First day of class, and Sheikh Hamza Yusuf
I just returned from my first class of the semester, Classics of Judaism, and OMG I will definitely love the course! There's a lot of reading, but I can't wait to get it started! *nerd* The professor himself had a nerdish but scholarly look to him. And even though he was dressed quite professionally, in a suit, he did not seem to have an intimidating personality. He looks to be no younger than 30 - 32 and I must say, he seemed well versed in Jewish texts and knowledge. I was very impressed with the small class size - evidently not many people wanted to take this class - but that would make things much better. Plus, there isn't a mid-term or a final exam, and the grades constitute of 10 one-page critical reading questions and two papers, short (3 pages) and long (5 pages).
I am just so very excited for this course! I hope I am not wrong with this first impression, well, I have never been wrong as of yet but time changes many things. The upcoming class will be Drugs and Behavior - not too thrilled about that one - which is in about five hours. *dies* I don't plan on going back home since I can predict the parking will be disastrous when I return. So the plan? To stick out all hours here in the uni on the computer. I was planning on finishing up a book but I ended up doing that before the class began since I arrived early. Speaking of the book, it was fascinating!
(Why won't this girl move so I can plug my computer so it can recharge?? I need to recharge it, dammit! And I am not planning on sitting on one of those plastic chairs for such a long time).
Mecca and Mainstreet - Muslim Life in America after 9/11 by Geneive Abdo provides an excellent look into the lifestyle of Muslim Americans in addition to their coping strategies as well as the details of discrimination and it's effect on the future of America and its residence. It reads like a documentary - not of a literary sort - but takes us on a journey across the U.S., into the minds of the most influential Sheikhs (religious Islamic scholars), American and non-American, such as the likes of Sheikh Hamza Yusuf - a California-born convert, who was much more influential even before the 9/11 attacks and became a bit of a political figure who was used to represent Islam standing next to President Bush afterwards.
Now, Sheikh Hamza Yusuf manages an Islamic college, Zaytuna Institute, in California. He is well versed in Arabic and in the Sunnah - the Life of Prophet Muhammad PBUH as related by and the Quran. I will include some of his videos and a post a little commentary whenever I think possible in the upcoming words on this page.
This is a 3:05 minute long video in which you can see this Sheikh in a speech stance addressing a large number of audience about the virtue of Patience in the face of calamity or a tribulation whether it might be as little as death of a person or anger at the issue at hand or at another person. He begins with a little example from the life of Prophet Muhammad in this short clip and continues to address person issues in which there is little patience between the parents and children in regards to them rarely meeting each other or conversing. I do believe, as he addresses, that people apologize for hitting another person after the fact when in actuality, the patience shows right at the point of the calamity that you learn to control yourself to not to cause harm.
In another clip he refers to the destruction of the Incan vampire (of over a million people) which was very advanced in math, science, and astronomy - as left behind by historical records - by Spanish conquistador Pizarro of 500 men. He says, "It is an illusion to believe that technical superiority is what enables people to overcome other people. It is a historical fallacy." The Sheikh relates that to the weakness of the immune system in which one is susceptible to harm when in fact he can have it stronger and not be influenced by small illnesses.
And because I have posted this earlier, he speaks about Signs of the Last Day as explained by Islamic Theology in this short clip of 3:25.
Furthermore, here is the longest video I have to offer today, a speech delivered by the same Sheikh and he amazingly puts out many ideas which I will commentate on or summarize in the following paragraphs. 34:45 includes the first minute or so with Arabic formality and introduction, after which we hear Hamza Yusuf speaking in manner he speaks in all of his public appearances with conviction and pure belief giving extraordinary advices that all human beings should understand and adhere to or at least try to live by.
This main focus and the reason of this ICNA - Islamic Circle of North America conference, as I deduced, was the publications from the thriving industry of the Apostates of Islam who write books and have a major influence on the mainstream media who seem them as knowledgeable people when in fact they don't know enough. It is fine for them to write such books, but when such false and misrepresented information reaches the top charts, it has a great power to influence the thoughts and actions of its readers. As Sheikh Yusuf speaks, it has become a good way to popularize and increase the industry to have apostates write books when they are not knowledgeable at all. And these people, the authors of such books, "have been effective in delivering their messages and we have been completely ineffective with our message." What are we doing wrong?
It was very sad to hear the statistics that he described about 40%-50% Americans responded to the question "What do you admire most about Islam?" with "nothing." 35% said "devotion to religion" and the rest said "I don't know" in a poll. 40% - 50% said nothing! What are we as Muslims doing wrong here? It is a most fundamental aspect to humanity in order to increase our own intelligence and enhance our knowledge by questioning everything. If I were to give advice to someone with little experience that I have, I would definitely say to question everything, even the deepest, rooted ideas because how else can you know if you don't questions? Blindly following an act because your family has been doing is jahalat, ignorance. Why can't we learn to questions our behaviors and correct ourselves when we find our faults? I have seen this with my parents, doing things because their parents have taught them that while in fact it does not go with the teachings of Islam.
I became more thankful when I heard him say that these problems are worst in Western Europe - problems of not understanding what Islam is and condemning the Muslims for following something they believe in. Homophobic tests in Germany?! Are you kidding me? To base residency on those questions? I think it is very ridiculous.
"If we are staying the same, some thing's wrong." Will you agree with this statement? It is true, we should grow and become better, if we are the same, we are not doing something right. We look at a person to see the change and sometimes we began to condemn - is the change for the worst or for the better, really?
Furthermore, what I found most informative and most influential for me was his discussion about discourse and the importance of it being balanced. In the early 1990's, we were alienating people - we as in Muslims - because we were focusing on what is wrong. Why focus on wrong? It leads to nothing. Focus on the wrong with the intention to improve is a very different factor. However, to just to condemn things and move on is entirely wrong because we are not basing our judgments on principal. And Sheikh Hamza related that discourse should be based on principal - we realize what's true and what's not true in order to improve and enhance that discourse.
Our goal, as sitting on the pinpoint of ridicule at the moment, is to educated people. "We must educated people in this country." Such books are causing immense distress among the Muslim world because the outsiders now have a wrong and distorted idea of their value systems and the Muslims are judged based on that wrong criteria. As Chris Hedges reported that "those books are very dangerous." These authors are not true, are "liars, fabricators of truth," and they "distort reality." When I pick up to read some of the books I am appalled at the things they say not because I am ignorant towards Islamic facts but because me, being very little educated in Islamic theology, can think of at least one example from the Hadith or the Quran to defy those said statements. Quran itself is not contradictory and many scholars can attest to that. If one thing is said, it is continuously said from the beginning to the end, if one knows how to read and understand the texts. I continuously remind those who pick up a copy that to take a passage and quote it to stand alone as it is often done in the Bible is wrong because the Quran ties itself together as a whole rather than leaving separate parts to defend themselves.
Moreover, as we heard in the speech, that it is history that shows that each war's foundation was laid by having hateful discourse. This is coming from Chris Hedges, a trustworthy source. And how true do we see at this time, when education is readily available in this country, when all resources can be found at the click of the button, the ignorance of people who create and believes lies and create hateful remarks towards those who wish them no harm in order to entice.
And the following remark goes out to those who believe Islam is a violent religion - and all of it is derived from the speech. Pick up a book and you will see that Prophet Muhammad ended the cycles of violence. Like all prophets, he gave salaam, peace. And that's what the prophet did, he gave salaam at the end of each prayer that peace be on you. Islam is not a threat and this statement is historically proven. As Sheikh Hamza related that Islamic civilization was the first global community in human history. Islamic civilization was the first global economy in human history. In keeping with the teachings of the Quran, Muslims began fair trade in which both parties are satisfied with the outcomes. How can we call something like this inherently violent? Although, that talk brought about the Danish Cartoon dilemma. What have we done to produce the image of a violent religion to the minds of its creators? Where have we gone wrong? How far have we gotten to distort the true message of the Prophet Muhammad and the true message written in every sentence of the Quran to even produce such thoughts into the minds of those who do not fully know? "Did we contribute to the drawing of those pictures?" We must question ourselves before pointing fingers towards a group or nation.
Afterwards, Sheikh Hamza says something that I disagree with. He continuously stated that the idea of a "plain field" in which the idea was to have something considered "right" all over and something "wrong" all over. This is too big of a world with too many people to set a standard that deals with a man's morality and value system. The examples he gave of having a uniform idea of hurting innocent lives, dropping bombs on those who have nothing to defend themselves with, spending money on learning how to cause harm rather than to heal, is most certainly wrong. Perhaps, he meant that kind of uniformity. *thinks* Then it will most certainly be right. Apparently, I am not steady as to where I stand with this one.
What I also liked in his speech was when he mentioned that we are the ambassadors of our community. How true! Once we pledge to something, we are now representing everything that we pledged to. So we are the ambassadors of Islam when we say the Shahadah and enter the religion, we must be careful with our thoughts and actions. Because "religiosity is more important than racial identity" since religiosity is what defines us. Our beliefs is what defines us, our morals and values. We are the Ambassadors. How will we represent?
And towards the end of this long entry (I apologize to those who found all of it useless, I hope none didn't), I would like to post a little video that is titled as a Documentary for Zaytuna Institute in Hayward, California, made in 2003. Definitely a place I want to visit in my future years to learn about Islam in an environment that is much diverse and welcomes everyone as it is supposed to be done in Islam. I despise the mosques who have a central racial theme as in, this is a "pakistani mosque" or this is an "arab mosque." Why?! What are those American converts supposed to do when they can not speak Urdu and Arabic. According to those mosques, they are already disabled and that inhibits them from gaining the fruit of Islam. Instead, they are made to feel awkward and even if they are not feeling such, they can't help feeling alienated if all speech and khutbas, lectures, are given in the mosque's respective language - oh how I hate to say that - it is absolutely ridiculous! What of those surprisingly growing number of Latino converts and of Americans who speak nothing but English? Regardless, I walked away from the point as I have a tendency to, so here is the video commemorating the Zaytuna Institute.
I just love Sheikh Hamza Yusuf. :)
After two hours of this, I still have to wait until 3:30pm. Woe! I wouldn't know what to do for that long of a time! I might return with another long entry and escusi if that I do but sometimes, there is just no better way of saying things.
I am just so very excited for this course! I hope I am not wrong with this first impression, well, I have never been wrong as of yet but time changes many things. The upcoming class will be Drugs and Behavior - not too thrilled about that one - which is in about five hours. *dies* I don't plan on going back home since I can predict the parking will be disastrous when I return. So the plan? To stick out all hours here in the uni on the computer. I was planning on finishing up a book but I ended up doing that before the class began since I arrived early. Speaking of the book, it was fascinating!
(Why won't this girl move so I can plug my computer so it can recharge?? I need to recharge it, dammit! And I am not planning on sitting on one of those plastic chairs for such a long time).
Mecca and Mainstreet - Muslim Life in America after 9/11 by Geneive Abdo provides an excellent look into the lifestyle of Muslim Americans in addition to their coping strategies as well as the details of discrimination and it's effect on the future of America and its residence. It reads like a documentary - not of a literary sort - but takes us on a journey across the U.S., into the minds of the most influential Sheikhs (religious Islamic scholars), American and non-American, such as the likes of Sheikh Hamza Yusuf - a California-born convert, who was much more influential even before the 9/11 attacks and became a bit of a political figure who was used to represent Islam standing next to President Bush afterwards.
Now, Sheikh Hamza Yusuf manages an Islamic college, Zaytuna Institute, in California. He is well versed in Arabic and in the Sunnah - the Life of Prophet Muhammad PBUH as related by and the Quran. I will include some of his videos and a post a little commentary whenever I think possible in the upcoming words on this page.
This is a 3:05 minute long video in which you can see this Sheikh in a speech stance addressing a large number of audience about the virtue of Patience in the face of calamity or a tribulation whether it might be as little as death of a person or anger at the issue at hand or at another person. He begins with a little example from the life of Prophet Muhammad in this short clip and continues to address person issues in which there is little patience between the parents and children in regards to them rarely meeting each other or conversing. I do believe, as he addresses, that people apologize for hitting another person after the fact when in actuality, the patience shows right at the point of the calamity that you learn to control yourself to not to cause harm.
In another clip he refers to the destruction of the Incan vampire (of over a million people) which was very advanced in math, science, and astronomy - as left behind by historical records - by Spanish conquistador Pizarro of 500 men. He says, "It is an illusion to believe that technical superiority is what enables people to overcome other people. It is a historical fallacy." The Sheikh relates that to the weakness of the immune system in which one is susceptible to harm when in fact he can have it stronger and not be influenced by small illnesses.
And because I have posted this earlier, he speaks about Signs of the Last Day as explained by Islamic Theology in this short clip of 3:25.
Furthermore, here is the longest video I have to offer today, a speech delivered by the same Sheikh and he amazingly puts out many ideas which I will commentate on or summarize in the following paragraphs. 34:45 includes the first minute or so with Arabic formality and introduction, after which we hear Hamza Yusuf speaking in manner he speaks in all of his public appearances with conviction and pure belief giving extraordinary advices that all human beings should understand and adhere to or at least try to live by.
This main focus and the reason of this ICNA - Islamic Circle of North America conference, as I deduced, was the publications from the thriving industry of the Apostates of Islam who write books and have a major influence on the mainstream media who seem them as knowledgeable people when in fact they don't know enough. It is fine for them to write such books, but when such false and misrepresented information reaches the top charts, it has a great power to influence the thoughts and actions of its readers. As Sheikh Yusuf speaks, it has become a good way to popularize and increase the industry to have apostates write books when they are not knowledgeable at all. And these people, the authors of such books, "have been effective in delivering their messages and we have been completely ineffective with our message." What are we doing wrong?
It was very sad to hear the statistics that he described about 40%-50% Americans responded to the question "What do you admire most about Islam?" with "nothing." 35% said "devotion to religion" and the rest said "I don't know" in a poll. 40% - 50% said nothing! What are we as Muslims doing wrong here? It is a most fundamental aspect to humanity in order to increase our own intelligence and enhance our knowledge by questioning everything. If I were to give advice to someone with little experience that I have, I would definitely say to question everything, even the deepest, rooted ideas because how else can you know if you don't questions? Blindly following an act because your family has been doing is jahalat, ignorance. Why can't we learn to questions our behaviors and correct ourselves when we find our faults? I have seen this with my parents, doing things because their parents have taught them that while in fact it does not go with the teachings of Islam.
I became more thankful when I heard him say that these problems are worst in Western Europe - problems of not understanding what Islam is and condemning the Muslims for following something they believe in. Homophobic tests in Germany?! Are you kidding me? To base residency on those questions? I think it is very ridiculous.
"If we are staying the same, some thing's wrong." Will you agree with this statement? It is true, we should grow and become better, if we are the same, we are not doing something right. We look at a person to see the change and sometimes we began to condemn - is the change for the worst or for the better, really?
Furthermore, what I found most informative and most influential for me was his discussion about discourse and the importance of it being balanced. In the early 1990's, we were alienating people - we as in Muslims - because we were focusing on what is wrong. Why focus on wrong? It leads to nothing. Focus on the wrong with the intention to improve is a very different factor. However, to just to condemn things and move on is entirely wrong because we are not basing our judgments on principal. And Sheikh Hamza related that discourse should be based on principal - we realize what's true and what's not true in order to improve and enhance that discourse.
Our goal, as sitting on the pinpoint of ridicule at the moment, is to educated people. "We must educated people in this country." Such books are causing immense distress among the Muslim world because the outsiders now have a wrong and distorted idea of their value systems and the Muslims are judged based on that wrong criteria. As Chris Hedges reported that "those books are very dangerous." These authors are not true, are "liars, fabricators of truth," and they "distort reality." When I pick up to read some of the books I am appalled at the things they say not because I am ignorant towards Islamic facts but because me, being very little educated in Islamic theology, can think of at least one example from the Hadith or the Quran to defy those said statements. Quran itself is not contradictory and many scholars can attest to that. If one thing is said, it is continuously said from the beginning to the end, if one knows how to read and understand the texts. I continuously remind those who pick up a copy that to take a passage and quote it to stand alone as it is often done in the Bible is wrong because the Quran ties itself together as a whole rather than leaving separate parts to defend themselves.
Moreover, as we heard in the speech, that it is history that shows that each war's foundation was laid by having hateful discourse. This is coming from Chris Hedges, a trustworthy source. And how true do we see at this time, when education is readily available in this country, when all resources can be found at the click of the button, the ignorance of people who create and believes lies and create hateful remarks towards those who wish them no harm in order to entice.
And the following remark goes out to those who believe Islam is a violent religion - and all of it is derived from the speech. Pick up a book and you will see that Prophet Muhammad ended the cycles of violence. Like all prophets, he gave salaam, peace. And that's what the prophet did, he gave salaam at the end of each prayer that peace be on you. Islam is not a threat and this statement is historically proven. As Sheikh Hamza related that Islamic civilization was the first global community in human history. Islamic civilization was the first global economy in human history. In keeping with the teachings of the Quran, Muslims began fair trade in which both parties are satisfied with the outcomes. How can we call something like this inherently violent? Although, that talk brought about the Danish Cartoon dilemma. What have we done to produce the image of a violent religion to the minds of its creators? Where have we gone wrong? How far have we gotten to distort the true message of the Prophet Muhammad and the true message written in every sentence of the Quran to even produce such thoughts into the minds of those who do not fully know? "Did we contribute to the drawing of those pictures?" We must question ourselves before pointing fingers towards a group or nation.
Afterwards, Sheikh Hamza says something that I disagree with. He continuously stated that the idea of a "plain field" in which the idea was to have something considered "right" all over and something "wrong" all over. This is too big of a world with too many people to set a standard that deals with a man's morality and value system. The examples he gave of having a uniform idea of hurting innocent lives, dropping bombs on those who have nothing to defend themselves with, spending money on learning how to cause harm rather than to heal, is most certainly wrong. Perhaps, he meant that kind of uniformity. *thinks* Then it will most certainly be right. Apparently, I am not steady as to where I stand with this one.
What I also liked in his speech was when he mentioned that we are the ambassadors of our community. How true! Once we pledge to something, we are now representing everything that we pledged to. So we are the ambassadors of Islam when we say the Shahadah and enter the religion, we must be careful with our thoughts and actions. Because "religiosity is more important than racial identity" since religiosity is what defines us. Our beliefs is what defines us, our morals and values. We are the Ambassadors. How will we represent?
And towards the end of this long entry (I apologize to those who found all of it useless, I hope none didn't), I would like to post a little video that is titled as a Documentary for Zaytuna Institute in Hayward, California, made in 2003. Definitely a place I want to visit in my future years to learn about Islam in an environment that is much diverse and welcomes everyone as it is supposed to be done in Islam. I despise the mosques who have a central racial theme as in, this is a "pakistani mosque" or this is an "arab mosque." Why?! What are those American converts supposed to do when they can not speak Urdu and Arabic. According to those mosques, they are already disabled and that inhibits them from gaining the fruit of Islam. Instead, they are made to feel awkward and even if they are not feeling such, they can't help feeling alienated if all speech and khutbas, lectures, are given in the mosque's respective language - oh how I hate to say that - it is absolutely ridiculous! What of those surprisingly growing number of Latino converts and of Americans who speak nothing but English? Regardless, I walked away from the point as I have a tendency to, so here is the video commemorating the Zaytuna Institute.
I just love Sheikh Hamza Yusuf. :)
After two hours of this, I still have to wait until 3:30pm. Woe! I wouldn't know what to do for that long of a time! I might return with another long entry and escusi if that I do but sometimes, there is just no better way of saying things.