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

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.

When I was a child, my family and I would visit Karachi, Pakistan every other year during November or December and spend a month there (I guess it wasn’t such a big deal if an elementary school kid started winter vacation a few weeks early). Back in those days, Ramadan fell during winter, so we would spend majority of Ramadan in Pakistan and celebrate Eid there as well.

As I think back to those times, I can’t remember exactly what we ate at suhoor or iftar, or even on Eid. Instead, what stands out the most in my memories is the sense of community in a place where almost the entire population enters the Holy month of fasting together.

When waking up for suhoor, I felt delighted at the idea that all the other families around my neighborhood were also awake with me at this dark and early hour. And although I can’t remember what meals my grandmother prepared for suhoor, I do remember chugging a whole glass of water in that last minute before the man with the drum would announce to our neighborhood, with the reverberating beats of his instrument, the start of imsak and our fast.

Towards the end of the day, around an hour before sunset, we would begin preparing the iftar meal in extra quantities to share with our neighbors.  About 15-20 minutes before sunset, a child would be given a tray with some snack items to send over to a neighbor. After chatting for a few minutes, we would return home with the tray refilled with new food given in return by the neighbor. To me, this ‘iftar exchange’, an act of sharing, embodied the generous quality associated with this month.

Ramadan in the Bay Area is much different. While in Pakistan we never went to the mosque even for the night prayers, my Ramadan in the Bay seems to revolve around the mosque. The juma’ and taraweeh prayers along with weekly events and the occasional community iftars are what brings the Muslim community from the area together. With the exception of Eid prayers, Ramadan is the only time when you will see the mosque the most crowded as hundreds and sometimes even thousands of Muslims flock to answer the call of prayer.

And this is what makes Ramadan special to me. While it is a month of spiritual development and purification, it is also a month when my community stands shoulder-to-shoulder to reap the rewards of this month together.

*Al-Talib has asked its staff and readers to share their Ramadan traditions, experiences or memories with us. If you would also like to share what makes Ramadan special to you, please e-mail us at webmaster@al-talib.org. Ramadan Mubarak!

by Samina Mohammad

Since I live in a college town in Indiana, Ramadan and Eid is the time when my community comes together to help the college students feel part of a family. The mosque has daily iftars for them and each family would be responsible for cooking for a particular day. We have about 15 families that contribute and the MSA brothers come to our houses to pick up the food to distribute for iftar. Two of the days is designated to community iftars, so a family would host the iftar for the whole community usually at a banquet hall, hotel or even a high school gymnasium.

Memories:

During the day, I remember my mom preparing/cooking for iftar and she always would have the Taleem ul-Quran (tafseer/explantion of the surahs) by Dr. Farhat Hashmi (an urdu scholar who is masha’Allah amazing) played as much as possible, mostly in preparation of what we would be reciting in taraweeh that night. My dad would have me and my brother prepare mini khaterahs to give after asr prayer – mostly it was from Riyad ul Saliheen. Even to this day, he still makes my brother do it or if I’m home, I have to do it. As a family we set a goal to read the entire Qur’an and compete to see who will finish it first, but every year it’s the same person: my mama!

Ramadan Meals:

At the time of breaking our fast, we have dates and a drink called Rooh Afza. This drink is the one thing you will find at many Indo-Pak homes during Ramadan. As for snacks or meals, we have a dish called pakoras served with mint chutney, fruit chaat (spicy fruit salad), dahiy baray (which is basically soft dumplings made out of lentils in yogurt), and samosas (stuffed fried pastry either with beef or potatoes, and/or cutlets).

Eid:

Indo-Pak folks have this thing called “Chand Raat” (Night of the New Moon) the day before Eid (last night of Ramadan) where all the females get together and prepare for Eid and apply mehndi (henna) on their hands. Usually we have the “Chand Raat” at my house for Eid al-Fitr. I always grew up with having “Chand Raat” to prepare for Eid, like the goodie bags for the kids, working on last minute carnival stuff.

On the day of the Eid, we would get up early to get ready. We always wear new clothes (it’s not Eid unless we get new clothes). I usually wear a traditional Indo-Pak outfit with a matching abaya over it. If there was a time that my family got on each other’s nerves it would on the morning of Eid –trying to get everyone to prayer on time, figuring out how many cars to take to Eid prayer, asking why is this not ironed, etc.

Before going to prayer, my mom would make us eat seviyan (vermichelli noodles) and dates. It is of the Sunnah to eat an odd number of dates before going to pray Salatul Eid. The Prophet (saws) would not go out on the day of Ed al-Fitr without eating and odd number of dates (Bukhari).

My community does not pray Eid at our Masjid, instead we pray outside in an open field (during the summers/spring) or in gymnasium (during the winter months), as it is Sunnah to pray outside for the Eid prayer unless you are in Makkah (there, Eid prayer is at Masjid Ul-Haram). After Eid prayer, we usually greet one another and take pictures. My friends and I take our traditional Eid pictures, which we’ve been taking since we were 5-7 years old, and then we take one with our families.

After that, we have a mini award ceremony for the Ramadan volunteers to show our appreciation for their hard work and dedication in making the month of Ramadan successful. Then we have our community breakfast along with a carnival for the kids. My friends and I usually never stay for that and instead go to our favorite place: Ihop (when you live in a college town, there are not that many choices). After that, my family has our typical brunch/lunch gathering for all the single students, mostly for the brothers, so I’m there to help my mom out. After they all leave, we usually take a nap or we open our Eid gifts. In the evening, we have a community Eid dinner where we reserve a restaurant or a banquet hall.

So all in all, Ramadan and Eid is like major family bonding time!

*Al-Talib has asked its staff and readers to share their Ramadan traditions, experiences or memories with us. If you would also like to share what makes Ramadan special for you, please e-mail us at webmaster@al-talib.org. Ramadan Mubarak!

by Amelia Noor

I have a dear memory of my post office delivery worker from when I was a child. I lived in an apartment with my family, and my mother would always fry samosas for us before iftar time. Samosas were a specialty since we never had them during any other time of the year.

Image posted to Flickr by kspoddar

I remember that I had established a dear friendship with the post office man that every day I would wait for him to come after school by looking out my window to the mail boxes. He would be delighted to see me and I would indulge in his kindness by delivering him some homemade samosas. He loved them and thought they were very spicy. It is a fond memory of mine because he would always ask for some and he would tell me mother thank you from the door.

Key terms-

Iftar: an evening meal when Muslims fast from sunrise to sunset in the month of Ramadan.

*Al-Talib has asked its staff and readers to share their Ramadan traditions, experiences or memories with us. If you would also like to share what makes Ramadan special for you, please e-mail us at webmaster@al-talib.org. Ramadan Mubarak!

And the water continues to rush in the urban centers, already having threatened to destroy crops which are the breadbasket of the province. Water levels left only tree tops and some of the upper portions of homes visible.  The washed-out bridges and roads and downed communication lines make the relief efforts even more difficult in delivering aid that the army has had to use boats and helicopters to rescue stranded villagers. The situation in the government, however, is so bleak that the United States had to send 6 military helicopters from Afghanistan to use for rescue efforts.

Al-Jazeera reports that Pakistani citizen Ejaz Khan is frustrated with the relief efforts of the government, citing his packed shelter with lack of food and medicine. His two-room house was destroyed in the flood, something he had paid for with his own hard-earned money. This scenery paints the question: Who will help these people?

The UN has warned of “serious food shortages following the loss of farm produce in the floods”. They have estimated that approximately 1.8 million people will need to be fed in the next month. And, yet, it was the Messenger of Allah  who said, “The Muslims are like a body, if one part of the body hurts, the rest of the body will also suffer” [Hadith Muslim].

The irony of this is that the next month, in which these 1.8 million people will need food and shelter, is the month of Ramadan. It is the time when Muslims all over the world are required to pay Zakat (almsgivings), a 2.5% charity of their wealth to the poor. Furthermore, charity and generosity in general is urged during Ramadan. The deprivation of the fast allow us to sympathize with the suffering of the others, and make us desire to alleviate their pains.

Therefore, with a pressing disaster such as this, a disaster which affects a large portion of the Muslims and arriving at a time just days before Ramadan, it is only logical that we must respond.

One of the prominent responders to the relief efforts, Islamic Relief, has launched a global appeal of £2 million following what is called “the worst monsoon floods in living memory”.  They have already begun distributing blankets and tents to the victims of this flood. But more aid from international donors is needed to prevent the death toll from escalating.

However none of this can be possible without each of our help.

Here is a breakdown of what can be bought with YOUR donated money:

£20 will buy a family hygiene kit

£40 will buy a food pack for a family

£150 will buy a family tent

Islamic Relief has set up an easy way for us to donate for Pakistan’s emergency. (If you would like to first calculate your Zakat for the year, here is a quick calculator.)

Other organizations uniting to help in the relief efforts include

• AmeriCares
• The British Red Cross
• CARE
• Catholic Relief Services
• Church World Service
• Direct Relief International
• Doctors Without Borders
• UNICEF
• World Food Programme
• World Vision

Finally, we must remember that this disaster is truly a test from Allah (Glorified be He). It is a test not only for the victims of the disaster, but it is a test for the rest of the Muslims, testing our response to help our fellow Muslims during this month of Ramadan. Allah tells us in the Qur’an:

Do you think that you shall enter into Paradise without such trials as those who passed away before you? They were afflicted with poverty and disease and they were shaken such that the Messenger and those who believed that were with him cried out, ‘When will the Help of God come?’ Surely, the help of God is near. (Qur’an, 2:214)

Sources:

http://www.christiantoday.com/article/christian.aid.groups.respond.as.pakistan.flood.kills.over.1000/26407.htm

http://english.aljazeera.net/news/asia/2010/08/20108272938607141.html

http://islamicrelief.com/Emergencies-And-Appeals/emIRResponse.aspx?emID=67

http://www.islamic-relief.com/NewsRoom/4-307-pakistan-floods.aspx

http://www.islamicreliefusa.org/pakistan-floods

http://edition.cnn.com/2010/WORLD/meast/08/04/help.pakistan/#fbid=M3EpVZezbOG&wom=false

http://english.aljazeera.net/news/asia/2010/08/2010847584729225.html

www.thenutfactory.com

Narrated by Ibn “Umar: The Prophet (Peace and Blessings be upon him) said, “Amongst the trees, there is a tree, the leaves of which do not fall and is like a Muslim. Tell me the name of that tree.” Everybody started thinking about the trees of the desert areas. And I thought of the date-palm tree but felt too shy to answer. The others then asked, “What is that tree, O Allah”s Apostle?” He replied, “It is the date-palm tree.” ? (Bukhari, 58)
In early Islamic history it was customary for the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) to place a chewed date in the mouth of a newborn baby, and the baby would feel soothed and cease to cry. In Surah Mariam, in the Holy Qur”an, an anecdote is told of how Mary (PBUH), in her pain of childbirth, was driven to a palm tree where she was commanded by a voice to shake its trunk as fresh, ripe dates would fall down for her to eat. During Ramadan, Muslims all over the world tend to break their fast with dates, just as the Prophet (PBUH) did.
The date palm and the date Of all the fruits which exist today, none has been heavily emphasized, by the Qur”an or the Sunnah of the Prophet (PBUH), more than the date. The Qur”an mentions the date palm at least 20 times. Why? What is the significance of this fruit? It is wrinkled, dry, no larger than an iPod Shuffle, and commonly mistaken for a prune. Yet, other than pomegranates, olives, and figs, it has been one of the most important fruits and staples for not just Muslims, but civilizations dating as far back as Ancient Egypt. In fact, there is an old Arab saying which says, There are more uses from the date palms, than there are days in a year.? It is time to put this saying to the test and discover the role of the date in Islam.
The date palm is believed to have originated around the Persian Gulf and was very abundant between the Nile and Euphrates rivers. Around 4,000 B.C., its cultivation was widespread in the Middle East and North Africa, as Arab nomads would grow date palms wherever they traveled. It eventually was introduced in Spain, and soon after, it was grown in many European regions including the French Riviera, southern Italy, and Greece. However, the date palm did not find too much success in such regions due to specific conditions”long, hot growing season, low humidity, absence of summer rain, and soil types with low salt levels and free draining sands”needed for it to grow. Today, the date palm flourishes in such countries like Algeria, Morocco, Tunisia, Egypt, Sudan, Arabia, and Iran. Iraq leads all countries, as the number one producer of dates, with 22 million date palms producing over 600,000 tons of dates annually.
One region of the world, where the date palm has found success in is Southern California, specifically, the Coachella Valley. Imported from Iraq and Egypt in 1890 by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), the Coachella Valley is responsible for 95 percent of the nation”s date crop. In fact, it is celebrated in the annual Indio Date Festival near Riverside. Not only has the fruit made its way to the United States, but the culture behind it has found its way here too. Examples include the naming of towns after Arabic cities like Mecca and Baghdad. The Indio Date Festival hosts events in which they perform plays on the Arabian Nights. However, according to Jonathan Friedlander, Assistant Director in Near Eastern Studies at UCLA, the incorporation of the Arabic? culture in such places is merely meant to sell. The annual Indio Date Festival is only a form of advertisement that utilizes Arabic? culture to sell and promote the date fruit.
The date fruit has for centuries been praised for its sweet taste, but just as the Arab saying claims, it has close to 400 different uses, if not more. Structurally, the branches of the date palm have served as a source of shade amidst the blazing, hot desert sun. During the time of the Prophet (PBUH), date palms were crucial in the growth of early Muslim communities. Its leafstalks were used by many scribes to record the chapters and verses of the Qur”an. Early mosques were built using palm fronds woven together and the pillars of the mosques were made from the trunks of palm trees.
Besides the structural uses, the date fruit has had many culinary and medicinal uses that help explain many of the verses of the Qur”an and Hadith of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH). Dates are an excellent source of iron, potassium, calcium, magnesium, sulfur, copper, and phosphorous. They possess rich natural fibers and vitamins including thiamine, riboflavin, biotin, folic and ascorbic acid. Today, they are used to make syrups, jams, ice creams, and sodas. They are high-energy fruits that are recommended for the health conscious. Dates are also easily digested. This explains why the Prophet (PBUH) would break his fast with them. Hunger is caused by a shortage of sugar in the blood, and not by an empty stomach (as usually assumed). Dates help elevate blood sugar levels as soon as they are consumed, instantly satisfying hunger.
Some of the medicinal uses of dates include being an excellent muscle stimulant. Early Muslims who would engage in battle used to consume them as a source of energy, and would survive for days on just dates and water. Dates can also reduce pain sensation and heart rate, which is why the Prophet (PBUH) would place chewed dates in a newborn”s mouth. Any pain the child feels after birth ceases, and the baby is able to calm down almost instantaneously. Pregnant women are encouraged to eat dates during pregnancy because experiments have shown that the muscles of the uterus are stimulated in the last months of pregnancy. This allows for dilation on the time of delivery and a reduction in bleeding”explaining the anecdote in Surah Mariam. Dates are also used in the treatment of bronchitis, tumors, hemorrhoids, poisonous bites, night blindness, skin allergies, anxiety, and depression. The American Cancer Society recommends that a person consume 20-35 grams of dietary fiber a day, and according to Family Nutrition Online, dates are excellent sources of dietary fiber with one date containing 3 grams.
And in the earth are neighboring tracts, and gardens of vines and green crops…yet some of them We make more excellent than others to eat. Verily! In these things there are signs for the people who understand? (Holy Qur”an 13:3). Allah (SWT) has created for the world an eclectic selection of plants, yet He chose a few to be more excellent than the others. The date palm is one example of these plants, which truly has more uses than there are days in a year.? It is one of the many blessings Allah (SWT) has bestowed for Muslims, and it is a tree we should always respect and protect for the sake of Allah. Indeed, Muslims are like the date palm, for we live in the toughest conditions and always find a way to survive, and better yet, a way to assist the world. ¢