Anyone who spends any time reading news or blogs on the Internet must have seen the term RSS thrown around, or seen this ubiquitous little icon: 
And yet, many are still unaware what RSS means, what it does, and why you should be taking advantage of it. It’s simple, fun, and can save you a lot of time in your daily dallying on the wonderful world of the Internet.
As the old adage goes, “a picture is worth a thousand words”. Even so, the judging panel of Ijtema’s inaugural competition was asked only to find the photograph that best represented one, single, four-letter word: “hope“; the theme chosen to commemorate the start of both the Gregorian and Islamic New Year. It is a time when people all around the world inadvertently synchronize in their resolve to change themselves for the better. Many a sincere prayer is made, asking for help in keeping to one’s newly formed good intentions; and what else is prayer, other than a expression of one’s hope in the beneficence of God Almighty?
The contest ran from January to March of 2008, and by the stroke of midnight on the eve of the deadline, we had received over ninety submissions, sent in from all corners of the globe (you can view them all on our Flickr group). The overall quality of the entries was amazing, masha’Allah, which made the task of choosing the winners even more daunting. Thankfully, we had recruited three very talented Muslim artists, who were well equipped to handle the job:
After several days of nervous score counting, the following images emerged as the clear winners (daff roll, please):
First Place: “Wish the best”, by ‘dianiwulandari’ (Indonesia)
It is clear to see why this photo was described as “very professional” by Peter Sanders (judge). This joyful image represents the tangible hope of a Indonesian couple looking forward to taking the first steps of their new life together in holy matrimony. May Allah grant them every happiness, Ameen.
First Runner Up: “Sehzadebasi Cami“, by ‘karanlikay’ (Turkey)
A humble slave of Allah worshipping in a Turkish mosque.
Samir Malik (judge) says:
“Essentially hope is submitting to God’s Will; in this photo I love how the figure is in the prayer position, maybe about to go into Sujood.”
Second Runner Up: “When We Look Out”, by Maryam Hamza (Malaysia)
This calming and contemplative sea view was taken on Pangkor Island, in Malaysia.
Teakster (judge) says:
“The reason why I liked this photo was the entire composure. It gives the reader the impression that the person inside the photo is looking towards the future, seeking the unknown. Hoping that the New Year will bring new prosperity.”
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For more details of the prizes that were on offer, please visit the contest page.
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In addition to the winners chosen by the judges, each member of the Ijtema.net editorial team selected their own favourite image as a special mark of appreciation:
Gess’ choice: “Hope…”, by Hanadi Traifeh (United Kingdom)
Photo description: “Engaging with nature and living the beauty of it is a gift from God that gives us more hope. The closer we become to nature the closer we see that life can be more beautiful.”
Gess:
“I chose this picture because of the composition, and I also liked the angle the photo was taken where there is a focus of the petals and how fragile they are – almost as if the wind is about to blow them away.”
Manas’ choice: “The Path of Noor”, by Peter Gould, www.azaan.com.au (Australia)
Photo description: “This is one of my favourite photos, taken while studying Arabic for a month in Morocco, 2006. I had become completely lost in the maze of the souk, and was blessed when this scene appeared before me – indeed, a journey towards guidance and hope.”
Manas:
“I chose this because of its stunning symbolism. The photo tells us: truly, there is light after darkness.”
Faraz’s choice: “Child and Quran”, by Jacob Simkin (Pakistan)
Photo description: H11 Relief Camp, Islamabad, Pakistan. Child attending Qur’an reading class. Over 1500 children live in H11 Relief Camp who have lost their homes during the October ’05 Earthquake. – Taken for Muslim Aid Pakistan
Faraz:
“To me, the boy shows that in spite of tragedy around him (the child was an earthquake survivor, according to the photo description), he will still hold on tightly to his Quran (Noorani Qaida, actually – for learning how to read). He may have been separated from his loved ones, but he will hold on to his Quranic learning as tightly as he can.”
iMuslim’s choice: “Embrace the Light Together”, by Widad Sirkhotte (South Africa)
Photo description: “In a [South African] township… [a] mosque unites muslims brothers of all ages, races and backgrounds. The building is far from fancy, yet the light of Allah shines through the windows. This magnificent light, lightens Islam… within their hearts.”
iMuslim:
“Every time I see this photo, I am blown away. The light streams forth, bringing joy and hope; the gathering denotes true brotherhood. Truly an amazing capture, masha’Allah”.
MJ’s choice: “Ortakoy”, by ‘carabul’ (Turkey)
Photo description: “Ortaköy Mosque, officially the Büyük Mecidiye Camii (Grand Imperial Mosque of Sultan Abdülmecid) in Istanbul, is situated at the waterside of the Ortaköy pier square, one of the most popular locations on the Bosphorus. The wide, high windows let the ever-changing light reflections of the Bosphorus shine in the mosque.”
MJ:
“The expansive, brilliant blue sky suggests infinite possibilities and endless hope; the suspension bridge in the background – an engineering marvel – signifies modernity and technology, while the beautiful mosque in the foreground serves as a reminder to always stay grounded in our faith.”
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We are grateful to all the participants for making this contest a pleasure to hold, with their beautiful submissions. Also, many thanks to the judges for their time, effort, and for donating prizes to be given away. Speaking of which, congratulations to Alia for winning a signed copy of Peter Sanders’ book, In the Shade of the Tree in our raffle draw!
If you missed out on all the action, don’t worry, as we hope to hold more of such contests in the future, God-willing. Feel free to contact us with suggestions for themes and collaborations.
In the mean time, Peace and Blessings of Allah to you all!
Let us welcome the freedom of the Kosovars from tyranny. Let us also thank the United States for ensuring that Kosovars are safe from human rights violations, at least for now. Kosova is also unique in some sense in that this majority Muslim population is pro-US. Much of the freedom struggle was funded by the Saudis- with support from US.
The Oil Factor
Given it’s shiny human rights record, history of war and occupation- it’s difficult to believe Washington’s commitment to democracy outside it’s own country. Their backing of Kosova has nothing to do with commitment to either democracy, freedom or human rights. You guessed it right- it’s about oil. Again. Continue reading
We feel angry and frustrated about the problems that the Ummah faces, and often complain about them. Nobody listens, which leads to yet more frustration.
But to complain alone is a mistake. To solve a problem, we must not stop at pointing it out. Rather, we should offer a solution and work on it. Thus the following is a humble attempt at offering such a solution, based on the advice found within the Qur’an and Sunnah.
The future of the Ummah? [Source: dlemieux]
Another exclusive Editor entry written for the readers of Ijtema. Sorry it’s been a while since the last one. Insha’Allah, we’ll try to be more regular in the future.
As Muslims, we believe in the power of prayer. That Allah hears our silent whispers; our pain-filled cries. Night or day. In public or in private. He hears us, and He helps us.
But sometimes we forget. Not even out of a sense of despair, but rather, due to a misunderstanding of the manner in which prayers are answered. Sometimes, we expect it all to be very black and white: you pray for a promotion, you get the promotion. You pray for a child, you’re granted a child.
But what happens when you don’t get what you want?
I don’t blame you for having a skewed image of me. Every day, it seems like there’s another story that undoubtedly affects your perception of the Muslim community. Whether it be the ridiculous response to offensive cartoons, or the nearly daily attacks that take place in our war-torn countries, it must be difficult for you not to think we’re just a little bit suspicious. The murder case here at home, which has dominated headlines this past week, certainly does not help our case.
I know that all of our condemning doesn’t change a thing. I’d like you to know how much I am sincerely saddened by what is happening. Whether or not our sister Aqsa was murdered for hijab or not is hardly even relevant to me; she was killed nonetheless, and this is something that cannot be accepted under any circumstances. Please don’t think we are lessening her death because the hijab link is, at best, tenuous. She was meant to be loved and cherished as any daughter should, and it pains us that we could not be there for her when she needed us.
I know, you’ve already read this. You’ve already heard us say how Islam means peace and that such actions have no place in Islam. I’ve heard you, when you sarcastically make mention of our “religion of peace”. You wonder how we can keep echoing this refrain, even when not a day goes by when this statement is not challenged. Continue reading
When Muslims outside in the West are asked what comes to their mind when hearing of Denmark, there is a big chance that they will refer to ”the Cartoon Crisis”. An incident that sparked outrage and political turmoil, finally putting Denmark on the world map and into globalization; ahead of famed Danish products like Hans Christian Andersen, Lurpak, and the giant philosopher, Søren Kierkegaard. (Oddly enough, his works are read only in small circles within Denmark, compared to other countries).
After the crisis, after the foreign media forgot all about us and we disappeared to our little andedam, many questions remained unanswered, and many of us were left soul-searching. Maybe it was best they left us alone and let the opportunity for the future PhDs to do all the analysis. However, it’s a shame and a mistake that the world left us alone; because if there is something we can export and be proud of, that would be how to integrate a large Muslim group (2 % of the population out of 5.4 millions) in a Western country.
During the crisis, it became clear that the Muslim population lacked the strong resources and organizations necessary to stand up to the media. Typically, those with strong resources are in the minority, and most of them leave the country as soon they get higher education, eventually settling down in England, Canada, Australia, and elsewhere. Despite that, the Muslims still managed to find spokespersons for their cause, with a few Imams taking the responsibility to speak on behalf of the community. Unfortunately, most of them lacked the understanding of the culture and social structure of their host country, and it did not help matters that the primary spokesperson had not yet mastered the Danish language.
One study showed that 80% of the Danish population has no daily contact with ethnic groups. In face of these challenges of integration, two Muslims sought to prove that you can be a Muslim, be integrated, and still be Danish. Both of these Muslims used different approaches, but ended with the same disappointing results.
The Earth was at the center of the universe. The movement of the stars above the moon decided the fate of the world below. This was the science of Aristotle.
The scholars of the new Islamic empire, established when the Roman Empire had given way to the Christian Byzantines, began to translate Greek books. They were astonished by the originality of the Greek sciences in measuring and determining the orbit of the stars. Whereas the Christians of that era had been extremely suspicious of such “pagan” texts, the Caliphate had been continuously absorbing books and sciences from Greece, Rome, Persia, India and else where, since the early days of its inception. During this time, the Greek sciences were subject to criticism and development; a process especially highlighted when they became difficult to reconcile with religion.
