How People Treated Me, A Muslim New Yorker, After 9/11

Everyone seems to remember where they were on September the 11th.  I remember my school bus stopped at a point where we could see the New York City skyline. The towers were missing and in its place was smoke that lasted for days. The bus driver mentioned that he heard that the people who did it were Palestinian and that they were dancing in celebration of the attacks. A girl in the next seat mentioned to her friend that she learned in school that Muslims believe they will go to heaven if they die as martyrs. I quickly corrected her, telling her that Muslims are not allowed to injure innocent civilians, even in war. I made dua to Allah, asking Him to please not make the people who did this Muslim. But subhanAllah (Glory be to God), Allah knows what is best for us and we are limited in our knowledge. 

 My brothers and I didn't go to school the next day, because my parents were worried about how people would treat Muslims. We didn't know what to expect. People never even heard of Islam before this and these attacks weren't the best introduction to a blank slate. 

When I finally came back to school, everyone treated me...

Basketball Blunders Part 1

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This is something I see often, so I thought I'd make a comic about it. How it usually goes is that a bunch of brothers come together to play sports and have fun. What ends up happening is that it becomes a battle of egos where few feel good by the time the game is over.

 There are a few characters that you consistently see in this situation. Most notably,

Ramadan Mubarak From Cartoon Muhammad! Plus Some Beneficial Ramadan Initiatives

Asalamu Alaikum everyone!

I'm really excited that Ramadan is finally here! The time of fasting, reading Quran, extra praying and more all for the sake of Allah. Since Ramadan is such a blessed time let's not waste it. Here are a few cool initiatives just for Ramadan. If you know of any others, let me know in the comments section and I'll add it to this list inshAllah.

• The Ramadan Tafseer Series by Sheikh Abdul Nasir Jangda- Everyday of this Ramadan, Muslimmatters.com will be putting up videos of Sheikh Abdul Nasir Jangda explaining a few ayahs of the Surah Yasin. InshAllah the the entire surah will be completed by the end of Ramadan.
  
• "Got Mulk?"- Similar to the above, this facebook page will put up videos of the explanation of one ayah of Suratul Mulk by instructors from the Foundation for Knowledge and Development everyday for this Ramadan. 
• Taraweeh Truffles by Muhammad Alshareef- Short and entertaining videos by Muhammad Alshareef giving us tips on how to make the most of this Ramadan.

In the comments section, tell us some of your Ramadan goals!

*Edit* additional resources:

Facebook Page Exclusive Comic #1: Summer, Time to Lower Your Gaze

Asalamu Alaikum All,

I'm doing this new cool thing just for the people who like the Cartoon Muhammad Facebook Page. From time to time I'll be putting up a comic that will only be on that page. CLICK THIS RIGHT HERE TO CHECK IT OUT. And be sure to like the page so you don't miss the next one!

Are You Ready For Ramadan?

 

 

 

Ramadan is about 1 month away. Why mention it now you ask? Is it because I couldn't think of another topic? Well maybe, but it is never too early to prepare for Ramadan. As you know, Ramadan is blessed month that is completely unique from other months. You can just feel it. Everyone refrains from eating, Muslims are on their best behavior and the mosque is actually filled on days other than Friday (wow!). Why do people act so different during Ramadan? Well there are a number of reasons.

The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said,  “…Whoever draws nearer (to Allah) by performing any of the (optional) good deeds in (this month), shall receive the same reward as performing an obligatory deed at any other time; and whoever performs an obligatory deed in (this month), shall receive the reward of performing seventy obligations at any other time. It is the month of patience, and the reward of patience is Paradise . It is the month of charity, and a month in which a believer’s sustenance is increased. Whoever gives food to a fasting person to break his fast shall have his sins forgiven, and he will be saved from the Hell-Fire, and he shall have the same reward as the fasting person, without his reward being diminished at all.” Not a bad incentive right? Wasting an opportunity like this would be like not doing an easy extra credit assignment that would guarantee you an A on your exam. Man, I wish there was a college equivalent of Ramadan.
  Some people get a bit confused about Ramadan. They are extra good during Ramadan, even better than some practicing Muslims (which shows how much potential they have), but then stop practicing Islam almost completely as soon as the month ends. It's like someone does the extra credit, but doesn't take the required exams and projects and still expect to pass. We forget that in Islam, actions are based on intention. Wouldn't it be a shame if we did all these amazing deeds during Ramadan, but none of them counted because we knew from the start that we would go back to disobeying Allah as soon as Ramadan ends? 


So let's not think about how long these summer fasts will be and how early you'll have to wake up for suhoor, but think about the amazing potential for rewards Allah will grant us purely out of His mercy. 

In the comments section: What are the biggest mistakes people make during Ramadan? What new and interesting plans do you have planned for the upcoming Ramadan?

The Love of Halal Gyros

Asalamu Alaikum all! I'm a bit busy these days and want to be more consistent with this website, so I thought I'd share with you a comic I made for my friends back in high school. It's a bit random, has some inside jokes and you'll notice a lot of similarities to one of the previous comics, but I'm sure you'll forgive me.

I made this some time after a gyro cart (also known as chicken and rice carts or halal carts) appeared a few blocks away from my high school. If you live in New York City, you've probably heard of the 53rd and 6th halal cart. Well this was a local version of that, which can now be found all around the city. They serve lamb and chicken over a platter of brown rice or pita bread with salad on the side. But what really makes them a hit is

Reflections from North Shore LIJ Cancer Survivor's Day With Darryl Strawberry (Video)

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Islam

*Alhamdulillah= Praise be to Allah

*InshAllah= If Allah wills
*JazakAllah= May Allah reward you

Last week, Muhammad, my brother and I attended North Shore University Hospital’s and LIJ Medical Center’s Fifth Annual Cancer Survivors’ Day. We decided to go, because Alhamdulillah, my brother is a cancer survivor and successfully finished his chemotherapy about a month ago. 

The event was held in a huge tent in the Monter Cancer Center's parking lot. When we entered, there were round tables set up with lots of goodies, like cookies, iced tea and wine bottles (which turned out to be this nonalcoholic apple sparkle drink mmm mmm). The podium was set up in the middle of the tent, right next to the dance floor where a bunch of elderly survivors were having a little too much fun. 

We weren't really sure how the event would go and considered leaving, but decided to stay once the speeches started. Alhamdulillah, we made a good choice to stay. Before the famous baseball legend, Darryl Strawberry came up to speak,