Fathi Otmani's The Most High is simply yoga for the soul.

The Amsterdam born nasheed (Islamic music) artist recently created 'The Most High', an eclectic music video praising God, with support from Islamic Relief.

'The Most High' carries a message of taubah, repentance for listeners. It questions a Muslim's heart, which is meant to be in a cognizant state of "absent from thee, I languish still". The song recognises that sometimes you do not have the strength to read the Qur'an as ethereally as you used too, and performing aeronautics while praying has clearly become a thing of the past.

Then this dainty by Otmani comes meandering its way to your ears, and attempts to heal your grieving heart. I believe it does. Listening to the track and watching the video's overly-repeated waves crashing into the coastline - it can and does undo some of the niggling troubles that were captive in your mind. If only for a few moments.

Fathi's aim for singing these hymns was to show mainstream audiences the softer, musical side to Islam and that the religion does not have room for antagonism.

He says on his site,

Fathi's swallow-like singing style echoes the dua (supplication) Muslims make when they turn to God to ask for help. The song is a prayer, sung to higher-pitched string instruments and a pop-like beat.

Amongst Fathi Otmani's work is the internationally known 'Ya Rabbi', an Arabic translation for 'Oh my Lord'. Ya Rabbi is a great contrast from his latest, although both are in essence prayers to God asking for help.

The young Dutch switches from English to Arabic in both tunes, but The Most high is enlivened with a distinctive hip hop-ish beat. It is the song that could be played in the car and sung to with friends. On the other hand, Ya Rabbi is one you could listen to in a Robert Frost-ic journey of the soul, glistening harps, in the early morning, on repeat, and... you get the visual.


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As the latest musical creation by Canadian singer-song writer Dawud Wharnsby is released - A Picnic of Poems: In Allah's Green Garden, MUSLIMNESS Editor Zaufishan Iqbal talks to the talent behind the poetry to find out why we all need a dose of simpler living.

I'm a Muslim environmentalist at heart and absolutely love meeting activists who share that excitement for protecting the planet. Dawud Wharnsby is in our list of heroes for his decades of songs that unite people from all walks of life. This year, Dawud began writing his environment blog "Follow A Poet, Following Goats" from Abbottabad, Pakistan, where he and his young family recycle and eat mangoes. My respect for the artist has just escalated.

As-salam`alaykum Dawud. I'm interested in what lead to the creation of Picnic of Poems? Is it a natural progression from your artistic performance work?

Dawud Wharnsby: Indeed, it was very much a natural progression in my work. As a writer and artist, it has always been my objective to work on projects that feel natural and honest to me. Many artists, particularly recording artists under contract to music companies or financial bakers, must often produce music to meet public or commercial demands. For a man such as myself, that can be very stifling and restrictive to the creative process.

As an independent writer, I am free to use my expression more as a means of personal exploration. My work is a created from and is a path of reflection and assessment, while I am also releasing material I feel is lacking commercially in global music, literary or even education arenas.

I work very much like a potter or painter - just me in my home studio, uninterrupted and without pressure. I read, research, reflect, stew and ponder a long time on things long before the ideas start flowing while I am in my garden or hanging laundry.

A CD accompanies the book of 30 poems

And Picnic Of Poems? What inspired you to take us outside with you and back to our roots?

Dawud Wharnsby:As a father who is passionate about holistic learning and living, I was inspired a few years ago to create a series of poems and songs for children which reflect a very rudimentary approach to learning and the understandings of life and faith.

Edging toward middle age myself, these past few years of my life have been an exciting time of re-evaluating my own purpose, faith and understanding of myself in relation to my creator.



Dawud Wharnsby: As I mentioned in my first Blog post "I will arise and go now": my life's objective has always been to try and live simply, in balance with community and nature. But I got "off track" for a good decade or more - writing songs and inadvertently falling into the unnatural pigeon hole of a "nasheedsinger", singing more about Allah's creation than actually cultivating it and learning from it. 'Out Seeing The Fields' was my way of politely saying "I'm leaving folks... you'll find me under open sky." Now, a Picnic Of Poems is where I am at: on a picnic, rediscovering Allah's creation and my own faith.


Dawud Wharnsby:In many ways, "A Picnic of Poems In Allah's Green Garden" is as much about my own ongoing spiritual journey as it is about the growth and development of my children's religious identities.

The collection, though marketed as a children's book of poem and accompanying CD, still really picks up conceptually on the heels of my last adult focused album "Out Seeing The Fields". The songs on that collection revolved around honesty of self, the quests for a more organic lifestyle and more organic approach to faith. It conjured up images of "leaving to find something better", dealing with discontentment of self, career and dogma. And in fact the last song "Eight Years Old" explores the idea of seeking to regain faith and purpose by tapping into the childhood innocence within us.

"A Picnic of Poems" is the next step for us all - taking our children by the hand and getting out-doors together to experience creation - the ultimate Sign of Allah's existence.

Now that you're living what some might call an enviable greener deen, masha'Allah, how does life in Pakistan compare to Canada?

Dawud Wharnsby:My personal opinion is that, residing in semi-rural Pakistan lends itself to Simple Living far more than residing on my home turf of Canada, simply because Pakistan is so much less industrialized.

The Mennonite communities near my hometown of Kitchener-Waterloo, Ontario, embrace a form of Simple Living. Yet, they will be the first to tell you that the challenges are many when your family and community are surrounded by - or split up by - rapid urban growth and the socially-expected adoption of commercialism to one's life.

In places like North America, while independent farmers and truck drivers struggle to make ends meet, the wealthy elite buy up hobby-farm land, build 100% eco friendly mansions, purchase 100% organic fertilizers (and groceries if their crops fail) and even buy bulk at Costco because they know the excessive packaging can just be tossed in a recycle bin at week's end.

To me, that is not "Simple Living", it is decadence in the highest degree and a mockery of the true philosophical essence of Simple Living, which is more about working towards one's happiness - not just "buying" it ready-made. - Dawud Wharnsby

For me, trying to balance frugality, an ecologically friendly lifestyle and a socially responsible attitude toward my fellow humans who struggle financially is more easily accomplished in an environment where there is far less corporate presence and weaker social pressures to keep up with The Jones'.

Yes, my homeland of Canada, and my grandfather's homeland of Britain, respect cultural and religious diversity, and yes their political systems are delightfully democratic (with greater social concern than other countries boasting "democracy") -

But at the end of the day, the philosophy governing their lifestyle is still rooted in capitalism. And so is the assumption that your security and happiness are determined by the capital you have - either through business profits or paid wages.- Dawud Wharnsby

Mennonites communities back home in Canada opt out of governmental financial aid as well as military service, in an effort to maintain a deeper degree of self-substance. However, the ridged social structure of many Mennonite communities also means that they are "set apart" from others socially in many ways.

In Pakistan, corporate presence (and thus, commercialism) is growing - creating incredible chasms between the minority of wealthy elite and the majority of the country's citizens who live on less than $2.00 US dollars per day. Though the humble majority might dream of more money and a better life, they are far more concerned with "living" than with keeping up to fashion trends.

Dawud sports a kameez for harvesting wheat

From a personal perspective, I am able to live in Pakistan with very low expenses, meaning that more of the income to my international businesses can go to local charitable efforts here. It's a win, win, win scenario.

Life, and the infrastructure where I live in Pakistan, are akin to life in rural America almost 80 years ago. Many common people keep chickens for their eggs, goats or cows for milk, and grow vegetables on whatever small spot of land they may have. Rain harvesting is a common practice and almost everything is recycled or reused - out of necessity and not because it is fashionable, trendy or municipally demanded to do so.

Socks are mended by needle and thread, cobblers still fix shoes with nails using recycled leather parts, plumbers still thread pipes with actual thread, school exercise books are still fashioned from recycled paper and many school children (including my own daughter) still use a slate on their lap to practice penmanship - as was done in the US over 100 years ago.

Life moves more slowly and though modern technology helps with communication (my family and I stay connected to the world by laptop and even local shepherds sit by their flocks and text message friends) generally speaking, people have not become slaves to it.


Dawud Wharnsby:During the mid to late 1990's and into the early 2000's I was greatly inspired to write and record spiritually-centred songs for families, dealing with subject matter that was of direct relevance to English speaking muslims around the world. My work initially dealt with basic dogmatic aspects of faith (such as prayer and tradition) but as my audiences grew both in number and in age, and as my approach to faith continued to grow and mature, I began to write about heavier issues such as religious pluralism, child abuse, depression, hypocrisy and other issues affecting youth in this 21st century.

As the trend of "Islamic Nasheed" became more and more commercial, and as I felt I had less to say to the mosque-going minority of muslims around the world. A Picnic Of Poems ventures into different forms of music expression which are still spiritually rooted, but more socially conscious and lyrically introspective.

So, Canada or Pakistan - which country is it easier to live as an eco-Muslim?

Dawud Wharnsby:I Love Canada with all my heart, and wish deeply that I could secure land there in beautiful Southern Ontario near my parents, have a small farm and live as my own mental and physical stamina would allow. But sadly, land there is just too expensive to buy on cash and the rapid urban growth (leading to constantly changing by-laws surrounding zoning etc) as well as the social pressures of "fitting in" would simply be too much for me to handle.

I'd end up being a hermit, living in a bubble, and as my approach to Simple Living also recognizes the rich importance of community inter-dependency, I'd not be fulfilled either socially or ideologically.

Living among very simple and hard working people here in Pakistan seems to be the best option for my family and I at this stage in our lives - until perhaps, we are able to possibly purchase affordable land out on Canada's East Coast in the future...?

Zaufishan: Insha'Allah! God willing, we'll start a fund!

Your songs and poems have always promoted social equity and independent thinking. What messages should we, the avid social and eco-activists take from Picnic of Poems?

Dawud Wharnsby:As a man who writes primarily to sort out his own feelings, ideas and passions, I cannot claim to be an "educational writer" that I am trying to "teach". Releasing my work to the public is, and has always been, primarily rooted in a simple hope that others who may have asked the same questions about life as I have asked, felt the same joys or gone through the similar degrees of hardships I have gone through, may hear my work and realize that they are not alone.

The underlying message of all my songs - for eco-activits, parents, children, teachers and anyone else who lends an ear, can perhaps be summed up best by the lyrics to one of my new songs from "A Picnic of Poems",

♫ "You and I, wonder at the sky,
Call God a different name.
As we try - learn and long to fly,
You and I are so differently the same
On this earth, we're all of equal worth."

Dawud Wharnsby:I have actually started work on my next adult CD, due out in 2012. It will be called The Simplicitea Recipe. The journey continues.

God willing, you will enjoy "A Picnic of Poems" when it finds its way to you. It really is the most meaningful project I have ever done and I pray that it may have a warm home with many families for many, many years to come.

Your support means a great deal to me and I am very honoured that you are helping get my poems out to the world.

Zaufishan: Shukran, shukria, thank you Dawud for sharing your poems and activism with us. We look forward to your poetry and make dua Allah blesses your work and family.

Images:: © Wharnsby.com

A Picnic of Poems: In Allah's Green Garden is available from Kube Publishing

Read Dawud Wharnsby's eco-poet blog {Follow A Poet, Following Goats} and stay updated on the artist's site {Enter Into Peace}.


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The fashion forward magazine, Âlâ Dergi, is becoming one of the most recognised Turkish publications despite its relatively recent debut in June 2011. Prevailing as a prospective market leader for Turkish women, the magazine specialises in modest Muslim style and trends.

Âlâ, (pronounced ‘Aa Laa’) is an Arabic derivative term meaning "superb, excellent" and is certainly a fitting name for an emerging frontrunner. The buzz surrounding the anticipated release of the modest style magazine saw a growth to over 70k on Âlâ’s Facebook fan page, notable Turkish press coverage and being stocked in elite Turkish bookshops. Not a bad feat considering the otherwise young age and new status of the magazine.

Magazine covers are sleek-chic

The success of Âlâ’s launch is much to do with the market need of Turkish women requiring relevant fashion guides akin to Western publications, such as Elle and Vogue but with strong Islamic benchmarks. That is, Muslim women who present the niche market of necessitating the continual ‘style with coverage’ trend.

This niche market, particularly with Turkey’s lack of a similar mag, is what ignited founders Volkan Atay and Burak Bier to form the concept of Âlâ Dergi.

Ironically, neither Atay or Bier are in fashion design. Hailing from a background in advertising, a photo interest for British Muslim magazine emel by its editor Sarah Joseph, lead to the interest in a similar Turkish flavoured lifestyle mag for Muslims.

The objective to become the go-to lifestyle source for Turkish Women was also one of the motivations for the founders. in fact, the magazine's Facebook description loosely states. “Âlâ is a world first for showing a passion for indispensable fashion, while offering the perspective of real Muslim women.”

"Hijab fashion" has been a debatable phrase in Muslim culture. Hijab is an Islamic ruling of modest coverage applicable to both women and men, calling for smart presentability without overt attention. The world of fashion however, is a "bare-all" industry. "What we call fashion tells us what we buy one season should be trashed the next season. This is incompatible with the Islamic code of faith," says Volkan.

Volkan also refutes using skin as a selling point:

"Fashion has variable rules such as revealing the arms and shortening skirt lengths. In a sense, Hijab also interferes in the form of standard covering. This is why it is wrong to call it 'hijab fashion'. Of course we are going to utilise fashionable details, but this does not mean the same thing as hijab fashion."


Given the fresh look-books and high couture, the alternate modest presentations in the glossy monthly would most likely attract women of other faith groups and fashion houses beyond Turkey. The crisp layout and sharp editorial photography is one of many assets that links the mag's regular topics - interior decor, women's health, child development, fashion focused interviews and cultural articles.

The editorial process: Âlâ is batch printed for stockists

Perhaps most importantly, Âlâ Dergi serves as the first ever dedicated dialogue portal between manufacturer’s and the hijabi consumers. Designer brands and companies tend to tell consumers what to wear, with market research focusing only on sizing and runway results controlling the designs.

Volkan states he hopes to change this, "[By] establishing a magazine that explores, deals with fashion and modest attire. In fact, bloggers have successfully built a bridge between the manufacturer and consumer. However, they only target an 'internet oriented' audience, whereas a magazine can reach the entire targeted hijabi audience."

A fresh new face and anticipating its potentially explosive future, Âlâ Dergi is the creative magazine, focusing on making modesty a market leader in its competitive turf. It seems the "Eurovision" identity is no longer defining Turkey's developing platform.


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'Muslim Quarterly' Revives Halal Sexuality
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Award-winning Californian based film maker and photographer, Mustafa Davis shares his personal identity crises when faced with trying to explain the phenomenon of the 'American Muslim'.

Mustafa Davis is founder of Cinemotion Media, and co-founder of the Ta'leef Collective. This post was originally published on MustafaDavis.com:


Recently, my Facebook posts about my American Muslim identity have caused a slight uproar from certain people who have taken it upon themselves to inform me who I am and who I am allowed to be. To inform me that it is either impossible for me to be an American Muslim or worse, that my loyalty to my religion is now somehow in question because of it. I've been referred to as an "Uncle Tom" that doesn't care about oppressed people and likened to the Right Wing bigots that push policies to harm the disenfranchised. And all of this was decided about me by the mere fact that I said I was an "American Muslim." I've decided to write this note so that there is no ambiguity about who I am and how I got here.

I'm a decendant of Black Africans who came to this country as slaves (enslaved Africans). Who were stripped of everything they knew and everything they were (including names, identity, culture, and religion). They left them without a single trace of dignity or honor. Not only did they take everything away from my ancestors, they erased our entire history. For years I have tried to get people to understand what this means, how this feels and how it is a permanent part of who we are (whether we are conscious of it or not). If one doesn't know who they were, its nearly impossible to know who you are. I write this with tears in my eyes and with disbelief that the people who I have supposedly united with in GOD can be so crass and insensitive.
I was born in the Bay Area, California. My parents divorced when I was two years old and I moved with my mother to Sacramento and we lived in an impoverished neighborhood called Lincoln Village. I have no memories of my two parents together. I've tried many times over the years to try and conjure up at least one memory of my family living happily together, but unfortunately no such memory exists. My mother is German with blond hair and blue eyes. I am the only child she had with my black father and she remarried a white man which means all of my siblings are full white, making me the only black child in my family. I remember being teased by my black friends because I lived with a white family. I was called "Webster" and "Arnold" growing up (in reference to television sitcoms which depicted black children being raised by white families). My mother used to bring my birth certificate with her to sign me up for school and sports because they didn't believe I was really her son.

I grew up poor as a latchkey child in a broken home. My mother worked as a waitress and my step-father worked for the local phone company. Arguments were the norm. Fists punching through walls, dishes breaking, yelling, and cursing were routine. My parents thought I was psychologically affected by being the only black child in a white family and so I saw my first psychiatrist at age 5. By the time I was 16 years old, I was on drugs, failing all my classes, and I was eventually kicked out of high school. My mother could no longer deal with me and sent me away to live with my biological father.

My father was an educated man but had recently lost his job. We spent the next two years living in different apartments and staying on couches at some of his friends houses. We were staying in a cockroach/rat infested halfway house and one day my father asked me to take a walk with him. We walked for about 4 hours (we didn't have a car) to the Greyhound bus depot in downtown San Jose. He bought me a one way ticket to Sacramento and said very clearly to me: "I've been poor all my life and I can handle it. But I can't watch as you go through it too. I'm sending you back to your mom until I can get on my feet again." And he put me on the bus back to Sacramento. My mother told me that I could not stay with her (as it wasn't possible for my step-father and I to be under the same roof). I had gotten so jacked up on drugs and other "less than favorable" activities that none of my friends wanted anything to do with me. I had nowhere to go. I was exhausted.

Tired of my lifestyle, tired of my family, but mostly I was tired of myself. I decided that I was done with the world and that it was time to check out. I took a bottle of muscle relaxants and a bottle of Tylenol, sat down on the kitchen floor and swallowed almost every single pill.

My sister came home from work early that day and and found me lying face down on the kitchen floor in a pool of saliva with a few pills scattered around me. She knew instantly what I had done and called my mother for help. My memories from this point on are blurred. Time was no longer linear. I remember my mother and sister dragging me to the bathroom and putting me in the bathtub filled with cold water and ice cubes to try and prevent me from falling asleep. My mother kept shoving her fingers down my throat to get me to vomit. It wasn't working and I was fading very quickly. My next memory is arriving at the hospital. I was put on a gurney and rushed into the emergency room. I remember pushing the nurses off of me because I didn't want them to help me. They eventually brought some nurses in to hold my arms and legs down as the doctor put a 1/2" tube up my nose and down into my throat. They pumped charcoal into my stomach to counter the effect of the drugs. (The doctors later told me I was about 3 to 5 minutes away from complete cardiac arrest.)

My next memory is waking up in excruciating pain laying on a bed in the ICU (the tube was still in my nose and down in my throat). My mother was in the corner of the room crying and my first thought was "Damn... it didn't work" (I was upset that I was still alive). By California law I was required to serve 3 months in Sutter Memorial Mental Institution and I hopped the fence and escaped on my first night. I was picked up about 3 hours later by the police, brought back and put in the maximum security unit. It was in this place that I saw people who were truly mentally disturbed. A girl who used to bang her head against the wall until she bled, a boy who would scratch the skin off of his cheeks, another who would pull off her own finger nails and sit with bloody hands. Others who walked around screaming at imaginary friends.

Within a couple weeks I decided that if I got out of that place that I would dedicate my life to helping people. It was the very first time in my life that I called on God for assistance. There were many things that led up to me wanting to end my life. But now as an adult looking back, I can admit that identity struggle played a major role.

Fast forward to age 24 when I converted to Islam. I thought that converting to Islam would help me with my search for identity but instead it execerbated the problem. I was told that I couldn't be American because America was the land of disbelievers and Muslims could not emulate disbelievers. In fact, I was told that if I emulated them, I would be one of them and that the place for a "disbeliever" was in the hell-fire. So, I left America and made Hijra (migration) to Mauritania. I spent the next 11 years traveling the Muslim world in search of a culture that I could relate to and make my own so I could leave my "Americanness" behind and have a chance at getting to Paradise. It didn't work.

It took me a long to realize that the very people who were telling (and continue to tell me) that I cannot be American, hail from Muslim majority countries that have very beautiful, rich cultures. They know who they are (regardless if they want to be it). They know who their ancestors were, what they did, how they lived. I've never had that luxury. I don't know who my ancestors are. I don't know if they were kings and queens or criminals. My history was erased. Other Muslims get to say "I am Afghani, Pakistani, Malaysian, Sudanese, Egyptian, Nigerian, Palestinian, Bosnian, Moroccan, Indian, Algerian, etc." I will never be able to say that. "American" is not an ethnicity. It is a cultural identity. Black Americans have no cultural ties to our homeland. We cannot go back to Africa. We have no idea where in Africa to go? Are we from Nigeria? Senegal? Niger? Chad? Ivory Coast? Etc. We have no idea.

Black Americans don't have any home other than America. We have no other place to go. America is the ONLY home we know. We were stripped of everything else. I most certainly do not praise American politics or its treatment of minorities and/or impoverished, disenfranchised communities. That would mean I agree with the enslavement of my own people. But when Muslims tell us that we cannot be American because that means we support ALL things America, it means they are telling us we cannot exist. I will say that again: it means they are telling us that WE CANNOT EXIST. They can always fall back on their rich cultural heritages (that are often mistakenly called Islamic cultures. They are not, they are merely cultures where the majority of the inhabitants are Muslims). But I don't have that luxury or ability. America is the only culture I have to identify with. Telling me it's not possible is pushing me into nonexistence. I don't think people with such rich cultures and heritages fully understand what its like to not have that to fall back on.

My only recourse is either to reject American culture altogether and adopt some other culture (which all have nationalistic nuances just like America) or accept the elements of this society that do speak to my people while rejecting those that don't. Now put Islam in the picture and the very real cultural imperialism that exists within the Muslim community, and you have a lost people.

You have a people who are already down and doing all they can to pick themselves up - yet continually getting kicked back down by people who claim to be their brothers and sisters.

It's easier for people who have such rich cultures to shun American culture entirely. In fact, I do not blame them. If I had some other culture that I could adhere to, I most probably would. I travelled the world for 12 years looking for that culture but instead what I found were different manifestations of the same problems (obviously not as grand) as I found in America. So I was then left with a choice. If all cultures have both positives and negatives then it would make sense to accept the fact that I am American now by design from God and take the good aspects of it and leave the bad.

I'm not an "Uncle Tom". I'm a man that believes in fighting for my people. And a major issue plaguing my people is that of having no real cultural identity and the self hate that comes along with that. I tried to commit suicide when I was 18 years old because of identity issues.

We of all people understand the systematic oppression that certain aspects of the government impose on all people (at home and abroad). But all we can do is take what's good and then work hard to fix the ills that we are also victims of. I want social justice just as much as everyone else. I just don't want to have to not exist to get it. I don't want America to disappear, I want to make it a better place. I don't want my children to go through the same identity issues that I went through. I don't want them to feel the pain I feel. I want them to be strong, confident, Muslims that fight for social change.

I am an American Muslim and no amount of arguing how that is an impossible dichotomy will change that. I don't have a choice. I am who I am, regardless if people would prefer that I was something else. My story is not over and it is certainly not unique. There are many people from many different backgrounds who are struggling in one way or another. They don't need to be told who they are or who they can't be, especially by people who haven't cared enough to take the time to find out the slightest thing about them first before passing judgement. My father once told me: "You influence every person you come in contact with. It is up to you whether or not that will be a positive influence or a negative one." May we all be of benefit to ourselves and others and may we all realize the potential for greatness that lies within each one of us.


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Muslims In The West, Cool Photo Journal
British Photographer: The Art Of Integration by Peter Sanders
UK's First Ever Kuwaiti Pop Art Exhibition

*Warning, contains spoilers

West Dawn Media, established in 2010 by Jonathan Abdilla, has created a nugget of movie gold for Muslim audiences. Focusing on typical problems that arise within Muslim marriage, the film opens up questions surrounding what happens when two convert Muslims with not-as-Islamic backgrounds, enter into a Muslim marriage. Change of Heart was officially publicised over the summer and made viral through the West Dawn Media YouTube channel where the movie is available to watch in full.

The Plot
Change Of Heart opens with a walking conversation between a Muslim couple, Maryam and Nour. They have the kindness in their speech of a newly wed and have bonded enough to show some time has passed. They're comfortable with each other, they exude 'muslimness' in their appearance. However, there's a glitch. A glitch that turns into a nightmarish regret, particularly for the husband.

Bumping into an old friend from before he converted to Islam, Nour is told some unsavoury news by Kevin about his wife. What was a typical and acceptable dating lifestyle for the non-Muslim woman, has become a tainted background for the convert wife Maryam. "It's cool, she's changed now", says Kevin, nonchalantly. But Nour only hears "she used to get around, if you know what I mean."

At one of two confrontations, Maryam pleads, "but you knew I wasn't practising (Islam) when I was younger, why are you doing this?" And therein lies the dilemma.

The Ugly Truth
As the movie unfolds, we hear two sides to the convert argument. When a person chooses to accept Islam and become Muslim, essentially his or her background is swiped clean like a formatted hard-drive. Muslims believe past sins are forgiven by the permission of God, and a future of potential and growth awaits. But as Maryam in the movie beautifully notes to her young sister, and is the key that binds the past and present of our lives,

"You know how I say Allah is the most merciful and can forgive all sins?. Well, sometimes, even if Allah forgives a person of their sins - that sin can still affect them in this life."

The ugly truth is in trying to understand a convert's background. How much should he or she share with new founded relationships? Is it fair for a husband or wife to want to know every gritty detail about their partners' past?


And this is what Nour, the "betrayed" husband argues with his tweedle-dum and tweedle-dee friends. One friend jokes with the popular quick-fix, "look, you're having problems with one wife, so what you do is, get another wife and just try to solve it from there, right?"

As a representative of Muslim men, Nour defends his non-Muslim background against his wife. His justification? "It's not the same, it's different for guys". Different. Different how? Different where? This is the area I wanted Change Of Heart to explore deeper. What are his reasons as a Muslim to leave his wife for "her reputation"? Is it hurt, betrayal, dishonesty or all of the above?

We're given two extremes of marital expectations that exist in contemporary Muslim marriages. One is of extreme hope, the other of intense regret. After the revelation of her past the husband instantaneously leaves his wife, and yet he entered the marriage with ideals: "She's like the perfect wife, she even helps me with my deen."

Where's My Apology?
Just over 19 minutes long, there is only so much dialogue a short film can contain. I find myself mentally asking for more script during the stretched-out pauses. I'm asking for an argument between the couple, for more movement, more emotion. More.

A tipping point arrives when during the second confrontation, Maryam demands for her husband to speak about his issues. We see the heartbreak of a man who idolised his wife to the point of denying she could make a mistake. Ex-boyfriends, alcohol and a non-Muslim lifestyle is incomprehensible to this devout Muslim man who, like any other man, loves his wife for her good qualities, not her one-night stands. "It kills me to even think about it." I can sympathise.

But when faced again with his own non-Muslim past, he refutes with gender disparities. He does not even apologise, which was the climactic scene I expected in order for his redemption. I'm relieved that Maryam's character finally says what's in my head:

"How is it different for a guy? Is it different in the sight of Allah?"

A message, truly, for all Muslims. Watch Change Of Heart in full here:


Link to video {http://youtu.be/-7UJVVsIS8A}

Images:: Intellectual property of West Dawn Media ©


More for movie buffs:
Veto Films: 'Just The Face' Documentary on French Burqah Ban
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From California on the day of `Eid-ul-fitr, renowned Muslim figure shaykh Hamza Yusuf gave the `Eid sermon (khutba) on Wednesday, 31st August, after completing 30 days of fasting in the Islamic month Ramadan. We have provided a transcript of the speech and encourage all viewers to learn, implement and share the beautiful wisdom of Allah and his Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him.

Shaykh Hamza Yusuf begins with a du`a (supplication).

"`Eid mubarak. Alhamdulillah, alhamdulillah, all praise belongs to Allah. Allah in the Qur'an says,

'They ask you, [O Muhammad], about the new moons. Say, "They are measurements of time for the people and for Hajj"...' (Qur'an, 2: 189)

The sighting of the new moon with the human eye has historically been the way of determining the new month, despite the fact they were quite capable of doing calculations for centuries.

We're living in a time where we have incredible technology, to monitor the the galaxy, to monitor planets. At one time we thought there were only five planets. Now we're discovering there could be up to 4 billion planets just in our own galaxy.

Th Prophet, peace be upon him, determined that the 29th day of Ramadan day is where we go out to search for the 30th moon, he called it, "The day of doubt". This is because there's no certainty whether you can sight the moon or not. According to the Naval Observatory website, it says it's not possible to sight a moon with certainty with the naked eye in the first 24 hrs of the new month. This is exactly what the Prophet's calling it. To eliminate it means there's absolutely no doubt and this still is not true. There is an uncertainty.

To those Muslims who hold onto tradition, "Sumu ri ru' ya tihi, fast when you see the moon." Here, "Ru' ya tihi" is a sight, it has to be seen with the eyes. "Wa afturili ri ru' ya tihi", the fuqaha determined that a group should see it, but not everybody has to see it. And Muslims end the month with what is called "jam`uh ghafeer", which is a majority, a large number of people confirming the new moon.

Two days ago we went out but we did not see the moon. There was one report in South America of a moon sighting; I personally did not feel comfortable, and I want to commend the SPIA for taking that same position just because if you hasten an act of worship (`ibadat) before its time, it's unacceptable. But if you delay an `ibadah for gaining certainty, you get a reward. So, by waiting an extra day to have certainty, all you can do is benefit!

Even yesterday when we went out to see the moon, it was a tiny sliver, a new moon. The Prophet, peace be upon him, said, "The end of time will not come until people who see a first day moon say, 'this is two days old!'"

Having said that, the people who broke their fast yesterday, insha'Allah that's valid because they were following their leadership and those who give fatwah, the accountability is on them - not everyone is responsible. I'm not saying in anyway it was invalid, I'm just saying that I certainly feel more comfortable having completed 30 days. Praise Allah.

Now at the end we learn Ramadan is a madrasah, a school to learn certain behavioral patterns to take for the rest of the year. So let us remind ourselves: The Lord of Ramdan is also the Lord of every month of the year - The Lord of Shawwal and Dhul Hijjah and Dhul Qa`da. Ramadan has ended, our behaviour needs to continue.

In Ramadan, people get closer to Allah because of the nature of Ramadan. They don't backbite (although this is prohibited outside of Ramadan). We're extra vigilant in order to train ourselves.

Imam Ghazali says, if you can control yourself with food and sexuality, then you can control all other things easier. These are two primary drives in the human being. The Eros drive, and the need for satiation, for food.

In learning to discipline the soul, we get closer to Allah. Prophet Muhammad said in a hadith placed in An-Nawawi's collection, which indicates it primacy as one of the central ahadith in Islam:

1) "At-Tahoor, shatrul 'imaan - Purification is half of faith".  (Hadith number 23, on Kalamullah)

An-Nawawi mentions in his commentary that Imam Ghazali said "at-tahoor" here means purification of the heart. Purifiying your heart is half of faith. One half is to enter into faith and the other half is tazkiya. Allah says about the soul, "He has succeeded who purifies it, And he has failed who instills it [with corruption]." - who stunts it. (Qur'an, 91:9-10). Tazkiyah is central to Islamic tradition and Ramadan is the month for tazkiyah, the purification of the heart and disciplining the soul.

Allah says, "O you who have believed, decreed upon you is fasting as it was decreed upon those before you that you may become righteous." (Qur'an, 2:183)

Ramadan is so that you can learn spiritual discipline, getting closer to God, being more obedient.

Then the Prophet said, saying alhamdulillah will fill the mizaan, the scales, which according to tradition is bigger than heavens and earth. And saying Subhan'Allahi aalhamdulllahi is filling what is between the heavens and earth.

He further said, "was-salatu noorun - prayer, the salah is a light". How is it a light? In a factual (muttawatir) hadith, he said, "Give good tidings to those who go in the darkness (at night prayer, 'isha and fajr) of complete light on the day of Judgement."

On Judgement Day, when you're moving forward there are stages where it becomes completely dark. And those who did not have prayer in this world, they don't have any light to see. So prayer is a light, it will guide you.

"Inna salata tanha anan fa` sha'i wal munkar - Prayer will prevent you from doing foul and disobedient things". It increases your light. The more spiritual light you have, the more you can contribute to the elimination of darkness in the world. Darkness cannot succees because it is not a positive quality, it is a negative quality.

If you enter darkness into a room filled with light, it can't dispel the light. But if you have a room filled with darkness, one bit of light that enters the room will illuminate all the darkeness. Light is positive! And that is what we are accruing with our spiritual practice, LIGHT, in order to dispel the negativities that exist in this world.

THIS Is the role of those who believe in God. Of those who believe there's a Day of Judgement and that you're going to be taken into account.

The Prophet went on to say, "Wa-sadaqah tu burhaan - And charity is a proof."

Charity is a proof of your belief, in how you give to others. Allah says "Inna al-insana khuliqa halu`a - Indeed, mankind was created in a state of anxiety" (Qur'an, 70:19). We come into the world screaming, in a state of 'hala'. Allah says in the same verse, "When evil touches him, he's impatient," he becomes completely destablised. And "when good touches him, he withholds," he's greedy, he's covetous, he wants to keep it for himself, he doesn't want to share -"Ill'al musalleen - EXCEPT those who pray."

This is a different state of mind, these believers are connected to Allah. They are constant in their prayer, some say it's "sujud al-qalb", the prostration of the heart that is in constant prayer. The heart has a prostration like the head. These are the believers who give in their wealth - for those who ask, those who don't ask and you can still see they have a need.

At the end of Ramadan we pay zakat-ul-fitr. Zakat-ul-fitr is a dedicated "sa'a" from each person, a portion that's given to those who need. It used to be a portion of grain but now, in the Hanafi madhab (school of thought) we pay money and distribute because it faciliates it for places that need it more than we do. We give zakat at the end of Ramadan because we have just spent learning about hunger, that there are many people who are hungry.

It's inexcusalbe that we have famine today! We have a globalised system and the means to take food anywhere on the planet, and yet we have people starving in East Afrca. Completely unacceptable. And then we have people vomiting from over-eating. You can go to the store and see rows and rows of dyspeptic medicines for indigestion, for people who eat too much, who don't need that food. Really, it's a billion dollar industry in the United States, from people over-eating. We have become an obese society. People taking more calories than they need.

`Umar radhi Allah `anhu (may Allah be pleased with him) once saw a large bellied man making tawaf (circumambulation of Kabah) and put his stick next to his stomach and said, "this would be better on someone else who needed it." Right?!

One of the Muritanian poets said, "I'm amazed at a religion that calls for the fraternity of mankind, and yet we see some dying from hunger and some from over-eating, from satiety." He's amazed at this, asking well, how can a religion who takes care of the needy allow this?

The Prophet Muhammad peace be upon him said, "Nobody is a believer who goes to bed full and his neighbour is hungry". It negates your faith! And now in a globalised society, your neighbour can be a thousand miles away. Because we know about all the people now, before they had exuses of distance, today we know!

Brothers and sisters, this religion calls us to reflect on death. The Prophet peace be upon him meditated on death, not in a morbid way, but to teach us the fragility of life. We're moving through life, and we'll be confronted with a momentous ovent.

Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, said to hold onto the rope of Allah, this Book. Everything you need is in the Qur'an as explained by Prophet Muhammad.

In conclusion, the central theme of the book of Allah is to believe in Allah and live righteously. What does this mean? When the Prophet, peace be upon him, was asked by a man for advice, he "Qul aman tu billah thum-mustaqim - say, I believe in Allah and then BE upright." And what is uprightness? All of the Qur'anic ethics can be summarised in one verse where Allah calls for us to come! Elevate yourself. When you ask someone "ta aala" it means to stand, to get up. Elevate yourselves!

And I will tell you what God says you should and should not do in the Qur'an, chapter 17, verses 22-35:

• Don't associate partners with God
• Show goodness to parents - filial piety. We're living in a time where parents are denegraded but you need to show filial piety.
• Don't kill your children - no abortions or a fear of poverty. Allah says He will provide for you and for them! So the usool (above the head) and the fur'ooa` (below), the roots and the branches, are like the parents and the children.

Each one of us is a trunk and these are the roots to our trunk; our roots are our parents and our branches are our children. You need the whole tree to be holistic. You have to have a healthy whole tree, if you cut off the roots, you kill the trunk, and if you cut off the branches, there's no fruit. This is the tree of life. And this is why we're here - because of our parents, and this is why we continue - through our children. This tree of life needs to be nurtured and that is what Allah is calling us to do, to nurture this tree.

• Don't go near fornication, do not go to theft and these other forbidden (haram) things that cause destruction to your societies. These are diseases of the heart, and diseases of society.
• Do not kill any soul that Allah has sanctified - Muslim, Christian, Muslim, Hindu, Buddhist, Jain, it doesn't matter, it is a sanctifed soul. Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, stood up for the funeral of a Jew, it's recorded in Sahih al-Bukhari, and it was at a time when there was friction between the Jews and Muslims. The Prophet stood up and the Sahaba said, "this is a Jewish man," and the Prophet said, "wa laysat nafsa? - isn't this a human soul?" He respected the soul, he stood out of respect for that soul going back to its Lord, irrespective of its creed or its colour or cast. It doesn't matter! It's a soul and we cannot judge that soul. Alalh will judge that soul. Don't kill any soul! Allah is telling you to do this in order ot behave rationally, to believe.

We've got madness in our community, just recently an idiot went into a masjid and killed 50 people thinking it was a good idea. We've got madness in these cycles of violence. The only thing tht will break this cycle is intelligent people refusing to be part of this madness and demanding that there will be a different way. Allah says, do not kill a sanctified soul. That is your religion.

• Don't go near the orphans' wealth, don't touch it.
• And be just in your economics. That's the basis of healthy society, is just economics. Look at the economic systems of other countries and look at ours. People were robbed, their houses were robbed. These banks that committed daylight, bank robbery. It used to be where you went in and robbed a bank but now the banks are robbing the people! This is how distorted it's gotten. The banks were bailed out with billions but Mr and Mrs B weren't bailed out, their house was taken. Allah says, don't consume one another's wealth with lies, with vanities. Don't do it. Allah says a balanced economy is for commercial transactions where both sides are pleased with it. Don't kill one another because when you have unjust economies you have wars. These are economic transgressions.

You wanna know about Afghanistan? Look at lithium. The trillion dollars of lithium that's in Afghanistand land - you wanna know why people are in Afghanistan? Because Afghanistan has the most important minerals for high tech industry in the world. This is the world we're living in, a world of greed. A world where politicians feed us lies, telling us it's going to better society. Zbigniew Brzezinski said there is a political awakening, making it very difficult for politiians to do what they used to do. People now see the inequities, the exploitation, they read it in the newspapers. It's not like the old days where they could hide.

Politicians need to step aside to let human beings live with dignity and justice. Really, just let them live. Because it's wrong what they're doing, it's evil. People deserve better than this. Human beings are trying to raise their children without having a fear that secret police will take their children away, or ending up in an orange suit somewhere off Cuba. A place with blindfolds and earphones to block out hearing - sensory deprivation, which a New York Times articles asked "Is torture justified?" What happened?! In my world, I grew up in an America where we had civil society, things like torture weren't even questions to be asked.

We were founded on principles of human dignity. They used to hide these things, like the syphilis studies. Yes - the very Nazis who did things to the Jews, had done on them. People are passing on these forward because some aren't seen as 'human' in South America as they are. Those things are hidden, they are nefarious deeds that were done in the past, in the dark, we can't do anything about that, but when they become OPEN: What responsibility do we have then when? When we can see what's being done in broad daylight?

Shame on us, shame on all of us. What's done in the dark is God's business, but what do we do when it's done in broad daylight (?)

Allah says, "We do not charge any soul except [with that within] its capacity. And when you testify, be just, even if it's against near relative." (Qur'an, 6:152) - Even if it's your community, your own Ummah. It doesn't matter what it is, if it's wrong we condemn that wrong. This is a high religion, a religion of ethics and community.

The Prophet peace be upon him said, a time will come when you will see darkness followed by darkenss. `Ali (ra) asked, what is the way out, and the Prophet replied,"Kitab Allah, book of God". The Qur'an has news of what went before us and what will come after, it is a judge and an arbitrator between you. Whoever leaves the Qur'an, does it out of arrogance, Allah will break his back. And if you seek guidance in other books, you will be lead astray.

The Prophet said to hold onto the strong rope of Allah, His Book. To make dhikr, the remembrance and learning the wisdoms of Allah, and this takes you to a straight path. Tongues will not be confusing if they quote the Qur'an, and he said you will not have diverse opinions if you follow the Qur'an, the ulema will never tire of it, and the pious will never grow bored or weary reciting it.

This is the book of God that even when the jinn heard it they said we've heard a wondrous book that must have a guidance.

If you judge by the Qur'an, you will be just, if you speak by the Qur'an, you will be truthful. If you act according to it, you will gain a reward, and if you call to it, you will be taken to a straight path. The Qur'an is a protection, a safety for whoever follows it."


Eid al-Fitr 2011 sermon delivered by Shaykh Hamza Yusuf at the Santa Clara Fairgrounds in San Jose, California, on August 31, 2011.


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Now had I known then what I know now I would have gone right back to bed after fajr (morning prayer) in Madinah on day 2. We woke up about 3 hours later for fajr and I was alert and ready. I was downstairs and bright eyed, bushy tailed, ready for the day. Morning prayer in the Prophet’s masjid was just as tranquil as ‘isha, I loved it!

My friends knew that it was a wise idea to go back to bed, I however was still on Arizona time, and was wide-awake. So instead of sleeping like a normal person, I decided to explore the city. Bad idea. I had so much to do that day that by the end I was so in auto-pilot it is not even funny. I walked and talked to the street merchants, went into the local shops and saw all the items they had for sale. It was surreal in some way but freer.

I like to go to stores that are not a corporate owned Walmart, something that is original and real. Honestly, I was amazed that I could buy two thobes and two kufis, as well as two pairs of pants for about $20 U.S. dollars. I looked into all the small shops and restaurants, smelled all the foods and investigated whatever I wanted to, wherever curiosity took me. I felt a comfort that I hadn't felt in a long time, as if no matter where I went no harm would come to me. It was a very homely feeling to have. For those of you who have not yet gone on Umrah or Hajj, plan on spending a few days getting lost and falling in love with Madinah.

I probably walked around, had breakfast, wondered back around the city and what-have-you for a good 5 hours, and the next thing I knew it was 11am. I woke up my comrades and we got ready for our day. We had a busy day ahead of us, and so now I was starting to get tired, how wonderful right?

Our first stop was to have a VIP tour of the Prophet’s Masjid. It was like the night before, but we were taken underneath the Masjid, at an exhibit that I guess is not open to everyone. This was a shame because it was very informative and interesting.


We watched a twenty-minute video about the construction and reconstruction of the Prophet’s Masjid, as well as the various rulers who have influenced its design. This was probably the only time that I have watched a historic video I was genuinely impressed with it. I could understand why the exhibit was not open to everyone; it would be packed all day and night.


Afterwards we met up with an Imam of the masjid, one of many Imams, and I discussed Guantanamo Bay prison with him as well as my reversion to Islam. It was a pleasant talk, my first in the Middle East about GTMO, and he was very aware, smart, and articulate to the matter, which was refreshing. Perhaps he even knew more than most of the Westerners and people in the U.S. do, sadly. We had a language barrier, but my friends were there by my side to take care of the matter, and all came through very well.

Next was the site of the Battle of Uhud. A very chilling feeling came upon me. I could recall feelings in my life of panic, of terror, of loss and that "oh no" moment, and that is all I felt while we were standing there. I walked to the area where the Companions (Sahabah) were buried, and asked Allah that they be granted paradise (soon). I was sad to see that there were people peddling their merchandise right there on the battle site, but I suppose in this world, you aim to survive wherever you are.

It was also a little discerning to me to see all the trash that had just been thrown around in Madinah, as if people had no reverence for the environment or for the significance of the Uhud site and what had taken place here.

I am a very critical and cynical person, this is well known, maybe I need to work on changing that in me insha’Allah. We walked up the mountain of Uhud that the archers were told to have stood on (but didn’t). I tried in my head to envision what had taken place here, and to see the forces as they came into the valley.

The entire valley at Uhud is secured by towering mountains and rocks - rocks that would be hard on the feet of a camel or horse. This was truly a strategic way to go about the historic battle, being that it was not a welcomed battle, and still it occurred. Too bad the Muslims did gain an outright win, although in the long run we did, for Allah is the best of planners!

We then hurried back to the Prophet’s Masjid for dhuhr (midday) prayer, and just as quickly as we hurried there, we hurried off to another location that I did not know was on our travel stops. We visited the Masjid Qublatain, where the qibla direction changed in mid-prayer from Jerusalem to Makkah. This was really an interesting stop, I was just happy to have the opportunity to see something so interesting and historic.

I was wrapped up in the idea of thinking that the Prophet ﷺ and his companions had once been here. And further in my mind I thought of its distance from other locations we had been to already, and having used a car, it must have taken so much longer on horseback. I think this is when I finally started to look around me and begin to feel thankful for all the blessings that I have in my life, and the blessings that I have overlooked. This is probably when it set in, "We will never have it as hard as the sahabah had it". How many times a day we hear this but how many of us understand this, I mean really understand this? It isn't just a matter of being grateful for what we have, but we also have to realize what the earlier and the new Muslims went through, and I have found that Ibn Ishaq's "The Life of Mohammed" is probably one of the best ways to learn about our beloved Prophet ﷺ and his Companions.

I was absorbing all of this as we arrived at the mosques and the site of the Battle of the Trenches. Lucky for me one of my escorts who was a student at Al-Madinah, was also a history buff and gave me a quick refresher on what had occurred here. For those of you who are not aware of the history behind this battle, do not Google it, do not Wikipedia it, go to get a researched book. Get An Islamic history book and read up on the Battles of the Trenches. Please.

I prayed in the Masjid Al-Fath, and again that feeling of having been somewhere that the Prophet ﷺ had been came to me, and it is an amazing feeling to have. I looked over the valley from where we were, and tried to envision it without all the commerce and buildings, just the desert.

And what it must have felt like to be this humble man who was being messaged by Allah Himself, and setting the world aright. What a significant burden to have on one's shoulders, and what a blessed man he, our Prophet, was!

Why did we have Asain food? I didn't eat, I came to Saudi to see giant spiders and ride a Camel and eat lizard and such, not have Chinese food, if I wanted Chinese food I would go to California.

Next on our stop of the-day-that-never-ended, and believe me we are only half way through it as of now, was an Asian restaurant - because everyone knows that you go to Saudi for the Chinese food, not for religious pilgrimage, right…? I have a hard enough time eating once a day usually so I passed on lunch, which freed me up more time to talk with one of our guests. We discussed my book ‘Traitor’ that I have been trying to get published for years, and it seems as if it will never see the light of day, but I continue to have faith.

We spoke of my life and his life, rapped for a while about future ideas and what sounded to be good and bad projects. All in all, I think I made a great friend with this visitor at lunch. I should probably mention at this point, not everyone who was a part of my trip or involved wishes to be mentioned, so I am avoiding using names. This is not to discredit anyone or their efforts, as this whole document stands to be one great big "thank you" note for them all. It is just better to leave with anonymity. Nonetheless, it was a great lunch, and it lead to a friendship that I look forward to continuing for many years to come, insha’Allah. (By the way, the Chinese food did smell and look quite good, I just didn't want to slow myself down since this was only about 2pm in the afternoon and we were still looking to keep going until nearly 11pm that evening, I was really beginning to regret having explored all morning.)


Then it was back to the Prophet's Masjid for ‘asr (afternoon) prayer, and as quickly as we arrived, before I had finished the fourth rakat, boom, we were back in the car and off for another visit. We went to visit a doctor who specialized in the Prophet’s ﷺ life, and had quite an amazing library. We exchanged greetings of pleasantry and got down to actual discussion afterward. Again we spoke quickly of GTMO, and on to various matters; a good conversation. He was a very warm and welcoming man, and shared with me some great du`a (supplications), and facts I had not heard before, so it was nice to have some new knowledge in the ol' grey matter upstairs.

We toured his extensive library, literally an entire floor of an apartment building. I began to drool when I arrived upstairs, and wished I could read and write Arabic so badly, so as to spend months of my life up here with a 6 pack of Coke and these books. All of the wonderful knowledge contained therein that I would not be able to read, any time soon, that is.


I began to think more heavily about how dearly I wanted to go to school here, and how I wanted to live in Madinah for the rest of my life, but I was also beginning to see a repeating pattern occur. In every conversation someone would tell me how important it was that I stay in the states. I do not want to stay in the states, especially with how the U.S. harasses me when I travel, they must not want me there either. They might be willing to come to a plea bargain, where they send me to some other country to live, give me a yearly allowance, and I just never come back. Sounds plausible.

When we got back into the car that day at about 4:30pm, I was too tired to bother talking to my travel companions, so I just stared out the window as we drove around the city and tried to take in all that we visited that day. I am still trying to recall what happened from mental notes during the process. Having been sleep deprived, I will have to expand on these thoughts and the following events a little further.

Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3


Images: Holdbrooks ©


More by Brother Mustafa:
'Islam Is A Prison', Discuss
Islam At Guantanamo, Guardian Interview
Terry Holdbrooks: Detained By FBI

We brought you the launch of Muslim children's magazine, Little Explorers. Based in the United Kingdom, SISTERS Magazine is exclusively for fabulous women.

Again, we bring one of the world's first Muslim men's magazines: Muslim Quarterly.

In the latest publication, Muslim Quarterly pierces into the truth of real manhood, men's health and the hottest topic in Muslim circles: marriage.

The Chicago based magazine claims to be the first to address social, physical and spiritual challenges faced by American Muslim men.

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Taking an Islamic and human angle to Muslim issues, Muslim Quarterly is unique in its niche. It aims to collaborate wisdoms from the Qur'an - Islam's holy scripture - in a print that is approachable for young Muslim adults. While in previous issues some never-before seen topics of make-up on men hit the surface, the summer 2011 neutral cover is just a delicious byte of the juicy and "Islamic" articles underneath.

Muslim Quarterly covers E-affairs, 'messing on the internet', four must haves in a spouse and foods to boost sexual appetite. If the featured titles are anything to go buy, I have only one thing to say: phoar.

And yes, that is Ummah Film's producer Baba Ali on the front cover.

Check it out for yourself and subscribe. We have.


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Hey, you! What are you doing on the 24th September? Nothing? - Then spend a day with Orphans In Need!

Supported by the socially active Rochdale Dawah Centre in north England, next Saturday is all about the women and children. And it's for women and children!

Spend a day learning about the world's people who don't make the evening news. Show your little ones how children their age don't have providing parents and feel very alone.  Bring your families and bring your pocket change as everything you spend goes towards sponsorships at Orphans In Need.

Come! Enjoy a variety of fun activities and stalls including a bouncy castle, halal food, freshly baked cakes and loads more!

Date: Saturday 24th Sept 2011
Time: 1pm - 4:30pm
Venue: Wardleworth Community Centre, South St, Rochdale, OL16 2EP.



Supported by: Rochdale Dawah Centre, Relish, Delhi sweets, Lancs & co.



More events coming your way:
Reclaiming London's Voice, Muslim Youth Helpline Host Poetry Slam
Study The Unseen - Jinn, Angels And Qadr - With AlKauthar's 'Out Of Sight'
Peace For Humanity Conference At Wembley Shows Islam's Mercy