Graphic novels have a cult-like following from the very young, to the academically wise. Who knew they could teach you spiritual, or Islamic life lessons?

The 40 Sufi Comics collection by Mohammed and Arif Vakil do just that, and Muslimness has been following their blogging journey from inspiring onscreen comics, to their first book publication.



Check out the what? why? and who? behind 40 Sufi Comics in this interview with the artists.





First up, thank you so very much for sharing your work with Muslimness. Tell us, where are you both based and apart from running the Vakil.org blog, what do you do?
Our roots are from Gujarat - India, but we’ve never really lived there. We grew up in Dubai where we attended a School under the British Edexcel Board as well as a Madrasah. In 2002 we moved to Bangalore, India. For a living, we work together with our father in our family business, Vakil Housing. Vakil Housing develops residential properties focusing on giving its clients excellent returns on their investments.


Why did you create the Vakil.org blog?
We had an e-newsletter that started as early as emails began. The newsletter was called “Our monthly dose of inspiration”. That metamorphosed into our Company Blog. Since most of the stuff we would be posting would be personal experiences and less about work, we renamed it to The Arif and Ali blog. We blog about topics that are of interest to us i.e. productivity and spirituality. Sufi Comics is a project we started in 2009, and we used the blog to share the comics with our friends.


And the Sufi Comics, why did you choose the name ‘Sufi’, do you have any favourites?
Sufi Comics are short illustrated anecdotes from Islamic traditions. As Muslims we’ve often heard of these stories either taught to us when we were young or have read them in books.

Sufism is the study and practice that focuses on the spiritual dimension of Islam. 40 Sufi Comics are an expression of universal spiritual values taught in Islam, such as faith, love, respect, piety and truth, thus the name “Sufi Comics”.

We have many favorites! The Meaning of Love, No Problem!, Mother and The Blind Astronomer:


What inspired you to create Sufi comics?
We’ve been avid readers of comics since our youth and have seen how wonderfully cultures can be expressed in the medium of comics. Initially Sufi Comics was an experiment to explore how Islamic tradition can be expressed in the form of comics. We felt it would be a great way for the younger generation to learn about Islam and for non-Muslims to understand our faith.


I noticed you use a tablet to illustrate your comics. How does that creative process materialise?
I started off by drawing these comics using conventional tools like a paper, pencil and pen-brush. Then I would scan them and format them using Photoshop. This was of course a very time consuming process. So, I started searching online of the most efficient way to draw comics.





I found that Digital Art tools have matured, and after publishing a few comics I decided to invest in a Tablet PC for myself to speed up the process. Using a Tablet is similar to drawing on paper, except that it’s very forgiving thanks to the Undo button!



I think as long as one has the creative will, anyone can make comics. I didn’t have experience in drawing cartoons /comics before Sufi Comics, and if you see some of my first comics the art looks quite amateurish. Every time I came up with an idea to draw a comic, I would visit some youtube video or pick up a book to learn the techniques on drawing.




Masha'Allah, you've got some 'mad skills!' You do not draw the faces of respected individuals in Islamic history, why is that?
Interestingly when I started Sufi Comics, it was around the time when there was an uproar in the Muslim world on the cartoons of the Prophet ﷺ. Though we humans have a need to represent our beliefs through symbolizing them, if we over symbolize then we tend to focus on the symbol and forget what it was supposed to represent. Traditionally Islamic Art has stayed away from drawing faces of revered personalities. It does make the work of drawing the comics more challenging, but I felt it would be only appropriate to respect that tradition.


How did you get the first 40 Sufi comics published? What sort of reaction did you receive from fans?
We decided to take a different route to publishing the comics by opening it under the “Creative Commons” license, which essentially allows anyone to make copies to distribute the comics as long as they don’t make any changes. The print version of the book was self published using CreateSpace.com, which is an Amazon.com company.

Mohammed Ali Vakil: Book launch of 40 Sufi Comics

Overall the reaction to the comics has been wonderful. The most satisfying comments are the ones that I received from some non-Muslims who said that despite being from a different religion they enjoyed the comics and will give these comics to their children to learn what Islam is about.

Often the media is very negative about Islam and Muslims. I hope people will learn about Islam from books written by Muslims rather than from sensational news reports.


Some great motivation there; what else inspires you as young Indian Muslims?
The Prophet ﷺ (peace be upon him) has said,

“He whose two days are the same is at loss”.
When we realize that the goal of Islam is for its followers to fulfill their human potential - first spiritually and then in all other fields, that thought motivates us to move forward.

The feeling growth and progress motivates us to try new things, take risks, make mistakes and learn from them. It also gives us the focus that whatever activity we undertake in life, we should look at how it can benefit us spiritually. Even mundane activities like eating and driving, if done with the right approach can be a spiritual practice.

India is a wonderful place to be. I am always awed by it’s diversity. What depresses us about India is the unprecedented gap between the rich and the poor. As Indians we need to work towards bridging this gap as poverty is the root of many evils.


Are you involved in any other projects? 
We’re part of The Lifeline Foundation {www.lifelinetrust.in}, that focuses on improving the living standards of the poor in Bangalore by means of providing microfinance and education. Other projects that we contribute when we can is:
- The Ugly Indian {http://theuglyindian.com} whose focus is on coming up with sustainable solutions in maintaining a cleaner Bangalore.
- India Against Corruption {http://indiaagainstcorruption.org}. This is a recent movement that we have joined to have a Corrupt Free India
- Also, we're working on a Project on Digitization of Islamic Texts and creating an Online Islamic Education website for Muslims.


Activism to the max, masha'allah. Finally, what’s the future for the Vakil.org blog? Will you continue making comics for us?
We’ve been having lots of ideas like creating short stories, a graphic novel, an iPad app and even some cool animation, but we need to be realistic as well. Our next step is to work on Volume 2 of 40 Sufi Comics, and we’re happy to share that as it's begun!

These days we're also experimenting with some Video Animation, and are planning to create a series of short videos called "Sufi Notes". Our first video was for our TED Full Spectrum audition.


Muxlim viewers: Watch {Sufi Notes on YT}

PUBLISHING OPPORTUNITY:: We’re actually in search for a good publisher who can print and distribute the 40 Sufi Comics book to a wider audience. So if they're any publishers out there interested to publish the book, please get in touch with us through our blog.

Terrific! Shukran, thank you Vakil brothers for creating and sharing the whimsically smart Sufi Comics! 


Get your hands on a copy of 40 Sufi Comics:
Download and purchase:
→ Amazon.com - 40 Sufi Comics
→ FlipKart.com - Sufi Comics by Mohammed Ali

Images and video:: © Vakil.org

"Like" the {Facebook.com/SufiComics} page.
More behind the scenes of the {Astronomer comic on Arif & Ali's Blog}.

In the name of Allah, compassionate & merciful بِسْمِ اللهِ الرَّحْمنِ الرَّحِيمِ
Peace be with you السلام عليكم

{Find more Friday Nasiha under the Islam menu tab}

Al-Nisa, Women (Qur'an, 4:58)

"God commands you to deliver whatever you have been entrusted with to their rightful owners, and whenever you judge between people, to judge with justice. Most excellent is what God exhorts you to do. God hears all and sees all." (Qur'an, 4:58)

These are the main obligations placed on the Muslim community and these sum up its moral code:

1. Fulfilment of trust

The basic and most important trust is that which God has implanted in human nature. This is the one which the heavens, the earth and the mountains refused to accept, but which man undertook. It is that of willingly and deliberately recognising Divine guidance and believing in God. Giving testimony in favour of Islam is an important way of delivering this trust.

Another trust which is implied in the above is that of dealing with people and delivering to them whatever they have entrusted to us. That includes honesty in daily transactions, giving honest counsel to rulers and ruled, taking good care of young children, protecting the interests of the community and defending it against hostile forces, entrusting positions of responsibility only to those who are capable of shouldering the burdens of such positions, and observing all duties and obligations outlined by the Divine code.

2. Maintaining justice

The order to maintain justice is stated in the most general terms so as to make it obligatory between all people. Justice is due to every individual human being. Hence, justice should be extended to all: believers and non-believers, friends and enemies, white and coloured, Arabs and non-Arabs, etc.

This verse makes it clear that both orders to be true to one's trust and to maintain justice between people are part of God's admonition. Good and greatly beneficial indeed is whatever God directs and admonishes us to do. Moreover, the order to do both comes from the One who hears and sees all things. God is certain to hear and see all matters related to the fulfilment of trust and maintaining justice.

Compiled From:
"In the Shade of The Quran" - Sayyid Qutb, vol 3, pp. 193-195

In a hadith related by Bukhari and Muslim, God's Messenger ﷺ (peace be upon him), said:

"Paradise is surrounded by trouble and tribulation, and Hell is concealed in pleasure."

Paradise and Hell are, in essence, blessings for humanity. Fear of Hell causes us to observe God's prohibitions so that we may go to Paradise. However, being saved from Hell and becoming deserving of Paradise requires great self-discipline and strict intellectual and spiritual training.

Hell is an abode of torment placed within an attractive setting of enticing lures and pleasures. If we are captivated and live only to satisfy such desires, we are lured toward Hell. To reach Paradise, we first have to train ourselves to ignore worldly attractions. Hell is part of the way to Paradise, for we must travel to Hell without allowing any of its attractions to seduce us. To reach Paradise, we must persevere, endure affliction, perform what is obligatory, avoid sin, and thank God for His bounties and blessings. Such virtuous acts are hated by our carnal desires.

Compiled From:
"The Messenger of God: Muhammad" - Fethullah Gulen, pp. 113, 114

As revelation ended with the demise of the Prophet ﷺ and reason was accorded a greater importance, to the extent of considering its proper use (ijtihad) and act of worship (ibadah), it goes without saying that reason has an important role in conducting this life. Reason has no role to play if there is a clear-cut revealed statement, since revelation supersedes reason. If there is no specific revealed statement on a given issue, then reason must be used to distinguish between good and bad and to direct man to the right path.

Over time, the strong pressures of life led some people to regard all revealed statements as non-conclusive, thereby nullifying and voiding revelation. This might have been the result of confusing the two levels of the intellectual approach to revelation: understanding revelation and establishing rules.

If those who fell under the pressures of life had merely questioned the applicability of conclusive revealed statements to life, their positions would have been regarded as ijtihad. Instead, they challenged the definite understanding of revelation, claiming that it should be changed. They believed that they were pursuing the way of `Umar ibn al Khattab, who they thought had voided the hadd (punishment) for theft (cutting off the hands of thieves) during the "Year of the Famine." In fact, he neither changed nor suspended that punishment, which remains conclusive; rather, he believed that the punishment lacked the conditions for it to be applied at that particular time. Therefore he applied ijtihad; he did not change the definite understanding of revelation.

Compiled From:
"The Vicegerency of Man" - Abd al Majid al Najjar, pp. 84, 85

More Friday Nasiha:
Path Of Moderation - Organic Body - First Step To Repentance
Freedom - The Womb - Belonging
Fighting Tyranny - Usurping Rights - Aspire For Perfection
The Flight Of Time ('asr) - Good Deeds - Roadblocks To Celebrating Differences
The Finest Form - Why Hell? - Artistic Creativity
Wisdom & Admonition - Gathering Hadiths - Camera Obscura

It's no new news that William Arthur Philip Louis, the young 'prince' of England, is soon to wed Kate Middleton as perhaps the most envious member of their exclusive family. Muslimness is happy for the union but not all that interested.

I give it a few million (£) in the consumer department, some interesting media reporting for the easily entertained and a heck of a wedding cost. I give the marriage 10 years tops.

However, what I have been watching with interest is the Muslim reaction to the Royal Wedding. While labelling is beneath good conduct I cannot resist stooping low to categorise the typical responses from Muslims and particularly with the same sigh and rolling of eyes - the fanatic media coverage of Muslims connected to the holy event. Media, that's a terrorist organisation right there.

Which British Muslims are attending the Royal Wedding?

The Bewakoof* Muslim
Last month Muslims Against Crusades (MAC) group member (dubbed fanatic and extremist) Emdadur Choudhury, 26, was fined £50 for burning poppies on the anniversary of Armistice Day. Other members of MAC chanted ‘British soldiers burn in hell’ during the two-minute silence on the day. This is disgraceful and not at all representative of how good citizens and Muslims feel. But, ya'ani, "freedom of expression" and all that, right?

To incite sparks again, MAC spokesman Abu Abujandal remarked on his gunpowder plot-type re-enactments for the Royal Wedding: "We are expecting thousands of people to protest. We may burn the flag and the Crown. We will make models of the Royal couple and burn those." If my British cultural knowledge doesn't fail me, pataka's come free with all our celebrations.
Source {Daily Mail}.

Photo:: PA (flags)

In opposition, the charming, the intelligent, the English Defence League has stated that if permission was granted it would stage a counter-demonstration. Can you say yahoo? Further, Scotland Yard recently rejected an application by an Islamic organisation to stage a protest outside of Westminster Abbey on the day of the royal wedding.
Source {Fifty Magazine}.

In anticipation of this additional "get together", 5,000 police officers will be on duty on Friday 29th April, the day of the big wedding.

*Bewakoof: Urdu for dimwitted or stupid.


The Cautious Muslim
As MAC's protesting plans have caught attention, Muslim Council of Britain, the UK's largest umbrella body for Muslim groups, denounced the group's "silly antics" which they said were at odds with Islam's teachings.

"We believe their action on this national occasion of celebration is completely at odds with the ethos of Islam. We remind them of Prophet Muhammed's blessed words, that 'marriage is indeed half of faith'," the MCB said in a statement.

"They have chosen a day when the whole nation will be watching in celebration and cause offence and stir friction amongst the Muslim and non-Muslim communities. We as a community need to stand united against such extremist groups and convey to the nation that this is not Islam.

Source {Politics}

Earlier this month British imam Anjem Choudary warned that an attack is 'highly likely' at the Royal wedding, therefore advisws all Muslims to stay away from Westminster Abbey on April 29, describing it as 'a prime target'.

Choudary said: "Prime targets most probably would be public gatherings like that, so I think Muslims in general should stay away to avoid injury. Maybe when the priest says 'is there anyone who objects to this wedding speak now or forever hold your tongue' - who knows what will happen at that time?

"If my brothers decide to use the opportunity when the world is looking at the Royal Family to pass a message so that we can avoid more deaths of innocent men, women and children in Afghanistan, that should be applauded." - An opportune time to raise questions.
Source {The Telegraph}


The Interfaith Muslim
Amongst the 2000+ guest list for Friday's roral wedding are leaders of Hindu, Muslim, Jain and Sikh communities in Britain. Much of this guest list has already generated controversy over the presence and absence on it of some individuals. Former British prime ministers Tony Blair and Gordon Brown are not invited, while Margaret Thatcher, is.

Also invited are Anil Bhanot, one of the founding members of Hindu Council UK; Natubhai Shah, President of the Jain Academy; and Indarjit Singh, Director of the Network Sikh Organisations (UK).

Other religious leaders invited include Imam Mohammad Raza, the Chief Rabbi (Lord Sacks); Bogoda Seelawimala, Acting Head Monk of the London Buddhist Vihara; and Maulana Syed Raza Shabbarm of the Muhammadi Trust.

The royal wedding event is quite likely to see several protests because of the presence of Saudi Arabia's Prince Mohamed bin Nawaf bin Abdulaziz; Zimbabwe's ambassador to the UK Gabriel Machinga; and the King of Swaziland Mswati III over human rights abuses in their countries.
Source {India Times}


The Homeless Muslim
During prince William's charitable days he slept out at a shelter, bumping into Shozna*, a London Muslim who studied for A-levels and planned to become a hairdresser.

Raised by her Muslim family, Shozna's life turned upside down when in October 2009, she suddenly had a stroke which paralysed the right-hand side of her body and was left unable to speak.

William, being the son of Diana, later met Shozna at an event and broke royal protocol by hugging her. Her personal story of struggling and being left homeless tapped further into William's compassionate side: he invited Shozna to his wedding.
*Shozna's surname has been kept confidential.
Source {London Muslims}.

In the mood for celebrating? Buy an official Royal Wedding stamp, par-tey like it's 610AD and make du`a from the ensuing fitna.

Conclusion
There is a great opportunity to network, see how the 'other' live and cross paths with people of different backgrounds and ideas. But, it's just a wedding folks.

I want an invite. Think of the free food.

From Allahcentric | By Khuram Zaman

In the name of God, compassionate & merciful بِسْمِ اللهِ الرَّحْمنِ الرَّحِيمِ | Peace be with you السلام عليكم

Last Sunday April 17, over 1,200 people registered for SunniPath’s live event, “Confronting Islamophobia.,” with our venerable scholar of Islamic Law and Spirituality, Sheikh Nuh Keller. If you were not able to participate live, you can click {here} to access the full audio.


This memorable and timely event laid out numerous examples from the Qur’an and the Sunnah of our beloved Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him. Alhamdulillah, we learned new things about the dunya (material world), our Lord Allah Most High, and things about yourself.

Unfortunately, the reality after many Islamic lectures is that we gain new knowledge and we benefit, but often we just return to our normal routine—and our new knowledge leaves us quicker than it came. Don’t let this happen to you. Instead of letting your knowledge leave you, take this opportunity to increase it and fulfill the Quranic command: “My Lord, increase me in knowledge” (20:114).

For example, Sheikh Nuh talked about the environment, the series of natural disasters that we have witnessed either physically or via the media. How can you learn more about your role in the Environment and its implications? What is the best way a Muslim can overcome such trials? Register for SunniPath’s new course, “Islam and the Environment,” to increase your knowledge in this subject and learn how to deal with the environmental crises from an Islamic perspective.

Or, how about being like ‘Umar radiAllahu ‘anhu in his courage, affection, and justness? Increase your knowledge by taking our class “Navigating the Stars” with our academy director, Dr. Ashraf Muneeb, to analyze your life through the sahaba. Learn how to implement examples from the lives of the sahaba to enhance, rejuvenate, and guide your life.

The most important lesson from the live event was, of course, learning more about your Lord and the intricate ways He tests and tries us. At the same time, al-Lateef (the Subtle One) is one of Allah’s Beautiful Names and we must do our utmost to understand His hidden and delicate loving Gentleness.

“Introduction to Islamic Belief” addresses common questions people have about matters of belief, such as human responsibility and predestination; the meaning of “God;” and literalism and the Attributes of God.

Don’t be one of the those “I listened to one lecture and now I’m done with my Islamic education.” Act now and register to increase your knowledge.

SunniPath's online summer semester starts May 3, 2011. {Register}

Reposted with permission from Allahcentric the blog.

In the name of Allah, compassionate & merciful بِسْمِ اللهِ الرَّحْمنِ الرَّحِيمِ
Peace be with you السلام عليكم

{Find more Friday Nasiha under the Islam menu tab}

Path of Moderation
Al-Baqarah, The Cow (Qur'an, 2:143)

The renowned Qur'an commentator, Ibn Kathir wrote concerning this verse that the Muslim community (Ummah) qualifies as a witness because of its commitment to moderation (wasatiyyah) and truth.

The renowned Tunisian scholar, Muhammad Tahir ibn Ashur, went on record that 'in moderation lies the essence of all virtues and it is a great protector against indulgence in corruption and caprice.'

Yusuf al-Qaradawi has similarly observed that moderation is the correct path that leads the Muslim community to its ideals of attaining material and spiritual success: 'It is the divinely ordained moral and humanitarian mission of the Muslim community to pursue all its goals through moderation. Deviation from the path of moderation brings nothing but destruction and loss.'

Moderation is manifested, according to Wahbah al-Zuhaili, in the balanced attention one pays to one's rights over, and one's obligations towards, others, to the material world and the spiritual world; it also means a balance between forgiveness and resistance, between extravagance and niggardliness, and a resolute aversion to extremism and terrorism in all their manifestations. Zuhaili added that Islam advocates these values, not only among Muslims themselves, but also in their relations with other communities and nations.

One ought to acknowledge, perhaps, in the same spirit of moderation, that something has gone wrong with the substantive equilibrium of Islamic legal thought concerning the treatment of women. To refer once again to Yusuf Al-Qaradawi's insightful remarks: 'It is an obligation of the ummah to protect the women from the excesses of the Muslim juristic legacy of the past, and those of the Modern West, both of which strip women of their essential humanity.' Both need to be corrected through search for balanced and moderate solutions.

Lastly, is it a coincidence, one might ask, to note that this verse of moderation occurs in the exact middle of the longest chapter (al-Baqarah) of the Qur'an, which consists of 286 verses?

Compiled From:
"Shariah Law - An Introduction" - Mohammad Hashim Kamali, pp.288-296

Organic Body

Ummatic unity is organic, that is to say, the ummah is like an organic body whose parts are mutually and severally interdependent with one another and with the whole. For the part to work for itself is for itself to work for each of the other parts as well as for the whole to work for itself, is for itself to work for each of the parts.

The Prophet ﷺ (Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) hit the nail on the head when he described the ummah as

a body "which reacts in total with discomfort and fever whenever a part of it is hurt." [Muslim, Bukhari]

Comparing the ummah to an organic body, is perhaps the most apt description of Islamic society. The organic body is alive, and its very life is its organicness, i.e., the interdependence of its various parts to the end sustaining the whole, and their continuous sustenance by that whole. Organicness is not only a quality of life; it is life. For the ummah to be otherwise is for it to lapse into the pre-Islamic tribalism of the desert. Even that order, however, is built upon the assumed organicness of the tribe without which it could not exist. The ummah merely widened the tribe to include humanity. To deny the need of the ummah, is to assume as good the detached existence of individuals isolated from one another in a way which not only makes Islam impossible but equally makes civilization - indeed human life itself - impossible and unthinkable.

Interdependence can be exaggerated; for it can be intensified to the point of rendering the human person a mere clog in a larger body or machine, impervious to the cog's own advancement, self-fulfillment and happiness. The evils of regimentation and collectivism have always weighed heavily in man's consciousness, whether in the age of the tribe, the city, the nation, or the universal community. Here Islam has declared its purpose to be the achievement of felicity of the person as well as that of the group.

Compiled From:
"Tawhid: Its Implications for Thought and Life" - Ismail Raji Al-Faruqi, pp. 124, 125

First Step to Repentance

The soul wrongs and harms itself. One can imagine someone, for example, wronging someone else for the sake of some worldly benefit - this is imaginable and witnessed, although it is obviously not proper. However, it does not make any sense for a person to harm and wrong his own soul. This means that he is working against his own good; he is doing something that is of direct harm and no true benefit to his soul. This is what happens over and over again to the majority of mankind. This demonstrates the depths of misguidance that mankind can reach.

The main way a person harms his own soul is by disobeying Allah, His creator, who, out of His mercy, sent him guidance to lead him to the path of true bliss and happiness. In reality, a human has no right to wrong himself. Hence, one of the first steps along the road to repentance and purifying one's soul is the recognition that one has done wrong to his soul. He must repent to Allah for the wrong that he has done to his own self as it is only Allah who can forgive him for what he has done.

Compiled From:
"Purification of the Soul: Concept, Process and Means" - Jamaal al-Din M. Zarabozo, pp. 63-65

More Friday Nasiha:
Certainty - Strength - Declaration Of Faith
Freedom - The Womb - Belonging
Fighting Tyranny - Usurping Rights - Aspire For Perfection
The Flight Of Time ('asr) - Good Deeds - Roadblocks To Celebrating Differences
The Finest Form - Why Hell? - Artistic Creativity
Wisdom & Admonition - Gathering Hadiths - Camera Obscura

London (UK) Film Premiere of MOOZ–lum

The Salam Project is honoured to present the London (UK) Film Premiere of MOOZ–lum. This is the FIRST of the nine planned screenings in the UK. MOOZ-lum is a youth related storyline, full of motivation to inspire young people to overcome hardship with faith. Supported by Urban Flavas and Trees4Life Campaign.

When is it?
The UK premiere will take place on Thursday 5th May 2011 at Panditar House Theatre, Wembley from 6:15pm sharp. {see map for directions}

Stars of the movie are
→ Nia Long     → Evan Ross     → Roger Guenveur Smith     → Azhar Usman  
→ Kimberley Drummond     → Kunal Sharma     → Summer Bishil

Opening night
Also on the night will a celebration with Urban Slam Poetry performances from American and UK artists hosted by our very own Brother Ismael Lea South (of Mecca2Medina).

Entrance fee: ONLY £8.50 (adults) | £7 (Students) | Under 16’s – ID proof required.
For ticket hotline and enquiries, please call Yaseen on: (UK) 07572 494 672

If Muslims ever felt their voice in the West and America wasn't being heard, then MOOZ-lum is a riveting film that is stepping in the right direction. Not only does it confront the current anti-Islamic attitude in America post-9/11 head-on, it reveals the struggles faced within the Muslim community.

MOOZ-lum takes movie goers into the life of Tariq, played by Evan Ross — the eldest son in a Muslim-American family who struggles to balance their needs within the Islamic value system throughout the film— as he overcomes the life-long negative experiences he's had with the faith during his first year of college in 2001. The faith of his sister Taqua, played by newcomer Kimberley Drummond, his Muslim roommate Hamza (Kunal Sharma), and his girlfriend Iman (Summer Bishil) are also put to the test when non-Muslim students on campus react to the 9/11 attacks.

The family struggle between Tariq's father Hassan (Roger Guenveur Smith) and mother Safiyah (Nia Long) is a sub-narrative that reveals how conflict of religious conservatism can divide a Muslim-American family living in a Christian-secular society. Each character successfully highlights multiple facets within the faith from a communal, family, and personal standpoint because it's based on a true story.


Muxlim viewers watch the {MOOZ-lum trailer on YT}

Press coverage
Check out Nur Media's interview with Qasim Basir, Director of the film MOOZ-lum.
Evan Ross is a guest on the Mo’Nique Show, reciting Qur'an lines "he can't get out of his head".


MOOZ-lum is supported by Urban Flavas and the Trees4Life Campaign.

The Salam Project
"The Salam Project promotes Peace, Justice, Empowerment, Employment, Social Engagement, Enterprise, Understanding, Education and love by any means necessary".

Follow MOOZ-lum's global trail:
Twitter.com/MoozlumTheMovie
Facebook.com/MoozlumTheMovie

Got a phenom movie to share? contact@muslimness.com

More movie love:
"To Catch A Dollar", Muhammad Yunus on US Banks
"West Is West" Review
"My Name Is Khan" Review
Seeing Islam In Avatar
GTMO Guard Reads "Traitor?" Bio Extract

On Sunday 17th April, host of the Arts & Culture show from {Inspire FM}, interviewed Muslimness.com "founder" Zaufishan, about Muslims in the media, blogging and virtual creativity.

Inspire FM is a local Muslim community based radio show in Luton, UK. Shemiza Rashid hosts the Arts & Culture show and took a liking to the concept: "A Kingdom of Muslim Blogs". Masha'Allah.



The radio show with Muslimness was recorded and will be repeated this Wednesday, 20th April at precisely 1:00pm GMT. {Convert time to your time zone}.




Top blogging tips for Muslims
I said: "Ethical, relevant content, a functional layout, and a dedicated team."


What is Muslimness.com all about?

I said: Muslimness.com is a networking platform for cool Muslim organisations, people and events, aiming to promote the trendiest Muslim blogs, vlogs, news on current affairs, and creative Muslims.

{Read About Muslimness - Kia, Kohn, Kab, Kiun?}


Who is The Eco Muslim?
{The Eco Muslim} is a personal 'eco jihad' blog about my green lifestyle; wellies, growing vegetables, eco mosques and building an environmentally friendly Islam right here in North England.

What are the Muslimness comics about?
On both The Eco Muslim and the original "muslimness" {www.zaufishan.co.uk}, I sketch up comic strips on Qur'an ayat, personal experiences, daily events and entertaining situations. See {The Eco Hadith} sketches and {Zaufishan's Muslimness comics}, which are nearing 100!



Shemiza from Inspire FM asked about the importance of language.
I said:

Language skills are undervalued. With over 1 million words in the English language, our vocabulary is still limited and we resort to foul language and texting as an accepted form of communication. It is an acceptable form, but we need to switch off and have articulate, adult conversations more often.

American Muslim blogs and organisations. What's up with that?

I said: Yes, the American Muslim scene has more action but compared to Britain, it's 40 times larger so there is an amplified American Muslim culture. Things are bigger, maxed out, maxi-sized, everything is "awesome". Even politics is a form of entertainment. In Britain, attitudes are generally more conservative. However, while British Muslim projects are not on the same scale as America, we are just as innovative, creative and revolutionary. There are renowned British Muslim figures in every field, outspoken, and creating change. Hamdulillah.

Muslimness.com's Top 5 blogs. A shout out to:
1. Suhaibwebb.com: The world's "virtual mosque" for Muslims on the Internet.
2. MuslimMatters.org: An American blog reporting on daily Muslim news.
3. Indigo Jo blogs by Matthew Smith: British and informative.
4. Majed's Blog: Based in Rochdale, England, and reporting on British Muslim activism.
5. Sisters Who Blog: A community blog lead by Muslim women on the Ning network.

Sister Shemiza also congratulated Muslimness.com for our video feature which you can watch here: Best Of British Islam series from 2010.

The beloved Prophet Muhammad ﷺ of Islam said:

"The beauty of Islam lies in a person giving up indulgence in all things which are unnecessary (la-ya`ni)."

Explanation
The Arabic word 'la-ya`ni' covers both actions and speeches. But under the common usage unnecessary things means unnecessary talk. The beauty of a person's Islamic faith is:

1) That he should not indulge in useless conversation. (Imam Ahmed)
2) A person who keeps a watch over his actions and speech, so that he will get accustomed to indulging only in useful talk.
3) Respect Mo'aadh asked Prophet Muhammad ﷺ 'O Apostle of Allah! Shall we be asked to account for our conversation with one another?' He ﷺ replied: 'Why not. Most people will fall head-long into Hell due to their useless talk.'
4) Umm Habibah narrated that the Holy Prophet ﷺ said:

'Whatever thr son of Adam utters is of no advantage except - (i) his advice for a good deed; (ii) his provision to avoid evil; (iii) and his remembrance of Allah, the Exalted.

5) One of the companions of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ passed away and somebody said: "Good tidings of Heaven for you!' The Prophet ﷺ interjected him and said: "You are not aware if he may have uttered a useless speech or he may have displayed miserliness despite his excess of every worldly thing".
6) A man came to the Prophet ﷺ and said: "O Prophet of Allah! I am the chief of my people and they obey me in every way. What should I ask them to do?" He ﷺ said: "Tell them to exchange greetings with all the people. Whether they are acquainted or not; and let them give up all unnecessary and useless activities."
7) Some people visited a companion during his illness and found him quite cheerful. They asked him the cause of his cheerfulness, he replied: "I have two such qualities which are giving me hope of salvation; I never indulged in useless, unnecessary conversation; and (2) I kept my heart free of grudges and rancour against any Muslim."

Imam Malik said: "Somebody asked Luqman Hakim how he had attained such a lofty spiritual status. He (Luqman) replied: By three habits: (i) Truthfulness in speech; (ii) Guarding of trust handed over to me; and (iii) Avoiding all useless and unnecessary talk."

More Messages Of The Week:
Have A Good Opinion Of God
Educating Muslim Women
A Poem On Salat, Miss It, Miss Out
Working To Abilities
Backbiting & Forgiveness
"If Only..." Opening Shaytaan's Door

Rabbi Michael Lerner, {Tikkun Magazine}, delivered the 25th Anniversary’s keynote address on creating a caring society, restoring meaning to progressive politics, and striving for our highest vision in creating the society we truly want to see manifest.

An award for interfaith community service and key roles in supporting 'muslimness' was given to Sheikh Hamza Yusuf (Zaytuna College).



Muxlim viewers: Watch the award ceremony by {TikkunNSP on YT}

More Visionary Organisations:
Link Love: "My Best Friend Is Muslim", Interview With Interfaith Bloggers
Iftar In The Synagogue, Know Thy Neighbour
The Muslim News Awards 2010
Video: "Be Peacemakers", Sh. Hamza Yusuf Eid Sermon (Transcript)
Link Love: Muslims Against Anti-Semi
Dear BBC, Don't Blame Muslim Schools For Britain's Social Problems

 INTRODUCTION TO THE GREATEST WOMEN 

Discover the hidden legacy of the female scholars of Islam and the role of Muslim women in the society throughout the history in this amazing one-day seminar. It is based on the ground-breaking research with revolutionary findings of Shaykh Dr Mohammed Akram Nadwi on this generally unknown and unexplored area. This seminar is for both men and women and it will definitely help restore balance and understanding between each other, InshaAllah.

Instructor: Dr Mohammed Akram Nadwi (Oxford University)
Date: Saturday 30 April 2011  |   Time: 9:30AM - 6:00PM
Venue: Cambridge University - Lady Mitchell Hall

“Women are The Twin Halves of Men” - Prophet Muhammad ﷺ

Registrations Now Open. Click Here: http://courses.meoc.org.uk/p/register.html

Testimonials:
"I have been fortunate enough to attend some of the classes given by Shaykh Mohammed Akram Nadwi in Oxford, Cambridge and London, and I would certainly recommend them to anyone seeking to increase their understanding of the sciences of Islam. Masha'Allah, Shaykh Akram's knowledge is both broad and deep, his training is traditional, his presentation is lively and relevant to our lives today... His work on the women scholars of Islam is timely and inspirational, revealing the little-known fact that many thousands of women scholars were involved in developing and maintaining the tradition of scholarship in Islam... Shaykh Akram makes sure that his knowledge is accessible to all seekers, regardless of gender, in the most correct and generous way, and his courses thus contribute to restoring a balance and harmony. May Allah bless him and preserve him. The courses planned for Cambridge are an opportunity not to be missed!" - Aziza Spiker, Cambridge
"Of all the scholars I have had the opportunity to study with, I have found Shaikh Akram Nadwi to be the closest, in knowledge, manners and teaching, to how I would imagine some of the great Hadith scholars of the past would have been. He has a vast knowledge of Hadith and Fiqh, a down-to-earth, humble, approachable style, and great teaching ability. His classes are not just beneficial from a learning perspective, but also to marvel at the awe-inspiring wealth of knowledge of our scholars masha'Allah. His 40 volume work going through the biographies of some 8,000 women scholars of Hadith is a monumental endeavour. The mere fact of its existence can be a major talking point in discussion with Muslims and non-Muslims, and is almost a stand-alone proof of Islam's unparalleled wealth of female scholarship." - Dr Omar Mahroo, Cambridge/London


Signed copies of Dr Mohammed Akram Nadwi's multi-volume book al-Muhaddithat - The Women Scholars of Islam, in English, be available for sale during the seminar.


For more info: Muslim Education & Outreach Cambridge (MEOC) 
e | courses@meoc.org.uk  t | 01223 655 223 

More:
GOOD DEED: #34 Be intimate with your spouse
Link Love: Muslim Quarterly, Muslim Man's Mag
Sheikha Mai Saves Bahrain’s Architectural Heritage
Video: Don't Follow Dunya
Islamic iPhone Apps: Salik Productions

In the name of Allah, compassionate & merciful بِسْمِ اللهِ الرَّحْمنِ الرَّحِيمِ
Peace be with you السلام عليكم

{Find more Friday Nasiha under the Islam menu tab}

Certainty of Faith
Al-Baqarah, The Cow (Qur'an, 2:4)

"And in the Hereafter they have certainty of faith." (Qur'an, 2:4).

The word translated as "certainty of faith" is yaqin. It means having no doubt about the truth of a matter and arriving at accurate doubt-free knowledge. This knowledge can come from either Revelation, or study and verification.

Yaqin has three degrees:
(1) First, that which comes from knowledge (ilm al-yaqin);
(2) Second that which depends on seeing and observation (`ayn al-yaqin);
(3) And third, that which comes from direct experience (haqq al-yaqin).

For example, rising smoke is the sign of fire and gives us some certainty about the existence of a fire where it is rising. This certainty is that which is based on knowledge. When we go to where the smoke is rising and see the fire with our own eyes, our certainty of the fire's existence is the kind coming from direct observation. If we put our hand into the fire and feel its burning quality, then we obtain experienced certainty about the existence and quality of fire.

One may acquire certainty about or certain faith in the Hereafter through Revelation or discovery; or through the seeing of the "heart" (the spiritual intellect); through intellectual deduction or reasoning; or through some sort of contact with the spirits of the dead (provided that this last is done through authentic ways); through true dreams; or through scientific studies. In all these cases, it will be certainty based on knowledge that is certainty of the first degree.

Compiled From:
"The Quran: Annotated Interpretation in Modern English" - Ali Unal, p. 12

Strength

Remembrance gives to the one who practices invocation such strength that he is able to do what he does not have the strength to do without it. When Fatima رضي الله عنها (may Allah be pleased with her), came to ask the Prophet ﷺ (Allah's peace and blessings be upon him), for a servant, and complained to him ﷺ about the difficulty she suffered in grinding flour, running errands, and doing other chores, he taught her and [his son-in-law] Ali رضي الله عنه, (may Allah be please with him), to recite the formula of glorification thirty three times (Subhan'Allah), that of praise thirty-three times (Alhamdulillah) and that of edification (Allahu Akbar) thirty-four times - every night upon going to bed. He ﷺ said,

'This [subhan'Allah x33, alhamdulillah x33, allahu akbar x34] will be better for you both than a servant.'

It is said that anyone who is constant in this practice will find such strength in his body that he will have no need for a servant.

The first thing that Almighty God had created, when His Throne was upon the waters, was the bearers of the Throne. They said, "Our Lord, wherefore have You created us?" God answered, "To bear My Throne." "Our Lord, who is strong enough to bear Your Throne, when upon it lay Your greatness, might and honour?" He said, "For that I have created." And they repeated this several times, until He told them,

"Say: There is neither strength nor power save in God." (lâ hawla wa lâ quwwata illâ bi Allâh)

And they bore the Throne.

These words - 'There is neither strength nor power save in God' - have the striking effect of helping one to accomplish difficult work, bear fatigue, and endure fear or dreadful experience. For according to a hadith related by Ibn Abil-Dunya, the Messenger of God ﷺ said,

'For whoever says, "There is neither strength nor power save in God" one hundred times, no day shall be afflicted by poverty."

Compiled From:
"The Invocation of God" - Ibn Qayyim al-Jawziyya, pp. 99-100

Declaration of Faith

Did you know that there is one phrase said at least 17 billion times a day? It is called the Shahadah, or Declaration of Faith. It is said a minimum of 17 times each day within the daily prayers of each of the 1 billion Muslims on Earth. Anyone who says that people don't praise God enough obviously hasn't met a Muslim!

In Arabic, the most basic Shahadah formula is said this way:

Ashahadu an'laa ilaha il'Allah, wa ashahadu anna Muhammadar'Rasulullah.
أشهد أن لا إله إلا الله و أشهد أن محمد رسول الله
"I declare that there is no god except Allah, and I declare that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah."

This phrase includes the two founding principles of Islam and is sometimes called the Muslim Creed. It is a very strong ideological statement in that it lays out the Muslim frontline position: There is Only One God, and Muhammad ﷺ is his last Prophet.

What are the benefits of reciting the Shahadah so many times each day? Think about it: All Muslims have the chance to remind themselves about the reality of God in their lives. Whereas the hustle and bustle of the daily grind may cause us to forget that we are living through a big test and will have to face God one day, the Shahadah and its recitation focuses our hearts and minds on our ultimate purpose. We are here to surrender our wills to God and lead virtuous lives.

Compiled From:
"The Complete Idiot's Guide to Understanding Islam, 2nd Edition" - Yahiya Emerick, pp. 125-126

More Friday Nasiha:
Freedom - The Womb - Belonging
Fighting Tyranny - Usurping Rights - Aspire For Perfection
The Flight Of Time ('asr) - Good Deeds - Roadblocks To Celebrating Differences
The Finest Form - Why Hell? - Artistic Creativity
Wisdom & Admonition - Gathering Hadiths - Camera Obscura
The Light - Argumentation - Divine Measurement

In the name of God, compassionate & merciful بِسْمِ اللهِ الرَّحْمنِ الرَّحِيمِ | Peace be with you السلام عليكم

The Muslimness Orphan Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4

In 2009 I started my sponsorship of orphaned Vina from Mozambique who is now just 6 years old. She has been writing to me and sent me another letter in March 2011. I was well chuffed, masha'Allah (whatever Allah wishes).


My aim back then was to sacrifice something I love. In this case, my need to save cash for a rainy day (which is legitimate in its own right), has been put to a better use and brought basic comforts to a young girl whom otherwise would depend on community charity.

Every 6 months or so, Vina has been allowed to write a letter to me; a greeting of hello and presence all the way from Mozambique, to England, United Kingdom. At first I was expecting an actual written letter, but Vina is only a young child who has not yet gone to school, partly because of her age, partly because of the fact that she is a girl, and partly because schooling is expensive for her villagers. What Vina did send was more humbling: another hand drawing, this time coloured with bright pink crayon. Alhamdulillah (all praise is for Allah).


Vina cannot read nor write but this is where the sponsorship comes in. Right now, the sponsorship literally feeds and clothes Vina who is living with her 5 siblings in an orphanage with dozens of other orphans. If I stop giving the monthly donations Vina won't have the security which is keeping her and her family motivated, albeit in an innocent childhood. The field workers and carers posted there avoid asking Vina too many questions about her parents but she has high hopes to be a doctor and has often told me this! Insha'Allah, with God's permission, she will be.

Some of the sponsorship monies is put aside for her future education. The politics behind sponsoring and therefore transacting finances to a country like Mozambique, mean that even I don't have the final say in which areas of Vina's life the money is used without legal assistance. However, hamdulillah, I will keep giving what I can and Vina will be provided for by one Grace of Allah, or another.

Translated:

"Vina has been well so far, together with her family. She still does not study because she is too young. She says she likes playing with her friends the most. She sends regards to you (Zaufishan) and wishes you a good year."

Aw. A standard message from Vina's caretakers. I can't wait till she writes herself.

Should you wish to support this orphan sponsorship via Action Aid feel free to get in touch at: contact@muslimness.com. A one-off payment or a monthly contribution of £3 / $5 will add towards Vina's provisions immensely; it's really up to you what you wish to give.

Lastly, do make du`a (supplication) for the orphans of the world. UNICEF estimated that in 2010 there would be 200 million orphans in the world. If every adult saved one, we could save them all.

Respectfully,

Zaufishan
Editor

National Geographic Magazine have a great video marking the fact that by the end of 2011, there will be 7 billion people on earth. 

Muxlim.com viewers: Watch the video on {National Geographic}.

A typical media ploy by CNN is no surprise as the latest debate video on the France burqah ban presents two women scaling the macho politics by President Sarcozy.



While Mona Eltahawy (Columnist, Toronto star), presents important points - the state is usually dictating the boundaries of its citizens, public nudity is also thankfully banned and women blacked out from head to toe do seem to disappear - Sarah Joseph (CEO, emel) counter argues with reality: a minority of Muslim women, less than 2000, are being stigmatised for their freedom as French citizens under a political agenda to secularise an otherwise multicultural country. The more laws a country will bring forward, the more hypocritical their banner of liberty and freedom appears. This is not progression.


France. Two hundred years ago they had "The Revolution" because its people refused to accept the monarchist dictatorship of the elite leaders, they invented the guillotine and heads rolled; they are stereotyically characterised as arrogant, nose-in-air liberalists with a love for self-righteousness. The burqah ban is therefore, no surprise to Muslimness.


Watch the burqah ban video on CNN.