News
A Fashion Show for Women Only – Feb 13
For That “Covered Girl” Look!!!
A Fashion Show for Women Only
February 13, 2010
6:00-8:00 PM
Islamic Society of Boston
Cultural Center
100 Malcolm X Blvd
Roxbury, MA 02120
$20 Ticket
For information and registration contact us
info@MosquePraiseAllah.com
617 304-1919 * 617 442-2805
Marriage & Family Seminar – Focus on Healthy Marriage – Feb 12-13
Community Focus on Healthy Marriage
A Weekend Marriage & Family Seminar
Presenter: Dr. Aneesah Nadir, MSW, PhD,
Marriage & Family Educator
Guest Presenters: Dr. Jimmie Jones
Imam Abdullah T. Faaruuq
Br. Abrigal Forrester
A must For: Single and Married Men & Women 16 years old and up
Topics:
· Challenges Facing Married Muslims
· Purpose of Marriage
· Marriage in the Qur’an and the Prophetic Tradition
· Love, Mercy & Tranquility in the Prophetic Tradition
· So you think you’re ready for marriage….
· Now that you are married…..
· Staying married…..
· Skills, Tips and Tools for a healthy marriage
Friday February 12, 2009 6:30-9:00pm and
Saturday February 13, and 10:30 AM to 4:30 PM
Islamic Society of Boston Cultural Center
100 Malcolm X Blvd. Roxbury MA 02119
Registration Fee: $40 Couples; $25 Individuals
To reserve your seat or more info contact:
info@MosquePraisAllah.com
or call 617-442 2805
Brought to you by: Society for Islamic Brotherhood
in Cooperation with
MANA’s Healthy Marriage Initiative
(A program of the Muslim Alliance in North America &
the Islamic Social Services Association-USA)
The world’s tallest building
The world’s tallest building has opened with a bang in the emirate of Dubai, measuring a whopping 828m in height.
The world’s tallest building has been opened in a dramatic fireworks ceremony in the Gulf emirate of Dubai. The Burj Khalifa was revealed to be more than 2,700 feet high, far taller than the previous record holder, Taipei 101. Known as the Burj Dubai during construction, the tower has been renamed after the leader of Dubai’s oil-rich neighbor, Abu Dhabi. Construction of the super tower began in 2004.
The engineering marvel dwarfs existing skyscrapers, with the previous tallest building in the world, the Taipei 101 in Taiwan, reaching a comparatively modest 508m.
The building was named in honour of United Arab Emirates President Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed al-Nahayan.
Signs of the Last Hour – Tall Buildings
There will be no Judgment—until very tall buildings are constructed. (Reported by Abu Hurairah)
The Hour will not be established—till the people compete with one another in constructing high buildings. – (Bukhari)
In the famous Hadith of Jibril which we often hear, what we don’t usually know is that in the same hadith the Prophet actually prophesied about the appearance of tall buildings at the end of time. See the full hadith below:
`Umar ibn Khattab (Allah 
be well pleased with him) said: “As we were sitting one day before the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), a man suddenly appeared. He wore pure white clothes and his hair was dark black—yet there were no signs of travel on him, and none of us knew him. He came and sat down in front of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), placing his knees against his, and his hands on his thighs. He said, “O Muhammad! Tell me about Islam.”
The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) replied, “Islam is to bear witness that there is no god but God and that Muhammad is the Messenger of God; and to perform the prayer; pay zakat; fast Ramadan; and to perform Hajj to the House if you are able.”
The man said, “You have spoken the truth,” and we were surprised that he asked and then confirmed the answer. Then, he asked, “Tell me about belief (iman).”
The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) replied, “It is to believe in Allah ; His Angels; His Books; His Messengers; the Last Day; and in destiny—its good and bad.”
The man said, “You have spoken the truth. Now, tell me about spiritual excellence (ihsan).”
The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) replied, “It is to serve Allah as though you behold Him; and if you don’t behold him, (know that) He surely sees you.”
“Now, tell me of the Last Hour,” asked the man.
The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) replied, “The one asked knows no more of it than the one asking.”
“Then tell me about its signs,” said the man.
The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) replied, “That slave women give birth to their mistresses; and that you see barefoot, unclothed, beginning shepherds competing in the construction of tall buildings.”
Then the visitor left, and I waited a long time. Then the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) asked me, “Do you know, Umar, who the questioner was?” I replied, “Allah and His Messenger know best.”He said (Allah bless him and give him peace), “It was Jibril. He came to you to teach you your religion.” [Sahih Muslim]
The Truth About Xmas !
Questions you have about X-Mas … was afraid to ask !
Read the PDF article by clicking here
Muharram Mubarak – 1431 (Happy New Year)
’s cause and start the Islamic New Year on a pious tone?According to Local Moon Sighting Islamic New Year: 1431 AH – (Friday, 18th December 2009)
AND 10th Muharram 1431 AH (The Day of Ashurah) – Sunday, 27th December 2009
Download or read PDF document online
> What are the virtues of the month of Muharram and fasting
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Facts & Misconceptions
Article by: Mufti Taqi Usmani
Facts About Muharram
- Muharram is one of the four sacred Months out of twelve. The other being Dhul-Qa’dah, Dhul-Hijjah,and Rajab.
- These four months have been sacred since the creation of universe – as told by Allah Subhana Watala in the Quran.
- After Ramadan, fasting in the month of Muharram is most rewardable.
- Muharram is a sacred month NOT because the grandson of Prophet Muhammad
(saw) was martyred in this month. It is sacred because Allah made it sacred along with three other months and told us about it in the Quran.
- Fasting on the 10th Muharram i.e. Ashura was obligatory on the Muslims before the fasts of Ramadan were made obligatory.
- Fasting on the 10th of Muharram expiates the sins of the previous year.
- Musa (as) and the Bani Israel were saved from the Pharaoh by the parting of the sea on 10th Muharram.
- Prophet Musa (as) as a sign of gratitute to Allah used to fast on the day of Ashura and Jews did the same.
- Prophet Muhammad (saw) on hearing the fast of Musa (as) also ordered the Muslims to fast on this day and himself did the same.
- Prophet Muhammad (saw) decided to fast on 9th Muharram as well to differentiate from the Jews but he passed away before he could do so.
Misconceptions about Ashura
- This is the day Prophet Adam (as) was created
- This is the day when Allah accepted the repentance of Adam (as)
- This is the day when Ibrahim (as) was born.
- This is the day the Qayamat (doomsday) will occur. (From hadiths we know Qayamat will occur on a friday, but does not specify which month)
- Whoever baths of Ashura will never get ill.
- Muharram is an evil or unlucky month.( due to the battle of Karbala)
- Marriages should not be held in Muharram.
All of the above are misconceptions based on unauthentic traditions. This misconception can be easily removed by the fact that on the exact same day Husain (ra) was martyred, years ago Prophet Musa as and his followers were saved from Pharaoh, which is why Prophet Muhammad saw observed the fast on Ashura and ordered the Muslims to do the same. The day can not be lucky or unlucky at the same time.
Historical Facts about Muharram
- Companion Umar Farooq (ra) succumbed to his injuries and attained Martyrdom on the 1st of Muharram, 23 AH (After Hijri)
- Grandson of Prophet Muhammad (saw) Hussain ibn Ali (ra) along with most of his family members was martyred in the desert of Kerbala in Iraq on the 10th of Muharram.
Authentic Ibadaat (Worship) of Muharram
- Fasting in Muharram (any day)
- Fasting on 10th Muharram and combining it with the fast of 9th Muharram to distinguish from the Jews.
Innovations and things to avoid in Muharram
- Preparing special dishes meals in Muharram.
- Holding lamentation and mourning ceremonies in the memory of martyrdom of Sayyidna Husain (ra)
- Cursing the companions.
- Wearing black clothes and starving and refusing to drink in memory of Husain (ra)
All these are deviant practices which go against the basic teachings of Quran and Prophet Muhammad (saw) He said “”He is not from our group who slaps his checks, tears his clothes and cries in the manner of the people of jahiliyyah.” (Sahih Bukhari)
Sayyidna Husain ra before his demise advised his beloved sister Sayyidah Zainab, ra, not to mourn over his death in this manner. He said, “My dear sister! I swear upon you that in case I die you shall not tear your clothes, nor scratch your face, nor curse anyone for me or pray for your death.” (Al-Kamil, ibn Kathir vol. 4 pg. 24)
It is evident from this advice of Sayyidna Husain, Radi-Allahu anhu, that this type of mourning is condemned even by the blessed person for the memory of whom these mourning ceremonies are held. Every Muslim should avoid this practice and abide by the teachings of the Holy Prophet, Sall-Allahu alayhi wa sallam, and his beloved grand child Sayyidna Husain, Radi-Allahu anhu.
May Allah show us the right path & let us follow His Beloved Rasool (saw) ! And bless you and your family, and protect the ummah!
Can We Live Better Lives Without Religion?
2 hours and 20 mins
The Big Debate: Can We Liver Better Lives Without Religion? Hamza Andreas Tzortzis vs. Peter Cave. http://www.hamzatzortzis.com
Democracy, indeed .. banning minarets in Switzerland
“Make the lie big, make it simple, keep saying it, and eventually they will believe it” – Adolf Hitler
In banning minarets, Switzerland has exposed how fake the rights and freedoms of the West really are for minorities, writes Ramzy Baroud – Source: http://weekly.ahram.org.eg/2009/976/op11.htm - Dec 2009
So this is how democracy works?
In 2004 France banned headscarves and school principals chased after young “defiant” Muslim girls who continued to cover up in school. Now, following a national referendum, Switzerland has banned minarets, because minarets also somehow symbolise oppression. Thanks to the dedicated action of the far-right Swiss People’s Party (SVP), Alpine skies will be free of that menace that would spread intolerance and taint the splendour of Swiss architecture.
In between these two peculiar events, the targeting of Muslims in Western countries and the subjugation of entire Muslim nations all over the world has never ceased. Not for a day. Not for an hour. Moreover, the collective targeting of small or large Muslim communities in Western countries, and the deliberate abuse and degradation of Muslim individuals and of Islamic symbols (from the Holy Quran to the Prophet) has also never ceased.
Bizarrely, most of these actions have been through “democratic” channels and justified in the name of democracy, on the basis of upholding the principles of secularism and Western values.
Many thoughts come to mind here, all unreservedly angry.
I remember when the word “democracy” used to resonate loudly among Arabs and Muslims around the world. The more they were denied it, the more they yearned for it. University campuses in Cairo, Gaza and Karachi took student union elections very seriously. Innocent blood was spilled in clashes as students desperately tried to express their right to vote, to speak out and to assemble.
Those were the days, when demoqratiya — Arabic for democracy — was the buzzword in the Middle East and beyond. Even Palestinian political prisoners held elections, ever so faithfully, surrounded by highly fortified towers and under the deriding gaze of armed men in the unforgiving heat of the Negev desert. Arab and Muslim masses were keen on democracy to the extent that there was a near consensus that democracy, although a Western concept, could be distinguished from the many ills invited by Western intervention, imperialism and wars that scarred and continued to impair the collective Muslim psyche.
An entire school of Muslim thought was in fact established around the concept that democracy and Islam are very much compatible. Such a notion goes back to Egypt’s Azharite scholar Rifaa Al-Tahtawi, who argued in the first half of the 19th century that the principles of European modernity were compatible with Islam. “Al-Tahtawi’s work influenced the philosopher Muhammad Abduh (1849-1905), another Azharite who is often described as the founder of Islamic modernism, which is captured in his statement that in Europe he found Islam without Muslims, while in Egypt he found Muslims without Islam,” wrote German Anthropologist Frank Fanselow.
If one set one’s prejudices aside to ponder this for a moment, one would realise the intellectual valour it takes to consider and even embrace commonalities with the very powers that have instilled so much harm and fear. Even in their darkest, least proud moments, Muslim intellectuals and nations displayed impressive open- mindedness. They are hardly ever credited for that. More recently, in Egypt, people tried hard to vote, in the face of beating, public humiliation and imprisonment. In Palestine in 2006 the price was even higher — that of starvation. Gaza continues to endure under a draconian Israeli siege, ultimately because of an election.
Muslim communities in the West have long been considered the luckiest; after all, they live in the abodes of democracy. They drink from the fountain of rights and freedoms that never runs dry. However, these idealised assumptions miss the fact that Western democracy was conditional. And unconditional democracy can only be a farce.
Much has been said to explain the West’s faltering on its own commitment to democracy. No, the tragedy of 11 September 2001 is hardly the defining moment that created the growing chasm that made the West fearful of Islam. Despite all that has taken place since then — the constant spewing out of rightwing hatred, evangelical fanatic preaching and all the rest — America is still more tolerant than Europe. Nor was growing anti-Muslim sentiments in Europe a response in solidarity to America’s woes.
Honestly, neither the French are fond of Americans, nor are the Germans necessarily that passionate about the Swiss. But this didn’t stop a German Christian Democratic interior minister, Volker Bouffier, from making a “recommendation” to Muslim communities in his own country: “Naturally the Muslims in Germany have a right to build mosques. But they should make sure not to overwhelm the German population with them.”
How do you overwhelm people with minarets? Is this a post-post-post-modernistic logic that we are yet to be informed of?
There are only four minarets in the entire country of Switzerland, one per 100,000 people. How overwhelming can that be? And aren’t religious freedom and the freedom of collective and individual expression basic rights guaranteed by democratic values?
But this is hardly about a 16-feet tall minaret in the northern Swiss town of Langenthal. It’s about the fact that the one who suggested the structure is a Muslim furniture salesman by the name of Mutalip Karaademi. He didn’t know, of course, that his modest idea of adding a minaret to the community’s mosque would generate a nationwide referendum, and an international “controversy”. Karaademi was not trying to “Islamificate” the Swiss. He just wanted his community to have a place for worship (as opposed to the unused paint factory it currently uses for prayer), to be able to express its collective identity without fear. Ironically enough, the Muslim community in Langenthal are mostly Albanians, refugees who fled Kosovo seeking escape and deliverance.
What a strange paradox: Muslims escaping to the West, physically and figuratively, only to find double standards, self-negation and — at times — pure hypocrisy.
For now, however, a new consensus is forming: democracy can be invoked and used against Muslims only, not for Muslims. It can be manipulated to deny them their identity in Europe and their freedom in Palestine, to ensure their subjugation in Iraq and in Afghanistan, and to meddle in their internal affairs everywhere else.
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Source: Dec 2009
http://www.baptiststandard.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=10478&Itemid=9
Switzerland ban on Islamic minarets only heightens tensions |
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| By Derek H. Davis, UMHB Center for Religious Liberty | |
| Published: December 09, 2009 | |
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Swiss voters supported a referendum to ban the building of minarets in Switzerland. The ban certainly runs contrary to Switzerland’s reputation as a bastion of freedom and tolerance. And it will only exacerbate tensions between Christians and Muslims. On November 29, 57 percent of Swiss voters supported a referendum to ban the building of minarets in Switzerland. Minarets are tall, cylindrical spires usually attached to Islamic mosques. A muezzin typically calls faithful Muslims to prayer five times each day from the top of the minaret. The minaret is also a powerful symbol of Islam. The proposal was put forward by the Swiss People’s Party, the largest–and most conservative–party in the Swiss parliament, which claims that minarets are a sign of encroaching “Islamicization.” The ban, which is opposed by the government, does not end the right of Muslims to worship, nor does it block construction of new mosques. Because the ban received a majority of votes and passed in a majority of Switzerland’s 26 cantons, it will be added to the Constitution. A sentence will be added to the article defining church-state relations, stating: “the building of minarets in Switzerland is forbidden.” According to the New York Times, of 150 mosques in Switzerland, only four have minarets, and none of them are used for the traditional calls to prayer. An estimated 400,000 Muslims comprise only 6 percent of the total Swiss population of 7.5 million people. By most accounts, Swiss Muslims, mostly of Turkish and Balkan heritage, have been living peacefully in Switzerland for decades, even centuries, and generally do not adhere to the dress and conduct codes associated with Muslim countries. The Swiss government quickly announced that the minaret ban was “not a rejection of the Muslim community, religion or culture.” Eveline Widmer-Schlumpf, the justice minister, said the result “reflects fears among the population of Islamic fundamentalist tendencies.” The ban certainly runs contrary to Switzerland’s reputation as a bastion of freedom and tolerance. “That Switzerland, a country with a long tradition of religious tolerance and the provision of refuge to the persecuted, should have accepted such a grotesquely discriminatory proposal is shocking,” declared David Diaz-Jogeix, Amnesty International’s deputy program director for Europe and Central Asia. The Vatican denounced the ban as an infringement of modern notions of religious freedom. Catholic bishops in Switzerland issued a statement of regret, regretting the ban, accusing the SVP of exaggerating any threat posed by Muslims, and also warned that the ban “will not help Christians oppressed and persecuted in Islamic countries.” Spokesmen across Europe criticized the ban as discriminatory and antithetical to a European culture of human rights. “Scandalous,” said the French foreign minister, Bernard Kouchner. “It’s a sad day for freedom of religion,” added Mohammed Shafiq, the chief executive of the Ramadhan Foundation, a British youth organization. “A constitutional amendment that’s targeted towards one religious community is discriminatory and abhorrent.” Babacar Ba, a senior official of the Organization of the Islamic Conference, warned of an “upsurge in Islamophobia” in Europe. But it was not difficult to find supporters of the vote. The minaret “is a political symbol against integration; a symbol more of segregation, and first of all, a symbol to try to introduce Sharia law parallel to Swiss rights,” said Ulrich Schluer, a lawmaker from the conservative SVP. “When you look at the European Union, where are there extremists?” asked Schluer. “In the suburbs and ghetto banlieues of Paris and London. . . . We don’t want that in Switzerland.” Other conservative leaders in Europe likewise applauded the Swiss vote. ”The flag of a courageous Switzerland which wants to remain Christian is flying over a near-Islamised Europe,” said Mario Borghezio, an MEP from Italy’s anti-immigrant Northern League. The ban against minarets in Switzerland is part of a rising xenophobia spreading across Europe associated with an increasing Muslim population and the fallout from 9/11. Similar anxieties about Muslims have spread across Europe in recent years, leading to remarkable legal developments. The French have banned the burqa, the full-length body covering worn by some Muslim women. Some German states have imposed bans on headscarves for Muslim women teaching in public schools. Mosques and minaret construction projects in Sweden, France, Austria, Germany, and Italy have been the subject of public marches and protests. But the Swiss ban of minarets is arguably Europe’s most dramatic move yet. It is not difficult to understand these reactions, but are they appropriate in an increasingly multicultural world? Muslim extremists and jihadists have done done nothing to threaten life in Switzerland, so why punish peace-loving Muslims who live there? How would Swiss Christians react to having their church spires banned? The Swiss ban on minarets will only exacerbate tensions between Christians and Muslims. It interrupts the progress for religious rights that human civilization has made over the last several hundred years. The idea that all human beings are entitled to religious liberty has arisen primarily as a byproduct of democracy and the belief in the dignity of the human person. For most of history, political orders tended to be monarchical, even totalitarian, believing a common religion to be the foundation of a stable society. Enforcement of religious uniformity became commonplace. World history reveals an unmitigated level of religious intolerance, persecution, inquisitions, and religious wars. The modern era’s response to this has been the democratic principle of religious liberty by which governments declare their neutrality on religious questions, leaving each individual citizen to adopt his or her own religious beliefs, and each religious group to conduct its own worship activities, without fear of government reprisal. The United Nations Declaration on Human Rights, not to mention countless other international treaties, written in the aftermath of the unspeakable horrors of World War II, provide standards, including religious rights, by which the peoples of the world may learn to live in peace and cooperation. The Swiss vote might eventually be overturned by Swiss courts or the European Court of Human Rights, but the more effective way to deal with the prejudice that results in such bans is increased education and more dialogue among people of different faiths that leads to mutual respect and acceptance. Otherwise, the growing tensions in Switzerland and elsewhere in Europe are certain to elevate as Muslim populations increase. Religious prejudice and intolerance will persist in Europe and across the world until we gain deeper understandings of each other and strive to live together in peace in spite of our differences. ##################### A quote to remember…“There are people who control spacious territories teeming with manifest and hidden resources. They dominate the intersections of world routes. Their lands were the cradles of human civilizations and religions. These people have one faith, one language, one history and the same aspirations. No natural barriers can isolate these people from one another … if, per chance, this nation were to be unified into one state, it would then take the fate of the world into its hands and would separate Europe from the rest of the world. Taking these considerations seriously, a foreign body should be planted in the heart of this nation to prevent the convergence of its wings in such a way that it could exhaust its powers in never-ending wars. It could also serve as a springboard for the West to gain its coveted objects.” - British Prime Minister Henry Bannerman, Campbell-Bannerman Report, 1907
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Video & Pictures – Eid-ul-Adha 1430 – Around the World
Eid around the world and in Boston -> video & pictures
Video – Eid-ul-Adha around the world/Boston 1430 (Nov09)
Getting Ready for Pray
Pictures – click image to see large version
Jakarta
Nigeria
Bangladesh
Eid Pray
Mecca
Ivory Coast
Palestine
Kyrgyzstan
China
