Articles

VOICE OF THE MUSLIM YOUTH: DO WE BOTHER TO INTEGRATE?

published by Sajid Iqbal on 21 July, 2012 - 18:23
Author: 

Do young Muslims today like to mix and integrate with non-Muslims at college/uni, work and especially in their everyday life? Do young Muslims actually have close friends who are non-Muslims? Or do they prefer segregation? Do Muslims believe that non-Muslims don’t want to mix with them? Or do they have the view that most non-Muslims are racist/Islamophobic?

The Revival spoke to young Muslims across the UK to hear their views:

Mohib Ali, 25, High Wycombe

Do Muslims integrate with non-Muslims? Probably not as much as they should- apart from the ones who like to go for a good drink once in a while and can't really do that with Muslims!

Journey to the Centre of the Earth - Part 2

published by Ya'qub on 9 January, 2012 - 21:01
Author: 
Abdullah bin Islam

In I chronicled the first half of my journey. Now read on for the rest.

Arrival in Makkah

After a short interlude to drop our bags off at the hotel and decipher the a/c controls, we hurried along the crowded streets to the holiest site in Islam. When I try to remember it, the whole experience feels like a vivid dream.

Excitement had returned to my party, and brought with it shortness of breath and a slight tightening of the throat. We were all grinning like idiots, and were doing all we could to stop ourselves pushing and running towards our ultimate target.

There be Pirates in Somalia

published by You on 8 August, 2011 - 18:10
Author: 
Naheem Zaffar

We've all heard of Somalia and most of us will also have heard about the occasional pirate ship hijacking that happens off its coast. Everyone is also united in condemning the pirates for their piracy. Yes people, there are people off the coast of somalia, the pirates hijack the oil tankers and more, but is that the whole of it or is there more to it all?

Why are there are pirates in Somalia? What makes it the type of place where piracy can before rife?

Somalia is a place that has been without a functioning government for the best part of 20 years now and has been locked into almost constant conflict and violence between communities that live there.

Q & A on Fasting and Ramadan

published by Sajid Iqbal on 4 August, 2011 - 01:19

By Shaykh Salim Ghisa

1.When I fast I just get headaches and feel really rough; I thought fasting was suppose to make me get closer to God?

Fasting is a virtue which in physical terms means abstaining from food, drink and conjugal relations. As Allah says in the Quran ‘Oh Believers fasting has been prescribed for you as it was prescribed to those before you so that you may become pious’ (Quran - 2,183)

Revival Feast: Green Banana Curry

published by Sajid Iqbal on 2 August, 2011 - 00:25

Green Banana Curry

Yes, you heard it right… a BANANA Curry
Why not try a recipe of savoury bananas in a spiced coconut sauce for your Iftari?

Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 30 min
Serves: 4

Ingredients

5 green (under ripe) bananas
2-3 tbsp vegetable oil
1 onion, finely sliced
1 tbsp curry paste
400 ml coconut milk
3 tbsp chopped coriander

Method

1. Slice the bananas into slices 2.5cm thick.

2. Heat the oil in a deep frying pan and fry the banana slices in batches, until lightly browned on each side. Drain on kitchen paper.

3. Add the onion to the pan and cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until soft.

Revival Feast: White Chocolate and Berry Pavlova

published by Sajid Iqbal on 2 August, 2011 - 00:22
Author: 
Saadia Iqbal

White Chocolate and Berry Pavlova

The crisp meringue has a soft chewy interior and is topped with white chocolate, whipped cream and luscious selection of berries. Will go down a treat after a long hard fast.

Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 6 hrs, to 8 hours, leaving the meringue in the oven overnight
Serves: 8

Ingredients

For the meringue:
6 egg whites
200 g caster sugar
1 tsp corn flour

For the filling:
600 ml double cream
100 g white chocolate
125 g raspberries
50 g strawberries
50 g redcurrants
50 g mixed summer berries
25 g blueberries

Man Of All Time!

published by Sajid Iqbal on 1 August, 2011 - 17:27
Author: 
Sajid Iqbal

There is no other man who has influenced life for all times. There is no other man who is a perfect role model for all humans for all times. There is no other man who has given rights to people of every society for all times.
So who is it then?

Einstein, Darwin, Marx, Socrates, Newton, Plato, Freud… (who?).
OK, is it Jesus, Moses, Napoleon, Julius Caesar, Gandhi, Buddha, Lenin, Mussolini, Stalin, Churchill, Martin Luther King, Shakespeare, Princess Diana or Abraham Lincoln? Or even (God forbid) Ali G, Tu Pac, Michael Jackson or David Beckam?

The Revival's Guide to Ramadan

published by Sajid Iqbal on 1 August, 2011 - 17:12

By Alveena Salim & Sajid Iqbal

You mean you can’t eat ANYTHING? Not even drink water? Isn’t that like bad for you?”

Yep, when Muslims fast for the 30 days in the month of Ramadan from dawn till dusk they can’t eat or drink anything throughout Ramadan.
Fasting is not bad for your health, even Celebs occasionally fast (they call it “detox”), abstaining from food and drink cleans out your insides, gives your digestive system a rest and causes harmful chemicals to be flushed out of your system.(1)

30 whole days?! You’d die!

Ermm… No you wouldn’t. Muslims are required to fast from dawn to dusk. The fast begins just before dawn when Muslims eat a light meal (suhoor) and confirm their intention to fast for the day; the fast ends at sunset.

Q. Some people say women are not allowed to work? Is that true?

published by Sajid Iqbal on 1 August, 2011 - 16:58

By Shaykh Muhammad Salim Ghisa

A.

In the name of Allah the Most Beneficent and Merciful.

Allah has defined roles for men and women by looking at their strengths and weaknesses and assigning them with certain responsibilities. However, there is no where in the Shariah where there is a point blank refusal for women to work or for men not to do the household chores.
Both these duties are permissible and sometimes recommended depending on each of the situations.

What does Islam say about washing the body of the dead person?

published by Sajid Iqbal on 1 August, 2011 - 16:51
Author: 
Shaykh Muhammad Salim Ghisa

In the name of Allah the most beneficent and Merciful.

There are some acts in Islam which are known as Fard e Kifaaya meaning it is a communal obligation. Therefore if no one from the Muslim community did this then all would be major sinners and if some did do this then all would be relieved of that duty. Washing, shrouding and praying (Janaza prayer) is a communal obligation for a deceased Muslim man or woman.

It is obligatory upon Muslim men to wash the deceased Muslim man and it is obligatory upon Muslim women to wash a deceased Muslim woman.

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