AL

RISALAH

Volume 11

Issue 4

Photo Courtesy of Zain Khan

New Year|2011 2

Risalah is sponsored by the Michigan Student

Assemblywww.umich.edu/~muslimsTo contact MSA E-board email

msa-eboard@umich.eduQuestions or comments about

the Risalah?Email oms786@gmail.com

Views expressed within theRisalah do not necessarily reflect

those held by theUniversity of Michigan Muslim

Students’ Association

Editors: Omar ShaikhShoaib Rasheed

Writers:Eman AbdelhadiAyesha Noorulla

Gibrael BarlaskarFiras El-BabaOmar HadiedAdam HafeezAliza HiraniShahla KhanZain Khan

Arij NazirShoaib RasheedBilal Zaidi

Photography:Noor HaydarWajiha IbrahimOmar Shaikh

MSAers of the Month

Saquib Usman

They say the transfer stu-dents always end up being

the Movers and Shakers of our MSA. There’s no better example than Saquib Usman - even be-fore everyone learned his name on this campus, he was volun-teering for various tasks for the Muslim community. From pick-ing up speakers at the airport around to simply being there to help out, Saquib has been serv-ing his Muslim Brothers and Sisters in whatever way he could since first getting here. He has been frequenting and contrib-uting to Education meetings

this semester, and he even gave a Mini-Q khatera. It was an enlightening and sophisticated talk about the nature of man and his ties to forgetfulness. Jazakallahkhair, Saquib for all your efforts and may Allah (swt) continue to benefit the com-munity through you. Also, we can’t forget to mention Saquib as the originator of the famous “Malas Campaign”.

Ayesha Noorulla is a sophomore studying

Sociology. Her dedication to MSA became very evi-dent over the last semester. She represented the MSA in the Winter Traditions Fes-tival, and contributed im-mensely to the very succes-ful Fastathon event. Ayeha is also involved in the Is-lamic Relations committee, and has been instrumen-tal in leading dialouge for sister’s discussions. We are looking forward to her future contributions. Jazkallah Khair for using your talent to benefit the community! May Allah (SWT) bless and reward you.

Ayesha Noorulla

Learn to know

thyself-Prophet

Muhammad (S)

New Year|2011 3

After graduation, many MSA members miss cam-pus life and the energy that comes with being part

of a dynamic student organization. That’s what brings us back to exciting events like the Michigan Muslim Banquet. But what if that transition was instead an opportunity to join a one of the strongest Muslim pro-fessional networks in the country?

The U-M MSA definitely has that potential! And there is an organization that is specifically dedicated to creating this network- the Michigan Muslim Alumni Foundation (MMAF).

The Alumni Foundation is about five years old and its pur-pose is to create a strong alumni network that supports the MSA. It works very closely with another important group- the Board of Trustees. They provide the MSA with guidance and support to dream big and fulfill long term goals like hir-ing a chaplain or building a dedicated space like a Muslim House. MMAF also hosts an annual alumni brunch at the ISNA Annual convention. It is a great opportunity to con-nect with friends and get updates on the latest happenings on campus.

MMAF is in the process of a really important transition of becoming a nonprofit 501(c)3 organization which will pro-vide it with the resources to grow and connect with our alum-ni who are all over the country. A new executive board was elected and the team is very excited to build upon these ini-tiatives and implement additional programs like a mentor-ship and internship program with alumni. With out further adieu, meet the new team! If you have any idea about ways in which we can collaborate with alumni, please contact the team at msaalumni@umich.edu

Safia Al-Kharsa President Safia graduated from the University of Michigan in 2010 with a Masters in Health Services Administration from the School of Public Health. Prior to joining MMAF, she was the President of the U-M Muslim Graduate Student Association. Safia current resides in Ann Arbor, MI where she works as an Administrative Fellow at the Univer-

sity of Michigan Health System

Omar Ashmawey VP & Chair of Alumni RelationsOmar Ashmawey graduated from the University of Michigan in 2009 with a Bachelors degree in Economics. Omar currently lives in Orange County, CA, where he works as a market research analyst for General Electric.

Afshan Khan MSA VP of External Relations Afshan Khan is the MSA External Vice President and MMAF Liasion Chair for the Michigan Muslim Alumni Foundation. She is currently a senior at the University of Michi-gan and will graduate in Winter 2011 with a Bachelors Degree in Bio-physics and Islam & Social Justice.

Mariem Qamruzamman IT/ Administrative Affairs Chair Mariem graduated from the University of Michigan in 2009 with a Bachelor degree in History and Islamic Studies. Mariem currently resides in Wash-ington, D.C., where she works as an Operations Associate for Just Vision---an organization that produces documen-taries about the nonviolence movement in Israel/Palestine.

Aysha Ansari Finance Chair Aysha Ansari graduated from the University of Michigan in 2009 with a Bachelors degree in Industrial and Operations Engineering. Prior to join-ing MMAF, she served as the finance chair for the MSA at the University. Aysha currently resides in San Diego, CA working for Qualcomm, Inc.

New Year|2011 4

Hundreds of attendees from throughout southern Michi-

gan and the mid-west packed the halls and corridors of the Double Tree Hotel in Detroit on January 14th and 15th during ISNA’s first annual Diversity Forum. The forum was co-sponsored by the Council of Islamic Organizations of Michigan and was held with the vision to ad-dress key issues facing the Muslim community, such as racial divisions, sectarianism, socioeconomic dispar-ities and youth involvement. The forum featured well-known Islamic speakers from throughout the country such as Mohamed Magid, Zaid Shakir, Ih-san Bagby, Aminah McCloud, and Muneer Fareed.“This forum was initiated to demon-strate how important the subject of diversity is, that it is not just some-thing in the hearts and minds of those in the metro-Detroit area, but it is something that resonates among those in our entire country,” said Saeed Khan, lecturer in the Depart-ment of Near East & Asian Studies at Wayne State University in De-troit, Michigan who MC’d the event.Participants had the opportunity to participate in breakout sessions with prominent leaders to discuss pertinent issues facing the commu-nity at large.“The discussion to me was refresh-

ing because it teased the various layers that make our communities so diverse- whether by age, gender, sect, race, country of origin-- the list can go on,” said Safia Al Kharsa, an attendee and graduate of the Uni-versity of Michigan, Ann Arbor.Captivating speeches by both local and national leaders left the crowds awestruck as they spoke eloquently on the importance of diversity and unity in Islam, regardless of differ-ences in race, gender and socioeco-nomic class.“Islam recognizes socioeconomic di-versity. If we look at early Muslims we see both wealthy and poor, such as Khadija and Zaid ibn Haritha. The prophet himself understood the value of wealth but also understood

the energy, spirit, and value the poor brought to a community. Islam seeks to create harmony between both,” said Zaid Shakir, scholar and faculty member at Zaytuna Insti-tute. The event featured a multi-cultural bazaar as well as an exhibit entitled “Building Islam in Detroit” which is based on an interdisciplin-ary research project that examines the growth of mosques and other Muslim institutions in the Detroit area over the past century. The evening banquet was

the highlight of the event, during which two local community activ-ists were honored for their contri-butions. Najah Bazzy, a registered nurse and CEO of Diversity Spe-cialists and Transcultural Health Care Solutions, and Dr. Sherman Jackson, a professor of Islamic law at the University of Michigan and a well known scholar on issues of race and diversity, were both awarded in front of a crowd of over 200 for their outstanding service and leadership in the community. Perhaps the evening’s most anticipated speaker was none other than Imam Feisal Abdul Rauf, the former proposed Imam and figure-head of the Park 51 Community and Cultural Center in downtown Man-hattan.“We too as Muslims have a responsi-bility to look inward. We come from different cultures and different lan-guages, but are they really as differ-ent s they sound? We have to under-stand who we are in order to share how we believe,” said Abdul-Rauf. “Instead of critiquing each other, we must celebrate our diversity.”ISNA is the largest Muslim orga-nization in America and is well-known for its conventions, confer-ences and extensive services for the Muslim community. CIOMwas es-tablished in 1988 and aims to serve the diverse population of Muslims

By: Shahla KhanIn Review: 1st Annual Diversity Forum

Photos, Courtesy of: Osama Alian

New Year|2011 5

By: Eman AbdelhadiEgypt: A Guide to the Past 10 Days

PRE-Revolution: December-January 15th – The Tu-nisians, being the ballers that they are, decide to lead mass protests calling for the over throw of their dicta-tor of 25+ years in favor of *gasp* democracy. ‘What?’ you say. ‘Democracy in an Arab country?! Unfathom-able.’ Well that’s what we thought too, but fortunately we were wrong. On January 15th, Tunisian president was forced by massive unrest to flee Tunisia for France.January 2011: The great people of Egypt want a piece of the pie…or um…the falafel sandwich so activists in Egypt use Facebook, Twitter and grass roots organizing to call for an uprising against poverty, unemployment, government corruption and the rule of Hosni Mubarak, now at the ripe old age of 82 and serving for his 30th year as President.January 25: “Day of Rage”- Thou-sands march in downtown Cairo and other cities and towns across the country. Unsur-prisingly Mubarak unleashes his iron fisted police to quel demonstrations, police fired tear gas and use water cannons against demonstrators crying out "Down with Mubarak'' in Cairo's main Tahrir Square.January 26-28: Protests continue across several cities. Violence against protesters continues and hundreds are arrested. Government shuts down internet services. Oh Mubarak, you crafty tyrant, you! Mubarak having been in a power nap till then (get it? Power nap? Hehe), fi-nally addresses the people to tell them he is willing to dismantle the government. VICTORY! Oh wait…except for himself…and so the protests of course continue.February 1: Hosni Mubarak, the Egyptian president,

announces in a televised address that he will not run for re-election but refused to step down from office - the central demand of millions. Number of protesters in Cairo's Tahrir square up to more than a million people. Thousands more took to the streets throughout Egypt, including in Alexandria and Suez.February 2: Violent clashes raged for much of Wednes-day around Tahrir Square in central Cairo, mostly be-tween the demonstrators and the pro-Mubark forces.

As the great Jon Stewart says “Am I only one who is noticing that the pro-Mubarak forces are the only ones that are organized…and armed…and have horses?” No, you’re not, Jon! Reports from CNN to New York Times to Al-Jazeera indicate that most of these protestors were in need government employees or police in civilian clothing who arrived on buses to intimidate protesters. Up to

1,500 people were injured, some of them seriously, and by the day's end at least three deaths reported.February 3: Bursts of heavy gunfire early on Thurs-day aimed at anti-government demonstrators in Cairo's Tahrir [Liberation] Square, left at least five people dead and several more wounded, according to reports from Cairo. Sustained bursts of automatic weapons fire and powerful single shots began at around around 4am local time (2.00GMT) and went on for more than an hour.February 4: Major protest day ‘Day of Departure’ planned to force Mubarak to finally flee the country. May God be with the oppressed!

Alright: so you have class, work, and of course, the most important thing, MSA. Al-though you would have loved to pause life to [at least virtually] join the revolution,

it’s been hard to stay glued to Al-Jazeera and/or Twitter all day. Lucky for you, we here at the Risalah (see how I did that there? Made it sound like we had real, non-fishbowl head-quarters…okay what were we talking about? Oh yeah, complete upheaval of the Middle East’s social order..okay so Risalah) can give you a snapshot update to keep you informed. This is basically for when your non-Muslim friends assume you know about it simply because you happen to be brown (you can thank us later). It’s also been mostly plagirized from Al-Jazeera English but peppered with our insightful, quirky and amusing commen-tary: (http://english.aljazeera.net/news/middleeast/2011/01/201112515334871490.html)

NewYear|2011 6University of Michigan Muslim Basketball League

Letter to the League from your Commissioner

Assalaamualaikum,As many of you know, I had the immense privilege of being named the inaugural University of Michigan’s Muslim Basketball League (UMMBL) commissioner. I took great pride and joy in this special appointment by our beloved President Nader “Noodles” Hakim. As the knowledgable Ben Parker once said, “With great power comes great responsibility.” Too bad I never saw Spider Man.Unfortunately, I let the power go to my head and began to reap the rewards of the position. I made team managers feed me fresh grapes, made players to do my homework, and took bribes in the form of Ahmos gyros. I had been likened to Hosni Mubarak by my detractors. Like the anti-Mubarak protests organized in Egypt, there were many attempts to do the same against me. That Egyptian rally everyone went to on the Diag was actually supposed to be against me. True story. Unlike Mubarak, however, I realized that the people did not need me anymore and chose to step down gracefully. I left the league in the hands of very capable individuals who have helped the league excel.Sincerely your Ex-Commissioner,

Arij Nazir

MVP CANDIDATESMohamad Issa PGThe Senior guard is the heart and soul of The Bomb Squad. Averaging 12.5 points and 2.5 assists per game, he sets the tempo for the team’s offense. His tenacity also sets the tone defensively with his 1.5 steals per game. Issa is perhaps the most important player on any team, as evidenced by him leading his team to the top spot in the league.Sameer Zaidi SG/SFHailed as the top signing in this year’s free agent class, Zaidi proved that the hype was justified. Leading the league with 17 points per game, Zaidi was nearly unstoppable on of-fense. His 6.0 rebounds per game also rank in the top ten in the league, further strengthen-ing his MVP candidacy.Ahmad Hasan SF/PFKnown as the “Beast from the Middle East”, the seven foot five-inch forward is averag-ing 12.0 points and 8.5 rebounds per game. Though many give Mohamad Issa credit for the team’s success, The Bomb Squad would not be where it is at right now without his contri-butions. “He can go inside and post you up or pull up and hit the jumper,” Ali Imtiaz, the team’s head coach said. However, Hasan will undeniably lose votes to teammate Issa.Hassan Bazzi- PG/SGIf team Ananas knew how to record stats, there might actually be something to put here. One would imagine somebody on their team had to have taken Statistics in their undergraduate studies.

Power RankingsThe Bomb SquadLed by manager Ali Imtiaz, the Presiden-tial squad responded to an early season loss to Team Ananas by demolishing The Leftovers 60-18. Forward Yousuf Jukaku commented, “We really gelled after that first loss. Oh, and the freshman team [The Leftovers] suck.”

The Presidential SquadAfter coining themselves the “Dream Team”, the Presidential Squad has made some major improvements as the season pro-gressed. After losing to The Bomb Squad 44-38 in the second game of the season, Faizan Khan’s team bounced back with a game that will be the subject of folklore for years to come with a double digit win over team Ananas without any subs. “I have to tell you, it was hard losing to Ali [Imtiaz’s] team. But since then we have really come on strong. Gotta give it to the guys for leaving it all on the court.”

Team AnanasJumping out to a 2-0 record to start the sea-son, the team dropped to third in the rank-ings after suffering a double digit loss to the hands of The Presidential Squad. Coach Attalla noted, “The customized team shirts really helped us in the first few games. No one knew what hit them. But we just didn’t have it this last game. Don’t worry, we’ll be back and ready come playoff time.”

The Leftovers Staying true to their name, there is a reason why these players were not picked up by any other team.

NewYear|2011 7Duds of the YearMansoor Saqib PG/SGAfter mysteriously hurting his hand and ankles prior to the season, Saqib has had trouble translating his game to the Intramural level. Statistically speaking, he is averag-ing a respectable 8.5 points, 3.5 rebounds, and 2.0 assists. However, much more was expected from the first-time team manager than the 0-3 record his team produced. Adam Gayar PFIn his total thirty seconds of playing time this season, Gayar has accumulated exactly one rebound and the sin-gle worst attempt at a free throw this reporter has ever seen in his life. Come on A-geezy!Salim Alchurbaji PF/CAfter playing in the first game of the season for The Left-overs, Alchurbaji failed to show up for the remainder of the season. Are Alchurbaji’s off the field issues finally catching up to him? One can only speculate. However, this picture might provide some information (see inset at right)

Alchurbaji,left, needs to focus more on the game and spend less time out on the town with his friends

When asked about his atrocious free throw attempt, Gayar,right, was only able to make this face

One of the few times all night Saqib actually kept possession of the ball

Coach of the YearCoach Omar Attalla of Team AnanasBeloved by his players and the opposition alike, Coach Attalla has made an impression on the league with his wardrobe for games. Moreover, his schemes and play-calling have led Team Ananas to a 2-1 record. “Wallah Coach Attalla is the best,.He brings a level of profes-sionalism to the team with his suit” commented Forward Hassan Hamid.

Players to watch In the PlayoffsNader Hakim SF/PFAfter struggling through the early part of the season, Nader “Noodles” Hakim has come on strong towards the end. His play was crucial in leading The Presidential Squad over Team Ananas in their much-needed victory.Muhammad Ahsan PF/CMuhammad “Fazzy Bear” Ahsan has been a solid con-tributor for The Bomb Squad all season long. It will be interesting to see if he can take his play to the next level

Coach Attalla, left, poses with Team Ananas GM/player Has-san Hamid,right

Muhammad Ahsan, mistak-ing his individual picture for a mugshot, right

The IM playoffs are upon us. Currently, management is working on scheduling playoffs specifically for UMMBL teams through the University of Michigan’s Intramural Sports department. No details have been provided as of now.

Freshman of the YearSameer ZaidiSee MVP candidacy.Yazan KherallahAveraging 11.0 points and 5.5 rebounds, Kherallah is the only reason The Leftovers are even mentioned as a team. As UMMBL basketball analyst Charles Barkley notes, “the team is just turrible. Turrible, turrible, turrible. Kherallah needs to demand a trade to a better team next year.” Could not agree more Charles.

While he may look happy on the outside, Kherallah, below, is actu-ally dying on the inside because of his team’s disgusting play

Check out Noodles’ smile below. Believe it or not, this is his “Beast Mode” face

New Year|2011 8

By: Bilal ZaidiHelping of Hadith

Narrated Abu Huraira:Allah's Apostle said, "If Allah wants to do good to somebody, He afflicts him with trials" (Bukhari).

As students at the University of Michigan, this hadith plays a very

relevant and important role in our lives. In our academic lives, we struggle to at-tain knowledge and strive to be the best that we can be in order to secure a bright future for ourselves. Oftentimes, that entails us encountering a few bumps along the road, whether it is with study-ing for exams, finishing papers and projects by their due date, etc. In our social lives, we may have disagreements with friends here or there and may feel a little animosity to-

wards each other. Balancing this with extra-curriculars and the stresses of getting into graduate school can take its toll.

It’s important in these times of difficulty to remember that Allah (SWT) is testing you so that you may show your true sign of faith to Him. Remembering the fact that Allah (SWT) is willing something good for you is also a great way to maintain the patience to persevere. As the saying goes, “when the going gets tough, the tough get going.” Our true opportunity to show Allah (SWT) that we are steadfast, upright, and “tough” Mus-lims is during times of hardship. Therefore, rather than complaining about the situation, be thankful because Allah will have willed

something good to come out of it for you.

Say, [O Muhammad], "If you love Allah, then follow me, [so] Allah will love you and forgive you your sins. And Allah is Forgiving and Merciful.(3:31)

One of the biggest challenges that Muslims progressing in their religion face is exactly how to get closer to Al-

lah. Are we supposed to fast all day and pray all night? Are we supposed to engage in remembrance and isolate ourselves from the creation? Furthermore we are often confused when looking at the life of the Messen-ger of Allah because we find that he performed almost every activity of a normal person: he married, had kids, worked, slept, ate, and interacted with those around him. Even so, he was at such a close and lofty status with his Lord that Allah himself says in the Qu’ran, “And verily, you are on an ex-alted standard of character.”(68:4) We too do all these activities, so where does that leave us? In the verse mentioned above, from Surat al-Imran, Allah commands the Messenger of Al-lah to give us the key ingredient to overcome our challenge – the Sunnah. Why are we commanded to follow the Mes-senger of Allah? The answer lies is another question - Who was the closest creation to Allah? We have heard the answer many times; it is the Messenger of Allah. The next question that many of us have is exactly how did he attain this status while doing many of the same activities that we do. The an-

swer lies, as our scholars explain, in understanding that he was the one who at every moment of his life performed what is necessary to achieve a further degree of closeness with his Creator, even in those activities that we normally deem mun-dane. This is why we follow his Sunnah. It is the mechanism by which we attain closeness to Allah. Some of our scholars even have said that, “there is no wilaya (friendship or close-ness with God) without the Sunnah.”

In this verse, Allah commands his Messen-ger to tell us that our claims of loving Allah need to be substantiated in our emulation of the Messenger. As one scholar beautify put it, “Love is a proof, where is it’s claim?” We prove our love to our Lord by our adherence to the Sunnah. This simple formula even gives us the best of answers: “so Allah will love you and forgive your sins.” As we move into the blessed month Rabi’ al-Awwal, we need to remind ourselves about the oft-forgotten Sunnah. The Sunnah is not always something you wear or say, it can even

be eating how the Messenger of Allah ate, or sitting how he sat, or following how he would interact with young children, as recorded in books like the Shamai’l of Imam Tirmidhi. It is only when we begin to assess ourselves according to the Sunnah that our progression will pick up momentum. As Hasan ibn Thabit says,

"… Muhammad is our MasterAnd the honor is ours to answer his call”

Quran Corner By: Adam Hafeez

New Year|2011 9

By: Gibrael BarlaskarSpotlight on a Scholar

Shaykh Yusuf An-Nabhani, who lived in the beginning of the 20th

century, was a Lebanese poet, writer, and master of the spiritual sciences. His writings include poetry and prose on our Beloved Messenger (S), in-cluding a massive compendium of the Prophet’s miracles and three works on his blessed names. One of his poems is a listing of the names of the Messenger (S). Shaykh Nabhani’s path in Is-lamic scholarship began with his fa-ther, who taught him the Holy Qur’an. He learned sincerity in studying the Qur’an and implementing the delicate words of Allah after seeing how his father would devote eight hours each day to the Qur’an, finishing the Qur’an three times a week. In this day and age, since most of us are undergrads, we have a lot of free time on our hands. We do not have to recite the Qur’an for eight hours a day, but just a few min-utes a day will surely help. Through the wishes of his father, Shaykh Nabhani embarked on a journey that would start off in Al-Azhar University in Cairo. At Al-

Azhar, Shaykh Nabhani undertook the study of the Sciences of Shari’a and its underlying principles. The Shaykh grew in love with one of his most in-fluential teachers, Shaykh Ibrâhîm al-Saqqâ al-Shâfi`î, and developed a relationship that raised his expertise in traditional Islam. Under Shaykh Ibrahim, he gained a much deeper un-derstanding of the Qur’an and the Sun-nah. Here we understand the impor-tance of gaining knowledge from those who have authority in Islam, and that we should truly strive to learn from the best. After graduating from Al-Azhar, Shaykh Nabhani taught tra-ditional Islamic sciences at his home-town of Ijzim. He traveled quite often to Beirut and studied further in Da-mascus. When Shaykh Nabhani was done studying in Damascus, he went to Istanbul. In Istanbul, Shaykh Nab-hani worked as a publisher, editor, and proofreader of authentic Islamic literature; he worked at a very low sal-ary, comparable to that of a substitute teacher’s salary today. This shows his sincerity is his work and the fact that

he wasn’t doing what he did for money, but only for the sake of Allah. After many years of publish-ing, editing, and proofreading tradi-tional Islamic literature, the noble Shaykh Nabhani was appointed judge in a city on the Syro-Palestinian sea-shore. Eventually, the great Shaykh be-came chief judge of the Beirut Court of Justice. As a judge, he ensured the cor-rect interpretation and implementation of Islamic laws, which clearly displays his upholding of justice. After his years of service in up-holding and interpreting Islamic law, Shaykh Nabhani retired to devote the rest of his life in the solitude of writ-ing and worshipping. He moved to Me-dina, and lived there for a short while before moving to Beirut. He took his last breath in Beirut during Ramadan of 1932. May Allah make us of those that strive to quench our thirst for Islamic knowledge, may He bring us closer to him through those that have knowledge of Islam so we may benefit from them, and may He bring in our hearts the love for His Beloved(S).

Remember those awkward moments when you accidently walked in on a brother/sister praying in the Mason Hall reflec-tion room (closet)? Or how about the time when you were practically shivering while praying fajr in TP lobby? Well,

you don’t have to go through that again! Thanks to the immense generosity of a couple of our respected community members, apartment 24F in Tower Plaza has been converted into a Musallah for the purpose of holding the five daily prayers in ja-mah. Along with daily prayers, weekly classes, led by Shaykh Abdullah and Shaykh Abdurrahman of Yipsilanti, will be held for brothers and sisters. The Mussallah is open for everyone’s use, the only prerequisite being a desire to worship Allah (swt). On a college campus, it is hard enough to find a place to pray, but to have a Mussallah solely for that purpose is a blessing that is immeasurable. As Muslims, we understand the importance of prayer itself; however, the significance of prayer in congregation can be easily forgotten and overlooked amidst our busy college schedules. Allah (SWT) says in the Qur’an, “And bow down your head with those who bow down in worship” (2:43) and it is reported that the Prophet (S) said, “Prayer in congregation is superior to prayer alone by twenty seven degrees” (Bukhari & Muslim). The benefits of prayer in congregation go beyond the reward. It is when we are standing shoulder to shoulder, worshipping Allah (SWT), that we truly personify the meaning of unity and brotherhood in Islam. Furthermore, the ability to meet and worship together provides us with the opportunity strengthen our imaan as well as our bonds of friendship. For all of us at U of M, the establishment of this Mussallah is a great step forward in the struggle to acquire a permanent space on campus for Muslims students. It is a project that has been in the making for many years now and, Al-hamdulilah, we have a glimmer of hope. So, if you need to pray, want a quiet place to read Qur’an, or just need some time to

reflect, stop by at the Mussallah at 24F. Its worth is only as much as we make use of it, for what is a hive without the bees?

Extreme Makeover: TP Edition

Last summer, the MSA’s own Firas El-Baba set out to start an organization that intends to establish the Healthcare system in impoverished African

countries. This idea then flourished in what is known as Health2Africa (H2A). H2A is now acknowledged as an official nonprofit corporation according to the laws and regulations of the State of Michigan. In addition to that, H2A is rec-ognized at the University of Michigan as a new local club and they are also in the process of obtaining 501c3 status. The current goal of H2A is to raise $50,000 for their Mali Project. The primary goal of the Mali Project is to build a clinic in the impoverished Dogon Village of Koro, Mali. The additional money will be used to supply the clinic and send volunteers when it can. In addition to Firas’ involvement in the organization, there are two additional MSA members who serve as part of the board for H2A: Arij Nazir – Publicity Chair and Ahmed Kazem – Technology Chair. If you want to get involved, email Firas El-Baba at felbaba@umich.edu or call him at (248) 953-0796.

New Year|2011 10

Muslims Taking Action

By: Zain Khan

About a year ago, Amre Metwally, a sophomore majoring in International Studies and History, began an initiative to provide clean water to impoverished regions throughout the world. How would he go about

achieving this? He created an organization in the school called “Aqua For All.” In conjunction with Kalamazoo-based non-profit organization Clean Water for the World, Aqua For All resolves this issue of providing drinkable water by building purification and filtration systems to clean water in places that have water but cannot be drunk because of contamination and pollution. Basically, water is let into the filtration system and a 5-micron filter removes dirty particles from the water and flows it into an ultraviolet chamber. In this chamber, the ultraviolet rays destroy bacteria and viruses left in the water before finally filtrating out of the faucet ready for people to drink. Aqua For All raises funds sufficient to buy the parts and ship them to campus where members of the group construct it before being sent to places in need of clean water. With the help of his executive board, Amre sets the perfect example for Muslim students on campus to step

Student VoicesBy: Firas El-Baba

“What are you looking forward to about banquet?”

Amine: “Ultra-hyped up bros skits and food ^.^”

Eman: “Abbas Alaweih. Micro-phone. The End.”

Noha: “The food. Just kidding. I’m not going to eat it because I don’t want to be a whale”

Tooba: “I am looking forward to meeting the parents of my closest friends and of course excited to see every body dressed up”

Saquib: “MALAS!”

New Year|2011 11

HalalHelperGuy’s Top 10 List of Halal Campus Menu Items

Dear Halal Helper Guy,Dear HalalHelperGuy,

I’m a cute little freshman, and this is my first year living away from home. My Ammi isn’t around anymore to make her warm, succulent giraffe biryani, so these days I’ve been eating out more. The problem is that I’m trying to maintain a Zabiha diet, and it seems like I have no choices. What should I do?Sincerely,FamishedFreshman

Dear FamishedFreshman,Eating halal (a.k.a permissible) foods is an important

aspect of Islam. Thankfully, most of the dairy/vegetable/sea-food/bread/fruit-type foods we encounter are usually halal. What causes most of the problems, however, is meat. In Is-lam, the meat that we eat must be zabiha (although a more accurate transliteration is dhabiha) which means that the meat must be slaughtered according to Islamic guidelines. For instance, Allah says in the Quran: “Eat not of (meats) on which Allah’s name hath not been pronounced: That

would be impiety” (6:121). The problem is that the meat served at non-Muslim restaurants is rarely dhabiha.I know that staying dhabiha can be tough while on campus – although maybe not as tough as cooking giraffe biryani…how exactly do you cook one of those? Remember, however, that the tougher it is, the more reward you get. Whenever you are having difficulty, remember this verse from the Quran: “And those who strive in Our (cause),- We will certainly guide them to our Paths: For verily Allah is with those who do right” (29:69). In other words, Allah is saying that if you stick to His commands even though it may be difficult, He will guide you to the Straight Path.The good news, though, is that it doesn’t have to be hard! To help you out, I have compiled a list of HalalHelperGuy’s top ten favorite halal/dhabiha menu items on campus. As you can see, eating dhabiha halal really can be done in a

1) Noodles and Company (State & North University): Try the Pene Rosa with shrimp. It’s halal and delicious, as are almost all the other menu items. Just ask for shrimp as your protein choice. Noodles often uses wine in their dishes, so make sure to ask them not to put it in yours.2) Taco Bell (Michigan League): Taco Bell is great because you can halalify virtually any item on the menu. Just ask them to replace the meat with refried beans.3) Subway (Michigan Union): The tuna sub, seafood sub, veggie delight, and veggie patty subs are all great halal options. If you want to be daring, try HalalHelperGuy’s recipe for the most Sunnah tuna sub possible, comprising of ingredients that the Prophet (S) was recorded to have liked. I call it “The Suna Tuna:” Tuna on honey wheat (Prophet loved honey) with provolone cheese (Prophet liked the color white), toasted, with lettuce and green peppers (Prophet loved the color green), black olives (Prophet liked olives), tomatoes, and banana peppers. Top it off with honey mustard sauce (honey again) or a splash of olive oil and vinegar (also two foods that were praised by the Prophet).4) Chipotle (State & Liberty): Try the veggie burrito. Ask for black beans, not the pinto beans which have bacon in them. As an extra bonus, guacamole is free at Chipotle for veggie burritos.5) Panchero’s (South University & Church): Again, try the veggie burrito. I also believe that the meal cannot be complete without the nachos with warm, cheesy queso.6) Panera Bread (North University & Thayer): On a frosty winter day, warm up with a hearty soup in a sourdough bread bowl. On the list of daily soup choices, make sure to look for the little “V” which indicates that the soup is vegetarian and contains no chicken/beef stock.7) No Thai (South University past UTowers/North Campus): No Thai is similar to Noodles – instead of chicken or beef, simply choose shrimp or fried tofu (which tastes surprisingly delicious). If you’re hungry, potato curry and shrimp will really fill you up!8) Pizza: It’s easy to make a pizza dhabiha – just order veggie toppings. Pizza Hut (Union), Cottage Inn (William & Maynard), Pizza House (Church & South University), etc. Lots of tasty options are available.9) Dorm Food: Alhamdulillah, West Quad Dining Hall actually serves dhabiha halal meat at the Middle Eastern station, thanks to the efforts last year by some brothers and sisters from the MSA. Halal options are also available at all other dining halls upon request.10) I don’t want dorm food or rabbit food! I want meat!: Okay, okay. You’re in luck because many restaurants in Ann Arbor offer

I know what is right, I know what is wrongNo matter how hard I try it seems like I don’t belong

Its not your right to judge; I love who I am The way I dress, walk and talk it seems like you always slam

God knows my intentions and that’s all that should matterYet, I am only human, you judgment affects me it makes me want to shatter

He will give me strength, he will give me the powerTo face you and the world; watch me now, I will not cower

He is the Lord of the Day of Judgement, Maliki Yawmid-DeenI don’t answer to you; so back off- The real me, you haven’t seen

I will stand up for what I believe I will do what I canJudging people without understanding, you are no better than any other man

But this anger will do me no goodIn life we are all misunderstood

It shouldn’t be about me me me or you you youHow about the two come together and we can just work it through

Set aside these worldly differences cause I have one purpose hereTo get close to Allah subahan watallah the one I endear

Black brown white purple or greenMuslim Hindu Christian Buddhist Jewish or SikhYou are just like me you too are a Wolverine

So come together let’s talk it outIslamophobia tonight is what its all about

Talk about what you fear, what you don’t understandI’ll lend you my ear, if you just lend me your hand

Accept Me

-Aliza