Week 28: Discover. Internet. Faith. Bombs. Muslims. Should be Proud of. At OIS Graduation.

Host: Omar (greenkufi) & Ahmed Khalil

Discussion

Event Recap: 2nd Annual Journey of Faith Conference in Toronto:

They “seek to revolutionize the arena of Islamic Conferences” quoted

from their blog by putting up Transit ads in Toronto and public

newspaper ads like the Metro.

SubhanAllah.. one ad said “Life without Him is no Life at all” imagine

reading that as you browse through the billboard ads on the bus.

Remember the atheist ads that caused a ruckus here? Well, this is

certainly an excellent way to combat that.

I think one way for us Muslims to advance is to be more creative. Old,

boring, redundant methods go unnoticed. People always notice something

different, something new. For example, there was a man who lost his

job and he kept applying at different places but was unsuccessful in

finding a job. One day his wife made a great big sign that said, “My

husband is an engineer and is looking for a job” and parked at a big

industrial park.

Over the top…but creative!

So how do we go about being more creative? Well, one idea is to take a

discover u life course to find out.

Ok, ok, yah people in the community are a little hesitant to take a

discover u life course, but how many actually know anything about

Discover U?

Well, here’s a clip of Muhammad Al Shareef explaining Discover U and

why you should attend. Check it out at http://www.discoverulife.com/

In my opinion EVERYONE should become more computer literate because

understanding the electronic world can really facilitate your path to

success.

And almost EVERYTHING is connected to the Internet. In fact, I

borrowed my sister’s PSP and my wife was not at all amused that I did,

but I downloaded an operating system on it and now it can be used as a

PDA. You can open documents, browse the internet or watch videos.

But do you know how the Internet came to be?

Here’s a short film on the history of the Internet by Melih Bilgil,

which you can watch on youtube.

There was a time in my life time that the Internet did not exist! Can

you imagine life without the Internet now? We even depend on software

we download from the Internet for our salat..such as the Athan

software.

And also to collect funds for distraught brothers and sisters around the world.

Truly a revolution.

Muslims also revolutionized the world, but unfortunately this is not

very well known.

Here’s part of a documentary that talks about how Muslims invented the

astrolabe for navigation, determining the time for salat and other

reasons. You can watch the whole documentary called “What the Muslims

Did for the World” on you tube. Start: 1:18

You can watch the rest on You Tube entitled “What the Muslims Did for the World”

Why can’t we become positive revolutionist in technology and the likes. For example, many people refer to the atomic bombs that Pakistan has developed as the Islamic Bomb. Why is it though that we couldn’t develop these types of bombs. This is my kind of Bombs: SeedBombs of course. Instead of being inventors of destruction, why can’t we be inventors of spreading goodness, beauty and benefit.

Here’s an example of how backwards we’ve become. While at the height of Islamic enlightenment we had many Muslims women acting at levels that now a days are, for some peculiar reason have been left to men only. This Muslimah, for example, has been a judge in Sharia courts. [youtube]

Here are some enlightening thoughts from the valedictorian at the Ottawa Islamic School’s high-school graduation ceremony.

“Health is Wealth”

A new segment on how to keep healthy with weekly tips.

Tip #1:

In order to avoid spreading germs you should sneeze or cough in your

sleeves rather than your hands. Since we use our hands to touch things

it is very easy to spread our germs if we cough or sneeze in them.

So the next time you tell your child to cover his/her mouth make sure

their mouth is covered by their sleeve and not their hand.

By Yumna Rashid – Health Educator

Upcoming Action

JULY 11 > Carleton and Uottawa MSA BBQ: 12:00pm to 6:00pm at Vincent

Massery Park. Contact: Info@msacarleton.com

JULY 12 > GCMA invites you to their PICNIC 2009 at Britannia Park

(Trolley Station) from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.

JULY 19 > Ottawa Main Mosque (OMA) is holding its 4th Annual BBQ from

10 am to 5 pm at Vincent Massy Park- Riverside Dr.

JULY 24-25-26, & AUG 1-2 > AlMaghrib Seminar “Collector’s Edition

,Sharh Saheeh Bukhari” — Price: $135 if you register in a group of

ten — Email: ansar.p10@almaghrib.org

JULY 25/26 > Canada’s Wonderland Trip hosted by MAC Youth.Ticket: $95

(includes transportation and admission) — Sign up Here!

Email or Call: info@ottawamacyouth.ca

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WEEK 23: THE GREEN SHOW – Everything you ever wanted (or didn’t want) to know about the colour and what it means

Host: Omar (GreenKufi) Quran ArRahmaan [ch. 55 | Recited by Abdullah Basfar -عبد الله بن علي بصفر ] Discussion GREEN: In England we painted the town Green on Eid. Most Muslim flags are either green or contain green in it. Many minarets and domes on mosques around the world are green. The pulpits are often coloured green. We wear green clothing, and green kufis. We bind our books, most notably the print of the Quran, in Green. Why is this? What is so special about this colour? Well, the colour itself is a one we see very often around us. Almost every plant is green or some shade of it. Green is restful to the eye. Studies show that a green environment can reduce fatigue. Green In the Quran: If we look up in the Quran (try Quran.com), you’ll find the prescription of green in many places. And I’m just talking about the colour. Not plants. Most importantly is that Allah subhanahu wa taala describes many of the blessing and rewards of paradise as green. HE says in Surat Al-Insaan: {Their garments will be of fine green silk, and gold embroidery. They will be adorned with bracelets of silver, and their Lord will give them a pure drink.} 76:21 and in Surat ArRahman He says: {Is there any reward for good other than good? [] Then which of the Blessings of your Lord will you both (jinns and men) deny? [] And besides these two, there are two other Gardens (i.e. in Paradise). [] Then which of the Blessings of your Lord will you both (jinns and men) deny? [] Dark green (in colour).} 55:60-64. And as I said, this in only referring to the colour green. Not to plantations, which are mentions many time more. Apparently, many Muslims nations choose green in their flags to represent the greenery of nature. Since it is a responsibility that Allah has entrusted us with, and He often commands us to ponder His creation. In fact, similar to many colours, that are given a distictive name, the green often used in Muslim symbols and the likes is referred to as Islamic Green. Abu Ramthah said: “I saw the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) wearing two green garments.” (Reported by al-Tirmidhi, who said, this is a ghareeb hasan hadeeth, and by al-Nisaa’i, 5224). Green is definitely something we often dress in, but why must this symbol of green simply be a garment. Why can’t we BE GREEN, as opposed to simply wearing it. I would go as far as to say that we should be like nature. Be like a tree. And leave others business alone. Now, before you tune out saying, “Phtt. Look at this Muslim Hippie, go hug a tree bro.” Listen to this what the prophet peace and blessing of Allah be upon him Had to say about this. Narrated Ibn ‘Umar: The Prophet said, “The example of a believer is like a green tree, the leaves of which do not fall.” The people said. “It is such-and-such tree: It is such-and-such tree.” I intended to say that it was the datepalm tree, but I was a young boy and felt shy (to answer). The Prophet said, “It is the date-palm tree.” Ibn ‘Umar added, ” I told that to ‘Umar who said, ‘Had you said it, I would have preferred it to such-and such a thing.” (Book #73, Hadith #143) Always green. Why aren’t we always green. Why must our greenness be deciduous like our kufis and hijabs in the evening when we reach home. Why aren’t we like the date palm, giving shade, beauty, fruits, shelter to all of Allah’s creation all of the time. WHY MUST WE BE GREEN? 1- The environment, is Allah’s creation. The creation of this earth and all its natural resources is a sign of His wisdom, mercy, power and His other attributes and therefore serves to develop human awareness and understanding of this creator. (Ar-Ra`d, 13: 2-4; 21:79) 2- Muslims should seek to protect and preserve the environment because by so doing they protect Allah’s creatures which pray to Him and praise Him. Humankind might not be able to understand how these creatures praise Allah but this does not mean that they do not do so, Allah says: (The seven heavens and the earth, and all beings therein, declare His glory: There is not a thing but celebrates His praise, and yet ye understand not how they declare His Glory!) (Al-Israa’ 17: 44) 3- The environment contains Allah’s creatures which the Muslim scholars consider to also deserve protection. 4- Also among the reasons why Islam seeks to protect and preserve the environment is that Islam, as a way of life, is established on the concept of good (khayr). Therefore it is expected that Islam will protect the environment once it is understood that such protection is good by itself. The Qur’an states: (He whoso do good an atom’s weight will see it. And whoso do ill an atom’s weight will see it.) (Az-Zalzalah 99: 7-8) In Islam, humans are expected to protect the environment since no other creature is able to perform this task. Humans are the only being that Allah has “entrusted” with the responsibility of looking after the earth. This trusteeship is seen by Islam to be so onerous and burdensome that no other creature would ‘accept’ it. Allah says: (Lo! We offered the trust unto the heavens and the earth and the hills, but they shrank from bearing it and were afraid of it and man assumed it Lo! he is a tyrant and fool.) (Al-Ahzab 33: 72) Community News Ottawa – A Muslim boy, Zaid, came in third place in the two kilometer race last weekend. He participated in the race from his school, from among over 1000 other runners from around Ottawa. We will be talking to him next week insh’Allah. The relationship between human beings and his environment – Yousuf Estes [IslamicTube.net Muslim News Omar Khadar’s hearing: http://www.thestar.com/news/world/article/643886 Nasheed How can you deny? – No Beats Necessary Hamza Robertson & Sami Yusuf – The Mountain Dawud Wharnsby – Alhamdulillah Our Creation – Hamza Robertson The Lord of the Worlds – Labbyk Upcoming Action Come and get inspired! Faith and the Common Good, in cooperation with local faith groups, invites you to a viewing of the environmental documentary  “Be the Change” The film, produced locally by David Chernushenko,shows us  how to live green and enjoy the journey.   Participants are invited for a post viewing discussion and refreshments –         an opportunity to share ideas and fellowship. David Chernushenko will be in attendance Doors open at 6:30pm Film Screens at 7:00pm JUNE 8th, 2009 at Temple Israel 1301 Prince of Wales Drive  Yasir Naqvi MPP (Ottawa Centre) and the Ontario Trillium Foundation will be special guests to present the Trillium Foundation Award and support the launching of the third phase of the program to help faith communities Green their Sacred Spaces. Go back to the top

Earth Day – Islam’s Perspective on the Environment and Things YOU Can Do

Host: Omar (Green Kufi)

Discussion

For Islam’s Perspective on the Environment read these posts by Green Kufi: http://greenkufienviro.wordpress.com/tag/islam/

How to green your life
News.com posted by Elsa Wenzel

What’s your footprint? http://www.myfootprint.org/
You can start off by finding out what your environmental footprint is from the environmental footprint calculator from the Earth Day Network. You may be quite surprised with the result.

Greener gadgets: Check the Energy rating of the products that you use, like EnergyStar certified appliances. Buy gadgets that don’t use PCPs, and toxic plastics, and metals. Like the MacBook Air for example.

http://www.greenpeace.org/international/campaigns/toxics/electronics/how-the-companies-line-up.

Electronics waste:
Electronic waste is a huge problem. More than 3 million tons of e-waste wind up in landfills each year, according to the EPA. With the dawn of digital television, Americans will toss more than 80 million old TVs within the next two years, according Electronic Recyclers. If electronics aren’t properly disposed of, the Thousands of toxic chemicals used to make them can pollute natural resources and hurt people’s health.
What can you do? Hewlett-Packard and Dell have strong takeback programs. So does EcoNEW at Best Buy and Wal-Mart Stores, as well as TechForward. Also, “with a little creativity the life of old equipment can be extended. For example, an old desktop could serve as a music center to pipe MP3s throughout the house.”

Greener energy: Ottawa’s Alternative Energy Sources. For greener energy one easy way is to swap incandescent bulbs for compact fluorescents and LEDs, which can drastically reduce electrical costs. However, CFLs, which contain mercury, shouldn’t mix with the rest of the trash. Sylvania sells CFLs with reduced mercury.

Greener homes: Avoid toxins in your home since indoor air can be more toxic than air outdoors with the number of cleaning products that are used. Try cleaning products with fewer fumes, such as from “green” companies like Seventh Generation. Or, you can make your own eco-cleaners. Vinegar, for instance, can polish windows. A lemon cut in half with salt poured on top can scrub a sink.

Recycling: Don’t forget to Recycle. Glass bottles, aluminum cans, and newspapers are obvious recycling-ready items. As for questionable items, you’ll need to read the local rules to find out what’s landfill-bound or not. For example, narrow-necked plastic bottles labeled #1 or #2 are usually safe to toss in a recycling bin, while yogurt tubs are not accepted. And #7 labels both plant-based plastics that you could bury in the garden as well as less green, petroleum-based polycarbonate.
Food scraps can also be recycled. Composting fruit, vegetable, and yard waste makes powerful garden fertilizer. Tidy composting kits–including some with worms–can fit beneath a kitchen table without causing a stink.
In addition to nearby thrift stores such as Salvation Army, Internet operations like Craigslist, Freecycle, eBay, and SwapThing facilitate offloading other old stuff. Yahoo maps more reuse groups. What to do with dubious junk, like packing peanuts? Lookups at Lime and Earth 911 should help to recycle almost anything.

Greener transportation: For car owners: Car pool, plan routes for more efficient driving, consider fuel efficient cars over gas guzzlers, research fuel efficient cars, use your car less take public transportation, bike, or walk. Live near the places you will frequent in order to reduce driving time. Avoid ideling, it burs gas and spews emissions. Also, regular maintenance and oil changes also help, and “green” motor oil is a new product.

Green food: Buy local produce rather than imported goods. Try organic products, but if you don’t buy that, then consider growing your own produce. Especially the foods you use the most often, and are usually imported at your grocery.

For green food use you can use an interactive “Eat low carbon guide” from eatlowcarbon.org, which gives a sense of how much your meal could be warming the planet. Eat organic meat. A blooming Muslim business called Blossom Pure provide organic meat and dairy products along with other organic grocery for Muslims and anyone else. You can visit their website at www.blossompure.com. Also, when grocery shopping, take your own bags instead of using the plastic bags at the store. With regards to bottled water. Well, a tremendous amount of energy is used in transporting bottled water. Just use tap water since bottled water is likely no safer or tastier.

Green your body:

Avoid bad personal health habits like smoking, bad eating, and consumption of toxins. Taking an extra step of ensuring the things you eat and drink, and apply to your body will be a practice that your body will repay you for in your older age.

Use beauty and cosmetic products that, if not organic, are at least biodegradable and from sustainable sources. Your grand children will thank you when they grow up and are able to enjoy the various water habitat wildlife that would have been wiped out had you used those serious chemicals.

Green your mail:
You can also green your mail. If only two percent of households switched to electronic from snail mail billing, more than 180,000 trees would be saved and more than 10 million gallons of gasoline wouldn’t need to be used, according to the PayItGreen Aliance of banks. If you have documents to send, try scanning them and sending them online instead of mailing them.
Sign up for electronic billing. Most companies offer it, and you can sign up with Canada Post to get e-post.

Green your reading:
How about green reading? Services built to make newspapers or magazines easier to read online, saving trees in the process, include Zinio, Zimbio, NewspaperDirect, and qMags–not to mention the Amazon Kindle. Bookworms can trade books with each other via BookMooch, Novel Action, Bookswap, and Swaptree. Sales of used books through Better World Books help to fund literacy programs. You can also go to your local library and read the newspaper there instead of getting a subscription yourself.

Just Plain Greening: Actually green some place by planting something. This time of the year is perfect for this kind of greening practice. You can join an organization that commits to planting trees and srubs to maintain the integrity of Green Spaces in your city, as well as rehabilitation of stream banks, etc. If you aren’t of the outdoors type of person you can have someone plant a tree for you in the rain forest for under CND$6. Through MyBabyTree.org You will then get the coordinates for where your tree was planted, possibly some photos, and when it’s big enough you could probably see it on Google Earth.

Here is my baby tree.

For life-greening guides that delve into more detail than this story, check out those from the Green Guide, Treehugger, NRDC, and GreenYour.com.

Nasheed

Your Beauty – Hamza Robertson
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q7OuQv98oIE

The Everything Song – Dawud Wharnsby Ali
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qF5oJiskvRo

The Mountain – Hamza Robertson
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r9Oh5PCNfXE

Life Returns – Dawud Wharnsby
http://www.imeem.com/alonqexe/music/MRlVe9vW/dawud_wharnsby_ali_life_returns/

Sunshine, Dust, and the Messenger (Peace be upon him) – Dawud Ali Wharnsby
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wv0nDSjgLBo

Give thanks to Allah – Zain Bhikha
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WIYFg41bp1w

How can you deny – NBN group
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L6c2JiaF_gU

Silent Sunlight- Written by Yusuf Islam and sung by Dawud Ali Wharnsby
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W2pHE6fDMFM

What did I do today – Dawud Ali Wharnsby
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MRLDqkbU0qw

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