Hip, Holy, and on the Hill...

Memories...

2006-07-30T15:50:00.000-05:00

I thought I would put up some more pictures...

at the washington monument.

The flags at the washington monument.

Kiran and Salma.

Salma and Sarah.

Zahreen and Adil at the Safeway Barbeque.

Irfana and Zahreen at Mount Vernon.

4th of July!

Zahreen, Irfana, Adil, Shaan.

Adil taking a bite out of the Capitol.

After white water rafting.

Irfana and Adil.

After the banquet...

It's been fun...

2006-07-29T13:58:00.000-05:00

It's been fun y'all!! The banquet was a blast, I am so thankful to have had the privilege to meet, work, and learn from all of you these past two months.

posing with the capitol in the back.

The lovely ladies of MSN.

All the guys.

Zahreen and Shaan.

Irfana and Kiran, the mastermind of the banquet.

Ali and Irfana.

Parting of Ways

2006-07-26T08:56:00.000-05:00

There hasn't been an entry on this blog for a while. Probably because we have been so busy with preparations for the banquet, or because everyone has lost interest in the blog. Amidst the busiest time for me this summer, I am still finding time to write a post. I think blogging is one my best procrastinatory tools; for those who don't know yet, I procrastinate a lot.

But otherwise, I have been thinking about the fact that this program is almost over. It's bittersweet to be honest; I am sad to see the program end, but also happy that I am starting a new life chapter. I had a high school teacher who told me that this response to finishing a part of your life is natural and probably the most healthy reaction. If you were able to walk away from this experience with not even a little regret that its ending, then you really haven't learned anything from it. If you aren't able to walk away or dread the future, you also haven't learned anything from the experience. Moving on, but looking back fondly on the past ensures that you are gaining the wisdom from the various stages in your life; you aren't jaded, but you also aren't naive. I guess, that's my advice to everyone, as to the kind of attitude you should have about life (sometimes I need to take a dose of my own medicine, I know) and with MSN ending. I know that it's sad to see friends part, but...

The pain of parting is nothing to the joy of meeting again. - Charles
Dickens

2006-07-14T10:13:00.000-05:00

maybe this is too liberal but wateva

No, life can't avoid being thrown about by the winds of change or chance. And though you'll never know all the steps, you must learn to join the dance.

More Pictures

2006-07-14T10:02:00.000-05:00

So, here are some more pictures of the antics that MSN interns are up to:

Emraan with his twin brother.

Ali and Adil....trying to be cool.

The girls in front of the fountains at the Kennedy Center.

Esa, pondering great issues like his look-alike, John F. Kennedy.

That's all for now...

We try to grab pieces of our lives as they speed past us. Photographs freeze those pieces and help us remember how we were. We don't know these lost people but if you look around, you'll find someone just like them.

Interfaith Dialogue

2006-07-13T08:51:00.000-05:00

The Muslim World journal has a great article about interfaith dialogue called From Conversion to Conversation: Interfaith Dialogue in Post 9-11 America.

2006-07-10T23:59:00.000-05:00

i've talked so much, my throat is dry
wish i knew how to double dutch, caint belive it's mid july

Rethinking American History in a Post-9/11 World by Professor Eric Foner

2006-07-06T14:49:00.000-05:00

An excerpt from an article written by one of my history professors, Eric Foner. Genius guy.
The insights in this article are similar to the insights made by Frederick Douglass in his Fourt of July Speech at Rochester.

Perhaps if we just view America as a country and not a superpower, we could appreciate our freedom here even more?...

"Ironically, September 11 highlighted not only our vulnerability but our overwhelming power. Never, perhaps, since the days of the Roman empire has one state so totally eclipsed the others. In every index of power -- military, economic, cultural, scientific -- the United States far exceeds any other country. It accounts for just under one-third of the world’s gross domestic product, 36 percent of all military spending (more than the next several powers combined), and 40 percent of world spending on scientific research. It is not surprising in such circumstances that many Americans feel that the country can establish rules of international conduct for others, while operating as it sees fit. Since September 11, the word “empire” has come back into unembarrassed use in American political discourse. The need to shoulder the burdens of empire is a common theme in discussion among the foreign policy elite, and in a number of popular books. Even “imperialism,” once a term of opprobrium, is now in common use.
Like other responses to September 11, the idea of the United States as an empire has a long history, one linked to the belief that the country – by example, force, or a combination of the two – can and should remake the world in its own image. Jefferson spoke of the United States as an “empire of liberty.” When the nation stepped onto the world stage as an imperial power in the Spanish-American War, President McKinley insisted that ours was a “benevolent imperialism,” and that our governance of the Philippines ought not to be compared to the territorial conquests of European powers. Woodrow Wilson insisted that only the United States possessed the combination of military power and moral righteousness to make the world safe for democracy. In 1942, Henry Luce, the publisher Time and Life magazines, called for the United States to assume the role of “dominant power in the world” in what he famously called “The American Century.”
The history of the idea and practice of empire might help Americans understand why other countries sometimes resent our tendency to pursue our own interests as a world power while proclaiming that we embody universal values and goals. A recent Gallup poll revealed that few Americans have any knowledge of other countries’ grievances against the United States. But the benevolence of benevolent imperialism lies in the eye of the beholder. Indians and Mexicans did not desire to surrender their lands to the onward march of Jefferson’s empire of liberty. Many Filipinos did not share President McKinley’s judgment that they would be better off under American rule than as an independent nation. A study of the history of our relationship with the rest of the world might enable us to find it less surprising that despite the wave of sympathy for the United States that followed September 11, there is widespread fear outside our borders, including among longtime allies in Europe, that the war on terrorism is motivated in part by the desire to impose a Pax Americana in a grossly unequal world.
Local situations and complex motives throughout the world cannot be subsumed into a single either/or dichotomy of friends and enemies of freedom or terrorists and their opponents. At a time when half the college history departments in the country lack a faculty member capable of teaching the history of the Middle East, it is worth remembering that anti-Americanism in that part of the world is a recent phenomenon, not primordial hatred, and that it is not confined to Islamic fundamentalists but can be found among secular nationalists and democratic reformers. It is based primarily on American policies -- toward Israel, the Palestinians, oil supplies, the region’s corrupt and authoritarian regimes, and, most recently, Iraq. It is not simply American freedom, but American power and its uses, that arouses international suspicion.
At the height of the Cold War, in his brilliant and sardonic survey of American political thought, The Liberal Tradition in America, Louis Hartz observed that despite its deepened worldwide involvement, the United States was becoming more isolated intellectually from other cultures. A few years ago, another prominent historian, Daniel Rodgers, contrasted the Progressive era, when American reformers scoured Europe for examples of social policy that could be adopted in the United States, with the 1990s, when Americans seemed to be convinced that they had nothing to learn from the rest of the world. September 11 has produced an odd combination of cosmopolitanism and myopia – a recognition that we exist as part of a wider world, and demands that we once again emphasize what sets us apart from the rest of mankind.
When Alexis de Tocqueville visited the United States in the 1830s, he was struck by Americans’ conviction that “they are the only religious, enlightened, and free people,” and “form a species apart from the rest of the human race.” Yet American independence was proclaimed by men anxious to demonstrate “a decent respect to the opinions of mankind.” It is not the role of historians to instruct our fellow citizens on how they should think about our turbulent world. But it is our task to insist that the study of history should transcend boundaries rather than reinforcing or reproducing them. In the wake of September 11, it is all the more imperative that the history we teach must be a candid appraisal of our own society’s strengths and weaknesses, not simply an exercise in self-celebration – a conversation with the entire world, not a complacent dialogue with ourselves. If September 11 makes us think historically -- not mythically -- about our nation and its role in the world, then perhaps some good will have come out of that tragic event. "

2006-07-06T10:36:00.000-05:00

An interesting excerpt from Patrick Garrity's essay: "The Long Twilight Struggle" :

"Sometimes, statesmen at the highest level must stand up to the apparently inexorable currents of history rather than looking to ride them. These statesmen accept the risk of failure, even as they strive to deserve success. The successful end of the Cold War wasa actually a damned close-run thing, subject to a variety of unpredictable factors."

I have always told myself that in order to make a well-informed decision on a particular issue , I would have to first consider the history of the issue. I'm "big" on making analogies with historical events, even disregarding time periods at times. It's all about the theme, the big picture.

However, considering yesterday's discussion with the three consultants: Bilal, Ambreen, and Shoaib, I realize long-term solutions are not always insightful. We need immediate solutions as well as long-term solutions. Forget the big picture, focus on the next couple years. After all, who knows when we will leave this dunya...

The more time we have, the more we can reform society and please "everyone." But we often don't have much time. We live in a fast-paced society. A great example(although not dealing with religion at all) is the budget crisis in New Jersey. The Democrats down in Trenton are desperately searching to get rid of the state's deficit, and start anew. Atlantic City has been completely shut down and taxes will probably be raised by 1%. Corzine is trying to solve the problem quickly in order to provide a brighter future for New Jersey.

This issue of solving problems immediately makes me wonder. Corzine was just elected, now he is trying to raise taxes. Bush was elected, then he waged the war of Iraq.

Is it the duty of hte politican/leader to serve their communities for the present or the future?

Please comment.

Happy Birthday

2006-07-03T06:54:00.000-05:00

Happy birthday to Ms. Karim and myself. We expect all of you to spoil us tremendously for the next two days. :-)

2006-07-01T15:00:00.000-05:00

i miss ya guys.
yeah i do.

Deriving Purpose

2006-06-29T13:31:00.000-05:00

There are simple childish tendencies that drive us day-to-day, the inquisitiveness of the unknown, the enamorment with thrill, and, of course, the most profound, our instinct for survival. During brief eclipses, however, of that immature spirit we transcend the base to embrace a more dignified existence. But though we all do it, or strive to it, few of us can unload the term: what, in fact, is that dignified existence, the good life we must live before we become honorable people?

The answer, I find does not lie in a battery of actions but in the principle that we use to derive our every action. One such principle or path, I find, is well articulated as the duty of citizenship.

At the least latent level, it may seem a farce to name the duty of citizenship as capable of serving as the sole driving agent behind an honorable person, but that knee-jerk remains valid only until we fully define both duty and citizenship. Indeed, if we take citizenship to be membership in all the communities that define one's identity, the narrative self, and duty to be the sum obligations of that membership, namely obligation to engage and share in the vision and goals of the respective community, we begin to inform a proper and complete mechanism that may lead to a more dignified existence. This mechanism, as naturally follows, needs to be pinned down in three virtues, those of self-knowledge, community awareness, and consistent action.

Self-knowledge serves as the essential foundation preceding any discussion of duty. The reflective process that we employ, pondering within ourselves and seeking feedback from others, assists our recognition of membership in various communities. Leaving my office building, I may be deemed by someone standing street side as a South Asian employee at America’s Promise. My resume may reveal me as a Harvardian or, perhaps, as a Muslim. Showing up to the elections in the fall, may identify me as a Pennsylvanian and as an American. My name may tell you that I am part of the Zaidi family that emigrated from Pakistan in the early 90s. These sum identities, informed by membership in certain communities (the Zaidi family community, the American community, the Harvard Islamic community, etc.), compose a bigger picture, telling of how I and others view me, who I am.

Having understood one’s identity, as a collection of memberships, we maneuver to assign significance to those memberships. This significance is drawn from an understanding and awareness of the communities to which we belong. If one of the goals for the non-profit with which I work is to lower the national dropout rate, that goal begins to define a certain aspect of my goals and of my values. Likewise, if most of Muslims in my community find it essential to pray two rakah superogatory prayers after Maghrib, then that will likely inform my understanding of what is the right thing to do. Perhaps more importantly, however, if members of my alma mater are viewed as abrasive, I too will likely be viewed in that light. The link between identity and membership is not merely something that informs our private image but also the public perception of us. Thus, it becomes imperative that we not only recognize our memberships but also the implications of our memberships on both our personal construction of our identity and also others perception of what we stand for and who we are.

Having discerned a clear sense of identity, one ought to show integrity to that identity and its implications. However, to be able to reconcile one’s many memberships, a successful individual must establish a consistent hierarchy of which memberships take priority and in which order. That completed, the honorable individual would fulfill the duties of citizenship, deriving both values and actions, from the framework of memberships.

2006-06-29T12:20:00.000-05:00

Obama delivers a brilliant speech...I would love to hear comments:

http://obama.senate.gov/speech/060628-call_to_renewal_keynote_address/index.html

Here are some Muslim-particular highlights:

"I speak from experience here. I was not raised in a particularly religious household. My father, who returned to Kenya when I was just two, was Muslim but as an adult became an atheist. My mother, whose parents were non-practicing Baptists and Methodists, grew up with a healthy skepticism of organized religion herself. As a consequence, I did too.

It wasn't until after college, when I went to Chicago to work as a community organizer for a group of Christian churches, that I confronted my own spiritual dilemma. "

"It was because of these newfound understandings that I was finally able to walk down the aisle of Trinity United Church of Christ one day and affirm my Christian faith. It came about as a choice, and not an epiphany; the questions I had did not magically disappear. But kneeling beneath that cross on the South Side of Chicago, I felt I heard God's spirit beckoning me. I submitted myself to His will, and dedicated myself to discovering His truth.

The path I traveled has been shared by millions upon millions of Americans - evangelicals, Catholics, Protestants, Jews and Muslims alike; some since birth, others at a turning point in their lives. It is not something they set apart from the rest of their beliefs and values. In fact, it is often what drives them. "

"Because when we ignore the debate about what it means to be a good Christian or Muslim or Jew; when we discuss religion only in the negative sense of where or how it should not be practiced, rather than in the positive sense of what it tells us about our obligations towards one another; when we shy away from religious venues and religious broadcasts because we assume that we will be unwelcome - others will fill the vacuum, those with the most insular views of faith, or those who cynically use religion to justify partisan ends. "

"Moreover, given the increasing diversity of America's population, the dangers of sectarianism have never been greater. Whatever we once were, we are no longer just a Christian nation; we are also a Jewish nation, a Muslim nation, a Buddhist nation, a Hindu nation, and a nation of nonbelievers."

Barack presents interesting views on Church and State...do they align with yours?

Reflection of the past 3 weeks...

2006-06-26T14:09:00.000-05:00

It is June 26 and almost a month into the MSN program. Before I arrived to DC, I was really excited about starting the program and the meeting new people. I was at a point in my life where I really needed change. I wanted to escape the community and people who have lived among my entire life. I had reached a point where seeing the same people and doing the same old thing was not doing anything for me and I needed to escape. Well, what I have gotten from the MSN so far has already exceeded my expectations. Because I am someone who has had the same friends since middle school, I always thought it would take forever to develop a strong bond with anyone else. Well, MSN has proved me wrong. I can honestly say that I feel like everyone is the program is like family to me.

The weird thing is that I am not even the sentimental type. I have been to various summer programs in the past, but for all of them, I was always more than eager to return home by the end of it. That’s not to say that I wasn’t sad to say good-bye to the people I had met, but it was a feeling that quickly subsided once I returned home to family and friends. For some reason, I feel like MSN is different. Although, there is still another month before the programs ends, the thought of saying good-bye to everyone is really disheartening. This is the first time in my life that I have developed such strong friendships in such a short period of time. Once again, I do not think it is because we are all living together in such close proximity, because I have done that before. Rather, it is there exceptional people that I am surrounded by that make the MSN experience so special.

I have to say, I have never been so inspired and motivated to excel in every aspect of my life as I have in the last 3 weeks while in the presence of the msn speakers and interns. I wish I could take you all home with me, but alas, before i know it, it will be July 30 and I will be packing my bags to return to Canada. I guess this is where the challenge will begin for me. In a way, I am grateful that i got this opportunity right before beginning law school...i feel like having spent so much time around such highly motivated individuals gives me the energy and enthusiasm i will need to get through the first year of law school. But I am also scared that I will experience msn withdrawal when i get home.

I’m sorry for making this post so sappy, but I felt the need to express how I feel about all of you. Thanks for making this experience so memorable.

Religious Freedom

2006-06-22T17:43:00.000-05:00

As everyone knows by now, a few of us attended a panel put on by Senator Rick Santorum under the name of ‘Religious Freedom Day on Capitol Hill.’ What we experienced there and the type of rhetoric that was espoused by the speakers did not act to foster the feelings of religious freedom. While Rick Santorum feels that he is helping out religions in America and in the world through his committee and passing policy and legislation that would aid religions, there is an apparent bias mainly anti-Islam especially when it comes to international religious freedom (this was completely apparent from the choice of speakers at the panel). Issues of religious freedom are particularly of interest to me because as part of my internship with the InterFaith Conference of Metropolitan Washington D.C. I am working on the formation of the Interfaith Legislative Review Committee for Religious Liberties. This committee would seek to track and identify issues pertaining to religious freedom issues and policy that would go with those issues; but instead of approaching it from one view (i.e. the conservative Christian) we are building a committee of eleven faith groups that would work together to identify issues that would potentially affect any one religion. This cooperative manner is what Santorum lacks, by not including the diverse views; he is marginalizing religions which will ultimately hurt his objectives for religious freedom. I should not have been surprised by the tone of the panel on Tuesday but I will admit that I really was. Wafa Sultan’s speech was a slap in the face of religious freedom and inclusiveness. I finally saw first hand the bias and ignorance contained by people who seek to serve the American people. No wonder there is still so much discrimination towards Muslims in this country.

Yet another late night...

2006-06-22T14:32:00.000-05:00

...discussing too many issues to even begin touching upon them. The first discussion started with sort of a heated argument between two of the guy interns (who are actually really close) about details in Shia' creed. What was actually being debated wasn't really important or that enlightening (it was actually sort minute in the greater scheme of Muslim problems), but what I did realize was how important this difference of Shia v. Sunni is. This is all very foreign to me; a conflict that I think happens only in distant Middle Eastern countries that don't know any better (I know that sounds very condescending, but I really do think highly of the American Muslim community). But last night, it made me realize that the Shias of our group have had to deal with discrimination and rebuke their entire lives, even though they grew up in America amongst Muslim Americans. I mean, my friend A. has told me before about these kind of arguments, but I never saw them at Yale or growing up (and my parents certainly never instilled any kind of anti-Shiite sentiment in me) so I never fully accepted that these sectarian differences are very real in America. So this realization made me sort of sad, and the MSN staff tried to mitigate the situation with their "love everyone - think about the core of Islam" spiel, but I understood that was just sort of a small band-aid on a greater problem in our American Muslim Ummah. No wonder for the past three weeks, all we've been talking about in our classes is about Muslim American unity...it all sort of hit me. Of course, it was always a given for me that we should be united; I give very little credence to the differences between the various sects in Islam. But others need to hear it, and I guess it doesn't hurt me to be reminded of the importance of our unity.

The second discussion was about the level Muslims should assimilate into American society. Should we give our kids more "American-sounding" names so that they suffer less discrimination and have more doors opened for them? Should we allow our kids to celebrate Christmas (showing them the different status Jesus has in Islam) with a tree and presents, so that they can feel "normal" and feel like they "fit in"? These were just some of the questions we tackled (or could have tackled), but of course the bigger picture was about assimilation and how much. The whole night, I was arguing that America is a country that prides itself on pluralism and multiculturalism and we, as minorities, should hold America to those ideals. The idea being that my name is just as American as Elizabeth or Jennifer; my religious holidays are just as American as Easter and Christmas. The person I was mainly arguing against kept saying that I wasn't being realistic, and that there was a power structure out there that will never change. Thus the only way to move up in this country would be to assimilate into the power structure, and if that means giving our children more "normal" lives and less exotic-sounding names, than so be it. While I am still fundamentally against that notion, I feel myself sympathizing with his viewpoint more and more. I think assimilation is important to a certain extent, our American Ummah should speak English and be comfortable wearing "American-style" clothing (always keeping it modest of course). It is also true that he's older and he's had a lot of battles to fight (he said that I was young and too ideal...bah...whatever that means), so for his reality, he's making the right choices, and I respect that. I guess I am just hoping for American society to come to the point where they don't see certain aspects of my identity as foreign or un-American, but rather as part of the American cultural quilt. And if they don't see it yet, I will try my best so that later in my life or even the next generation will have that ideal become a reality.

Constituent Services

2006-06-21T12:38:00.000-05:00

Despite having to open and sort the morning mail and running throughout the three congressional buildings to gather signatures, Interns run Capitol Hill.

Everyday, there are thousands of letters pouring into my congressman's office from lobbying groups, pharmaceutical companies, human rights activists, embassies, other congressmen, President George Bush, cabinet members, and most importantly: constituents.

Constituents send letters to the Congressman's office for help regarding their medicare, social security, and immigration situations. They voice their concerns over the guestworker visa program, over the abortion debate, over the Telecom Net Neutrality bill, over the Iraqi War, over rising college education costs, over Darfur, etc.

As an intern, I am becoming more and more sympathetic, as well as more sharp and wary of my neighbors' interests and opinions. Yea, you can say that politicians do not care about the constituents because in the end they will simply support big business. From the standpoint of a person who is not involved in the political process (meaning anyone who will not even take the time to write their congressman), politics is simply a battle of the bucks.

This is not the case. Everyday I meet people back from my home state. Ordinary citizens who come all the way down from New Jersey to meet Congressman Pallone or a member of the Legislative Staff. These people care. These are the people making the change.

The moment you show someone that you care, the moment they start to feed off of you. It's easy to show someone you care when you have money. It's hard to show someone you care when you don't have money. Not all of us have the privelidge of procuring millions of dollars and dishing it out to get legislation passed. What we do have is HEART. I think it sad when Muslim people are not getting involved in influencing public policy, especially since we are supposed to work to help our community with all of our heart.

Now you might be saying, what can an intern do on the Hill. I say, a lot. I ask my Legislative Staff questions regarding bills, I try to understand the intentions and the possible effects of certain bills, and I tell them my opinion on the bills as well. Now, I am not actually the one passing the legislation, but at least my co-workers know I care. They know I care by the heart I put into reading up on legislation and writing constituent response letters.

Anyways, the point is to learn. The more I learn, the more I become a stronger role player in our democracy. Being an intern is all about learning. I realize that once I am out of this stage, I will actually be the one formulating policy. insha'Allah. I am learning how the system works. I see how big money influences politicans, and I also see how ordinary citizens influence politicians.

With Allah as my only lord, and Prophet Muhammad as his last messenger, I am aware that we live a transient life. That is what we are taught, and the more I see how everyday passes me, the more I realize that I don't want to live my life for myself. I want to live it for others. Allah put us here on earth for a reason. I feel privelidged to serve my neighbors back home in New Jersey. I want to do what I can to make their lives more at ease.

That aside, I believe government is one of the best ways of serving our community.

God knows best.

2006-06-21T01:25:00.000-05:00

In the name of Allah, the most compassionate, the most merciful/
How can this Deen, an exemplary religion of passion and justice be portrayed as so deceitful?
slaughtering dreams of the faithful/
crushin the radiance of Islam, the beautiful.

All that’s seen is the infliction of agony and pain/
And here you have the media, not doin their job, mainly airing stores to entertain.
Sitting by the edge of my front steps shaking my head, not able to do anything but complain/
ignorant fools talking vein.

Where’s the truth? why are so many innocent lives being claimed?
What’s the reason behind this all? flashbacks come to mind of explosions by a jet plane.
Irrelevant chatter being spoken on the metro train,
"who’s that mozlem sittin there", how many voices must I drain?
How many times will condalissa rice fly abroad and babble about nothing but a worthless military campaign?

Such rich history we had, distant memory in the heart of Spain,
Now all yous got are terrorists with only 1/3rd of a right brain
Cant counteract their actions, so in silence I remain?
You must be insane
If yous think imma sit on ma as$ and not protect the sincerity of my religion,
my domain.

Gender Relations and Women's Compromises: A Male Perspective

2006-06-20T13:37:00.000-05:00

In the name of Allah, most Merciful, most Compassionate,

Assalaamu alaikum wa rehmatullah. I hope everyone is in good health. In this post I am going to try to address some of the issues sister Zahreen brought up in her earlier post on Gender Relations and Women's Compromises. At the very least, it is my hope that I can provide for you my personal perspective on the institution of marriage and clarify some of the misconceptions that you might have.

Sister Zahreen, I'm not saying this as a criticism but I thought that the ideas you expressed in your post were very scattered and maybe reflected some frustration on your part at the perceived differences between men and women regarding the marriage process. You seem to believe that that men don't care much for marriage and don't spend their times obsessing over it, yet they seem to be the primary benefactors of marriage. In contrast, you claim that women spend their time obsessing over the idea of marriage and mulling it over in their head for no use, since women end up suffering as a result of marriage more than men do anyways. To address the first part of that claim, I can unquestionably say that yes, men (well Muslim men at least) do in fact spend time thinking about marriage. This encompasses not only thinking about when they'd like to get married, but also the character traits of their ideal spouse, and (dare I say) who they'd like to get married to. I have not met a young Muslim bachelor who claimed not to have thought about marriage. In fact, Muslim men are more likely than non-Muslim men to be thinking about it, since we know that it is sunnah to get married at a young age. Why one should get married at a young age is another can of worms that hopefully we can open sometime in the near future. Regarding your second point, I don't think that you can find a single Muslim scholar who will say that a natural consequence of marriage between a man and a woman is that the woman suffers. Although that may happen in reality for various reasons, that is far from the ideal that Islam has sought to achieve. Islam has placed duties and obligations in marriage on both men and women, and as long as these are fulfilled they should look forward to a happy, prosperous marriage with the blessings of Allah bestowed on them. Indeed, in the Holy Qur'an, Allah says, "And the believers, men and women, are guardians of each other; they enjoin the just and forbid the evil." [9:71]

Regarding your claim that the marriage process is the "destroyer of dreams" that women have, I have a few things to say. First, in my understanding, there is NOTHING in Islam that forbids a women from working or pursuing a career. However, there are priorities in life, and I do believe that if the pursuit of a career puts in jeapordy the proper upbringing of one' s children, it should not be undertaken. Note that this applies to both men and women. If a man's career is getting in the way of him spending time with this family and commiting emotional energy to teaching his children about Islam and showing love and affection to his wife, then he should also do his best to tailor his career so as to avoid these problems. The most worthy goal in all of our lives -- both men and women -- should be to serve Allah (s.w.t.) and obey his commandments, and this includes committing time and energy to our families and ensuring that our children are brought up with proper Islamic etiquette. This doesn't come easily and in many cases requires great sacrifices on behalf of both parents. For instance, instilling the idea of praying five times a day in your children is a difficult task (as my mother can probably attest to). An aalim once said, "If you complete your obligatory and recommended prayers, you can hope that your children will complete their obligatory prayers." This just goes to show the extra effort and sacrifice that is needed by both parents in order to instill basic fundamentals into our children. I think you don't give the men enough credit in this regard, as the task of raising children properly is, Islamically speaking, to be shared by both parents.

I am willing to acknowledge that there are certain social stigmas attached to the marriage process, however these are completely cultural and outside of the fold of Islam. For instance in desi culture I know that women are encouraged to get married very early; if they're not married by the age of 30 they are seen to be "past their prime," and hence the chances of them ever getting married become very slim. However, within our noble religion of Islam we can see how this was not the case, since we know that Bibi Khadija (a.s.) was well over the age of 30 when she married the Prophet (s.a.w.) Bibi Khadija (a.s.) is one of the most revered figures in Islamic history, and certainly one of the greatest women that has ever lived -- who are we to follow man-made customs that our families have become habituated to while living in the Indian subcontinent? This is not Islamic to say the least, and we should work to rid ourselves of this social stigma since, in my understanding, it has no basis in Islam.

I hope this post was of use to someone out there, and at the end of the day Allah knows best.

Alaikum salaam,

Your brother in Islam

"Howsoever much the faith of a man increases, his regard for women increases." --Imam Jaffar as-Sadiq (a.s.), explaining how true faith is correlated with one's regard for women

Pictures

2006-06-20T12:20:00.000-05:00

So to do a lighter post for a change and because everyone has been bugging me to put the pictures up on the blog, here are some select pictures from the past few weeks. I am doing this through event.

OPEN HOUSE:

Here is part of the open house spread; doesn't it look amazing.

MSN staff greeting people at the Open House.

MSN'ers socializing at the Open House...exactly what we should have been doing.

PICNIC:

Ali took the cake away from this adorable child, and now he is trying to take the football away... shame on you Ali.

People always look better when they appear to be thinking.

Enjoying the beautiful weather on our picnic near the Jefferson Memorial.

More pictures later...

Penne with red heavy cream sauce

2006-06-20T09:27:00.000-05:00

Due to popular demand...

Serves: apparently not enough
Approx. preparation time: 20 minutes (under normal conditions). 120 minutes (with Saira, Kourosh, Salma, Ali, and Yomna in the kitchen)

Ingredients:

1 onion
1 clove of garlic
Chili flakes
Oregano
Olive oil
Heavy Cream
Penne
Tomato sauce (NOT PASTA SAUCE!)

Recipe:

Boil pasta water, add little salt and olive oil
Boil pasta till "al dente"
Drain

In large frying pan heat olive oil on medium high heat
finely chop onions and garlic, and add to hot oil
let simmer for 2 minutes till almost golden brown.
add oregano and chili flakes
add tomato sauce
cover and let simmer for 2 minutes
uncover, and reduce heat. add very little heavy cream (to light orange color)
put heat to low and stir till desired consistency is reached

Women and Islam

2006-06-19T22:17:00.000-05:00

Women and Islam: the real deal

By: Kourosh Safavi, Senior Staff Writer

Issue date: 10/6/05 Section: Opinion

In this day and age, it's saddening to witness people basing knowledge on stereotypes while nobody takes the time to seek the truth for themselves.

Unfortunately, since 9/11, stereotyping, mainly in regard to the issue of terrorism, has targeted Islam. But with the latest developments of the new Iraqi constitution, the public is now scrutinizing women's rights in Islam.

As a Muslim, I have no problem with people criticizing the way Muslim women are treated in the so-called "Islamic States." There's no doubt some of the laws in these countries are oppressive toward women and it's completely understandable for people to think women have fewer rights in these countries. The problem lies in the fact that - out of their ignorance - the majority of people equate these laws with the teachings of Islam.

To view a religion fairly, one must judge it solely on its founder's teachings and the way it was implemented during the founder's time. It's evident throughout history that when teachings are changed and people begin to follow what others say, the original beliefs become corrupt. This misguidance is then mistaken for truth. Examples of this include the fact that Jesus never taught the doctrine of Trinity during his lifetime. It was a doctrine invented by Saint Paul and is now something regarded as the basis of Christianity. Another example is that Buddha explicitly ordered his followers to never create statues or idols of him, yet this is a practice carried out by many modern-day Buddhists.

In this regard, there seems to be a double standard toward Islam. Most of the American public doesn't consider Christianity as a religion against African-Americans because Klu Klux Klan members call themselves Christians. Nor do people believe Christianity is a religion of terrorism after Timothy McVey, a known Christian, committed the horrendous Oklahoma City bombing. Unfortunately, people don't apply this same train of thought to Islam. Because of ignorance, people don't realize the Prophet Muhammad taught his followers to value women and that Muslims are ordered by God in the Quran to do so.

It was Muhammad who emphasized the importance of women when he said, "The best of you are they who behave best to their wives."

A man once asked the Prophet, "O Messenger of God, who is the person who has the greatest right on me with regards to kindness and attention?" He said, "your mother" three times before saying "your father," according to Sahih Al Bukhari Vol. 8, Book 73, No. 2.

It's obvious from these authentic narrations that in Islam, the woman deserves an immense amount of respect and is by no means a second-class citizen. If anything, these narrations indicate women as having a higher status than men. Furthermore, in the 1600s, the Catholic Church debated whether women have souls. A thousand years prior, the Quran revealed pure equality between men and women.

Before the rise of Islam in the Arabian Peninsula, the Arabs considered women subhuman. There was no equality to men in the areas of marriage, inheritance, education, the right to own property and independent legal rights. Women were dehumanized; burying infant females became a common practice. It's safe to say pre-Islamic Arabia was one of the most unequal societies in human history.

Conversely, when Islam became the state religion, it gave women the right to inherit, to freely choose a husband and the right to own property.

In America, people feel as though Muslim women are oppressed because they wear the hijab, a garment, which covers the head and body. But nuns, who are covered from head to toe, are admired for their piety.

Americans brag about U.S. freedoms and how they are unmatched by any nation, but the idea of male/female equality is relatively new. The truth is, the most oppressed women in the world are the ones living here. Americans treat women merely as sexual objects of men's desire. From an early age, young girls are taught it's OK to reveal their body because it's socially acceptable. For women, the concept of being accepted for good character has been completely washed away by societal "values" our country has developed. I find it interesting that so many feel as though Islam is a religion that oppresses the rights of women when Islam is the fastest growing religion in America and the world, and the majority of American converts are women.

Next time the media or those around you tell you something about women's rights in Islam, do yourself a favor and seek the truth yourself. Who knows, you could be enlightened.

-Kourosh Safavi is a journalism junior and sports senior staff writer for The Daily Aztec.

Gender Relations and Women's Compromises

2006-06-19T08:39:00.000-05:00

So a certain someone has been bugging us to post...so here's a post from my own blog, and maybe it can spur some discussion on the blog.

I am so tired today at work with little motivation to do anything. The reason is that I went to sleep very late. Why, you might ask, did I have to go to sleep so late? First clarification, I didn't HAVE to go to sleep late, but I was compelled to by the conversation that was going on between three of the guys and three of the girls. It was about how girls and guys relate to each other, the process of finding someone to marry, and then how you keep that relationship going. First of all, I can't stand these conversations, because so often girls have been indoctrinated with their parents cultural baggage masquerading as religious obligations. Guys, of course, are sitting easy, because their "religious obligation" doesn't sacrifice their dreams, their happiness, and their identity. Why is it that marriage is so important to girls? Is it that important to guys? I haven't had enough Muslim guy friends to know and ask them, but it certainly isn't the concern of most non-Muslim men, especially in college.

What is it about the Muslim culture that makes it obsessed with the institution of marriage? Is it because as a Americans we see it crumbling around us? Or is it because we are all lonely people, who can't deal with the deafening silence? I don't understand, because I personally don't see marriage as all it's cracked up to be. I guess my parents never told me that I had to get married, so I don't see it as my duty or a good and necessary thing for me. I never cared about what the "community" would think of me if I wasn't married by 30, and no one ever should. That doesn't mean I don't think people should stop getting married and have children out of wedlock. I DO NOT believe that the family structure is useless, but I do believe that its useless when you live in a dysfunctional household. I never want to see either of my parents unhappy, and it's not good for the kids or the couple to live in misery. WHY IS DIVORCE SO TABOO? It's there for a reason, and it's not a bad thing, if the relationship isn't functional for either person. Why should a women live in misery for the sake of some theoretical institution that is not benefiting her the way that it should? Do men do that? I am not asking that question rhetorically, but because I really don't know or understand. Sometimes I wish I could be a fly on the wall at the guys house for my gender's enlightenment...

Bridging the Divide

2006-06-15T15:07:00.000-05:00

The connate gap between the world of academia and the world of public policy seems to have always proven itself to be an obstacle for any leadership attempting to effectively address pressing issues. Scholars, at least in the eyes of those in government, are viewed as too quixotic; hiding in the ivory tower of academia, too detached from the reality of the world to assume any position of relevance. While politicians, on the other hand, are believed by many to be so caught up in the realpolitik of governance that not a moment is given to actually understanding the intricate world that they lead. Unfortunately, there rarely arises a common medium in which both these methods of influence can work together to form sophisticated, yet pragmatic policies to address the most important problems of today. However, in February of this year, a conference was held by the Brookings institute in Doha, Qatar, which I believe successfully broke with this unhealthy pattern of separating decisive action from careful planning. The conference, US-Islamic World Forum, brought together over 160 American and Muslim world leaders from the fields of politics, business, media, academia, and civil society to discuss how to create and implement effective measures to address the growing rift between the U.S. and the Islamic world. At a time when the tension between the West and the Islamic community is at a level comparable to the Cold War, it is extremely important that decision makers from all levels of society come together to act as catalysts for positive development.

One need only to look at the news of these past few months to realize the scope, severity, and most importantly, the dangerously capricious nature of this emerging problem. From the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, to the Iraq and Afghanistan wars, and even to the present nuclear tensions with Iran, it is easy to see how fanatics on all sides are capitalizing on the "Clash of Civilizations" sentiments. On the cultural front too, there seems to be an abhorrent lack of understanding and education; illustrated case-in-point with the Danish cartoon riots and the "Westoxification" rhetoric of some Islamic religious leaders.

However, amongst some scholars and religious and political leaders there is finally a nascent understanding that the complexity of the issue extends far beyond a depthless "war on terror" ideology, or a blame-colonialism mentality. With conferences like the US-Islamic World Forum and other similar projects undertaken at the Saban Center for Mid-East Policy in the Brookings Institute, rational and pragmatic policy is not just being developed, but helped executed as well. But one undertaking in particular, Bridging the Divide, which is spearheaded by Non resident Fellow at the institute, Dr. Muqtedar Khan, has gained my acclaim and admiration. It’s a project that I have singled out in particular because I so firmly believe in its premise; that the greatest tool that our government can have in fighting terror, maintaining stability and creating good relations with the Muslim world, is its own Muslim-American population.

~

In my experience, it seems that for many American-Muslims, their own personal struggles against ignorance and political regression is being waged on two separate fronts, one with their own government and the other within their own communities. That is not to say that either one is intrinsically hostile to the moderate Muslim population, but rather, that the road to achieving a greater deal of acceptance and assimilation into American society is being temporarily blocked by their weak and faulty relationship to each.

Since the first influx of Muslims into the U.S. in the 1960’s, American-Muslims have been struggling to develop a proper sense of identity and community amongst themselves. As Dr. Khan so appropriately put it in his 2003 article, Putting the American in 'American Muslim'; “Muslims in America. American Muslims. The difference between these two labels may seem a matter of semantics, but making the transition from the first to the second represents a profound, if somewhat silent, revolution that many of us in the Muslim community have been undergoing in the two years since Sept. 11.” This idea of a transition of identity within the community is crucial because it is part of a larger theme that must be addressed if Muslims are to function effectively in society. That theme is the historical notion of a unified Muslim “Ummah” (or community) and specifically the implications this has for policy making within the American-Muslim community. Some important issues affected by this concept include political agendas and participation, voting patterns, financial integration and public education, to name a few. The Muslim community, and more importantly its leadership, needs to come to terms with the fact that, although Muslim immigrants from many different countries can come together and identify themselves as one Muslim Ummah, to treat and lead them as such (at least in the U.S.) would be a great mistake.

Since we can safely assume that of the five to seven million Muslims living in the U.S. today, all are not exactly alike, it should logically follow that their personal motives, agendas and influences are not particularly homogenized either. The first step any leader—be they religious or political—needs to take in order to foster an environment conducive to Muslim participation in society, is understanding the different forces at play in shaping the minds of American-Muslims. Different Muslims have different ideas of legitimacy in the leadership of the community. For example some may derive their sense of unity, pride, and strength in local institutions such as Islamic community centers, Mosques and Muslim Schools. These Muslims can be just as influential and helpful in shaping the future of America as any political lobbyist in Washington; they just need to be helped in the right way. Others however, may think more nationally in their understanding of the Muslim community and draw their sense of direction from organizations like CAIR, MPAC or ISNA. It should also be mentioned that this group includes important endeavors like the American Muslim Group on Policy Planning (AMGPP), which seeks to pull Muslims onto the American political bandwagon. Finally, there are still others who think on the international scale, very attached to that sense of a global Ummah or their own native cultures and the agendas of their respective countries of origin. But it should be noted, however, that these categories are not mutually exclusive. In fact most Muslims probably find themselves overlapping in some regard or another, and this should be used in bridging the gap between Muslims and their government at all levels.

If any events of the last few years can best detail this, it would be the Muslim participation in the 2000 and 2004 presidential elections. Two important points in particular can be extracted from their missteps: one being the methods of political leadership in making the Muslim community a significant player on the national stage, and the other being the necessity to reshape and expand the agenda of the community on a whole. In his 2004 article American Muslims and the Politics of Block Voting, Dr. Muqtedar Khan addresses two problems with the block voting used by the Muslim community in 2000 and 2004. First, the usage of block voting is antithetical to the spirit of American democracy and suppresses the ability for the Muslim community to develop its own natural voice and direction in influencing policy. Second, and possibly more importantly, its usage will discourage any meaningful long-term relationship from developing between the Muslim community and the political parties, effectively keeping the community as a permanent outsider. All this is very important in trying to bring Muslims into public life, and it is crucial that Muslim leaders understand this. The latent philosophy (often too common within major Muslim political groups) that it is necessary to portray a sense of unity over anything else is harmful in the long run. Organizations such as CAIR, ISNA or ICNA should tell local communities how to make their votes more effective, not how to vote.

The other important facet that should be addressed in the current Muslim political culture is it’s “one-track” mindset when it comes to American policy. More needs to be done to bring ordinary Muslims into all facets of American life, not just those areas concerning foreign policy. If the Muslim community can be allowed to have legitimacy as being a true part of this country, they have to show that they have just as much a stake in their town’s school-board vote on after-school recreation as they do in the war in Iraq. However, this obligation is not just limited to American-Muslims; just as Muslims are trying to push from the outside to enter the field of public policy, American leadership should try to pull Muslims into it.

The Dubai-port deal, and the subsequent political fallout over the past few weeks, is a perfect example of the obstacles necessary to overcome in order to create a more inclusive political and socio-economic culture in America. Although on the surface this may seem like a purely international affair that US lawmakers and DP World in the UAE must work out, upon closer analysis this standoff between America’s true economic and foreign policy interests and it’s troubled political culture of xenophobic and hawkish demagogues, is a case-in-point of why the current administration is very ineffective in developing relations with the Muslim world, let alone its own Muslim population.

Adam Smith once remarked, “It is not from the benevolence of the butcher, the brewer, or the baker that we expect our dinner, but from their regard to their own interests.” In essence, what unifies people of various social, political and economics backgrounds is not so much an allegiance to any moral or humanitarian code, or even in some cases nationalistic pride, but instead common interests. This theory was probably best exemplified by our first secretary of treasury Alexander Hamilton when, in 1790, he set up the first national bank and issued government savings bonds to pay off the national debt after the war. His rational was that this act of selling savings bonds would not just restore credit to the nation, but also ensure that the “aristocracy of wealth and talent” would have a stake in the young democracy and therefore do all they could to help it.

This illustrates the point on so many levels, that if a government can show the beneficial relationship Muslims all over the world have with America, it would not only ease the tensions in the region, but actually benefit itself as well. The Dubai-port deal is the perfect opportunity for the US economy to give Muslims nations a stake in its economy, and thus a stake in its future. If the United States government is willing to give up stability in the region for democracy and free-trade, then it must also be willing to give up its “Clash of Civilizations” mentality and bring the Islamic world into the US social network. One way of doing this, as Dr. Khan points out in many of his publications, is to use the American-Muslim community for more than just damage control. The increased efforts by the Bush administration in reaching out to the Muslim community are promising (specifically with the usage of Karen Hughes as more than just a public diplomat), but nonetheless should be seen as just the beginning.

This is where the Muslim Student Network steps in. Now I claim to represent no one but myself when I say this, but who else other than a Muslim intern working in a think-tank in Washington could better fill such an important role? And being such a person, I welcome the position! Preferably it is I as the spokesperson for my faith, instead of some Mullah in London with yellow teeth and one bad eye. Preferably the writer of the next briefing report for Brookings’ analysis on the US-policy towards the Middle East is yours-truly, instead of some crackpot D-Pippy (Daniel Pipes) wannabe. Sometimes I wish it wasn’t me… then other times I thank Allah it is.

~

Involvement in US policymaking and the study of political science is something that I see myself enjoying the rest of my life. Participating in exciting endeavors such as the Bridging the Divide Project and MSN, I believe, is the first step I can take to not only acting on some of my life-long passions in the field of social science, but help become a force for change and progress as well. Long overdue projects such as this one are the future in not just creating a better life for the American-Muslim community, but all American citizens as well.

I remember reading a quote once by John Adams, a man whose intellect and reason I admire greatly:
“The science of government it is my duty to study, more than all other sciences; the arts of legislation and administration and negotiation ought to take the place of, indeed exclude, in a manner, all other arts. I must study politics and war, that our sons may have liberty to study mathematics and philosophy. Our sons ought to study mathematics and philosophy, geography, natural history and naval architecture, navigation, commerce and agriculture in order to give their children a right to study painting, poetry, music, architecture, statuary, tapestry and porcelain.”

Whether as an ambassador to the United Nations, a fellow at a national think-tank, a top congressional aid or a political consultant, I know I would have achieved both my professional and personal goals in establishing the building blocks of a world where my children will not have the same social and spiritual dilemma’s I struggle with. I know when all is said and done, when I have accomplished what I set out to do and when I talk to my grown son, I can take full satisfaction in comfortably being able to tell him to avoid his fathers toil and major in fashion (yes I said fashion).

Freedom and Service

2006-06-14T00:11:00.000-05:00

In America, the hallmark of our state is the freedom of our citizens. Indeed, we draw our greatness from our liberty. Thus in many ways, freedom and liberty have come to define our creed. Unfortunately, for such a central principle, such a defining charge, we, as Americans, often fail to devote anything beyond the slightest energy in understanding this notion and these words.

Whenever we do something, we normally expect a reaction. When we step off a teeter-totter, we expect our friend to fall off the other end. When we light the stove, we expect the tea kettle to whistle. Yet when we accept freedom in to our lives, when we insert freedom in to our creed, we do not even look twice to observe a reaction, to decipher our responsibility.

Every school-age child can probably can complete the canon "with great power, comes great responsibility," yet most of our fellow citizens today, perhaps even we, will fail to see that freedom and liberty are that very power. Our failure, though, does not simply leave us unempowered, ultimately, it impedes the progress of our society. For society to move forward, we must each, individually, recognize both the power of our freedom and shoulder the burden that accompanies that freedom--for the progress of our society, we must all complete the responsibility of service.

As American Muslims, we ought to find this to be a particularly relevant charge, as public service stands at the heart of both our nationality and our faith. Not only are being American and being Muslim not conflicting values, we know them to be multiplying identities. At the end of the day, we recognize that both authors of our narritive, both facets of our creed, bless us with a freedom that we must honor with our service.

MSN group picture

2006-06-13T21:01:00.000-05:00