Archive for April, 2010

30Apr
2010

Akhira not the Dunya

What is the purpose of life on earth according to the Qur’an? Why did God create us? “And I did not create the jinn and mankind except to worship Me.” [Qur'an, 51:56] What is the significance of this verse? In this verse, our Creator is telling us the purpose behind our creation. We were created only so that we may worship God. Our worship can be in many ways. It can be through prayer, supplication, sleep, the act of eating, [...]

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19Apr
2010

Hidden brutality in Iraq

It has been seven long years since the United States first invaded Iraq as part of the so-called Global War on Terror and it is the occupation’s continued duration that has caused it to recede somewhere into the fringes of American consciousness. Indeed, it is not at all uncommon for people to forget – if only for a moment – the fact that America is still involved in Iraq. For those who do remember, the scale of the macabre violence [...]

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7Apr
2010

Going Back to My Past

Karachi, Pakistan can be summed up in two words: insufferable heat. The faint, bitter smell of sweat lingers in the atmosphere; the stifling heat is almost tangible. Clothes cling obstinately to bodies and the feeling of being perpetually filthy prevails, no matter the number of cold showers one takes. Karachi is also extremely polluted. An “urban nightmare,” as it were. The palpable brown air is heavy with fumes of smoke and dust. Families, deprived of a decent garbage disposal system, [...]

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5Apr
2010

Discussing Muslim Youth Activism

Recent events throughout California indicate that Muslim youth activists are being targeted for their “radical” behavior. On Friday night, the MCA Youth group and MSA West held a talk show called “Pushing the Envelope: Muslim Youth Activism” at Santa Clara’s masjid, MCA. The program discussed current events involving specific instances of so-called “radical” Muslim youth activism. The event that was frequently emphasized at the talk show was the Irvine 11 incident in which 11 students were arrested and are now [...]

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