Assalamu Alaikum wa rahmatallahi wa barakatuh

 Islamic Ink will be taking a break starting June 1st  for the summer Inshallah. Many of the writers will either be busy or on vacation, but when we come back we will have some wonderful articles and other updated materials for everyone to join in on and read! In the mean time, if anyone wants to send in an islamic drawing (please make sure its halal), poem, article, or short story, feel free to email us at IslamicInk@gmail.com.  

We apologize for any inconveniences. During this time, also feel free to suggest to us any topics that you are interested in reading in the upcoming articles. We would love to hear your opinions and suggestions!!

Wa’alaikum Assalam Wa Rahmatallahi wa Barakatu

  Assalamu Alaikum

Contributed by Sister Shoruoq

Since I reverted to Islam I’ve often done tons of research to know how to become the best wife I possibly can Inshaállah. I’ve noticed it’s very easy to find compiled lists of what a wife should and shouldn’t do but also noticed how hard it is to find that list for brothers. Why does everyone concentrate on the wife? Wife must obey the husband, wife should look pretty for husband, wife must keep a clean home, blah blah blah the list goes on. I’m not saying that the list isn’t in any way wrong because I try my best to practice those duties as a wife but I think “some” brothers also should remember they have duties more than just bringing in the money. So as to a few requests I’ve gotten from sisters here is a list I was able to compile from two articles written by scholars.

“Among His signs is the fact that he has created spouses from among yourselves, so that you may find tranquillity with them; and he has put love and mercy between you. In that are signs for people who reflect.”
[Qur'an 30:21]

“They (wives) are garments for you, while you are garments for them.”
[Qur'an 2:187]

“From among the believers are those who have the kindest disposition and are the kindest to their families- such are those who show the most perfect faith. “The best among them are those who are kindest to their wives.” [Bukhari and Muslim] (more…)

Remember when you and your friend were always close and you could tell each other anything? You were the closest to each other and nobody else came between you two?After some time, you noticed that this friend was acting abit strange, and they wasn’t giving you the attention you usually had.. wasup with him/her? you asked yourself. This friend gradually started hanging out with you less and you never spoke to each other that much. They started acting abit more ‘kool’ and they felt that you was oldskool..What if it’s a guy, or a gyal? you thought to yourself.. i’ve never seen them act this strange before.

Turns out, what you thought was right. They wanted to join the scene too and you was left behind, you’re still a kid in their eyes but they’ve grown up. I’m hangin with the bad boyz now, or the ‘thuggetez.’ (more…)

”Buzz off nigga, go back to Africa!!!”

“Don’t be so jealous and get some tan, you white-looser!”

You’re probably grinning or rolling your eyes now, we’ve all heard something similar before. I’m not too good with the things people comment about each other’s colour, the exact phrases they use or whatever. I don’t even wanna know. I’ve seen and heard enough in my lifetime.

Maybe you’re thinking this is something many non-Muslims like to do, hate us all because of our colour, race or because they think Muslims are all “terrorist Arabs” from the far away East. Aladdins and Jasmines, some monkey Abus too. But they got to admit; we’d all need a Genie in the bottle, right?

Well, back to my actual topic…Firstly, I wouldn’t like to break your fantasy thinking brother/sister, but I’m not known to keep quite about reality. There is a lot of racism going on between Muslims. It sounds almost ridiculous, even in my ears, because I’m positive most of you have heard this:

So you’re sitting down with your friends and you’re having a good time. All of a sudden, one of your friends, let’s call her X, starts talking about hijaab. Uh oh. Whoopsy daisy. You don’t like how this conversation is going….you can already feel that you aren’t going to agree with what your friend says. Sure enough, X says something along the lines of “Hijab is only about being modest. I mean, the Qur’an doesn’t even say the word hair”…All of your other friends are nodding and looking at that other friend, X, like she’s some sort of Saint or something.

What to do? Speak up? Tell them that the Qura’n does say to obey the Prophet (Sallah Allahoo alyhee wa salam) and that is where the exact ruling comes from? Have them think of you as some preacher, or worse, an extremist…Or you can be quiet and not say anything….

You decide to mumble something about “being pretty sure that wasn’t right.“

Course you say it just loud enough, I mean low enough, that they can’t hear you. But hey, at least you said, it right? Better than the last time where you didn’t say anything at all—having done your duty, you relax and join in the “Fun”.

What you don’ t know is that your other friend just went through the same inner struggle you went through and so did the other one too. Nobody spoke up because they were too scared too; everybody assumed that the entire group was unanimous in the decision that hijaab is “just modesty” …and because everybody thought everybody else agreed with it, nobody wanted to oppose the entire group, so everybody was quiet about it. This is actually defined by sociologists as groupthink- and it occurs in all places and all times.

BUT! This is not Islamic thinking. In Islam, we are told to “Speak up when something is wrong!” Just listen to the Prophet (Sallah Allahoo alyhee wa salam’s) hadith:

“Whosoever of you sees an evil action, let him change it with his hand; and if he is not able to do so, then with his tongue; and if he is not able to do so, then with his heart; and that is the weakest of faith.”

Now some of you might be thinking- well yeah, we’re thinking in our hearts that is wrong, isn’t that okay? But pay attention to the hadith: it says: “If he is not able to do so”— meaning you better have no way of speaking up. You see, it is not enough for you to be good and to leave others. Not enough at all:

It was reported that Allah ordered Jibreel to destroy a village that had become extremely corrupted, but Jibreel asked Allah, “O Allah, in this village is your servant that constantly prays to You”, Allah replied, “Start with him! For his face never changed with disapproval to what had been going on.” Because he didn’t speak up, because he thought it was enough for him to be good, he too was punished with the sinners.

(more…)