“In December 2007, over 2,000 American Muslims were asked what they wished they could say to the world. This is what they said.

Unofficial music video for Kareem Salama’s “A Land Called Paradise.”

This video has been submitted to the Link TV One Nation One Voice contest.

Produced and directed by Lena Khan. A MAS Media Foundation Production.

Brought to you by Mas Media Foundation, Inland Empire.”
http://tv.muxlim.com/video/9r3ax1om8xB/A-Land-Called-Paradise/

Chorus
No You Can’t Take It with You When You Go
Oh No You Can’t Take It with You When You Go
Can’t Understand Why You Keep Holding On
Just Cos You Can’t Take It With you, No You Can’t Take It with You
Yes, You Can’t Take It with You When You Go,
Oh When You Go

Verse 1
I See You Pride Yourself In Your New Car
Chatting On Your Compact Nokia
And You Love Your Expensive Clothes
But You Can’t Take It With You When You Go,
Oh When You Go

Chorus

Verse 2
No You Can’t Take Your Big Screen TV
Nor your Variety Of DVDs
No You Can’t Take You Designer Shoes
Everything You Have, You Gonna Lose

Chorus

Verse 3
Cos there’s One Thing That Matters, When You Walking Down That Street
Is the Good and Bad You Sent Forth, In Your Book of Deeds
So Make Sure That You’re Ready, To Receive It in Your Right Hand
And Take Your Place among the Righteous Of Man

Chorus

Rap
You plan to be richer,you stash to be bigger.
But man get the picture, you can’t take it with ya.
Your cell phones, head phones, flat screens, ring tones,
Big homes, gemstones, power from big loans, collections of new shoes,
Connections of Bluetooth, vacations where you cruise the young ones go OOH!
You go shop for robots or gold watch or what not.
Your CDs of hip hop, your lap tops. Just STOP! & let go.
When you die say bye-bye. What is best is inside.
Fill the scale up with deeds so you best when you part,
Put the wealth in your hand; take it out of your heart.
Give thanks for the wealth that your Lord will bestow.
But no! That you can’t take it with you when you go.

Chorus

Lyrics from: http://www.zainbhikha.com/lyrics/ak_cant_take_it.html

Ever been on a drive? Inside in your ride
And your looking through the glass, see a car on the side
The engine’s broken and the car is smoking
And the dude is shaking cause the heat is baking
Or this cat’s (guy) gotta flat, and the spare’s all whack
No jack in the back, and no clue where he’s at
There ain’t no real rush, but you roll right by
Not even asking the guy if he needs a supply
He might be alright, and to pass ain’t a sin
But within you feel bad the state that he’s in
How hard would it been, just to ask are you OK?
That might be the deed that you need to succeed
That might be the deed that will so please Allah
That your forgiven the sinning you did when you was living
It’s a small little thing, that can cling and just ring
And will bring the blessing from Allah Who’s the King
We pass on the deeds cause they seem all small
But it might be the deed that’s the best of them all
Mad when see all the passes I took
On these small little deeds I just overlook

[Chorous]
I just can’t believe
Small little deeds that I overlook, can you see?
Little deeds that I overlook, and you read
I read about it in my holy book, it says
Small deeds never overlook

Picking up trash on the path in a flash
Taking glass from the grass, as you pass to your class
A smile goes a mile and is sure worthwhile
When a brother’s hostile, and has been for awhile
Put a dollar every day in the sadaqah (charity)
It may be small but you do it for the baraka (blessing)
I know you’re saving for the Polo and the Nautica
A poor student but you do it just to please Allah
Things like praying for an ailing brother, under the weather
Obeying yo your lovely mother, it’s for the better
Stay and help your baby brother, put on a sweater
Even saying good to one another when you’re together
Advice to another sister about a mister
Your wife always go and kiss her, tell her you miss her
At night do quiet dikhr (mentioning God), and pray the witr
Invite a guy who wants to bicker, to share a snicker
Grand plans expand in our small little hands
But we overlook demands that just seem like strands
We get jammed on exams, cause we skip the small things
Small baby deeds come, bring the blessings!

[Chorous]
I just can’t believe
Small little deeds that I overlook, can you see?
Little deeds that I overlook, and you read
I read about it in my holy book, it says
Small deeds never overlook

Lyrics Source

Not Afraid to stand Alone:

Chorus
I am not afraid to stand alone….
I am not afraid to stand alone…. If Allah is by my side
I am not afraid to stand alone…. Everything will be alright
I am not afraid to stand alone…. Gonna keep my head up high

Single mother raising her children
Now she’s a Muslim
Started praying and wearing a headscarf
Was a healing for her heart

Struggling with no one to lean on
But with prayer she would be strong
Had a job but then she was laid off
Had a better education and it paid off

she was called for a job that she dreamed of
Close by, great pay -she was in love - they said…
They brought her in, told her she’s the number one pick
You got the job, but you gotta lose the outfit”

this is a tough position that you put me in
Cause Ive been struggling with my two children
But I’ll continue looking for a job again
My faith in my religion now will never bend

Chorus

Peer pressure, they were insisting
And I was resistin
Some days I felt I would give in
Just wanted to fit in

I know when I’m praying and fasting’
They be teasing and laughing
So I called to my Lord for the power
For the strength every day, every hour…

One day there’s a new Muslim teacher
Single mom and the people respect her
Just seeing her strength I get stronger
They can break my will no longer

You don’t see me sweating when they’re jokes’re cracking
Never see me cursin’ with my pants saggin’
I aint running yo I’m still standing
I ride with Allah to the very end

Chorus

I am not afraid to stand alone…

Now, I’m a tough one, who can bear their blows
The rest play dumb, they don’t dare say no
Scared of being shunned, but its peers they know
But I aint gonna run, I aint scared no more….

Man, these sisters be resolute
Never stressed when the rest say they wasn’t cute
And they get the respect of the other youth
Come best with the dress yo and that’s the truth

These sisters are strong gonna hand it down
So me I’m a brotha gotta stand my ground
I aint gonna shudder, when the gangs around
Peer pressure whatever, its my planet now

Others may fall, I’mma hold my own
With the help of Allah I’ll be strong as stone
And I’mma be brave and let Islam be shown
Cause you I know I not afraid to stand alone

Lyrics Source

Intentions:

Waking up in the morning, gotta make my prayer
Am I really gonna’ make it, when there is no one there?
Taking trips to the masjid (mosque), even when it’s tough
Am I going for the sake of Allah? Am I showing off?
Gonna’ get me the knowledge, gonna study Islam
Am I going just to build my ego? so they call me big man?
Does it matter if the people respect me, when its not for Allah?
When I know anytime He can take me, without one real du’a (prayer)
Does it matter if they say I’m a big shot?
when I get no reward for my deeds
And I’m dragged on the Day of Resurrection
Cause of the folks that I wanted to please
Plus I know that Allah has the power
To raise me up in their eyes if it need be
I should always make my intentions, for my Lord, Allah completely

[Chorous]
Are my Intentions all right?
Am I doing for Allah?
When I’m looking deep, deep down inside
Do I have the right niyyah?

Wearing thoubs with a kufi, kufi
Miswaks leather socks like the old days
Am I trying to follow the Prophet? or am I seeking praise?
Giving talks on Islam to the people
I’d be quoting Hadith and Qur’an
Am I speaking so they like how I’m speaking? and they say I’m
Donating to Islamic centers, giving money so the Deen can grow
Am I giving for the sake of Allah? or is it for show?
Many times I have found my intentions
Are not what I want them to be
I know I start on the right direction
But Shaitan starts talking to me
And I forget that without my niyyah, I’m just wasting my time
My intentions cannot bring the reward, when they’re out of line
So I pray to Allah to help me, to do everything for Him only
Doesn’t matter if the people despise me
Cause with Allah I can never be lonely

Yah Allah, accept this niyyah
Coming from young Muslims striving to be believers
So on the day, our deeds You’ll measure. Know we only did this strictly for Your pleasure, Your pleasure
Your mercy, Your ajur (reward), Your Jannah (heaven), forever and ever and ever
And reward us for those who listen
Heeded to the message, changing their condition
And know that everything up until this point I’ve ever written
I submit as my repentance
And if its blessings You’re sending my way
I beg You hold them to the judgement day
so maybe in Jannah you can look back and say…it was a lovely day, a lovely, a lovely day, yes a lovely day
Are my intentions, all right, am I doing for Allah
When I am looking deep deep down inside, do I have the right niyyah (intention)?

[Chorous]
Are my Intentions alright?
Am I doing for Allah?
When I’m looking deep, deep down inside
Do I have the right niyyah?

Lyrics Source

I have just watched this wonderful video. I liked its “mirror mirror on the wall” resemblance.

But I did not like the fact that it stands against cosmetics and lotions! Are hijabi’s supposed not to look good and wear nice clothes and apply makeup? No, we could as long as there are no non-mahram men around.

Another note is why the white hijab the lady was wearing not ironed, It looked really shabby.

Why do some Muslims -just like non-Muslims- assume that donning the hijab equals looking pathetic?

Dr. Zakir Naik is in Kuwait.

He’s presenting a public lecture on the concept of God in religions.

Friday, February 29th, 2008
6:30 PM
Touristic Park, Jileeb Alshuyookh.
Near Indian Central School in Abbasiya.

http://www.idristawfiq.com

Zain is the new name for MTC, the leading telecommunication magnet in Kuwait and the Middle East. Zain in Arabic (in Kuwaiti dialect to be more specific) means good or nice. But the new advertising campaign of Zain is not that zain!

–

(click to enlarge)

The new campaign presents 6 different ads that show 3 men and 3 women. The men advertisements say about Zain:

1. This is my chart
2. his is my choir
3. his is my highway

And as you can notice, these statements touch different aspects of life; career and business (my chart), leisure, hobbies, and entertainment (my choir), general achievement in life (my highway)

–

Now, let’s have a look at the what the lady ads say:

1. This is my mirror
2. This is my Perfume
3. This is my jewelery box

The lady ads are totally centered around the beauty industry.

–

Now let’s have a few things clear. I’m a woman, and only a woman will understand how important looking beautiful is. This is an intrinsic thing with us. But this is not the only thing we do and care about in life. We are also interested in personal and professional achievements, and have hobbies and leisure time activities that are not confined to the vanity.

I’ m not a client of Zain, and I have nothing personal to the company, but from an objective point of view, the new campain of Zain, is really un-zain!

I have to say that is a legitimate question after all.

Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) betrothed Aishah (May Allah be pleased with her) when she was 6, and consummated the marriage when she was 9. I know that a Western will be just appalled by this. Actually I once heard someone call the Prophet “a pedophile”.

I have to points to make here:

1- If he were a pedophile, why didn’t he consummate the marriage when she was 6? Why did he wait for 3 years? I guess for pedophiles, it goes by “the younger the better” approach.

The answer is simple. He waited until she became a woman. Until she reached puberty.
I know it’s hard for you to believe that a 9-year girl can be a mature woman, but that is so possible. It has to do with race and the influence of the climate.
To share a personal story with you, I have a relative (she’s 50 something now), she had her first period cycle when she was 10 years old only. And she was completely healthy and no one of the family was alarmed because they knew that was common in our part of the world. And when I say that she had her first menses when she was 10, I also mean that by that time she was not child, she was -medically, mentally, and psychologically- almost a woman not a child. She was a bit short for a woman but that’s normal, as she was only ten. And in case you are interested, she had her menopause sooner than usual.

2- If Muhammad were a pedophile, why didn’t anyone speak up back then? And by “anyone” I mean those who were fighting Muhammad?
Come on! This was the chance for them to undermine Muhammad and his message.

Actually, the marriage was very normal when seen in context. At that time it was OK to do so. And the sheerest proof is Muhammad’s foes silence over it. The other option is to call everyone who was born 1400 years ago pedophiles because it was OK with them to do it. Actually there are examples outside Arabia of such practices.
Now please note that Muhammad never encouraged his companions to marry young girls. He did it because the costumes allowed it.

These were some quick points that I wanted to share with you. And I would very much like to hear from you and the door is wide open for discussion.

Have a nice day.
Catism

I finally decided that I should blog. I already have a blog in Arabic, and now it’s high time to blog in English.

Why? Because no one is too old to blog. And it’s never too late to blog. Or is it?