We have the greatest pleasure in sharing Dawud Wharnsby's official tour in England of his latest creation, A Picnic of Poems, in Allah's Green Garden.

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

Trees4Life Campaign, an environmental initiative ran by British Muslim activists, has launched ‘Poetry in Motion - The Green Poetry Challenge 2011’. The project has added eco-value by fundraising to plant trees in Indonesia where Trees4Life has already established Earth saving plans.

The poetry competition is open to all creative writers and invites you to write a poem about the environment. This is in support of the "Green Burqettes", three Muslim women from Manchester who recently took part in the Fusion Rally {http://thefusionrally.com} epic 5-day drive from London to Andalusia to help raise money to plant trees in Indonesia.



There are 3 categories of entrants; adults, secondary age pupils and primary age pupils, who are being invited to take part in the poetry challenge to write a poem about the environment.

MUSLIMNESS invites you to participate in this poetry challenge and make a donation towards their drive in the chance to win a fantastic trip and plant a beautiful sapling tree - a good deed and sunnah in itself.

Just £5 enters you into the challenge and buys you a tree. All submissions will receive an e-Certificate of Plantation acknowledging the planting of the tree in Indonesia.



Prizes include a trip to Kew Gardens, donated by Shining Ummah Awards (part of the Creative Muslim Network).




CLOSING DATE: Friday 21st October 2011



For full terms and conditions, details of the prizes and how to register visit:

Support environmental action by donating on the Green Burqettes fundraising page, www.charitygiving.co.uk/greenburqettes. Join the Trees4Life poetry challenge Facebook events page.

Judges:
Abrar Hussain - Fusion Rally,
Ayman Raze - "Tawheed is Unity",
Naeem Darr - MDUK Media,
Shemiza Rashid - Creative Muslim Network.
More to be confirmed.


Sponsored by:
Islamic Travels and supported by
"Tawheed Is Unity", the Creative Muslim Network,
Shining Ummah Academy, YMWA, MWA, MDUK Media.

"Thanks for supporting the preservation of the Earth", Trees4Life Campaign Team.

More:
Can Muslims Be Buried At Sea?
Eco Muslim Blogs Make The www Greener
Recipe: Make Authentic Turkish Coffee Like A Native
Get 'Fit4Ramadan', The Fitness Program For Muslims
Plans For Cleaner Zam Zam Distribution In Madinah

Ramadan is here. It is the ninth month of the Islamic lunar calendar, when Muslims fast from dawn to dusk for a whole month.

The four benefits of fasting are self-restraint, knowledge, gratefulness and the ability to differentiate between right and wrong. Ramadan is also a time for community building and renewal. Fasting reinforces the bonds of brotherhood and sisterhood.

Families will gather Monday evening at local mosques to participate in prayer services.

"We fast a month, from sunrise to sundown. Ramadan teaches us humility and reminds us of the people today who are living in famine," said Muslim Anas Chraibi.

The Council of Islamic Organizations of Greater Chicago {www.ciogc.org} is a federation of more than 60 organizations, mosques, and schools representing the Muslim community. Monday, they focused on needed relief efforts for Somalia.

Civil wars have been ongoing for two decades in Somalia. The UN has officially declared the region as a drought and famine-stricken area. Close to 4 million people, including 2 million children, are suffering from this calamity of epic proportions. The council states that half a million children are at an imminent risk of dying and help is needed.

"How can we prevent something like this from happening and how can we provide a peaceful life for the Somali children? By giving them food. That is saying we prevent you from starving today. What about his or her life tomorrow and the years to come?" said Ifrah Magan of the East African Community Center.

"What is happening in Somalia is the worst humanitarian crisis in the world," said Rashid Issack of the American Refugee Committee.

The council also announced its Green Ramadan Initiative for the month, encouraging environmental awareness in issues such as water usage reduction, recycling, and decreasing carbon production.

"We are encouraging people to donate to people who are starving to death in Somalia and think of long-term solutions, to be green, to think about our environment," said the Council of Islamic Organizations of Greater Chicago's Zahar Sahloul.

The council has partnered with The Field Museum for a green Ramadan.

"We see a real opportunity here for Islam and the faith of Islam to tie their values and actions to addressing climate change," said Field Museum's Mario Longoni.

The hunger epidemic grows daily, damaging the health of children and rupturing the well being of families.

Ramadan is not only a time to build one's faith, it is also a time to build a stronger community. It is a time to be more charitable to others.

The Council of Islamic Organizations of Greater Chicago wants Muslims to remember this Ramadan, when you break your fast, to reflect on this blessing of having a warm meal every day and being able to live without the struggle to preserve a healthy environment for your families. It is a time to be generous and to remember that one person can make a difference.


Source: {ABC Local} | Theresa Gutierrez
(Copyright ©2011 WLS-TV/DT. All Rights Reserved.)

Attempting to eat better, feel healthy and exercise during Ramadan sounds like a monstrous feat. So ask yourself, do I want to stay fit enough to Fast, Pray, Work, and Study whilst fasting?

Gaining the blessings of Allah through Qur'an is step one to a healthy mind. The second step is maintaining a healthy body.

What is Fit4Ramadan?
Fit4Ramadan is the first web program launched to give Muslims a head-start to healthier fasting.

The training program was created from over 8 years of research in the health and fitness industry by personal trainer Imran Ilahi, a London based Muslim.

"I have developed a revolutionary new Fit4Ramadan Program, which is designed specifically to help busy Muslim men and women, students, business owners, and parents with young children, get the most effective results in the least amount of time in Ramadan." - Imran Ilahi

In defiance of "fad diets" and dubious advice, Imran Ilahi's program is scientifically proven and tested with inspiring results. The training begins by following a simple workout schedule before suhoor - the morning meal before each fast, and another workout after iftar, the second meal for opening the fast.

The Fit4Ramadan program boasts a host of additional benefits, including:

1. Improved energy to perform Tarawih prayer
2. Strengthening of muscles used for prayer
3. Controlling weight gain
4. Improving mind and body health
5. Reduced stress
6. Planning to help you live a healthier Ramadan
7. More personal productivity during Ramadan

Imran's personal mission is to improve the health and wellbeing of Muslims in Ramadan by teaching them the correct way to integrate manageable fitness methods into their Ramadan plan and daily lives. "My goal is to help 1 million Muslims around the world to get into the best shape of their lives", said Imran.

The success of Fit4Ramadan in the past, from television appearances to published articles, has boosted Imran Illahi's reputation as one of the UK’s most respected trainers.


Members who register for the program will also receive personalised advice. The free e-book available after registration is an information-packed 30 day fitness guide providing detailed guidance on meal planning, checking your nutritional intake, battling bad habits and strategic rewards - well, you have to reward yourself on `Eid don't you!

And the part MUSLIMNESS respects the most: 10% of the proceeds will go to charity. Masha'Allah, whatever Allah wishes.

"Achieve your goals. Get Fit4Ramadan. All you need to do is take action."


Register now to receive the awesome free Ramadan ebook:

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

From Green Prophet | By Tafline Laylin

From Masud.co.uk | By Imam al-Ghazali translated by Abdal-Hakim Murad

The 12-Step program was created by two alcoholics looking to recover from their addictions in a wholesome way by first admitting: powerlessness. As a Muslim when you submit to God you show that you cannot survive without Him, you depend on Him to help you to recover from whatever addiction is eating at you. Whether it be smoking, pornography, crime, theft or the internet, taking two minutes to read the following may just be the first step to quitting. For real.

Step 2 - Came to believe that a Power greater than ourselves could restore us to sanity
Step 3 - Made a decision to turn our will and our lives over to the care of God as we understood God
Step 4 - Made a searching and fearless moral inventory of ourselves
Step 5 - Admitted to God, to ourselves and to another human being the exact nature of our wrongs
Step 6 - Were entirely ready to have God remove all these defects of character
Step 7 - Humbly asked God to remove our shortcomings
Step 8 - Made a list of all persons we had harmed, and became willing to make amends to them all
Step 9 - Made direct amends to such people wherever possible, except when to do so would injure them or others
Step 10 - Continued to take personal inventory and when we were wrong promptly admitted it
Step 11 - Sought through prayer and meditation to improve our conscious contact with God as we understood God, praying only for knowledge of God's will for us and the power to carry that out
Step 12 - Having had a spiritual awakening as the result of these steps, we tried to carry this message to other addicts, and to practice these principles in all our affairs

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1. Increase dhikr (remembrance of Allah): "Those who believe, and whose hearts find satisfaction in the remembrance of Allah: for without doubt in the remembrance of Allah do hearts find satisfaction" (Qur'an, 13:28).

2. Increase prayers: "O you who believe! Seek assistance through patience and prayer; surely, Allah is with the patient" (Qur'an, 2:153). Regardless of the type of meditation, recent studies have verified the physiological effects of meditation. Most of those mediations consist in focusing on something, repeating some words and breathing (Greenberg, p.142, 143).

3. Perform wudhu (ablution): The most important component of relaxation is what Hans Loehr calls "the rituals of success." These rituals may be as simple as making ablution; yet, they must be performed properly for it is not enough to pass water on the body parts - those parts must be massed.

4. Ask for forgiveness: Even if a person has not done anything wrong, he must insure the forgiveness of Allah. "Then I said, 'Ask forgiveness of your Lord; surely, He is the most Forgiving'" (Qur'an, 71:10).

5. Recite the Qur'an: The Prophet ﷺ said, "... Qur'an is a remedy for illnesses of the mind" (Bukhari). "The echo of sound has a medical effect and is now widely utilized," says Dr. Greenberg. "The recitation of or listening to the Qur'an has an effect on the body, the heart and the mind! It is said that the letter Alif echoes to the heart and the letter Ya' to the pineal gland in the brain." Dr Ahmed El Kadi of Akber Clinic (Panama City, FL) conducted and published the effects of listening to Qur'anic recitation on physiological parameters (i.e., the heart, blood pressure, and muscle tension), and reported improvement in all factors, irrespective of whether the listener was a Muslim or a non-Muslim, Arab or non-Arab. Obviously, it can be postulated that those who understand and enjoy the recitation with a belief in it will get maximum benefits," writes Dr Athar.

6. Make the hereafter your main concern: The Prophet ﷺ said: "Whoever has the hereafter as his main concern, Allah will fill his heart with a feeling of richness and independence; he will be focused and feel content, and this world will come to him in spite of it. Whoever has this world as his main concern, Allah will cause him to feel constant fear of poverty; he will be distracted and unfocused, and he will have nothing of this world except what was already predestined for him". One of the greatest causes of stress is money - how to pay the loans, whether one's job will be lost, what will happen to the family if the father dies, etc.

7. Think positively: Muslims should forget about the bad things of the past and think of good things, always having hope that he can be better. Trying to change the past is a foolish and crazy waste of time, "for saying 'if only...'opens the way to Shaytan". The Prophet ﷺ also said, "Know that victory (achievement) comes through patience, and that ease comes through hardship." Muslims understand that there's no reason for panic in the case of crisis - no reason to be distressed or worried for we know that after hardship come ease!

8. Do not waste time on thoughts of fear or stress: "The search of time is one of the most frequent causes of stress" (Seyle, p.102). Laziness is the mother of all evils, and the Prophet ﷺ used to seek refuge in Allah from it. Understanding that this life is short and time precious, Muslims should try to work hard and pursue worthy knowledge (Munajjid).


References
1.Athar, Shahid, MD. "Modern Stress and Its Cure From Qur'an." www.islam-usa.com.
2.Greenberg, Jerrold S. CSM = Comprehensive Stress Management. WCB: McGraw-Hill. 1999.
3.Munajjid, Sheik Muhammad. Book of Sheikh Muhammed Salih Al-Munajjid: Dealing with Stress and Worries.
4.Sahih Bukhari.
5.Seyle, Hans. The Stress Without Distress. N.Y.: Lippincott. 1974.
6.Shakir Translation. Holy Qur'an
Source: Islamonline.net

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