A Publication of the Islamic education. Continued on Page 2

Transcription

1 A Publication of the Islamic education WAHDAT July 2o10 / Rajab - Shaban 1431 AH Imam Mahdi (aj), Allah s promise of Justice and Peace for all Humanity The concept of the Mahdi is not just the embodiment of an Islamic doctrine possessing a religious character but rather signifies a universal aspiration of mankind with the variety of its religions and creeds. It represents an innate aspiration through which people, despite the variety of their beliefs and their means of recourse to the Unseen (ghayb), perceive that there is, for all mankind on the earth, a promised day wherein the divine messages with their momentous significance will be fulfilled and their ultimate objective will be realized, bringing the long and arduous human journey through history to its ultimate destination. In fact, the consciousness of this unseen day and the awaited future is not limited to the religious believers in the Unseen (ghayb), but includes others as well, being reflected even in ideologies and creeds most vehement in their rejection of the Unseen and everything that relates to it, such as dialectical materialism. Continued on Page 2 What s Going On in Your IEC Board? Fatimiyah Fund Drive update: Since the launch of the Fatimiyah Fund drive, IEC has collected around $32,000 from the generous contributions of our community members and visitors from and around the state of Texas. During the two fundraisers held on the Wiladat of Imam Ali (AS) and Hazrat Fatima (SA), IEC received pledges of around $65,000. JazakAllah to everyone who contributed towards this fund. Please continue to show your support: - Online at - Mailing Address: PO Box # , Houston, TX 77257, - Or by dropping off your contributions at IEC Our goal for this year s drive is $110,000. Please send any questions to info@iec-houston.org. IEC Public relations team plans for the 3rd quarter of How do I go to study in Qum/Najaf- This session will provide a high level overview as to what one must do to pursue higher Islamic studies - How do I become an Attorney- This session will provide guidance and helpful information if one likes to pursue a career an attorney - Adopt-A-Block- The public relations team will work with IEC volunteers to keep the surrounding streets of IEC neat and clean. Inside this issue: www. iec-houston.org Imam Mahdi 2 Interview with Sheikh Makki 3 Introducing MAHDI 4 Know Your Rights 5 Great Mind Departs 5 Upcoming Programs 6 "To Allah we belong, and to Him we shall return" Ayatollah Mohammed Hussein Fadallah, Lebanon's most influential Shia cleric, has died in Beirut at the age of 74. Continued on Page 5 Holy Prophet : If there were to remain in the life of the world but one day, God would prolong that day until He sends in it a man from my community and my household. His name will be the same as my name. He will fill the earth with equity and justice as it was filled with oppression and tyranny.

2 Page 2 FEATURE ARTICLE: EXCERPTS FROM IMAM BAQIR SADR Imam Mahdi (aj), Allah s promise of Justice and Peace for all Humanity Continued from page 1 Dialectical materialism, which interprets history in terms of contradictions, believes in a promised day in which all the contradictions would be resolved and peace and harmony will prevail. Similarly, we find that the psychological experience pertaining to this perception of mankind through the course of history, is one of the most widespread of experiences and the most common among individuals. When religion affirms this general perception and asserts that the world will eventually be filled with justice and equity after rampant injustice and oppression, it gives an objective value to this perception by transforming it into faith in the future of humanity. This faith is not merely a source of comfort and solace, it is rather a source of strength and resourcefulness, because the faith in the Mahdi is faith in the removal of injustice and tyranny even if it darkens the entire world and is an inexhaustible source of strength and resistance, as it is a ray of hope which removes despair from the human spirit by keeping the flame of hope lit in gloomy times when injustice assumes monstrous dimensions. This is because the promise of such a day affirms the possibility of justice defying a world filled with injustice and oppression, by pulling down the foundations of injustice to rebuild a new structure in its place. It implies that when injustice becomes monstrous and worldwide and spread its tentacles over human destiny, that is an unnatural condition which is bound to terminate. This great and inevitable defeat of injustice, at a time when it is at its zenith, gives a great hope to every victim of injustice and reassurance to every oppressed nation of the ability to tilt the scales and build a new order. As the concept of the Mahdi precedes Islam and is of a wider occurrence, the detailed teachings furnished by Islam, being more fertile and more powerful in arousing the sentiments of the oppressed and the tormented throughout the course of history, give a greater vitality to all the aspirations which led to the emergence of this concept at the dawn of religious history. That is so because Islam has shifted this concept from the plane of transcendence to that of concrete reality, from the future to the present, and from the expectations of a saviour to be born in a distant and unknown future into a faith in an actual saviour who awaits along with others the promised day when all the conditions allowing him to carry out his great role are fulfilled. Hence the Mahdi is not a saviour whose birth is awaited or a prophecy whose fulfillment is sought; rather he is a present reality whose active involvement is awaited and a particular individual living with his flesh and blood in our midst, whom we see and who sees us. With us he lives through our hopes and sufferings and participates in our joys and sorrows. He witnesses everything going on in the world stage, the sufferings of the tormented, the misery of the miserable, and the tyranny of the tyrants, and, from far and near; feels them all intensely, and, with his grief, await for the moment when he may extend his hand towards every victim of oppression, deprivation and distress, and crush the tyrants. Source: Martyr Sayyid Muhammad Baqir al-sadr-quddisa, Al-Tawhid Journal

3 EXCLUSIVE INETERVIEW WITH SHEIKH MAKKI Husayn El-Mekki is an American Native born in 1980 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. After a long journey of truth seeking, his Parents converted from Catholic and Christian to Muslim. During the time of the Iran-Iraq war his family traveled to Iran to further their Islamic knowledge and again in 1994 his family traveled to Iran the second time. Upon completion of the Farsi Language Course and graduating with honors he moved onto broaden his education in the field of theology, religious science and Islamic Studies. After four years, at the age of 18 he returned to the United States to acquire his High School Diploma. He went on to expand on this at Wrightco Tech where he would graduate receiving certificates in business telephony, fiber optics communications and security systems. In 2006, he returned to the Islamic Republic to follow his heart in furthering his knowledge of Islamic studies. He also became very active in the field of translation. In 2008 he was accepted into the online MA program of I.C.A.S. (Islamic College for Advanced Studies) in London, validated by Middlesex University. He is a current student there, majoring in Islamic Studies, anticipating to graduate with a Masters degree in Islamic studies in the fall of He came back to the States in 2008 and worked as a teacher at the Muslim Community School (I.E.C.) in Potomac, Maryland. There he also founded in 2009, an after-school company and program to incorporate academic as well as athletic Islamic values. His hobbies and interests include: spending time with family, reading, playing sports, writing poetry, traveling, Islamic research, computers, cooking and mentoring. He is fully fluent in Farsi (Western Persian), and has sound knowledge of Arabic as well as Dari (Eastern Persian) and English is his mother tongue. Page 3 BY KUMAIL MIRZA What are some of the key areas where you feel our youth (ages 6-18) need the most in terms of obtaining proper Islamic understanding and developing a foundation? Obviously it will take some time to determine if there certain specific needs to the Al-Hadi family and or Houston community. However there are some areas which are key for success of the future generations in general, namely practical laws of Islam and comprehension of the Quran in addition to recitation. Older students in particular need to be immersed in Islam as a practical and real aspect of their every day lives. A connection must be made between today's modern world, its trials and tribulations and the answers which Islam as a way of life offers. What is your vision for Al-Hadi and its students? Ideally Al-Hadi as a school should be an example school from an Islamic perspective in all aspects and set the tone for education for all schools, Muslim and non-muslim. The Messenger of Allah has stated that: A believer is one who does his or her job to the best of their ability; i.e. with excellence. Our students should be examples of excellence especially in effort and education. Every student should become a scholar and implement that which he or she has learned, but more importantly an atmosphere should be created which encourages love for Islam. Every student which graduates and leaves the school should become an intricate part of society; that is to say that they should blossom into pioneers and leaders in their respective fields and as examples of true Islamic character. What are some of your short-term goals to help achieve that vision? We are still in the observation phase of analyzing the best possible short-term goals which are actually practical. The initial plan however, will be to work closely with Parents, Teachers and Administration in order to identify and achieve those goals.

4 INTRODUCING MAHDI (MUSLIMS AGAINST HUNGER DISEASE & INJUSTICE) Page 4 By AMIR GOLABBAKHSH MAHDI is a volunteer based, grass roots, charitable institution seeking, among other things, to educate the Muslim community & the community-at-large about the problems of hunger, disease & injustice in our society. Nearly 900,000 people live in poverty throughout Harris County and surrounding areas. Statistics show that on any given day, an estimated 35,000 people are hungry in the Houston area. The focus of MAHDI, and as responsible Muslims, is to help the poor and needy whether they are Muslims or not. Some of the benefits for helping the poor and needy include, but is not limited to: - Earning the pleasure of Allah (SWT) by helping others & following the way of the Holy Prophet & the Ahlul Bayt (AS) - Fulfilling our Islamic duty to help spread the true message of Islam through service - Earning personal satisfaction and fulfillment by help ing others - Giving back to the society we benefit from by helping to alleviate some of the burdens of the poor and needy - Helping to prepare the way for the return of Imam Mahdi (AS), by helping to make his name well-known & synonymous with justice, generosity and good will towards our fellow Man - Earn the honor & distinction of being pioneers in the forefront of a new Islamic charitable movement that will sweep across America & enhance the prestige of Islam in the West, while establishing a positive image of Islam. The upcoming July schedule for the MAHDI includes the Feed the Body and Mind program where the MAHDI volunteers meet every Sunday in two different phases: Phase 1: Meet at the IEC Cafeteria, bag 250 sandwiches, fruit, snacks and Islamic pamphlets from 7:15am to 9am. Phase 2: Distribute the 250 bag lunches to the homeless in Downtown Houston from 9am to 10:30am.

5 INTRODUCING MAHDI (MUSLIMS AGAINST HUNGER DISEASE & INJUSTICE) Page 4 By AMIR GOLABBAKHSH MAHDI is a volunteer based, grass roots, charitable institution seeking, among other things, to educate the Muslim community & the community-at-large about the problems of hunger, disease & injustice in our society. Nearly 900,000 people live in poverty throughout Harris County and surrounding areas. Statistics show that on any given day, an estimated 35,000 people are hungry in the Houston area. The focus of MAHDI, and as responsible Muslims, is to help the poor and needy whether they are Muslims or not. Some of the benefits for helping the poor and needy include, but is not limited to: - Earning the pleasure of Allah (SWT) by helping others & following the way of the Holy Prophet & the Ahlul Bayt (AS) - Fulfilling our Islamic duty to help spread the true message of Islam through service - Earning personal satisfaction and fulfillment by help ing others - Giving back to the society we benefit from by helping to alleviate some of the burdens of the poor and needy - Helping to prepare the way for the return of Imam Mahdi (AS), by helping to make his name well-known & synonymous with justice, generosity and good will towards our fellow Man - Earn the honor & distinction of being pioneers in the forefront of a new Islamic charitable movement that will sweep across America & enhance the prestige of Islam in the West, while establishing a positive image of Islam. The upcoming July schedule for the MAHDI includes the Feed the Body and Mind program where the MAHDI volunteers meet every Sunday in two different phases: Phase 1: Meet at the IEC Cafeteria, bag 250 sandwiches, fruit, snacks and Islamic pamphlets from 7:15am to 9am. Phase 2: Distribute the 250 bag lunches to the homeless in Downtown Houston from 9am to 10:30am.

6 EXCLUSIVE INETERVIEW WITH SHEIKH MAKKI Husayn El-Mekki is an American Native born in 1980 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. After a long journey of truth seeking, his Parents converted from Catholic and Christian to Muslim. During the time of the Iran-Iraq war his family traveled to Iran to further their Islamic knowledge and again in 1994 his family traveled to Iran the second time. Upon completion of the Farsi Language Course and graduating with honors he moved onto broaden his education in the field of theology, religious science and Islamic Studies. After four years, at the age of 18 he returned to the United States to acquire his High School Diploma. He went on to expand on this at Wrightco Tech where he would graduate receiving certificates in business telephony, fiber optics communications and security systems. In 2006, he returned to the Islamic Republic to follow his heart in furthering his knowledge of Islamic studies. He also became very active in the field of translation. In 2008 he was accepted into the online MA program of I.C.A.S. (Islamic College for Advanced Studies) in London, validated by Middlesex University. He is a current student there, majoring in Islamic Studies, anticipating to graduate with a Masters degree in Islamic studies in the fall of He came back to the States in 2008 and worked as a teacher at the Muslim Community School (I.E.C.) in Potomac, Maryland. There he also founded in 2009, an after-school company and program to incorporate academic as well as athletic Islamic values. His hobbies and interests include: spending time with family, reading, playing sports, writing poetry, traveling, Islamic research, computers, cooking and mentoring. He is fully fluent in Farsi (Western Persian), and has sound knowledge of Arabic as well as Dari (Eastern Persian) and English is his mother tongue. Page 3 BY KUMAIL MIRZA What are some of the key areas where you feel our youth (ages 6-18) need the most in terms of obtaining proper Islamic understanding and developing a foundation? Obviously it will take some time to determine if there certain specific needs to the Al-Hadi family and or Houston community. However there are some areas which are key for success of the future generations in general, namely practical laws of Islam and comprehension of the Quran in addition to recitation. Older students in particular need to be immersed in Islam as a practical and real aspect of their every day lives. A connection must be made between today's modern world, its trials and tribulations and the answers which Islam as a way of life offers. What is your vision for Al-Hadi and its students? Ideally Al-Hadi as a school should be an example school from an Islamic perspective in all aspects and set the tone for education for all schools, Muslim and non-muslim. The Messenger of Allah has stated that: A believer is one who does his or her job to the best of their ability; i.e. with excellence. Our students should be examples of excellence especially in effort and education. Every student should become a scholar and implement that which he or she has learned, but more importantly an atmosphere should be created which encourages love for Islam. Every student which graduates and leaves the school should become an intricate part of society; that is to say that they should blossom into pioneers and leaders in their respective fields and as examples of true Islamic character. What are some of your short-term goals to help achieve that vision? We are still in the observation phase of analyzing the best possible short-term goals which are actually practical. The initial plan however, will be to work closely with Parents, Teachers and Administration in order to identify and achieve those goals.

7 AGREAT MIND DEPARTS, THE MESSAGE COUNTINUES A great thinker and soldier, Ayatollah Sayyid Muhammad Husayn Fadlallah, has departed this temporal world; he is no longer with us. Page 5 BY TRENT CARL We are no longer able to glean insight from his updated statements but we should continue the message he bore, the message of Islam: "Freedom, which Allah has given us, is not a slogan we raise while living in thousands of forms of slavery. It is first to be the master of yourself. To possess a willpower that would enable you to control your instincts and uphold your responsibilities." I gave a short speech about Sayyid Fadlallah last Friday, the same day that I was told that he was in a declining state in the hospital. Sad irony. But, as the Sayyid stated himself: "We have grown accustomed in our literature to say if a religious or political figure dies, Islam or the country has died. Islam does not die if someone dies even if he were the Prophet, who died but the Message remained." A brother reminded me that his passing makes our responsibility heavier; this is a call to action. "Thought is an on-going process that enables us to surpass the thought of any particular thinker just as he surpassed the thought of those before him." Sayyid Fadlallah would encourage us to continue purifying ourselves and thinking about and working on the world; he would encourage us to surpass our previous positions and even his position. Do not stall at this loss! Do not become discouraged for we cannot assert ourselves "when we only know how to applaud and cheer but not how to think. God has created us free and we should strive to keep this freedom." KNOW YOUR RIGHTS BY SYED ALI JAFRI The FBI may be increasing the number of interviews it conducts with Muslims in Texas in the coming months. As law abiding citizens we may feel we have nothing to hide. Yet consulting with legal counsel is always the smart thing to do prior to speaking with law enforcement. Speaking with law enforcement without an attorney present may put one at risk of criminal prosecution or adverse immigration consequences. Lying to a federal officer, even by omission, is a crime. There are thousands of ways in which we may implicate ourselves while speaking with law enforcement due to the complexity of the law. Speaking with law enforcement without an attorney is akin to entering a boxing ring with a heavyweight fighter: you are going to lose. According to a recent Muslim Advocates community advisory, there is no legal obligation to speak to law enforcement officials, and one is only required to provide identification to law enforcement officials if asked. Therefore, if you are approached by the FBI or any other law enforcement official for a friendly informational interview, a good option would be to ask for their contact information and inform them that your lawyer will be in touch. And rely on Allah, Allah is sufficient for a protector. (33:3) Syed Ali Jafri can be reached at AttorneyJafri@gmail.com DISCLAIMER: The information provided in this article is intended for educational purposes only. This article may contain legal information, which is not the same as legal advice. Legal advice is the application of the law to an individual s specific circumstances. The content of this article should NOT be considered professional legal advice, or a substitute for professional legal advice. No attorney-client relationship has been created between you and the author of this article. If you have a specific legal question or concern, you should consult a licensed attorney familiar with the relevant issues and law of your jurisdiction.

8 July 2010 UPCOMING PROGRAMS COUNTINUED Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat (26th Rajab) Shahadat of Imam Al-Kazim (A.S) Wafat of Hazrat Abu Talib (AS) Program 8:30-10:30 9 (27th Rajab) Besat and Meraj SPECIAL PROGRAM Program 6:00-10:15 10 (28ht Rajab) Start of Imam Hussain s Journey Program 8:4410: (4th Shaban) Wiladat of Imam Hussain, Sajjad, and Hazrat Abbas (AS) SPECIAL PROGRAM Program 6:30-10: (15th Shaban) Wiladat of Imam Mahdi (aj) SPECIAL PROGRAM Program 6:30-10: Program timings are subject to change. Please sign up for the IEC program mailing list and refer to the IEC website ( -houston.org) for up-to-date information. Please note that the calender indicates the night of programs at IEC not necessary the date of the occasions.