Arab=Muslim=Terrorist

Bismallahy Al-Rahmany Al-Raheem


Before I get into anything, please watch this youtube clip below, its only 2 minutes. Exhibit A:


And this clip too please. Exhibit B:

(WARNING: If you are offended by women NOT wearing hijabs, or by the word 'bull' please close your eyes, and skip the clip, I don't want you to make du'a against me, Jazakallahu Khyran).



So now to the point. Exhibit A (first youtube clip) shows some crazy people, there's really no better way to put it. Now, what bugged me, other then the people being completely racist, is how people try to say Obama is a Muslim in an attempt to prove he's evil or a bad person. So Alhamdulilah, someone spoke out, and that is what Exhibit B (second youtube video) is. I love the second clip because Campbell Brown says something that's been driving me crazy; Who cares if Barack Obama actually is a Muslim and/or Arab?? She gets right to the point, and I applaud her for that. It's about time someone in the media states the obvious.


Another point these clips prove is just how 'coocoo' some Americans are. No seriously, some Americans aren't very.... uhh... intelligent. O, and they can be pretty crazy sometimes. (Notice the bolding of some, I don't want generalize or stereotype, because that's not fair). I've watched countless youtube clips of a few people who support McCain and Palin who have flat out said, they don't support Obama because hes black, and/or because they believe he's an Arab. And of course to them: Arab=Muslim=Terrorist. It's a simple formula really, but it works for them.

The worst part of the whole Muslim=Terrorist part, is that some people refuse to believe that Islam is a peaceful religion with followers who are only trying to live in peace and practice their religion peacefully (I emphasize peace). I've had an argument with someone before about this point, and after spending time trying to explain the whole simple idea of "Not stereotyping and generalizing" to a man about 35 years my senior I gave up. But later on, a Christian friend came up to me and told be something that was so obvious but true; "Who would know your religion more? You or him?" And you know what? I would! I mean it is MY religion, right? Now, of course I don't claim to be a scholar on Islam, but I would think that after spending my entire life as a Muslim, Alhamdulilah, I would kind of get, at least, a general idea of what Islam is about. However, according to some people, I'm completely wrong. I actually know nothing of my religion, but they do, because they googled 'Islam is evil' and found many hits and they're convinced. Some people are just too stubborn and closed minded, you just have to pray that they'll open their eyes someday.

Now to the whole election thing. Please don't be like these people and simply vote for Barack Obama because of who he is or who you think he is. For example, I actually have a lot of Muslim friends who support Obama because he has some Muslim in him, and because he's a 'baller'. You know how silly that is? I mean, seriously, if your voting for a man to lead your country, PLEASE look at his POLICIES, VALUES, and POLITICAL POSITIONS, not at how good he plays basketball. And if somehow, by some miracle, you find that McCain is a better fit, then what the heck, vote for the guy. It is YOUR decision after all, a crazy one, but none the less YOUR decision.

(P.S: I actually live in Canada, not the U.S. but I felt the topic has to be addressed anyways. Besides, our government doesn't seem to be of interest to people, and seems boring for some reason. Not a lot of people care about the Canadian electoral process or government. I mean did YOU know that we have a Prime-Minister, not a President? You probably didn't)

UPDATE: Colin Powell says it right (You can skip to the 4:33 mark)

Saying Goodbye to Ramadan

Bismallahy Ar-Rahman Al-Raheem

Blink once, open your eyes, and Ramadan is gone. At least that's how it felt. I try to remember all the days I've fasted, but all that comes into memory is a few days. Part of my brain believes that it was truly a full month I've fasted, but another part refuses to accept it. It feels like this almost every year and I start wondering if I spent my Ramadan the best that I can and taken advantage of every second of this blessed month. One can only pray that Allah blesses us with the opportnuity to live to another Ramadan so that we can attempt to use it to its fullest. May Allah accept our fasting, prayer, and worship in this month.

Unfortunately this is a short and quick post, but I will have another post soon Insallah. Just wanted to say Eid Mubarak to all, and Insallah that the "Eid Wars" aka "Moon sighting wars" were not too confusing this year.

A Muslim Youth Living in the West

Bismallahy Al-Rahman Alraheem

Asalamu Alikum, and welcome to Islamically-Intact (I will admit, I really did not want to use the word 'Welcome' but I could not think of a more Islamic way to say thanks for coming. So do forgive me). Alhamdulilah, today is the opening and start of this blog, and Insallah it will survive for a long time.

My name is Mohamad, and I am a Muslim living in North America. I've named the blog as it is because I really believe that being "Islamically Intact" is a big issue for young Muslims living in North America--or as some people would rather call it, The West. Being myself a young (don't worry I will grow old) Muslim living in North America, I've seen other Muslim brothers and sisters who were only Muslim by name.
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Imagine this situation. You're new to a school, you just moved to a whole new city, you know no one. First class starts, you start looking for a seat. Now the first thing I would do in this situation is look around to find the most foreign looking person I could, anyone. Why? Well because I feel safe around people who look as confused as I do. So anyways, you find the most foreign looking kid sitting in the middle of the class. Or at least you decide the kid's foreign because he has black hair, skin seems somewhat tinted, and actually looks to have some facial hair growing somewhere. So you decide 'Okay, I'll try not to creep him out, and ask him if he minds me sitting next to him', so you do that. The kid says sure. You're thinking "Alhamdulilah, biggest problem of the day solved." Now the teacher starts talking about the importance of math and numbers, but you pay no attention to that. You're slowly scanning the area like a radar trying to pick up any other foreign looking people. You're hoping you'll get to see an obvious Muslim, you know, a sister with a Hijab, or maybe even a brother with a 10 inch beard and a kufi. Unfortunately, you don't. Well, you're stuck with this kid here, which isn't bad. Alhamdulilah.

Finally the teacher stops yapping and assigns some review work. You look it over and it doesn't seem to hard, but you decide to start a conversation with the person beside you because the silence is too awkward.
"Do you know how to do question 2?" You ask.
He looks at it for a moment, then says, "Mmm, yaaa."
Silence
"Have you been to this school before?" You push on.
"Ya." He answers in a somewhat annoyed manner. You decide he really doesn't want to talk to you, so you forget the conversation idea. As you doodle on your paper and punch in random numbers on your calculator, the guy beside you finally speaks, "Did you get question 2?"
"Uhh, no, I never actually did it."
"Ooo"
"Ya..."
"By the way, whats your name?"
Yes, you think to yourself. No more awkward silence. "My name's Mohamad, and you you're?"
"I'm Dool" He responds.
"Dool?" You ask, "Is that African? Or European or something?"
"No, actually, my full name's Abdulrahman, people call me Dool." Hearing those words make you want to jump out of your seat in excitement. Another Muslim! You think.
"So you're Muslim then?" You blurt out, trying to hide your excitement.
"Well, ya, I am" He responds.
You can't contain your excitement. 'Another Muslim! Alhamdulilah!' You contemplate on whether to make du'a to thank Allah, but decide to leave it for now as you remember that your in Ramadan and are fasting, and therefore, a topic you two, and only you two can relate to.
"So is it hard for you to fast in school? Like what do you do in lunch?" You quickly ask.
'Dool' puts down the pencil, scratches his head, "Well actually, I don't fast, its too hard, you know."
"Ooo.."
"But, no, I do pray 2 times a day though..so.."
"2 times? Do you mean like you make du'a 2 times"
"No, I pray 2 times everyday, like were suppose to."
"Uhhh....It's actually 5 times a day."
"Oooooo"
'2 times a day??' you think to yourself. Maybe his parents just didn't teach him. So you decide to not hold that against him. As you open your mouth to try to explain to him the prayer numbers, someone interrupts you from the back. "Dooooool!!"
He looks back, smiles, and as if he's a whole new person says, "YO!"
"Party this weekend! You coming??"
"For sure man!"
"Ya Ya!"
"Okay...." you whisper to yourself, "Sooo...is this a birthday party or something?" You ask.
"What? No, no, its a normal, chillin party...you know what I mean?" He grins at you.
You now understand what he means, and that excitement that was once in your heart turns into disappointment, extreme disappointment. You try to explain to 'Dool' what your thinking, "You know, I'm not sure, but if you're talking about a party that involves drinking, then you shouldn't do that you know, its not allowed in Islam."
'Dool' looks at you, frowns, and responds, "Come on man, don't be old school, you gotta live your life you know?"
You decide that a silence between you two isn't that bad anymore.

So, why did I go through all this trouble to write this story? Well one, I like stories, and two, it shows the type of things Muslim youth have to deal with. It's one thing to be one of the only Muslims, if not the only Muslim, in your whole school, and trying to find your place, and maintain your deen. But then having other 'Muslims' following this culture's haram practices and looking down on you for not following them, that makes things so much harder. I've seen, and will continue to see things like this, but one has to remember that following the deen of Allah is the most important thing in life. And of that I remind myself and everyone.
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If you've read all the way down here, I want to thank you, and Insallah you will continue too. This blog is nothing more then one that I use to express my personal opinions, following Islamic rules. I have no degree in English or journalism, so you will have to forgive excessive commas, runon sentences, bad English grammar, and even bad spelling. But, what I do have, is an opinion, and one that tells me that being "Islamically-Intact" is of utmost importance in this world, and especially in North America/The West ...(please insert dramatic music!).