Classic Comic: Backbiting is Bad for Them, But Worse for You

Asalamu Alaikum ya'll,

Sorry, but I couldn't make a brand new comic today. I'm studying for an exam, which is taking up much of my life right now. So I decided to use an old comic I made a number of years ago on good ol' Microsoft Paint. I was planning on making a comic on the same topic anyway, but was hoping to address it in a more relevant way.
The point either way is that backbiting hurts the people you are talking about, but is worse for you. If Allah wasn't so just and made backbiting such a detrimental sin, I can only imagine how much I would do it. It's sometimes so tempting, especially something as common as making fun of your teachers, or that kid in your class who is such an easy target for jokes.

The worst thing about backbiting in my opinion, is that once someone tells you something unpleasant about someone, it is so hard not to judge that person, even if  it's unlikely to be true. There are quite a few people who were really nice when I met them, but after someone tells me a rumor about them, it's hard to take it out of my head and recognize the good qualities these people showed me when I first met them. It's just not fair to do this to someone, especially when they are not there to defend themselves.

That is why Allah says in the Quran, "O you who have believed, avoid much [negative] assumption. Indeed, some assumption is sin. And do not spy or backbite each other. Would one of you like to eat the flesh of his brother when dead? You would detest it. And fear Allah ; indeed, Allah is Accepting of repentance and Merciful." Allah compares backbiting to eating the flesh of your dead brother to emphasize how disgusting this act is. So let's catch ourselves next time we find ourselves badmouthing someone behind their back and say something good instead. It'll make you feel better, insha'Allah (God willing).

The Need for Muslim Women Leaders

A few years ago, my college's Muslim Student's Association was planning an event on women in Islam. We were looking to invite a female speaker, because it kinda makes sense for a Muslim women to talk about women in Islam. But it was so hard to find anyone! There were hardly any female Islamic speakers we knew from the top of our heads like we know Yasir Qadhi or Hamza Yusuf. I asked sisters for help, but they seemed as clueless as I was. We ended up choosing one of the few female speakers we could find on Youtube. She did well presenting the topic, but had a hard time answering some tough questions, because she didn't have a formal education in Islam. It made me wonder why we were in a situation where Muslim woman leaders are so hard to find. Is it because there are a lack of them, or because they are not in the spotlight? I can think of a few more female Muslim speakers who have gained some prominence since then, who I would have loved to have invited to the event, but they are still a tiny minority.

It may seem trivial, but I think it's an issue worth highlighting. Our sisters in Islam are an amazing resource we are missing out on. We need role models for our young sisters to look up to and emulate. Sisters AND brothers need to understand certain issues from a woman's perspective. When men try to speak for women, they aren't always accurate. There were so many stereotypes about women I learned from male speakers, that I only realized were not true until I was married. I was like "What?! You're not like that?!"... ok it wasn't that bad.

Why Government Snooping of Muslims Is Bad for Non-Muslims

       Click the picture to proceed

Cant see the comic? Click here: https://picasaweb.google.com/111692177401409132923/Freedom?authuser=0&feat=directlink

This is where the jet pack reference is from: An Unbalanced Lifestyle
   
       I got the idea for this comic after listening to a speech by Cyrus McGoldrick at an NYIT MSA event. He said something that really changed the way I looked at these recent laws that give the United States government more power to monitor and detain Americans. He said, from what I understand, to not be fooled into thinking that this is happening because of some war against Islam, but that Muslims are being used as an excuse to give the government more power over all people.
       I don't know how true it is, but it made me think about how I would feel if my conversations were being monitored. How would you feel if someone was reading the text messages you send your spouse? How would you feel if the friend you made at the mosque turns out to be a spy that has been recording your conversations for months? I don't know how bad it has gotten, but there is some evidence to show that even normal people like you and me are not exempt from being monitored.