In Central Park a savage dog attacks a young boy. A man happens to be passing by and comes to the boy’s rescue. He tackles the dog at risk to himself, strangling it to death. A newspaper reporter is watching everything and takes a few snaps for the front-page picture for the next day’s paper. Approaching the man, the reporter asks, “What is your name?”The man replies, “Yahya Gonzalez.” “Your heroic act will be published in tomorrow’s paper under the headline –‘Brave Nuyorican Rescues Boy from Savage Dog.’” Thinking that it would look better if ‘Nuyorican’ is replaced with ‘Latino
Read MoreBy Yasmeen Figueroa A good friend shared an interesting story with me. I would like to share the story with everyone. I hope that it will inspire, illicit thought, and perhaps produce change. After this story, I realized our “true” purpose in this life. It is not to eat and sleep, pray or even fast. We were created for a bigger purpose – “Kuntum Hkayra ummatin ukhrijat linnas.” Everyday 500,000 people die without the kalimah, and may go to Hell. Who is responsible for them? We are. Who will be blamed and questioned, them or us? Of course, they will
Read MoreFrom Bukhari 4.191 Narrated Abdullah bin Abbas: Allah’s Apostle wrote to Caesar (of the Byzantine Empire) and invited him to Islam and sent him his letter with Dihya Al-Kalbi whom Allah’s Apostle ordered to hand it over to the Governor of Busra who would forward it to Caesar. Caesar as a sign of gratitude to Allah, had walked from Hims to Ilya (i.e. Jerusalem) when Allah had granted Him victory over the Persian forces. So, when the letter of Allah’s Apostle reached Caesar, he said after reading it, “Seek for me any one of his people! (Arabs of Quraish tribe)
Read MoreBy Haneme Idrizi, MD The present state of children’s health in the United States is not favorable. Although Americans spend almost one trillion dollars per year on health care, the US still appears to lag behind other nations in providing for our pediatric populations. The US ranks 24th among industrialized countries in the number of babies that die within the first year of life. The US had 23.1 million children who went without health insurance for all or part of 1995 and1996. The US currently has more obese children than ever before. As discerning as these statistics may be, the
Read MoreBy Salma ElhamalawyIslam Online, UKOctober 26, 2003 http://www.islam-online.net/English/artculture/2003/10/article10.shtml The celebration of the month of Ramadan possesses an important religious and social meaning for the Islamic community and Latin America is no exception. In the Hispanic world, Muslims should adapt their schedules in order to break their fast, but at times, due to work difficulties, they have no choice but to delay it. They are limited to breaking the fast with a glass of water, and have to wait until they leave work to break the fast collectively as tradition states. Ramadan in Chile Fareed Maymoun, a Moroccan immigrant, is used
Read MoreLos Principios Islamicos en el Desarrollo de Latino America Por Yahya Juan Suquillo 19 – 21 Rajab 1.424 Hégira16-18 Sept. 2003 CE. Disertación entregada por Yahya Juan Suquillo, Imam del Centro Islámico del Ecuador, en la conferencia de representantes musulmanes de Latinoamérica, auspiciado por I.S.E.S.C.O. (Islamic Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) & O.L.P.A.D.I. (Organización Latinoamericana para la Difusión del Islam). PREFACIOAntes del ocaso del segundo milenio EC. la gran mayoría de científicos y pensadores en el mundo occidental ya se dieron cuenta de que el consumismo, la fe absoluta en el razonamiento humano, el secularismo político y social, el fallido
Read MoreIslamic Principles in the Development of Latin America By Yahya Juan Suquillo 19 – 21 Rajab 1.424 Hijri16-18 Sept. 2003 CE. Given by Yahya Juan Suquillo, the Imam of the Islamic Center in Ecuador at the Fourth Annual Conference of Latin American Muslim leaders in Curacao. Sponsored by I.S.E.S.C.O. (Islamic Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) & O.L.P.A.D.I. (Organización Latinoamericana para la Difusión del Islam). FOREWORD Before the end of the second millennium CE, most scientists and thinkers in the western world have began to question their assumptions about the theory of evolution, faith in human reasoning, consumerism, scientific revolutions, secularism,
Read MoreThe Third Meeting of the Heads of Islamic Associations andCultural Centres in Latin America and the Caribbean Islands From ISESCO websitehttp://www.isesco.org.ma/ Rabat: 18/9/2003 / 212 Praising the efforts extended by ISESCO The Heads of Islamic Associations and Cultural Centres in Latin America Call for Redressing the Image of Islam in the Region. The Third Meeting of the Heads of Islamic Associations and Cultural Centres in Latin America and the Caribbean Islands held its closing session yesterday in Curaçao Island. The participants in the meeting, representing thirty-five cultural centres and Islamic associations, have called for proceeding with the energization of the
Read MoreBy Rebecca Qaoud Assalam Waleikum brothers and sisters, I want to share a little about my own experiences about when I was still a new Muslim and also about how happy I am today. I was searching for a formal Latino Muslim community. As a convert, I desired to share my feelings, how happy I was for being a muslimah but I did not have the support from my own family. I was eager to learn from others how they were about to manage similar situations. Alhamdulillah, I had a wonderful husband who supported me in my transition to my
Read MoreBy Juan Galvan Assalaam alaykum,On October 18, Latino Muslims from the Dallas area hosted a mosque open house in Spanish at the Dallas Central Mosque. The open house was organized by Latino Muslim brothers and sisters who meet every Saturday for a halaqa session at the mosque. Upon entering the mosque, I quickly noticed flags from various South American and Caribbean countries. I was pleasantly surprised to a Mexican flag in a Texas mosque. Seeing the various flags was one more reminder of just how much our religion is unifying people from every part of the world. After signing in
Read MoreBy Ricardo L. Pena November 29, 2003 We’ve all heard the proverbial “apples and oranges” analogy at some point in our lives but not many of us experience it. As Latino converts to Islam, not only are we mixing apples with oranges, but we are mixing yet with another group. Maybe it would make more sense to describe ourselves as tacos living the lives of falafels in a world of cheeseburgers. Other than making you hungry, this is probably very confusing and maybe even uncomfortable. If this is the case, then this may begin to illustrate what it is like
Read MoreBy Mari Solano When I celebrated my first Ramadan as a Muslim here in the United States, my husband was happy to celebrate with me. However, he was suffering from homesickness and bouts of nostalgia at the same time. “It’s not the same here,” he said, “It’s not like back home.” He missed the huge gatherings of family and friends to break the fast of iftar. He also missed the visits for tea long after all the taraweeh prayers were completed late at night. On most nights, prayers seem abrupt and promptly finish before 10 pm in the U.S. But
Read MoreBy Waleed Gubara Why shed these tears of sorrow?Why shed these tears of grief?Ya nafsy how soon you forget,After trials come sweet relief Why turn you from Ar-Rahman?Why yearn for a listening friend?Ya nafsy, do you not remember,On ALLAH, you must depend? Read you not those stories,of the trials in days gone by,Of the Sahabi beloved by Allah,Who for Allah’s cause did strive? Why loosen your hold upon him?Why fling away, His outstretched Hand?Ya nafsy, do you not remember,Bilal’s sabr on the blazing sand? “Ahad! Ahad!” He cried,While his flesh did drip and burn.“Ahad! Ahad!” He cried,To Allah alone he
Read MorePor Luis Paladini Termina el mes de Ramadán.¡Feliz Fiesta, hermano!Lo sabemos tú y yo.Nadie más.Termina el mes de Ramadán.Solamente,tú y yo lo sabemos.¡Feliz Fiesta del Fin de Ramadán!Coincide en España,por cierto,este año,2mil2,con el Día de la Constitución.6 de diciembre.Y en Sevilla,capital de Andalucía,no hay mezquita desde hace siglos.Sevilla, una ciudad integradora.Aserejé ja dejé.¡Viva la libertad de Expresión!Una juerga gitana en el corazón.En el exterior,tambores y cornetas,sombras de la Inquisicióncastrando la razón del hombre. El “progromo” sobre el Islamy la aplicación de la ley de fugas.Valle Inclán.La teoría del ataque preventivo es muy antigua.Una historia que pasó.Un genocidio olvidado.Esperpento.Ostracismo. ¡Feliz fiesta
Read More“If Allah helps you none can overcome you; but if He forsakes you, then who is there that can help you beside Him? In Allah, then, let the believers put their trust.” – Quran 3:160. “And among His Signs is this, that heaven and earth stand by His Command: then when He calls you, by a single call, from the earth, behold, ye (straightway) come forth.” – Quran 30:25. Abdullah ibn Al-Haritha (ra) a companion said, “I have never seen anyone who smiled more than the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) did.” – Al-Tirmidhi. The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said:
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