to download as a PDF.

A VOICE FOR MUSLIM YOUTH

ISSUE 3 | MAY 2015

MICRO ACHIEVEMENTS LOST ON MACRO AMBITIONS | AGENCY OF MESSAGE | HONESTLY – WHY VOLUNTEER?

AcceptanceUnity&

In the name of God, the most Merciful, the most Compassionate.

As-salamu alaykum – peace be with you.

WELCOME TO YOUTHINK, a volunteer-led work in progress, run by young Muslims, which expands upon a previous web-format incarnation of the same name. Based in Sydney, this initiative aims to facilitate discussion amongst young Muslims across Australia generally and Sydney specifically.

This edition focusses on unity and acceptance. Although the theme was decided a while ago, it has become an increasingly important issue today in light of the Charlie Hedbo incident.

Our first cover story by Shaykh Coruhlu explores the importance and effects of interfaith activities in a deep and meaningful manner. It discusses the importance of spirituality and appropriate platforms for interfaith dialogue.

The next cover, by our very own Mr. Rachwani, draws from the inaugural Sydney Muslim Conference to assess where the community is at and how we can move forward. He highlights the importance of ‘elevating the discourse’ and shows optimism for the Australian Muslim Community.

Our remaining two feature articles have a distinct focus on volunteering and its purpose. We believe that volunteers are like the fabric of the community. These articles draw from reflections and prophetic teachings to show how we can help enrich the tapestry of our community.

We hope you enjoy the third edition of the Youthink Magazine.

We are excited to announce that we will be featuring guest editors in the coming editions. Watch this space for the next release.

Please forward all your feedback and comments to [email protected] so that, as a community, we can make this magazine bigger and better.

All the intro stuff

Deputy Editor: FARIZA FATIMA

Editor: KHODR GHANTOUS

F R O M T H E E D I T O R S

CONTRIBUTORS

Publisher: Lebanese Muslim Association

Editor: Khodr Ghantous

Deputy Editor: Fariza Fatima

Managing Director: Sahar Dandan

Editorial Consultant: Mostafa Rachwani

Designer: Anita Martins

The views expressed in this magazine are not necessarily those of the publisher.

© Copyright 2014 Youthink, LMA, 71-75 Wangee Road, Lakemba, Sydney, NSW, 2195 Tel: (02) 9750 6833

www.lma.org.au

/Lebanese.Muslim.Association

Enass Rachwani

Sh Soner Coruhlu

Tooba Anwar

Sidi Aftab Malik Sara Saleh

Lael Kassem Laila Ibrahim

Nav K. Samir

Mostafa Rachwani Tasneem Chopra

Safia Marabani Abdul Lazki

Abdi Malik Osman Mariam Metwally

Contents

Y O U T H I N K M A G A Z I N E _ M A Y 2 0 1 5

Regulars

On the cover20 Micro Achievements lost

on Macro Ambitions

26 Agency of Message

FEATURE: WHAT KIND OF WORLD DO WE LIVE IN?

02 Honestly- Why Volunteer?

06 Why volunteering is important?

BOOK REVIEWS

08 Spotlight Book Reviews

10 Top Reads

REFLECTIONS

12 SMC From a Volunteer’s Eyes

MEANWHILE, ELSEWHERE …

16 In Praise of the Beloved of Allah

LIFE DOWN UNDER

30 Fashion and Faith: The Curated Gent in Modest Fashion, is it even a thing?

34 The Green Din: Prophetic medicine and food for healing

36 Gadgets and Technology: Samsungs Downfall

40 Movie review: Response to Captain Phillips

FOODIES

44 Ungaro Raw

THE SAGE, SAINT, AND THE SCHOLAR

46 The Secrets of Asceticism

444030

20

WHYH O N E S T LY -

02 F E A T U R E W H A T K I N D O F W O R L D D O W E L I V E I N ?

It’s a Saturday night, 6:30pm to be exact. You wipe your sweaty palms

against your black skirt, thanking God for the colour choice. Your brand

new blue scarf is itchy against your cheek but you avoid scratching

because one movement could ruin the entire structure you had

meticulously pinned to avoid having to worry about it during the night.

BY ENASS RACHWANI

Why is no one here yet? Why do people have a punctuality problem? Why are you here? A question you ask yourself as

a swarm of black shirts and blue scarves scurry past you, escaping for a last-minute coffee. You are a volunteer. Whether it’s a charity event, a conference, a lecture, a promotional dinner, a Q&A session or a performance night, you are always there and you always ask yourself the same question. Why are you here? Would you not benefit more had you paid the $50 ticket price? Would you not benefit more if you were in that hall, listening to the lecture, asking questions and hearing others answered? Why are you taking down emails, scanning tickets, guarding ticket money and pointing the bathrooms and exits out to people?

You hear footsteps; you grasp the pen sitting on the table in front of you and flatten out the perfectly designed registration sheet, ready to be filled. Finally, people are here, you can stop thinking about all the ways in which you could improve your Saturday night.

It’s a false alarm; you drop the pen in disappointment and cave, itching the side of your cheek. It was just the sweaty mess that is the event manager, ushering the MC who has finally arrived, half an hour after the event’s start

time, into the hall. Thanking God you’re not an event manager, you turn around and plaster a smile onto your face, ready to greet attendees.

Dictionary.com defines a volunteer as someone who performs a service without pay and willingly. In the Australian Muslim community, being a volunteer usually involves dressing in modest uniform. It means standing in line with people of the same sex. Volunteering usually involves pre-event meetings with panicked event managers, trying to squish all the planning they can into the two weeks before the event. They run through the entire event and allocate roles and by the end of the meeting the organisers seem calmer, the sweat patches have dried and they’re speaking at a socially acceptable tone and speed. Nothing they strategise during this meeting actually happens on the day of the event. This makes for a repeat sighting of the sweat patches and volunteers awkwardly standing around in shiny new scarves. The manager tornadoes around trying to fix all the things she had only anticipated in the back of her head but dismissed because people can’t be that ridiculously late and hard to work with… but they are.

The concept of delegation goes out the window. You, in that moment, only exist because you made the manager feel better while planning

VOLUNTEER ?

03Y O U T H I N K M A G A Z I N E _ M A Y 2 0 1 5

the event. Right now, your questions are annoying and burdensome. Go act like you’re hanging something up.

The event begins, the attendees arrive, the MC throws her notes away and decides to ad-lib to an itinerary that’s changed five times in that afternoon alone. The organiser is now in a sweat-stain free blue scarf (thank God we bought 50!) and the volunteers are in place. You are one of three women on a registration table across from three men on the other side of the foyer. More volunteers stand at the door and they usher the people who have registered into the venue, because telling them ‘you’re at table 50’ or ‘straight in to your left’ is simply too difficult to understand. Your job is to tell people that tickets sold out three weeks ago and won’t be sold at the door (ignoring that this was previously posted on the Facebook event and organisation page along with the website). Your job is to tell people prayer will be at 8:05, as it says on the itineraries placed on each table. You job is to show people where the bathrooms are.

Despite these seemingly futile tasks, volunteering is rarely easy and can be a very negative experience. Event managers can be impolite, which is understandable, as planning events and managing projects, usually a team-of-four job, is given to one person. In saying this, the pressure they are under shouldn’t impact their interactions with the people helping them out and yet, occasionally it does. Attendees can be rude, demanding last-minute tickets or better seats and co-volunteers can be cliquey.

Trying to find motivated, enthused volunteers for events and programmes has become a

We might also volunteer because it makes us feel good. It can be fun; you get to work with your friends for a night, people thank you profusely, they make dua for you and tell you you’re doing an awesome job.


difficult task as a result of this. We all have that one friend who was so thoroughly mistreated or overused as a volunteer that they’ve sworn to never involve themselves in the Muslim community again. A lot of volunteers have been burnt out. The pressure on event and project officers is now twofold, meaning they have to run the event and also treat volunteers fairly and kindly, to ensure they do not alienate them and therefore prevent them from volunteering in future.

This all sounds very horrible. Why would anyone agree to do any of this and not get paid for it? Why do we volunteer?

Is it because you feel sorry for your event manager friend? The one calling you in a teary frenzy, asking you to change your Facebook profile picture to promote the event and sell tickets at your workplace. You oblige and swear never to become an event manager.

Or maybe it’s because you’re guaranteed more exposure to the opposite sex than an attendee forced to sit on the opposite side of the room (at times, a curtain exists between the genders). Let’s face it. Events are a good place to meet a potential future spouse because you already know they’re Muslim and can find out as much as possible about them through their cousin’s husband’s best friend, who is also the volunteer coordinator’s sister-in-law. This may not be a primary reason for volunteering, but is usually an added bonus for those single and seeking like-minded practising Muslims.

We might also volunteer because it makes us feel good. It can be fun; you get to work with your friends for a night, people thank you profusely, they make dua for you and tell you you’re doing an awesome job. You don’t usually get to eat during the event, but you eventually receive a free meal. You get to go home feeling physically and spiritually satisfied.

Volunteering is a spiritual experience for many. For the majority of Australian Muslims seeking philanthropic pursuits outside their clerical, corporate or retail day jobs, volunteering and working within the Muslim community fulfils this desire. It’s their sadaqa, it’s their way of going to

sleep feeling like they’ve had a direct, positive impact on at least one soul.

Another reason we – and I am especially guilty of this – volunteer is because time and effort are the only resources we have the capacity to donate. As a university student, a $50 ticket to a charity event is half a week’s income. Wanting to give charity but not wanting to be completely broke is a frustrating catch 22 for most university and high school students and it’s the main reason volunteers are aged anywhere between 14 and 25.

My speculations as to the reasoning for our suggested selflessness can continue, but the speculations are all trivial. The foundational

basis for volunteering is, essentially, for the sake of Allah SWT. We were raised to help people, not to ask for repayment or to see favours as attached to a stub stipulating a return value. Islamic principles express giving, they don’t reflect taking: “Allah is helping the servant as long as the servant is helping his brother.” People may have distanced themselves from the community because of negative experiences, but they are a minority when compared to the innumerable community elders and youths who continue to volunteer their time to plan, orchestrate and facilitate social cohesion events and projects.

The foundational basis for volunteering is, essentially, for the sake of Allah SWT. We were raised to help people, not to ask for repayment...

05Y O U T H I N K M A G A Z I N E _ M A R C H 2 0 1 5

It was asked, “What about one who does not have (the means) to do so?” He said, “Then let him assist the needy, the aggrieved.” It was asked, “What do you say of one who cannot

even do this?” He said, “Then he should enjoin what is reputable or what is good.” He asked, “What if he cannot do that?” He (the Prophet) said, “He should then abstain from evil, for verily that is charity on his behalf.”

1 Giving charity is such an important part of Islam that even the Arabic word tasaddaqa

(to give charity) comes from the root sadaqa, meaning to speak the truth, to be sincere. Sadaqah (voluntary charity) is different from zakah, the compulsory alms that are collected every year.

2 A Muslim sees serving people as an extension of serving Allah (SWT). Personally

I’m not the most well-equipped person to write on this topic. Maybe someone like Sean Penn, Angelina Jolie or even the most humble Bono should have written this article. But here we are; whether you see volunteering as an act of charity or an obligation for living on his earth, its benefits are limitless.

3 Despite its selfless nature, volunteering has a few personal benefits too. On a selfish

level, volunteering is actually good for you. It has been shown to be a great way to reduce

stress. It allows people to feel more optimistic if they are aware that they are proactively involved in solving issues they care about. Due to the plethora of charities out there, there is definitely bound to be one tailored to your sense of activism. You might be interested in animal welfare, cancer research funding or human rights. There are always volunteers needed to maintain the backbone of organisations dealing with these important matters.

4 Volunteering also helps us to recognise our own strengths and weaknesses and it

allows us to grow as people. It helps our sense of empathy flourish and allows us to realise our significance as people who are responsible for the betterment of our world. Stuart Rees can be quoted saying, “To be in touch with your humanity is to be outraged by injustice, because the alternative is to be indifferent.” What injustice are you outraged by? What can you do?

5 Volunteering is also a great way to test out a potential career and it makes for quite an

impressive addition to your résumé. The path to many careers can be instigated with an initial involvement in organisations, where you are able to contribute in areas of your strength and grow in areas where you may have struggled. It is possible that you yourself are able to work for that organisation in a paid position later on, whilst still being able to help others. If you

VOLUNTEERING IS IMPORTANTThe Prophet said, “Giving charity is obligatory upon each Muslim.”

It was asked, “What do you say of him who does not find (the

means) to do so?” He said, “Let him do manual work, thus doing

benefit to himself and give charity.”

BY TOOBA ANWAR

WHY


VOLUNTEERING IS IMPORTANTare interested in other career pathways, you are able to begin with things such as online advertising for organisations, writing articles for magazines within the organisation, helping with the management of events or conferences and so on.

6 It further helps strengthen one’s own community when working with members

who you wouldn’t normally get a chance to meet with. It is also a great opportunity to give back to the community by helping those who are less privileged than the majority. A sense of community is important for oneself as it helps elicit a sense of unity and a sense of harmony.

A few months ago in late June, I ventured off on a service trip to Broken Hill, in rural New South Wales. I went there to work with the Indigenous community and help out as best I could. On arrival I was instructed by the head organiser to do some gardening and help plant some vegetables in their veggie patches. These veggie patches would then provide some small amounts of supplementary food later on in the year. There were also a lot of banal jobs that needed to be done: we organised their garage and shed area, did some cleaning and even helped restore their youth hostels by replacing bedding and installing some new window furnishings. At the time it felt so insignificant and

“ You give but little when you give of your possessions. It is when you give of yourself that you truly give.” – Khalil Gibran

unimportant; here I was 1088km from home, ready to volunteer and make a difference and they had asked me to do jobs I would reluctantly complete at home.

An aspect of volunteering which I never expected to learn was that it was completely humbling (ironic as it is myself professing how humble I am in a published article). I soon realised that volunteering wasn’t the huge task I thought it to be in my head. It is important to realise as individuals that it is in fact the little acts of charity and the efforts to complete mundane jobs which provide the basis for larger organisations to operate.

“ The believers, in their mutual mercy, love and compassion, are like a (single) body; if one part of it feels pain, the rest of the body will join it in staying awake and suffering fever.” (Bukhari)

If we are of the ‘haves’ and not of the ‘have nots’, then we should spend our wealth and time to the betterment of all humanity. We are unaware of how much time we have and of how much wealth we shall attain.

The Prophet said, “Take advantage of five matters before five other matters: your youth, before you become old; your health, before you fall sick; your wealth, before you become poor; your free time before you become busy; and your life, before your death.”

And that’s why volunteering is not only important, but a necessity and a necessity for the functioning of the world in the 21st century. Finding a reason to get started isn’t all that difficult; all that is needed is your time and your willingness to help.

“ Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.” (Margaret Mead)

07Y O U T H I N K M A G A Z I N E _ M A R C H 2 0 1 5

HOW DOES ONE write simple enough for young adults to grasp an understanding of the complex, often seemingly contradictory world of Islam while at the same time retain scholarly integrity? Well, one could well start by reading The Islamic World, a work comprising of three digestible volumes, carrying incisive entries in an easy to read format. At a time when publications and experts on Islam have exploded, these volumes are a welcome contribution in discussing Islamic history and contribution to world civilisation. The layout of the book is such that the reader isn’t overwhelmed by information. Pictures are used to break up the text and key words in the entries are explained in the margins. Key facts also feature prominently in the margins that drill down on specifics from the main entry.

Imagining myself as a young adult or someone curious to learn about Islam and Muslims in a post 9/11 environment, my fingers eagerly traced their ways to the entries on “Jihad” “Terrorism” and “Suicide”. The entry on Jihad explains that it refers to “battles within themselves or to efforts to improve the Islamic community”. A fair opening fact I thought. While not reducing itself into an apologetic commentary, focusing simply on jihad of the naffs (which, incidentally, is only mentioned in the passing) it focuses upon the military aspect, discussing the historical as well as modern understanding and application. The reader is informed that “since the 1800s” there has been a number of “competing interpretations”, some of which have served to be models for contemporary expressions of jihad, namely that as exposed by al-Qa‘ida.

In the entry for “terrorism” we are told that the earliest terrorists were the khawarij and the Assassins. Noting clearly that the methods of terrorists do not reflect the message of the Qur’an, it notes the frustration of terrorists vented at American presence and their support for autocratic and corrupt regimes in the Muslim lands. The point is that it does not assert that modern manifestations of terrorism are due to simply hating the West for existing as it is but suggests to reader possible causes of this disease. The discussion concludes with a brief examination on how various groups have understood Qur’anic verses (namely “the verse of the Sword”) to justify their actions.

“Suicide” explains the entry, is “prohibited in Islam”, and perhaps it was because of the clear injunctions concerning it that provoked so little discussion throughout the centuries. However, with the aim of fighting against colonialism and searching for a new paradigm to restore Islam’s “honour”, the discussion around suicide, we are told, attracted great debate from the 19th century. Used as a tool in waging a jihad “against injustice [and] foreign oppression”, these (fundamentalist?) revivalists shed the stigma that suicide carried as being a sin and actually argued that it would allow one to become a martyr. A complete shift in understanding from the sunni medieval theologians.

By reading these three entries together, the young reader should be able to join the dots and understand that Islamic orthodoxy rests upon authority and shuns vigilantism. In the 1800s, the Muslim world looked to reform as the best way of freeing themselves of the colonialists.

Spotlight Book Review

THE ISLAMIC WORLD: THE PAST AND PRESENT

BY ESPOSITO, J. L. (ED.)

08 B O O K R E V I E W S

These reformist tendencies were diverse, as were their understandings at how resistance was best achieved. Jihad was soon used as an anti-imperialistic struggle and a century later, suicide was justified as a means to gain the status of a martyr.

It would be unfair to simply focus my review on these entries, but, I did so assuming they would be among the most popular entries to be looked at along with “Taliban” and “Wahhabi” who incidentally, do not fare well. While it is noted that the former brought security to the roads and disarmed the general population, they are described as believing that the control and exclusion of women “from the public sphere was the hallmark of a truly Islamic society”. They were also noted as having limited education and being “influenced by Wahhabi puritanical tendencies”.

“Israel”, another hot topic entry provides a good historical overview, by explaining that the “battle” between the Arab and Jews isn’t a historical one, but one that is decades (rather than centuries) old and fought by the Jews “who consider the land to be theirs by virtue of God’s will” and the Palestinians “who inhabited the territory for decades”. (The entry on the “Arab-Israeli conflict” is more specific explaining that “Zionist leaders convinced the British government that Palestine was a ‘land without people’ to justify the creation of Israel”. It was not long after that the U.N had given 55% of the land to the Jews who only comprised 1/3 of the population, that war erupted). The problem with this entry is in its last paragraph insensitively called “Difference of opinion” which describes the inequalities faced by the Arabs under occupation. While describing Israel as a democracy, the entry asserts that Israeli Arabs suffer from high poverty rates and unemployment. That is true, but these are the least of their worries. For example, there is no mention that the U.N Human Rights Commission has actually condemned Israel for committing crimes against humanity in relation to the continuing human rights abuse of the Palestinians – supposedly protected people. Focusing on unemployment I feel does not depict what (sub)standards the Palestinians are having to endure.

The encyclopaedia offers excellent entries with considerable detail given their brevity, on what Islam has contributed to the world, as well as gaining a fundamental understanding of key issues, concepts and historical events. As one could expect, the three volumes offer good biographies of Muslim figures from the Prophet Muhammad (Allah bless him and grant him peace) to al-Ghazali, Abu ‘ala Mawdudi and to Jameela Maryam. There is also a very interesting entry on Literature. Young readers would be surprised to learn that not only is the best selling poet in the US a Muslim mystic who had died over 700 years ago, but is also the very same Muslim who has inspired the songs of “Madonna, Demi Moore and Martin Sheen”. Of course, we are talking about Mawlana Jalal al-din al-Rumi. As one would assume, Muslim influence upon the Western world was not simply restricted

to poetry and literature but extended to food, drink, clothing language, architecture, science and law (etc) as this book aptly informs the inquisitive reader.

In my mind, no compromise has been made between brevity and authoritativeness of the entries. The only concern that I have is over its price. Prohibitively high at £200 (with the scholarly, The Oxford Encyclopaedia of the Modern World 4 Vols., 1904 pages also edited by John L. Esposito costing only £107.50) it almost guarantees that few individuals are likely to purchase this welcomed and valuable source of information on the Muslim world.

BY SIDI AFTAB MALIK

...the young reader should be able to join the dots and understand that Islamic orthodoxy rests upon authority and shuns vigilantism.


No Category

BRAVE NEW WORLD – 1932

BY ALDOUS HUXLEY

IN A WARPED world far in the future, the world controllers in this book have created what they believe to be the ideal society. They have mastered the use of genetic engineering and with this all members of society are highly brainwashed and are kept constantly at bay by the mass consumption of drugs and daily recreational sex from a young age.

This book has such a great impact on the reader because it was written in 1932 and it allows the reader to also assess where they are now and make comparisons with what has occurred already, as it seems foreshadowed by the story. Many of the things in the book which appear to be utterly outrageous are actually happening today and are deemed normal.

Furthermore, what it brings to the forefront is just how controlled, manipulated and moulded by society we all are. We all follow the same, old, routine life.

I recommend this book to open the mind and invite self-reflection.

BY LAILA IBRAHIM

Many of the things in the book which appear to be utterly outrageous are actually happening today and are deemed normal... I recommend this book to open the mind and invite self-reflection.

Book Reviews

OUR TOP

READS FOR

MAY

10 B O O K R E V I E W S

No Category

LIVING ISLAM WITH PURPOSE

BY DR. UMAR FARUQ ABD-ALLAH

THIS BOOK AIMS to give the audience a deeper understanding of Islam in order to achieve excellence for Muslim Americans, but the ideas portrayed in this book can be applied to any Muslim living in Western countries.

It goes into detail about the five major objectives of Islamic law, but the majority of the book examines the core maxims:

• Matters will be judged by their purposes

• Certainty will not be overturned by doubt

• Harm must be removed• Hardship must be alleviated• Custom has the weight of law

This book gives a different perspective on minority Muslims living in Western countries and it’s an eye opener to many ideas and legislative rulings. These maxims are not just guidelines, rather they embody the essential spirit of the religion. Muslim scholars believe the five maxims constitute a concise summation of everything Islam represents. The core maxims are a great foundation upon which to build a strong Islamic community presence that will last into the future.

BY LAEL KASSEM

Category: Politics / History / Religion

ISLAM AND THE MYTH OF CONFRONTATION: RELIGION AND POLITICS IN THE MIDDLE EAST

BY FRED HALLIDAY

THIS IS A DETAILED, analytical and contextually appropriate critique of the ‘Clash of Civilisations’ rhetoric that has taken a strong foothold in the post 9/11 world. Halliday provides an intelligent and balanced approach to what is sometimes such a tired and predictable debate. His main thesis is that the region of the Middle East is not that ‘different’ to the rest of the world and that Islam is certainly not the defining, detrimental factor as is often claimed by narrow-minded, Orientalist scholars of the West.

What’s especially beneficial to a student of Social Science is Halliday’s reference to exact events and his use of specific methodology and framework. An expert on the region, Halliday highlights its diversity, as well as the complexity and links between the region’s shortcomings with global inequities and post-colonial/neo-imperial hangover effects. I highly recommend this read – a decade later and it remains thematically relevant!

BY SARA SALEH

What’s especially beneficial to a student of Social Science is Halliday’s reference to exact events and his use of specific methodology and framework.


SMC FROM A VOLUNTEER’S EYES

BY NAV K. SAMIR

The Muslim community of Australia is plagued with a fractious mentality.

Although the origins of said fractions are primarily off-shore and off-

founded, it is the continual reinforcement of these insular subjectivisms by

home-grown culprits that exacerbate concerns said to have been imposed

by ‘media’, ‘government policies’ and ‘white people’.

12 R E F L E C T I O N S

That’s not to say there isn’t a regard of discrimination for the Australian Muslim community by the ‘whiter [sic] – I mean – ‘wider’ Australian community’. But how

can we honestly expect a ‘successful’ integration (note the careful use of ‘integration’ as opposed to ‘assimilation’) of cultures if we, as Muslims, are far too preoccupied focussing on our divisions, differences and organisational imperatives?

It’s almost impossible to find anything the Australian Muslim community can stand united on. Whether it be concerns about political stances on the global war front; pro vs anti Khilafah disputes; Shariah law advocates; ‘living modern’ or ‘selling out’ by working for government or media; seating segregation in a secular context; hijab/niqab/burqa debates; Shia/Sunni divisions; madhab divisions; which eid to celebrate; ‘sighters’ vs ‘calendars’; boycotting this and anti-boycotting that; hand-slaughtered or machine-slaughtered meat; whether jelly beans are halal or not; whether our mannequins should be ‘Islamified’ at local gift stores – just to name a few. To think that there are even ISIS/ISIL/tIS sympathisers within our community is nothing short of ridiculous. At times, I feel the ‘post-imperialistic, exploitative fanfaronade’ of Australia’s media is not really creating divisions, but rather making us all the more aware of them.

In fact, in my short time within the community, there’s only been one thing I’ve noticed that Australian Muslims stand for, across the board: the ongoing conflict between Israel and Palestine. That’s it.

And that’s not to take anything away from the very real plight and suffering of the millions of

innocent people living within the Gaza Strip and the West Bank. Not in the slightest.

I do not mean to debase the good will and intentions of our brothers and sisters Australia-wide who have condemned the actions of the IDF and have sent their prayers, donated their time and boycotted Max Brenner and his buddies at Coke Amatil to spread awareness about a blatantly illegal occupation.

I do not mean to undermine the efforts of our community. But it’s disappointing that the only thing we can unite on is yet another instance of pain and loss for the Ummah. Another circumstance of Muslims being persecuted, illegally, discriminately or otherwise. At best, it’s a forlorn stance of victim mentality; further negative reinforcement for our community.

Why do the tragedies of Muslims abroad unite our community, but the celebration of the Islam within draws so much division?

For me, this is what made the LMA’s Sydney Muslim Conference so refreshing. It was a celebration of Islam, regardless of the type of Muslim, which is exactly what the wider Australian public needs to see. And it is precisely why the Sydney Muslim Conference has the makings to, eventually, become the premier Islamic Convention in the Asia Pacific – one that, in due time, may potentially rival the annual RIS Convention in Toronto.

With this notion in mind, working as a volunteer at the event drew a sense of pride, knowing that I was actively engaged in a visionary project that would only stand for the betterment of the


Australian Muslim community – particularly after the amount of negativity levelled against Muslims given the myriad of ongoing conflicts in the beleaguered Middle East and its surrounding lands over the last year. It was a pleasure to see so many individuals willing to give up their weekend to ensure a successful conference – over forty volunteers made their way to Rosehill Gardens at 6am on a Sunday to help set up stalls, lay out chairs, put up banners and marketing – without a hiccough or complaint. There was nothing but good will all round and it was reassuring to witness Muslims of all denominations and backgrounds come together and co-operate in an environment with a level of maturity not often seen in the community (I’m just being honest here). Despite the obvious pressures the organisers were under, there was little cause for consternation and, in a rare moment for the community, things actually went according to plan.

Furthermore, the next day I was lucky enough to pick up Imam Zaid and his wife Umm Hassan from their hotel in the city. Our task was to bring them to a café in Auburn where the LMA had organised a personal breakfast with the Imam

and the volunteers as a big thank you for their efforts. However, before even setting off, I was lucky enough to sit in on an interview with the Imam and even share some thoughts on being a convert (something he and I share). I had the unique opportunity to connect with Imam Zaid on a personable level, which was a lesson in humility for me. Despite being one of the world’s most recognised Islamic scholars, he still loves to joke around and make fun of others (innocently of course). He still clicks his fingers when he pulls in for a handshake like his brothers from the hood. He still follows many sports, basketball being one of his favourites. And when he found out that I used to be a boxer, he immediately assumed the role of raconteur and recited to me a poem that he wrote for Muhammad Ali in his house. This was, obviously, a very special moment for me and a lesson in understanding that even such lofty individuals as Imam Zaid are still just regular people like us at heart.

The drive to the café was propitious, to say the least, as it exposed me to the highly analytical mind of Umm Hassan, who is an aspiring role model for men and women alike. The love she shares with her husband is but a reflection of both their love for this world and the world of Islam. We discussed the many concerns regarding the power of language and its usage. We questioned the Muslim’s capitulation to Western media, such as refraining from using and owning the term jihad. Instead, we have let ignorance guide our own rhetoric, thereby leaving a power vacuum in our own dictionaries to be subsumed by imposed associations and negative connotations. Thanks to widespread ignorance, the word jihad is now synonymous with terrorism and this is something we should be ashamed of. In some ways, it mirrors the power

With this notion in mind, working as a volunteer at the event drew a sense of pride, knowing that I was actively engaged in a visionary project that would only stand for the betterment of the Australian Muslim community

14 R E F L E C T I O N S

vacuum that was left behind after the American invasions in the Middle East. With no formative institution to take hold of our holy lands, we are now suffering the consequences. ISIS has banded together under a rhetoric of hate and vengeance with the common goal of establishing a Caliphate with no understanding of the modern context. Consequently, the vacuum of authority has been subsumed by ignorance of true Islam and that has manifested into what we now see as ISIS. In many ways, Umm Hassan’s means of expression surpassed those of the Imam’s and the sagacity in her commentary was telling and wholly compelling. I would personally love to see more talks from her.

Planning an exclusive breakfast for the volunteers with Imam Zaid was a masterstroke from the LMA. Every volunteer agreed that it was the perfect recompense for a hard day’s work at the Sydney Muslim Conference. Situated in Auburn, we were booked in at Impress Café and greeted with a delectable selection of freshly grilled tomatoes, olives to degust upon, succulent sujuk and double-fried eggs to savour, all served with hampers of sourdough bread; an impressive nosh indeed.

However, good food is always made better by good company and it was humbling to witness Imam Zaid and Umm Hassan breaking bread with the volunteers. They went out of their way to thank everyone personally, commending all on the overall success of the event and the important role each person played. The breakfast table became a sanctuary not only of respect and veneration, but also of humility and gratitude, with the Imam even offering his services to be a volunteer at next year’s Conference.

Not long after breakfast, both Imam Zaid and Umm Hassan were on a plane back to America and the three and half days they had spent in Sydney flew with them like wisps of hot breath in a cold morning’s air. During these three days, most of us had barely slept more than six hours and the days somehow merged into a single sunrise and a lone, doleful sunset. It had passed like a dream, where one wasn’t sure of how it had started and when it had ended, but only that they were no longer in it. Despite the lack of sleep, the mere presence of one of the Awliya can sustain one on little but light and compassion, to a state where time is rendered with naught but a perfunctory absence.

And that probably best sums up my experience as a volunteer at the Sydney Muslim Conference, 2014 – it seemed timeless. It felt as though I was running off the goodwill surrounding me. Despite my criticisms, they took nothing away from being in the presence of Imam Zaid for a weekend. And neither did they take anything away from an event which, in my eyes, has been the most successful show of Australian Muslim solidarity in years.

Kudos to the LMA and their vision, and I look forward to volunteering at the next Sydney Muslim Conference.

Thanks to widespread ignorance, the word jihad is now synonymous with terrorism and this is something we should be ashamed of.


In Praise of the

of AllahBeloved

16 M E A N W H I L E , E L S E W H E R E . . .

BY SIDI AFTAB MALIK

THE MAWLID, OR the birth of the blessed Prophet Muhammad, Allah bless him and grant him peace, is considered by Muslims to be the single greatest event in humankind’s history. Indeed, it was a momentous cosmic event. Ibn Kathir, the accomplished muhaddith (hadith master), muffasir (Qur’anic exegete), historian and qadi (judge), noted in his multi-volume work al-Bidaya wa al-niyaha that it was an occasion in which, “Paradise and the skies were decorated and the angels moved about in continuous processions. The palace of Chosroes was shaken and the fire of 1000 years ceased to burn.” The Prophet himself often recounted to his Companions the moment of his birth, describing how his blessed mother Amina marvelled at being able to see distant castles in Damascus by the light that emanated from her. The Prophet’s uncle, al-‘Abbas ibn ‘Abd al-Muttalib, Allah be well pleased with him, described the moment of the Prophet’s birth in prose, exclaiming, “[W]hen you were born, a light rose over the earth until it illuminated the horizon with its radiance. We are in that illumination and that original light and those paths of guidance — and thanks to them we pierce through.”

Muslim theologians and poets throughout history concluded that it is almost impossible to describe the qualities of the Prophet Muhammad or praise him as he should be praised. The poet’s inability to praise the Prophet stemmed from the fact that he is mentioned in the Qur’an with words of praise and since the Creator and the Lord of all the worlds utters blessings upon him, humans must be wholly incapable of praising him as he so deserves. The Spanish author Lisan al-din pondered over this dilemma and frustratingly admitted that since, “the verses of the Holy book

have praised you/How could the poem of my eulogy possibly praise your greatness?” Imam Muhammad al-Busiri concludes in his Hamziyya that the inability of tongues to describe the Prophet is one of his true miracles.

The Prophet’s Companion, Hassan ibn Thabit, often captured the Prophet’s magnanimity in his poems, once stating, “I witness with Allah’s permission that Muhammad is the Messenger who is higher than heaven.” Even after the Prophet’s earthly departure, Hassan ibn Thabit defiantly proclaimed, “I shall never cease to praise him. It may be for so doing I shall be forever in paradise.” It is this precedent of extolling praise of the Prophet that following generations of Muslims emulate. None other than the hadith master, the Shaykh al-Islam (‘The Senior of Islam’) al-Hafiz Ibn Hajar al-‘Asqalani, well-known and respected for his commentary on Sahih al-Bukhari, expressed these sentiments centuries later, when he lamented, “By the gate of your generosity stands a sinner, who is mad in love/Best of mankind […] Praise of you does not do you justice/But perhaps, in eternity, its verses will be transformed into mansions. My praise of you shall continue for as long as I live, For I see nothing that could ever deflect me from your praise.”

Today, the most often recited and valued expression of praise of the Prophet is a poem entitled al-Burda (‘The Poem of the Cloak’) written by Imam al-Busiri. He wrote this poem after suffering from a stroke. In anguish and in misery, he turned to the Prophet to compose a poem in his honour. The Messenger of Allah, Allah bless him and grant him peace, appeared to Imam al-Busiri in his dream and cast his cloak


(‘burda’) over him, just as the Prophet had once done to Ka’b ibn Zuhayr, after listening to his poem honouring the Messenger of Allah. Imam al-Busiri was healed by the touch of the Prophet’s cloak and in the morning discovered that he could move once again.

For the Companions, it was not enough to recite honorific poetry in his name; they used to cherish anything that was associated with him. Indeed, we know from the authentic hadith collections that they used to collect the Prophet’s hair (often using it to cure ailments) and tying strands to their caps. They would also kiss the hands of other Companions that had touched the Prophet. Imam al-Dhahabi, arguably the greatest of all hadith masters, summarised the manifestations of the Companions’ love for the Messenger of Allah, explaining that,

[…] they enjoyed his presence directly, kissed his very hand, nearly fought each other [for] the remnants of his ablution water, shared his purified hair on the day of the greater pilgrimage and even if he spat, it would virtually not fall except in someone’s hand so that he could pass it over his face [...] Don’t you see [how] the Companions in their intense love for the Prophet, Allah bless him and grant him peace, asked him, “Should we not prostrate to you?” and he replied “No,” and if he had allowed them, they would have prostrated to him as a mark of utter

veneration and respect, not as a mark of worship, just as the Prophet Joseph’s brothers prostrated to Joseph, upon whom be peace.

His birth is a blessing for all those who rejoice and celebrate it. We know that Abu Lahab, the ‘father of the flame’ rejoiced at his nephew’s birth and freed his slave with his fingers, only to gain reprieve from his punishment in the grave for this single act of happiness. We also know that a dead palm tree trunk moaned when the Prophet Muhammad moved a slight distance away from it to deliver his Friday sermon in his mosque. The blessed Prophet walked over to it and consoled it. If a dead tree cries when distanced from the Prophet, what about a human being?

In addition to reciting poetry in praise of the Habib Allah (the Beloved of Allah), the mawlid should move us to ponder and reflect upon the ethical nature and moral message of the Prophet Muhammad. Described by Allah as a “mercy for all of mankind”, the mawlid reminds us of the qualities we should strive to implement on a daily basis. Summarising his readings of the traditions that describe the Prophet’s character, Thomas Cleary refers to him as someone who was “[B]rilliantly spiritual, stern in matters of right yet compassionate and clement, rich in dignity yet extremely modest and humble […] a manly and valorous warrior who was most kind and gentle with women and children.” In countless sayings, the

For the Companions, it was not enough to recite honorific poetry in his name; they used to cherish anything that was associated with him. Indeed, we know from the authentic hadith collections that they used to collect the Prophet’s hair (often using it to cure ailments)...

18 M E A N W H I L E , E L S E W H E R E . . .

Prophet reminded his followers to be gentle, compassionate, and above all, merciful. It was related that he said,

[Allah] is Compassionate and loves those who are compassionate. He is Gentle and loves those who are gentle to others. Whoever is merciful to creatures, to him is Allah merciful. Whoever does good for people, to him will Allah do good. Whoever is generous to them, to him will Allah be generous. Whoever benefits the people, Allah will benefit him.

Thus, the mawlid is an event whereby Muslims not only have an opportunity to come to know the Prophet, pause and reflect on their character and check themselves against his behaviour, but it also gives us an opportunity to come to love him. After all, the Prophet told us, “None of you believes until he loves me more than he loves his children, his parents, and all people.” The blessed Prophet once told a Bedouin (who had said that he hadn’t prepared much for the Day of Judgement, but he loved the Prophet) that, “You will be with those whom you love.” Muslims, scholars and lay people alike have celebrated the mawlid throughout the ages to instil this love in us and offer us the hope of intercession. In the words of Jalal al-din al-Suyuti, the polymath, mujtahid Imam and mujadid (Renewer) of the tenth Islamic century, the person who celebrates the mawlid is “rewarded because it involves venerating the status of the Prophet and expressing joy at his honourable birth.”

...the mawlid is an event whereby Muslims not only have an opportunity to come to know the Prophet, pause and reflect on their character and check themselves against his behaviour, but it also gives us an opportunity to come to love him. After all, the Prophet told us, “None of you believes until he loves me more than he loves his children, his parents, and all people.”


MICRO ACHIEVEMENTS

LOST ON MACRO AMBITIONSThe universe contains within it many

signs and wonders of varying degrees.

Every animate and inanimate entity that

is perspicuous to the physical senses is

but a reflection of the ultimate reality.

BY SH SONER CORUHLU

20 C O V E R S T O R Y

This is not unlike an image of the moon in the still waters of the ocean, being but a reflection of the reality that orbits beyond the Earth’s atmospheric

boundaries. The reflection of the moon is not the moon itself, merely a pointer to a reality with substance. Likewise, creation is not the ultimate reality but a pointer to one, that is, God. While there are wonders that permeate the universe that instil a sense of serenity, awe and peace, other facets of the animate include terrors or evils that may appear to be both repulsive and gross. The human being must recognise these facets and deal with them efficiently and in a manner that pleases the Creator of all things visible and invisible. The manner in which the human being should conduct him or herself is intricately linked to a state of worship. Worship, in a general sense, is every inward and outward act or worldly involvement that is loved by God, Most High, and pleasing to Him.

Every human being that is exposed to another must be conscious of the way in which they interact on a personal, social, psychological, emotional and spiritual level. When it comes to the realm of interfaith and cross cultural dialogue, we often magnify the playing field to formats greater than they necessarily need to be or imagine them to be beyond our physical and mental capability to execute successfully. Seminars, discussion panels, lecture halls, advertising strategies, resources and facilitative concerns are but some of the requirements that need to be addressed when hosting a formal interfaith platform that many perceive to be overwhelming or beyond their capacity. Thus, we isolate ourselves psychologically, socially and emotionally from the construction or involvement of such platforms, as the complexity that lies therein is often intimidating. This magnification is now the norm in a number of disciplines, such as the fascination one may have in relation to the signs of the end times, wherein the ambitious student is often interested in macro level signs of which he or she has no power to control or delay. Such signs include, but are not limited to, the rising of the sun from the west, Gog and Magog and the appearance of the Dajjal, which are but a few of the major signs acknowledged by our religious tradition. In an age where sensationalism exists and everything is expected to meet the precedent


set by Hollywood, these signs stir a sense of wonder, awe and mystic curiosity, but conjointly produce a sense of terror to freeze one’s very soul. Magnanimous signs, worthy of a blockbuster rendition that interests the masses conditioned to seek such stimulating drama, often distract us from what appears to be pale or mundane in comparison, at least, from a melodramatic or sensationalistic point of view. Not many are fascinated with those signs of the end times that exist on a less extravagant level or a micro level, which includes humanity’s abandoning of the trust and the lifestyle one must adhere to in preparation of the appearance of these major signs that will ultimately lead to the Day of Repayment, as outlined by the Prophet Muhammad (saw). These signs that appear micro in comparison to the major signs are aspects of a prophecy in which one can influence one’s participation there in. While the masses are prophesised to abandon the word of Allah (swt), we can actively connect with it; while the masses may be distracted by the many ornaments of the finite world, we can prepare

The way in which we interact with others, our concern, our consideration, our empathy and charitable predisposition towards that which is other than the self, is an expression of that love for the Divine and an expression of the adoration we have towards Him.


If every Muslim were to focus on purifying their heart and use formal worship to ensure continuous improvement in character and God consciousness, the opulent platforms of interfaith may no longer even be a necessity.

for the infinite world that is to follow the advent of what is known in the West to be Armageddon. Preparation for the Day of Repayment with consistency and continuity is more important than an infatuation with the major signs that mark the coming of a strenuous, nay gruelling, day.

A mu’min was often easily recognisable as a result of their constant state of worship, in other words, such individuals (applicable more so in modern times) would be readily identifiable and distinguished due to their altruistic tendencies in a materialistic and egocentric age. This considered, one must realise that worship is not restricted to outward rituals alone, though obligatory, but that it extends to a myriad of dimensions in which the human entity interacts or takes part in. Worship, unfortunately, is not free from the realm of sensationalism either. It is now perceived by some to be an act of participation that consists of a formalised and ritualistic endeavour restricted to set periods during the day or year. When we reduce worship to an outward practice alone or sensationalise it to formalities, we risk making the error that was kindled into existence by the rebellious and accursed devil Iblis or risk minimising the potential of achieving human excellence, attainable through constant worship. The devil saw only the outward form of the human entity, a form that appeared to him to be a limited, finite and a grotesque creation, whose composite elements were unpretentious (Qur’an 7:12). Little did he know that the human being was capable of far more than the outward elements would suggest (Qur’an 2:31). Similarly, restricting worship to a set of rituals alone and to specific periods restricts the level of adoration one can express to their Merciful Creator and their level of devotion to Him, and this impedes spiritual prosperity. The human being is not a part time servant, neither is the Creator, Most Gracious, a part time Master. Thus one’s worship must not be restricted to specific forms and limited to specific moments in our lives, but rather one’s everyday actions, statements and thoughts should be an aspect of one’s overall communion with worship. Every fibre of one’s being should be attuned to please their Lord and in so doing such a worshipper must, at every conceivable moment, ‘gladden the hearts of human beings, look after the poor and the destitute, help the afflicted, lighten the sorrow of the sorrowful and remove the sufferings of the

injured’ as implied by the Chosen One and the prince of the prophets, Muhammad Mustapha (saw). Focus on formalities and practices on a level of grandeur may detract from the ever present requirement that all Muslims must partake in by illustrating one’s exceptional character, as a form of worship, to better influence those around them in a positive and socially beneficial manner. Controlling one’s desires for the sake of one’s Lord, helping the poor and destitute for the sake of one’s Lord, emitting a gladdening charisma for the sake of one’s Lord, refraining from profanity and deceptive tendencies for the sake of one’s Lord, are all an extension or an integral component of prescribed worship, often overlooked as so much focus is placed on formalities alone.

The human being was not destined to live a monastic life. Monasticism relates to an individual’s pursuit to free oneself from society and human beings in general, living in seclusion and in utter devotion to the divine. This is a common practice amongst Buddhist monks and a practice that is not uncommon in Christian circles where


the verse found in the book of Luke (10:27), stating that an individual must “love the Lord your God with all your heart and all your soul and all your mind,” is wrongfully applied. As a result, there are some who misunderstand the underlying lesson of the verse and isolate themselves from all things that may share in the love that is to be dedicated to God alone. While this appears to be a noble cause, it is a methodological outlook on life that is contrary to what humanity was destined to become, the vice-regent and care takers of the earth and the earth’s inhabitants (Qur’an 2:30). How can one take on the role of caretaker if they disassociate themselves from all other life forms? The way in which we interact with others, our concern, our consideration, our empathy and charitable predisposition towards that which is other than the self, is an expression of that love for the Divine and an expression of the adoration we have towards Him. Inclusivity, therefore, allows the human construct to exist in a manner in which it was destined to exist, as caretakers of the earth.

Alas, even in the realm of interfaith, one often feels the need to sensationalise and formalise that which is, in fact, unavoidable on a day to day and individual basis. Every instance that involves the interaction of a Muslim and a non-Muslim, in any way, shape or form, is an interfaith process. This is not restricted to dialogues pertaining to religious or theological discussion of individuals from diverse theological backgrounds. On the contrary, the character, polite demeanour, honesty, and kind nature of a worshipper tell more of an individual’s faith than any debate, dialogue and discourse ever can. While these often opulent, formal gatherings provide a theoretical framework of Islam’s greatness, the day to day small scale interaction of a worshipper illustrates the practical implementation of that theory, a more intimate touch in what is supposed to be a more civilised age. This intimate level, micro though it may be, is more likely to lead the recipient to a level of curiosity, in which an investigation is made of the worshipper’s faith. The recipient may be inclined to find out what it is that has such a powerful yet positive influence on producing an exceptional, righteous and compassionate individual. The most effective platform for interfaith dialogue and intercultural bridge-building, therefore, is not one that is hosted in the Opera House or one that is chaired by the most prominent or faddish celebrity. The most effective platform involves the fatiguing effort of each and every individual striving to illustrate perfection in their character, their concern for the world around them and the moral benefits attained via the elevation of God consciousness to each and every single individual with which they interact in every moment of their lives. Such an effort will better represent the human beings that God wants us to become and set a positive, endearing example to those of other faiths or lack thereof. The macro mindset of interfaith often distracts one from the more effective and facilely achievable interfaith opportunities that every Muslim can achieve by simply being the best human being they can be, a Qur’anic exposition and an example set by the Chosen One, whenever they interact with other human beings. One should use devout aspects of formal worship to transform oneself in a way that allows one to become this exceptional individual without making an effort to do so, rather, it is a natural predisposition that permeates a worshipper’s very being. A famous poet once said,

worshipping God in our everyday life, devoutly and sincerely, ensures we interact positively and in a manner of excellence with the universe around us; this is interfaith at its very core and the most effective one at that.


“Either represent outwardly what you are inwardly (ie if you have evil inclinations don’t pretend to be good) or truly become the good person (inwardly) that you pretend or present yourself to be.” If every Muslim were to focus on purifying their heart and use formal worship to ensure continuous improvement in character and God consciousness, the opulent platforms of interfaith may no longer even be a necessity. Perfecting one’s character in compliance with the Prophet Muhammad’s (saw) framework would, in itself, be a sign of the Creator’s existence, as only the Creator can guide humanity to achieve their greatest potential where moral and ethical excellence is concerned and this is endearing to most of humanity. Hence, worshipping God in our everyday life, devoutly and sincerely, ensures we interact positively and in a manner of excellence with the universe around us; this is interfaith at its very core and the most effective one at that. Simply worship your Lord the way He ought to be worshipped and express that worship in your day to day lives so that you, as an individual, can be the champion of interfaith endeavours at all times. Do not limit interfaith to events, symposiums and conferences alone. And Allah (swt) knows best.


W H E R E T O F R O M H E R E F O R T H E S Y D N E Y M U S L I M C O N F E R E N C E

AGENCY OF MESSAGE:

And so, we begin again. With the beginning of 2015 comes the beginning of

the organisation of the second iteration of the Sydney Muslim Conference.


It is in these times that I can look back at this period last year and the obstacles and challenges that I faced with my team in establishing the Conference as an institution

for this community.

When in the initial planning phases of the inaugural Sydney Muslim Conference, we were constantly faced with the question of purpose: what was the purpose of this project and why on this scale? Why does the Sydney Muslim community need a conference of this size?

For a long time this question perplexed me. Although the Conference was made up of multiple complex factors, it also at times felt disjointed without an understanding of a purpose that could act as the glue that pieces these factors together into a cohesive whole. In that sense, I knew what needed to be done but I could not envision it culminating into a single, cohesive goal.

That is, until I witnessed the community come under incredible pressure in the months following Ramadan, with crisis after crisis revolving around Palestine, ISIS, the terrorism raids and the Sydney Siege. There, I saw the leaders of our community react and respond and I saw their messages so often spun out of control by media personalities or even at times by the very circumstances that demand their statements.

And it was there that I saw the need for a platform that was not influenced by circumstances or editors and producers, a platform that was independent of external influences and one that was developed by Muslims, for Muslims.

For so long the message community and religious leaders have had has been influenced by the external, by a crisis, issue or narrative, however here was an opportunity to set our own agenda. Here was an opportunity to have the power to express a message that was independent of a reactionary situation and was in our hands as a community.

This is the part I see the Sydney Muslim Conference playing in the future. With a platform such as this, it gives us as a community the opportunity to set our own agenda for the public discourse on what it means to be a Muslim in Australia. From issues around gender, politics, social responsibility, broad or specific religious issues, leadership and engagement, the Conference is a chance for scholars, thinkers, speakers and leaders to gather and give an unedited opinion and to share their knowledge.

The importance of such a Muslim platform is that often the discourse around Muslims has involved external factors, whether it be media commentators or politicians, which has resulted in skewed discussions. Often Muslims in the public discourse are addressing non-Muslims and fighting the fire of Islamophobia and discrimination amongst a mainstream society still grapping with a multicultural identity.

This constant sense of battle has resulted in a decaying sense of discussion internally amongst the Muslim community. Discourse has been

BY MOSTAFA RACHWANI


stifled by this firefighting and has been strangled by a constant need to ‘return to the basics’. This Conference emerged from a group of young people seeking to leave those shackles behind and progress this internal discussion beyond the basics, to better reflect where the Australian Muslim community really is.

So often, as I have heard in my own personal experiences, people seek events and speakers on issues beyond the mere basics, in an opportunity to elevate the discourse within the Muslim community. The blank slate that the Conference presents is the perfect opportunity to cater to that section of the community and to that discussion.

Thus, when people ask me where I think the Conference is going, what the future of the Conference is, I prefer to turn the question back to the questioner: where do you think the Conference is going? As it is planned to not be shaping the community discourse but engaging in it, the Conference will always be a reflection of what the Muslim community in Australia is thinking, what it’s discussing and what it wants to deal with.

Here was an opportunity to have the power to express a message that was independent of a reactionary situation and was in our hands as a community.


Instead of being imposing and instead of setting its own agenda, it will seek to be at the forefront of the discussion on what it means to be a Muslim in Australia, by actually tapping into community discourse. This will hopefully result in a conference that is at that forefront, but is also aware of what has come before it, does not operate in a vacuum and is aware of its place in the community calendar and horizon.

For the Conference to truly be established as an institution, it will require this approach to be adhered to fearlessly, knowing full well the consequences of doing so. There is always a danger of pushing too far forward or falling too far backwards and into clichés. The balance of knowing what is current for the Muslim community could be as simple as keeping up with social media or as complex as looking at socio-economic trends in specific areas of Sydney.

As such, I hope that the team remains a group of young people who are generally across all the factors that lend towards what is currently relevant and what is not.

This was the natural approach the team took to the inaugural Sydney Muslim Conference, with a focus on gathering local speakers from all corners of the community, as well as the one international speaker (Imam Zaid Shakir), to speak on what we hoped was an intensely important issue that we felt was not being adequately addressed by the community, that being identity. Hence the subtitle ‘The Muslim Mosaic’. That is, a conference on the mosaic of factors and culture that make up the Australian Muslim identity, in stark contrast to the one way, single dimensional identity presented by media and politicians.

We hoped the Conference would free up such discussions and would be a valuable contribution to a long and strong narrative on identity. We also hoped the mix of speakers and topics would help aid this.

We also made a conscious effort to make sure that the speakers list was not just full of big names, but was full of names that were relevant to the topic and to the audience. Hence the thinking behind one major international

speaker surrounded by a line-up of local and interstate speakers.

I firmly believed that the Australian Muslim community had the strength in depth to be able to support a conference of its own and that even if it couldn’t, this was an opportunity for speakers to hone their art. In time, inshaAllah, speakers and scholars will develop their public speaking and lecturing to be able to carry such a large scale conference on their own and I believe we have the building blocks for such an event, all we need is time and patience.

I also hope the Conference provides a chance for local Muslim businesses to take advantage of the larger crowds and hopefully leave a lasting impression on conference-goers. It is a personal passion of mine to see beautiful Islamic artworks and fashion available to purchase and it is a great opportunity for these growing businesses. Last year we had a great selection of items on show, from candles to calligraphy, books to clothes, and I hope to see it grow every year, to have a bustling market and hopefully, a programme that caters to its growth.

From there, the vision is to support the event and hope it takes on a life of its own, as an integral contributor to these important discussions. Moreover, it provides an opportunity for local speakers to grow and develop, as well as for international speakers to contribute to said discussion and for the community to benefit from these voices. There is much to gain from the knowledge of our scholars and the experience of our leaders and it is imperative we tap into them if we are to truly evolve as a community and grow in terms of our stature.

There, I saw the leaders of our community react and respond and I saw their messages so often spun out of control by media personalities or even at times by the very circumstances that demand their statements.


This October I had the opportunity to attend MOCAfest, the

Marketplace of Creative Arts festival, held in conjunction with

the 10th WIEF, World Islamic Economic Forum, in Dubai. One

of the panels on which I took part engaged conversations on

the topic of ‘What’s Changed: The New Muslim Look’.

BY TASNEEM CHOPRA – CONSULTANT AND CURATOR

T H E

I N M O D E S T FA S H I O N,I S I T E V E N A T H I N G ?

CURAT ED GENT

30 L I F E D O W N U N D E R F A S H I O N A N D F A I T H

CURAT ED GENT This was a discussion with fashion industry leaders and designers observing trends from previous generations up to the present within

Muslim communities, including influences that defined trends, ambition and values.

When opening up questions to the floor, a man asked me why all the talk about modest fashion, burgeoning into an almost $100 billion industry globally, consistently focussed on women? My response was twofold. Firstly, that the fashion industry at large plays to women as majority consumers and secondly, that men’s fashion by definition is not immodest in its primary look, with the exception of skinny jeans, which requires no further clarification!

When we take a cursory look at media and advertising, we see that women are traditionally leveraged to lend their ‘appearance’ to items as a sales mechanism, from clothing, to tyres, to toothpaste. Invariably, marketing cues invest in the external appeal or physicality of women as a customer drawcard.

Basic maths reveals that the investment associated with women’s appearance far exceeds that of males. From this basic premise, you may surmise that the standard dress styles of men don’t warrant as much attention or buy-in. Western men’s fashion invariably has generous coverage. And if we maintain that the parameters of modest fashion per the Islamic standard are loose fitting and covering of the ‘awrah’, then there really isn’t a great deal to complain about in terms of availability in the fashion world. Men, compared to women, have their options comfortably covered, so to speak.

In the mainstream, male designers have long dominated fashion houses dictating trends. The modest fashion movement as embraced by Muslim women, however, has contrastingly

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SOUTH AFRICAN STREET STYLE – A QUINTESSENTIALLY CASUAL LOOK, TAKEN FROM THE STREETS OF JOHANNESBURG, WHICH EXUDES A CONFIDENT AND INDIVIDUAL STYLE CONFORMING TO PARAMETERS OF MODESTY FOR MUSLIM MEN.


been led my women. Further, while men’s fashion lines also tend to be dominated by men, the modest fashion lines are not being as actively propagated in the Muslim market, in a way that identifies them as ‘modest male fashion’ with any strategic aim.

It is likely that this is owing to a few reasons, including a deficient marketing strategy, absence of an adequate buyers’ market and perhaps an historic and cultural view of men’s modest fashion which locates it as an entity of purely ethnic garb vis-à-vis Arab and Desi outfit variations. Not surprisingly, it is within the Middle East and Subcontinent that men’s traditional fashion enjoys massive appeal and promotion, compared with the modest fashion market in the West. Somehow, in the Western context, the concept of modest fashion for guys has yet to be brandished as a ‘thing’.

To illustrate, a Google search of Muslim men’s fashion yielded countless thousands of variations of thawbs and shalwar kameez – either way relegating the fashionable realm of ‘modesty plus men plus fashion’ skewed towards a largely Eastern interpretation.

That said, more dedicated surfing did reveal a few bloggers and designers that promoted men’s fashion along lines of modesty, including the Dandy Lion Project, Art Comes First, Street Etiquette and InshAllah Clothing. Each of these Western-based concepts champion a sartorial edge with men’s fashion that is both modest and contemporary without purporting to be.

The outlook for modest male fashion as a bonafide dress category continues to be subject to various interpretations. Whilst mass media may view its prevalence through cultural dress of the East, those of us in the West see the

... while men’s fashion lines also tend to be dominated by men, the modest fashion lines are not being as actively propagated in the Muslim market, in a way that identifies them as ‘modest male fashion’ with any strategic aim.

32 L I F E D O W N U N D E R F A S H I O N A N D F A I T H

RIAZ LALLA – STRUTTING MEN’S MODEST FASHION À LA SYDNEY-

STREET-STYLE, RIAZ LALLA APPENDS ACCESSORIES THAT

COMPLEMENT THE MODEST LOOK. HIS INDIVIDUALISED

FLAIR CONFLATES MODEST AND MUSLIM ELEMENTS SEAMLESSLY.

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existing market of menswear already catering to modest requirements in any case. So where is the issue? Meeting modesty parameters is easy. Achieving something beyond that, by incorporating snappy, dapper and individualistic ‘halal compliant’ styles, becomes the challenge.

Within intra Muslim community expressions in the West, modest male fashion per se is far from gaining traction as a standalone entity. The question remains whether or not this area has adequate buy-in for markets here. How many Muslim menfolk are willing to contend that modest fashion for guys is a legitimate area that needs development and beyond that, take the lead in developing it? Perhaps the psychology behind that impetus is another article altogether. This is a callout to the fashionista brothers out there: here lies a niche ripe for the taking. Your move.

Let’s watch this space.


Prophetic medicine FOODFOR HEALING

&34 L I F E D O W N U N D E R T H E G R E E N D I N

The Prophet stressed the importance of implementing balance in all aspects of our lives. Diet is a matter of faith in Islam and plays a significant role in

maintaining a healthy body, soul and mind.

The Prophet (PBUH) states in a hadith, “The stomach is the central basin of the body and the veins are connected to it. When the stomach is healthy, it passes on its condition to the veins and in turn the veins will circulate the same energy. When the stomach is afflicted, the veins will absorb that same energy.”

Modern day medicine has surprisingly shown support for this prophetic idea, stating that by maintaining a healthy gut you can reduce your chances of developing emotional stress. Byron Robinson, a physician and researcher, stated that in the abdomen there exists a brain of wonderful power which works towards maintaining eternal, restless vigilance over its viscera. The abdomen brain is a receiver, a reorganiser and an emitter of nerve forces. It has the power of a brain and is a reflex centre in health and disease.

The Prophet would often recommend food for illness and disease, more so than he would prescribe medicine, because the diet should be a form of medicine and healing.

The impact of diet and herbs for the wellbeing of people is also acknowledged in Islam, which has mentioned the beneficial effects of several plants on nutritional health. Among these are grapes, citrus, melon, squash, fig, dates, honey, olive oil, pomegranate and black seed. For example, figs are mentioned by the Prophet (PBUH) who stated, “If I had to mention a fruit that descended from paradise I would say this

is it, because the paradisiacal fruits do not have pits and by eating these types of fruits one can reduce the chances of developing illness.

The Prophet would also encourage balancing the nature of your food, for example, he would eat warm foods in winter and cold foods in summer. He would also recommend combining hot and cold foods together to help balance

the effect of certain foods on the body. For example, if he was eating a sweet date that was hot in nature, he would compensate the effect of the heat by eating it with cucumber, because cucumber is cold in nature. Also, if he ate a date that was dry, he would garnish it with some butter to moisten the dryness. He had a perfect balance between the hot and cold in his body and encouraged people to practise this in order to maintain harmony.

We often take our health for granted and we underestimate the importance of maintaining a healthy diet. By implementing these practices in our lives, we can make some amazing changes to our health and wellbeing.

BY SAFIA MARABANI

Modern day medicine has surprisingly shown support for this prophetic idea, stating that by maintaining a healthy gut you can reduce your chances of developing emotional stress.

FOR HEALINGProphetic medicine is a sea of knowledge that has been sadly neglected over the

years. It is a system that teaches balance of spiritual, emotional and physical needs.


S A M S U N G S ’

D O W N -

FA L L

36 L I F E D O W N U N D E R G A D G E T S A N D T E C H N O L O G Y

While 2014 may be remembered as the year of the smartwatch alongside useless innovation (Galaxy Note Edge?), it will

surely be remembered as one of the biggest embarrassments in Samsung’s history. Before we get into the nitty gritty digits, the question on everyone’s mind is why?

When observing sale volumes and rewards, a $4 billion profit may cause a few raised eyebrows towards the scrutiny Samsung faces, however it is a 49% drop since the same time last year, presenting a nightmare scenario. The problem the Korean giants’ face is not sales, a brand crisis or (arguably) poor products, but ironically the presence of technology itself all around the world. A saturated market does not fare well for products which don’t seem to change.

By releasing an overabundance of products, the funds and resources put to develop each device is potentially a waste. By attempting to hype an ill-defined smartphone series such as the Galaxy A line, most consumers don’t look twice due to the irrelevance which accompanies it. Make no assumptions, Samsung’s problem does not have a ‘Nokia-esque’ feeling to it, but in reality how many of us actually wanted to upgrade from a Galaxy S4 to an S5? It is no longer Samsung and Apple within the market and each week Samsung snoozes, the smartphone market grows, specifically other brands.

The top worldwide trend in 2014 was the race to the cheapest, most efficient smartphones. Take Xiaomi, a company I can bet you haven’t heard of…a company that is also the 3rd most dominant in the smartphone vendor league. It entered into the market and directly affected it due to the cheap hardware which is (apparently) extremely desirable. We are now witnessing a

The year has almost reached an end and the multiple reports of sales, profits

and losses have become visible to both stockholders and the public.

global shift away from contract fees towards up-front purchases, where expensive phones, such as that $900 price tag on the Galaxy Note 4, don’t look so tempting. Samsung has surely been notified of this trend, yet has seemingly turned a blind eye to it and has remained with its sights squarely aimed at the high-end market. However, the tactic does not seem to be paying any sort of dividends. Meanwhile other known manufacturers such as LG continue to increase profits due to innovation at a decent rate with reasonable outcomes, such as the 4K HD displays found on their flagship G3. LG’s life remains,

and will continue to remain, good due to their investment and development behind the scenes, eventually fighting Samsung to become the next big thing.

The main reason Samsung had improved exponentially was the fact that it had placed its reach years ago into multiple carriers, while HTC and other companies decided to stay exclusive to others (Telstra 4G anybody?). With everybody reaching into all channels, the saturation is increasing steadily and the likes of LG will continue to learn and adapt with time. Samsung had previously been put in the driver’s seat, as stated in the past article, however it seems that the other ‘phablets’ in the market and cheaper medium-end phones have made

BY ABDUL LAZKI

Samsung has surely been notified of this trend, yet has seemingly turned a blind eye to it and has remained with its sights squarely aimed at the high-end market.


ABOVE: SAMSUNG GALAXY S5 (LEFT) ALONGSIDE GALAXY NOTE 4 (RIGHT)

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...Samsung has arguably built a loyal fan base with the bloated Galaxy line, few consumers were thrilled to purchase the Galaxy Alpha, only to have the Note 4 released weeks later, causing unsettled and disgruntled fans to jump ship to other Android OEMs, or even Apple itself, due to the impact each release has.

38 L I F E D O W N U N D E R G A D G E T S A N D T E C H N O L O G Y

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Samsung Sales Revenue by Division (KRW Trillions)

us realise: Samsung isn’t adapting fast enough. Sure its build quality isn’t bad, however which of us have actually praised the plastic cover or a metal band along the sides? Moreover, this has caused a hefty price tag to be questioned.

As you may have wondered, the elephant in the room seems to be Apple. While they may get a lot of comments regarding the ‘fanboy’ nature and mindset, the brand loyalty warrants the even higher price bracket of its products. The new trend of cheaper phones alongside saturation at the high-end of the market does not extend to Apple and its constant huge margins. The same differences and ecosystem around Xaomi’s hardware remains true with Apple, with only one product and software line to deal with, rather than the countless OEMs Android puts on display. Additional products and services, such as the iTunes store, help keep Apple’s revenue constantly high, as opposed to

Samsung’s unknown variant. Whilst Samsung has arguably built a loyal fan base with the bloated Galaxy line, few consumers were thrilled to purchase the Galaxy Alpha, only to have the Note 4 released weeks later, causing unsettled and disgruntled fans to jump ship to other Android OEMs, or even Apple itself, due to the impact each release has.

A culmination of a variety of issues, such as the slowdown of technology as a whole, a changing global market and too many products in unneeded categories, have all driven Samsung down the rocky hill. The aftermath of the 49% drop in revenue is beginning to be fully realised and it’s not due to what Samsung is attempting, rather what everybody else is doing, causing the market to move on to better models and products. Samsung is being left to slowly get over an unpleasant hangover as its traditional market steadily dwindles.


Nigerian novelist Chinua Achebe once wrote, “Until the lions have their

own historians, the history of the hunt will always glorify the hunter.”

R E S P O N S E TO C A P TA I N P H I L L I P S

Movie Review

40 L I F E D O W N U N D E R M O V I E R E V I E W

In the December 2014 issue of YouThink, Amna K. Hassan wrote a raving review for the film Captain Phillips starring Tom Hanks and directed by Paul Greengrass. Released

in 2013 to wide critical appreciation and a host of Oscar nominations, the movie, despite its popularity, adds to the all-too-familiar-tale of Tinseltown’s failure to represent Somalis as actual people.

Captain Phillips is Hollywood’s account of the 2009 hijacking of the Maersk Alabama container ship, where Captain Richard Phillips was taken hostage by Somali pirates for five days before being rescued after Navy Seals killed all but one of the captors. It’s an edge-of-your-seat thriller, but also Hollywood propaganda at its best.

The film is a superb lie. It only shows one side of the story with no interest in telling the complete story behind the hijack. It’s selective storytelling at its finest, with Hollywood attempting to simplify the story and turn it into one that is deceptively simple and lacks nuance and depth. Captain Phillips fails to explain the complete story. It does

away with the context in which the pirates have emerged and what motivated the Muse to become a pirate.

Somalia

Somalia has a strong oral tradition and is usually referred to as the ‘Nation of Poets’. Prior to the 1991 civil war, Somalia was one of the most homogeneous countries in Africa. Since the fall of the Said Barre Government, the nation has struggled to recover. Twenty-three years of civil war have pulled shades over the lens through which the world sees Somalia. Al Shabaab and pirate-rings are not things that happened overnight. They all have a root cause, but nobody wants to uncover it. Hollywood films and other media outlets focus on certain events to cover up said root causes and further demonise the Somali people as those who are inherently evil.

The Root Cause of Piracy

Somali pirates did not engage in stealing at sea until recently, despite the country’s more than 3,000 kilometres of coastline, the longest

BY ABDI MALIK OSMAN


for an African nation. The illegal overfishing of the Western conglomerates has had an enormous impact on the livelihood of the fisherman-turned-pirates. It is estimated that over US$300M worth of tuna, shrimp, and lobster are snatched out of Somali waters every year by illegal trawlers. Additionally, the offshore dumping of nuclear waste has resulted in many reports of deformed babies being born and the appearance of strange rashes along the coastline due to contaminated fish.

This is the context in which the pirates have emerged. Somali fishermen took speedboats to try to dissuade the dumpers and trawlers. Many Somalis living on the coastline view piracy as a form of resistance to save their sea.

Nurudeen Farah, a world-renowned Somali writer and author of the book Crossbones, stated in an article that piracy, “started as a response to illicit plunder of the country’s sea resources by ships owned in Europe and Asia, but flying foreign flags of all sorts. The ships would arrive in Somali waters armed for battle, with speed boats, and they would employ fishing methods banned elsewhere, at times dumping nuclear, chemical and other wastes, and at times shooting at the Somalis fishing in the same area.”

42 L I F E D O W N U N D E R M O V I E R E V I E W

Hollywood’s Version

Discussing the context of Somali piracy is not as exciting as watching a thrilling 134 minute hijack which incorporates many special effects that suspend disbelief. Screenwriter William Goldman once said that, “as far as movies are concerned, it is not important what is true; it is important what audiences accept as true.” Today many people take Hollywood’s version of history as true, as it also designed to teach history.

Captain Phillips depicts Somalis in the racist tradition of African people as subhuman, wild and without nuance. This racist portrayal of African people has a long history in the American film and media industry.

The lion has developed its own historians and although it may not be as loud as the hunters, it’s fighting back and reclaiming these one-sided narratives. Individuals like Nurudeen Farah and Channel 4’s Jamal Osman, who interviewed Paul Greengrass and Tom Hanks, are helping shift the discourse. Jamal Osman slammed Paul

Greengrass on Channel 4 stating, “Don’t you think you have the obligation to represent the subject or the society in question fairly?” To which Greengrass replied, “I don’t accept that…I must take issue with one of your points [regarding the film]…I don’t agree at all with your analysis that Somalia piracy today is [sic] fishing communities striking back.”

As a Somali growing up in the West, the realities of my native home have always been constructed through a racist, Western lens, through film, newspapers and the 6pm news. Any attempt to provide an alternative story is dismissed as a conspiracy. As Toni Morrison eloquently put it, “Are you saying that my story is incomplete unless I tell yours? What gives you the authority to demand that of me, except racism?”

We all have a role in reclaiming our stories and shifting the discourse. We must challenge these simplified stories and define our own realties.

Discussing the context of Somali piracy is not as exciting as watching a thrilling 134 minute hijack which incorporates many special effects that suspend disbelief.


UNGARO RAW, ROZELLE

Food ReviewAS AN AVID breakfast and health enthusiast, I’m always looking for cafés for my next weekend brunch date and Ungaro Raw certainly did not disappoint. As we entered the café, we were presented with a lovely atmosphere. We were greeted by a very friendly waitress who totally understood our “it’s too early for life” and “I need coffee” faces, as it was pretty early, for a weekend anyway.

Our coffees, though, when they arrived were pretty average. The café uses the organic coffee beans by Aroma. I found my long black on the bitter side and a few friends who ordered soy mochas thought they left an unusual aftertaste. My sister, however, enjoyed her latté. So for you coffee lovers, perhaps you should have a word with the barista to get them to pick up their game, otherwise steer towards a different beverage choice. They offer an array of freshly squeezed juices, green or yoghurt smoothies, including

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optional superfood boosters, and herbal teas, including their popular Ungaro Raw PCF tea, which is a concoction of fresh mint, ginger, lemon and honey. Their lunch menu sounded pretty incredible, so I’ll be sure to have lunch there soon.

When we had some java in our system, we looked over their breakfast menu and let me tell you it was quite hard to make a decision with so many delicious options. They also offer the vegan big breakfast, including quesadillas which went down like a treat according to a friend and which I’ll be sure to order next time! The zucchini and corn fritters plate looked fabulous and was enjoyed by another friend. I settled on the wholemeal buckwheat pancakes, which were quite nice, but not overly fluffy – if that’s what you’re after. The stack was served with fresh strawberries, blueberries, bananas, kiwifruit and maple syrup. I felt that it could have benefitted from more fruit and was

disappointed that the maple syrup was clearly not the real stuff. I asked for coconut yoghurt on the side and it really made the dish, adding a creamy, flavorsome layer. Overall, everyone enjoyed their breakfast and I would definitely opt for a savoury option next time.

Ungaro is a great choice for the health conscious and those with food intolerances. It’s also very vegan and vegetarian friendly, with loads of raw options. They offer almond, soy, rice and organic cow milk – though I really think they should write dairy on the menu! It did give us a bit of a laugh when the waiter asked, “Do you want your coffee just on cow’s milk?” They also offer a selection of breads to go with your meal, including wholemeal sourdough, rye, soy & linseed, gluten free, a fruit and nut loaf or buckwheat bread. I didn’t try any of their raw desserts, but they offer a gorgeous looking raw cheesecake, salted caramel tart and mint slice, plus much more.

Ungaro is a great choice for the health conscious and those with food intolerances. It’s also very vegan and vegetarian friendly, with loads of raw options.

3 / 5


The Prophet was of all people the one with the highest level of zuhd, and the one who was the most self-sufficient, i.e., in want of the least amount of

external material things.

It suffices, on the issue of his zuhd, to relate what has been reported by al-Tirmidhi, Ibn Majah, and others, on the authority of Abu Umamah, that the Prophet said: “My Lord offered me the land of Makkah in its gold and silver equivalent. I said: ‘No, Lord, rather I satiate myself with food one day and stay hungry another day, so that, when I am hungry I turn to You beseechingly and remember You, and when I eat to my full satisfaction I praise and thank You.’” Al-Tirmidhi said it was a good hadith.

BY IMAM AL-QURTUBI, TRANSLATED BY ABU SALIF AHMAD ALI AL-ADANI (BRISTOL: AMAL PRESS, 2008)

The SECRETS of ASCETICISM

Allah has said We made everything

on the earth adornment for it so that

we could test them to see whose

actions are the best. (18:7) Sufyan

al-Thawri has stated, in relation

to the words “whose actions are

the best,” that they mean: [To see]

who exercises the greatest zuhd in

relation to it, i.e., the adornment.

BY SIDI AFTAB MALIK

46 T H E S A G E , S A I N T , A N D T H E S C H O L A R

The sages’ allusions to zuhd have differed.Malik b. Anas said that zuhd was taqwa. Our scholars stated that he intended guarding oneself from dubious things, since man has ample room to maneuver in neutrally permissible things.

Ibn Uyaynah was asked about zuhd, whereupon he replied: “To do without what Allah has proscribed. As for what He has declared lawful, He has permitted it. Thus, the prophets ate, drank, and married.”

Al-Zuhri said that zuhd was not attained by ascetically mortifying the flesh, but rather by exercising self-restraint [and staying] away from the dubious things. It was further reported from him that he was questioned as to what zuhd in this life was, and he responded as follows: “Not to let the forbidden overcome your patient self-restraint, or the permitted your thankfulness.”

Sufyan al-Thawri and those who took from him said: “Reducing and curbing hope. It does not lie in eating coarse food or wearing a woolen wrap.” That is a fine statement, since the one whose hope is lessened and held back turns away from this World and devotes his full energy to worshipping the Master.

Some people, on the other hand, maintained that zuhd meant to loathe encomium and the love of praise.

Al-Zuhri said that zuhd was not attained by ascetically mortifying the flesh, but rather by exercising self-restraint...

I said: This is an allusive reference by him to the fact that to forgo the whole of this World is the most loved form of forgoing it.

It has further been related from him that he declared: “Zuhd is to do without meeting people.”

I said: “And this is an allusion by him to seclusion and (concealed) devotional worship, as well as finding friendly solace in loneliness.”

It has also been said: “No one exercises zuhd until and unless renouncing the World is dearer to him than appropriating it.” That was said by Ibrahim b. Adham. I say: Such a saying concurs with the linguistic signification of zuhd in accordance with what has been stated here above. One man said to al-Hasan: “Our jurists say,” [and before he could complete the sentence] al-Hasan remarked: “And have you seen any jurist (faqih)? The faqih is the one who practices zuhd in his worldly life, who possesses insightful knowledge of his din, and who persistently worships his Lord.” Some said: “Zuhd is to do without in this world with one’s heart.” That was stated by Ibn al-Mubarak. I say: “This is a very good statement, since it is the same whether this world yields itself to his hand or not, as zuhd is one of the actions of the heart.”


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