Dear Editor
I refer to the letter by Lurlene Nestor begging for VAT relief and my heart skipped a beat while my eyes could only welled what the Faith of Humanity refers to as the last vestige of social capital or empathy.
Where are those who shout children first? Now is the time, and not only for toys but a tax break for the general funding for education, medical and clothing needs; after all these future leaders need to be treated with some dignity.
How much humiliating can it be that a child witnesses his or her parents are dragged on their feet pleading for mercy so the rice man may dip one more saucepan of livelihood! So the taunts of well-greased peers may go unhurt.
Jesus came at a time where mercy was buried in the hard rocks of human anarchy. He brought hope. A hope like the hope Abraham brought when the dry desert of Arabia parched the dying livers of Ishmael and Hajar. Water came as a hope for civilization, then, in the form of the famous zamzam well and until today we celebrate that hope by re-enacting that run at Hajj between the spots of Marwa and Safa.
All of this for what?
That we make this season a true blessing to humanity the way the Divine wished it to be- to relieve the poor of the yoke of poverty- the call of every Faith leader as far as I remember. The promise of every promising leader as far as the ears could recall. This is the song of every mother and the music of every father; the prayer of every innocent child when they watch TV and drop asleep longing with desire.
It’s not about making the rich richer but giving a gesture to the underdog; its not about Christmas or Eid but signalling a real act of hope into the fading memories of happiness as poor children watch faces painted by death with each wind that blows and each moon that sets.
I was lucky to be at the premier of Mandela: Son of Africa in Toronto and listen to him assert, "children are the rock on which our future will be built".
How lucky we are that given our position we can become the Mandela of Guyana and the mecca of Hope for “ahwe pickney” by reconsidering Lurlene Nestor’s silent prayer.
Yours truly,
Monday, November 26, 2007
Thursday, November 1, 2007
stop beating woemn in the name of Quran
The controversy of choosing words that resonate with one's angle when translating the Quran is not new and so too on the topic of whether the Quran upholds beating one's spouse . I have written and delivered on this topic for years, reminding Muslims that verse 4:34, in one usage of darb, denotes showering her with extra romance and not beating.
Many translations have used spanking and light beating but Muslims who abuse their women folk, only to shout the Quran 'says' this, are actually abusing the Revelation, since they are brutalising these servants of God in the name of Allah and its time we have this correction done by every possible means. Some translators have struggled to explain that the best attestation of the Quran, Prophet Muhammad, on whom be peace, himself, never beat a woman but condemned men who did this as beasts.
It must be remembered that the Prophet quintessentially agreed with Umar bin Khattab when he suggested about their women acting audaciously, after migration. However, Allah disproved of this idea and the Prophet decalred in an immediate sermon that he cannot tolerate such beastly men who after beating their wives want to make love. So, using violent sex as an analogy, as some would like, is completely irrelevant.
As for the democratic right to interpret ones material and have them published is not only Canadian but truly Islamic. The Prophet rightly said difference of opinion is a mercy and even though Zamakhshari may not be from the mainstream sect of Islam his linguistic treatise of the Quran is widely accepted and sold in Muslim bookstores.
Lets not make another hasty, riotous public outcry from the efforts of those who defend the abused mothers of this world and who in all rights have academic claims as much as any classical Imam did, regardless, for Allah alone is the best Judge.
I have written about women who abuse men too- we have a shelter for them here but that was an issue I was trying to clarify whether Quranically we can translate the verse that way and the article below is for now for us to comment.I always remember your comments on OJ and this is not to target anyone and no one should feel their experience is everyone's. We have a case here where an Imam actually said 'beat them' and the men went home and did that and the next Jumua the women came to the mosque looking for the Imam.
Many translations have used spanking and light beating but Muslims who abuse their women folk, only to shout the Quran 'says' this, are actually abusing the Revelation, since they are brutalising these servants of God in the name of Allah and its time we have this correction done by every possible means. Some translators have struggled to explain that the best attestation of the Quran, Prophet Muhammad, on whom be peace, himself, never beat a woman but condemned men who did this as beasts.
It must be remembered that the Prophet quintessentially agreed with Umar bin Khattab when he suggested about their women acting audaciously, after migration. However, Allah disproved of this idea and the Prophet decalred in an immediate sermon that he cannot tolerate such beastly men who after beating their wives want to make love. So, using violent sex as an analogy, as some would like, is completely irrelevant.
As for the democratic right to interpret ones material and have them published is not only Canadian but truly Islamic. The Prophet rightly said difference of opinion is a mercy and even though Zamakhshari may not be from the mainstream sect of Islam his linguistic treatise of the Quran is widely accepted and sold in Muslim bookstores.
Lets not make another hasty, riotous public outcry from the efforts of those who defend the abused mothers of this world and who in all rights have academic claims as much as any classical Imam did, regardless, for Allah alone is the best Judge.
I have written about women who abuse men too- we have a shelter for them here but that was an issue I was trying to clarify whether Quranically we can translate the verse that way and the article below is for now for us to comment.I always remember your comments on OJ and this is not to target anyone and no one should feel their experience is everyone's. We have a case here where an Imam actually said 'beat them' and the men went home and did that and the next Jumua the women came to the mosque looking for the Imam.
Monday, October 22, 2007
The moon is sighted
Every fasting one rejoices
The Quran is recited
Every listener praises
One month so rigourous
Sweet as honey those mornings
Now my Eidi I ask for
But my reward with Him how to secure?
Listen my people
Whoever lives after Eid like Ramadan
Will have their death like this beautiful Eid moon
Where the world rejoices and the soul rises!
Every fasting one rejoices
The Quran is recited
Every listener praises
One month so rigourous
Sweet as honey those mornings
Now my Eidi I ask for
But my reward with Him how to secure?
Listen my people
Whoever lives after Eid like Ramadan
Will have their death like this beautiful Eid moon
Where the world rejoices and the soul rises!
Tuesday, October 2, 2007
Ramadan and Ghandi- twins of peace
Dear Editor
It's our dear Mahatma's anniversary- 138th and our reflections rest with His Excellence's struggle for peace. More so, now being Ramadan, we tend to be more peaceful and calm. One person recently said to me that this fasting should be embraced by UN in order for humanity to return to their roots of community living and empathising with the lesser fortunate. It's a shame that wars are still ravishing human souls and plucking young trees off the farm of family life. Ramadan 2007 is like a tribute for Ghandi's peace movement.
Ghandi opposed such constant engagement of violence, witnessed senselessly around most circles these days, and even for justifiable reasons and instead showed us that an non-violent approach or Satyagrah can achieve more that anything aggressive ever could. We are advised during fasting that if someone says something ignorant or wishes to pick a fight, we're to simply say I'm fasting as a reminder, for both victim and perpetrator.
That the respect of the soul necessitates avoidance of hurting others. Faith is the decisive element behind the greatness of Ghandiji. The new movie on him and others resonate the power of Faith. Yes, it's easy to say religion is an opium for the ignorant masses. And, while admittedly, wars have been waged by both religionists and atheists, at least Faith has brought an end to them wherever such souls like Ghandi, Muhammad, Jesus, Martin Luther and others bowed to the Power who created peace.
These humble giants of Salam/Shalom refused the meal of violence during their lifelong Ramadan struggle against tyrannical ego, and in doing so, sanctified their sacrifice of spiritualized fasting on the altar of human brotherhood.
The Quran reminds us about this fundamental foundation of human civilization in 6:54 'When those come to you who believe in Our signs, Say: 'Peace be on you: Your Lord has inscribed for Himself (the rule of) mercy: verily, if any of you did evil in ignorance, and thereafter repented, and amend (his conduct), lo! He is Oft- forgiving, Most Merciful.'
Light a candle and this global darkness will dispel; otherwise an eye for an eye will make us blind!
Yours truly,Habeeb Alli
It's our dear Mahatma's anniversary- 138th and our reflections rest with His Excellence's struggle for peace. More so, now being Ramadan, we tend to be more peaceful and calm. One person recently said to me that this fasting should be embraced by UN in order for humanity to return to their roots of community living and empathising with the lesser fortunate. It's a shame that wars are still ravishing human souls and plucking young trees off the farm of family life. Ramadan 2007 is like a tribute for Ghandi's peace movement.
Ghandi opposed such constant engagement of violence, witnessed senselessly around most circles these days, and even for justifiable reasons and instead showed us that an non-violent approach or Satyagrah can achieve more that anything aggressive ever could. We are advised during fasting that if someone says something ignorant or wishes to pick a fight, we're to simply say I'm fasting as a reminder, for both victim and perpetrator.
That the respect of the soul necessitates avoidance of hurting others. Faith is the decisive element behind the greatness of Ghandiji. The new movie on him and others resonate the power of Faith. Yes, it's easy to say religion is an opium for the ignorant masses. And, while admittedly, wars have been waged by both religionists and atheists, at least Faith has brought an end to them wherever such souls like Ghandi, Muhammad, Jesus, Martin Luther and others bowed to the Power who created peace.
These humble giants of Salam/Shalom refused the meal of violence during their lifelong Ramadan struggle against tyrannical ego, and in doing so, sanctified their sacrifice of spiritualized fasting on the altar of human brotherhood.
The Quran reminds us about this fundamental foundation of human civilization in 6:54 'When those come to you who believe in Our signs, Say: 'Peace be on you: Your Lord has inscribed for Himself (the rule of) mercy: verily, if any of you did evil in ignorance, and thereafter repented, and amend (his conduct), lo! He is Oft- forgiving, Most Merciful.'
Light a candle and this global darkness will dispel; otherwise an eye for an eye will make us blind!
Yours truly,Habeeb Alli
Wednesday, September 26, 2007
Ramadan poem
Ramadan: A lover’s tale
Lying on her back, she starved all day
When asked she cried “heart-broken”
From dawn to dusk, without food
Fasting yearning for Allah, she silently prays
The same song repeated, when questioned
She says it’s his favorite tune, so I just like it
Thirty nights sweetly the Book of Allah recited
When asked, the Hafiz says I can’t live without His words, dear
Working two jobs plus school, she saves every chocolate cent possible
When enquired about this queer thing, she says it’s for his dire finances
Sacrificing every sweet tooth, she gives in charity from hers and even asks others
When asked, the Zakah collector says ‘a loan for Allah’ is well repaid, my Beloved
No gossip or wild thoughts, she hates to loose him for a moment
To make him unique yet still so many others
Throughout the month she avoids distractions
When asked, the devotee of Ramadan says I’m saving my heart for Allah, my true desire!
Lying on her back, she starved all day
When asked she cried “heart-broken”
From dawn to dusk, without food
Fasting yearning for Allah, she silently prays
The same song repeated, when questioned
She says it’s his favorite tune, so I just like it
Thirty nights sweetly the Book of Allah recited
When asked, the Hafiz says I can’t live without His words, dear
Working two jobs plus school, she saves every chocolate cent possible
When enquired about this queer thing, she says it’s for his dire finances
Sacrificing every sweet tooth, she gives in charity from hers and even asks others
When asked, the Zakah collector says ‘a loan for Allah’ is well repaid, my Beloved
No gossip or wild thoughts, she hates to loose him for a moment
To make him unique yet still so many others
Throughout the month she avoids distractions
When asked, the devotee of Ramadan says I’m saving my heart for Allah, my true desire!
Tuesday, September 11, 2007
Ramadan Mubarak! Ramadan Kareem! Ramadan Greetings! From NAMF
Ramadan Mubarak! Ramadan Kareem! Ramadan Greetings! From NAMF
It’s Ramadan again, and thankfully the winds of kindness are blowing strongly from the depths of Lake Jannah into the hearts of the Believers. It’s through this type of generosity that the Prophet Muhammad, on whom be peace, funded his missions. For years your kindness has blown us into a growing organization and without your support we would not have achieved some significant things this year. Alhamdullilah.
North American Muslim Foundation is a non-profitable charitable Canadian organization dedicated to assisting the victims of various disaster-affected people for the last 33 years and locally empowering our community through education.
In the past our programs’ speakers included Min Mike Cole, MPs Paul Szabo and Jim Karigiannis, Omar Al-Ghabara, Dep. Min Fareed Amin, Prof M Walker, Imam AbdulHai Patel, etc.
Some of things your donations have gone towards in the past include:
$100, 000 for Tsunami survivors in Sri Lanka and Indonesia
Kashmir earthquake relief
Flood relief in Guyana and orphan sponsorship
Assistance to Lebanese crisis victims
Some of things we have done this year 2007 include:
Orphan sponsorship in Guyana, Pakistan, Kenya and Bangladesh
Pakistan and Bangladesh flood relief
Digging wells in Kenya
Local food bank
Speech competition among students about Poverty and Faith
Social programs- Academic-Islamic full-time school and summer school, summer jobs program, youth programs, marriage-introduction programs, movie nights, Scouts camp, lectures, seniors day, community awards, immigrant settlement assistance, picnic, Ramadan dinner, etc.
May Allah accept from you and your family all the charities and fasting in this Holy Month of Ramadan and all the goodness in the past.
See our new website for more details www.namf.ca
Hoping that your heart sways this way by the powerful winds of Ramadan’s sharing and steers it from the hills of Mecca into the cooler regions of Toronto.
Habeeb Alli
Communications Coordinator, North American Muslim Foundation
It’s Ramadan again, and thankfully the winds of kindness are blowing strongly from the depths of Lake Jannah into the hearts of the Believers. It’s through this type of generosity that the Prophet Muhammad, on whom be peace, funded his missions. For years your kindness has blown us into a growing organization and without your support we would not have achieved some significant things this year. Alhamdullilah.
North American Muslim Foundation is a non-profitable charitable Canadian organization dedicated to assisting the victims of various disaster-affected people for the last 33 years and locally empowering our community through education.
In the past our programs’ speakers included Min Mike Cole, MPs Paul Szabo and Jim Karigiannis, Omar Al-Ghabara, Dep. Min Fareed Amin, Prof M Walker, Imam AbdulHai Patel, etc.
Some of things your donations have gone towards in the past include:
$100, 000 for Tsunami survivors in Sri Lanka and Indonesia
Kashmir earthquake relief
Flood relief in Guyana and orphan sponsorship
Assistance to Lebanese crisis victims
Some of things we have done this year 2007 include:
Orphan sponsorship in Guyana, Pakistan, Kenya and Bangladesh
Pakistan and Bangladesh flood relief
Digging wells in Kenya
Local food bank
Speech competition among students about Poverty and Faith
Social programs- Academic-Islamic full-time school and summer school, summer jobs program, youth programs, marriage-introduction programs, movie nights, Scouts camp, lectures, seniors day, community awards, immigrant settlement assistance, picnic, Ramadan dinner, etc.
May Allah accept from you and your family all the charities and fasting in this Holy Month of Ramadan and all the goodness in the past.
See our new website for more details www.namf.ca
Hoping that your heart sways this way by the powerful winds of Ramadan’s sharing and steers it from the hills of Mecca into the cooler regions of Toronto.
Habeeb Alli
Communications Coordinator, North American Muslim Foundation
Wednesday, September 5, 2007
Ontario Sufis organized retreat and Shaikh Kabir Helminski guides the spiritual enthusiasts.
Ontario Sufis organized retreat and Shaikh Kabir Helminski guides the spiritual enthusiasts.
The sounds of running brook and chirping birds greet the heart of the seeker in this lovely Stoufville retreat. What added beauty to this weekend spiritual getaway was not only dervishes of all faiths gathered around a Victorian fireplace but the elixir presence of Shaikh Kabir Helminski, the American itinerant Sufi and his disciple and wife Camille, author of Book of Character.
I first met the deeply erudite revert of Islam during the preview of www.rumi-turningecstatic.com by Tina Petrova, two years ago and the passion for inner presence coupled with intellectual capacity to match philosophical variables in the West, kept my interest in this religious votary burning. Through correspondence we have kept that link, ruminating many thoughts, especially in the growing culture of interfaith Spirituality and joint social projects.
The thirty odd students that weekend were both seasoned leaders and novices- all hoping to spend time with Shaikh, both a knowledgeable and approachable in the order of Mevlana Order.
During the course practices of Salat as well as Zikr are done frequently; students learn about the various terms and actions of the Path- both from each other as well at the workshops conducted by the visiting teacher from America and his wife. Rumi runs in their veins like the still but deep brooks of Mysthaven. Its water is the impassable love flowing from the Poet’s fountain, even after eight centuries- UNESCO has at least made him the man of 2007.
One interesting exercise is the breathing of Allah’s name- Hu; so as to ensure the mind and body are both present when praying. Hu may be the pronoun of Huwa referring to Allah in the third person in any Semitic language. The roots letters of A L H, when chanted, have been neurotheologically proven in Norway to relief stress.
When asked about the challenge of getting enough time with one’s mentor, something highly recommended in Sufi practices of the past, the Shaikh said long periods may be difficult but with regular short retreats plus accessible communications and other forms of meeting the student achieve the goal:- Purification of the Self. As a matter of fact the intention is what matters mostly, niyet. As at times we may find a novice who has little companionship racing ahead in spiritual abundance whereas one who sits at the right hand of the Shaikh is still behaving like a JK student in this Path. Well Owais Al Qarni, comes to mind. He was the Yemenite companion who couldn’t visit the Prophet yet mentioned among the revered Companions, whose benedictions was sought for by no one lesser than Omar Bin Khattab.
Global warming is the phenomenon of the century and not only politicians and scientists have to deal with the environmentalist’s claims but increasingly Faith leaders are being called upon. Mr. Kabir believes even in this field Rumi’s philosophy wields power and one such thing is his daily life of austerity- if we could practice some sort of contented living, free of the burdensome luxuries, we will save a huge part of the planet from destruction. Well the Quran does point out that we are all Caliphs of God on earth and as such we have to act like true trustees.
Relentlessly, our busy lives cry out daily, even if the world doesn’t hear those decibels: give me my space and nourish my soul! With more retreats like these, blessed with eminent souls like these eager North Americans, the world will see the effectiveness of Faith in this century and prove the answer to our huge depression syndrome lies in meditation, in this case mindful Zikr of Allah.
"This is love: to fly toward a secret sky, to cause a hundred veils to fall each moment. First to let go of life. Finally, to take a step without feet." Moulana Jalaludin Rumi.
Habeeb Alli
The sounds of running brook and chirping birds greet the heart of the seeker in this lovely Stoufville retreat. What added beauty to this weekend spiritual getaway was not only dervishes of all faiths gathered around a Victorian fireplace but the elixir presence of Shaikh Kabir Helminski, the American itinerant Sufi and his disciple and wife Camille, author of Book of Character.
I first met the deeply erudite revert of Islam during the preview of www.rumi-turningecstatic.com by Tina Petrova, two years ago and the passion for inner presence coupled with intellectual capacity to match philosophical variables in the West, kept my interest in this religious votary burning. Through correspondence we have kept that link, ruminating many thoughts, especially in the growing culture of interfaith Spirituality and joint social projects.
The thirty odd students that weekend were both seasoned leaders and novices- all hoping to spend time with Shaikh, both a knowledgeable and approachable in the order of Mevlana Order.
During the course practices of Salat as well as Zikr are done frequently; students learn about the various terms and actions of the Path- both from each other as well at the workshops conducted by the visiting teacher from America and his wife. Rumi runs in their veins like the still but deep brooks of Mysthaven. Its water is the impassable love flowing from the Poet’s fountain, even after eight centuries- UNESCO has at least made him the man of 2007.
One interesting exercise is the breathing of Allah’s name- Hu; so as to ensure the mind and body are both present when praying. Hu may be the pronoun of Huwa referring to Allah in the third person in any Semitic language. The roots letters of A L H, when chanted, have been neurotheologically proven in Norway to relief stress.
When asked about the challenge of getting enough time with one’s mentor, something highly recommended in Sufi practices of the past, the Shaikh said long periods may be difficult but with regular short retreats plus accessible communications and other forms of meeting the student achieve the goal:- Purification of the Self. As a matter of fact the intention is what matters mostly, niyet. As at times we may find a novice who has little companionship racing ahead in spiritual abundance whereas one who sits at the right hand of the Shaikh is still behaving like a JK student in this Path. Well Owais Al Qarni, comes to mind. He was the Yemenite companion who couldn’t visit the Prophet yet mentioned among the revered Companions, whose benedictions was sought for by no one lesser than Omar Bin Khattab.
Global warming is the phenomenon of the century and not only politicians and scientists have to deal with the environmentalist’s claims but increasingly Faith leaders are being called upon. Mr. Kabir believes even in this field Rumi’s philosophy wields power and one such thing is his daily life of austerity- if we could practice some sort of contented living, free of the burdensome luxuries, we will save a huge part of the planet from destruction. Well the Quran does point out that we are all Caliphs of God on earth and as such we have to act like true trustees.
Relentlessly, our busy lives cry out daily, even if the world doesn’t hear those decibels: give me my space and nourish my soul! With more retreats like these, blessed with eminent souls like these eager North Americans, the world will see the effectiveness of Faith in this century and prove the answer to our huge depression syndrome lies in meditation, in this case mindful Zikr of Allah.
"This is love: to fly toward a secret sky, to cause a hundred veils to fall each moment. First to let go of life. Finally, to take a step without feet." Moulana Jalaludin Rumi.
Habeeb Alli
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