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ىلوألج ىدامج

of the Ear

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(Qur'an 25:63)

Stewards

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From the Editor

In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.

May the peace & mercy of Allah Subhana Wa Ta‘ala be on you.

It doesn‘t need to be said that we, as human beings, sometimes take things for granted.; It doesn‘t need to be said that I, as a human being, sometimes take things for granted; It doesn‘t need to be said that you, as a human being, sometimes take things for granted. It doesn‘t need to be said that we, as human beings, sometimes take the Earth for granted; It doesn‘t need to be said that I, as a human being, sometimes take the Earth for granted; It doesn‘t need to be said that you, as a human being, sometimes take the Earth for granted. It doesn't need to be said that several times, we wake up expecting the Earth to serve us with no fail; It doesn't need to be said that several times, I wake up expecting the Earth to serve me with no fail; It doesn't need to be said that several times, you wake up expecting the Earth to serve you with no fail. An Arab poet once said: ―He is only called man (insaan) because of his forgetfulness (nasiyaan), and it is only called the heart (al-qalb) because it changes so rapidly (yataqallib).‖ This is kind of scary because it shows us what a loss we are at. We, as human beings, are at such a loss. I, as a human being, am at such a loss. You, as a human being, are at such a loss. It is also comforting because we were created this way, to a certain degree. It is even more comforting because Allah SWT has had ultimate Mercy on us and has sent down his guidance.

Alhamdulilah ala na3’mat al Islam. Thank Allah for the blessing of Islam.

Because of Allah‘s Mercy, we can pray to Him that we won‘t take things for granted; Because of Allah‘s Mercy, I can pray to Him that I won‘t take things for granted; Because of Allah‘s Mercy, you can pray to Him that you won‘t take things for granted. Because of Allah‘s Mercy, we can pray to Him that we won‘t take the Earth for granted; Because of Allah‘s Mercy, I can pray to Him that I won‘t take the Earth for granted; Because of Allah‘s Mercy, you can pray to Him that you won‘t the Earth for granted. Because of Allah‘s Mercy, we can pay to Him that we will never wake up taking the Earth for granted; Because of Allah‘s Mercy, I can pay to Him that I will never wake up taking the Earth for granted; Because of Allah‘s Mercy, you can pay to Him that you will never wake up taking the Earth for granted. The best part about Islam is that we are not asked to be perfect. We are simply asked to step up time and time again against our own adversity. We are asked to gain power through claiming powernessless. We are asked to seek refuge from the One and Only. Once we do that, then can begin to truly become Stewards of this Earth. JazakAllah khair and enjoy the issue. This issue is dedicated to my 4th grade pearl, my sister Meriam Essa who has an innocent but impressive passion for the environment, as evident by her Environmental club activism. She is the one who truly taught me to take care of this Dunya. Please keep her as well as all those like her in your most precious dua.

— As always, your comments, criticism, and suggestions as a reader are highly appreciated and encouraged. By the will of Allah SWT, let us all engage in a deep collective search for truth, guided by the primary sources of Islam: the Qur‘an and Sunnah. As always, JazakAllah khair for being an MBMuslima reader—this magazine would be nothing without you.

www.mbmuslima.com

Assalamu Alaykum wa Rahmatullahi Wa Barakatu,

Sister Yasmin Essa

One of my favorite passages from Henry David Thoreau‘s Walden is in the Chapter ―Sounds,‖ where he writes the following: ―Sometimes, in a summer morning, haven taken my accustomed bath, I sat in my sunny doorway from sunrise til noon, rapt in a reverie, amidst the pines and hickories and sumacs, in undisturbed solitude and stillness, while the birds sing around or flitted noiseless through the house, until by the sun falling in at my west window, or the noise of some traveler's wagon on the distant highway, I was reminded of the lapse of time.‖ What I‘ve always loved about this is how Thoreau describes his moment in true togetherness with the natural world, something that has a spiritual kinship to it as he values the golden ‗reverie‘ of sitting in nature, without disturbing anything (think of Basho‘s haiku, ―when I look carefully / I see the nazuna blooming / by the hedge!‖) Prince Charles has said that ―the best of Mosques is Nature itself,‖ and nothing could be truer. In our deen we are also constantly reminded to ―look,‖ ―think,‖ ―contemplate,‖ ―observe,‖ and appreciate the wonders of our natural world as part of our iman. Think of the ayahs we read that tell us to remember the sun, moon, stars, galaxies, the seas and rivers and rain, the trees, even the seed or the ant. All of this is perfectly fashioned, measured, created, and melded into our clockwork universe – as a matter of fact it runs at a more divine pace than clockwork, but with the same kind of steady balance. One of the verses of Surat Ghafir in the Holy Qur‘an reads, ―The creation of the heavens and earth is greater than the creation of mankind, but most of the people do not know‖ (40:57, trans. Sahih International). This beautiful verse reminds us of the greatness of Allah (SWT) and his remarkable, brilliant creations and the universe that He has fashioned all around us in infinitely miraculous beauty and admirable perfection. This reminds us how precious this creation is in sustaining life and sustaining the communities and civilizations and daily activities in our dunya, in reminding us of the Supreme greatness of Allah (SWT), and one of the most beautiful aspects of our worshipping of Him (SWT). Echoes of this were heard in a speech entitled ‗Islam and the Environment‘ delivered by HRH the Prince of Wales Prince Charles, who spoke at the Oxford Centre for Islamic Studies in June 2010. In his lecture, he spoke of how faith helps humankind remember its true position as steward and guardian of the earth, instead of its owners and exploiters. Branching off from the verses of the Qur‘an, Prince Charles explained that it ‗offers a completely integrated view of the Universe where religion and science, mind and matter are all part of one living, conscious whole… This suggests to me that Nature is a knowing partner, never a mindless slave to humanity, and we are Her tenants; God‘s guests for all too short a time.‖ This reminds us of the relationship we should have with the world around us, that of stewardship. One of our responsibilities as muslimeen and mu’mineen is to take care

of the world around us, to remember, in the words of Prince Charles, that ―we cannot exist on our own without the intricately balanced web of life around us. Islam has always taught this and to ignore that lesson is to default on our contract with Creation.‖ As a matter of fact our ―contract with Creation‖ becomes a contract or covenant with Allah (SWT) to be caring guardians of our earth and remember that nothing is forever, and everything will perish but Allah (SWT) the Everlasting. While we are on this dunya we must give continual praise and thanks to Allah (SWT) our only Provider, and as part of this gesture of continuous gratitude, one way must be to build and care for His natural earth. As Chief Seattle is often remembered as saying, ―This we know: the earth does not belong to man, man belongs to earth. All things are connected.‖ Our relationship with the natural world is so intimate and so interdependent that we scarcely realize how much we depend on in order to live and prosper and continue our legacy as humankind. Climate change is one topic that will remain on the very top of political and governmental and community agendas for years to come as we struggle to make the damages of decades come undone, and regenerate the earth to be sustainable, healthy, and safe for everyone (and everything). Most of us are not genetic engineers who can clone trees, or billionaire entrepreneurs who can launch country-wide systems of solar-panel energy sources, or even politicians who can lobby for greener forms of product manufacture. But we are muslimeen and mu’mineen who care for the earth as we care for one another, and in so doing we can make this earth healthy and beautiful and sustainable for generations to come, to give Baraka and rizq and spread the wonderful beauty that Allah (SWT) has spread all over this planet. One way we can help: we can plant trees. One Hadith on the benefits of planting trees is as follows: ―If a Muslim plants a tree, that part of its produce consumed by men will be as almsgiving for him. Any fruit stolen from the tree will also be as almsgiving for him. That which the birds eat will also be almsgiving for him. Any of its produce which people may eat, thus diminishing it, will be as almsgiving for the Muslims who planted it (Bukhari, Tajrid al-Sahih, VII 122). Just as the cutting of trees is much disliked in Islamic tradition, the blessings of planting a tree are innumerable, and can continue to yield fruit (literally and spiritually) for many years. The tree you may plant now may yield fruits for your grandchildren and keep the earth around it healthy for decades, a blessing in the dunya and the akhira. If we have no backyards, we can try to get our schools,

masjids, offices, religious groups, even neighbours to organ-

ize some trees to be planted. Remembering Allah (SWT) and

His infinite blessings upon us should always encourage us to

protect our earth in all ways we know how.

Stewards of the Earth: Islam and the Environment

―The world is sweet and green (alluring). Verily Allah is going to install you as vicegerent in it in order to see how you act…‖

(Muslim 36:6606). Since the birth of Islam, taking care of the earth and all that it encompasses has been an integral part of its teachings. The Qur‘an, Sunnah and Islamic jurisprudence make multiple references to the importance of the environment. In fact, as Muslims, we have been entrusted by Allah (SWT) with the responsibility of looking after the earth and should think of it as our mosque: ―Wherever you may be, at the time of salah, you may pray for it [the earth] is all a mosque‖ ~ (Fiqh-us-Sunnah 2.67). 1. As sisters we know how hard it is to throw away food that our children waste. I am sure we find ourselves echoing words once spoken by our mothers, ―you are not leaving the table until you finish your food!‖ According to Stop the Hunger (www.stopthehunger.com) almost 14,000 people around the world die of hunger every day, yet 64 tons of food is wasted per day in the U.S alone. ―…waste not by excess, For Allah loveth not the wasters.‖ ~ (Qur’an 7:31). 2. How many of us are aware of how much water we use from a tap per day? Between doing the laundry, washing up, taking showers making ablution five times a day that‘s a lot of water usage. Presently, there are people without access to water for basic bathing and toilet facilities, so those who have access of water from a tap should use it like the precious resource it really is.

―Do not waste water even if performing ablution on the bank of a fast-flowing ( large) river‖ ~ (Al-Tirmidhi 427). 3. Why not make your household into a complete recycling habitat? When it comes to clothing, toys and books that aren‘t good enough to give away, reuse them in other projects. Encourage your children to help divide the rubbish and let them know why they are doing it. Make your own compost heap with cut grass or fallen leaves to encourage the growth of plants in your garden. 4. How many of us have our own gardens in which we plant fruit trees? Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) gave great importance to trees of any size, shape or species from the time it is a seedling to a full grown tree. It is said that whoever plants a tree will receive blessings throughout its lifetime. For every time it bears fruits, you will receive blessings and if any creatures eat from the tree again you receive blessings. Planting a tree is also beneficial to you even after you die. So, plant a seedling and protect it so it may grow, and conserve it so it may exist for a long time.

―Whoever plants trees, Allah will give him reward to the extent of their fruit‖ ~ (Musnad, 415). 5. Another way we can assist in being stewards of the earth is by remaining modest in the things we buy. While we would all like to enjoy the luxuries of life by upgrading what we already own to something better, we can still practice humility. We should buy as we need in order not to satisfy greed or self gratification. We are stewards of the earth, responsible for the protection of the environment and at large the earth. So, do your duty and take responsibility for that which has been entrusted to us and future generations.

―And the servants of the Merciful are those who walk on the earth in humility...‖ (Qur'an 25:63).

By Nadia Ali Photography by Raisah Ali

I do not consider myself a packrat. I am not one to necessarily save things that I do not use or need anymore. However, with busy schedules and crazy lifestyles, things gather up over time and get overlooked. My family and I are in the middle of a move and finding ridiculous amounts of things we have accumulated over the years.

Why do I have all these possessions? How will they benefit me later? I will not be able to take them with me to the grave. A white cloth: that will be the only physical belonging I will take with me. Other than that, all I will have are my few good deeds. That is a pretty scary thought.

We are supposed to live our lives like travelers or strangers. In this way, we stay detached from this dunya which is a temporary abode for us. We get caught up in the illusion of this world and forget that the Hereafter is what is permanent.

In the midst of our move, I have been very particular as to how we dispose of our unused items. I prefer to take less with us to our new home and am not a big fan of clutter. But I cannot just dump everything in the trash and let it be someone else‘s problem.

We are responsible for every little thing we use and not use. If I do not take care of it properly now, it will definitely become my problem later. I will have to answer for my choices and what I waste. Therefore, I am doing my best to donate most of our things. There are so many people out there who could make use of what we do not use or need. It is a reminder for us to be grateful for what we do have. We should always make du’aa’ that we are of those who have the opportunity to give to

others. There are also ways to reuse and recycle our household

things. There are many electronic recycling centers in neighborhoods nearby. We conveniently have one down the street where all our old cell phones, cables, wires, VCRs (remember those?), and broken gadgets will go. That way, they will not be harming the environment sitting aimlessly in a land-fill. Also, paper and plastic items are recyclable and do not need to go in the trash. Believe it or not, our recycling bin is fuller than our garbage can. We must be doing something right, I hope.

During this process of getting rid of clutter, I am trying to organize all our belongings and making sure everything has a place to be put or stored in our new home. If not, then it needs to go to someone who does need it and has a place for it. For example, our kids have outgrown most of their toys and clothes, so many of our family friends will use them as hand-me-downs. Some things still have the tags on them and never even used! Another thing I am taking into account is if we have used something in the last year or not. If not, do we really need it or can someone else make better use out of it than us?

We come into this world with nothing and will leave the same way. Instead of piling up materialistic things, we should be collecting good deeds on top of good deeds. Taking care of the environment is a good start. Learn to reuse and recycle your things and give your things away.

Live your life like a traveler and start packing light now.

Image Credit: Dreamstime.com | Dmitry Grushin

Sorry, doesn’t ship to the grave.

Domestic shipping: limited to Dunya

These are the words of our beloved Prophet (SAW). We all need to think about this hadith. As Muslims we are supposed to be the healthiest of all people. This is because we have the perfect guidance of Islam, and with it comes the ultimate knowledge of Allah (SWT). To touch upon how Allah‘s (SWT) knowledge is perfect from a health standpoint, look at what He encourages us to eat, and what He forbids us to eat. The Prophet Muhammad (SAW) encourages Muslims to consume things such as honey and olive oil, which are considered some of the healthiest foods. Furthermore, Allah (SWT) forbids us from consuming things such as pork and alcohol, which are considered some of the unhealthiest foods/beverages. Essentially, as Muslims we have no excuse to be unhealthy people. However, why is it that a lot of Muslims are unhealthy? This is just my personal opinion. My intentions are not to offend anyone; rather, they are to motivate Muslims to be more health-conscious. It would silly for me to act like this not an issue, because in my opinion, it is an issue. The reason that I believe the overall health of the Muslim community is lacking is the second thing that the Prophet Muhammad (SAW) stated in that hadith, which is free time. As Muslims we do not have an ample amount of free time; this because we are always trying to please Allah (SWT) by benefitting others. The Prophet Muhammad (SAW) said that ―the best of people is the most beneficial to all people.‖ As Muslims we are very unselfish, as many times we put others before ourselves. Masha‘Allah this is the beauty of Islam, and as Muslims we need to continue to have this mentality. However, sometimes we do need to put ourselves first. Put it this way, if our mortgage or rent was due, would we go and give $500 worth of charity before we paid the mortgage or rent? I can infer that many of us wouldn‘t. Essentially, the point I am trying to make is that we need to be conscious of our health, and we need to make it a top priority. However, we need not to give up benefitting and helping others. Their needs a balance between the amount of time that we spend helping others and the amount of time we devote our health. The following two verses, or ayahs, in Chapter 2 (Surat al-Baqara) in the Qur‘an state the significance of eating things that are

healthy.

These ayahs discuss how we should eat the

good, wholesome, natural, and healthy things on earth; furthermore, they indicate that we should stay away from unnatural ingredients which are harmful to us. The first ingredient that we should stay away from is that of high fructose corn syrup (HFCS). So what is HFCS? According to Wikipedia, HFCS ―comprises any of a group of corn syrups

that has undergone enzymatic processing to convert some of its glucose into fructose to produce a desired sweetness.‖ This ingredient can be found in a large variety of products. These products include sodas, candy bars, and so on. It is obvious that sodas and candy bars are unhealthy anyway, but HFCS is also in many foods that are considered healthy, or foods that we consume often. These foods include, condi-ments (like ketchup), tinned or packaged soups (like Campbell‘s vegetable soup), applesauce (Motts), NutriGrain bars, many cereals (which are considered healthy such as Raisin Bran), and even many breads! That‘s right; HFCS is in many of the breads that we consume. Now why is HFCS considered bad? Over the past 35 years we have seen a rise in obesity in societies, as well as an increase in added sugars in consumed foods. These increases are believed to be linked together, and high fructose corn syrup is regarded as the main sugar responsible for this rise in obesity. As indicated in its name HFCS has high levels of fructose. Fructose does not cause an insulin response. ―This is important because, without an insulin response after consumption of a high-fructose food, there is no suppression of appetite which is normally induced by hyperinsulinemia after a meal.‖ To go off on a tangent, hypersulinemia is also known as pre diabetes, and some of its symptoms are fatigue, headaches, shaking etc. Anyway, so if one consumes a high fructose food (i.e. HFCS), than that person is likely to have a less suppressed appetite. Therefore, they may be inclined to overeat. As we all know, overeating means excess calories which leads to gaining weight. So if HFCS is so unhealthy then why does it keep propping up in so many of the foods that we consume? For starters, some forms of HFCS are sweeter than ordinary table sugar. The second and most obvious reason is that it is cheaper than regular table sugar. Third, it is easier to blend and transport because of its liquid form. The second ingredient that we need to watch out for is that of hydrogenated oils. Complete hydrogenation of oils is the conversion of unsaturated fatty acids to saturated ones. Why are hydrogenated oils bad? It is because they correlate with trans fats. I am sure we have all noticed bags of food that say ―0g‖ of trans fat. From this we can infer that it is good not to have trans fat in a product. Trans fats are bad because the consumption of them leads to coronary heart disease. ―At least 30,000 and as many as 100,000 cardiac deaths a year in the United States could be prevented if people replaced trans fat with healthier non hydrogenated polyunsaturated or monounsaturated oils,‖ according to a 1999 joint report by researchers at the Harvard School of Public Health and the Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston, published on www.downwithbasics.com. Alhamdulilah, many cities have begun to ban trans fats in foods because of their unhealthy nature. However, let‘s go back to that notion of foods where the label says ―0g trans fats.‖

By Brother Kyle Smith

By Rehana Begum Every year all over the world millions of people celebrate Mother‘s Day, but do we really know the origins of this celebration? Is this a religious or cultural ceremony? The earliest Mother‘s Day celebrations can be traced all the way back to the times of the Ancient Greeks who had a custom of mother worship, honouring Rhea as the mother of all gods. Ancient Romans also had a holiday dedicated to Lucina, a goddess who they believed safeguarded women during childbirth. On this day gifts are given to mothers. During the 1600‘s, Christians in England dedicated a day to honour Mary mother of Jesus (Peace Be upon Them). This was later expanded to include all mothers and named ―Mothering Sunday.‖ It now takes place on the fourth Sunday of Lent (these are the forty days leading up to Easter). From the Muslim perspective, the status of a woman, that of the mother in particular, is greatly honored. A man came to Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him) and asked him ―Who is more entitled to my companion-ship?‖ He replied ―Your mother.‖ He asked a second time ―Who next?‖ He replied ―Your mother.‖ He asked a third time ―Who next?‖ He replied ―Your mother.‖ Only after asking the fourth time did he reply ―Your father.‖ (Sahih al Bukhari Vol 8, Kitab ul-Adab, Chapter 2 Hadith 2) So this means that the mother not only gets the gold medal, but she also gets the silver and bronze one. Therefore the father has to be satisfied with a mere consolation prize. Islam has given a mother three times more rights over her children than the father because of her significant role in their birth, upbringing and education. Which other religion gives a mother these rights? In another Hadith, Prophet Muhammad (peace is upon him) says that ―Paradise lies beneath the feet of your mother‖ (Sunnan Nasai, Kitabul Jihad, Chapter 16 Hadith 3106). In other words paradise awaits those who cherish

and respect their mothers. Muslims are taught to love, respect, honour and cherish their mothers. Allah says in the Glorious Quran in Chapter 17 (Surat al-Israa’): ―And your Lord has commanded that you shall not serve (anyone) but Him, and goodness to your parents. If either or both them reaches old age with you, say not to them (so much as) ―Ugh‖ nor chide them, and speak to them a generous word. And make yourself submissively gentle to them with compassion, and say: ―Oh my Lord have compassion on them as they bought me up (when I was) little‖ (17:23-24). These verses don‘t only refer to the mother; they talk about both parents and how we should look after them when they are old and not say a single harsh word to them. This is why every day is a Mother‘s (and a father‘s) Day in a Muslim‘s life. Now the question on everyone‘s mind is ―Is it still alright to buy a card or present on Mother‘s Day?‖ As mentioned earlier the origins of mother‘s day come from different sources. If you were to buy a gift specifically on Mother‘s Day then you have to remember that the Ancient Romans did this dedicating it to Lucina the goddess of childbirth; without realising it you are following a tradition that has roots in pagan practices. Even lots of Muslims celebrate Mother‘s day. Satan

looks for opportunities to create a bid’a (innovation) in

religion. If the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him)

never celebrated it then we shouldn‘t either. If we strictly

follow the Quran and Sunnah surely we can‘t go wrong. The

Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) isn‘t here on this

earth any more but he left behind the best thing anyone

could and that is the Noble Quran and his way of life. So

brothers and sisters, come back to the Quran and Sunnah

and let it guide us and light our path of life. Ameen

Just because a label says ―0g trans fats‖ does not mean that it is trans fat-free. That‘s because according to Low Fat Cooking, ―Items that list partially hydrogenated oils in the ingredients but contain less than 0.5g of trans fats per serv-ing are considered by the government to be trans-fat free.‖ However, if one is to eat more than the standard serving size, than that individual is in fact consuming trans fats. Furthermore, it can be inferred that it is easy to consume more than the standard serving size. In essence, hydrogen-ated oils are equivalent to trans fats, so we need to stay away from them. So if hydrogenated oils are bad than why are they in our foods? Well the main purpose of hydrogenated oils is to preserve shelf life, which increases profits. What foods contain hydrogenated oils? 90% of prepackaged products contain these oils. They can also be found in soups, chips, peanut butter, coffee creamer, and so on. My solution is to stay away from these ingredients. However, this does not mean that we cannot have these foods. We can opt for natural or organic peanut butters that do not contain hydrogenated oils. Also we can opt for breads that don‘t contain HFCS (Arnolds‘ is a good brand which proudly

states ―no HFCS‖ on the packaging, and also tastes good). Finally, instead of eating prepackaged dinners, we need to eat good wholesome food (i.e. take the extra time to cook a healthy meal). Allah (SWT) wants us to eat the good and wholesome things that he has provided for us. ―Eat of the good things which We have provided for you‖ (2:173) and ―Eat of what is lawful and wholesome on the earth‖ (2:168). He does not want us to eat man-made things which can and will harm us. By eating the good things that Allah (SWT) gave us we are only benefitting ourselves and our bodies will thank us for that. We need to continue to be unselfish by spending a lot of time benefitting others. However, there needs to be a balance and so we also need to devote time to our own health first. Insha’Allah when we do this it will increase our strength, an in turn we can more effectively benefit others.

Event covered by Hind Kasem

The auditorium of Miftaahul Uloom Academy

(MUA), an Islamic school located in Union City, New

Jersey, is filled with students proudly wearing their school

sweaters. They are sitting in two lines, patiently waiting

for Ibrahim Abdul-Matin, the author of the book Green

Deen to arrive and speak about how Islam promotes

caring for the environment. The organization that hosted

the event was The Building Blocks of New Jersey (BBNJ),

a non-profit organization that strives to encourage the

betterment of the Muslim community by applying the

Sunnah of the Prophet (pbuh) and activism in the local

community.

Ibrahim Abdul-Matin, an eloquent speaker, was

able to grasp the attention of the audience, encouraging

them to share their views on being ―green‖ and their ideas

and plans for saving the environment. Many of the MUA

students recalled recycling as their main plan to live a

green lifestyle. A teacher said that she recently had solar

panels installed on the roof of her house. He asked if they

would throw trash in their local mosque; almost the entire

audience replied with a collective ―No!‖ Abdul-Matin

responded by saying, ―So then, why do you litter

elsewhere, when the world is a mosque?‖

Abdul-Matin told the story of his trip to Bear

Mountain and the effect it had on him. Compared to his

neighborhood in Brooklyn, Bear Mountain was a lush,

green oasis. Until

this trip, he had

only known praying

at home or at his

local mosque, so

when his father stopped to pray while on their hiking trip,

he was taken aback. His father told him ―the earth is a

mosque‖ – you can pray anywhere when the time comes.

That one sentence changed the way he viewed his

surroundings. With the growingly popular green

movement at its peak, where better to look for guidance

than our own religion Islam? As Muslims, we know there

are many hadiths and ayahs in the Qur‘an that show the

importance of not doing things in excess (israaf). We are

supposed to fill one third of our stomachs with air, one

third with water, and one third with food. The Prophet

(pbuh) once told a man that you should not waste water,

even if you are at the bank of a flowing river.

The popular green triangle image hasthree main

points: reduce, reuse, and recycle. It is constructed in a

way that reducing your usage of things is most important,

followed by reusing and recycling. Many people don‘t

seem to acknowledge this and consume products in

excess, thinking that because their aluminum foil is

recycled or their laundry detergent is natural, they are

going green and saving the world. Of course, every little

step is important, and using recycled products is helpful,

but by sticking to using only what you need, you can

accomplish so much more.

In Abdul-Matin‘s book Green Deen, he creatively

distinguishes resources from Heaven and resources from

Hell. Resources from Heaven are renewable resources,

such as solar power and wind energy; resources from Hell

are resources that are not renewable such as coal and oil.

His reference creates an interesting question: shouldn‘t

we strive for heaven in this life in addition to the

hereafter? With that being said, if an individual doesn‘t

want to protect his or her environment from a purely

human level, I‘d suggest referring back to the deen –the

green deen, that is.

"Candle light dinners can never go out of style. They conserve energy and give you the chance to get personal and romantic. Here‘s the catch: for your candle-light dinner, don‘t prepare your meal! Order in instead. This will give you more time and ease of mind to dress up for the evening and sort out the other details. The food is not the highlight of your date with your husband, the two of you are."

Radicchio (pronounced ra-dee-kee-yo) is a leafy Italian vegetable mostly available in the fall seasons. It‘s a bit spicy and if not cooked with sweet ingredients, can turn out a little on the bitter side. If you buy mixed salad greens, especially the organic kinds, you may not even know that small pieces of radicchio are often included. I personally love radicchio and after perusing hundreds of cookbooks, I‘ve discovered that it‘s used in many farm-to-table recipes in France as well as Italy. I‘d never baked with it until making this recipe, loosely based off of a suggestion by Lidia Bastianich in her book, Lidia‘s Italy. I hope you‘ll try this dish, especially if you‘ve never had radicchio before. It goes nicely with steak and a side of potatoes any way you like them. Best of all, it doesn‘t take long to prepare and serve.

2 large heads of radicchio, cleaned and cut long ways 2 TB. plus 1/8 cup extra virgin olive oil 1 yellow onion, cut into long, thin strips 2 cloves garlic, minced 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese salt and pepper, to taste 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar 3 Tb. water

1. Preheat oven to 400°.

2. Wash and trim radicchio. Cut into long strips, dry and set aside.

3. In a shallow pan heat 2 Tb. olive oil and sauté onion, then gar-lic.

4. Into a deep, large, rectangular baking dish place one layer of radicchio. Add some of the onion & garlic mixture, a little parmesan, extra virgin olive oil, salt and pepper. Continue to layer with radicchio, parmesan, olive oil and salt/pepper.

5. Pour vinegar and water over the top and mix into the dish. Cover and bake for 20 minutes. Bismillah and Buon Appetito!

Photo courtesy Halal culinary

expert, Yvonne Maffei

Email your question to info@mbmuslima.com

We will make sure it gets answered in our next issue,

just for you!

Jazakum Allah khairan!

Feature* Q&A with Halal Culinary Expert,

Yvonne Maffei from My Halal Kitchen!

*Special

By Yvonne Maffei, Halal Culinary Expert

1. Hal ata AAala al-insani heenun mina alddahri lam yakun shay-an mathkooran Has there not been over man a period of time, when he was nothing to be mentioned? 2. Inna khalaqna al-insana min nutfatin amshajinnabtaleehi fajaAAalnahu sameeAAan baseeran Verily, We have created man from Nutfah drops of mixed semen (discharge of man and woman), in order to try him, so We made him hearer, seer. 3. Inna hadaynahu alssabeelaimma shakiran wa-imma kafooran Verily, We showed him the way, whether he be grateful or ungrateful. 4. Inna aAAtadna lilkafireena salasila waaghlalanwasaAAeeran Verily, We have prepared for the disbelievers iron chains, iron collars, and a blazing Fire. 5. Inna al-abrara yashraboona min ka/sin kana mizajuhakafooran Verily, the Abrar (pious, who fear Allah and avoid evil), shall drink a cup (of wine) mixed with water from a spring in Para-dise called Kafur. 6. AAaynan yashrabu biha AAibadu Allahi yufajjiroonahatafjeeran A spring wherefrom the slaves of Allah will drink, causing it to gush forth abundantly. 7. Yoofoona bialnnathriwayakhafoona yawman kana sharruhu mustateeran They (are those who) fulfill (their) vows, and they fear a Day whose evil will be wide-spreading. 8. WayutAAimona alttaAAamaAAala hubbihi miskeenan wayateeman waaseeran And they give food, inspite of their love for it (or for the love of Him), to Miskin (poor), the orphan, and the captive, 9. Innama nutAAimukum liwajhi Allahi la nureeduminkum jazaan wala shukooran (Saying): "We feed you seeking Allah's Countenance only. We wish for no reward, nor thanks from you. 10. Inna nakhafu min rabbina yawman AAaboosan qamtareeran "Verily, We fear from our Lord a Day, hard and distressful, that will make the faces look horrible (from extreme dislikeness to it)."

Translation: http://noblequran.com/translation/index.html

Transliteration: http://www.islambasics.com/view.php?bkID=30&chapter=76

WORDS EXPLAINED FOR THE NON-MUSLIM

InshaAllah Simply translated from Arabic to English,

InshaAllah means „God willing‟. This is a very commonly used

phrase, as Muslims believe God has power over everything.

MashaAllah Simply translated from Arabic to English ,

MashaAllah means 'Whatever Allah (God) wills'. Often, it is

used as an expression of delight or achievement.

JazakAllah khairan Simply translated from Arabic to

English, jazakAllah khairun means „May Allah reward you for

the good”. This is commonly used to thank someone or to

acknowledge someone‟s effort.

SubhanAllah In Arabic, SubhanAllah means „Glorious is

Allah”. This is used when praising God. It is also commonly

used as a exclamation like “Wow!”.

Masjid The Masjid is simply the Arabic word for Mosque.

Many Muslims refer to the Mosque as a Masjid. Masjids are

primarily used for Salah (Prayer)

Jummah prayer The Friday prayer services that Muslims

attend weekly.

SWT: Subhana wa’ta3la Arabic Praise used after the name

of Allah meaning „glorious and exalted is He”

Hijab Headscarf prescribed to Muslim women for modesty

purposes

Shahadah Declaration of Islamic faith.

Assalamu Alaykum May peace be unto you.