An-Nur The newsletter of the Muslim Students‟ Association & the Muslim Women of Maryland Volume 7, Issue 3
“The Light” MWM
Muslim Women of Maryland
Contact Us!
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On Sunday, April 3rd, the University of
Maryland at College Park‟s Muslim Students‟
Association and Muslim Women of Maryland
held a fundraiser banquet on campus.
When the UMCP MSA held this fundraiser,
it was embarking on a journey hitherto
unparalleled. The money raised was for more
than the usual Islamic Awareness Month, Fast-a-
Thon, and da‟wah material; for the MSA had its
sight set on raising money to also support one
relatively new endeavor, the Capital Area-
Islamic Library, and one future project, and
perhaps the overwhelming focus of the
fundraiser: the establishment of an Islamic
Studies Department at the University of
Maryland.
“The library is really a starting point for the
department,” MSA Public Relations Officer,
Abdullah-Justin Valanzola asserts. “This is the
beginning of institutionalizing Islamic scholarly
work. We hope that the library will draw in
people of knowledge and therefore, become a
place of Islamic academia.”
There are few in North America who can
boast of an Islamic Studies Department at their
university, and even less who can claim
legitimacy and approval from scholars. The
College Park MSA hopes to initiate a Muslim
led effort in establishing a legitimate Islamic
Studies Department that has a stamp approval of
Muslim scholars and portrays Islam and relays
Islamic information that hitherto other schools
have been incapable of doing.
“A Department of Islamic Studies promises
to provide many major benefits,” says MSA
president Mohamed Abutaleb, “including adding
courses in Islam to the University‟s offerings,
establishing true scholarship on Islam in
America, authoring texts, holding public
education events, and attracting motivated
students to the program.” The keynote speaker,
president of the American Center for Islamic
Research (ACIR), addressed the importance of
seeking knowledge, what the structure of an
Islamic Studies curriculum would look like, and
why there was such a need for it.
The numbers and figures for attaining an
Islamic Studies Department are daunting: 1.2 to
1.5 million in total; around $100,000 to endow a
Chair to get a representative voice in the
university, and thereby formally introduce a plan
for the department. However, it is not an
impossible goal, nor is the MSA planning to bear
the brunt of the effort alone. “How long it will
take for us to raise this kind of money lay on the
shoulder of the community,” says MSA vice
president and fundraiser coordinator, Ibrahim
Elmoghazy. “A project of this magnitude is not an
MSA project, it is a community project and
insha'Allah with the support of the community our
goal can be attained within the next 5 years.”
Although the event began a bit off schedule
(what‟s new for Muslim events?), the program
went straight from welcome and Qur‟an recitation
to a short talk by MSA National East Zone
Representative Ahmad Sidky, who described the
UMD MSA and its efforts as being extremely
“unique” (a good unique, of course!). Afterwards,
(Continued on page 9)
“Spreading the Light of Learning” - UMCP MSA &
MWM hold fundraiser banquet
by Fasiha Khan
“ A L L A H I S T H E P R O T E C T O R O F T H O S E W H O B E L I E V E . H E B R I N G S T H E M O U T F R O M D A R K N E S S I N T O L I G H T . ” [ H O L Y Q U R ’ A N ]
Rabi Al-Awwal 1426 May 6, 2005
MSA History
Founded in 1969, the Mus-
lim Students' Association is
an organization dedicated to
serving the Muslim students
on campus and educating
the campus community
about Islam and Muslims.
We carry out Islamic activi-
ties, sponsor social, commu-
nity service, and charity
events, and strengthens
relations and understanding
between Muslims and non-
Muslims.
Road to Revolution 2
True Friends 4
My First Year 5
War Horses 6
The Road Soon Taken 7
The Most Beloved 8
Creative Writing 10
Puzzle 12
Inside this issue:
Dr. Salah Soltan, President of the American
Center for Islamic Research, discusses Islamic
curricula for the United States and the West.
actions of Western governments who
support the nation-state system is for
intellectuals and historians to work together
to create an extensive study of the history
and effects of colonialism on the Muslim
Ummah. Thus, it is inherently obvious that
the first step toward a unified Islamic
government is through an intellectual
revolution. Since intellectual revolution has
been discussed in previous articles, it will
suffice to review that there are four
components that are necessary to instigate
a massive paradigm shift within the hearts
and minds of the Ummah: 1.
Reconstruction of Islamic knowledge from
traditional sources, 2. the Deconstruction of
Western power systems, 3. The Refutation
of Deviant groups whose goals and
objectives are antithetical to the
establishment of a Universal Islamic
Government, and 4. The formation of
Islamic power systems.
Now the query may be posed: what is
the relationship between an intellectual
revolution and a political revolution? Any
true political revolution, if it is to be
successful, must be grounded on firm
political concepts, material objectives, and
within the boundaries of certain morals. A
revolution without clear objectives and a
precise methodology to carry out such a
program of change, will ultimately
flounder and dissolve into anarchy and
chaos. We as Muslims are prohibited by
our Shariah from rebelling against rulers if
they have not threatened the
implementation of the Divine Injunctions
and if we lack an alternative to the existing
order. No matter how tyrannical a
government may be, tyranny is still better
The Road to Revolution by Khuram Zaman
It is self-evident on both rational and
spiritual grounds that the establishment of a
universal form of Islamic government is a
necessity for the Muslim Ummah. It is also
self-evident that we are further away from the
implementation of this obligation than any
other generation, and future generations will
continue to degenerate unless we
awaken ourselves from the slumber that
has paralyzed us and take direct action
now. Unfortunately, the Ummah has
several major obstacles toward
achieving the necessary momentum that is
required to establish such a government. One
major obstacle preventing the unification of
our states is the imposition and sustained
support of the nation-state system. The nation-
state system, unlike other obstacles toward
unification which are largely intellectual in
nature, is also a physical boundary that
prevents the allocation of resources,
movement of troops, and other valuable
processes that could potentially be developed
by the consensual decision making that would
occur under a revolutionary Islamic
government. It is imperative then, for all of the
activist movements that are currently operating
in the Ummah to make it an open objective to
do everything in their power to eliminate this
system and replace it with Islamic
international order.
The method of bringing down the
international nation-state system has two
components since the system itself has two
components. The first component is the
intellectual justification for the creation and
maintenance of this system through the
ideology of nationalism. The second
component of this system is the overt and
covert support that these states and their
respective governments are provided by
Western governments. The only way of
removing the intellectual roots of the nation-
state system are by attacking the ideology of
nationalism and the only way to expose the
than anarchy. Furthermore, if our objective is
to establish a universal form of Islamic
government, then we must recognize that it is
not one or two governments that must be
overthrown, but many governments of
various social, economic, cultural, and
sectarian backgrounds. Does this render
revolution impossible? No, on the contrary,
Islamic revolution is not impossible, it is
inevitable. The way to address the
momentous task of bringing about change
throughout the entirety of the Muslim
Ummah is to focus on those states that, if
they underwent an Islamic revolution, would
have a powerful effect on states and
populations beyond their borders. In other
words, we ought to ask ourselves: which
states would be absolutely fundamental to the
formation of a Universal Islamic
Government? There are five such states:
Egypt, Iran, Turkey, Pakistan, and Malaysia.
These five states have not been arbitrarily
chosen but by critical analysis can be shown
to be the five most dominant states within the
Ummah today. If any one of these states
underwent an Islamic revolution, they would
have an immediate impact on their neighbors.
The goal is not to create revolutions in these
five states and forget about the rest of the
Ummah, but rather, it is through the
instigation of Islamic revolutions in
these 5 states simultaneously that we
hope to bring about a domino effect in
other Muslim states and governments.
If Kuwait or Nigeria or Tajikistan
underwent Islamic revolutions, they
would have little or no effect on their
surrounding territories, let alone the Ummah
which means that foreign governments that
are opposed to a unified Ummah will be able
to step in rather easily and quell these
rebellions to their hegemony. However, if a
revolution occurs in a country that has close
intellectual, financial, and cultural ties with
many other countries, it will undoubtedly
have an effect on the surrounding territories
(Continued on page 3)
An-Nur Volume 7, Issue 3
Page 2
Student Advice & Perspectives
“...whether we as Western Muslims choose to or not, the
responsibility of developing an intellectual revolution falls
squarely on our shoulders.”
“Islamic revolution is not impossible, it is inevitable.”
An-Nur Volume 7, Issue 3
Page 3
as well. In order to instigate such a revolution
and prevent it from rampaging out of control
into either tyranny or anarchy, it is absolutely
essential that a cadre of intellectuals that are
well-trained and equipped in the traditional
sciences as well as the Western ideologies
that provide the moral and rational basis for
their power systems, must be formed.
The only location where potential
revolutionaries from these five states can
meet is in the very place where the battle of
ideas is raging within the Ummah: in the
West. If articles by RAND corporation and
the Nixon Institute have not made it apparent,
the heart of intellectual warfare is occurring
right here in places like America where
certain governments are desperately
attempting to formulate a model of Islam that
is compatible with Western ideologies in
hopes of exporting it to the rest of the
Ummah. Recent events like women giving
Jummah khutbahs or openly espousing the
permissibility of homosexuality in Islam or
the recent phenomenon of think tanks like the
Center for the Study of Islam and Democracy
hosting workshops and conferences in
Muslim countries are to be expected given
the expectation that the only way to subdue
Islam to Western hegemony is through the
formation of a „civil democratic Islam‟. Thus,
whether we as Western Muslims choose to or
not, the responsibility of developing an
intellectual revolution falls squarely on our
shoulders. Unlike other communities,
however, we do have the minds, the monies,
and the manpower to achieve this. For
example, the first component of intellectual
revolution, the reconstruction of Islamic
knowledge, can occur through developing
Islamic schools that are, in essence, a fusion
between the maddrasseh-style education that
one receives under the Ulema and the private
school model of the West. The end product
of a child who goes through such a system
will attain the spiritual benefit of acquiring
knowledge from unadulterated sources while
also attaining the necessary vocational skills
required to function in society resulting in
individuals who are not only intellectual
(Continued from page 2) liberated, but financially
as well so that they can
actually carry out a
program of change. In
other words, graduates
from such an educational
system will become
n a t u r a l a c t i v i s t s .
Furthermore, the MSAs
and other Islamic youth
organizations at the
Collegiate level can play
a pivotal role in
ins tigating Is lamic
revolutions by providing
the manpower for
propagating the ideas of
Islamic revolution as
well as by taking active
steps to instigate such a
r e v o l u t i o n b y
participating in the
intellectual debates that
are occurring in the
Ummah today. Instead
of sitting idly and
allowing the Modernist
school of thought to parade across the US
and the rest of the Ummah, MSA activists
can stop and take a direct role in
challenging the moral, intellectual,
political, and Islamically legal foundations
of the justifications of Modernists who
attempt to „hijack‟ the shariah.
Furthermore, after the College level, the
formations of Think Tanks dedicated
solely to the deconstruction of Western
ideologies and construction of Islamic
power systems can utilize the experience
of these activists to create works that can
provide future fuel for the upcoming
Islamic revolution. Lastly, the American
Muslim community has many resources at
its disposal to communicate with the other
Student Advice & Perspectives
communities within the Ummah through the
internet, radio, television, and educational
programs.
Whether we like it or not, the American
Muslim community is going to be used as a
model for the rest of the Ummah. Either it
will be a „civil democratic Islam‟ or it can
be a „revolutionary Islam‟. The choice is up
to you, as an individual, what you want it to
be. You can choose, through your actions,
to help unite the Ummah or through your
inaction, help propagate its defeat.
I apologize if the series of articles on
this topic have come off as vague or unclear
since they are a summary of a much longer
series of articles. May Allah (swt) grant us
taufiq. Ameen.
Revolution (cont.)
“... the American Muslim community is going to be used as
a model for the rest of the Ummah. Either it will be a „civil
democratic Islam‟ or it can be a „revolutionary Islam‟. The
choice is up to you…”
True Friends: The Blessing We Overlook Anonymous
The MSA has a history of 36 years (1969-
2005) of service, life-long friendship making,
sisterhood and brotherhood bonding, positive
life enhancements, and much more. Being a
part of the MSA/MWM for the last few years
has been the most fulfilling experience of my
college career, alhamdulillah.
What does the MSA do for us? Why is it
so fulfilling for many of us? What makes
these brothers and sisters that we get to know
so special?
The truth is that none of us, including
myself first on that list, knew who we were
when we entered college. Sure, we knew we
were Muslim, but what did our actions say
about us as individuals and what did we each
REALLY stand for? The most important and
real test of your life above all academic exams
is the test of your character and your
principles. As my parents (may Allah bless
them and protect them always) always advised
me throughout college, our college years are
the most important years of our life in shaping
our futures and our permanent character. At
the beginning of college, the real test began.
Would we pass the test of faith successfully?
Would we know how to filter through friends
and foe? Would we have the courage to
maintain our character and faith among
pressure from non-Muslims? Would we love
and trust Allah or would we be fooled by
material things? Would our hearts be
blackened or enlightened?
We have all been pressured, tempted, and
tested. But, alhamdulillah, we can reflect
today and say that insha Allah we have laid or
are beginning to lay the foundation for
ourselves to follow the Straight Path for the
rest of our lives. Alhamdulillah, what better
blessing could one ask for?
On the way to building our foundation, we
share great memories, alhamdulillah.
Remember lunch outings to Panda (free third
entrée!) and Chipotle after jummah. Pick up
basketball games (for the brothers). Study
groups until way past our bedtimes and
curfews. Endless conversations about
marriage, careers, and future children
inshaAllah (including names for them!
Anyone like the name Nasma for a little
girl?). Hours and hours of chill time in
0204 (how we love thee!). “When in
doubt, order Roma‟s.” Ramadan iftaar in
the musallah (silence). Smiles from your
brothers and sisters that made your day.
Group contemplation of the Quran.
Jummah on campus! Calls at 4 AM to a
brother or sister who you knew would
listen when you really needed support.
Praying together. Sisters‟ fights over each
other; all of you ladies know that I win
even though I don‟t bite! J “If the curtain
could talk.” So much laughing that you cry
in the middle of MSA meetings and have to
leave. Finding Islam or loving Islam more
and more every day together to a point
where our friendships are those which last
because they are based on Islam, which is
or has become your essence, your passion,
and your world.
Over the years the MSA became the
place where you belonged, where everyone
accepted you, where others respected you,
where you felt safe, where you became
who you are and will be on the path to be
for the rest of your life. You found true
friendship in the MSA/MWM: the
friendship that keeps you on the Straight
Path and the friendship that will provide
shade for you on the Day of Judgment.
These friends keep our iman strong and
help us build strong character. Subhan
Allah, how we found such meaningful
friendship within the MSA, and Allah says
in the Quran, “Your (real) friends are (no
less than) Allah, His Messenger, and the
(fellowship of) believers,- those who
establish regular prayers and regular
charity, and they bow down humbly (in
worship).” (Al-Ma’idah: 5:55)
So what is it that makes our college
(and MSA/MWM) years a success in
A Senior‟s Reflection
passing the test of faith and character? It is
the meaningful friendship that encourages
our growth, the friendship that plays by the
guidelines of brotherhood and sisterhood
ordained by Allah and exemplified by our
Prophet (saw). Take a second to think about
it: without the friendships that we have
found among the Muslim brothers and
sisters in the MSA/MWM, would we be
who we are today? Subhan Allah. These
friendships based on the guidance and bond
of Islam are real, lasting, and irreplaceable.
Alhamdulillah for the blessing of Islam and
the friendship that comes with it in our
MSA/MWM.
When I reflect on my college years, I
realize how I have grown, what I have
learned, and what I have gained. One of the
things I am most thankful for, however, is
my true friendships that I have found among
real friends, my fellow Muslims in the
MSA/MWM of UMD. True friends are
blessings from Allah, and we should always
remember to never abuse them or take them
for granted, because when you approach
your graduation, insha Allah, you will miss
them and the memories you shared with
them more than anything about your college
years. Brothers and sisters, live up your
MSA/MWM years and enjoy them while
they last insha Allah, because you will miss
them dearly when you graduate. I know I
will.
An-Nur Volume 7, Issue 3
Page 4
“You found true friendship in the MSA/MWM: the friend-
ship that keeps you on the Straight Path and the friendship
that will provide shade for you on the Day of Judgment.”
My First Year By Faten Gharib
In the name of Allah, most Gracious,
most Merciful. All praise be to Allah, the
Lord of the worlds, and peace and blessings
be upon the master of the messengers,
Prophet Muhammad. Blessings and peace be
upon his family, his companions and those
who follow him faithfully until the Day of
Judgment. As I embarked on the journey of
my college years at College Park, I can say
with all honesty that I didn‟t have many
expectations. I didn‟t know who I was going
to meet, how classes were going to be, or
how my life would change as a practicing
Muslim. The first few weeks of my first
semester went very slowly, as I only got
together with high school friends from the
past. However, as always, the growing
feeling deep inside of me to finally meet and
be close to the people I‟ve wanted to meet
for so long kept surfacing. One saying I try
to live by is that in the end, it‟s not the years
in your life that count, it‟s the life in your
years. In order to live the “life in my years,”
I strongly felt that it is very important to act
upon the things I value most in life. This
includes increasing my knowledge as a
Muslim, along with being close to the
people necessary to be close with in order to
have the foundation for a strong Muslim
community and be able to teach others about
Islam. As Ali ibn Abi Talib (radi Allahu
anhu) once said, “Meet people in such a
manner that once you die, they should weep
for you, and if you live, they should long for
you.”
It didn‟t take long to realize that
becoming so involved with the MSA and
MWM was one of the best decisions I‟ve
made. Being
around those
who share the
same thoughts
and desires as
you is such a
p h e n o m e n a l
feeling. And as
Muslims, increasing our knowledge in Islam
together makes the experience much more
enjoyable, for “seeking knowledge at a
young age is like engraving on a
stone” (Hasan al-Basri). From the MSA
halaqahs to the Islam Awareness Month
events, I strongly feel that within the last few
months, the MSA and MWM have had a
great impact and have greatly shaped me into
the person I am today. As Johann Wolfgang
von Goethe once wrote, “Treat people as if
they were what they ought to be and help
them to become what they are capable of
being.” So not only do I value learning along
with those I know, but I realize that at the
same time, these are the same people helping
me improve as a Muslim and a person as a
whole. Nothing is more rewarding,
walhamdullilah.
One of the many things I learned is that in
life, there are many challenges, and every
challenge is an opportunity. Looking back at
this past year and the work that was done by
the MSA and MWM as a whole, there were
several obstacles that needed to be faced.
When planning for events or finding new
ways to make da‟wah, not everything would
go according to what was planned. However,
this only teaches us how to improve and to
strive for better. As Muslims, we should
always aim for perfection, yet this does not
mean feeling discouraged by what we could
not accomplish. We learn from everything we
do, and we do everything to learn. Da‟wah is
an aspect of Islam that I have learned to take
even more seriously than I used to. As
Muhammed Asad once said, “It was not
Muslims that had made Islam great; it was
Islam that had made the Muslims great.” It is
safe to say that at some point or another, we
have all been guilty of not realizing our
greatest blessing, Islam. Islam is not just a
religion, but it is who we are. So as Muslims,
we must always remember this gift and
remember to always seek knowledge because
this is the most important aspect of da‟wah.
I‟ve also learned that there are many things in
life that catch the eye, yet very few things
will catch the heart. As Muslims, we need to
realize the importance of our own religion
and seek the knowledge that is needed in
order to guide others to the correct path.
Those who accept Islam accept it because
they feel it is right in their hearts; so we must
learn to guide their hearts rather than their
eyes, because that is what they will pursue.
Friendship is something I have always
valued, however I feel that this feeling was
reinforced when I entered college and got to
know the people I am close with today. I now
realize that the good friends you make are
those who can only benefit you and make you
become a better person. As Prophet
Muhammad once said, “A person is likely to
follow the faith of his friend, so look whom
you befriend.” From my personal
experiences, I feel blessed for getting the
chance to meet everyone I now know, and I
thank Allah (swt) everyday for those who
have entered my life because they are truly
the friends that will last a lifetime.
I ask Allah (swt) to forgive my mistakes
and shortcomings in this work and in general.
I ask that Allah accepts this work from us and
makes it beneficial for the Muslim
community. I ask Allah (swt) to keep us all
on the straight path and to help us learn more
about Islam. I ask Allah (swt) to guide my
parents, my family, and my friends. I thank
Allah (swt) for all my family and my friends.
I thank Allah (swt) for such a blessed and
rewarding year and for giving me guidance
every day. I thank Allah (swt) for all the trials
and obstacles this year. I thank Allah (swt)
for every blessing this year and every year
and for allowing me to live in this moment of
time.
J a z a k u m A l l a h u
Khairan to everyone,
my family, my friends,
and every member of
the MSA and MWM
cabinets. This year
was truly amazing
because of everything everyone has done, and
I ask Allah (swt) to reward you all, for every
action and for every intention. I look forward
to even more rewarding years, insha Allah.
Wassalamu Alaikum Warahmatullah.
An-Nur Volume 7, Issue 3
Page 5
A Freshman‟s Reflection
As Ali ibn Abi Talib (radi Allahu anhu) once said, “Meet people
in such a manner that once you die, they should weep for you,
and if you live, they should long for you.”
Reflecting on the Qur’an
To the Desert Arabs, the horse used to
be one of the most honored of all creatures,
before the Toyota and Honda took its place.
These creatures were such a great blessing
to them from Allah and so important in their
lives, that they used over a hundred different
names to describe them. In fact, there is
even a surah in the Qur‟an about horses,
Surah Al-Adiyat (Those that Run).
Specifically, this surah refers to warhorses, a
different breed probably than the kinds we
have seen in our lives (also different from
the one that tried to eat me alive at the
campus barn). So why, we might wonder,
does Allah speak of horses in the Qur‟an?
Well let us start with the imagery of the
horses in this surah, which is in fact very
outstanding:
The surah gives a sense of the absolute
War Horses by Maria Khalid
devotion and love these creatures have for
Allah. So sincere are they, that during times of
war they charge headfirst into battle, into the
jungle of swords and weaponry ahead of them.
This description reminds me of old war
movies, in which I would wonder how it is that
the horses can charge with such obedience and
submission. Are they not afraid? Do they not
realize that they may be charging headfirst into
their death? Or maybe it is that they realize
that barreling into their doom is a minor
concern in comparison to the immense honor
of working for the sake of Allah. Maybe it is
that these horses recognize that their whole
existence centers on only one purpose. And
their determination to fulfill that purpose is so
strong that they rush with excitement even into
the throes of combat.
Then in the sixth verse, Allah says, “Truly
Man is, to his Lord, Ungrateful.” It is as if
Allah is comparing these horses to Man, the
foolish and ungrateful creature. And how is
Man ungrateful? It is with his deeds that he
displays his lack of gratitude. After all, love
for Allah, or for anyone else for that matter, is
not merely a feeling in one‟s heart. It is
expressed via actions and deeds. The horses in
this surah, for example, are not merely
standing around, chewing grass, and thinking
about Allah. Nor are they wasting time
complaining about the task that is assigned to
them. They recognize that they have a duty
and they do not hesitate for a second to fulfill
their duty, no matter how challenging the
means to achieving their goal.
Finally, the surah reminds us of the Day
of Judgment, that inevitable Hour that is
ever approaching, but that we are so
heedless of. It is so near, yet in our
understandings, we perceive it as far away.
But if any of us truly had a conception of the
urgency of this event, we probably wouldn‟t
be spending so much of our time each day
idling around. Nor would we be chasing
after what we may perceive as the glamour
and luxury of the life of this world. Instead,
we would be like these warhorses and
realize that (even at the age of 18) this life
may soon be coming to an end. And for us,
it is the only chance we have to prove to
Allah that we are worthy. So we too should
charge fearlessly into the face of adversity
and dedicate every second of our lives to
fulfilling that same goal that we were
created for and to prove to our Lord that we
are indeed grateful for every blessing that
He has bestowed upon us. And we should
also examine our deeds and get out of this
illusion that we have all the time in the
world to fix our mistakes. I fear that one day
I might be looking back at my life regretting
all that I did not do, thinking about that
hidden potential that I never reached. I
would rather be like that warhorse, seeing
the possibility of death in front of me, and
thinking, “Bring it on…”
An-Nur Volume 7, Issue 3
Page 6
By the (steeds) that run with panting (breath). And strike sparks of fire. And push home the charge in
the morning. And raise the dust in clouds the while. And penetrate forthwith into the midst (of the foe) en masse. Truly Man is, to his Lord, Ungrateful. And to that (fact) He bears witness (by his deeds). Does he not know, when that which is in the graves is scattered abroad. And that
which is (locked up) in (human) breasts is made manifest. That their Lord had been well acquainted with
them, even to) that Day? (100:1-11)
The Road Soon Taken by Sherihan Youssef
“Every soul shall have a taste of death:
And only on the Day of Judgment shall you
be paid your full recompense. Only he who
is saved far from the Fire and admitted to
the Garden will have attained the object (of
Life): For the life of this world is but goods
and chattels of deception.” 3:185
Indeed, Allah (swt) is the only one
worthy of praise and to him we will return.
He brought us into this life as helpless
creatures and helpless we will be when we
return to him.
Nothing in this world will protect the
children of Adam from death, from the
highest of kings to the poorest of beggars;
death is inevitable for every creature. Each
and every one of us will see the faces of
Munkir and Nakeer (the two angles who
question the dead in the grave) and will be
asked “Who is your Lord? Who is your
Prophet? What is your religion?” Will our
answers slip off our tongues with ease or
will our tongues be heavy, unable to
respond: “Allah (swt), Islam and Mohamed
(saaw)”? Will we speak with confidence,
declaring our faith or will we stumble in our
words, doubting the answer we might give?
Which of us will smell the breezes of
paradise in our grave, getting a piece of our
eternal home, and who will feel the heat of
hellfire, knowing that this is the punishment
that awaits us? The answer to the question is
that we don‟t know for sure and will never
know until the day in which our soul parts
with our bodies. This is the day in which our
souls will either leave our bodies with ease
or will beg for a second chance.
We are convinced that death is
inevitable but we are not convinced that as
Muslims, we should look forward to this day
because indeed, the soul does not find rest
until it is in the presence of its Lord. So why
are we afraid? Why do we tremble with fear
when the topic of death is brought to our
attention? It is because we are not living our
of eating lunch, to Allah (swt). Sincerity is
the first stepping stone to purification
because sincerity reflects love for Allah
(swt) and love for pleasing him. Without
sincerity, you cut off the rope that holds you
to Allah (swt). To accessorize your soul and
to keep it in its purified state, make thikr
(remembrance of Allah) constantly,
contemplate upon Allah‟s creation and
miracles, and most importantly, make tawba
on a regular basis. If you would like to look
deeper into the
subject of
purification of
the soul and
h e a r t , I
s t r o n g l y
r e c o m m e n d
purchasing Purification of the Heart, by
Hamza Yusuf.
If you leave all that has been said in this
article, take away only one concept: Love
for Allah (swt) and love for the day in which
you will meet him inshaAllah. Purchase the
jewelry, car and home, study, graduate and
be successful in your field, get married, have
kids and raise them well, but whatever you
do, do it for the sake of Allah (swt). Instead
of running in place, run to the finish line.
Preparing for the Hereafter
An-Nur Volume 7, Issue 3
Page 7
life, our every hour and our every minute for
the sake of Allah (swt). We are not praying our
prayers on time, we do not renew our
intentions every morning for Allah (swt), we
are not working enough for His sake and most
of all, and we are not spending enough time
purifying our inner self: our soul.
The human being consists of two major
parts: the body and the soul. After death, the
body deteriorates and becomes one with the
Earth in its grave. The soul on the other hand
does not deteriorate. Rather, it is preserved in
the grave, where it is judged for its deeds and
awaits for the Day of Judgment. Nothing of
materialistic value from this world is taken
with the human being into its grave except for
the simple white cloth that he/she is wrapped
in prior to the burial of the body. Therefore,
why do we spend so much time nourishing our
bodies with worldly pleasures: fancy clothes,
expensive cuisines, jewelry, cars and homes
and neglect the purification of our souls? It is
wise to note that there is nothing wrong with
spending money and enjoying worldly things if
Allah has blessed you with it, as long as it is
islamically permissible. However, it is not
okay, nor does it make sense to neglect the
nourishment of that which will eternally exist,
the soul. Just as we take time to make sure we
are clean and presentable to society, we must
cleanse our soul of all that is harmful and
make it presentable to Allah (swt). After the
soul is cleansed, it is important to accessorize
it with beautiful ornaments of pure love for
Allah (swt) in order to make our souls the most
presentable and beautiful for Allah‟s pleasing.
So how do we cleanse and accessorize our
soul? The best antidote to an aching soul is the
words of Allah (swt): The Qur‟an. The Qur‟an
should have a special reserved slot in our day.
Nothing can ease a tired and aching soul like
the Qur‟an, Subhan Allah. To purify our souls,
we should renew our intentions regularly,
being sincere in our actions and devoting every
action of our day, even if it is the simple task
“We are convinced that death is inevitable but we are not convinced that as
Muslims, we should look forward to this day because indeed, the soul does
not find rest until it is in the presence of its Lord.”
ruined itself in the past as they only
punished the poor and ignored the offences
of the exalted. By Allah, if Muhammad's
(My) daughter Fatimah would have
committed theft, her hand would have been
severed."
He was the exemplar of equality, he ate
with slaves, servants and the poorest on the
same sheet, and he completely disbanded
all notions of racial or nationalistic
superiority. He had great love for the poor
and made the du‟a, "O Allah, keep me poor
in my life and at my death and raise me at
resurrection among those who are poor."
He used to say, "I am a Prophet of
Allah but I do not know what will be my
end."
O NabiAllah, you are the most beloved
of all humanity to Allah, in this life, and
will be the most beloved in the next, Al
Mustafa.
“A Sparkling Diamond”
He was the most charming of the
Makkans. The most youthful and
handsome. The talk of the ladies of
Makkah, and the flower of the Quraish. He
was wealthy and lived a luxurious life,
enjoying the company of the richest and
most powerful of the Quraish. A prince of
Rasulullah (saws) was the perfection of
humanity, and the best example for all human
kind. He was the most beautiful man who will
ever live on earth. His beauty resided in his
purity of imaan, his disposition and his
appearance. He was the epitome of Muslims.
He was our own portrait of piety. As Muslims,
we long to emulate him in every way that is
possible. It is an honor from Allah
„AzzawaJal to be of the Muslims, and to have
as our leader Rasulullah (saws). Let us take a
glimpse at the most beloved one: Muhammad
(saws) was of a height a little above average.
He was of sturdy build with long muscular
limbs and tapering fingers. He had long, thick
hair with some waves in it. His forehead was
large and prominent, his eyelashes were long
and thick, his nose was sloping, his mouth was
somewhat large and his teeth were well set.
His cheeks were spare and he had a pleasant
smile. His eyes were large and black with a
touch of brown. His beard was thick. He was
fair of complexion and was so handsome that
Abu Bakr composed this couplet on him: "as
there is no darkness in the moonlit night so is
Mustafa, the well-wisher, bright."
His general dress was a shirt, trousers, a
sheet thrown around the shoulders and a
turban. His house was a hut with walls of
unbaked clay and a thatched roof of palm
leaves covered by camel skin. He said, "What
have I to do with worldly things. My
connection with the world is like that of a
traveler resting for a while underneath the
shade of a tree and then moving on."
His character was the Qur‟an, and Allah
says, "By the grace of Allah, you are gentle
towards the people; if you had been stern and
ill-tempered, they would have dispersed from
round about you.” He usually smiled. He was
straightforward and pleasant. He had firm
trust in Allah, and told a sahabah during the
time that Muslims were few and oppressed.
“By Allah, the day is near when faith will
reach its pinnacle and none will have to fear
anyone except Allah."
He loved children and always smiled, and
kissed them whenever they were around him.
He showed kindness to animals, and justice to
everyone, never favoring the rich over the
impoverished. He said, "Many a community
every festivity and loved by all.
He was our sahabah Mus‟ab ibn Umair
(ra). When the message of Islam came, he
was among the earliest of the sahabah who
became Muslim. When he entered Dar al
Arqam and heard the beauty of the words of
Allah, his soul surrendered to Allah. What
better story is there for the love of Makkah
but to become the love of Rasullullah (saws).
He left the luxurious life of darkness and
depravity, to become immersed in the light of
Islam.
Islam was still new when the Ansar
pledged their allegiance at „Aqabah.
Rasulullah (saws) needed someone to serve
as a da‟ee to the people of Madina and he
entrusted Mus‟ab as the first envoy of Islam.
But why? Mus‟ab was a beautiful man. He
was still charming, but he was also
intelligent. He had a strong character and
sincerity shone through his practice of Islaam.
He was friendly and delightful to be around.
He was a star guiding people to Islam from
the light within him. Great sahabah like
Usaid ibn Hudair, Sa‟ad ibn Mu‟adh, and
Sa‟ad ibn Ubaadah (ra) became Muslim due
to his da‟wah.
The years passed and soon the Battle of
Uhud came. Mus‟ab was among the
mujaahideen who fought in this battle. Let us
look at the powerful scene now: Ibn Sa‟ad
said Ibrahim ibn Muhammad related from his
father, who said: “Mus‟ab ibn Umair carried
the standard…When the Muslims were
scattered, he (Mus‟ab) stood fast until he met
ibn Quma‟ah who was a knight. He struck
him on his right hand and cut it off, but
Mus‟ab said, “and Muhammad is but a
Messenger. Messengers have passed way
before him.” (later 3:3). He carried the
standard with his left hand and leaned on it.
He struck his left hand and cut it off, and so
he leaned on the standard and held it with his
upper arms to his chest, while saying, “and
Muhammad is but a Messenger. Messengers
have passed way before him.” Then a third
one struck him with his spear and the spear
went through him. Mus‟ab fell and then the
standard.”
The flower of the Quraish-the most
charming of Makkans, our courageous
(Continued on page 9)
Portraits of Piety “The Most Beloved of All Humanity” by Maryam bint Dawud
An-Nur Volume 7, Issue 3
Page 8
martyr, died. Face down, dusty and bloody
with his limbs chopped off. Mus‟ab the
Good. Standing over his body, Rasulullah
(saws) said, with tears streaming down his
face, “Among the believers are men who
have been true to their covenant with
Allah.” (S. 33:23).
He gathered his living sahabah and said,
“O people, visit them, come to them, and
salute them. By Allah, no Muslim will salute
them but that they will salute him in return.”
We salute you Mus‟ab, a sparkling
diamond guiding us with your shine to the
Deen of Allah.
“A Sweet Ocean”
“Our shaikh and master and imam…the
possessor of many radiant proofs…the pole
of light…beneficial treasure… unique in this
age and others…” -Silah ad Deen Al-
Balaa’ee
He was neither a prophet nor a sahabah.
So who was this man? What made him glow?
He was Taqi ud Deen Abu al „Abbas ibn
Taymiyyah. His character was sincerity. He
was straightforward and loved the truth. He
was quick to anger, but generous and
(Continued from page 8) forgiving. From childhood he mastered all
of the religious and secular sciences.
Among his great students were Ibn Adh
Dhahabee, Ibn Katheer, and Ibn Al
Qayyim.
During his lifetime the Islamic world
was under oppression from the Tartars,
and threatened by destruction from the
Crusaders. Internally there was confusion
among the Muslims as innovation became
injected into Islam. He took it upon
himself to defend Islam, against all
deviation. Ibn Taymiyyah used to say,
“Only he fears who has a sickness of
heart.” Thus, he was a leader in upholding
the Words of Allah, both through scientific
proofs, and through physical fighting.
He became popular among the people
and soon jealousy emerged from scholars
in opposition to him and so they conspired
to have him imprisoned. When he was
threatened with jail he said his famous
quote, “What can my enemies do to me?
My Paradise is in my heart, it is with me
wherever I go. To imprison me is to
provide me with seclusion. To send me
into exile is to send me away in the Path of
Allah. And to kill me is to make me a
Portraits of Piety
martyr.”
Every time he was imprisoned he
always pardoned and forgave those who had
him imprisoned.
While imprisoned, he completed 80
recitals of the Qur‟an. He completed a 40
volume tafseer called al-Bahr al-Muheet.
He wrote over 500 books according to
Imaam Adh-Dhahabi, most of them in
prison.
He died in prison after reciting the ayah,
“Lo! The righteous will dwell among
gardens and rivers firmly established in the
favor of a Mighty King.” When he died,
60,000 to 100,000 people joined the funeral
procession.
He was a sweet ocean of knowledge
during his life and even after, we have
continued to benefit from his knowledge.
May Allah make him of those who dwell
among gardens and rivers, amin.
All of these precious jewels originate
from one source. That source is as clear as
the sunlight and the waterfalls gushing from
the mountains and roses blooming from the
earth. We have that source. We have Islam
wrapped in glowing purity. Who will open
it? Who will live it? Who will die for it?
Most Beloved (cont’d)
An-Nur Volume 7, Issue 3
Page 9
there was a speech by the Muslim Women of
Maryland (MWM) president Sherihan
Youssef, who introduced the MWM. During
the dinner an original MSA movie was
played, entitled “What Dreams May
Become,” by DatVon Productions
(www.datvonproductions.com), which was
about the MSA‟s efforts to attain an Islamic
Studies Department. The movie was widely
lauded and warmly welcomed. “They all
seemed to love it,” says lead actor, Sami
Elzaharna, Sport Committee head. “This is an
original idea, and people always appreciate
originality. The quality of the editing was
also extremely good. People at the fundraiser
did not expect this from a student
organization.”
(Continued from page 1) very smoothly, from on the floor food
distribution to entertaining MCing by the
MSA Treasurer, Mustafa Zaghal. When the
MSA called the fundraiser, “Spreading the
Light of Learning,” it was more than a catch
phrase, it was a promise. “With the MSA‟s
growing activism and breadth, we are now
attracting more involvement from
professors, parents, alumni, and community
members than ever before – and we know
that these valuable contributions will need
to continue and grow for this project to be
successful,” Abutaleb asserts. “Our
members have shown a lot of commitment
to making the MSA more than just another
college club, and insha‟Allah, it is that MSA
that can see this project to its conclusion.”
By the grace of Allah, around thirty
thousand dollars was raised.
After dinner, MSA president
Mohamed Abutaleb presented a
PowerPoint to explain what the MSA‟s
recent accomplishments and projects have
been, as well as an introduction to the
Islamic Studies‟ Department. The keynote
speech by Dr. Soltan led up to Maghrib
salah, and the fundraising began with
Imam Johari Abdul-Malik. The program
was interrupted with a surprise appearance
by Ahmed Abu-Ali‟s father, who spoke of
his son‟s plight and encouraged everyone
to attend an upcoming fundraiser for
Ahmed Abu-Ali. The program ended with
Imam Johari reminding the audience of the
significance of such an endeavor (the
Islamic Studies Department), and how
important it was for Muslims to be taking
the initiative. Altogether, the event ran
Fundraiser (cont.)
has taken away from him
Only seeing what lies in his eyes view, not worrying to
where it may lead
He walks on, this little soldier, to a far away world
unknown
Thanking Allah
For every breathe of clean air he takes in
For every sip of clean water he gets to drink
For ever bite of bread he gets to eat
Thankful, and only Thankful…
We spend so much time counting our misfortunes
And stressing about the problems we have in life
That we don’t see the blessings that have been bestowed
upon us
We don’t take the time to appreciate our family or friends
Don’t take the time to utilize the resources given to us
We complain and stress and worry…
Be Thankful to Allah for everything you have
For every sip of water, every bite of bread.
Be grateful for your family and your friends
For your car, computer, and shoes
Be thankful that you’re not that little solider standing on
that desert road
With nothing behind you to fall back on and nothing in
your future to look forward to
Stop for a moment and just breathe, just relax, just take in
what is around you.
Most of all be thankful…just be thankful
Imagine that that you were robbed of your last breath
Everything you owned was suddenly someone else’s
property
The people you turned to for hope were no longer there
A part of your heart had been torn away
Every truth you ever knew, turned out to be a lie
What do you hold on to, when your falling into thin air
Who do you turn to, when everyone is gone
How do you forgive, when you’re consumed by your
vengeance…….
Well Imagine…
A young boy in a country on the other side of world
Stands Alone in silence on a hot broken road
He looks out into the horizon, his hands worn to the
bone
The sweat drips down his cheeks, as the subtle breeze
cools him down
He stands, savoring every breathe of cool air that
enters his lungs
Thanking his lord that he is alive and that he is out of
any harm
Behind him he leaves a cloud of chaos and animosity
War-torn and orphaned by the tragedies of war
He sees the life that is ahead of him on this deserted
road
Counting only his blessings, he leaves behind what life
Creative Writing Be Thankful by Rafia Ali
An-Nur Volume 7, Issue 3
Page 10
An-Nur Volume 7, Issue 3
Page 11
Year in Review
An-Nur Volume 7, Issue 3
Page 12
MSA Officers
President: Mohamed Abutaleb
Vice-President: Ibrahim Elmoghazy
VP Sisters’ Affairs: Mona Ibrahim
Masjid Affairs: Hosam Haggag
Pub. Relations: Abdullah Valanzola
Secretary: Yusuf Yates
Treasurer: Mustafa Zaghal
MSA Chaplain: Ali Darwish
MWM Officers
President: Sherihan Youssef
Vice-President: Ruba Elbasha
Secretary: Dina Raafat
Treasurer: Asfa Lohani
Pub. Relations: Fasiha Khan
SGA Liaison: Samya Mohammad
Newsletter Staff
Editor-in-Chief:
Asfa Lohani
Staff Writers:
Rafia Ali
Maryam bint Dawud
Faten Gharib
Maria Khalid
Fasiha Khan
Sherihan Youssef
Khuram Zaman
Copy Editor:
Chancey Gannett
Page Editors:
Asfa Lohani (Lead)
Kausar Sajjad
University of Maryland at College Park
Box 44, Stamp Student Union
College Park, MD 20742
Email: [email protected]
WWW.MSA-UMD.ORG
WWW.MWM-UMD.ORG
T H E M U S L I M S T U D E N T S ’ A S S O C I A T I O N
Famous Muslims of Our Day by Sherihan Youssef
Crossword Puzzle
Across
2. Author of Return of the Pharaoh
6. Famous Muslim Boxer
9. Islamic Singer. Formally Cat Stevens
Down
1. Famous cricket player. Made it in the Guinness World Records.
3. President of the International Union of Muslim Women. Initials are A.A.
4. Founder of Al-Zaytuna Institute
5. Author of "Leadership: An Islamic Perspective". Born in Egypt and his initials are J.B.
7. Prominent Muslim Scholar. Was a former Christian preacher.\par
8. Former member of the Nation of Islam. After leaving NOI, he founded Muslim Mosque, Inc.
Special Instructions: Answers include the first an last name of the
individual and there is a blank space between the first and last name.
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