Islamic calligraphy wallpaper

ISLAMIC EVENTS

MUHARRAM 1st - Islamic New Year begins
10th - Ashura [Imam Hossein (A.S.) martyred in 61 A.H.]

25th - Death of Imam Zein-Ol-Abedin (A.S.) in 95 A.H.

SAFAR 7th - Birth of Imam Moussa Kazem (A.S.) in 128 A.H.
20th - Arbaein (forty days after Ashura)

28th - Rasoul-Allah Akram (PBUH) passed away in 11 A.H. and

Imam Hassan (A.S.) died in 50 A.H.

30th - Death of Imam Reza (A.S.) in 203 A.H.

RABI-OL
AWWAL

1st - Hejrat (Holy Emigration) Rasoul-Allah Akram (PBUH)
from Mecca to Medina

8th - Death of Imam Hassan Askari (A.S.) in 260 A.H.

17th - Birth of Rasoul-Allah Akram (PBUH) in 53 B.H. and birth

of Imam Jafar Sadegh (A.S.) in 83 A.H.

RABI-OL
SANI


8th - Birth of Imam Hassan Askari in 232 A.H.

10th - Death of Hazrat Massoumeh (A.S.), sister of Imam Reza

(A.S.)

JAMADI-OL
AWWAL

5th - Birth of Hazrat Zeinab (A.S.), sister of Imam Hossein
(A.S.)

13th - Death of Hazrat Fatemeh Zahra (A.S.) in 11 A.H.

JAMADI-OL
SANI


20th - Birth of Hazrat Fatemeh Zahra (A.S.), Rasoul-Allah

Akram’s (PBUH) daughter

MONTH

EVENT, BIRTH, DEATH OF SAINTS

RAJAB 1st - Birth of Imam Muhammad Bagher (A.S.) in 57 A.H.
3rd - Imam Ali’an Naghi’s (A.S.) death in 254 A.H.

10th - Birth of Imam Mohammad Taghi (A.S.) in 195 A.H.

13th - Birth of Imam Ali (A.S.) in 10 B.H.

15th - Death of Hazrat Zeinab, sister of Imam Hossein (A.S.)

25th - Imam Mousa Kazem (A.S.) in 183 A.H.

SHABAN 3rd - Birth of Imam Hossein (A.S.) in 4 A.H.
4th - Birth of Hazrat Abbas (A.S.), brother of Imam Hossein

(A.S.)

5th - Birth of Imam Zein-Ol-Abedin (A.S.) in 38 A.H.

15th - Birth of twelfth Imam Hazrat Ghaem (A.S.) in 256 A.H.

RAMADAN 1st - Start the month of fasting from Fajr until sunset everyday
of this Holy Month

10th - Death of Hazrat Khadijeh Kobra, the wife of Rasoul-Allah

(PBUH)

15th - Birth of Imam Hassan (A.S.) at 3 A.H.

19th - Imam Ali (A.S.), the first Imam, was injured by Ibne

Muljem in 40 A.H. with a sword.

21st - Imam Ali (A.S.) passed away after 2 days in 40 A.H.

30th - The last day of fasting and should be prepared for Zakat of

Fetr, and for Eid-Fetr celebration day at the end of the

month.

SHAWWAL 25th - Death of Imam Jafar Sadegh’s (A.S.) in 83 A.H.
DHI-QADEH 11th - Birth of Imam Reza (A.S.) at 148 A.H.
29th - Death of Imam Mohammad Taghi (A.S.) in 220 A.H.

DHI-HAJJEH 1st-10th Ten days for doing Haj in Mecca
7th - Death of Imam Mohammad Bagher (A.S.) in 114 A.H.

10th - Eid - Ghorban celebration for all Muslims around the world 15th - Birth of Imam Ali’an Naghi (A.S.) in 212 A.H.

18th - Eid Ghadir Khom, the day which Rasoul-Allah Akram

(PBUH) appointed Imam Ali (A.S.) to follow him as a

leader after his death in 11 A.H.

Amina's story

Amina's story
Irish lady recounts her  long and slow spiritual journey culminating in her conversion from Catholicism to Islam during the summer of 2001

Bismillah hir-rahman nir-raheem,

These words resound in my head as I began to pray, something I have been doing for only 6 weeks now but it is the culmination of a long and slow journey to the right path. I thank Allah that I have at last found peace and the look forward to continuing my quest for knowledge about Islam in it's truest and purist form untainted by cultural practices and racial divides but clearly and beautifully detailed in the Quran, Hadith and other teachings.

I was born in Ireland and raised a Roman Catholic, I went to a convent school run by the 'Sisters of Mercy' and was not that interested in religion, however in times of crisis such as close to exams I would always say a prayer to help me through. Mass was somewhere I had to go every Sunday and at Christmas and Easter where a middle-aged man would bore everyone to death with ceremony that had no relevance to me and I would stand and sit and repeat the prayers but as soon as I left the Mass that was the end of my religious obligations. I started work in in the eighties, drifting into computers and getting on with my life, I stopped attending Mass and began enjoying myself going on foreign holidays and 'socialising' which in Ireland consists mostly of going to pubs and clubs and generally having fun.

I spent the late eighties and early nineties socialising with my friends but I was missing something fundamental. I started studying European Law, Business, Statistics anything that would give my mind the nourishment it was missing and I really felt like my life was slowly drifting by without any meaning, all that was happening was that the clubs and pubs were being populated by younger and younger people and I wondered is this it? Is this all that life is meant to be.

I had met Muslims over the years but none of them were very religious, they drank and smoked and did not seem any different to my other friends. Then in 1996 I moved to a small town quite far from my home for work and did not know very many people. This had not been a problem as I moved around a lot with my job and could settle down in most places without too much fuss. While I was there I met someone who has since become my husband. He did not drink or smoke, was polite and gentle and we had a lot in common with both of us missing home though he was much farther from his. Not long after we met he asked me to marry him and I accepted but I had to tell my parents - not an easy task with films such as 'Not without my Daughter' in vogue. They refused to meet him until I said that I would not come home until they agreed - emotional blackmail but I knew as soon as they met him they would see how special he was. They came round after a month of phone calls and threats and now they are very happy with him. I think if anything happened they would take his side before mine!!!!!

We were married shortly afterwards and began our life together. He spent the next few years talking about Islam but whenever he brought it up I was very defensive and felt it was a criticism of me if he mentioned anything bad about the culture in Ireland. During all this time I had no contact with any Muslim women even though several of his Muslim friends were married and their wives lived here I was made to feel like I was not good enough to visit their homes a word of advice (if I can be so bold) to other Muslim women, it is essential to ask your husbands to allow you to be introduced to the wives/sisters of their friends because they might be brought to Islam. I had heard so much bad things about women's status etc yet I never in three years met one women who could have explained or demonstrated that the articles you read in the media are often full of misconceptions. Despite this I was being more and more drawn to Islam. I read the Quran but, unlike other convert stories I have seen, I found it difficult to read and it took me several months to finish it, I was not struck by lighting or with a burning desire to convert but I found so much of what it contained made sense.

I began researching Islam with particular emphasis on women using the internet as my research tool. I spent hours surfing looking for similar stories to my own, checking on women's' rights and I began to discuss these things with my husband, once or twice I knew more which was very heartening as I knew my knowledge was beginning to grow. I also began to order books on Islam ( I had exhausted the meager supply they had in the local library within a matter of weeks) from the bookshops, looking for titles on the net and ordering them. I found this to be very hit and miss as some were written by non-Muslims who were often confrontational when dealing with women's issues in particular. I found myself defending Muslims whenever I heard people criticise them or saying something I knew to be incorrect.

My thirst for the truth began to overtake me and six weeks ago I said Sha'hada and began to pray, I had begun to learn my prayers phonetically several weeks before this as I wanted to be able to begin as soon as it was 'Official'. In my heart I think I always knew I would convert but I was waiting for the right time, using various excuses pride is a terrible thing as it prevented me on several occasions from saying Sha'hada, something I will always regret. When I eventually said the words it was as if a weight was lifted off my shoulders and at last I could publicly declare what I had felt in my soul for so long.

I have fasted for Ramadan for the last three years and always felt particularly spiritual but this year will be my first Ramadan as a Muslim and I am already looking forward to it. I love going to pray, and particularly when I can do it with my husband, I have only visited the Mosque in Dublin once since I converted - it is a five hour journey from where I am living and the other Mosque which is nearby does not encourage women to attend. The one thing that remains it that I would love is to meet some Muslim women and learn from them - Insha'Allah this will also happen and I must learn to be patient as we do not know what Allah's plan is.

My husband's family are very happy and they had a big party to celebrate my conversion. My husband was also extremely happy as I know he felt he should have been able to show me the way sooner. I am now talking to my friends but taking it slowly as I do not want to turn them off but whenever I get the opportunity I have started to familiarise them with the faith. One friend who is also married to a Muslim is beginning to show interest and Insha'Allah I will be able to help her find the strength to convert.

I have not as yet began to wear hijab although I am dressing modestly - I had begun this process a year ago buying looser and longer clothes and have hope to find the strength to wear hijab soon. I have never met any woman in hijab through my work in the computer industry in Ireland and I have yet to speak to a hijabi about their experiences in Ireland but I am hopeful this will also come to pass.

I would like to finish by saying, if your soul is thirsty and you wish to take the right path come to Islam - do not let ignorance or pride keep you away. If you know any Muslims talk to them and let them show you how beautiful it is.

I hope that other people who are feeling like I did and searching, are guided to the right way - if you are reading my story you may have found what you were searching for. I spent over thirty years on this earth without knowing the beauty and peace that I now have and hope I can help someone else to find what I found - tranquility and peace.

Amina.

Karla's conversion to Islam

Karla's conversion to Islam
"How could you, an educated American woman convert to Islam - a religion that oppresses women?" - Blonde-haired blue-eyed, former Christian, Karla, explains how her theological dissatisfaction with the doctrine of Jesus as God and her discovery of  the rights given to women in Islam led her to become a Muslim.

Glossary for non-Muslim readers
dawa - invitation to Islam
shahada - profession of Islamic faith

My conversion process to Islam was a long one (it took 20 years!). It started when I was 12. I went to this over-priced private school...very Anglophile...made us wear uniforms...had us in Forms, rather than grades, etc. Anyway, we were studying the major religions of the world--had a little book on Christianity, one on Judaism, Islam, Hinduism, and Buddhism. I remember being really fascinated with Islam, and thinking that Muslims weren't hypocrites like the Christians I knew. I remember two things really standing out for me. One, being the focus on one God alone. I had always had questions about Christianity's viewing Jesus as God--and how that went against the first commandment. The second item that stood out was salat. Not just praying five times/day, but how the majority of the prayer focused on worshiping God. In Christianity, our prayers tended to be "gimme prayers." "God, give me this...God give me that."

I went to college in Washington DC, which has a pretty large Muslim population. My interest in Islam was still definitely there--although I was way too shy. I used to do "drive by mosquings"--going by the Islamic Center on Mass Ave., too shy to go in. Once I called to see if they had classes for people interested in Islam, but I never received a call back. I did buy myself a copy of the Qur'an, and began to read it. It was amazing. It just kind of went into my heart, y'know? The thing that really amazed me about Islam from the beginning, were the rights given to women. I know many people today would laugh at me for such a statement, but as somebody who has read the Bible--I saw rights given to women in Islam that were never given to women in the Bible. Women were given the right to refuse a partner in marriage; whereas, in typical Christian Western Culture at the time (600s CE), women were basically viewed as their father's property--to marry as he saw fit. Women were guaranteed a portion of their father's and husband's inheritance; whereas, in the West, that inheritance typically went only to the eldest son. Women had the right to own property and enter into contracts. A right that women in the United States did not obtain until the mid-Nineteenth Century. The Prophet Muhammed preached against female infanticide--a common practice of the time, and one that is still a problem in India and China. Of course, today it is a high-tech female infanticide--abortions done after an ultrasound to determine the sex of the child. Both men and women were admonished to seek knowledge from "the cradle to the grave." Unfortunately, culture seems to interfere with some of those rights these days.

During my senior year, I found a dawa program on TV called, "Islam." It featured a western looking woman anchor who would interview people on various topics regarding Islam. I believe it was put out by the Islamic Information Service, but I'm not sure. I became totally addicted to this show...actually setting my VCR to tape it, if I was going to be out. I don't remember which channel it was on--just that it was shown on Fridays, and that each show began with "In the name of God, Most Merciful, Most Gracious." When the shahadah show came on, I knew I believed...so I said it with my TV. In God's mind did I become a Muslim then? I don't know. Unfortunately, I did not know any Muslims to talk to about Islam. I was also very worried about what my friends and family would think. Sometime following graduation (I think this was 1990 or 1991), the Saudi Embassy sponsored an Islamic Art exhibit downtown. I remember asking one of the exhibitors if they had any additional information on Islam--and the guy said, "No." I was crushed. I just didn't know where to turn to find out more about Islam. Who to talk to about my questions. I was just too shy to go into a mosque. I didn't even know if I could go in, as a woman. I didn't know if I'd be properly dressed...or if I'd be the only non-Arabic speaking person there. I just kept reading my Qur'an, and asking God the questions. Hoping God would answer my prayers.

My hunger for God did not cease, however....so I decided to go with a more conventional religion, and became a Christian sometime during my mid-20s. The problem was, I always had questions/doubts regarding Christianity---mainly about the concept of the Trinity/Divinity of Jesus. Jesus as God just didn't make sense to me--as it would go against the First commandment and what Jesus himself seemed to practice. He always focused on God the Father, so to speak. When asked, he said that the Greatest Commandment was to love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, and mind. God--singular. That's something I've always strived to do, and hope to improve at still. I asked a few different pastors about my doubts, and the response I would get would be, "You simply need to have faith." I remember in one Bible study class this guy started saying all these lies about Muslims. I spoke up, and said, "That's not true." and began to tell the people in my Sunday School about what Muslims really believed. See...even then...I couldn't deny the shahadah. I still believed that there was only one God, God, and that Muhammad was the Prophet of God.

While at grad school in Tennessee, I contacted the Muslim Student Association on campus. Two sisters met me at a local bakery for tea. Unfortunately, they didn't really understand that I wanted to convert--and the whole meeting was rather bizarre. I decided that I would just consider myself a Monotheist, and call it a day. I would read on all of the major Monotheistic faiths--Judaism, Islam, and Christianity. I became more and more uncomfortable with Christianity, though. If I went into a church, and there was a crucifix on the wall...it would weird me out. It seemed like an idol that people were worshipping. I did enjoy learning more about Judaism--and found it to be the closest to Islam. Sadly, the two brothers fight way too much these days.

I joined my current company almost two years ago. Coincidentally during my HR orientation, there was a guy who I would work a lot with there. He ended up working for me on numerous projects, and we became friends. He was just out of college, and a rebel. I started asking him how he could drink, if he was a Muslim (threatened to tell his Mom)....asked him why he didn't go to Jummah (Friday) prayer, etc. Over the course of a year, I realized that in talking to him, I was really talking to myself. (I don't drink though--never have.)

So around last February, I went to our local Islamic Center's New Muslims class on a Wednesday night. There was nobody there. One of the brothers kept saying...just wait for Isha (the evening prayer)...the Imam (religious leader) will be here...but I felt too uncomfortable. I left. About four weeks later, I tried again. There was a class going on. That night, 10-11 years after I had first said shahadah in my apartment in DC in front of a TV set, I said shahadah in front of the Imam, a Muslim Sister, and a whole bunch of people interested in Islam. Since that time, I've learned to pray (something I had tried to teach myself through the Web and videos for years!)...and begun to study Arabic. Insha'Allah (God willing), one day I'll be able to read and understand the Qur'an in Arabic. I'm totally amazed that I can already read certain bits of the Qur'an; although, my vocabulary does not allow me to understand much...yet.

Monday, October 8th 2001, was a momentous day in my life as a Muslim as well. I wore hijab (Muslim head covering) for the first time ever to work as part of the Scarves for Solidarity campaign. I was the celebrity at work--people kept walking by my office door, etc. I had posted articles about "Scarves for Solidarity" as well as Islam on the door. And when people asked me, "Are you one of them?" or "Are you a Muslim?" I said, "Yes." So now I'm out of the "Muslim-closet" at work. I guess people just assumed that a blonde-haired blue-eyed person could not be a Muslim. The main question people seem to ask, is "How could you, an educated American woman convert to Islam--a religion that oppresses women?" They are quick to try and equate the rights of women in Afghanistan with the rights of Muslim women everywhere. Basically, what I tell them, is that the Qur'an gives women more rights than the Bible does--in print. That was one of the things that first drew me to Islam. Unfortunately today, Islam is no longer the leader in women's rights. I had a choice--deny what I believe (i.e. that There is only one God, and that Muhammed is a Prophet of God)...or accept what I believe, but work to change the problems that exist within the Muslim community. I chose the latter.

Sister Karla

Marwa's conversion story

Marwa's conversion story
How a headstrong Slovakian teenager found solace and contentment in Islam.

I converted to Islam just over one year ago. I'm from Slovakia (Europe), but I lived in England for 2 two years and also in Holland. I never really cared about any religion. I didn't have religious friends or anything like that. I was a usual teenager. Then I left home when I was 18 and went to work in England as an au-pair. I loved it. And of course I went really wild.

When I was 21 I came to Holland. I was unhappy for a long time. I met my husband just 2 weeks after my arrival. We fell head over heels in love and he introduced me to Islam. I needed it. I have a very strong personality and say what I want. It brought me trouble sometimes. I have a diploma from Commercial College, two certificates for English (one for tourism and business) and know a lot about the world of economy and politics.

But I needed some spirituality.  I found it in God. It might seem I did it for my husband, but it is not true. He said it was my own decision whether I do it or not. Since I did I feel very happy. Somehow complete and fulfilled. It is difficult at times to explain to my parents or friends, but they try to understand.

I know I did some bad things in my life, but I also believe that our Creator is the Most-forgiving, Most-merciful. I'm trying to be as good as I can. Islam brought me my freedom and happiness. It's hard to explain how I feel, but I know that my fellow sisters and brothers will understand how it is to stand alone. My home country is very intolerant against Muslims, so I'll have a hard time when I go and see my parents. But God will help me to go through it.

There are still things I need to find out and I cannot wait to know them all. I realised one thing since I became a Muslimah and started wearing Hijab. Fellow Muslims smile at me and say Inshaalah or Alhamdulillah. It's a great feeling.

This is my story in short. Peace be upon you all. Ma`a assalama,

Marwa

April 2002

Islam, Culture and Women

Islam, Culture and Women
by Ruqaiyyah Waris Maqsood

How can anyone justify Islam's treatment of women, when it imprisons Afghans under blue shuttlecock burqas and makes Pakistani girls marry strangers against their will?

 How can you respect a religion that forces women into polygamous marriages, mutilates their genitals, forbids them to drive cars and subjects them to the humiliation of "instant" divorce? In fact, none of these practices are Islamic at all.

 Anyone wishing to understand Islam must first separate the religion from the cultural norms and style of a society. Female genital mutilation is still practised in certain pockets of Africa and Egypt, but viewed as an inconceivable horror by the vast majority of Muslims. Forced marriages may still take place in certain Indian, Pakistani and Bangladeshi communities, but would be anathema to Muslim women from other backgrounds.

 Indeed, Islam insists on the free consent of both bride and groom, so such marriages could even be deemed illegal under religious law.

 A woman forbidden from driving a car in Riyadh will cheerfully take the wheel when abroad, confident that her country's bizarre law has nothing to do with Islam. Afghan women educated before the Taliban rule know that banning girls from school is forbidden in Islam, which encourages all Muslims to seek knowledge from cradle to grave, from every source possible.

 The Koran is addressed to all Muslims, and for the most part it does not differentiate between male and female. Man and woman, it says, "were created of a single soul," and are moral equals in the sight of God. Women have the right to divorce, to inherit property, to conduct business and to have access to knowledge.

 Since women are under all the same obligations and rules of conduct as the men, differences emerge most strongly when it comes to pregnancy, child-bearing and rearing, menstruation and, to a certain extent, clothing.

 Some of the commands are alien to Western tradition. Requirements of ritual purity may seem to restrict a woman's access to religious life, but are viewed as concessions. During menstruation or postpartum bleeding, she may not pray the ritual salah or touch the Koran and she does not have to fast; nor does she need to fast while pregnant or nursing.

 The veiling of Muslim women is a more complex issue. Certainly, the Koran requires them to behave and dress modestly - but these strictures apply equally to men. Only one verse refers to the veiling of women, stating that the Prophet's wives should be behind a hijab when his male guests converse with them.

 Some modernists, however, claim that this does not apply to women in general, and that the language used does not carry the textual stipulation that makes a verse obligatory. In practice, most modern Muslim women appreciate attractive and graceful clothes, but avoid dressing provocatively.

 What about polygamy, which the Koran endorses up to the limit of four wives per man? The Prophet, of course, lived at a time when continual warfare produced large numbers of widows, who were left with little or no provision for themselves and their children.

 In these circumstances, polygamy was encouraged as an act of charity. Needless to say, the widows were not necessarily sexy young women, but usually mothers of up to six children, who came as part of the deal.

 Polygamy is no longer common, for various good reasons. The Koran states that wives need to be treated fairly and equally - a difficult requirement even for a rich man. Moreover, if a husband wishes to take a second wife, he should not do so if the marriage will be to the detriment of the first.

 Sexual intimacy outside marriage is forbidden in Islam, including sex before marriage, adultery or homosexual relationships. However, within marriage, sexual intimacy should be raised from the animal level to sadaqah (a form of worship) so that each considers the happiness and satisfaction of the other, rather than mere self-gratification.

 Contrary to Christianity, Islam does not regard marriages as "made in heaven" or "till death do us part". They are contracts, with conditions. If either side breaks the conditions, divorce is not only allowed, but usually expected. Nevertheless, a hadith makes it clear that: "Of all the things God has allowed, divorce is the most disliked."

 A Muslim has a genuine reason for divorce only if a spouse's behaviour goes against the sunnah of Islam - in other words, if he or she has become cruel, vindictive, abusive, unfaithful, neglectful, selfish, sexually abusive, tyrannical, perverted - and so on.

 In good Islamic practice, before divorce can be contemplated, all possible efforts should be made to solve a couple's problems. After an intention to divorce is announced, there is a three-month period during which more attempts are made at reconciliation.

 If, by the end of each month, the couple have resumed sexual intimacy, the divorce should not proceed. The three-month rule ensures that a woman cannot remarry until three menstrual cycles have passed - so, if she happens to be pregnant, the child will be supported and paternity will not be in dispute.

 When Muslims die, strict laws govern the shares of property and money they may leave to others; daughters usually inherit less than sons, but this is because the men in a family are supposed to provide for the entire household.

 Any money or property owned by women is theirs to keep, and they are not obliged to share it. Similarly, in marriage, a woman's salary is hers and cannot be appropriated by her husband unless she consents.

 A good Muslim woman, for her part, should always be trustworthy and kind. She should strive to be cheerful and encouraging towards her husband and family, and keep their home free from anything harmful (haram covers all aspects of harm, including bad behaviour, abuse and forbidden foods).

 Regardless of her skills or intelligence, she is expected to accept her man as the head of her household - she must, therefore, take care to marry a man she can respect, and whose wishes she can carry out with a clear conscience. However, when a man expects his wife to do anything contrary to the will of God - in other words, any nasty, selfish, dishonest or cruel action - she has the right to refuse him.

 Her husband is not her master; a Muslim woman has only one Master, and that is God. If her husband does not represent God's will in the home, the marriage contract is broken.

 What should one make of the verse in the Koran that allows a man to punish his wife physically? There are important provisos: he may do so only if her ill-will is wrecking the marriage - but then only after he has exhausted all attempts at verbal communication and tried sleeping in a separate bed.

 However, the Prophet never hit a woman, child or old person, and was emphatic that those who did could hardly regard themselves as the best of Muslims. Moreover, he also stated that a man should never hit "one of God's handmaidens". Nor, it must be said, should wives beat their husbands or become inveterate nags.

 Finally, there is the issue of giving witness. Although the Koran says nothing explicit, other Islamic sources suggest that a woman's testimony in court is worth only half of that of a man. This ruling, however, should be applied only in circumstances where a woman is uneducated and has led a very restricted life: a woman equally qualified to a man will carry the same weight as a witness.

 So, does Islam oppress women?

 While the spirit of Islam is clearly patriarchal, it regards men and women as moral equals. Moreover, although a man is technically the head of the household, Islam encourages matriarchy in the home.

 Women may not be equal in the manner defined by Western feminists, but their core differences from men are acknowledged, and they have rights of their own that do not apply to men

English convert to Islam, Ruqaiyyah Waris Maqsood, is the author of over thirty books on Islam and other subjects.

Ajeeb Mazaaq Hy Islam Ki Taqdeer K Saath
Qatal-e-Hussain (a.s) hua Nara-e-Takbeer K saath