have to live through, but all the people of Gaza do. Our building wasn’t hit, but our cores where shook. Although it had happened twice before, this was a sound that I could never get used to. Susu immediately began crying and my uncle ran to him and embraced him in his arms. As he stroked his hair, all he said was “la la yaba” (“no, no, daddy”) until his son stopped crying. My uncle looked at me and shook his head. The only thing I thought to say at that moment was “Don’t be afraid, Susu, it’s going to be okay.” My uncle smiled and put Susu down. “How do you know that, Suha? We don’t have the right to make promises like that anymore. Actually, we never did. We Palestinians don’t have the right to promise our children anything. We can’t promise them college, we can’t promise them bread, we can’t promise them a home, we can’t promise them security, we can’t even promise them life. What kind of fathers and mothers are we? We don’t have the right to be parents. Look what they did to our people, we’re not even a people anymore, we’re just animals. Actually we’d be lucky if we were treated like animals. Why do I have to see my son crying and shak-ing in fear almost every night? Why can’t I have the peace of mind knowing that my son can someday just have the HOPE of having a happy life, away from missiles, away from bombs, away from this shit that we live in?! I don’t even know why your father lets you come here. Our lives are worthless. The world has forgotten about us. Or they never cared to begin with. The Arabs are shit and America is shit. The whole world is shit! We don’t have anyone but God. And it looks like He’s not on our side either. Do yourself a big favor in the future, don’t ever let your children get a Palestinian citizenship or even come back here. Stay American. At least you’ll be a human being.” The conversation was interrupted as my uncle’s neighbor shouted to him from outside. He and my uncle tried to get a gen-erator working, knowing that it would be a while until the electricity is restored. My mind drifted back to my life here in the states. I remembered all the protests that I was a part of, the ‘stands in solidar-ity’, the ‘dialogues and discussions.’ Things I always thought would some day change the atrocious conditions my family was living in. In that brief moment that dragged excruciatingly on, they all seemed so worthless, so hypocritical… There were two lands that I called home, Palestine and the USA. One’s name is imprinted on the F-16’s, the machine guns, the tanks, the tear gas that is used everyday to dehumanize, disillusion, and slaughter my other home. Yet, I still thought that America and the rest of the world would always defend my right to “life, liberty and security of person.” The rights I always thought I had simply because I was human, suddenly became the ones I owned only because I was an American, and that privilege was lifted the moment I stepped foot into the occupied territories of Palestine. That cringing sound of an airplane that would never cause me to flinch in America, now caused my heart to drop as I would pray it wasn’t my last night. Up until that moment, I always felt that I was a victim. After all I had been an Arab-Muslim woman living in America, but in reality, it was the opposite. I was a part of the human race as long as I stood outside of Palestine. I still had a voice, I still had the right to plan and promise, I still had hope, something that my people couldn’t fathom they’d someday own as well. Guilt overtook me as I realized that when I lived in America, I was a part of the ‘they’ my uncle was referring to. I was a part of the ‘they’ that al-lowed my uncle to become demoralized and dejected. I immediately decided to stop thinking about it and returned to tickling and playing hide and seek with Susu until the night was over. I was uncomfortably comforted by Susu’s innocence, wishing I could be in his shoes, have his views, if only for a little while. We left around 5 a.m. to our apartment in Rimal, still no electricity. Before I went to bed, my dad took our passports in or-der to reserve us a spot on the Gaza-Rafah border so that we could plan our leave weeks later. When I pulled out my two passports from my dad’s waist bag, I stared at both documents. In one hand I carried what made me a ‘human’ and in the other, the exact op-posite. A feeling of hypocrisy, contradiction, and overall confusion overtook me whole. I am a living paradox, two incompatible enti-ties housed within one body. But the truth is, I have yet to grasp what it means to be a Palestinian, an American, and a human being living in the world today. One thing that I have become completely conscious of is that the right to liberty does not apply to every human. The right to life is selective at best, and the right to security of person is a mere façade. I’ve realized that these rights are the standards of select human beings, but not for Palestinians. Not yet. The hope that this may one day be a standard for Susu and his grandkids is a dream too far down the road to be declared a universal standard. For the sake of accuracy, a decree ought to be issued to call it by its true name: ‘The Universal Declaration of Human Rights for everyone, but Palestinians.’

a short compilation of Arabic supplications with their English trans-lations and transliterations. Other sections include the etiquettes of

supplicating, the 99 names of Allah, select blessings on the Messenger of Allah (saw), the virtues and excellences of certain chapters and verses of the Holy Quran, and the method of performing the Istikhara, Ishraq,

and other optional prayers.

The DeaDline To geT your DiscounTeD copy is november 4Th.

buy This book Through msa anD save 40% ($6 in-sTeaD of $11)!

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pearls.html

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For questions about Risalah or to join our committee, email nhaydar@umich.eduTell us what you think! Send us your feedback on this issue at http://bit.ly/risalahfeedback