al-nur: volume 12 | issue 3

al-Nur THE NEWSLETTER OF THE MUSLIM STUDENTS ’ ASSOCIAT ION AND THE MUSLIM WOMEN OF MARYLAND

by Ahmad Amin Islam, a Peaceful and Moderate Religion

Truth is, Islam is a religion of peace and moderacy. Genuine Muslims respect all religions and yes, even Jews.

Our prophet visited his Jew-ish neighbor when he was ill, he stood out of respect for a Jewish funeral. A judge ruled in favor of a Jew against the argument of Caliph Ali (radiAllahu anhu) that the shield in possession of the Jewish man was in fact his own, and was stolen from him. The judged ruled against Ali (ra), one of the greatest companions of the Prophet (sallaAllahu alayhi wa sallam), married to the Prophet’s daughter, the caliph at his time, the person the nation trusted to lead them. He ruled

against him due to lack of evi-dence, and Ali’s (ra) son’s testi-mony was not accepted as it could be viewed as biased! After the ruling, the Jewish man was so shocked that he accepted Is-lam!

Imagine this happening nowadays: Even in America’s legal system can a person on the street practically sue the presi-dent holding the highest position in the nation with such ease and win, I doubt that.

Islam is also a moderate re-ligion far away from both ex-tremes (extremism, and com-plete freedom). We all have seen extremism and how it can

(Continued on page 2)

Inside this *Special* Issue

the Lightthe Light

ISSUE 3 VOLUME 12 JUMADA AL AWWAL 4, 1429 - MAY 9, 2008

“...Light upon light! Allah guides to his light whomsoever he pleases, and Allah sets forth parables for men, and Allah knows all things full well.” [Holy Qur’an]

HistoryHistoryHistory

Founded in 1969, the Muslim Students' Association is an organization dedicated to serving the Muslim students on campus and educating the campus com-munity about Islam and Muslims. We carry out Is-lamic activities, sponsor social, community service, and charity events, and strengthens relations and understanding between Muslims and non-Muslims.

Political Action & Current Events Page 4

Personal Experiences Page 5

Hadith/Duaa of the Week Page 9

Creative Writing 1

How-to Column Page 8

Contact Us! Please send your creative submissions, comments, and suggestions to [email protected] or visit www.msaumd.org

MSA Events Page 2

Page 12!Page 12!

remove people from the cloth of Islam. Complete freedom and de-mocracy is equally damaging.

Between the 1920’s to 1933, alcohol sale, manufacture, and transportation were banned throughout the United States as mandated in the Eighteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution. What happened when people revolted? Well I guess you can see the situation now. Hypo-thetically, what would happen if citizens decided by majority that rape is acceptable? Should we ac-cept that just because the majority wants to, even if it was wrong? There must always be limits and boundaries.

This is what makes Islam such a unique, implicitly moderate relig-ion, provided to us by the Creator. Praise to our Lord and Creator for being the Master that He is. I would not have ever liked to have any other god, or substituting him

with anyone else. All praise to Him, the Most Graceful, the Most Merciful. Islam as a way of Life?

After the Prophet’s death, peace be upon him, and after Abu Bakr (ra) was assigned to be the first caliph, Abu Bakr assigned Omar bin Al-Khatab (ra) the posi-tion of Mayor of Madinah, the capi-tal of the Muslim nation at the time. Do you know what happened one year later? Omar (ra) came to Abu Bakr (ra) asking him to ex-cuse him from the position of mayor! Why? Because he has not received a single complaint, argu-ment or incident throughout the whole year! Thousands of citizens and not a single complaint. Imag-ine that. These were the great companions trained directly from the Prophet (sws), chosen by God to spread this religion in this world.

Can any civic system or relig-ion, or ethics achieve such results even in the smallest of states? This shows us that Islam is a way of life. When Muslims are more than just Muslims by name, and under an Islamic rule, people will live in the most just and comfortable en-vironment. But why is this true? This is because this way of life was provided to us by our Lord and Creator, who knows us more than we know ourselves. He created us; He knows what is best for us. When a scientist comes up with a new theory or invention, and there are doubts or issues with it, whom do they go to? To the person who came up with this idea or someone with great experience in that area. Then, why is it that people find it difficult to accept that Islam is the right way of life? Or that religion and state rule can be mixed?

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Islam, a Peaceful and Moderate Religion

msa events

al-Nur Volume 12, Issue 3

By Tubah Sultan Being a Healthy Muslim Your throat starts to feel sore, you’re coughing, and you get a few chills. The last place you want to be is sitting in a lecture hall when you could be in bed at home. When you are sick, what is the first thing that comes into your mind? A doctor? Or Allah (swt)? How do we, as Muslims, approach our health and taking care of ourselves? How are we different from non-Muslims? On April 3rd, Dr.Khawaja, a local private practitioner, spoke about the differences between be-ing a Muslim versus a non-Muslim

when it comes to practicing medi-cine and keeping ourselves healthy. If we want to be healthy, we need to understand the subject of health, and this sister came in to talk to the MWM about Islam and healing. She made some very good points about maintaining our health that we need to aspire to in order to be whole. We need to in-corporate the idea of ‘tawheed’ or oneness within ourselves. There are three levels to our being: the body, the mind, and the spirit. In order to achieve a sense of whole-

ness or ‘tawheed’ these three lev-els must be in harmony. As Mus-lims, the best possible way to reach harmony is by practicing Islam. Islam is like a medicine. The message that the prophets told their people was healing at all levels. As individuals who have been blessed with guidance from Allah (swt), it is also mandatory for us to keep ourselves clean and to be in a state of purity when praying by making wudu. This ac-tually prevents a lot of diseases or illnesses. It’s satisfying to know


that we are already on the path to being as healthy as we possibly can be by just practicing Islam and being Muslim. When you get sick, do you com-plain? Complaining usually gets us nowhere. Instead of complain-ing, contemplate. At the sister’s halaqah, Dr. Khawaja shed some light on the ‘simplicity of contemplating.’ When I thought about it in depth and realized its impor-tance; I was amazed. Islam is all about thinking and reflect-ing. When it comes to our health, we should also incor-porate this same concept. Contemplate upon the rea-sons why you may have an illness. Allah (swt) is the All-Knowing; he may have challenged a person with sickness to correct something about them, it may be to remove sins, or just be a test, etc. We can only guess. Contemplating and re-flecting is personal and InshaAllah it will draw one to figure out the cause and the truth. Thus, they can be well-prepared to address the illness and start taking action to get healed in the most effective way. Second, to be healthy we need to be fully aware of what we are eating. As Muslims we have a very high level of awareness. Islam sets the principles for what is good for us and what is not. Striving to eat foods that are pure actually helps to protect us from a number of ill-nesses and diseases. One thing that we need to refrain from eating a lot of is fast food. Everyone knows that it is not healthy. I

mean 99-cent fries are hardly worth it. There’s a saying that “haste is waste.” So be careful about always eating on the go. I know fast food is sometimes hard to avoid; start small and make gradual changes to your diet.

Also, how many people today actually have breakfast in the morning? Enjoying a healthy breakfast is good for us; it’s just that simple. I’m sure you are aware that ‘breakfast’ also means ‘break’- ‘fast’. After sleeping for several hours we need to fuel our bodies with a healthy breakfast so that we are ready to take on the day. In addition, many studies have been conducted that show that having a nutritious breakfast in the morning leads to doing well in school. Finally, a very important con-cept to understand is that our body is very intelligent; every cell in our body knows its creator, Al-lah (swt). Allah (swt) is the One who created us (and any sickness that we may be challenged with). Therefore he knows best cure to an illness. He is All-Merciful and the best of providers. He didn’t make the means to cure oneself

difficult. We need to think twice before we take any sort of man-made medicines – whether they are over-the-counter or prescrip-tion based. Today’s medicine is all about symptom relief and suppression. Most people just take a pill to deal with any discomfort or pain. They don’t bother reflecting on the reasons why they may be sick. Taking medication to solve symptoms doesn’t help us be-come healthy. We need to eat right and do many other things to make our bodies stronger. The compounds that are used to make the medications are not stable, so they don’t really help us to heal properly.

What I mean is that Allah (swt) creates every particle in the world with the characteristic of stability. Therefore, by taking pills made of unstable compounds, what are we doing? We are hurting our health. Instead, one should resort to more traditional practices, full of wis-dom, that have proven to be suc-cessful cures, if they are in search of healing. For example, what should one do if they have a fever? Drink lots of water, of course; it helps to cool down the body. Look-ing for alternatives to man-made medication is much better for our health. Allah (swt) created a lot of things in nature that can help us heal and cure ourselves. We may skip breakfast from time to time and have foods that are unhealthy, but we need to re-alize that as Muslims, we are obli-gated to take care of ourselves in the best possible way inshaAllah.


Being a Healthy Muslim (cont’d)

msa events



“Whoever does righteous deeds whether, male or female, and is a believer — will enter Heaven, and not the least injus-tice will be done to them” (4:24). Have you ever wondered why so much injustice is occur-ring in the world around us? After witnessing many of the hardships people endure in this life, it is easy to feel discour-aged or helpless. However, rather than surrender to these feelings, we must remember Allah (swt) and truly contem-plate why our world is in the state that it is in. Human beings have the tendency to look back on his-tory and admire their achieve-ments. We as Muslims often re-flect on the history of Islam and say, “1000 years ago Islam did this …or 1400 years Islam gave these rights to women…” While these achievements are certainly important, the non-Muslim, will ask, “How are Muslim men treat-ing women today? What contribu-tions are Muslims making to to-day’s society?” In order for Mus-lims to confidently answer these questions, it is necessary to rec-ognize our obligations as consci-entious believers and responsible citizens. The first step in becoming active Muslim leaders in America is to fulfill the rights of Allah (swt). Fulfilling the rights of Allah (swt) encompasses all aspects of our lives. This begins with estab-lishing prayers, fasting, giving charity, abiding by the Quran’s teachings and following the Sun-nah of the Prophet. The first obli-

gation upon humanity is to know Allah through his oneness or tawheed. Allah created us not only to worship him but to know him as well. Yet, we cannot fully worship Him if we do not know

Him. Striving for this knowledge and fulfilling these obligations will give us the foundation for the next step. In the Quran, establish-ing the prayer and giving zakat [charity] are repeated numerous times. Imam Ibn Kathir expands upon this when he explains that while praying and performing the prayer correctly are crucial, estab-lishing the prayer also means ful-filling the other rights you owe God. And, yes, zakat means giv-ing money, but it also encom-passes fulfilling whatever rights you owe others. This leads to the second step on the path of activ-ism in the community: fulfilling the rights of others. Sometimes we see “religious” people strictly worshipping Allah and paying me-ticulous attention to the details of religion, yet they never fulfill their commitments or they communi-cate harshly with others. It is im-portant to remain aware of the

rights we owe Allah (swt), but we must also show respect to Allah’s creations – be it humans, animals, or the earth itself. Imam ibn al Qayyim (raa) said: “Allah (swt) will behave to-wards us in the same way we be-have towards others”. Perhaps because we as human beings are lazy about fulfilling the rights of Allah and the rights of others, Al-lah, in his wisdom and justice, al-lows injustices to occur around us. If we do not show compassion or care regarding our fellow human’s concerns and needs, perhaps Al-lah, in his wisdom, turns away from us. How can we expect oth-ers to show compassion and con-cern for us, when we do not do the same in return? Rather than giving into despair when times get tough, turn to Allah (swt) for the answers. Allah (swt) is always with us, but we must uphold our end of the deal. How can one do this? Begin by praying all prayers on time, smiling at strangers, reading Quran, holding doors for people…actions big or small can lead to greater human compas-sion. Islam can be summarized into two parts: knowing and fulfill-ing the rights of God and fulfilling the rights of others. As a Muslim community we have an obligation to fulfill the rights we owe the host community. It is against the character of a Muslim to continue reaping benefits from the hospi-tality of this country without giv-ing back to civil society. Further-more, “giving back” ranges from participating professionally in the


By Nadia El-Hillal Fulfilling the Rights of Allah & The Rights of Others

political action & current events

It was the first few days of

college and my brother had taken me to see the place I would be praying at for the rest of my com-ing years at UMCP. I was very ex-cited to see this so called “Musallah” as not many places I knew of had a specified place designated for Muslims to con-duct their daily prayers. Finding the Musallah wasn’t an easy thing to do. In fact, it took my brother several hours spread over two days to tour the base-ment level of Cole Field House without finding the room 0204. Then, on the first day of the se-mester, he accidentally came across it while he was on his way to Cole field’s basement to look for it some more.

Starting school could be overwhelming especially after seeing the huge campus, the brick-buildings, the tall green trees; the flowing diversity and knowing that over 30,000 other students attended this university. I had no clue what my college journey was going to be like, or who my new friends were going to be.

We walked across campus and arrived next to Cole-Field House. We then stood next to these two huge white doors. My brother told me, “We have ar-rived. This is the Musallah”. Con-fused I said, “Are you sure?? This sign here says ‘Service Parking’… It looks like a secure area. Plus, why would a Musallah be behind these cars?” My brother couldn’t but laugh at me. He assured me that the Musallah was behind these white doors, and so we

swung them open and entered. The first thing I saw in

front of me was this huge under-ground dark tunnel with weird looking pipes. There were a cou-

ple construction workers in the background walking and drilling around. I turned to my brother and looked at him. I thought this was a joke he was trying to pull off. He smiled and said, “Not in there, but in here” as he turned me to my right side. By then, Al-hamdulilah, finally the Musallah features started to appear.

There were two shoe racks and a closed door. I was thinking about how every time we opened one door, we got a new surprise and so I was hoping this time it was a good one. So we opened the other door and stepped in. Walking through the hallway, I passed by a closed-dark room which looked liked it had white prison bars and then arrived to a blue curtain. I was told to keep walking till I hit the wall, and then turn right, and that was what I did.

There was no one in the sisters’ section so I took my time

and looked around. It was a cozy place with cushions and pillows and what seemed to be like pipes in the ceiling.

This place was the default location for Muslims on campus, and over time, it became my home away from home. The room behind the white “gazebo” turned out to be CAIL, an amazing tiny library that has thousands of books with a Legit librarian pre-sent there at all times, yo. The Musallah was the place to pray, eat, sleep, socialize, and study (not quite study). I met the most amazing sisters on campus in the musallah. Alhamdulilah. My jour-ney lead me to the MSA and MWM, were I met wonderful peo-ple and formed new friendships and saw the true meaning of what love in the sake of Allah (swt) really means. I learned not to judge things by how they seem to be. Everything encompasses much more than that which the eye sees. Subhan’Allah.

As we break for summer, while others graduate and some get married, we depart sadly but with hearts full of love. I love all my brothers and sisters in Islam for the sake of Allah swt. I kindly ask you all to remember the peo-ple of Lebanon and all Muslims around the world in your du’aas. Recently, there has been Muslim civilian clashes on the streets of Lebanon which have started a new civil war. May Allah guide them and show them that killing each other is definitely NOT the right way for finding solutions. Allahuma ameen.

personal experiences

by Susan J. Shatila When I Was a Transfer/Freshman



personal experiences

If anyone were to ask me in this minute, “What do you love about UMD?” I would say, without hesitation, the Muslim Students’ Association. Among several other things that this institution has to offer, I do not think UMD realizes how special of an organization the MSA is, and how beneficial it is to its members and the campus community at large. The Muslim Students Asso-ciation is such a blessing to my college experience, and everyday, I thank Allah (swt) for allowing me to be a part of it, just as I thank Him everyday for my being Muslim, and for the bounties He Grants us each day. Recently, someone had given me good advice: “School and religion need to be like this,” demonstrating two fingers next to each other. As Muslims, we know that we should balance everything that Allah (swt) has made permis-sible for us, and of course, to ab-

stain completely from that which He has forbidden for us. I believe that since I have joined the MSA, over the course of almost 2 semesters, I have be-come closer to Allah (swt). I truly believe that I have changed, for the better, and inshAllah, this will only continue. One could specu-late that it is due to my new envi-ronment; being surrounded by many Muslims. (Interestingly enough, I attended an Islamic high school!) I am also grateful to Allah (swt) for His Mercy and Pro-tection, and I appreciate my mother’s concern and care for her eldest child and only daughter. One could also say this change, or progression, is due to my growing older, and being more “mature.” I would have to look at my fellow classmates, and the general college-age community, and say that this does not neces-sarily have anything to do with changing. What could this change

be caused by? First and foremost, it is by the Grace of Allah (swt), His Guid-ance, and His Immense and Ever-lasting Will, that any of this is possible. Second, as I previously mentioned, I am so glad that I chose to attend UMD, because otherwise, I would not have met this wonderful group of dedicated brothers and sisters. If anything stands out about this MSA, and this group of young people, it is their dedication and sincerity in helping the MSA. There is always someone to look up to, to ask a question of if you are not sure about something, and you do not have to feel embarrassed. I will admit, I do still feel a bit shy, but I am gradually growing out of my shell. Alhamdulillah, the MSA is like a second family to me. Not to


workforce of this society to par-ticipating in humanitarian efforts and being an excellent neighbor. Muslim or non-Muslim, we all share in the goal of improving this country for the benefit of everyone in it. In a time where the moral standards of society are already breaking down, we as Muslims must become actively involved so we can re-empower, strengthen, and rebuild the Mus-lim Ummah within the United

States. In order to make change happen, it is our responsibility as Muslims and as citizens of this country to contribute to society. We may not have the same reli-gious beliefs or spiritual goals as the majority, but the truth re-mains that we are their people and they are our people, and to-gether we are a single people. The prophet (saws) said, “The best of people are those who are of the most benefit to others.” If

we do not nurture this idea within our community, we will create future generations of Muslims who could potentially benefit so-ciety, but never try because they withdraw and isolate themselves from society. The privileges we have living in this country are in-numerable. Insha’Allah we can take advantage of the resources available to us and stand up for justice and become active mem-bers of society for the sake of Al-lah (swt).


Fulfilling the Rights of Allah & The Rights of Others

By Kadiatu Bah Freshman Experience in the MSA

mention the MWM, Muslim Women of Maryland, and how much it has done for me. Both groups are able to work in sync so well, that it does not feel any different to go to an MWM event, or an MSA event (except for, of course, the obvious differences — MWM is a sisters group!) I attend a halaqah, or lecture, at least once a week, expect-ing, and not being disap-pointed by the knowledge I can gain in such a short time span. The speakers are great, Alhamdulillah. They always speak from the heart, remind us to be sin-cere in our deeds, and always make heartfelt du’aa at the end (which I have to say is my favor-ite part). The brothers and sisters in the MSA are wonderful at remind-ing one another to make every-thing we do for the sake of Allah (swt) and to renew our intentions. We know how to have fun, do our best to spread the message, and are able to provide support for one another in ways we cannot yet fathom, which is vital on such a grand, and sometimes imper-sonable, campus such as UMD. Speaking of spreading the mes-sage, the Da’wah committee is a spattering of brothers and sisters who answer questions about Is-lam to non-Muslims, do Da’wah table, coordinate events such as Islam101, and try to follow in the footsteps of the Prophet (sallaAllahu alayhi wa sallam). Even after each Salah I pray in Jama’a, I feel closer to Al-lah (swt) and my MSA family, be-

cause I feel the sincerity around me. I enjoy being around people who do things to become better in aspects of their deen, and at the same time, are aware that they are here to learn and excel in school as well. When I need a sanctuary, or a hangout place, or

a shoulder to lean on, there is also the musullah, the forums, or someone at Stamp. All I can say is that my first year at the University of Maryland, College Park has been a series of ups and downs — that’s just how life is. Here, though, I have found mostly ups. As Mus-lims, we should think positively, and even through struggles such as exams, projects, loud dorm mates, or the fitnah around us, we should be patient and perse-vere. I do find it hard to be away from my MSA, I have to admit. I just cannot imagine not finding this group or being a part of this amazing experience. Whether it is a halaqah or a talk by Br. Tarif at an event, who is one of the main reasons I look forward to learning more and improving myself as a Muslim through the MSA (and may Allah bless Br. Tarif and his family), I feel so fortunate to be part of this MSA. There has already been talk

of summer halaqahs and events, of which one of them is a trip to the graveyard — a great reminder for us all of our destination and purpose. May Allah(swt) guide us all so that we only die in the state of Iman and Islam. Through the MSA, I have found such great resources as Al-Maghrib and Al-Madinah Insti-tutes, and these can only serve as bridges to build our deen. At the end of an academic year or term, it is always sad to see some people go. Many people are graduating this year. I would like to take this opportunity to thank each and every one of the seniors for their example, their hard work, their patience, their perseverance, and their mentor-ing. Without them, the MSA would’ve surely been different. By Allah’s Will, the MSA will take what we learned from them and their hard work, and continue in their footsteps, and most importantly, in following the Qur’an and the Sunnah of our Be-loved Prophet (sws). We will miss you seniors so much! May Allah (swt) grant you the best of suc-cess in this life and the Hereafter! To all my other MSA’ers, thanks for being there for me. I pray that we will all be under the shade of His Throne on that Day when there will be no shade but that which belongs to Him. Ameen. I love you all for the sake of Allah (swt). Best wishes in the end of semester and keep in touch! We can do it, inshAllah! Let’s keep MSA year-round : )


personal experiences Freshman Experience in the MSA


how-to column

We've all heard the common "Go Green!" tips: change your light bulbs, shop locally, etc., but what many of us do not know, is that the Qur'an gave us an in-credible set of guidelines and re-minders about preserving the Earth 1400 years before the “green” movement. Here are a few thoughts on ways to alter our behavior in order to help us return to the set of principles outlined in the Qur’an. Let’s reduce wasteful consumption, “green” our ibada for the sake of Allah (swt)! 1. Don't leave the water running when you make wudu It only takes a quick second to turn off the faucet between strokes. We all know that less than 1% of the world's water sup-ply is fresh, and even less than that is readily available to popula-tions in need. Think of the enor-mous impact millions of Muslims could have on the world’s water supply if we use only one cup's worth of water less every time we make wudu. 2. Fast Mondays and Thursdays You have already heard that fasting on Mondays and Thursdays can earn you many blessings, but fasting on these days can also help reach out to our hungrier brothers and sisters and lower food prices worldwide. Just imag-ine the positive impact if 10% of the population in developed coun-tries fasted two of every seven days consistently. Not convinced of that our fasting will significantly

help to alleviate the hunger and hardship of others? Well, try do-nating the money you spend on food on the days you are fasting to world food organizations in-stead. Even if only 10% of the population does this, the money gathered can add up to billions of dollars each year to benefit those in need. 3. Ditch the artificial lights for Salah When you can, try to keep the artificial lights off when you pray on your own. Use whatever natu-ral light you can instead such as moonlight or (beeswax) candles. Not only will you be reducing elec-tricity usage, but you will also be enhancing your atmosphere of worship with a soft light that re-minds you of the intimacy that exists between Allah (swt) and His worshiper. Praying outdoors di-rectly on the grass also prevents the need for artificial lights and gives you a direct connection with the nature that Allah (swt) con-tinually commands us to contem-plate in the Qur'an. 4. Support Muslim businesses for craftsmanship you can see The next time you are visiting relatives overseas or are traveling abroad, purchase clothes and items that you can see being made. When possible, have your clothes sewn, jewelry custom-made, 'atr (perfumes) prepared, etc. Not only will you be support-ing a craftsman but you can be 100% sure you are NOT support-ing sweatshop labor.

5. Reduce your meat consumption Relax! I didn't say not to eat meat at all, but reducing meat consumption has huge conse-quences for global land use, cli-mate change, and indigenous communities who are food inse-cure. More acres of land and food are required to keep up with world’s high meat demand which results in greater soil erosion, more methane production, and ultimately less food available to the human population. Even if you make the switch from red meat to fish, you should keep in mind that over-fishing is depleting fish sup-plies worldwide. So, the next time you go to Pizza Roma’s, try the veggie wrap! As Muslims, we must recog-nize that all of our actions relates to someone else in the world, so let us try to be aware, for the sake of pleasing Allah (swt), and live a life that is in harmony with the essence of the Qur'an, insh’Al-lah. As Jose Abraham writes in An Ecological Reading of the Qur'anic Understanding of Creation, "ecological insights can lead us to a new spirituality." For more guides on Muslims living “green” and being environ-mentally active in the DC area, check out these resources:

by Anonymous Sustainable Muslim Practices


www.dcgreenmuslims.blogspot.com www.ramadancompact.blogspot.com

http://www.dcgreenmuslims.blogspot.com

http://www.ramadancompact.blogspot.com

Alhamdulilah, Salaat wa Sa-laam ‘alaa Rasulullah SalAllahu ’alayhiwaSalam wa ‘alaa aalihi wa azwaajihi wa dhuriyyatihi wa salam tasliman kathirah: Abu Hurayrah radhiAllahu’anh narrated that Rasulullah SalAllahu ’alayhiwaSalam said: "The gates of Paradise will be opened on Mondays and on Thursdays, and every slave [of Allah] who associates nothing with Allah will be for-given, except for the man who has a grudge against his brother. [About them] it will be said, 'Delay these two un-til they are reconciled. Delay these two until they are rec-onciled. Delay these two un-til they are recon-ciled.'" [Muslim, Maalik, Abu Dawood] SubhanAllah, none of us knows when we will die and

be put underneath the ground and buried with dirt. All of our chances for forgiveness and purification will be cut off and there will be nothing left but accountability. Since we don’t know when

death will come to us, now is the only time we have to seek for-giveness and to forgive our sis-ters. Imagine what our lives would feel like if none of us held a grudge more than three days, controlled our anger and found excuses for our sisters… We would feel the serenity of Muslim sister-hood. For everyone who reads this paper, try it and Insha’Allah you will see the results in the smiles and love of your sisters. So please forgive me for any-thing I may have said or done to hurt or offend anyone. I love all of you fisabillillah. Please keep me in your du’a. May Allah forgive all of us, pu-rify our hearts towards each other, and bless us to enter the gates of Jannatul Firdaws as sis-ters fisabillillah. Your sister, (Choose a name and forgive her!)


hadith / duaa of the week Submitted by Ridwanur Rahman & Sofia Oumer

1. Narrated 'Aisha (the wife of the Prophet sallaAllahu alayhi wa sallam):

Allah's Apostle (peace be upon him) said, "No calamity befalls a Muslim but that Allah expiates some of his sins because of it, even though it were the prick he receives from a thorn." - Sahih Bukhari

2. Narrated Abu Sa'id Al-Khudri and Abu Huraira: The Prophet (sws) said, "No fatigue, nor disease, nor sorrow, nor sadness, nor hurt, nor distress befalls a Muslim, even if it were the prick he receives from a thorn, but that Allah expiates some of his sins for that." - Sahih Bukhari

3. Allah (swt) said : "My love is due to those who love each other for my sake, who sit with each other for my sake, who visit one another for my sake, who spend on each other for my sake" - Malik

by Anonymous A Special Note to My Sisters

Yup, it’s that lamesauce shizzlemanic nincom-poopish cheesetarded time of year again. Let’s face it — no one misses finals when they graduate!! So how do we make this brain-oozing time of year bear-able and, inshAllah, an avenue for us to pass our classes with flying colors? We thought it would be a good idea to present some du’aas to make while we are studying so that Allah may make this time easy on us. Below is the transliteration and translation for some noteworthy duaa’s. Read them and say Ameen : ). 1. DUAA BEFORE STUDYING • Transliteration: Allahumma infa'nii bimaa 'allamtanii wa'allimnii maa yanfa'unii. • Translation: Oh Allah! Make useful for me what You taught me and teach me knowledge that will be useful to me. • Transliteration: Allahumma inii as'aluka fahmal-nabiyyen wa hifthal mursaleen al-muqarrabeen. Allahumma ijal lee-sanee 'amiran bi thikrika wa qalbi bi ka-shyatika. Innaka 'ala ma-tasha'-u qadeer wa anta hasbun-allahu wa na'mal wakeel. • Translation: Oh Allah! I ask You for the Understanding of the Prophets and the memory of the messengers, and those nearest to You. Oh Allah! Make my tongue full of Your remembrance, and my heart with conscious-ness of You. Oh Allah! You do whatever You wish, and you are my Availer and Protector and the best of aids. 2. DUAA AFTER STUDYING • Transliteration: Allhumma inni astaodeeuka ma qara'tu wama hafaz-tu. Faradduhu 'allaya inda hagati elayhi. Innaka 'ala ma-tasha'-u qadeer wa anta hasbeeya wa na'mal wakeel. • Translation: Oh Allah! I entrust You with what I have read and I

have studied. Oh Allah! Bring it back to me when I am in need of it. Oh Allah! You do whatever You wish, and you are my Availer and Protector and the best of aids. 3. DUAA WHILE STUDYING SOMETHING DIF-FICULT • Transliteration: Allahumma la sahla illama ja-'altahu sahla wa anta tajalu al hazana etha shi'ta sahla. • Translation: Oh Allah! Nothing is easy except what You have made easy. If You wish, You can make the difficult easy. 4. DUAA FOR ANXIETY • Transliteration: Allhumma inni a'oodhoo bika minal-hammi-walhazan. Wa'a oodhoo bika minal-ghammi-wal-kasal. Wa'a oodhoo bika minal jubni wal bukhl. Wa'a oodhoo bikal min ghalabatid-dayni-waqarir rijal. • Translation: Oh Allah, I seek refuge in You from worry and grief, from helplessness and laziness, from cowardice and stinginess, and from overpowering of debt and from oppression of men.

May Allah(SWT) accept our duaas and make easy for us all things that are dif-ficult. Ameen.

special duaas for finals! Submitted by Parise Henry & Eman Haggag… from Sheikh Google


It is hard to believe how the year is almost over. I thought it would be nice to reflect on the past year, on the memories that we’ll all take with us. Some of these are general quotes that are known in the MSA, and others are specific. No names are men-tioned (with the exception of one…) in following quotes, guess if you know who said it. Please note that these are from memory, so they might not be exact! So with that, let’s start… • Bismillah (aka “Ju-jii-ju”) • [Testing the mic before the adhaan during Ramadan]

“Beeesmilalalalalalalalalaa.” • “Don’t stress. Smile, it’s sadaqa.” • “Sisters, can you quite down?” • Brother Tarif during a halaqa: “Some people walk

barefoot there, why do you think that is?” One brother‘s response: “Because someone stole their sandals.”

• “I’mma sell your shoes if you leave them on the floor!” • “Brothers, can you quite down?” • “Amazing shizzle sauce.” • “Guys, if you want to get married, just make du’a.” • “Let’s go to Roma’s! • “Let’s go inject cholesterol into our veins.” • “Mmm, cholesterol.” • “Get hungry for a change!” • [Sheikh Barseesa To "Shaytan"] "Get away from, look

at all the trouble you got me into! Looking all religious with your long beard."

• "You also need to consider culture. I grew up in Saudi, and there, if you said Salamu Alaikum to a sister, the sister would kill you herself!"

• [Through a “curtain” on stage] : “Brothers, is brother Asr Prayer here yet?”

• “Four/ six / oh eight, who do we appreciate? Our par-ents!”

• “My name is Iqbal… Mumtazul Haqq, Sahih Bukhari, Shah Siddiqui Khan, the third.”

• “It is a fact that Abu Faisal is here. I am Abu Faisal. You are not. Brotherhood and sisterhood, kalas.”

• “O. M…. G.” • “I just want to curl up in a TATA box and fall sleep.” ~

a sister exhausted from studying bio at 2 AM one night • “I am going to change my major.” • “Are you going to the [insert event name here]?” • “I can’t stay in the musallah, I’m going to think about

chicken… chicken is like the best thing in the world.” “Aren‘t you gonna think about it if you go home?” “I am, but I‘m also gonna eat it.”

• “Cool Beans.” • “Foo!” • ”Lets go to Roma’s.” • “Does this hijab match my skin tone?” • [One brother asking another brother to make du’a for

him during exams]: — “Please pray for me man, you gotta pray for me, I have an exam.” —“Okay, inshaAllah, ya3ni I’m already praying for other people so I’ll see if this fits in my schedule. —“LISTEN, PRAY FOR ME BEFORE I CUT OFF YOUR BEARD.” —*weak voice* “Okay inshaAllah.”

• [After explaining some Arabic concept to a sister and when asked if she liked/understood it: “I mean, my brain is frying, but I love it!”

• “Every Muslim needs to do POT… that is Pray On Time.”

• “With exams coming up, take this advice. Focus on the Akhirah. [insha’Allah] We’re gonna be sitting on La-Z-Boys, jannah style, drinking alcohol.” [laughter] “Halal alcohol, ya3ni.”

• -“Uh, sisters? Are you guys okay?” • “Oh My Allah!” • “Akhi,” • “Habibti!” • “Ya3ni…” • “Khalas.”

Almost… • “I love you all for the sake of Allah.” • and “May He for whose sake you love me, love you.”


creative writing

—A compilation of quotes from MSA Members— Memorable MSA Quotes of the Year

Illustration by Zeynep Özer


Senior Edition Design by Parise Henry


creative writing

T H E M U S L I M S T U D E N T S ’

A S S O C I A T I O N

University of Maryland College Park Box 44, Stamp Student Union

College Park, MD 20742 [email protected]

www.msaumd.org

by Tubah Sultan Word Search

President: Sami Zaharna VP: Adam Stephenson VP Sis’ Aff.: Namika Zaman Masjid Aff.: Ridwanur Rahman PR: Adil Zaman Secretary: Ameer Abutaleb Treasurer: Faten Gharib President: Maria Khalid VP: Namika Zaman Secretary: Shama Sheikh Treasurer: Sanjana Quasem PR: Nadia El-Hillal SGA Liaison: Tooba Mohammed

Newsletter Staff

Editor in Chief: Eman Haggag Co-Editors: Mahmoud Abdelsalam Nour Al-Muhtasib Reem Dughly Omar Elnabawi Parise Henry Maria Khalid Shabnom Khan Zeynep Özer Sanjana Quasem Ridwanur Rahman Susan J. Shatila Sami Zaharna Manaar Zuhurudeen Staff Writers: Ahmad Amin Kadiatu Bah Nadia El-Hillal Eman Haggag Parise Henry Sofia Oumer Ridwanur Rahman Susan J. Shatila Tubah Sultan **All the graduating seniors** The views and opinions expressed in al-Nur are solely those of the writers

and do not necessarily reflect the views and opinions of the editing staff

or of the MSA.

“And That’s It!!”

al-nur: volume 12 | issue 3

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