A Letter To Senator Barack Obama: By UmmZaid

Sallam alaykum.

A brilliant letter by sister UmmZaid to Senator Barack Obama.

One’s religious faith has nothing to do with one’s fitness to serve in the office of the President of the United States, so why do you keep playing into this issue with the right wing and the media as if it does? I would not vote for you based on your religion alone, no matter what religion you are. I think the majority of Americans feel the same way. If people want to make a stink about it, then why is it so hard to simply say, “As I have said time and again, I’m a Christian. Now let’s address issues that truly matter to the American people?” Why not follow the example of John F. Kennedy, Jr. in this regard?

The way it is being said over and over again, it is as though it is supposed to mean something to me as a voter that you consider yourself a “committed Christian.” As though it is a qualification for office. Senator Obama, our Founding Fathers rejected a faith litmus test for political office. So should we.

Read the full letter here.

From Birth to Prophethood - The Prophet of Islam: With Shaykh Atabek Shukurov

 

One-day Intensive

From Birth to Prophethood - The Prophet of Islam

with Shaykh Atabek Shukurov 

“Verily, there has come unto you a Messenger from amongst yourselves. It grieves him that you should receive any difficulty. He is anxious over you, for the believers full of compassion, kindness, and mercy.” [At-Tawbah:128]

Welcome to the first in a series of courses on the life of the greatest man that ever lived. Join us, as we recount his blessed life. We will examine the era he was born in and the events of his life before prophethood, which showed the great destiny he was to fulfill.

In this one day intensive course you will learn about:

- Why Scholars of Islam Emphasize the study of Sira
- Why the era of the Prophet was the greatest time in history
- The different religions at the time of his birth
- The Political situation
- His family tree
- The events leading up to his birth
- His character as a child
- His character as a business man
- His marriage to Khadija, and his children
- A critique of orientalist views on the Prophet of Islam
- The events leading up to the first revelation

Time and Venue

Saturday 8th March 2008
Leeds University Prayer Room
10.30 am - 6 pm

To register and more information visit www.leedsisoc.com

Panorama: On Whose Orders?

Sallam alaykum.

Jeremy Vine interviews Tony Blair’s Attorney General Lord Goldsmith, asking how rules preventing abuse and torture of prisoners in Iraq were overturned.

Available for 6 more days on BBC iPlayer.

Watch the programme here.

Documentary: Islam - Empire of Faith

Sallam alaykum.

A Gardner Films production in association with PBS and Devillier Donegan Enterprises.

Narrated by Ben Kingsley.

To read the making of the film, click here.

Part 1

Part 2

Part 3

Malcolm X (May 19, 1925 – February 21, 1965)

Sallam alaykum.

Today is the anniversary of the death of Malcolm X, also known as El-Hajj Malik El-Shabazz. 

May God bless him and grant him a high station in heaven.  Ameen.

Please keep him in your prayers today.

Al-Fatiha for our brother Malcolm.

A Visit To The Grave of Malcolm, with Imam Zaid Shakir, Habib Ali al-Jifri and Shaykh Jihad Brown.

• Click here to read the BBC On This Day segment.
• What Would Malcolm say? By Imam Zaid Shakir.
• Malcolm & Martin by Imam Zaid Shakir & Dr. Cornel West.
• Click here to buy the Malcolm X autobiography by Alex Haley from the UK.

Picture: Wikipedia.

Cameron To Denounce Forced Marriage On Visit To Bradford

Sallam alaykum.

Cameron to denounce forced marriage on visit

Tory leader David Cameron

A Conservative government would consider making forced marriages a criminal offence, David Cameron will announce on a visit to Bradford today.

The Tory leader is holding a meeting of his shadow cabinet in the city.

Mr Cameron is expected to denounce the practice in which hundreds of schoolgirls, as well as a minority of boys, are forced into marrying someone they do not want to as “bizarre and unacceptable”.

Read the full article here.

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Nasheed: Tala’al Badru Alayna Sung by Khalid Belrhouzi

Sallam alaykum.

Masha Allah it’s a nice version.  What do you think?

The following also features Dawud Wharnsby Ali.

Tala’al Badru Alayna (no video, just audio)

Audio Clips From Khalid Belrhouzi’s new album, Man Ana? (Who Am I?)

Buy his album here.

Read Khalid’s bio here.

Documentary: Cat Stevens becomes Yusuf Islam

Sallam alaykum.

Imam Zaid Shakir: Hikam of Ibn ‘Atta Allah, Lectures 1 & 2

Sallam alaykum.

Part 1

This is the first installment of Imam Zaid’s translation of and commentary on the Aphorisms of Ibn ‘Atta Allah Sakandari. In this series Imam Zaid, relying on the commentary of the great latter-day scholar, Sheikh Abdul Majid al-Shurnubi, examines the great reservoir of spiritual and practical knowledge bequeathed to us by one of the greatest scholars in the history of Islam.

Part 2

This is the second installment of Imam Zaid’s translation of and commentary on the Aphorisms of Ibn ‘Atta Allah Sakandari. In this series Imam Zaid, relying on the commentary of the great latter-day scholar, Sheikh Abdul Majid al-Shurnubi, examines the great reservoir of spiritual and practical knowledge bequeathed to us by one of the greatest scholars in the history of Islam.

With thanks to New Islamic Directions.

With thanks also to brother Ibraheem where I originally found out about these lectures.

Picture: Zaytuna Institute.

The Prophet Muhammad (pbuh): Mercy To Humanity - With Shaykh Hamza Yusuf & Imam Zaid Shakir

Sallam alaykum.

In light of the second Danish cartoon affair, I thought it would be beneficial to share the following with you. Remember, no matter how much people try to taint the image of our Beloved Prophet (may God’s peace and blessings be upon him), his rank is too high for it to be affected by the vitriol of misguided and confused people.

Shaykh Hamza Yusuf says in the following audio clip, that the famous Irish playwright, George Bernard Shaw, said if the world’s problems were brought to the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him), he would solve them over a cup of tea!

Subhan Allah!

With thanks to MeccaOne, Shaykh Hamza and Imam Zaid.

Pictures: Zaytuna Institute.