On surat Al-asr

Asalamu alaikum, (peace)
This is a random post .. and just a set of reflections I'd like to share.
So, I was listening to surat Al-asr (which means the appointed time), and usually, this surah is quoted in order to emphasize the importance of time... So, I started looking into the translation/tafseer of it... and somethign hit me like 'whoa'.

Surat al-asr is a God given mini yet comprehensive version of '7 habits of highly effective people' or books that GUARANTEE success... and you just need to look at the six things mentioned in the surah...
1- TIME
2- impending loss for mankind (except!!!.....)
3- Those who BELIEVE
4- and do Good deeds
5- and encourage the truth
6- and encourage patience

Those six things are the most essential factors of success, whether its "dunyawi"(within this life) success or success in the hereafter...

So, lets look at this in a 'business' mentality.

The first element of a successful business is the ability to work with time, meeting deadlines, creating deadlines, getting up early, working late... setting priorities and so on.. You're working with time!!! There has never been a successful business that didn't revolve around efficient time planning. Now, back to surat Al-Asr, Allah (swt) is giving an oath by His creation time... You know how Allah (swt) grants rights for everything?! Animals, trees, other human beings have rights upon one another? What is the rights that Time has on us as human beings?! Islamically, we cannot abuse time, because we are breaching it's rights, we are abusing a creation of Allah (swt)... So, in a business world... they say TIME is MONEY!!! meaning don't waste it... but how about outside this business world? are we granting Time the rights it has upon us, or do we neglect its importance, like a stray cat begging for a bowl of milk.

The second element of a successful business is to know that you are a potential loser. No business man starts off cocky... they have to work their way up... and even when they make it to the top of the business world, one mistake can lead to a suit that pulls away everything they worked for. It doesn't even have to be business related... the business man could accidentally disregard courtesy 'laws' and walk into a person, the person suddenly falls and breaks their leg, and your top of the line business man is suddenly a broke bum singing over fire lit garbage cans.

So, what does this mean Islamically for us, well cockiness should never be on our agenda, we need to recognize the potential slippery slope that may confront us... We need to be cautious and prudent. We need to recognize that there is always a potential for failure, because everything is beyond our control without recognizing the framework in which the world works... i.e. Allah (swt)'s world

The third element of a successful business is the belief in the business. You believe in the business and that is why you are willing to dedicate your time, and confront risks, if that belief did not exist, than your goals will be short lived. How about what Allah (swt) is telling us?! well He's telling us that belief is essential for success, other wise, we would already slip into the slippery slope of failure... moving forward is essentially pointless without faith, without belief, without conviction in what you're working for.

The fourth element of a successful business is the action, being able to take wise decisive action. It is not enough that you believe in your business, and plan your time and plan for defenses against the potential failures, but you need to execute! otherwise, everything will be left hanging, your call will be left rotating, stuck in queue, in an never ending circle of inaction. Of course we know that Allah (swt) mentions plenty of times in the Quran 'Believe and Do good deeds', just as He reminds us to do so in surat al-asr. :)

The fifth element is encouraging truth.. In a business, if you and your staff cannot be honest, then no one will be on the same page, and everyone will be holding each other back. Truth is essential for a working body for success. People must be able to be honest and upfront about everything. They must be willing both to receive and give honest constructive criticism. Competition is ineffective if people cannot be honest with one another. Often we find in business, people start competing with one another, under-handing one another, and eventually we find that their success is short lived. However, people who do honest-to-God work, well their success is based on a foundation without loopholes, without excuses, without falsifications, without faults (in a moral sense). Their foundation does not have the cracks that weaken it, because their honesty and truth fill in all the gaps. Allah (swt) says the same thing about us, He tells us in this ayah, that we need to ENCOURAGE truth, not only apply it in our lives, but in those around us as well. Because doing so will fill in the cracks and gaps between the brothers and sisters in Islam. Honesty will strengthen their relationship with one another and with Allah (swt). Honesty in words and actions leads to no contradictions (again morally :) )

The final sixth element is encouraging patience, not only applying it to your selves, but encouraging an atmosphere of patience. It the business world, if you are not patient, then the people you work with will feed off of your impatience and react in the same manner you do. Nevertheless, patiences does not mean passivity. One doesn't sit back when their company is falling off a cliff and says, well theres nothing i can do about it.. NO!!! Patience in the business world means action till you're six feet under. Inaction is not patience, it is reluctance. Patiences is WORKING WITH WHAT CARDS YOU ARE DEALT WITH! :) while maintaining a healthy working atmosphere. So, what is Allah (swt) encouraging in this ayah, well not only to be pleased with what Allah (swt) has given you, but for you to work as hard as you can, and get the people around you to work as hard as they can, in order to attain success.

These six elements are the factors that add up to success, whether it is success in the dunya (this life) and akhira (the after life). So, why did i talk about the business world? because we all live in some sort of equivalent to the business world, either as a worker or consumer. Now a day, success is based upon books written by 'successful business men'.. Yet, their books contain no more than what Allah (swt) taught us within a short surah of about 3 verses... now think about the other 113 surahs in the quran...

SubhannaAllah (glory to God), I don't know why this surah struck me so strongly today, well i kind of do, because i've been having problems with work and school, but subhannaAllah, Allah gives us the solution to everything. We probably read this surah 75% of the time during the week for our prayers, but does it really mean until a brick hits you in the face, knocks out your two front teeth, and suddenly something dawns on your that you felt like you've been looking over an entire life time....

Anyway, this post is just to say this... success is spelled out for you in surat Al-'asr...
hopefully i didn't say anything contradictory to the teachings of the prophet or the message of Allah in the Quran
Jazakum Allahu khairan (May God bless you)
Asalamu alaikum (peace)

Whiteness?!?!

Asalamu alaikum,
Okay... i'm just gonna go off.

I know many people struggle with identity here in America. and the other day I was reading things online about race and racism... But what hit me, was something really frustrating!

Why are arabs considered white?! I swear we're like brown in color... Okay granted, that i'm white as anything, but thats because half the arab world was occupied by britain and france...
Did you know that on census reports if you fill in Arab or Muslim, you are automatically placed in the category of Caucasian! :x

I don't know how I am considered white or Caucasian... Yeah maybe if I wasn't a hijabi, you probably wouldn't be able to pick me out of a crowd.. But the fact of the matter is, I am not white. Whiteness is this stupid label people associate a standard of norm to.
Being white = opportunity or some craziness like that. I AM NOT WHITE! Forget that I AM NOT EVEN ARAB!! I AM MUSLIM! and yeah, obviously I am American, having been born and raised here, but I'm not even considered American by the general public.
But for me, I can walk down the street and no matter what my skin looks like, my hijab is seen first. hijab = not normal = not american = inferior. My brother, no matter what he looks like, he still has a Muslim name. My mother, no matter how she speaks, she's told that she doesn't belong here.

What annoys the heck out of me the most, is when people are like... you can't join the NAACP you're not black, or you can't join the Asian club you're white... I am sick of people putting a label on me. I am Reem, that's the only label I can carry, that coincides with my identity as a Muslim. Being a Muslim, let alone being HUMAN!!!! (not sub-human) should be reason enough for me to join support groups of other people.

Old & New, Response on the Declaration of Independence

On the Declaration of Independence: July 4th 1776

The declaration of independence is a document that is always referred to in American culture; it is a guarantee of rights. Although Jefferson may have wanted our rights to be written and documented he claims that they are "laws of nature and of nature's God" as in a form of a higher law, innately applicable to us. He claims that these are "truths" and are self evident. Self-evident to whom? Self evident is obvious and can have no other interpretation like a pen can only be a pen and it's the truth it holds, what you use a pen for might not be as self-explanatory. It seems that these laws are ultimate truths, when reasoning about life, in the eyes of Jefferson and others like him, but how about those who lack this absolute right to "life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness" because they're enslaved? These laws are natural to those whom can experience them and not really to all men. These words are being spoken to the king and 'free' people of Britain, and are not directed to those who are slaves. Also the word "pursuit" is used because no one can ensure happiness, but you can be promised an attempt to become happy.

It seems contradictory when he says "That all men are created equal," because that neglects those who aren't really equal. First, not all humans are men, and assuming women always come with the men of the society makes no valid sense. But the word "created" is one that brings us back to God. When reading this, I automatically thought of my religion and beliefs in Islam, which pretty much says that all of mankind, men and women, are created equal in the sight of God. Created is how you start but one can diverge from a point of equality. For religion, if one sins they divert and if one does good they advance. This word "created" gives a certain freedom to move up and down, because it is not equality between one another, but ultimately in with God. A person who is poor and works a 12 hour shift everyday versus a man who's rich because of his fathers inheritance, to each other there is an economic and class inequality, but to God regardless they are equal. The declaration further proves this by claiming that these rights are "endowed by their creator." These rights are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. Without the previous the latter would not occur. Without being alive and being free one cannot be happy. When born or created, one has the right to life the moment their souls is within their body, but liberty and the pursuit of happiness all depends are who you are born to. Who are your parents? If I was a slave of course I am born so my right to life is being used, but my right, or claim to a right, of liberty and pursuit of happiness cannot be guaranteed because they are subjective matters that are personally defined. No one can tell you that you're happy or you're free. The government tries to secure these rights, but when living with government, you need to give up some of your rights as well. In Hobbes' 'Leviathan' when we establish a government we transfer our fear of one another to the sovereign, who will protect us basically from one another. In our state of nature, without government, we were free to do anything, steal, rape, murder, but we give up these rights of nature so that we can live without the fear of being harmed. The sovereign is appointed by the people, but he is not bound to the contract. Meaning the sovereign can still act on his freedom, he can be a total dictator and create a totalitarian state like that of animal farm after the pigs came to power. But if the people believe that the government is not doing a good enough job they can over throw it and put someone else to transfer their fear to. In this case this declaration of independence doesn't guarantee what type of government will be established, just like the leviathan, it's up to the discretion of who is appointed ruler. But the people still have the right to impeach or overthrow the government.

The declaration talks about rights and a duty. The rights seem like underlying duties. Although you may not exercise a right for yourself, you must help others who want to exercise it themselves. For if the people are being deprived of their rights they have the duty to "throw off" the government and provide a new one. The declaration then lists reasons or justifications for the right to rebellion. These justifications serve to target the King of Britain and other monarchical systems, basically labeling them tyrants. And the declaration claims that a tyrant us "unfit to be the ruler of a free people." Near the end of the declaration it seems like the writer threatens Britain by saying "We must, therefore, acquiesce in the necessity which denounces our separation, and hold them as we hold the rest of mankind, enemies in war, in peace friends." Although it is not attacking them obviously, I believe there is a threat beneath the words mentioned, because of the order in which they are placed, enemies before friends.

This declaration claims we have rights, but only to a number people, seemingly the elite white men of the colonies. It also binds people to it before their birth, although I am American born, I don't view the declaration as my authentic document citing my rights. It has claims to rights, but I guess I'd believe in a higher law. A written declaration created by men doesn't serve to legitimize my rights. Personally, because I am a Muslim, my rights can only be guaranteed by God, in the Quran God mentions our different rights, but people can only facilitate them. The declaration is only a means of movement towards the rights, of facilitating the rights, but a mere man cannot guarantee them because ultimately there is some form of higher law. And although America was significant because of the separation of church and state, they invoke in God's name, because people still held the authenticity of God and they wanted to inspire the people.

On "Overboard" By Elizabeth Fama

I planned to do my summaries/reviews on like political, philosopical, and religious texts... more like educational... but i guess i'm throwing in some novels too.

Overboard, is about a Bostonian girl name Emily Slake who lives in Indonesia because her parents work for an organization called the World Physicians for Children (WPC). At some point, Emily gets really frustrated in this hot and 3rd world country, and runs away by boarding a ferry to meet her uncle in a nearby island. On the way, the ferry sinks, and Emily ends up swimming all night to save her life, and along the way she meets this Muslim Indonesian boy named Isman. And together they swim to in search of land.

It was wicked good. I don't know if i was on some sort of an emotional high while reading it, but i was bawling at some point... which is very unusual for me... :x

I'd highly recommend the book to anyone wanting to read something short and worth it.

Okay, well then. Salam. Peace :D
-reem

So, I'm bored...

salam,
yeah so what i'm bored... and its almost 10pm... and i just don't want to sleep... :x
whatever, man... just let me ramble on and on... until i decide its time for me to sleep...
okay maybe not...
ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!
i'm bored... :x
salam
-reem