muslim american charlotte edition march 2016

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From The Editor’s Desk – March 2016Greetings of Peace to You All!“My sin burdened me heavily. But when I measured it against Your Grace, O Lord, Your forgiveness came out greater.” Imam Shafi (RA)

Through my travels, I have talked to hundreds, perhaps thousands of Muslims from all over the world. One common theme I hear over and over again is the doubt of one’s ability to be worthy of God’s forgiveness. People are eager to confess sins out of some desire to get it out of their gut and have someone validate that they are indeed forgiven. But we Muslims don’t work that way.

There is a reason why we repeat the phrase “In the name of the One God, Most Gracious and Most Merciful” over a dozen times through our daily prayers. Our Lord wishes to remind us that He forgives and grants mercy because it is in His divine nature to do so.

It is also a reminder of the most important attributes that we must embody. As Muslims, we are taught to learn the 99 names, or attributes, of God. This is not merely to cite them as trivia, it is to remind us that these are 99 attributes that we should try to reflect in some way.

The Divine Creator has placed a spark of Himself in us, this is what grants us a unique soul and limited free will. As we harness that spark to emulate some small fragment of His attributes, we should turn to those that He reminds us of most often; Mercy and Grace.

Reflect that to humanity and you will find yourself worthy of all the mercy and forgiveness that God has already granted to you.

“Meet the people in such a manner that if you die, they should weep for you, and if you live, they should long for you.” Ali ibn Abi Talib (RA)

May God’s peace, mercy and blessings be upon you all,

Duston Barto Editor, Muslim American magazine

Charlotte Happenings .................................................... 06Khutbah Recaps ........................................................ 08, 09The Role of Mosques in Our Lives .................................11Jesus in Islam - I ........................................................ 12, 13

March -2016, Volume 2, Issue 3ISSN 2377 - 9624Publisher & Editor-in-Chief: Mohamed Haroon SaitEditor: Duston BartoDesign & Layout: Mubin M.K.

All content Copyright ©2016 Muslim American, Inc. except where otherwise noted. Please contact the editor or publisher directly to obtain reprint permission and guidelines.

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Al Maghrib Institute held a seminar entitled “Deception - A Study of Shaytan” at the end of January.The program was well organized as a comprehensive study on Shaytaan, his traps and what the believer should be aware of in dealing with this open enemy.

On Saturday 20 Feb 2016, ISGC Presented a seminar “Jewels of the Qur’an” with Shaykh Walead Mosaad.Imam Atif said, “His knowledge and wisdom has had such an effect on the community of Charlotte that people are already asking ‘When will the Shaykh return?’”

ISGC has made all three sessions available on their YouTube page.

Meet Your Muslim NeighborAmerican Islamic Outreach and Islamic Community of South Charlotte co-hosted an Open House on Saturday, February 13th 2016.

About 200 people were in attendance for a great evening including a presentation by Imam Eesaa Wood from Greensboro, NC.

Ask a Muslim On Wednesday, February 10, 2016, the MSA of UNC-Charlotte organized an information table in front of the Student Union at UNCC. American Islamic Outreach supported that event by providing free copies of Qur’an and brochures.

Over 200 copies of Qur’an and lots of brochures were distributed.

Shifa Free Health ClinicAmerican Islamic Outreach held its monthly Free Shifa Health Clinic on Sat, February 20th 2016. With dedication from all the volunteers, doctors and professional staff, everything ran smoothly and many new patients were registered.

The next Shifa Free Clinic date is Saturday, the 19th March 2016, God willing.

Charlotte Happenings from February

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“Surely We have created man, and We know the promptings of his heart, and We are nearer to him than even his jugular vein. Moreover, there are two scribes, one each sitting on the right and the left, recording everything. He (man) utters not a word, but there is a vigilant watcher at hand (to record it).” - Qur’an 50:16-18

What the God is saying here in the Qur’an is very clear; when a person says something, it is recorded to make him or her accountable on the Day of Judgment. This passage should remind us of our responsibility and the gravity of the situation when we say things that can be either beneficial

or dangerous. We must all therefore be aware of what we are saying.

There is nothing that exists outside the knowledge of God. We cannot hide our speech or think that falsehoods are not important. A Muslim cannot be a liar because this is the quality of a hypocrite. “Indeed, the hypocrites will be in the lowest depths of the Fire - and never will you find for them a helper.” – Qur’an 4:145

The Messenger of Allah said, “Whosoever possesses these four characteristics is a sheer hypocrite; and anyone who possesses one of them

possesses a characteristic of hypocrisy till he gives it up. These are: when he is entrusted with something, he proves dishonest; when he speaks, he tells a lie; when he makes a covenant, he proves treacherous; and when he quarrels, he behaves in very imprudent, evil, insulting manner.” - Al-Bukhari and Muslim

Therefore, we must all guard our tongues. Speak only truth, peace, love and kindness.

“O, you who believe! Stand firmly for justice, as witnesses to God, even if against yourselves, or your parents, or your relatives. Whether one is rich or poor, God takes care of both. So do not follow your desires, lest you swerve. If you deviate, or turn away; then God is Aware of what you do.” – Qur’an 4:135

There is Justice in Islam between mankind and God, and between believers, and between believers and non-believers. Each pattern of justice and fair dealing is spelled out in the Qur’an as God guides mankind to worship through acts of kindness and mercy to one another as well as the

rituals of worship to Him.

When you witness, you must tell the truth. Even when you have a conversation with others, you must be just and fair in communication. We are constantly tested in the way we conduct ourselves to be just and fair. We must be willing to witness against ourselves, our family, and our friends in the interests of serving justice. The greatest test is when you are just and fair to those who have wronged you.

In order to illustrate how this justice and fairness has been patterned by the companions of the Prophet, Sheikh Bassam gave many examples

from the great leaders of the early Muslims. One of the strongest of these examples is of Ali and Muawiyah. These two men disagreed strongly with one another. However, Muawiyah still respected Ali as a leader and would send messengers when he needed help on a ruling.

We must be strong in our faith to project justice in every action and deal with our fellow man in fairness and equity at all times.

February Khutbah RecapAs part of our ongoing effort to unify the Muslim American ummah, we are sharing the Khutbah (Friday sermon) from various Mosques in the greater Charlotte area so that everyone can listen to Imams that they may not have the chance to visit.

For the complete audio of these Khutbah, please visit MuslimAmerican.com/Multimedia

“Every Word You Utter is Recorded” – Imam Atif ChaudhryIslamic Society of Greater Charlotte, 7025 The Plaza, Charlotte, NC 28215

“Justice and Fairness in Islam” - Imam Bassam ObeidIslamic Center of Charlotte, 1700 Progress Ln, Charlotte NC 28205

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“Animal Rights in Islam” - Imam Tamir MutakabbirMasjid Al-Muminum, 1720 Wilson W Lee Blvd, Statesville NC 28677“There is not an animal on the earth or a being that flies on its wings, that does not form communities like you. Nothing have We omitted from the Book, and they will be gathered to their Lord in the end.” – Qur’an 6:38

“The seven heavens and the earth, and all beings therein declare His glory. There is not a thing that does not glorify and praise Him, and yet you do not understand how they declare His glory, indeed He is Oft-Forbearing, Most Forgiving.” – Qur’an 17:44

God gave every animal its ability. He enabled birds to fly, fish to swim, and horses to gallop. Animals were here on earth long before humans. They live in an existence of perfect submission to their nature in the way

God has created them. God then placed man and woman on the earth and gave them the responsibility to be caretakers, or khalifah, of the Earth and the animals upon it.

During his sermon Imam Tamir expressed how those who are caretakers must take the responsibility strongly. In many ways mankind has failed to be a proper caretaker for the creation of God. Mankind has forced animals to fight one another for his amusement; he has killed animals for no purpose and has laid waste to the environment.

Further, we must respect the life of the animals that we take for food. All life has been made sacred by God and permissions have been given to us

to eat sparingly of certain animals. We should respect the nature that God has created in them and preserve the quality of life for all animals.

We believers must reclaim our responsibility to be khalifah on the earth. Be the caretaker of creation, not its abuser.

Should your Imam be featured in our future Khutbah Recaps?Tell us and send the khutbah!

[email protected]

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Prophet Muhammad (Peace be Upon Him) said “Indeed the house of God is the house of every God-fearing believer”

For many Muslim Americans, the mosque is neither a central nor a primary influencer. It takes a backseat in the list of priorities. When moving to a new locality, the question of “Is there a mosque nearby?” is not always prominent. Primary considerations are instead about how nice the neighborhood is, how lovely the houses are, the quality of schools, jobs opportunities etc.

Prophet Muhammad advised us that those whose hearts are attached to mosques will, in the Day of Judgment be shaded under the throne of God. When the leader of the faithful, Umar (May God be Pleased with Him) missed the Asr prayer in the mosque, he became so sad. He admonished himself, “You missed the Asr prayer in the mosque, oh Umar,” He then donated his garden for the sake of God seeking forgiveness for this error. He treated this as something major. Some of us may not even feel that seriously about missing Jumu’ah (congregational prayers) in the mosque.

Who did God say in the Quran should maintain the mosques? “The mosques of God are only to be maintained by those who believe in God and the Last Day and establish prayer and give zakah and do not fear except God, for it is expected that those will be of the [rightly] guided.” – Qur’an 9:18

We have to take care of the mosque like our homes and we should feel at home when we come to the mosque. Unfortunately for most families, the parents themselves do not come to

the mosque except from one Eid to another. How then, will our children grow with an attachment to the house of God? Everyone has to assess his or her own condition. When was the last time I went to the mosque? Was it last Friday? Is the mosque only worthy of an hour of my time a week?

Prophet Muhamad honored the mosque so much that he uniquely distinguished the caretaker of the mosque. When this woman who was the caretaker of the mosque passed away, Prophet Muhammad was only informed after her burial. He asked the Companions, “Couldn’t you tell me that she passed away?” Then, even though it was late at night, he went with his Companions to her grave and prayed her janazah (funeral prayer).

When Prophet Muhammad left his home Makkah due to religious persecution and migrated to Medina, he journeyed for days and throughout the nights. However, the first thing he did when he reached the outskirts of Madinah was to visit the first mosque of Islam, Al Quba. Once he arrived in Madinah, he did not rest until he designated the ground for the mosque to be built there. The Prophet and his companions then built the mosque brick by brick with their own hands. They were chanting poetry “Oh God, the true reward, is indeed the reward of the Hereafter. Oh God, have mercy upon the helpers and the emigrants.”

Does anyone own the mosque? Do the mosques belong to wealthy investors? Do they belong to a particular organization or people? The mosques are all owned by God, they are all places where we gather together as believers seeking God alone, seeking to grow in our faiths and seeking to remember Him. If this is our intention, then God will bless our efforts and bless our mosques.

We need to ask ourselves, does the mosque fill a space in my heart and the hearts of my children? Our mosques must become our community hubs. If you are moving to a new community or a new city and you choose to live in a place that is half an hour away from any mosque, you are choosing for your children to have a weak relationship with the house of God.

The role of the mosque is not limited to prayer alone. During the time of the Companions, the mosque was central to all of their affairs. In the mosque they socialized, ate, gained education, tended to the sick and homeless, received delegations, and made important community decisions.

We must revive this understanding of the mosque. Ask God to make us of those whose hearts are connected to the mosque and make the mosque the center point in all Muslim community affairs.

What is the Role of Mosques in our Lives?Adapted from a Khutbah by Imam Osamah Salhia

We are quick to flood the mosque during Ramadan and Eid, but are we leaving it vacant the rest of the year?


The day of coming to America finally arrived! I landed in San

Francisco on September 7th, 1999. After wading through emigration and customs I rushed out to the arrival terminal. I had no idea what to expect and was pleasantly surprised to see a chauffeur holding a sign with my name on it. I felt like a VIP as I hopped into her car and we drove up and down the winding hills of San Francisco toward San Jose.

After about an hour of driving we arrived at my “bachelor” apartment where a few other IT consultants who arrived before me have already settled down. We were all waiting for a software project elsewhere in America with any corporation contracted with

our company. My excitement soon started to fade as I realized “I have to cook!” My wife, Thafseera, had spoiled me with her delicious cooking for eight years. The transition to my cooking for myself was a challenge!

The next morning I woke up early and got ready to go to work. I wore my brand new Pink shirt, which I bought in India for this exciting day. My roommates became my first guides in America as I joined them in a brisk short walk to catch the 9:30 AM bus. We arrived at the bus stop just two minutes ahead! They taught me to press the WALK button and wait for the beep before crossing the street to get to the bus stop. I was fresh from Saudi Arabia and this was a world of

difference. Roads were clean and not crowded, even the air smelled different. This was an awesome feeling.

The bus arrived on time, the door opened and I stepped inside. The driver gave me a big smile and the first thing I heard was “Good Morning Sir. How are you doing today?” I was really surprised to hear that. This was my first experience in America and that is not something I was accustomed to! Neither in Delhi, where I had to sprint behind

the buses and use acrobatics to hold on to some metal pipe railing in the steps, nor in Saudi Arabia. That courteous driver left a lasting impression in me about the wonderful people that I would be dealing with in America. Over the years that impression only got better and more concrete.

After several stops, we finally arrived at the office at about 10. My roommates introduced me to my boss, then my manager, the accounting department, and to other support staff. With few exceptions, everyone was from India. My manager jokingly rebuked me saying “No one wears pink here.” I had no clue of the color gender associations; we never had such a thing in India or in Saudi. I felt so embarrassed that the pink shirt never saw the light of day again.

I stayed in Santa Clara, CA for a little over a month. During the day, I was given training on new software which prepared me for new client projects. In the evenings, I got bored as homesickness slowly crept in. It was hard to adjust to life with bachelors after living with my wife and two kids for so long. In order to cure the boredom, sometimes my friends took me to nearby malls and other attractions.

Most of my roommates were Hindus and much younger than me. Their interests were mostly in movies and other things that I had no inclination to. As I did in Saudi, I would initiate discussions around the dinner table about God and his books. Most of the time, these discussions didn’t

Jesus in Islam – IPart 3 of Why You Should Call People to Islam

Haroon SaitCo-Founder of American Islamic Outreach Foundation

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go well. I gradually withdrew as I felt that I was talking to the wrong crowd. During this time, my priority was to get over with the training so I can get interviews for projects. Only after I got a project and settled down somewhere, could I bring my wife Thafseera, and my sons Nabeel and Nadeem to the USA.

Towards the end of my first month in the States, I felt confident about what I learned, so I gave some interviews and was offered a position. This job was with Nortel Networks in Research Triangle Park of Raleigh, NC. I said good-bye to my friends and flew to Raleigh. Fortunately, the hotel they booked for me was also in RTP just opposite of my workplace. The hotel-owned shuttle bus would take me to work and bring me back in the evening. My contract ran for a total of six months and I wanted to maximize my time with them. Nortel was a large corporation with thousands

of people working in various depart- ments and projects. This was my first experience working with Americans. As I expected, people were friendly and courteous across the board. In the cubicles near my work area there were several people who handled tech support over the phone. Even though they were not in my team, I tried to become good friends with them.

Whenever I would meet a Christian I liked to ask if they know what the Qur’an says about

Jesus. Nine out of ten didn’t even know that Muslims believe in Jesus the messiah. I quickly figured out that the topic of Jesus and his mother Mary was the best way to initiate a conversation. I have to admit that in my initial years of calling people to God, I did not observe the courteous tone that is expected in America. Coming from India, I brought with me some baggage connected to the tense atmosphere created by missionaries. Later on I realized that I had to unlearn this tension and meet people in conversation. Unfortunately, there were bridges burned and irreparable damage done through this learning curve.

The holy Qur’an exhorts Muslims to invite people to God. Since the overwhelming majority of American citizens identify with one of the denominations of Christianity, it just makes sense to start the conversation at a place where they can agree. The

Qur’an addresses a lot of these points directly as it invites the people of the book (Christians and Jews) to reflect upon God’s word.

Here are some of those main points I intend to dive into more deeply in the next section:

• Mary, mother of Jesus (peace be upon her) was a righteous woman.

• Miraculous conception of Jesus by the Virgin Mary.

• Jesus was a mighty prophet of God.

• Jesus called people to worship one God.

• Jesus did miracles with the help of God.

• Jesus was like Adam. Adam had neither father nor mother. Jesus had no father.

• Jesus was neither crucified nor killed. God raised Jesus to him.

• Second coming of Jesus (from the teaching of Prophet Muhammad).

• Jesus told his disciples of the coming of Prophet Muhammad (peace be up on him).

God willing, I will write these in details in the next issue. May God’s peace and blessings be with you.

If you have any direct questions for Haroon Sait, feel free to email him at: [email protected]

“Yesterday I was clever, so I wanted

to change the world. Today I am wise, so I am changing myself.”

- Rumi

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