Egyptian Gumbo

I often complain about living in Louisiana, after all there are only a few avenues to seek knowledge. But wallahi brothers and sisters one blessing Allah ‘az wa jal has given the Muslims here In Louisiana is the chance to become the Ansaar of Allah.

One week after coming back from Egypt, I’m welcomed by Hurricane Gustav. (Ahh, the genius behind the name “Egyptian Gumbo.”)

The shelves in the grocery stores are empty, people lining up to fill up their gas tanks, and the interstate starting to crowd with cars coming from New Orleans in hope to get out before the storm comes. Stores are even starting to put away the jewelry in a safe place in case of looting.

Every year I’ve been a student at LSU, we’ve always gotten days off the second week of school due to a hurricane — whether it struck or not.

I received calls yesterday asking me if I could help accommodate the sisters that will be coming to our masajid for due to mandatory evacuation in New Orleans. During Katrina, we had over 100 families stay in our small campus masjid.

A solider of Allah is coming, and we ask Allah ‘az wa jal to protect us from his wrath.

It’s truly a humbling experience to be able to help shelter people and tend to their needs. And I’d very much like to share it with the world. So if happens and the hurricane does come to Louisiana, I will try to document the efforts and the needs of the victims so that inshaAllah people will know exactly what is needed in order to help them. And perhaps i’ll try to get people’s personal stories. I can’t promise anything, because 1. We are unsure what the conditions will be like and 2. My priority will inshaAllah be helping people, not filming them — but if I have the opportunity and feel it will be beneficial, inshaAllah I will. — This is, if Allah protects us and averts any destruction from coming our way.

You don’t need a hurricane to help your fellow Muslims and non-Muslims. Ramadan is here, feed those who need food. Become an Ansaari.

May Allah protect us all, and bless us in Ramadan with His mercy and forgiveness. Ameen. Keep us in your dua, inshaAllah.

Sun, Moon, stars — all ayat of Allah; all prove his existence.  However, very seldom do we look toward the other ayat of Allah for lessons in our deen. And for the Muslim youth out there, inshaAllah I hope this post will be a profound reminder.

The first time I saw this clip I was in awe, because it immediately reminded me of a hadith of the prophet salallahu alayhi wa sallam which teaches the insaan an important life lesson and advice to staying on the correct path.

First, I want you to watch the clip. Then, I want you to reflect for a moment and try to see what hadith I could possibly be referring to.

Allah ‘az wa jal shows us through nature sometimes lessons to be learned and adopted by humans.

After all, look at the story of the two sons of Adam, Qabil (Cain) and Habil (Abel), in the Quran. When Qabil killed his brother Allah ‘az wa jal sent a crow/raven before him who dug up the earth to show him how to cover the body of his dead brother.

Perhaps there are quite a few lessons one might have derived from the above clip, but the ahadith that clearly came to my mind when I first watched this, were the ahadith about friends.

In one hadith the Prophet salallahu alayhi wa sallam said,

“The example of a good companion and a bad companion is like that of the seller of musk, and the one who blows the blacksmith’s bellows. So as for the seller of musk then either he will grant you some, or you buy some from him, or at least you enjoy a pleasant smell from him. As for the one who blows the blacksmith’s bellows then either he will burn your clothes or you will get an offensive smell from him.”

In another hadith, the Prophet salallahu alayhi wa sallam said,

“A person is likely to follow the faith of his friend, so look at whom you befriend.”

The ant in the above clip was inflicted with a deadly disease. Any ant nearby that saw the deranged ant would move it far away from the rest of the colony as to not infect and ruin the other ants.

Subhanallah, Allah ‘az wa jal showed us sacrifice, hardship, straying from the correct path and saving those around you all in this short nature scene.

If you want to become closer to Allah, you have to look at those around you to get a better outlook on your own state. If you see that the company you have isn’t the type to remind you of Allah, the type that gossips or constantly gets in trouble or arguments with others, than take that as a sign to start finding a new group of people to keep you company.

There is always a certain point someone can look back and say, “This is when I started to change and started to become more religious.”

I find a common thread between everyone who’s said this statement. These three things are what lead people to change into a better slave of Allah:

1. Changing friends/ environment

3. Going to the Masjid more/ seeking more knowledge

Today, I want all of us to focus on the first one. Deep down we know the type of people we should keep as company.

Just like the ant in the video, we know sometimes it requires a greater sacrifice.

In the video you saw that as cruel as it was for the other aunt to leave it to die far away and alone, sometimes this is what is needed to save the rest of those around you. When sin becomes well known others will begin to follow in it’s footstep (which is why it’s best that we not reveal our sins.) Sure, we will lose people we may care about greatly, but the greater sacrifice is for Allah; seeking His face. When you take away the root of the problem, you will see that everything else inshaAllah will fall into place and your environment will be much safer from diseases of the heart– not only for you but for those around you as well.

One ant sacrificed leaving one deviant ant to tend to itself, so that it could save not only himself but those around him.

It truly is amazing to see the profoundness of the creation of Allah and His Ayat.

wallahu alem.

Well, I’m on my last vacation here in Egypt before I leave back to Louisiana. I’m here for two weeks, and If I seem a little MIA these days it’s because I’m relaxing here in Marina. It’s truly one of the most beautiful places on this earth, MashaAllah, la qowwita illa billah.

The key to surviving in Marina if you’re somewhat religious is to go out at awkward times of day. So you should go out after fajr to about 12 pm then maybe again before maghrib time.

Anyway, below are some pictures. I have my tripod here so i’ll try to get more professional shots soon.  I have video also but for some reason Egypt and YouTube uploading don’t get along, so inshaAllah when i get back to the states I’ll post the videos. Enjoy!

Ohh girls, you know exactly what I’m about to talk about, don’t you? Tisk tisk.

For those of you who know what Nour is, I’m sure you already know what I’m about to talk about just by my title.

For the rest of you, get ready to be amazed at a real life example of everything that’s wrong with TV– because it’s all represented in this one Turkish soap drama, recently dubbed in Arabic, which has caused the whole Arab world to become obsessed.

It’s making its way to America too. (See Facebook groups.)

Alright, let’s first talk a little bit about Nour:

Most women who watch the show watch it because of this strikingly handsome guy, “Mohannad.” Most will also tell you they never liked the blond hair look because they all wanted the tall dark and handsome guy. Well, to them the only exception to that rule is “Mr. Mohannad.”

Anyway, apparently he marries this girl named Nour, they live amongst their huge wealthy family, babies everywhere, kidnappings, love stories, etc. etc.

I have to say I didn’t even think these people were Muslim but apparently I was told they fast Ramadan but they drink alcohol at all times of the day. Then I remembered the guy’s name was supposedly “Mohannad,” which confirmed what people have said.

In any case, the obsession of this drama has gone way too far. I don’t know anyone in Egypt or any other part of the Arab world who DOESN’T watch this show. Even people in America who have a dish are obsessed with the show.

Mufti’s in Saudi Arabia recently declared the drama to be “haram,” and rightfully so. (But isn’t almost everything else on TV?) Well, that just shows how far people have taken it. It’s gotten to a point where sheiookh have had to name it specifically and told people it’s haram to watch.

Still not convinced? Ohh just wait guys it gets better (actually horrible):

Recently, there have been reports of the divorce rate climbing in the Arab world. Why? Because of Nour fever. Women want their husbands to “be like Muhanad.”

Instead of me reporting it, go ahead and read this well written, but shocking article written by AlArabiya.net:

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DUBAI (AlArabiya.net)

The hit Turkish soap “Nour” which is being aired on MBC has sparked a rash of divorces in countries across the Middle East as women compare their real-life husbands to the TV heart throb, according to press reports.

The trouble centers around the lead male character called Muhannad – played by Turkish actor Kivanç Tatlitug – whose good looks and charms have left many Arab women weak at the knees.

Fed up with his wife’s obsession with Muhannad and constant complaints that he should be as romantic as the TV hunk, a Saudi husband from Dammam divorced his wife and threw her out of the marital home, Saudi newspaper Al-Yawm reported.

A Jordanian daily said a husband divorced his wife after she uploaded Muhannad’s picture on her cell phone.

And a Syrian website reported that there were four divorces in Aleppo because of the steamy soap.

In one case, a husband divorced his wife after they had a heated argument about the actor while watching the series, which MBC has dubbed into Arabic to suit Middle Eastern audiences.

According to a neighbor, the wife reportedly told her husband: “I want to sleep with Muhannad for only one night and die afterwards.”

In another case, a husband divorced his wife after she hung a picture of Muhannad – the character Mehmet in the original Turkish version – on their bedroom wall.

Nour, which airs on MBC, the parent company of Al Arabiya, is about a woman who is married to Muhannad after he loses his true love in a tragic accident.

Muhannad is then forced to marry Nour by his family. The series traces the hardships Nour must go through to win her husband’s heart and to prove herself on a professional level.

Nour, called Gümüs in the original series, is played by Turkish actress Songül Öden.

(Translated from Arabic by Sonia Farid).

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!! I seriously can’t believe women would say and do these things. Wallahul musta’an. Seriously, this is everything that’s wrong with TV. May Allah protect us all.

1. Pretty Much it’s Going to be Hot Everywhere:

2. Sandcastles

3. 911 Call from 4-year-old Kid:

4. Crouching Tiger Hidden Kitten:

5. Very Long Snake:

If there’s one thing I dislike more than someone calling me extreme, it’s calling me extreme in front of my face as if I’m not even in the room.

Yesterday, I went to this jeweler we go to every year in Alexandria. I was outside the store looking at the display in the window while my mom, aunt and cousin made themselves comfortable inside.

I was happy my mom did her routine warning of telling men, “My daughter doesn’t shake hands (with men).” It’s actually kind of funny; I’m not the one that gets embarrassed to tell a guy if he puts out his hand that I won’t shake his hand. I think my mom is the one that feels awkward in that situation. Sometimes, I’d actually rather the guy be a little embarrassed so he’ll think twice the next time he’s about to try to shake a random woman’s hand.

Anyway, I was looking at some rings with my mom when the owner comes up to me and asks me, “Shaking hands with men, halal or haraam?” (Typical Egyptian question. Look at number one on my past post about Egypt)

“Haraam,” I answered.

“No wallahi, it is not haraam,” he said.

At this point I’m thinking. ‘Who are you? And why did you just swear by Allah on a fatwah you just pulled out of the air?’

I knew exactly where this conversation was going. I knew they typical Egyptian mentality in which anything non-Egyptian like is considered extreme or abnormal. I figured before he says something else that’s extremely haraam, I’m not going to respond because 1. Any response may lead him to say more dangerous statements, so it’s better I stay quiet and 2. That mentality is very hard to convince otherwise.

But no. He wanted to try to “change my mind.”

“Wallahi I’m telling you it’s not haraam. Believe me, this is what I say. It’s all about intentions,” he went on to say.

At this point I begin to open my mouth to try to correct him, in which he asks, “Who told you it was haraam?”

“Rasool Allah, salallahu alayhi wa sallam did. In a hadith…” And before I could even site the hadith.. he turns to my mom and asks her, “Where does she get these ideas? Probably from America and the people she hangs around over there.”

At this point I’m thinking of the irony of that statement. That I can learn something correct in the deen in a non-Muslim country, while people here, in a Muslim country, are clueless. Alhamduliillah for the guidance of Allah. In the end he continued telling my mom I was extreme and that a “sheikh on religious TV channel” told them it wasnt haraam. (See number two on my list.)

Today, being called extreme is a compliment. I don’t want to be liberal and wishy washy. A friend of mine told me a long time ago of this matrimonial service in which one of the main questions they ask is:

“How religious should your partner be?”

A. Liberal

B. Moderate

C. Extreme

Extreme…seriously? Haha. Sadly, that’s what I’d circle.

When you start to change and start becoming more religious, often times you’ll see the first people to call you extreme are your family and friends (i.e. those closest to you.) Then it’ll slowly progress to random people and jewelers you hardly know.

Be patient. The more your endure the more your eman will increase and the firmer you’re feet will be planted in the deen. Wallahu alem. Just my two cents/rant for the day.

Wallahu alem.