From SoundVision http://www.soundvision.com/Info/hajj/prepare.asp Any Muslim who can afford it and is in good health must perform Hajj. it’s an obligation not an option. This once-in-a-lifetime experience for most Muslims requires the utmost preparation and planning beforehand. Below are some tips to help you start preparing today. 1. Ask Allah Say Bismillah (In the Name of Allah) and make Dua (supplication) to Allah to help you find the resources and time to perform Hajj this coming year. Only He can make it happen. 2. Discuss vacation time If you work or have other obligations, you must ensure you get the three
Read MoreFrom MyMasjid.org http://mymasjid.org/content/view/41/2 The Islamic Educational Center of North Hudson (IECNH) hosted nationally syndicated Hispanic television station Univision [channel 41 in the NYC metro area] on Thursday February 23rd at its center in Union City, NJ. El Centro Islamico de North Hudson tuvo a la emisora reconocida nacionalmente, Univision, el Jueves el 23 de Febrero en su centro en Union City, NJ. Miriam Mesiji, an Univision field reporter, was investigating the large number of Latin Americans leaving Catholicism into other faiths, namely Islam. She interviewed Sr. Neisy Lara and Flor Maza and discussed their conversion into Islam as well as
Read MorePor Rocío Martínez-Mendoza Soy Musulmana Latina originaria de la Cd de México que actualmente reside en en oeste de Texas. Mi esposo es Marroquí y como resultado nuestra casa esta llena de cultura Latina y Arabe. Mi esposo y yo habiamos estado planeando nuestro viaje de la Peregrinación a Mecca pero no habiamos tenido la oportunidad debido a razones economicas, de visa, o por la espera de nuestro primer bebe. Cuando al final tuvimos esa oportunidad empezamos a planear, mi esposo me dijo desde un principio que este iba a ser un viaje muy especial, diferente a cualquier viaje que
Read MoreBy Abd al-Rahman Benavidez In the summer of 2002, the Nawawi Foundation organized and lead a group of some one hundred American Muslims on a tour throughout China that included five provinces across the vast continent from the capital Beijing to the heartland Xian and finishing at the great metropolitan and commercial city Shanghai. More meaningful than a tour, it was a journey that focused on the little known ethnic Chinese Muslims, or Hui, and their monuments dating back to the ancient Islamic civilization established by their ancestors. One may ask: of all the places and people to visit, why
Read MoreBy Juan Galvan The Message InternationalNovember-December 2005http://www.messageonline.org Editorial I grew up in the Texas Panhandle. I spent over half my life in two small towns, Turkey and Quitaque. Turkey was named after Turkey Creek. Quitaque was named after an Indian name, which means “horse manure.” I sometimes joke that I am uncultured as a result. The population of both towns is less than 600 and shrinking. In 1972, the Turkey and Quitaque schools consolidated creating Valley School halfway between the two towns. I attended Valley School and have fond memories of life as a Valley Patriot. Of course, our school
Read More“Among His Signs in this, that He created you from dust; and then,- behold, ye are men scattered (far and wide)! And among His Signs is this, that He created for you mates from among yourselves, that ye may dwell in tranquillity with them, and He has put love and mercy between your (hearts): verily in that are Signs for those who reflect. And among His Signs is the creation of the heavens and the earth, and the variations in your languages and your colors: verily in that are Signs for those who know.” – Quran 30:20-22. “(Also) mention in
Read MoreBy Susy Tekunan VOA Indonesia Two reporters of VOA Indonesia met with LADO sisters on October 7, 2005. It was during Ramadhan, and the sisters were having an Iftar Dinner at one of the sister’s house. We conducted an interview with some members but mostly with Zulayka Martinez who we think could represent the group with her story as the only Muslim in her family. Before the day of this event, we visited with brother Mujahid and his family at his residence to speak with him about how his life changed after he became a Muslim. Mujahid, his wife, and
Read MoreBy Shafiq (Juan) Alvarado Brief History of Spanish The Spanish language has a fascinating history. Having evolved in the Iberian Peninsula, Spanish is now spoken by an estimated 332 million people in about 20 countries and within many other countries. Because very many people in many countries speak it, Spanish was chosen as one of the representative languages of the United Nations. Another result is a natural variation has evolved in all of the countries and regions. For example, Spanish words, slang, and dialect may vary within a particular country or region. Spanish evolved out of ‘vulgar Latin’ or the
Read MoreBy Shaikh Yahya Suquillo Islamic Values Already Present in Latin American Culture Measuring Latin American culture in terms of the development of Islamic cultural values is difficult except for a few aspects. One reason for the unawareness of Islamic cultural values present in Latin American culture is an educational system that does not mention that Islamic values influenced Latin American culture during centuries of Islam’s existence within the Spanish culture. Consider the great Islamic architecture within some cities in South America. In Brazil, for instance, some old churches are decorated with Arabic calligraphy art carved by Muslim slaves that were
Read MoreBy Maria Enriqueta Romero Asalaam alaikum, When I first moved to Seattle, Washington, I didn’t know anyone. When I attended jumah, no one would give me salaams (a personal pet peeve). Things began to change after I posted a message on a newslist, a Yahoogroup of all places. My message was a plea for guidance to local sisters. I didn’t specify Latino or anything like that. By the grace of Allah (swt), one sister guided me to another sister. This sister would lead me to the women that are my sisters today. Among them is one Mexican sister with three
Read MoreBy Cara Karema Harpole November 17, 2005 Asalaam alaikum, Recent update: FEMA has decided to discontinue its payment of (Katrina victims) residents living in hotels in the Houston area on December 1st. There are now 19,000 New Orleans residents living in hotels. Because of FEMA’s non-payment to apartments who had initially accepted the vouchers, many complexes are refusing FEMA vouchers regardless of their previous policies. One complex is suing FEMA for payment after nearly three months of waiting. Residents (Muslims) in the Dallas area are continuing to move into Houston when they get word of the voucher program. Although things
Read MoreBy Khalid Malik Rosa My first Ramadan was a time of change for me. It would be the first time I engaged in the Islamic fast. Also, I would learn about how important Islam is to me in the face of societal criticism and ignorance. On a personal and practical level, I was also able to take time to figure out some important matters in my life. I decided to pursue a career in business instead of academia, which for me means pursuing an MBA rather than a PhD. It was a very tough decision; I am glad I had
Read MoreBy Nylka Vargas In the Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful. The call to prayer; the savoring of fresh dates, then followed by Salaatul Maghrib at 6:30 p.m., the usual on a busy Ramadan evening. The Islamic Education Center of North Hudson (IECNH) has traditionally hosted weekend iftars for families, sponsored by donors early in the month. This year, however, a few of us Latinas thought it would be nice to sponsor a dinner ‘para la comunidad’. The iftar was our way of sharing the blessings of Ramadan with our local Muslim community, mostly Arab-speaking. Our local Muslim community
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By Wendy Diaz-Guadalupe October 11, 2005 was a historical night in New York City where Muslims and non-Muslims came together as one entity to discuss untold events of Latino culture. Columbia University’s Muslim Students Association and Lamda Pi Chi Sorority, Inc., sponsored “Latinos in Islam: Rediscovering Our Roots.” The event was presented by Hernan Guadalupe of the Latino Muslim Outreach Program (L.M.O.P.), a program founded under the PrimeXample Company which aims to build relationships between non-Muslims and Muslims through Islamic awareness based on the Qur’an and Sunnah, or authentic traditions of the Prophet Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him.
Read MoreBy IMANCentral For almost a year, Inner-City Muslim Action Network (IMAN) has actively mobilized around the issue of day labor in the Chicago land area. IMAN has created a network of trust and support among large circles, which includes Muslims and Latinos, through an issue that reaches the core of the inner-city community. The Challenge of the Day Laborer… Day laborers are workers who are employed on a task-by-task basis, and they are mainly immigrant men. Most day laborers are Mexican immigrants, while another’s tenth are from Central and South America. The majority are under 40 years of age. They
Read More“And whatever is in the heavens and whatever creature is in the earth submits humbly to Allah, and the angels too, and they are not proud.” – Quran 16:49. “Behold! In the creation of the heavens and the earth, and the alternation of night and day, – there are indeed Signs for men of understanding, – Men who celebrate the praises of God, standing, sitting, and lying down on their sides, and contemplate the (wonders of) creation in the heavens and the earth, (with the thought): ‘Our Lord! not for naught hast Thou created (all) this! Glory to Thee!’” –
Read MoreIn the Name of God, the Compassionate, the Merciful The Fiqh Council of North America wishes to reaffirm Islam’s absolute condemnation of terrorism and religious extremism. Islam strictly condemns religious extremism and the use of violence against innocent lives. There is no justification in Islam for extremism or terrorism. Targeting civilians’ life and property through suicide bombings or any other method of attack is haram or forbidden – and those who commit these barbaric acts are criminals, not “martyrs.” The Qur’an, Islam’s revealed text, states: “Whoever kills a person [unjustly]”it is as thoughhe has killed all mankind. And whoever saves
Read MoreBy Al-Amin AndalusiIslamOnline Correspondent http://www.islamonline.net/English/News/2005-09/05/article06.shtml MADRID, September 5, 2005, (IslamOnline.net) Muslims in the Spanish city of Alicante are facing the bitter possibility of seeing the doors of their only mosque shut down before or during the holy months of Ramadan. The problem escalated few weeks before the advent of the holy fasting month when the City’s Municipality decided to close down the mosque, in response to complaints by the city’s residents. Muslims of Alicante have succeeded to convince the local authorities to suspend the closure decision, pending a court ruling on the issue. The suspension decision followed a meeting between
Read MoreBy Amatullah Abdullah and Corey Habbas In the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, September’s tragic natural disaster which left the city of New Orleans devastated, IQRA! Newspaper with the determination of its founder-editor Sister Cara-Karema Harpole, and some help from technology in the form of the Internet – emerged from the eye of the storm intact. As the people of New Orleans evacuated the flooded city, Cara took what she could carry with her – a computer and a few copies of IQRA! – and sought refuge, first in Baton Rouge in a Muslim village of Louisiana State University students, and
Read MoreLima, 17 of July of 2005. Delegates of 33 Latin American countries and the Arab world met in Lima for the 5th Congress of Islamic Organizations of Latin America and the Caribbean. The meeting was sponsored by the Islamic Organization for the Education, Science and Culture (ISESCO), the Islamic Organization for Latin America and the Caribbean (OLPADI), and the Islamic Association of Peru. The meeting began with the speech of Dr Abdulaziz Al-Tuweijiri, CEO of ISESCO, as well as with the participation of diverse delegations of the Bank of Islamic Development (IDB) and of the Islamic International European Council. The
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