We often forget that the faces on the other side of the television screen have thoughts and feelings just like our own. We forget to think about the common threads of humanity between all living beings. I’m obviously no expert on the subject, having only spent several months in the Middle East and studying the situation now for four years. But the following contains different sorts of observations, analysis and conclusions I had reached, having traveled throughout the entirety of the West Bank, meeting hundreds of families along the way, and engaging in countless enlightening and telling conversations about the conflict, culture, and lifestyle.

Non-Violent Resistance:

Most resistance in the West Bank is non-violent. It’s the violence that makes media headlines, however, that violence nearly entirely ended in 2006. I strongly encourage those in support of the Palestinian struggle to offer their support to the non-violent protests in Nil’in, Massara, and other villages protesting weekly against the separation barrier that has cut off large portions of their farmland.

Protesters won in Bil’in after five years of non-violent struggle, when the Israeli courts decided to reroute the fence away from their farmland. So these protests are somewhat successful and useful. Protesters are met with military force, and 16 people have been killed. I must say that it was by far the most frightening experience I had while in Palestine.

The sound of rubber bullets, stun grenades, and teargas cannisters shooting in all directions from military weapons is extremely discomforting, especially when you cannot see because teargas and ’skunk-spray’ have clouded up your eyes, burned your nostrils and throat, as you clumsily try to figure out the safest route out of the ‘conflict-zone’.

Furthermore, non-violent and artistic forms of resistance are sparking up all around Palestine. Nearly every city and refugee camp has a community center where children are taught traditional Palestinian dance, art, and tales to keep their heritage alive, as well as implement art as a form of expressing their difficulties as a means of non-violent resistance.

In my mind, every Palestinian home built without a permit (which is just about every home), every farmer that continues to work his land despite military orders, and every Palestinian case in the Israeli courts is a form of non-violent resistance that is often overlooked.

Internal Palestinian Dispute: Hamas VS. Fatah

Internal disputes have halted just about all political progress in Palestine. In the West Bank, where Fatah is in power, Hamas is extremely suppressed and persecuted. The opposite is true in Gaza, where Hamas is in power. A majority of people are tired of these partisan politics and wish for their political parties to come to some sort of deal.

Fatah is extremely corrupt and few people will deny that fact. They’re practically a mafia: supporting those who provide them with money and support, while wiping off those who speak out against them. I had met many people who spent years in Palestinian Authority prisons for speaking out against the Government. Quite sickening if you ask me, though it has become not only a norm in Palestine, but throughout the larger Arab and Muslim world.

On the other hand, Hamas is not seen as the great alternative. Art, music, movies, and other well-appreciated Western activities are common hobbies in the West Bank, to which Hamas tends to stand against. Usually those people who are overly strict and unfriendly are referred to, in a joking or mocking way, as “Hamas”- so it certainly does not seem to me to carry along a positive tag. Furthermore, a lot of Palestinians do feel that Hamas policy in Gaza has only encouraged further Israeli aggression.

Of course, views in matters such as these vary person to person. Also, do not forget that other parties exist. The PFLP (Communist Party) is quite popular as well.

We often forget that the faces on the other side of the television screen have thoughts and feelings just like our own. We forget to think about the common threads of humanity between all living beings. I’m obviously no expert on the subject, having only spent several months in the Middle East and studying the situation now for four years. But the following contains different sorts of observations, analysis and conclusions I had reached, having traveled throughout the entirety of the West Bank, meeting hundreds of families along the way, and engaging in countless enlightening and telling conversations about the conflict, culture, and lifestyle.

“How Do Palestinians View…?”

I cannot help but cringe at this question. People constantly ask me,

“How do Palestinians view Hamas?”

“Do Palestinians want the destruction of Israel?”

“Do Palestinians believe in a two-state solution?”

There is no answer to any question implying that an entire society thinks a homogeneous way. All societies contain a diverse set of views. I found families in the West Bank so sympathetic towards Israel that literally tears dripped down their cheeks at the site of a funeral on television for two Israeli soldiers killed in Gaza. Then, to the contrary, there are graffiti images of swastikas and suicide bombers bearing AK-47’s in their martyrdom poses along just about every wall.

Major Problems in the West Bank:

Just about every area confronts different issues. Israeli soldiers patrolling the streets are a rare sight now-a-days in the West Bank since the Palestinian Authority has been handed power of policing all major cities. But almost all cities still face night raids and rather frequent arrests. Most Palestinians seem to have family and friends in prison. From my observation within the refugee camps, a majority of men over the age of 18 had been imprisoned at some point throughout their life.

The separation barrier (be it the wall of the fence) have cut off a significant portion of farmland from Palestinians and have shot a bullet into the heart of any previously existing economic growth. It has left a lot of farmers unemployed, cut off several Palestinian villages from the West Bank, has destroyed the tourist industry that once flourished, and has put a lot of Palestinians that once worked in Jerusalem out of work. Palestinians are also no longer able to reach the beautiful city of Jerusalem and pray at Al-Aqsa Mosque without a permit. Permits are hard to gain, and therefore, the Dome of the Rock has become the symbol of liberation and I personally witnessed Palestinians tear at the thought of visiting Jerusalem once again.

Settlements are a major issue. For those who do not know, they are basically Jewish plots of land built within the Palestinian territories. The settlers are in fact, “Imperialists,” or maybe more-so, pawns of those wishing to annex the West Bank. Some families move to the West Bank for practical and economic reasons, while other move for ideological and religiously-motivated reasons. Settler violence runs rampant and the Israeli Army tends to close their eyes to it, and maybe command them with a light slap on the wrist, “stop please.” Yeah, I’m not joking about the, “Please.” I actually saw them politely ask a settler in Hebron to stop throwing rocks at Palestinians. Of course, rocks thrown in the other direction are met by teargas, rubber bullets, battons, and stun grenades.

I remember my first trip to a mosque, it was Ramadan and I was trying to figure out what to wear. I didn’t want to be dressed inappropriately. I was very nervous and excited.

When I arrived I was blown away, the decorations, architecture were so beautiful.

The atmosphere of the Mosque is what really got my attention; I could feel the love of Allah and the unity of the community during prayer.

However, after prayer I noticed that everyone went to their own friends and family, there was not much mingling.

Thankfully I went with friends otherwise I would have felt completely isolated.

From that first experience I didn’t really think much of how people were sticking to their clicks, since it was Ramadan and Taraweh I figured people where tired didn’t have the energy introduce themselves to new members of the community.

But as time passed I noticed that this was prevalent throughout many mosques and community centers that I have visited.

As I began to talk to sisters in my community about this and they began telling me instances where they felt disrespected or ignored.

One of my good friends told me how an older sister went up to her and aggressively told her that her outfit did not cover her ankles completely, and that she needed to fix it.

Thankfully my friend did not allow that experience to drive her away from attending the mosque, but such an event would certainly push many others away from the mosque.

Too often have I heard of stories where older members of the community have tried regulating the prayer space, dress code, and even sometimes looking down on others who aren’t on the board for their Masjid.

In Surah An-Nisa (The Woman) Allah says

Worship Allah and join none with Him in worship, and do good to parents, kinsfolk, orphans, Al-Masakin (the poor), the neighbour who is near of kin, the neighbour who is a stranger, the companion by your side, the wayfarer (you meet), and those (slaves) whom your right hands possess. Verily, Allah does not like such as are proud and boastful; [4:36]

This is very saddening, especially as a revert who looks at masjids as a safe place, a place where you can be accepted wholeheartedly as a Mulsim. For some new reverts who have been cast out of their homes it’s the only space they have.

I am not writing this because I think all mosques or communities have these same tendencies, rather I feel there’s a need to recognize that there needs to be more effort to make new reverts and members of a community feel welcomed.

It’s important that we start addressing issues that have been holding our community back in America, and what better way than starting at our local mosques!

If we as an Umma (community) are going to defeat the Islamophobia that plagues this country we must unite as Muslims and come forward in these times as American Muslims.

So I ask that next time you see some brother or sister standing by themselves after prayer, go introduce yourself to them. You have no idea how much it could mean to them.

A child sits with a plate of food that was distributed as part of the holy month of Ramadan, at a refugee camp in Kabul, Afghanistan, on Saturday, Aug. 14, 2010. (AP Photo/Mustafa Quraishi)

On a Saturday evening, over 900 people gathered for Qiyam at the Islamic Socity of Corona-Norco. This year, the mosque hoped to set an example for others. Imam Mustafa Umar said that one of their goals “was to make it the most organized and planned Qiyam ever, because these events are usually very unorganized. So we wanted to change that and set a new standard.” The Imam had told me that the “schedule was thought out and revised at least 20 times in order to ensure we were as close to punctuality as possible”. The Qur’an recitation began exactly as scheduled at 11:30 PM and throughout the evening every event began and ended within minutes of its allotted time. “When you say that a program will start at this time, your word should be your bond,” emphasized the Imam. “However, most Muslims seem to not care at all about time, even though Allah has sworn by it in the Qur’an. I make sure that this rule is followed strictly, even if there is only one person there.”

In helping fulfill the promise of punctuality, the mosque utilized a vast array of technology. The schedule was displayed on both a projector and a High-Definition television and was edited live behind the scenes in case a speaker did not show up. Twitter, Facebook, and e-mail were utilized to advertise the event and feedback was requested at the mosque’s online suggestion box. The technologically acquainted Imam says that he “hopes and prays that other Muslim institutions embrace this technology as we have. By utilizing this technology, we can all advance the efficiency of our mosques. Keep in mind, there is still much opposition from influential members of our own community in using this technology, but we must fight for that which pleases Allah”.

To broaden the accessibility of the Qiyam, the mosque invited One Legacy Radio (OLR) to broadcast the Qiyam live. The Programming Director of OLR, Marya Bangee, told me that they “have begun to do this with other mosques and broadcasted live from Reviving the Islamic Spirit conference in Long Beach last May.”

One particularly important aspect about this Qiyam was that the youth were in control of everything from planning to logistics. By empowering the youth to take leadership, the Imam increases efficiency at the mosque. Youth, who are generally more embracive of technology and thus can adapt to quick changes in plans, can resolve any situation that arises quickly. College student Nora Diab, one of the Logistics Coordinators, believes that “if people see this work effectively, they may want to bring this back to their own mosque. So many leaders from different communities are observing and what they should or should not do for their own mosque, so we are all learning”.  And this is what this mosque hopes to achieve. By setting a new standard in technology, punctuality, and innovation, they hope to inspire other mosques to follow in that path. Are you up for the challenge?

by Alia Ghoneum

When I was a child, I used to visit Egypt two to three times a year, so much so that I got an “excessive absence” warning on my first grade report card. As the years went by and after my grandmother Teta Dawlat passed away (Allah yarham), I have not been back for six years. Alhamduillah millioon mara, I was so fortunate to visit Egypt this summer- I feel awakened from a state of dormancy. I forgot what a large and loving family I had. Sometimes, especially in America, we get so caught up in our own little bubbles, studying for our classes, trying to lose weight, trying to improve our resumes, asking for more and more from Allah, that we forget what Allah tala has already given us. We beg for more water from the heavens, without seeing the oceans that we already have. We forget where we came from and how much our families love us.

Masjids, masjids everwhere!

Alia

http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-0819-disney-hijab-20100819,0,5537139.story

Looks to be another casualty in the war against Civil Rights.

Boudlal informed her supervisor she wanted to wear the hijab and they said they would check with corporate, but she never received a response.

Later on, Disney’s costume department went as far as fitting her for a hijab designed to work with her costume, but they never followed through.

Boudlal attempted to follow protocol in effort to get permission to wear her hijab, but the system just didn’t respond. And now, when she takes the initiative, she gets burned.

Disney should follow through with the hijab they were going to provide for her. She’ll be able to wear her hijab, Disney’s dress code is met, and everyone is happy. No lawsuits required.

by Sumaya Bezrati

(Special recipe included at the end.)

As a fairly new mother with a toddler in tow, I have thought long and hard about Ramadan traditions that will instill a sense of love for the Holy month in my children. It can be hard living in a predominately non-Muslim society, where sometimes the spirit of Ramadan isn’t always felt. Especially, if you are like my husband and I who are also isolated from family. For this reason, we have decided to create our own traditions that inshAllah we hope to pass on to our children.

One of the first ways one can tell that Ramadan is drawing near is when I deep clean my entire house. I spend roughly two weeks doing pretty much nothing but cleaning. I scrub the walls, clean behind kitchen appliances and furniture, sweep and organize the garage, clean out the cars, and even tidy up the yard. Not a cabinet, closet or drawer is passed without me sorting through all of its contents, throwing away things, donating others and organizing the rest. One reason I do this is because the fasts are long and hard for me, and the last thing I want to be doing is extra housework. If I deep clean my house right before Ramadan then minimal upkeep chores are needed throughout the month while I fast. Additionally, Ramadan is a time of renewal and spiritual reflection. I believe that in a clean environment without extra clutter, it helps one to rid themselves of the clutter in their mind and focus on more important things.

After cleaning the house, I put up decorations. These include banners, balloons, lights, fresh flowers, candles, special duaas that I want to learn, and of course the prayer time table on the refrigerator. My daughter was in awe when she saw the house decorated for Ramadan. I do crafts with her, such as special Ramadan coloring pages, and this year I even made a mosque sadaqa box. Using a shoebox and toilet paper roll, I covered them with construction paper and allowed my daughter to decorate her mosque. I then enshrined it with a verse from the Qur’an that talks about the benefits of giving charity and all family members put their sadaqa in this mosque. At the end of the month I will donate the money to a mosque that is trying to be built in our community inshAllah. My daughter loves this. Everyday when I bring money for her to put in, her face lights up as she drops sadaqa into the masjid.

Additionally, I went to the local 99 cents store and bought 30 small gifts for my daughter that I knew would delight her. A harmonica one night, bubbles, coloring book, watercolor set, etc. Each night we allow her to open one small gift for Ramadan. In addition to these, I have other ideas for family traditions to include as my daughter gets a little older and we have more children inshAllah.

In regards to food, before the month I figure out what I am going to cook every night for iftar and pencil in the meals on a calender. These range as my family loves international cuisine and our dishes reflect that. We have themed nights where we might have North African food one night, Indian the next, and Italian on the third. However, something special that I always make for iftar is an appetizer dish popular in Yemen and the other Arabian Peninsula countries called Sambosa (some Arabs call it Sambosek) It is kind of an Arab take on an Indian Samosa. I make them in a huge batch the week before Ramadan and freeze them. That way, each night I take out just a few to fry up as something to eat after dates that will hold your hunger over from Maghrib prayer before the big meal comes. They are delicious and always a big hit with my family and guests alike. Please enjoy this recipe from my kitchen to yours. Have a blessed Ramadan everyone!

Sambosa:

1 onion
3 cloves garlic
1 bunch cilantro
1 serano pepper
salt and pepper to taste
1 package phyllo dough strips (thawed)
1 lb ground beef

Chop the onion and garlic and saute them in oil
Add the ground beef and cook for a few minutes, breaking up the chunks
Add the chopped cilantro, chopped pepper salt and pepper
Cook, stirring until the meat is browned
Take the mixture off the heat to cool
At the end of each phyllo strip place one spoonful of beef
Fold the bottom left corner up to the right side
Then fold the bottom right corner up to the left side
Continue in this triangle pattern until you reach the end of the strip
Seal it by dipping your finger in a little olive oil
Fry as needed in vegetable or canola oil
Serve hot at iftar time with your favorite chutney/ salsa or use the recipe below for my homemade salsa

Salsa
2 small tomatoes (or 1 large)
1 serano pepper
1 clove garlic
3-5 tablespoons of cilantro chopped

Put all of the ingredients in a blender or food processor and pulse until your desired consistency.