My two cents on the past few days...

Cover of Time magazine's special edition due this week

*** Fact: Time magazine has only done 4 such covers; 3 of those pictured are Muslims. Really, no one else deserved this? How about Slobodan Milosevic, who was responsible for the deaths of 146,000 Muslims during the ethnic cleansing in Bosnia/Herzegovnia? This number is from a CIA memo btw. I am sick of media promoting Islamophobia.

Or... how about showing the US Flag, along with President Bush's photo. The number of civilians killed in Afghanistan since the start of "Operation Enduring Freedom" in 2001 numbers over  20,000 CIVILIANS, woman and children included, were killed by Allied forces.

8 of these were schoolchildren. Inna ilayhi wa inni lillahi rajioon.

How can anyone read this and NOT be sickened by it? Because one man decided to carry out his vendetta against the US for their foreign policies, it gave a right to the US to kills THOUSANDS of innocent civilians??? These numbers are verifiable and easy to find online.

Also easy to find is how much cover-up went on. For example, a pregnant woman (among others) was killed in a botched raid. Only innocent noncombatants were in the house. The soldiers pulled the bullets out of the bodies and stated all were dead when they got there. Later, they admitted to killing them and covering up their crime.***

A'salaamu alaikum ya'll. I've noticed the Muslim blogging world (my little corner of it, anyway) has been pretty quiet on the recent events which have transpired. What, you-who-lives-under-a-rock, asks? I am referring to the killing of Osama bin Laden.

Just like my post about islamic_rage_boy's picture, I am over it, finished, stick-a-fork-in-me done. However, just to clarify, here is my stance:

The man responsible for planning the 9/11 terrorist attack on the US is dead. I don't believe most of the hype surrounding this story and let me tell you, I am not a conspiracy theory kinda gal. However, the perfect timing of the event (re-election, the whole "birther" debate, etc) the lack of a body, the media frenzy, all of it... well it just looks awfully convenient. Allahu alim.

I disagree with how they said they treated his body. Contrary to their statement, they did NOT follow proper Islamic protocol. Even child molesters and rapists are buried in a respectable manner, according to their religious beliefs. I cannot imagine no country would have taken his body but I can imagine many reasons why the US didn't try very hard to find a place. Once again, Allah alim.

I am disgusted by the behavior of many of my fellow Americans. Unless you actually lost a loved one on 9/11 why the heck are you looking for revenge? It didn't happen to you personally, get over it.

I believe everyone is entitled to a trial and if the US's intent was to capture him but things went awry, well ok so what. But if their intent was to assassinate him I believe that is wrong. I don't think our democratic ideals should only apply to a select few. That's a slippery slope.

I believe Osama bin Laden was misguided; I believe what he did was wrong. Muslims do NOT take the lives of innocent non-combatants. He has to answer to Allah for his sins. That said, the US and its allies should also observe the Geneva Conventions and uphold UN resolutions and stop thinking they are the police, judge and jury for the entire world.

I hated seeing the demonstrations in the streets, celebrating his death. I hate seeing the demonstrations in the Middle East or Afghanistan or wherever, celebrating the death of an American solider. It isn't civlized and it isn't good Islamic manners.

Are you all aware that in the battle of Badr the Prophet Muhammad saws insisted the Muslimeen bury all of the kaffiroon who died? Who died in hand-to-hand battle with the muslimeen? And yet, they buried them, digging 80+ graves in the burning sun. They buried them respectfully and at great physical cost to themselves; battle-worn and weary.

I think that is the least the US could have done for his body. Now let's see if they will get out of Afghanistan and leave those people alone. Their country cannot take much more American "assistance" that's for sure.

Interesting interfaith dialogue goin' on

A'salaamu alaikum ya'll. Just a heads up that there's a little interfaith sharing going on in the comments section on the "Moderate Muslim?" post and the "Really? I mean really?" post. Please feel free to check them out and comment if you like. For or against just remember to play by the rules: no insults, name-calling, denigrating the Prophet Muhammad (saws) or any of the other prophets and messengers of Allah, and remember, sticks and stone may break your bones but words can never hurt you! :-D

Moderate Muslim?

A'salaamu alaikum ya'll. We've all heard the phrase "moderate muslim" thrown around ALOT recently... in the news... on fb... on youtube... however you get your information. It's the only way mainsteam Americans can refer to Muslims it appears. Well I have a little to say on this point:

I am NOT a "moderate" muslim. I am NOT a "wahhabist" (which isn't actually correct terminology but debating minor points isn't the reason I am writing this post). I am NOT an "extremist". I am not a "______" anything.

I AM A MUSLIM. I follow the Qur'an and the sunnah of our beloved Prophet Muhammad (saws). I follow the paths of all of the prophets and messengers sent by Allah from before. I strive to do what's right for myself, my family, my deen, my community...

I am not an apologist. I do not apologize for anything that others have done in the name of Islam, under it's banner, using their religion incorrectly. Just as I do not expect every Catholic I meet to apologize to me for the nasty goings-on of some of their clergy because I am open enough to realize that BAD PEOPLE DO BAD THINGS.

I also do not condemn those of my brothers and sisters overseas who fight against the invasion of their homes, the disruption of the lives, the molding of their futures by powers they cannot control.

I do however have zero tolerance for people who twist the words of Allah to justify ruthless slayings, or to imprison (literally and figuratively) their female relatives, or any of the other million and one things IMPERFECT people try to get by with doing.

Sometimes the pressure of being a religious minority is heavy on me. I love giving dawah and I do strive to uphold Islamic principals in my day to day life. (I'm not a jumah-only muslim.) Sometimes though I have a bad day, maybe I'm grouchy or I don't feel good or my kids gave me a hard time or maybe I am tired or in a hurry and I miss an opportunity to show through my actions the beauty of Islam.

I hate to feel that, like the terrorists who committed 9/11, I will be the face of an entire religion for anyone I meet that day.

I long sometimes to pack it up and move overseas. Now before anyone starts to criticize me, please remember I've been to a couple of different Muslim-majority countries. I know it's harder to live there, I know I would miss all the comforts of home. I know all of the negatives, really I do.

But there is just that draw. I am not so delusional (anymore!) to really think every muslim I meet will love me and feel I am their sisters in Islam, give me a great big "salaam" and we become insta-friends. :-D You know, I would settle just to be able to go into a doctor's office and not have to go through a page-long explanation when I do not shake their hand, or to walk on the street and not have that little niggly feeling that something could happen because of the hijab on my head. Or, wonder of all wonder, to be allowed to worship in peace and build religious centers wherever there is land and money enough available.

To all of the thinking, feeling, understanding, and open individuals who realize Islam is not twisted, it's not to be feared, and we, like all other religious entities in the US, deserve the protection of the Constitution, I thank you. Truly.

Salaam...

Dear Anon

A'salaamu alaiku ya'll. This is to "anonymous" who left a comment under my "I won, I won" post. I did post your comment to my blog. :-) I posted it when I received notification through my email. There are now 5 comments I believe there; you can follow the chain of comments to see that 2 of yours have been posted.

I am not a scholar and I do not like to give opinions on things I do not know. However, in Islam we are encouraged to use our minds and to reason. We are not allowed to speak in a derogatory manner about any of the prophets or messengers of Allah. I know there are many muslim MAJORITY countries but no true Islamic countries. My husband is from Tunis which is considered a Muslim country and yet women are not permitted to wear hijab to university or work and men who pray in the masjid are suspect by the government as being "subversives".

Sorry I don't really have a point with that except to say that anything good and perfect and right is from Allah swt, the Creator and Sustainer of the worlds, and anything wrong or weak or incorrect is from ourselves and our base desires. We, the creation, take the perfect plan laid down for us by our Creator and we change it to suit our own agendas. May Allah have mercy on us all ameen.

I would also like to thank you for your kind tone and your non-confrontational manner; I am not one who seeks out or even enjoys debates but there are times when my conscience tells me I should say something.

And with Allah (GOD) lies all success.

I won! I won!

A'salaamu alaikum ya'll. I won, masha'allah! No, not the haram lottery but a book give-away on Umm an-Numan's awesome site "A Muslim Child is Born" . I've talked about it on here before because I get such great ideas from her, may Allah bless her and grant her and her family paradise, ameen.

I am really excited to receive my book and I can't wait to read it with little Aami mommy. She is truly a reading hound which is great by me. Today I was reading a book titled "Under the Wire" which is a US Army soldier's account of his experiences serving as a linguistics officer at Guantanamo Bay. The book jacket said he was really amazed by the things he saw which basically went against every principle the US was founded upon. You know, all that stuff about freedom, equal protection under the law, innocent until PROVEN guilty in a court of LAW? Yeah all those little annoyances Pres. Bush ignored and bypassed. Now it seems Pres. Obama is heading the same path. May Allah guide him, ameen.

OK sorry didn't mean to get sidetracked there. Anyway, as I was reading and Aaminah was playing she climbed up beside me on the couch with her "Pat Them Gently" book Khaltu Lisa gave her last 'Eid. Then she brought "Pat the Bunny" which is a cute little multi-sensory book she enjoys.

Actually her attentions span goes to books that are designed for older ages; I'll do her monster book next time I do a review insha'allah. It's super cute!

OK so I am excited to get my free book and will let ya'll know just how sweet it is!

Ma salaama!