Din seeking the Deen: Shaykh Ramzy: the mountain and valley

During one of the sessions at Qurba, Shaykh Ramzy [Ajem] gave an analogy on how we should be. He said we should be like the valley not like the mountain.

i.e. We should be humble and low so that we can collect all the rain water . The valley is the place which is fertile, where the water flows and where the vegetations grows. The mountain ( is high) yet their tops are bare…..

SunniPath Blog - » Special Ramadan & Zakat Course Now Open

The two special courses that will be offered this Ramadan are now open for registration, as the SunniPath Academy.

Insha’Allah, SeekersGuidance (www.SeekersGuidance.com) is announcing a number of Ramadan-related courses shortly as well, so stay tuned.

Barak Allahu feekum.

Gen. Pervez Musharraf Resigns : ALL THINGS PAKISTAN

In a nationally televised speech, Gen.
Pervez Musharraf, President of Pakistan, has just announced his
resignation, pre-empting a move to impeach him by the parliament.

Participate in a poll on what might be Pakistan’s future post-Musharraf, here.

Top 10 Usability Highs Of Mac OS | Events | Smashing Magazine

Although I’ve been a Windows power user for years, the transition to Mac couldn’t have been easier and more pleasant. I don’t want to turn this article into some endless rambling about how great Mac is, but as the user of both systems I can speak from my own experience quite objectively. Let’s take a look at some of the spots where Apple really has done it better in terms of user interface and usability.

New Book Release: Imam Ghazali: A Return to Purity in Creed (Iljam al-`Awamm) - Translated by Shaykh Abdullah bin Hamid Ali

Read Sample Chapter

WorldChanging: Alternative Trade Networks and the Coffee System

Every day 1.5 billion cups of coffee are drunk somewhere in the world – quite a few of them in this house - but few of us in the North know much about the 25 million families that grow and produce this valuable bean.

After reading a new book called Confronting The Coffee Crisis I feel better informed not just about the negative aspects of the story - but also motivated to explore practically the potential of emerging alternative trade networks to change the bigger picture in profound ways.

In a system that can involve as many as eight transactions to bring the coffee to market, coffee farmers receive less than two percent of the price of a cup of coffee sold in a coffee bar or roughly six per cent of the value of a standard pack of ground coffee sold in a grocery store.

So far, so outrageous…. [read on]

Islamica Magazine - Announcement

Dear Islamica Subscriber/Supporter:

As many of you have noticed, the magazine has not published an issue since September of 2007. This is because certain funding sources did not materialize as expected. This hiatus was unexpected, but has been prolonged due to a weakening economy and general weariness by many in supporting independent Muslim media.

Unfortunately, the business of running a small, independent magazine has taken its toll. Islamica is not a profit-driven magazine. Our content is based on creating a culture of ideas, facilitating the exchange of information and encouraging debate. It is not based on selling advertising, although we do sell ads when we can. Similar to other magazines based on this premise, Islamica has struggled to sustain itself in a media climate dominated by corporate conglomerates.

Having said that, Islamica’s staff is confident that we can, God-willing, undertake the necessary steps to bring the magazine back into regular publication and ensure its future success. We are currently in the process of transitioning to a new not-for-profit entity that we hope will ensure the future of the magazine.

In this process, we ask for your patience. We expect to fulfill all outstanding subscriptions once this transition process is completed. We also seek to leverage our network of readers to help us identify visionaries in our community that would champion efforts like Islamica. Please contact us at fundraising@islamicamagazine.com.

However, while keeping in mind the difficulties associated with non-profit journalism and sustaining small magazines with big ideas, we would like to thank you for your continued interest in Islamica Magazine. Islamica has achieved a number of important milestones in the last year which were in many ways made possible by the loyal support of our readers.

This past year Islamica was recognized by two important institutions:
1. We were nominated by UTNE Reader as one of the best independent magazines in the United States. UTNE is considered one of the foremost authorities on independent media. This is the first nomination of a Muslim-focused magazine in its history.
2. We were recognized with six awards from the Religion Communicators Council for excellence as a communicator of religious issues. The Religion Communicators Council is an interfaith association of religion communicators in print and electronic communication, marketing and public relations.

The awards confirm to us that our efforts to raise the level of discourse about Islam from the Muslim community are succeeding. But more than winning awards, Islamica has achieved a critical level of acceptance amongst mainstream media organizations including:

* The Economist
* The Washington Post
* Christian Science Monitor

These organizations and many others regularly turn to our editorial staff for information and advice in covering the Muslim world. Islamica has achieved a level of credibility in the way it addresses critical social, cultural and political issues facing Islam and the Muslim world. It gives Muslims an opportunity to speak on their own behalf, something that does not often happen in today’s news media.

Again, we hope to leverage our network of readers to help us identify visionaries in our community that would champion efforts like Islamica. Please contact us at fundraising@islamicamagazine.comThis e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it if you or someone you know would like to support Islamica. Thank you for your continued support and interest and we look forward to expanding the discussion about the Muslim world with you in future issues.

Wasalam Alaikum,

Editorial Staff of Islamica Magazine

Monsoon in Islamabad and Much More : ALL THINGS PAKISTAN

While there is a political monsoon brewing in Islamabad, the real literal monsoon also burst open its clouds today. I saw these interesting photos from Islamabad in today’s news media and thought of sharing here. Monsoon rains are a special treat in Pakistan because they usually bring respite from spells of hot weather. They also bring joy to our spirits as well as a chance for youngsters to enjoy natural water parks.

WorldChanging: The Future of Shopping Malls: An Image Essay

Mall culture in the United States — at least as we know it — is coming to an end. Last month, the fall of Steve & Barry’s became the next addition to a series of recent retailer bankruptcies we’ve been witnessing across the nation. This trend is likely to continue, as the U.S. economic downturn causes people to reduce their trips to stores and to shop less, forcing more shops to close and leaving malls deserted.

Ardeshir Cowasjee’s column on animal welfare at Pakistan Animal Welfare Society: ”

The Sunday, August 3, DAWN newspaper has a column by Ardeshir Cowasjee on animal welfare in Pakistan. He writes:

Things will hopefully get better for our disgustingly treated animals - it was Mahatma Gandhi who famously once said that the level of a country’s civilisation can be gauged by its treatment of animals. Where does this leave Pakistan’s level of civilisation?

The column highlights some of the positive happenings for the animals of Karachi, such as the work of The Brooke organisation and the Richmond Crawford Hospital on M.A. Jinnah road. Brooke has recently set up operations in the city, and their mobile clinic team reaches a number of communities to help them take better care of their working equines. Richmond Crawford Hospital was founded by an English Commissioner over a century ago, and is located in the heart of the city. Cowasjee also mentions the Pakistan Animal Welfare Society in his column.

You can read the entire column online here:

http://www.dawn.com/weekly/cowas/cowas.htm

Please take this opportunity to send in a letter to DAWN in appreciation for creating awareness about the plight of animals in our country. DAWN takes letters at letters@dawn.com
“

The Seeker - A personal and professional quest for truth | Chicago Tribune | Blog: “Members of the Mosque Foundation in Bridgeview not only have seen the light, they will rely on it from now on when they pray inside their house of worship.

On Thursday, the Bridgeview mosque earned a distinction as the nation’s first mosque to go solar when leaders installed solar panels on the roof to help heat the building’s water.

The solar thermal system will tie into the existing water heater, powered by natural gas, to provide hot water for people as they wash their hands, face and feet before prayer.

When faithful Muslims wash before worship, it is more than a sanitary practice. It is a sacred ritual. Praying five times a day is one of the five pillars of Islam, and Muslims believe these prayers are not accepted unless wudhu or ablution is performed beforehand. “

altmuslim - “Radicalism is the realization of marginalization”

Imam Zaid Shakir might seem like a rock star, but he is one of America’s most influential Muslim scholars. He speaks to us at length about politics, extremism, and an emerging Muslim American identity.

A world split apart | open Democracy News Analysis

The novels and essays of the Russian writer Alexander Solzhenitsyn (1918-2008) eviscerated the moral foundations of Soviet rule. But his Harvard address of June 1978 confirmed that the core of his intellectual project was a spiritual rather than political one - and that the west was just as much in his sights

the (new) legal writer: More effective e-mail

Here is an article I wrote for the DRI magazine, For the Defense, on writing more effective e-mail. As you’ll see from reading it, Lynn Gaertner-Johnston deserves credit for some of its ideas. Lynn writes a blog called Business Writing, a must-read for lawyers and others whose jobs involve any sort of writing, and e-mail is one of her frequent subjects.

Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn Dies at 89 - Obituary (Obit) - NYTimes.com

Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn, whose stubborn, lonely and combative literary struggles gained the force of prophecy as he revealed the heavy afflictions of Soviet Communism in some of the most powerful works of the 20th century, died late on Sunday at the age of 89 in Moscow.

…. recordings now available on the website are:

IS THERE A CRISIS OF AUTHORITY OF ISLAM?
Shaykh Faraz Rabbani (audio, mp3)
http://www.radicalmiddleway.co.uk/videos.php?id=9&art=9&vid=90

FROM HADHRAMAUT TO SYLHET TO WHITECHAPEL: REFLECTING ON THE DAWAH OF SHAH JALAL
Habib Ali al-Jifri (video, mp4)
http://www.radicalmiddleway.co.uk/videos.php?id=15&art=15&vid=91

DANGEROUS IDEAS TOUR - DEAD MAN WALKING
Amir Sulaiman (video, mp4)
http://www.radicalmiddleway.co.uk/videos.php?id=14&art=14&vid=92

THE FIGHT OF OUR LIVES - THE WAY OF FUTUWWA, ISLAMIC CHIVALRY
Habib Ali al-Jifri (video, mp4 and audio, mp3)
Shaykh Ibrahim Osi-Efa (video, mp4)
http://www.radicalmiddleway.co.uk/videos.php?id=15&art=15&vid=91

GLOBALISED BEFORE GLOBALISATION - THE FORGOTTEN HISTORY OF THE MUSLIM TRADER
Habib Ali al-Jifri (video, mp4 and audio, mp3)
Shaykh Abdul-Hakim Murad (video, mp4 and audio, mp3)
http://www.radicalmiddleway.co.uk/videos.php?id=15&art=15&vid=91

CAN MUSLIMS TRUST OBAMA?
Imam Johari Abdul Malik (video, mp4 and audio, mp3)
http://www.radicalmiddleway.co.uk/videos.php?id=19&art=19&vid=48

For automatic updates, please subscribe to our RSS feed: http://www.radicalmiddleway.co.uk

Just how big a threat is “Islamic” terrorism? | Yahya Birt

How big a threat is “Islamic” terrorism (note the scare quotes) to Europe? It’s a valid question, and not one that we should assume we already know the answer to.

Firdous Books - Islamic books|audio/CDs|video/DVDs

Title: OUR MASTER MUHAMMAD THE MESSENGER OF ALLAH (ASWS): His Sublime Character & Exalted Attributes: Volume 1
Author: Imam `Abdallah Sirajuddin al-Husayni/Khalid Williams/ Shaykh Muhammad b. Yahya al-Ninowy
Publishing House: Sunni Publications

Click to enlarge

Modern times have made it even more important that Muslims acquaint themselves with their Prophet (asws), not only for the sake of their personal spiritual development, but also for the sake of the religion as a whole. There has perhaps never been a time when the world was more in need of an authentic depiction of the Best of Creation (asws). ‘Our Master Muhammad, the Messenger of Allah (asws)’ is a unique work discussing the noble qualities and characteristics of the Final Prophet (asws) in a way that is infused with love and devotion. In the first volume of this book, the author depicts all the fine attributes of our Prophet (asws) with respect to his physical beauty, his eloquence and wisdom, his exalted status, his sublime character and his mercy (asws).

This incredible expression of Prophetic love was written by the scholar of Aleppo, Imam ‘Abdallah Sirajudd?n al-Husayni (ra), who was not only a Hafiz, a leading scholar of Hadith and exegete of the Qur’an, but also a true Saint, referred to by scholars as ‘The Pole of Prophetic Love of our Times’. His book is the product of true scholarship and virtue.

Brain Rules for Presenters

Brain Rules for Presenters

view presentation (tags: reynolds garr zen presentation)

From an Email to Some Sincere Brothers Tested by Challenges Facing an Important Event

In any work for the sake of the deen, Allah tests the sincerity and steadfastness of those who act–and tests their surety that regardless of outcome, one’s reward isn’t worldly “success” but acceptance from Allah.

At the same time, it is from strength of determination to overcome obstacles; to turn negatives into positives; and to sustain excellence, in action, effort, and dealings, despite challenges and setbacks.

Those who remain steadfast, sustain their determination, and persevere in their pursuit of excellence are the successful. Those who lose hope were, ultimately, lacking in reliance on Allah.

Be of the successful and make the most of the challenges you face. Remember the words of the Beloved Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him),

“The strong believer is better and more beloved to Allah than the weak believer, though there is good in both. Be avid for all that benefits you; seek Allah’s assistance; and don’t deem yourself incapable…” [Muslim, Ibn Maja, Ahmad, and others, from Abu Hurayra (Allah be pleased with him)]

Barak Allahu feekum. May Allah facilitate all ways of good for you.

wassalam,

Faraz Rabbani

Who should I intend when giving the closing salams of the prayer? - Shaykh Hamza Karamali (SunniPath Academy)

Masha’ Allah, a beautiful answer. (Read it!)

Our beloved and respected teacher Imam Tahir Anwar’s grandfather, Moulana Adam Mohammad Patel has just passed away at their village in India at the age of 93. Imam Tahir is requesting duas of Maghfirah, and possible announcement at your local Masajid.

It is from gratefulness (shukr) to Allah that we be grateful to the means of guidance that Allah has placed for us on earth–our teachers and scholars. And it is from loyalty (wafa’) to Allah that we have loyalty to our teachers and scholars. And it is from loyalty to them that we remember them and their families–and, of course, the entire umma and all humanity–in our prayers and supplications.

And Allah alone gives success.

Faraz Rabbani

Razi - QurbaWhat is Qurba?

Qurba,
a project of The Razi Institute, facilitates and provides access to
essential Islamic knowledge through coordinated weekly sessions,
educational retreats and weekend programs.

Summer
Educational Retreat 2008 marks the launch of the Qurba initiative. The
retreat will feature two parallel programs: The Essentials Program and
The Intensive Program.

The retreat will establish the foundation for your journey into the vast world of the Islamic tradition and sciences.

More information about the Summer Educational Retreat 2008 and the two
programs being offered can be found by clicking one of the following
icons.

Select an Option