Hot new stuff, Muslim Quarterly is the first magazine exclusively for Muslim men.

In the aims of addressing challenges faced today, Muslim Quarterly is a male-orientated publication for the American Muslim man. We saw an absence of the magazine for a while, which Editor-in-Chief Omar Haq explained was because the team worked towards defining its unique identity.

Muslim Quarterly is back, with a culturally sleek and broader depth. It arrived on my desk in October, shrink-wrapped in opaque plastic and ready for a woman's critique.

The magazine is published four times a year, giving rise to its name, and explores areas that are typically a man's arena. Sexual appetite, budget spending on the other half, and easy cooking for the laid back bachelor.

A great shot of American Muslim comedian Ali Ardekani made the front cover of the latest issue, accompanied by fellow Alis - finalist of HBO's Lucky 21 Comedy Festival, Asif Ali, and one half of the 30Mosques duo, Aman Ali. The three Alis give an candid interview of how they got into performing. It's one of the better parts of the magazine.

Designed by Nazia Sharif, MQ is based in Chicago and backed by an experienced team of writers. The first issue of MQ launched in 2009, dedicated to Ramadan with nutritional guides, lessons on control and an interview with Muslim 'celebrity' Omar Regan.

A weaker area is in the multiple full page spreads of men modelling contemporary Muslim fashion. I understand and appreciate advertising spaces but ten pages, six of which make up the first section, dominate the entire magazine. On that note, a power-fist-in-air gesture to Lomar Thobe for their clothing line.

The magazine itself covers an increasingly interesting range of topics, not that dissimilar to a popular science or health publication. Algerian Chef Muhammad Benabdelmalek writes about aphrodisiac food groups, categorising them by their uses and nutritional value and referencing Islamic texts.

Following fruity concoctions and Arab inspired recipes, we see a spectacular feature of Egyptian Kickboxing Champion, Khaled Fahim. Sharing his training routine and athletic family background, I go on to flip a page where Khaled Fahim is shown with his leg in mid-air in an almost horizontal split. As a Muslim woman I think two thoughts: A and E. Awra exposure.

Women writers have the marital columns with great gift-giving tips for husbands and signs that a guy is having an 'emotional affair': sharing more personal information with female co-workers, hiding new friendships, "innocent" online and text flirting, and relaying fantasies about another woman. It's valuable information and a slap in the face for Muslims everywhere.

Here's the winning quality of MQ, it actually provides solutions to such pitfalls and instead of side-stepping the issues, seems to say, Muslims can make mistakes, they are human, but this is how to stop it recurring. Excellent.

Our favourite Muslim dude blogger, Halim Naeem has an informative advisory piece for single Muslim men on successfully finding a wife, and eating your wedding cake too. His personal marriage experience is clearly translated into his 'internet or intersex?' chapter. He says,

"How you find a wife is just as important and where you find her. Brothers, we have to make sure we are approaching potential woman with as much respect for them as we would have for ourselves".

I hear myself chiming, ame(e)n. Halim Naeem is engaging, he's being 'real' when analysing the process behind online matrimonial sites and he seems to know what he's talking about.

A surprisingly good read is an article on sickle cell disease around the world and its implications for a marriage. More on love, marriage fashion and wedding traditions can be found in MQ, which I suspect will be a focal point for all future publications, for who doesn't love a good dig at the Muslim marriage scene?

In light of current magazines for Muslim audiences, Muslim Quarterly is heavily reliant on Quranic verses and traditions narrated from Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him. With the technological driven lifestyles of American Muslims, and indeed Muslims from around the world, MQ shares a concern to bring Muslims back to the roots of understanding faith, mental health and who they are - not who they're supposed to be.

Subscribe to {Muslim Quarterly}.

In Ramadan this year, the first ever Muslim call to prayer (adhan) was communicated in British Sign Language (BSL) on British television.

The prayer call was broadcasted on the digital television channel Ramadan TV, a project of Canadian organisation Mercy Mission. The signing in the video was communicated by Al-Isharah, one of Britain's first centres for the Muslim deaf community. Al-Isharah provide professional resources to cultivate a holistic celebration of Muslim diversity in the United Kingdom.

Al-Isharah (الإشارة), Arabic for 'the sign' or 'signal', has built a reputation on firsts. It was the first organisation to introduce British sign language mosque sermons (khutbahs) for the East London mosque in 2009, extending across England; it helped create the first information signing video on forced marriages by Scottish organisation Isharah; Al-Isharah is the first to provide Umrah pilgrimage trips catered to deaf Muslims.

The Muslim call to prayer (adhan) is an Islamic tradition beginning from when Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) chose the African Bilal ibn Rabah al-Habashi, a freed slave, to invite the community to pray. Traditionally called in Arabic, the invitation reads,

"God is Great, God is Greater.
I testify that there is no god except the One God (Allah).
I testify that Muhammad is God's Messenger,
Come to prayer, come to worship.
Come to success."

Another first in the sign language adhan shows the need for resources and inclusivity for deaf Muslims.


Link to video {http://youtu.be/YjKiN34u7YE}



More:
Deaf Muslims Set Sights on ASL Qur'an
Video: Muslim Signers Answer 'What Is Islam?'
"I'm Blind, But I'm A Qur'an Hafidh"

Born to a Muslim family but raised as a Hindu, 'My Name Is Khan' actor Shahrukh Khan shares his childhood memories of Eid with family.

The video, in Hindi, has a brief transcript below.


Link to video {http://youtu.be/0CHmkxyg6s8}

"You can all come to mine, at 6 we'll pray! And we'll make a du`a for everyone's well being and freedom.

When I was younger we used to attend the Eid namaz (prayer, Farsi/Hindi). It's unfortunate that I haven't been able to attend the prayers here in Bombay, so I pray at home or with friends.

I have two strong memories for Eid; once after filming, we were in the Egyptian desert (singing a song!) and it was the Eid celebrations. Absolutely nobody was in the desert, for 100km it was deserted. There were just 50 of us and we gathered to pray Eid salah there.

I also remember when my father and uncle took me on a 2 wheeler, and our sandals would get stolen or lost. We used to go for the Eid festival in south Delhi, my father would take me, and that is really important because as I get older I hope to take my son."

Image {flickr}

More:
My Name Is Khan Movie Review
Imam Zaid Shakir's Eid Message
Is Eid the Muslim Christmas?

Matthew Naim Abdullah, an environmental activist from California writes during Ramadan about why the proposed Keystone XL oil pipeline is a bad idea.

It is nearing the onset of sunset in San Diego, California – an idyllic suburb in many respects, although mere kilometers away from a Mexican border that is wracked with blood, sweat, and tears. The Islamic maghrib prayer will occur soon, and dutiful Muslims arrive hungry and tired for one of the final nights of Ramadan, a time for spiritual contemplation and self-purification.

Some will spend the time sleeping and praying for redemption in their preferred mosque. Some will gorge on high-cholesterol Middle Eastern food, and consequently endure abdominal pain and insomnia most of the night. Others will simply spend quality time with their families.

My path is a little different, however, as I will most likely spend the last day or two of Ramadan in jail.

Over the next few days, I will travel to Washington DC to participate in the Tar Sands Action {tarsandaction.org}, a nonviolent civil disobedience gathering in front of the White House to protest the proposed Keystone XL oil pipeline, repping individuals from all 50 states and all walks of life.

Muslims from around the world are aware of the insidious effects of oil and other fossil fuels on our daily lives. Gulf states regularly exploit workers from South Asia in their pursuit of hyper-industrial development, air pollution ravages nations such as Egypt and Iran, and African resources such as the Niger delta have been systematically raped and pillaged by post-colonial powers and multinational corporations.

These woes are precisely why many wince when they hear about this pipeline, which will purportedly run from Alberta, Canada all the way to refineries on the Gulf Coast of Texas, criss-crossing through multiple Midwest regions on the way there. If you take a look at the map on the aforementioned link, it rivals the transcontinental railroad in all its megalomaniacal glory.

Sadly, the Obama administration shows no sign of withstanding the onslaught of energy lobbyists salivating over this pipeline. According to the New York Times, the State Department just released a report concluding that the pipeline would exert only minimal environmental effects.

Never mind that the report minimizes - that is, completely ignores, the effects of the pipeline on carbon emissions, which will be so nasty that they will ‘essentially [spell] game over for the climate,” according to the world’s top climatologist James Hansen. Never mind that the pipeline runs straight through the Ogallala Aquifer - one of the largest freshwater reserves in the world - as well as the Yellowstone River and fragile ecosystems such as the Nebraska Sandhills. Never mind that yet another oil pipeline will further obstruct our ability to move towards a clean-energy economy. Not like we were moving in the first place. We didn’t even get a climate bill.

As Muslims, we are required to stand up to injustice wherever we see it - with our hearts, our bodies, and our minds. 

This remains true whether we are struggling against oppressors in Egypt or Libya, or whether we are fighting for policy reforms in the United States that will have transnational effects on poor and marginalized populations. The Qur’an reminds us that we need to ‘strive hard’ against the actions of ungrateful and two-faced entities that value private gain over public welfare (9:73). In addition, the sacred book states that our civil struggles are a necessary sociological phenomenon if we wish to avoid the physical or moral corruption of all people. As the brilliant Qur'an translator Muhammad Asad noted,

“….if God had not enabled people to defend themselves against one another, corruption would surely overwhelm the earth.“  (Qur'an, 2:251).

As young people, we will all suffer from the hazards of climate change, no matter what we adhere to in terms of religion, ethnoracial identity, or socioeconomic standing. If we as Muslims wish to provide a vital contribution to global movements such as climate justice, we need to reduce the fragmentation, insularity, and often-cynical identity politics seen in many of our communities and civil society organizations. Yes, we encounter struggles against discrimination and alienation, many of us almost daily. But let’s not let issues such as Islamophobia divert us entirely from our participation in movements such as climate change, which require the attention of our entire world.

And we do have reason to participate in efforts such as the Tar Sands Action, as our communities around the world will be affected. Not all Muslim groups around the world respond to climate collapse in a civil or peaceful way, as we have seen from the genocidal massacre related to resource conflicts in the Darfur region.  In fact, they might respond in a much more violent and reactionary manner. And in an era where resource-related conflicts will be exploited by wealthy special interests, war profiteers and corporate media outlets might realize that they have much to gain by creating a caricature of ‘eco-terrorist Muslims’ as evil villains. This could potentially cause scapegoat-like rage against the Muslim world, with elite land grabs and Great Game-like wargames expressed as euphemisms such as international ‘interventions’ and local ‘security incidents.’

However, there is reason for hope. Our Arab Spring brothers and sisters overseas have singlehandedly taken down decades-long dictators such as Ben Ali, Mubarak, and Gaddafi, mostly through civil and non-aggressive means on their part. Therefore, this vibrant revolutionary environment in the Arab Spring nations serves as the perfect opportunity for us to affirm the civil and peaceful principles that will guide future climate justice efforts in Muslim-majority societies. Hopefully, we can then begin to push the tide towards peaceful protests and international solidarity, rather than towards reactionary violence and balkanization.

Ramadan arrived, and it has left us. Many words have been spoken about the value of putting faith into action, but it is now time for action itself - which is why I will be joining over 2000 individuals at the White House this week to make a stance.

{Tar Sands Action}

By Matthew Naim Abdullah, an environmental and political activist from California.

Image:: flickr

Londoners share their experiences of Ramadan in the cultural melting pot that is London, on the Radical Middle Way blog. Do you have a Ramadan story, photo or video to share? View more stories and submit yours at {http://ramadaniyyat.tumblr.com}


Link to video {http://youtu.be/2vYblAlBacw}

Image: flickr

"LIKE: Facebook.com/RadicalMiddleWay
The Ramadan blog: http://ramadaniyyat.tumblr.com/

Does it sometimes feel like you are constantly racing, while life passes by in a blur? There are natural ways to avoid this stress.

Rising blood pressure, muscular tension, fraying nerves, trouble sleeping and killer migraines, does this sound like your life? Well, stress is a killer and in today’s modern age we seem to be willing to accept it as a normal part of our lives, especially here in the Middle East where life wouldn’t be complete without it.

It doesn’t have to be part of your daily existence though; there is a natural way of getting rid of stress so you can avoid all the side effects that go with it. Just as much as you can get rid of migraines naturally, there are some simple keys to avoiding stress. Read on for our tips.

1. Cut down on the coffee – So that cup of coffee in the morning is the only thing that gets you out of bed in the morning, still it should not take the place of any of the major food groups. Caffeine and sugar bring about the release of stress hormones and pump up adrenaline to keep you on your toes, but too much can cause damage. Logically speaking, if you are constantly jazzed by coffee, your body does not have the time to unwind, and you may find yourself anxious and depressed.

2. Exercise – This is the next step and before you try thinking about where you can fit it into your busy schedule, just remember, even a 5-minute walk is beneficial. Doing some form of exercise or sport loosens muscles and releases endorphins which promote a relaxed feeling. If this isn’t enough, it also improves blood circulation which increases brain activity.


3. Stretch and sing – If you insist that exercise doesn’t fit into your daily routine, the very least you can do for your muscles is stretch. Stretching releases cramped muscles and allows your body to relax for those few moments.

Strange as it may seem, singing gives you a larger intake of oxygen which your body needs to help you relax. Stress usually makes people breathe shallow breaths so singing encourages breathing deeply which allows you to calm down.

Just relax – It is as simple as that. Take relaxation off your list of things-to-do-that-I-don’t-have-time-for, and put it in your life. Actually schedule 15 minutes a day for yourself to relax. Whether it means taking a walk, listening to music, painting or gardening, escaping for a few minutes is beneficial. It gives you a chance to focus on something else, giving your mind a break from your stress-related issues.

5. Soothing oils – At the end of the day give yourself the luxury of a bath or a hot shower and instead of rushing through like you are racing, take your time and let the heat ease the tension in your muscles.

Then try adding lavender or lemon balm oils. These oils are used in aromatherapy for good reason, they impact nervous tension. Try adding it to your bath water, or rubbing some on your skin after your shower.

6. Cup of tea – If oils aren’t really your cup of tea, you might try drinking herbs, an actual cup of tea. Instead of having another cup of coffee, get yourself a cup of herbal tea (also great during pregnancy), which doesn’t have any of the caffeine which keeps your body so wired. The simple act of taking a minute away from your desk, gives you a chance to concentrate on something else, which is in itself a relief.

It is a new lesson for us to learn in this life with a crazy pace. We need to learn how to switch off and relax. This doesn’t mean pretending to read while your mind is really going over your list of things to do tomorrow, it means actually relaxing. It might seem like a small, step to take, but the impacts of a stress-low life are far reaching, so it is worth while trying to incorporate some of these easy steps into your daily life.

Image: flickr

From Green Prophet | Naomi Ben-David

Journey to Mecca is an IMAX® dramatic and award winning documentary feature that tells the amazing story of Ibn Battuta, the greatest explorer of the Old World, following his first pilgrimage between 1325 and 1326 from Tangier to Mecca.

His perilous journey resonates with adventure while presenting an unforgettable picture of Islamic civilization during the 14th century, culminating with Ibn Battuta's first Hajj. The story is book-ended by a close-up look at the contemporary Hajj, a pilgrimage to Mecca that draws three million Muslims from around the world.


Link to video: {http://youtu.be/C9zee0ka-2Q}

After receiving great acclaim, Journey to Mecca has played in theatres around the globe including a grand opening in Birmingham, UK and Chicago.

Journey to Mecca is coming to New York on August 20th, 2011 and Melbourne on September 1st, 2011. {www.imaxmelbourne.com.au}

Interested in hosting Journey to Mecca in your city? Want to help give students a chance to see the film? Get in touch: e | jtm@skfilms.ca

In May, the world’s most wanted man, Osama bin Laden, was laid to rest somewhere in the Arabian sea, which some are calling the ultimate green burial. US officials told news agencies the sea burial followed Islamic customs. Bin Laden’s body was ritually washed, shrouded in a plain white sheet and placed in a weighted bag. Arabic prayers were said over the body, which was then tilted off a flat board from the deck of the USS aircraft carrier Carl Vinson and allowed to slide off into the sea.

While there is no strict time frame for Muslim burials, senior US officials focused on disposing the body within 24 hours, out of respect for the Muslim community, and the decomposing process. This 24-hour rule was not applied for Uday and Qusay Hussein – sons of Iraqi leader Saddam – when in 2003 U.S forces preserved their bodies for 11 days through embalmment.

Since the death Muslim scholars have issued statements for and against sea burials and the ethics behind the mystery of a watery grave.

Egyptian lawyer Montasser el-Zayat said Bin Laden’s sea burial was designed to prevent his grave from becoming a shrine or “a symbol”.


In Islamic tradition, sea burials can be allowed but only in extraordinary cases where the death occurs aboard a ship that is a “long distance from land”. Shiite cleric Ibrahim al-Jabari spoke out that if the death occurs on land, the person “should be buried in the ground… Otherwise this would only be inviting fish to a banquet.”

Sheikh Ahmed al-Tayeb (left) of Egypt’s al-Azhar also condemned the sea burial of Osama bin Laden for being unethical. (Presstv.ir)

How Muslims Bury The Deceased

On land –
Like Jewish burials, the Muslim funeral rites are simple and to the point. Out of respect for the dead cremations are not allowed. Muslims believe the lifeless body still ‘feels’ and will be brought back to life whole. In Islamic teaching the earth and sea are clean burial sites that do not prerequisite elaborate markings or coffins.

• Close family members close the eyes of the deceased and carry out a ritual ablution called ‘ghusl’ – purifying the body thrice with water and perfume.
• The body is wrapped completely with clean sheets, preferably white, known as a ‘kaffan’, similar to coffin.
• Those present make a du`a – an Islamic prayer – and perform ‘salat-ul janazah’, a unique prayer in Arabic for the departed soul.
• The wrapped body is then lowered on its right side into a grave, usually without a box coffin and facing the direction of Makkah. The dug earth covers the grave and a small stone is placed at the head to mark the grave. Earth to earth, dust to dust.

In the sea –
The difference between an earth and sea burial is only in the final resting place. In the words of alislam.org, the shrouded body should be lowered into the water “in a vessel of clay or with a weight tied to its feet”.

If a person dies on a ship and there is no risk of decay, the body is retained on board to be buried in the ground after reaching land. Otherwise, after the Muslim rites are performed, the body is lowered into the sea as far as possible to avoid being disturbed by the sea predators.

Green to the end – the environmental impact of burials

• Water pollution is one of the most commonly cited problems of large cemeteries. As remains are converted to minerals the drainage shifts although drinking sources are not affected negatively.
• Any infective viruses in the deceased can be isolated by surrounding plants. Placing plants with intricate root systems around burial sites is a productive and beautiful way to pull viruses from the soil and counter soil and water contamination, which restricts the movement of microorganisms through the soil.
• If you considered a cremation remember that is uses substantial amounts of energy and fuel, as well as expelling carbon dioxide into the atmosphere – a potent greenhouse gas.
• Sea burials degrade at a slower rate due to the oxygen levels and cooler temperatures.

With the help of natural microbial processes and corrosion, even an eco-coffin made from recycled material will eventually break down into its basic natural elements.

Osama bin Laden’s sea burial is technically eco-friendly but the decision behind it was more politically driven. Akbar Ahmed, the chairman of the Islamic studies department at American University, told the New York Times that sea burial prevented Bin Laden’s resting place from becoming a “powerful shrine”.

“If they allowed Osama bin Laden to be buried in Pakistan, his followers would… plant flowers, and women will say the shrine has healing powers, especially among the uneducated. His myth would continue to grow.”

For Muslims, both land and sea burials are means of connecting with nature: a returning to the original source of organic matter. Although sea burials have minimal environmental impact, every burial method has some contribution to the Earth’s equilibrium.

From Green Prophet | Zaufishan

This past Sunday, officials in Madinah released a statement on plans to install a new Zam Zam water project.

Historically preserved as a sacred life source in neighbouring city Makkah, the Zam Zam water well was recently under scientific investigation for arsenic contamination.

A BBC report found the water to be “unsafe for human consumption”, stating that large amounts and regular intakes could pose a serious health risk – including cancer.

In Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, Water and Electricity Minister Abdullah Al-Hussayen disclosed his ministry’s plans to create a Zam Zam water distribution project. This will be established near the Prophet Muhammad’s Mosque (masjid Nabawi) in Madinah, providing an easy access for Hajj pilgrims and travellers.

The automatic Zam Zam water distribution system is networked from a central warehouse, part of King Abdullah’s SR700 million (a little over £117m) Zam Zam Water Project.

“Tenders to implement the project will be opened within two weeks,” said Abdullah Al-Hussayen after opening the water distribution system.

A total of 42 water outlets have been set up for the holy water to be distributed daily. The minister told reporters it would meet the requirements of Muslims pilgrims who come for both Hajj and Umrah. Issues of the arsenic contamination and health risks however, still linger.

The water will be bottled directly from a bottling factory and routed to the main warehouse that can accommodate up to 1.5 million bottles at a time. Then, the bottles are supplied automatically to the distribution outlets which will work 24 hours daily and seven days a week.

Limited information has been disclosed at this stage about what officials will do to ensure the water is not a health risk and contamination proof. Reassuring news agencies about any hygiene concerns, the minister said, “We’ll make sure that all Zam Zam water bottles are filled and closed in a hygienic manner.”

“We have set up a special area for wrapping Zam Zam water cans and bottles for pilgrims to carry them safely while traveling to their home countries by plane,” the minister said.

The topic of sacred land and water is a passionate and sensitive one for Muslim communities. Fortunately, the new water system may ease some alarm surrounding the drinking risks and demonstrate true environmental activism from one of the holiest cities.

We hope the bottles are recyclable.

Image: flickr

From Green Prophet | 27th June 2011 | Zaufishan

Quraishi's app, 365muslim, is available free on 4G iPhones, iPads and iPod Touches and soon will be available for Android phones.

Amanda Quraishi wants to assure you that downloading 365muslim, her new smart phone application, will not cause you to be "converted, indoctrinated, hypnotized, browbeat, jihad-ed, or added to an FBI watch list."

Well, she might not be able to guarantee the last one, but Quraishi's disclaimer on the Web site promoting the app captures both her relentless humor and some people's troubling perceptions of Islam.

That's part of the reason the Austin social media maven designed the app, which provides daily facts about Islam, including passages from the Quran, sayings from the prophet Muhammad, explanations of Muslim words, traditions and beliefs and historical anecdotes.

An example: "Prophet Muhammad said, ‘There is no man who kills even a sparrow or anything smaller without its deserving it, but Allah will question him about it on the judgment day.' Yes that means the spider on your windshield, too!"

Users of 365muslim, available for free on 4G iPhones, iPads and iPod Touches and in the works for Android phones, can mark and save favorite facts and share them on Facebook.

Quraishi is all too familiar with the Web sites and emails that disseminate skewed information about her religion. (Most of us have received warnings in our inbox about the Muslim plot to take over the world.) It seems nearly everything related to the planet's second-largest faith is somehow tainted by suspicion.

The 37-year-old Web administrator can't help but chuckle when she hears the conspiracy theories. Muslims, she likes to joke, are far too disorganized to hatch such a scheme.

Amanda Quraishi converted to Islam in 1999

But she knows these ideas can do real damage. Most people, she says, are willing to give Muslims the benefit of the doubt, but they are understandably concerned by what they hear and often don't have accurate information about Islam.

She scoured the App Store on her iPhone for Muslim content. She found Islamic quizzes and a prayer time app, complete with a compass that orients the user toward Mecca, but she found nothing in the way of educating non-Muslims about Islam.

"For a lot of Westerners, Islam can seem really intimidating," she says.

Because there's no central authority in Islam, many people don't know where to go for information. And often, Quraishi says, they are afraid of asking Muslims questions for fear of offending them.

Though the app speaks for itself, any attempt to describe Quraishi, an irreverent, wickedly funny mother of 8-year-old twins, is sure to fall short.

In a conciliatory letter to conservative women on one of her blogs, Quraishi labeled herself as a "Flaming Liberal Progressive Muslim-American Feminist." But that's just a sliver of "The Q," as she's known online. She's helped start companies and nonprofits and participated in a documentary about Muslim women.

A passionate supporter of interfaith dialogue, she contributes to a Jewish blog and last month took a job as Web and database administrator at the Catholic-founded charity Mobile Loaves & Fishes, which delivers food, clothing and comfort to people on the streets.

"Why would I not want to spend my time doing something worthwhile with people who have the same kind of vision for the world?" she said.

"So rather than argue with people who simply want to believe that Muslims are all violent, misogynistic, religious lunatics I thought the best thing to do would be to communicate genuinely with with moderate, intelligent folks who really want to get to know more about us. That’s when I came up with the idea of a smartphone app that serves up a daily fact about Muslims and Islam in an engaging and entertaining way." - 365Muslim.com

Her Facebook page is jammed with links to news stories, amusing photos and her own sardonic commentary on everything from motherhood to world affairs. As of this week, she has 1,201 friends. Her Twitter persona, @ImtheQ, draws 8,000 followers. She was one of 25 winners of the American-Statesman's Texas Social Media Awards this year.

She loves talking about religion but says she doesn't have an agenda.

Raised a Jehovah's Witness, she understands the implications of spreading the word. That's not her thing. She's a student of the world's religions and sees truth and wisdom in all expressions of faith. Some people cry at weddings. Quraishi cries at church services. Religion, she says, moves her.

She said she chose Islam in 1999 because the Quran made sense and helped her to focus on family, community and charity. In Islam she found a progressive, social justice-centered religion — quite the opposite of its current image. She regrets that with all the talk of terrorism and politics, the deeply spiritual aspects of Islam are overlooked.

"(People) always want to know what you're wearin' and whether you want to blow something up," she says with a half-grin.

This is why Adam Black, Web strategist and Jewish studies doctoral student who got to know Quraishi through Twitter, is happy his friend created 365muslim.

The app, he told me in an email, "helps combat the very human tendency to mistrust the Other."

Or, as Quraishi writes on her site,

"After using 365muslim, you may even be able to rest easy at night, knowing that that Muslim family who lives on your block isn't building WMDs or planning to subjugate you into wearing burkas and stone your adulterous relatives." - 365Muslim.com

But underneath the veil of humor lies Quraishi's sincere desire for interfaith understanding, the motivation for developing an app on Islam for non-Muslims.

"It may not inspire them," she said, "but at least they will see why it inspires someone else."

Download the 365Muslim app from iTunes
Follow The Q: http://amandaquraishi.com

Images: Amanda Quraishi

From The Statesman | June 3rd 2011 | Eileen Flynn, commentary. Eileen blogs at eileenflynn.wordpress.com.

From Green Prophet | By Tafline Laylin

The Tumblr blog Muslims Wearing Things was launched as a reaction to former NPR analyst Juan Willams saying he has an irrational fear and gets nervous when he sees people in Muslim garb on planes. Apparently, he thought you can identify Muslims on what they look like. Tut, tut, little does he know. This indifferent but brilliant blog posts daily photos of Muslims wearing all sorts of things in an attempt to refute that there is such a thing as "Muslim garb" or a Muslim look. (Muslim women included here, because I'm biased).



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'More Cult', Arabic Inspired Muslim Clothing
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By The Misanthrope  ★ www.Muslimness.com | Share & Subscribe to the Kingdom of Muslim Blogs